Jacob was left alone

Genesis 32; Esther 8; Mark 3; Romans 3

Genesis 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

Jacob was afraid of his brother Esau. He had already sent all his family across the Jabbok in droves to divide them up thinking if Esau killed one drove that the others might escape. Now, he was alone. Jacob hadn't been alone much for twenty years. Since he took a wife he had had a companion during the night watches. He had left Canaan alone and traveled to Padanaram alone. During one of those times, he had dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven. Now a man came to him while he was alone. Who was this man? The Bible tells us that he wrestled with an angel:

Hosea 12:4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us.

Jacob tells us that he saw God face to face:

Genesis 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

God came to Jacob as the Angel of the Lord and wrestled with him all night. This struggle was a picture of Jacob's relationship with God for his whole life. He was Jacob, the supplanter, the one who got his way by trickery and deceit. From the womb he had been trying to get ahead of his brother as he grabbed him by the heel. He traded him out of his birth-right and cheated him out of his blessing. He made deals with God. Now as he wrestled with God, the angel touched his hip and crippled him. Yet, Jacob would not let go.

Genesis 32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

Here is the tenacity of Jacob. He greatly desired God's blessing. God would give it, but he wanted to transform Jacob's character. God wanted to make Jacob into a new man. God renamed him Israel there because he had power with God and with men and prevailed. A new name and a new nature!

God brought Jacob to a point of surrender. He could not win, but he would not let go. Would you have that kind of tenacity? Would you take hold upon God and not let go until he blesses you? Would you allow God to transform your character and so change you that you have a new name?

If you will, you may walk away with a limp like Jacob. The greatest wrestling match we will ever have is when we face God alone and allow him to transform us.

In Christ,

Rody

New wine in new bottles

Bible Reading: Genesis 31; Esther 7; Mark 2; Romans 2

Mark 2:21-22 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

It is so hard for the religious leaders of Jesus' day to understand what he was saying. They were so upset with him because he would not honor the traditions of the elders. In fact, it seemed that sometimes he DELIBERATELY did things to violate certain of the oral torah's teachings. Jesus never transgressed God's Word, but he did not always honor the interpretation of the rabbis of his day.

The Pharisees were especially concerned with the company and customs of Jesus and his disciples. Jesus ate with publicans and sinners! And his disciples did not fast. Why? The Pharisees wanted to know. Jesus gave them two answers that blew their minds. To the question about eating with sinners, Jesus answered:

Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

How could the sick ever get well unless they were with the Great Physician! He also answered in regard to the second question about fasting:

Mark 2:19-20 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

The bridegroom was with them then. There would come a time when he was not with them and they would fast. His point in both of these is that it is all about Jesus! They were focusing on religion and religious customs. Jesus was showing them that they were in the presence of the Messiah and everything had changed! He did not come to patch up Judaism. He came with new wine of the kingdom of God. The old bottles of Judaism would not hold it. It required new bottles to contain the new wine of the Messiah's kingdom.

Since the time of Jesus, everything has changed. He came to call sinners to repentance. He came to set the captives free. He did not come to revamp old religion but to show us how to walk in a relationship with him. Are you walking with him?

In Christ,

Rody

The Ministers Heart

Bible Reading: Genesis 30; Esther 6; Mark 1; Romans 1

Romans 1:8-12 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

Here is a picture into the heart of a true minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul was called by God to be an apostle and as he writes this letter to the Roman Christians, he reveals much godly motivation.

1. A true minister of Jesus Christ is thankful for the flock. He is thankful for their salvation and their ministry. Paul said the faith of the Roman Christians was spoken of throughout the whole world! An evangelist like Paul is always grateful for an evangelistic church!
   
2. A true minister prays for the church. Paul calls God as his witness that he continually (without ceasing) prayed for the Roman Christians. There are so many needs within the body of Christ and Paul knew that only Christ himself could meet those needs!
   
3. A true minister of Jesus Christ longs to be with the people of God. Even though Paul had never met with the church at Rome, he greatly desired to see them and had tried previously to come to them. Now he was praying for a prosperous journey to come to them.
   
4. A true minister knows that he is gifted to help the body of Christ. Paul wanted to impart to them a spiritual gift. He wanted to preach to them so that God would use the gift he had given Paul to establish the church at Rome.
   

Romans 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

1. The true minister wants the church to be established. He desires for spiritual maturity to come and for the solid foundation to be sure upon the rock of Jesus Christ.
   
2. The true minister knows that mutual comfort comes from the preacher to the church and from the church to the preacher. Their mutual faith would greatly encourage them and Paul!
   

Isn't it a beautiful thing when a man truly loves Jesus and loves the church? Let's pray that God send out laborers with this heart!

In Christ,

Rody

Fast ye for me

Genesis 28; Esther 4; Matthew 27; Acts 27

Esther 4:16-17 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. 17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Even though Esther was the queen, it was against the law for anyone to approach the king without his royal summons. The death penalty was associated with this unless the king extended his scepter showing mercy to the one coming. Mordecai had uncovered Haman's wicked plot to destroy all the Jews and the only person in the kingdom that could do anything about it was Esther. She too would be found out and killed since she was a Jew. Mordecai recognized God's providence in placing Esther at a strategic place to be able to intervene and bring about the deliverance of their people. Mordecai instructed Esther to go and make supplication to the king on behalf of the Jews. She was reluctant knowing the consequences for approaching the king uninvited.

When Esther made up her mind to go she asked for help in the form of a three day fast. She asked Mordecai to get all the Jews in Shushan to fast along with her and her maidens. What is the purpose of a fast? Why would she do this?

Isaiah 58:6-9 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. 9
Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity.

Esther was enlisting prayer support. They were humbling their souls before God and asking him to make them successful. Was the fast necessary? Was the fast the thing that made Esther's entrance to the king successful? We will never know for sure, however, God in his Word has included this narrative for our benefit. When you have a BIG decision that the outcome is uncertain, fasting and prayer is a tool the Lord has given to us. Use it!

In Christ,

Rody

Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah

Bible Reading: Genesis 29; Esther 5; Matthew 28; Acts 28

Genesis 29:30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

The account of Jacob and his wives always breaks my heart. Can you imagine being married to a man that does not love you? Can you imagine being married to a man who is in love with your sister? Can you imagine being married to a man who is also married to your sister? What a mess! God in his Word says:

Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

Notice that God says I will make him AN HELP meet for him. He did not say helpers meet for him! Jacob got cheated by his father-in-law, Laban. However, poor Leah was caught in between a wicked father and a reluctant husband that loved her sister more! Here we learn something interesting in God's Word:

Genesis 29:31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

In verse 30 we see that Jacob loved Rachel MORE than Leah. This does not say that Jacob did not love Leah, just that he loved her sister MORE. However, God sees in verse 31 that Leah is hated. A lesser love is hate! A man cannot have two loves. Listen to what Jesus says in regard to masters:

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.

Jacob had a divided interest he could not love two women as he should. He loved one and his lesser love for the other was hated. God saw this and he did something about it. He specifically opened the womb of Leah allowing her to have children while Rachel was barren. Leah hoped the son her husband gave her would make her husband love her more. So she names him accordingly:

Genesis 29:32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

She was trying so hard to get her husband's love. Each son born to Leah was named according to her hope that Jacob would love her. Apparently, nothing changed so when the fourth boy was born she said I'm going to praise the Lord! So she named him Judah. Leah learned to find her significance in the Lord and to praise him for all things. My heart always breaks when I read of Leah. She tried so hard to earn Jacob's love but could not. However, she knew that she had the Lord's love and he gave her sons that loved her. Don't let your interest be divided! Love God, love your spouse, and love your children.

In Christ,

Rody

Jesus prayed three times

Bible Reading: Genesis 27; Esther 3; Matthew 26; Acts 26

Matthew 26:44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

After the Passover, Jesus and his disciples went to the Mount of Olives. They were divided into two groups. In one group were eight of the disciples. In the other group were Peter, James and John. He asked them to watch with him while he went and prayed.

Matthew 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

The Bible tells us that Jesus prayed three times and each time his prayer was the same. Have you ever been exceeding sorrowful? Have you ever needed someone to pray with you as you poured out your soul to the Lord? What was it that Jesus was praying about?

Matthew 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Jesus was getting ready to begin the long journey through incredible suffering to the cross. Jesus is God and man. He knew what must be done and as God knew there was no other way. Yet, as a man, he despised the shame that was to come (Hebrews 12:2). He was about to taste death for every man (Hebrews 2:9). The sorrow was overwhelming and he prayed to the Father.

Hebrews 5:7-9 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.

Jesus submitted to the will of the Father in prayer. Notice he made a request, "if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." He asked for this to pass. But he also prefaced it with these words, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt." Jesus wanted the Father's will above all else. In this he teaches us that in prayer we may ask for anything, but we also must submit completely to the will of God. In this we can know that God will enable us to do what he has called us to do. The passage in Hebrews says that he prayed to the one who was able to save him from death. And the Father did save him. He did not save him from the cross, but he resurrected him from the dead. Jesus did not go around the cross but through it.

Let us pray as Jesus prayed. Let us ask anything of God and let us submit to the will of the Father knowing that he will take us through the cross as well!

In Christ,

Rody

Buy for yourselves

Bible Reading: Genesis 26; Esther 2; Matthew 25; Acts 25

Matthew 25:8-9 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

It might take a long time for Jesus to come again. That is the point of this parable that Jesus told. Since we do not know the day or the hour, we must watch!

Matthew 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Jesus here likens his coming to a wedding party waiting for the bridegroom. The father of the groom would set the day of the wedding, but he would not let anyone know until the time was right. The bridegroom had preparations to make. He needed a place for him and his bride to live. He needed to be able to pay the bride price to the bride's father. His father would help him with these preparations and when they were made, and then the bridegroom would be allowed by his father to go and get his bride. Meanwhile, the bride and her bridesmaids waited expectantly for him to come. They had to be ready because he could come at any hour.

In our Lord's parable, the bridegroom was later than they thought and they all fell asleep. They awoke to the sound of the friend of the bridegroom's voice:

Matthew 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

They all rose and trimmed their lamps, but five of them had no oil. They wanted the others to share, but they could not. It was time to go, but their only option was to go and buy more. While the wedding party was headed off the foolish virgins went to buy oil. When they finally arrived the wedding part was inside and the door was shut.

Matthew 25:11-12 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

These virgins were not allowed in. They were not ready when the Lord came. He said he knew them not! He did not say I don't know you anymore. Even though they were keeping company with the wedding party, the Lord did not know them. They were not ready when he came. There are many like that today. They are in the middle of the church, but their lamps are not full of the oil of the Holy Spirit. They are not known of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Are you ready? When he comes you need to be watching and expecting his return.

In Christ,

Rody

After the way they call heresy

Bible Reading: Genesis 25; Esther 1; Matthew 24; Acts 24

Acts 24:14-15 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: 15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

Many people claim that Christianity is a Jewish sect. They believe in a sociological sort of way that the three 'Great Abrahamic Religions', Judaism, Islam and Christianity all sprang from a common source. However, that is to completely miss the point. The Jews think that to follow Jesus Christ as the Messiah is heresy. Paul pointed this out before the court as he was on trial before Felix. Paul was born again. He had received the Lord Jesus Christ and he was a new man. Notice how he claims the true faith for his own.

1. 
   He worshipped the God of heaven. The Creator who the Bible speaks of in Genesis 1 and 2 was Paul's God. He worshipped him!
   
2. He worshipped the God of his fathers. The same God that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had known and worshipped is who Paul worshiped.
   
3. He believed all things written in the law and in the prophets. The Old Testament was Paul's revelation of truth. He had faith that came by hearing and hearing by the word of God! He did not reject the Old Testament revelation; he believed it – all of it!
   
4. His hope was in God for a future resurrection from the dead. He believed there was life after the death of the body, just as the Old Testament said. He believed in a resurrection of the just and the unjust and he knew that he was a part of the just!
   

Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

The religious leaders who had Paul on trial hated 'The Way'. This is what they called the followers of Jesus. They called it heresy to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Here we must see what is happening. Paul did not pick a new religion, nor did he create one. God revealed himself more fully in the coming of Jesus Christ than he had previously done before. Those who believed on Jesus were the true followers of the God who created the world and chose Abraham. To miss Jesus was to miss God!

The same goes for today. To miss Jesus is to miss God. If you follow Jesus, realize that many will call what you believe heresy. Jesus is God!

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

In Christ,

Rody

Generation of vipers

Genesis 24; Nehemiah 12; Matthew 23; Acts 23

Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Jesus made this statement to a group of extremely religious people. The scribes and Pharisees were some of the religious leaders of his day. They said they believed the Bible. They were zealous for the Law of Moses. They prayed, they made proselytes, they kept the Sabbath, they believed in the resurrection of the dead. However, Jesus told them they were serpents. What did he mean by this? He was taking them all the way back to the Garden of Eden and comparing them to Satan. Imagine their shock and outrage at Jesus' comparison. He just called them vipers! Remember, God cursed the serpent in the Garden. He also pronounced his demise.

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

God said that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head. However, God said the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman would have enmity. In other words, they would be at war with each other. Here is Jesus reminding these religious people that they were the seed of the serpent! Another time he told them:

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

They were following their father – Satan. Wow! How scary to think that someone as religious as the Pharisees would actually be acting like Satan. How does that happen? It happens when someone who is lost takes up the Bible and tries to be religious. They create a religious system devoid of Christ. They will find themselves to be fighting against the Lord and his people. These religious leaders opposed Christ at every turn. They hated him and eventually they were shouting, "Crucify him; crucify him!"

Realize that in every generation, there is a group of vipers who use the Bible to try to lead people AWAY from Christ. Be warned and make sure that you are following Jesus. Be sure that you know him through a relationship by faith. If you are holding to a form of godliness or morality that is based on what you do, you have been deceived by the enemy. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ. Religion cannot save you and it cannot make you good. Only Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit can do that!

In Christ,

Rody

Buying a Burying place

Bible Reading: Genesis 23; Nehemiah 12; Matthew 22; Acts 22

Genesis 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

As the wife of Abraham, the father of faith, Sarah is the only woman in scripture that has a record of her age at her death in the Bible. That does not mean other women were not buried, it means the Bible does not record them. Abraham was a stranger and a sojourner in the land of Canaan. As a stranger, he was a foreigner, an alien. He was from a different country. As a sojourner he was passing through or wandering in that land. He lived in tents and never had a permanent dwelling place. He did not buy land in Canaan. He did not build a house in Canaan. Why? The Bible tells us:

Hebrews 11:9-10 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Abraham was looking for a city built by God. God GAVE him the land of Canaan. Abraham's descendants were the ones who lived in this land as theirs. So Abraham was give all the land but he never really owned it in his life time. Because of this the only land he ever bought was a burying place for his wife. Interestingly, Abraham honored the Hittites who had possession of this land and bought a burying place for Sarah. Here we see a bit of Eastern real estate trading going on. He publicly declares his desire to buy some land. They tell him take what he needs. He publically asks for a specific piece of land and then the owner of that land begins to speak for himself and his family. He says, "Take it, Abraham, it's yours." We might have said, "Wow! Thank you, you are so kind." But, we would have completely misunderstood the bargaining and contract laws of the ancient world. There was no written deed or contract drawn up. However, the transaction was made publically as the men sat in the city gate. Because it happened publically, everyone present was witness to the transaction.

Ephron states a price for the land and then says Abraham can have it. So Abraham accepts the price and weighs out silver for the purchase. Abraham is doing business with integrity and according to custom here. His family burying place is now purchased and Abraham can now have the funeral for his wife. Interesting that at a time of death, a business deal is discussed so thoroughly in the Bible. I take from that several things:

1. 
   It is important to make preparations for the proper burying of your family.
   
2. Sarah was buried, not burned up.
   
3. Mourning the loss of loved ones is a part of life.
   

Christians believe in a resurrection from the dead. The body of a dead believer is said to be asleep while the soul and spirit go to be with God. The body will be resurrected when Jesus comes to get us.

In Christ,

Rody

I am ready

Bible Reading: Genesis 22; Nehemiah 11; Matthew 21; Acts 21

Acts 21:13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Agabus had prophesied that Paul would be bound at Jerusalem and delivered into the hands of the Gentiles. Paul would encounter persecution and be thrown into prison because of it. His friends responded:

Acts 21:12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

Paul would not be moved. He was going to Jerusalem and he was ready to be bound and to die if need be for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you get in the way of others following Jesus? Would you have been like his friends and tried to dissuade him when you found the difficult he would encounter?

Paul had been told by Jesus that his walk would be a difficult one the moment he was born again into the kingdom of God.

Acts 9:15-16 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

Paul did not operate under false pretenses. He knew that to follow Jesus meant to suffer. He knew that persecution would be a part of the job. This did not deter him. Many live under the illusion that life is 'safe'. It is not. You will die someday. The apostle Paul knew this and summed up his life in this way:

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Peter had to learn this lesson the hard way. Jesus had been teaching that he would suffer at the hands of sinful men and die and be resurrected. Peter rebuked Jesus for what he was saying! Jesus answered him:

Mark 8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

If you get in the way of someone following the will of the Lord, you are like Satan. Are you ready? Do you want to follow Jesus no matter what? Or do you live under the illusion that life is to be safe? Following Jesus is risky, but worth it. Will you say with the apostle, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain? That is Christian discipleship!

In Christ,

Rody

The Holy Ghost makes overseers

Bible Reading: Genesis 21; Nehemiah 10; Matthew 20; Acts 20

Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

The Bible tells us that Paul called for the elders of the church at Ephesus (Acts 20:17). He is leaving and he wants to encourage them and warn them of what is coming. As an apostle, Paul's job was to declare to them all the counsel of God (Acts 20:27). In his warning, we can learn much about Biblical eldership.

1. Take heed unto yourselves and to all the flock. As elders, they were to pay attention to their lives and the lives of the church. To be careful to keep in step with the Holy Spirit and follow Jesus was their goal. They needed to be always growing and helping the church to grow in Christlikeness as well.
   
2. The Holy Ghost hath made your overseers. The word 'overseers' is the same word in Greek as 'bishop' in 1Timothy 3:1. These men had found a desire to preach and lead in their hearts that came from the Holy Ghost. They were called to this ministry.
   
3. To feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. 'To feed' is the verb form of the noun translated 'pastors' in Ephesians 4:11. The elders/overseers/bishops/pastors were to recognize that God purchased the church with his own blood. They had a responsibility to feed or pastor the flock that the Holy Spirit had made them overseers of.
   

Here we see two great responsibilities of an elder in God's church. Growing closer to Christ each day and teaching the Word of God to God's flock. Why is this so important? Because an elder that is not growing and staying close to Jesus will lead people in the wrong direction. There are wolves who will devour the flock.

Acts 20:29-30 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

False teaching would lead people away. Paul knew this by a special revelation of the Holy Spirit. The mark of a wolf is that he does not care about the flock and he does not point people to Jesus. He wants disciples to follow him. The apostle was warning the Ephesian elders of what was coming. He loved the church and did not want to see this happen. We need godly, Holy Ghost made, shepherds to lead the church of God. Would you pray for them? Would you ask God for men to lead the church who love Jesus and love people?

In Christ,

Rody

Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven

Bible Reading: Genesis 19; Nehemiah 9; Matthew 19; Acts 19

Matthew 19:11-12 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. 12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Jesus told his disciples this after he had taught them concerning marriage. After the disciples heard him they commented:

Matthew 19:10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

Jesus here teaches us who is able to receive the saying that it is good not to marry. In other words, it is NOT GOOD for the man to be alone, unless he is able to receive this teaching.

The Lord Jesus tells us there are three types of men who can receive the saying that it is not good to marry.

1. Some men were born eunuchs from their mother's womb. In other words, they naturally are able to live a celibate life and not 'burn'. The apostle Paul here helps us with this.
   

1 Corinthians 7:7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

1 Corinthians 7:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

Paul apparently was born this way. He was able to contain his sexual appetites and not burn with passion. Notice that Paul says this is a gift from God.

1. Jesus says some eunuchs were made that way by men. The cruel world that these men lived in was one in which kings would make some men eunuchs. In this case, these are not excluded from kingdom service. Remember the Ethiopian eunuch that Philip led to Christ in Acts 8?
   
2. There are some who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. Here is a person who willingly chooses to remain single in order to serve Christ. There are responsibilities in a marriage that a single person is free from.
   

1 Corinthians 7:32-33 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

A single person is able to serve the Lord in a unique way. An example here might be for the purpose of taking the gospel into a place that a family could not go.

These are all instances in which a person may want to remain single and be within the will of God.

In Christ,

Rody

God remembered Abraham

Genesis 19; Nehemiah 8; Matthew 18; Acts 18

Genesis 19:29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

The Bible says that when God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah that he remembered Abraham. In his remembering Abraham, God sent Lot out of the city before the destruction came. What was it that God remembered about Abraham? God remembered Abraham's intercession. When the Lord decided to destroy the cities, he came with two angels to Abraham's tent. Abraham welcomed them and set food before them. This was a very special meeting, because God promised Abraham that Sarah would have a son. The Lord also revealed to Abraham his plan.

Genesis 18:20-22 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

When Abraham heard the news of what God intended to do, he began to intercede on behalf of the righteous in the city.

Genesis 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Abraham then began to intercede for the city before God. He began by asking if God would destroy the city if fifty righteous people were found in it. The Lord said he would spare the city for fifty. Abraham continued to reduce the number until he got to ten. God said he would spare the city for ten righteous people. Here Abraham stopped and God departed. The amazing thing about this portion of God's word is that God listened to Abraham's petitions.

God did not find ten righteous people in the city! God only found one – Lot!

2 Peter 2:7-9 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.

Genesis tells us that God remembered Abraham when he delivered Lot. Abraham's prayers were instrumental in the deliverance of Lot. Your prayers are heard. Our prayers make a difference. God invites us to pray and bring our supplications to him. God will remember your prayers. Are you asking God for great things?

In Christ,

Rody

Prayer and Fasting

Bible Reading: Genesis 18; Nehemiah 7; Matthew 17; Acts 17

Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Jesus had been on the mountain with Peter, James and John. They had seen Jesus transfigured before them and had seen him talking with Moses and Elijah. They were certainly excited about this 'mountain-top experience' they had with the Lord. When they got down from the mountain, they found that the other disciples were at war with the enemy and were losing!

A man had brought his son who was possessed by a devil that had troubled him severely since he was a little boy. This had gone on for years. The disciples had tried to cast out the devil, but they could not. This was surprising to the disciples because they had dealt with devils before.

Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

His disciples received a rebuke from the Lord for their lack of faith. And Jesus cast the devil out of the boy.

Matthew 17:17-18 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

When the disciples asked why they could not cast the devil out Jesus informed them it was because of their unbelief. They were not able because they were not walking in faith. It does not take great faith to do the works of Jesus. It only takes faith the size of a mustard seed. It is a great God that the faith is in! They encountered a devil that had been in his 'home' for a long time. It took much prayer and fasting to cast him out.

Now let's put two and two together. Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith and told them this kind of devil only comes out by prayer and fasting. The reason they did not have sufficient faith is because they were cut off from the source of faith – God. In order to walk in faith, it takes time alone with the Father. To deny the body food in order to spend time in prayer is a practice that is necessary for the disciple. They were not prayed up. They were caught unprepared. Jesus knew this because they were not able to cast out the devil. Are you prepared for what might come your way today? Are you prayed up so that when you have the opportunity to do the work of Jesus you are ready? It wouldn't hurt to miss a meal every now and then to feed upon God's word instead!

In Christ,

Rody

And the prisoners heard them

Bible Reading: Genesis 17; Nehemiah 6; Matthew 16; Acts 16

Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Paul and Silas had led Lydia and her household to Christ. As they walked through the streets of Philippi, a young girl with a spirit of divination followed them announcing that Paul and Silas were servants of the most high God and they came to show the way of salvation. Isn't it amazing that the demon inside her knew exactly who these men where? The demons know Jesus! Every day, this girl would follow them and say this as they walked the streets. Finally, Paul commanded the spirit to come out of her in the name of Jesus Christ.

This ended the profitability of this young girl who was exploited by those who employed her. She was able to make them a lot of money by soothsaying (fortune telling). Now that was all over and her masters had Paul and Silas thrown into prison. Why were these men singing praises to God in the middle of the night? I believe two things were going on.

First, they were rejoicing that they had suffered for the name of Christ. Jesus said:

Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

They were also praying and as they sang and prayed, they were a witness to the others in the jail with them. Philippi was an interesting ministry. There apparently was no synagogue there so they went to the river and led Lydia to Christ. Now when the earthquake opened the jail doors, they were able to lead the jailer to Christ.

Paul and Silas were singing and praying because they were praising the God who works in mysterious ways! Nothing in Philippi was by the book. However, these men knew that they had been called to be witnesses to Jesus Christ. God can work in any circumstances and does not always do things the same way every time.

Would you allow God to work in your life in any and all circumstances? Would you see yourself as a witness for Christ everywhere you are? Would you realize that God is worthy of praise even if you are locked up? When you praise God, others may hear you!

In Christ,

Rody

Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai

Bible Reading: Genesis 16; Nehemiah 5; Matthew 15; Acts 15

Genesis 16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

God had made Abram a promise. He had made a covenant with him and promised him an heir.

Genesis 15:4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

Can't you just hear Abram and Sarai laying in their tent at night talking about this promise? Abram was in his eighties at this time and Sarah was in her seventies. How excited Abram must have been as he thought about having a son! But as time when on, Sarai began to realize that what God had promised was impossible. We do not know if she was bitter against the Lord or not, but she said, "The LORD hath restrained me from bearing." So she began to think. She came up with a plan and presented it to Abram.

In that day it was customary for a woman who could not have children to adopt the child of another woman with her husband. The child would literally be born 'on her knees'. When the time came for the birth, the pregnant woman would sit on the lap of the barren woman and the child would belong to the barren woman. This was Sarai's suggestion for Abram to have an heir. She would give him her handmaid Hagar, an Egyptian girl.

This might have been customarily acceptable in the day, but it was not what God wanted. The Bible says:

Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

It seemed right to Abram and Sarai to try and bring about God's promise through their means. They took it into their own hands and tried to figure out how to make it work. This child, Ishmael we are told is an example of what the flesh can accomplish:

Galatians 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

God was going to do a miracle! Abram and Sarai tried to bring it about by their own means. Be very careful that you don't do as they did. We must:

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Trust God and do not lean on your own understanding. Do not try to bring about the promises of God by the flesh!

In Christ,

Rody

He walked on the water

Bible Reading: Genesis 15; Nehemiah 4; Matthew 14; Acts 14

Matthew 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

What is faith? Many are confused as to what real faith is. Many think that faith is a force that you can manipulate to get what you want. They teach that if you believe hard enough, God will see your faith and give you what you are 'believing' for. This is not Biblical faith. This is some form of magic and God has nothing to do with it.

Real faith is to believe what God says and then act accordingly. According to the Bible:

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

When you hear the Word of God and believe what he says, that is faith. We see this in the life of Abraham. God spoke a word of promise to Abraham and he believed God.

Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, Peter did not believe real hard that he could walk on water and then do it. He prayed (that is what you do when you talk to God) and asked Jesus for a word.

Matthew 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

Peter knew that apart from the word of God, it would be impossible to walk on the water. However, he saw Jesus doing it and Peter wanted to be with his Lord. Then Jesus gave him a word that Peter could believe and act upon. Jesus said, "Come." This was a word from God that Peter could stand upon! So he went. Peter was acting on the word of God. Even in this amazing situation, Peter quickly let the circumstance distract him from trusting in Jesus.

Matthew 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

When Peter took his eyes off Jesus – the object of faith – and put them on the storm, he was afraid and began to sink. Peter did not have the ability in himself to walk on water. He could only act in faith to the word of Jesus. Do you have your eyes on Jesus? Do you trust in him? Faith is to believe what he says. Do you open the Word of God daily and open your ears to hear what he says? You can only believe what God says. That is walk-on-the-water faith!

In Christ,

Rody

The enemy of all righteousness

Bible Reading: Genesis 14; Nehemiah 3; Matthew 13; Acts 13

Acts 13:9-10 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, 10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

Paul said this to Elymas the sorcerer who was trying to keep Sergius Palus the deputy of Paphos from believing on Jesus for salvation. Sergius Palus wanted to hear what Paul and Barnabas were preaching, but this sorcerer withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Acts 13:8b. Paul spoke to this man filled with the Holy Ghost and said that he was full of all subtilty and all mischief. He also called him a child of the devil who was an enemy of all righteousness and was seeking to pervert the right ways of the Lord.

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Paul said the sorcery this man practiced had made him like his father, the devil. That old serpent is subtil and is at work to turn people away from the faith. How does he work? The Bible tells us that he specifically plants his children in places where they will be useful to him. Jesus told a parable about the enemy sowing tares among the wheat. He gave the interpretation of the parable by saying:

Matthew 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one…

Jesus encountered those sow by Satan during his ministry. They were among the religious leaders of his day.

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

They have been around since the very first boy born of man.

1 John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

There are those who have been deceived by Satan and hate God. They do everything they can to hinder the work of God. They are sown by the enemy in specific places. Do not be surprised when you encounter them. However, learn from Paul and do not be afraid of them. Keep on preaching the gospel. The gospel has the power to open blind eyes!

In Christ,

Rody

So I Prayed to the God of Heaven

Bible Reading: Genesis 13; Nehemiah 2; Matthew 12; Acts 12

Nehemiah 2:4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

It was a crime to be sad in the king's presence. Nehemiah was a broken man after he heard the news of the ruined state of Jerusalem and the wall of the city lying in ruins. He had been fasting and praying to God for the sake of the city. His job was serving as the cupbearer to Artaxerxes and he was in the king's presence when the king noticed that Nehemiah was sad. To Nehemiah's horror, the king asked why he was sad. Nehemiah was afraid because the king could have him put to death for being sad in the king's presence. Nehemiah was honest and upfront with the king. He told him of the ruined state of Jerusalem. Then the king asked what his request was.

Nehemiah had been spending considerable time in prayer to God for the city of Jerusalem prior to this. Now Nehemiah has an audience with the king. He has no idea what the king's reaction will be. He could be outraged and have Nehemiah killed, or he could be indifferent and say go back to your work. He could also give Nehemiah permission to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls. So Nehemiah prayed to the God of Heaven.

Nehemiah is going to ask for a lot! He asks for an extended leave of absence to go oversee this work. He asks for a passport and visa to show that he has permission to do this. He also asked for letter enabling him to cut down the timbers required to complete the job. Not only did the king grant his request, but the king also sent a military escort to see him safely there.

Nehemiah knew that the king granted his request, according to the good hand of my God upon me. Nehemiah 2:8. God answered Nehemiah's prayer through the favor of an unbelieving king! Wow! Not only did that encourage Nehemiah in a mighty way, but his testimony is going to encourage and motivate the people of Jerusalem to join with him in this task.

Nehemiah 2:18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.

Do you pray to the God of heaven? Do you believe that he hears you? Think for a minute about what Nehemiah prayed for. He prayed for the glory of God in the city of Jerusalem. He did not pray for ease or luxury for himself. As a matter of fact, he put himself in harm's way because of his prayer. He wanted God's name to be glorified. Pray!

In Christ,

Rody

Full of the Holy Ghost and of faith

Bible Reading: Genesis 11-12; Nehemiah 1; Matthew 11; Acts 11

Acts 11:24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

Until this time the gospel had scarcely been preached outside of Israel. The only other place was in Samaria when Philip preached there. The persecution that began with the stoning of Stephen scattered the believers all over and some of them went to Antioch. In Antioch a group of unnamed men preached the gospel to the Grecians living there.

Acts 11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

Peter had realized through seeing Cornelius and his household believe that God wanted to save the Gentiles as well. Now the believers in Antioch saw the gospel transform the lives of Gentiles. The word got back to Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas. What was it that made Barnabas a good man? The Bible says:

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.

Mark 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

It was the fact that he will full of the Holy Ghost and of faith that he is called a good man. The Holy Spirit was yielding fruit in the life of Barnabas.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Barnabas was filled with joy when he saw what was happening at Antioch.

Acts 11:23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

Barnabas was a man who walked with God and when he saw God at work he was excited! He began encouraging them to cleave to the Lord. Barnabas was also a man who knew these new babes in Christ would need sound Bible teaching. So after a time, we went to Tarsus to get Saul and bring him back to teach the new church there.

Barnabas was a yielded man who did not have to have the lead. He knew that Saul could teach the people so he went and got him. Barnabas is a man we can learn from. He was willing to go wherever he was needed. He was glad to see God at work. He encouraged people to hold fast to Jesus. And he knew when someone else could help them grow better than he could. Let's learn from Barnabas what it is to be a good man and full of the Holy Ghost!

In Christ,

Rody

Not above his master

Bible Reading: Genesis 10; Ezra 10; Matthew 10; Acts 10

Matthew 10:24-25 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Two examples are used by Jesus to help us to understand the treatment we will receive from the world. First, a disciple/master relationship is in view. A disciple is a learner and a master is the one who is teaching and training the disciple. This is the work of the master craftsman and his apprentice. The apprentice joins with the master to learn all that he knows. He lives with him and works beside him until the master has determined that he is ready to go off one his own and practice the art that he has learned. Jesus took disciples who lived with him and learned how to walk in the Spirit. He taught them and trained them until they were ready to go and be masters who would take disciples and teach and train them.

The second example is that of a servant and his lord. The servant will never be over the lord. He is going to serve the lord of the house until he dies or until he has paid off his debt and is free again. The lesson for us to learn is that in both examples, the disciple and the servant are not above the master or lord. They are under them in the sense of authority and will only advance to be the same as their master.

Why does Jesus tell us this? Because his point is that if the world treats Jesus (master and lord) with hatred and false accusations, they will also treat his disciples the same way. If they call the master Beelzebub or the lord of the demons, what will they call the disciples of his household?

Are you following Jesus? Then you will not be above Jesus in the reception that he got from those who hated him. The world did not love Jesus and they never will. This is a promise of persecution. This is a promise of misunderstanding. This is a promise of being treated as they treated Jesus.

John 15:18-21 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

Pray for the lost and don't be surprised when the world hates you.

In Christ,

Rody

Give not your daughters unto their sons

Bible Reading: Genesis 9; Ezra 9; Matthew 9; Acts 9

Ezra 9:11-12 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. 12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.

Ezra was confused and astonished at the news that God's people had intermarried with the Canaanites. How could this be? This was blatant disobedience to God's Word! This was the first step to idolatry and to the death of the knowledge of the true God. How could it happen? Moses had been very clear when he delivered God's word to the people:

Deuteronomy 7:3-4 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

But many of the people had such a low regard for the word of God that they did not tremble at it. They did not know what God had said and if they did, they did not care.

A marriage with an unbeliever is prohibited by God. Our culture is guilty of this as well. Many young people have never been instructed in who they should look for in a spouse. Parents assume they will somehow make the right choice. God's great concern is that the unbeliever will lead the believer away from the worship of the true God. God wants us to hand down the true faith in God to the next generation and the next, and the next…

This is a word to parents. God told the parents not to give their sons and daughters to the people of the land of Canaan. Today parents must help to guide the lifelong commitments made by their children. This should start early as parents help them to see that two cannot walk together unless they be agreed (Amos 3:3). A believer marrying an unbeliever knowingly is blatantly ignoring God's word:

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

The promise of God to Israel was that if they would only marry true believers they would be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to their children forever. If we are serious about leaving an inheritance to our children that lasts, we had better get serious about God's Word!

In Christ,

Rody

Jesus put forth his hand and touched him

Bible Reading: Genesis 8; Ezra 8; Matthew 8; Acts 8

Matthew 8:2-3 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Leprosy is contagious. Lepers were secluded from society because of the contagion. They had to live painful, short lives separated from their family and friends. Amazingly, there had been very few reported cases of Leprosy being cleansed in Israel. However, God had made provision for this in the Law of Moses. In Leviticus 14 Moses gave very specific instructions on what a leper was to do in the day of his cleansing. But they had seldom used this portion of the Law. Oh, there had been lepers who were cleansed, but they were not Israelites. Remember Naaman the Syrian general that was cleansed in the day of Elisha? Miriam, the sister of Moses was one of the few who were cleansed of leprosy.

The law of the cleansing of a leper was so rare that the Jews had deemed it to be a Messianic miracle. They were looking for Messiah to cleanse lepers. So when Jesus cleanses this man, he tells him:

Matthew 8:4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Jesus did not want the man running around telling everyone what happened. The testimony of Jesus being the Messiah would be powerful when it came from the declaration by the priest that a miracle that only Messiah could do had been done in Israel! Jesus healed the man out of compassion and he did it to be a witness to who he really was. He was the long awaited One! He was the Messiah. He was the One who could cleanse a leper!

Have you ever thought about the fact that anyone who touched a leper would become diseased? And yet Jesus touched the man and instead of Jesus getting the disease, the man was cleansed. This is who Jesus is. In scripture, leprosy is a picture of sin. We are all infected by it. It brings isolation from the people of God and death. If you come into contact with sin, you may catch it. But not Jesus. He touches the sinner and they are made clean! He is the only One who can do that. He is willing to touch you and make you clean. He is able. Will you go to him? Let him make you clean.

In Christ,

Rody

Neither cast ye your pearls before swine

Bible Reading: Genesis 7; Ezra 7; Matthew 7; Acts 7

Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

This strange saying of Jesus causes frustration and questions when it is read. The saying must be taken in context to understand what our Lord meant when he said it. He began by talking about judging others with an unequal standard. Whatever standard you want to be judged by, that is the standard to use when judging others. We must judge the spiritual condition of others. We must not be critical and condemning. Jesus reminds us to check ourselves before we attempt to point out the inconsistencies in someone else. We tend to knit-pick a person with a small speck in their eye while we have a huge beam in our own eye.

However, we must have discernment to know who it is we are talking with. Some will not or cannot understand the holy things we are talking about. Jesus' example of dogs and swine is used to speak of those who are lost. Jesus here is saying that we are not to expect lost people to understand the holy things of the Word of God. It will do no good to try and convince a lost person that they should live according to the Lord's Sermon on the Mount. That is like giving a holy thing to a dog. They will just tear it up. It is like giving a pearl necklace to a wild hog. It will just destroy it and you.

The apostle Peter uses the same images to speak of the true nature of a lost person. They may learn some of the things of Christ, but they have not been truly converted.

2 Peter 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

So what do you do? Are you not to talk about God with lost people? Of course you are, but you need to start at the beginning. You need to realize they are lost (swine and dogs). Then you need to pray for them! Look at the very next verse:

Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you…

Instead of arguing over holy things with someone who cannot understand and value them Jesus says you need to pray. Discern who you are talking with and pray. Then you must start at the beginning. They need to hear the gospel so they can be saved. Once they are saved then they can begin to understand holy spiritual things. Jesus is not being derogatory but being direct and honest. You and I need to ask God for our lost friends!

In Christ,

Rody

There were giants

Bible Reading: Genesis 6; Ezra 6; Matthew 6; Acts 6

Genesis 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

The rebellion of the angels in heaven against God spilled onto the earth. The sons of God intermarried with the daughters of men and their resulting offspring were giants. They became the mighty men of old. They were men of renown. Haven't you heard of the myths and legends? Doesn't it seem that over time the legends get bigger and bigger? That is what I used to think, but prayerfully considering this passage, you can see that God has informed us of the state of the world. It was so bad that God destroyed the life of man and beast from off the earth.

Think with me for a moment of some of the ancient structures on the earth. Pyramids in Egypt, Mesopotamia, South and Central America, Europe and Asia that are made of huge, cut stones. No one knows for sure how old some of these structures are, but ancient men built them. How? Could it be that giants built them? One of the things we know is that they are associated with pagan worship. Isn't that what the Bible tells us about the influence of these men upon mankind?

Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

We know that David killed the giant Goliath and that the children of Israel encounter giants when they went into the Promised Land.

Numbers 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

We know what the consequence for this angelic rebellion was.

2 Peter 2:4-5 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

Jesus also warned us saying:

Luke 17:26-27 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

We truly do wrestle against satanic foes. But remember Noah,

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

The way to be prepared is to find grace in the eyes of God through faith in Jesus Christ!

In Christ,

Rody

Ye are the salt of the earth

Bible Reading: Genesis 5; Ezra 5; Matthew 5; Acts 5

Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Salt was an indispensible necessity for food preservation in the days of Jesus. Salt has many uses. Not only is it used to flavor food but it is used to preserve and stop rancidity. Jesus tells his followers that we are the salt of the earth. What does that mean?

Believers bring flavor to life. A little salt can be spread on meat and the entire taste will be changed. Have you ever been in a situation where you are the only believer present and you live differently, but not aloof from the rest? They act different when you are around. You can also bring the blessings of God to the situation you are in. Do you remember the story of Joseph? The Bible says:

Genesis 39:5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

The Lord BLESSED the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake! That is flavoring salt!

Salt also preserves. A little salt can be spread on meat and the entire piece of meat will be preserved. As believers, we take the gospel of Jesus Christ with us and share it with others. Our world is like a piece of meat that would go rancid quickly without the presence of believers scattered through it. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 7:13-14 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

In a marriage where there is only one believer, the unbeliever is sanctified by the one who walks with Christ. The children have the salty effect of the believing parent on them.

What about the believer who is not salty? That believer who does not share their faith or pray for the lost around them is, according to Jesus, worthless. Good for nothing but paving gravel for the road is the one who has lost his savor. If you want to have savor, walk with the Savior!

In Christ,

Rody

They weakened their hands and troubled them

Bible Reading: Genesis 4; Ezra 4; Matthew 4; Acts 4

Ezra 4:4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building…

Be sure of this, when you set out to follow Jesus and live for him, you will encounter opposition. The people of Judah had returned to rebuild the temple. They had laid the foundation and some of them were getting excited about what God was doing. No sooner had they done this than they received a strange request.

Ezra 4:1-2 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel; 2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

Their adversaries wanted to join in the building of the temple. They worshipped the same God, they said. When the chief fathers met together, they thought better of this and they said no. What would you do? Would you join with your adversary because he says he worships God like you do? Better be careful.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Satan, The Adversary, wanted to infiltrate the ranks of Judah with his ministers. Be sure, Satan was behind this. The wise leadership of Judah recognized this and said, no. These men began a campaign to stop the building. They hired counselors to draft a letter telling of all the rebellion of the Jews and sent it to Artaxerxes. The rebuilding of the temple was shut down for a time because of this.

This is the way that Satan works. He tries to infiltrate the ranks of the faithful by sending in fakes and phonies. In order to partner with someone, we do not have to agree on everything, but we do have to agree on Jesus.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Are you walking in the light? Are those you might partner with walking in the light? If you say yes, then you can have fellowship together with God. The leaders of Judah realized who these men were and knew they could not yoke themselves together with them. Be warned, Satan will send you opposition.

In Christ,

Rody

This is my beloved Son

Bible Reading: Genesis 3; Ezra 3; Matthew 3; Acts 3

Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

It must have been quite a sight to see all the people of Jerusalem and Judea going out to be baptized by John in the river Jordan. Hundreds and maybe thousands of people gathered around listening to the fiery preacher denounce sin and call people to repentance. It must have been good watching to see John call the hypocrites out and denounce their lifestyles. It must have been humbling to stand on the brink of Jordan and wait your turn to go into the waters and show your repentance to God.

As the people gathered, they wanted the Messiah to come. There was an anticipation that filled everyone with excitement because they knew the time was close. The occupation from the Romans even added to the anticipation as the people wanted to be ride of the heavy Roman yoke.

Then one day, a man came walking through the crowd. John probably stopped in mid-sentence from one of his sermons. His eyes must have widened and his hands must have shaken as he pointed to Jesus coming toward him.

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

In the midst of all these fallen, sinful people a pure One came. John must have marveled as Jesus waded out into the water to him. As Jesus presented himself to John for baptism, John must have almost fallen over. No was his immediate answer. But with some encouragement and explanation, John did.

Matthew 3:14-15 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

Then the heavens were opened up and the Holy Spirit like a dove descended upon Jesus. And a voice from heaven was heard. Now picture the day. In the presence of all these people, The Father declared his love for his son and told him that he was pleased with him. The Father is pleased with the Son and he let him know. In his identification with sinful humanity, the Father was pleased. In his humble obedience, the Father was pleased. In his righteous purity, the Father was pleased.

The Father is pleased with the Son and he is pleased with you when you are in Christ.

Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

One more thing…

It was patterned by our Heavenly Father to publically announce his love and pleasure in his Son. We should do the same with our children!

In Christ,

Rody

And they continued steadfastly

Bible Reading: Genesis 2; Ezra 2; Matthew 2; Acts 2

Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

The early church was diligent in some things. These were priorities for them. They made time for these things. They gave study to these things and they continued in them. To continue steadfastly means to persevere in a thing or to be diligent about it. They were disciples which means that they were disciplined learners of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must learn the lessons from those early believers in Jesus and pattern our lives after theirs. They continued steadfastly in:

1. The apostle's doctrine – The apostle's doctrine would be the teaching that was done by the apostles. They were Bible teachers who expounded the Old Testament and wrote the New Testament. If the early church continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, how much more should we. We need to be in the Bible EVERY DAY. We need to read it, to meditate upon it, to memorize it, to hear it preached and to teach it to others.
   

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

1. Fellowship – The church continued steadfastly in fellowship. This is the shared life of the believers. They spent time together. They encouraged one another and taught one another. They helped one another. They became a family when they trusted in Jesus and they practiced that family life of being brothers and sisters in Christ. Our segmented society is hard on Biblical fellowship. We can go to church with someone for years and not really get to know them. Biblical fellowship means that I spend time with brothers and sisters and get to know them and share life with them.
   
2. Breaking of bread – the church was committed to eating! This probably refers to sharing the Lord's Table together as they ate communion together, but we also learn from 1 Corinthians 11 that the early believers ate a full meal when they met together. To share a meal together is a very important thing. You eat with friends and family. How much more so your brothers and sisters in Christ.
   
3. They continued steadfastly in prayers. They wanted close communion with the Lord Jesus Christ and they spent time in prayer communicating with him. They asked for the things they needed and depended wholly upon him.
   

James 4:2b … ye have not, because ye ask not.

It is my prayer that you will take this verse seriously in 2010. These practices were important for those early believers and they are important for us today. Let us continue steadfastly in THE BIBLE, THE BELEIVERS, THE BREAKING OF BREAD AND BESEECHING THE LORD!

In Christ,

Rody

In the beginning

Bible Reading: Genesis 1; Ezra 1; Matthew 1; Acts 1

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

To the dismay of the postmodern philosopher, time is linear. There was a beginning. There was a point in time when there was nothing (except God).

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

There was nothing except God and he created everything out of nothing. The Greek philosopher Parmenides coined the Latin phrase ex nihilo nihil fit, which means 'out of nothing comes nothing'. The ancient Greeks believed that the universe was eternal. They believed that the present universe was made up from some preexisting matter. The Bible says:

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Here in the first verse of Holy Scripture, we have the answers to many questions that man has been asking for thousands of years.

Is there a God? Answer: Yes.

What is the origin of our universe? Answer: God created it out of nothing.

When did time begin? Answer: In the beginning when God created everything we can see.

What is the center of the universe? Answer: the earth. (Not in a geographical sense, but in the sense of importance. Out of all the solar systems, galaxies and planets in existence, God specifically tells us he created the heaven and the earth.)

Where did God come from? Answer: He is! The Bible gives us no explanation for God here. It immediately begins without explaining God in any way. Why is that? Because the Bible is beginning in the beginning and there was no man yet to know God. When God creates man, he will reveal himself to man in a progressive manner over time.

This verse is a foundation stone upon which the rest of the Bible rests. Beginnings are very important. In Genesis 1:1 we see the beginning of the creation of God. In John 1:1 we learn that God was in the beginning. In Mark 1:1 we learn about the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

We must begin at the beginning or our story will be wrong. God was in the beginning. He created everything in the beginning. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the beginning of our understanding of God because he is the Son of God. Have you begun at the beginning? Do you believe God's word on creation? Do you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ? Then you have a good beginning and a solid foundation. If not, your house is built on the sand! Let's build a house on the rock this year.

In Christ,

Rody