SHOWERS

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2 Chronicles 17-20

The kingdom of Israel split into two parts around 930 BC.  The northern kingdom was called Israel and the southern kingdom was called Judah.

Jehoshaphat was one of the kings of Judah.  He ruled in Jerusalem. His reign began around 872 BC and lasted 25 years.  The bible tells us that he was one of the few kings who followed after God.

1 Kings 22:42-43  – Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 25 years in Jerusalem.  His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.  He walked in all the way of Asa his father.  He did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord…

Jehoshaphat was a successful king, who built a very strong military. He put garrisons in numerous cities and he established store cities in case of war.  1 Chronicles 17:14-19 tells us that he had over a million mighty men of valor in his service. 

Scripture also reveals that because he trusted in God and not in the might of his army, God blessed him.  The nations surrounding Judah had a fear of the Lord and they would not attack her. 

Although Judah and Israel were enemies, Jehoshaphat eventually makes peace with Israel and the two nations join forces to attack common enemies such as Syria, Ammon and Moab.

As impressive as his military was, his true strength was found in his relationship with God.  It is clear that this man served the Lord with all his might. 

2 Chronicles 17: 6 – His [Jehoshaphat's] heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord.  And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.

Let's talk about the high places for a minute.  In general, this refers to altars that were erected on hilltops for purposes of worship and sacrifice.  While there were instances of these altars being dedicated to Jehovah, they were usually associated with false gods and wicked practices. 

The high places were a constant source of temptation/sin to God's people.  These places of idolatry were often built up by the wicked kings and more or less tolerated by the more righteous kings; it seemed as though Judah and Israel could never fully stamp them out of existence. That is why it is so significant that Jehoshaphat was able to shut them down during his reign. 

In addition, Jehoshaphat had a great desire to teach the people of Judah about the law of God.  He sent priests and teachers throughout the nation to instruct the people in the ways of God.

2 Chronicles 17:7-9 – In the third year of his reign he sent his officials… and with them the Levites…and with the Levites the priests… and they taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them.  They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among of the people.   

He also established a court system based on the law of God, so that justice would prevail in the land.  I wish we had that today!

2 Chronicles 19:5-7 – He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city.  And he said to the judges, "Consider what you do, for you judge not for man, but for the Lord…let the fear of the Lord be upon you.  Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes".

That is not to say that Jehoshaphat was a perfect man.  He made his share of wrong choices. 

Do you remember hearing about a very wicked king named Ahab?  Do you remember his equally wicked wife, Jezebel?  They were two of the most evil rulers in the era of the biblical monarchs.  Well, at one point Jehoshaphat had his daughter marry one of Ahab's sons to cement a political bond between Judah and Israel.   Because of this bond, he fought in a war as an ally of Ahab.  Things did not go well for them – in fact, Ahab died in that particular battle! 

Later on, he made another alliance with a wicked king named Ahaziah.  The two of them built a number of ships for trade, but a prophet foretold that the ships would be destroyed because Jehoshaphat had entered into business with an evil man. Sure enough, he lost everything he had invested in that deal.     

He excelled at leading the nation.  The Lord gave him peace with other countries.  His plans prospered.  He had a good relationship with the Lord.  He had wealth and respect.  He was making a difference in his world by establishing a fair court system.  He brought his generation closer to the Lord through a public teaching campaign. 

I imagine that most of the citizens of Judah were happy to be living in such a peaceful, prosperous, righteous time (I know I would).

Our friend the king is busy doing good, seizing the day, serving God and doing what is right.  Then, all of a sudden, this happens:  

2 Chronicles 20:1-2 – After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Menunites came against Jehoshaphat for battle.  Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and behold, they are in Hazazontamar (that is, Engedi)".

All of a sudden, the good king is facing an unexpected, unprovoked enemy attack of epic proportions. This was not just some little skirmish.  This was a full out war, with the very real possibility that Judah would cease to exist as a nation and all God's people would be destroyed.  (Not to mention the painful, humiliating death that waited specifically for Jehoshaphat).   

2 Chronicles 20:3 – Then Jehoshaphat was afraid… 

What do you think was going through the king's mind at this point? 

I bet one thing was all the horrible death and destruction that would be possible because of this attack.

I bet another thing was the universal thought 'why me' or 'why would God allow this to happen'?  These are both good questions that come to the minds of all Christians who face trying circumstances.

I bet he wondered 'what am I going to do?' 

It's time to see what is truly down in Jehoshaphat's heart of hearts… will he try to fight this battle in his own strength, trusting in his army or will he seek God for an answer?

2 Chronicles 20:3 – … and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

And so we find that Jehoshaphat does the thing that most true Christians do – he seeks the will of the Lord, believing that God will deliver him.  2 Chronicles 20:4-12 gives us the earnest, heartfelt, eloquent prayer that the Jehoshaphat prayed on behalf of the entire nation.  It is too long to quote here, but please take time to read it!

As we would expect, God answered his prayer:

2 Chronicles 20:13-15 – Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives and their children.  And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah…and he said, "Listen all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and king Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, 'Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours, but God's…"

God reassures his people that He is right there with them.  He also gives them instructions; they are to muster the army, go out to battle, stand firm, hold their position and watch what God will do on their behalf (verses 16-17).

So, the next day the people get ready.  But there was something unusual about the way this battle was fought.  The battle was not led by the infantry or the archers or any of the trained soldiers.  The Bible tells us that men in sacred robes went before the army singing praise to God.  The Bible goes on to reveal that victory came during the praise!

2 Chronicles 20:22 – And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.

God had the enemies of Judah turn on one another, until all of them were destroyed.  Then Judah went and collected all the plunder.  Then they returned to Judah and held another giant praise session to thank God for what he had done. 

Because of this great victory, God was glorified and known to all the other nations around Judah.  What a great testimony – and what great lesson! It is a lesson, because the principles contained in this narrative still apply to us today. 

Let's switch gears for a moment and look at ourselves. 

I think that you and I are probably a lot like Jehoshaphat. If you are living in America, you can count yourself as prosperous.  You probably have a job that you like and you excel at it (if not, you at least have the opportunity to change it).  You are probably at peace with those around you.  Most likely you have the respect of your family, friends and coworkers. 

I bet you already have a personal relationship with Jesus, and you are probably doing things to influence others for Christ.  You may very well be part of an organization that is striving to bring justice to those who need it. 

Like Jehoshaphat, you may have made a bad decision or two which resulted in some hardships, but overall can you say that things are pretty good?  Can you see how blessed you are? Can you see the parallel between the ancient king and yourself?

Perhaps, like Jehoshaphat, you are facing a battle.  One day you were serving God and doing your best in life, when an unexpected, unprovoked attack comes upon you.  The attack has the potential to destroy you or someone you love.

Maybe the attack comes in the form of a sickness or a financial loss.  Perhaps it comes in the form of an addiction or maybe your house is destroyed in a flood or wild fire.  Regardless of what it is, the source of the attack is clear.

John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I [Jesus] came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

• What went through your mind when the enemy attacked?  Did fear come upon you as it did the good king?
• Did you think of all the horrible consequences that would be possible because of this attack?
• Did you wonder 'why me' or 'why would God allow this to happen'?
• Did you ask yourself 'what am I going to do'?

Although your first instinct might be to try and solve this problem yourself, I suggest you follow the pattern of king Jehoshaphat.

First, seek the Lord in prayer.  Take your situation before God as the king did.  Fast if you feel it is necessary.  Create a time and an atmosphere where you can hear God speak to your heart.  Jehoshaphat took action, but only after he had a word from God.

Don't praise based on your circumstances; praise God based on His goodness and power.  Praise Him for his attributes and mercy.  Praise him for his loving protection and provision.  Praise him for all things!

The scripture tells us that God inhabits our praise.  When we praise him, it is an open door for him to come into our situation and make changes. 

In his book Destined for the Throne, author Paul Billheimer tells us "Praise and God's presence are on the same wavelength: they attract one another. Though God is everywhere at once, He is not necessarily everywhere in benign influence.  Where joyful, happy praise is expressed, God is powerfully and compassionately active."

So, let me give you some Encouragement: When you pray, God hears you. God saw the faith of Jehoshaphat and he will see your faith too. When we trust in our Heavenly Father, we are never put to shame. He is all powerful, he loves you and he has your best interest in mind.

Let me give your some Relief: The battle belongs to the Lord, not to you! The pressure is off. Jehoshaphat stood in faith, then sent mighty praises to the God of Heaven. In turn, God moved on his behalf. God defeated the enemy that the king could not. The same is true for you. Offer mighty praises to God and let him fight for you.

Let me offer you some Strength: Stand firm upon the promises of God! Find a scripture that speaks to your situation and put your faith into it. Don't give up - God wants your test to become a testimony, so stand strong. The battle may take longer than you thought, but God is working all things together for your good. You can make it through this trial victoriously, with God's help!

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Luke 17:1

Last week, our post dealt with how to forgive and how to take authority over our emotions, bringing them into alignment with God's purposes. So, that takes care of past offences. But what about the future?

Going forward, how do we handle offences and conflicts?  Are we doomed to our prior cycles of getting offended, harboring a grudge and then becoming exhausted by it until we finally make it right?  Or, does God have something better in mind?

The answer is yes, he does!  This post will look at how God instructs us to handle offences/conflicts going forward. For many of us, that will be different from how we have handled them in the past.  It is not God's will for us to be trapped by offence; rather it is his will for us to handle the offences that come our way in a manner that brings glory to him and blessing to us. 

Luke 17:1 -Then said he unto the disciples, it is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

To be sure, offences are coming.  So what do you think – are offences a negative thing?  If you could make them disappear, would you?  I think most of us would eliminate them from life entirely, if we could.  Yet, God doesn't do that.  Why does he allow offences to come?

Before we get to that, let me make this significant point:  offences are a temptation for us to sin, and as such, God does not cause them. 

James 1:13-14 - When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

Offences do not come from God; they stem from our own evil desires.  However, God will use them as teaching and growing moments.

God has big plans for the offences/conflicts that come your way.

God uses the pressure of conflict/offence to help you grow and mature spiritually. God's highest purpose for you is not to make you comfortable, wealthy or happy in this life.  If you have put your faith in him, he as something far, far more incredible in mind for you – he is working to conform you to the image and likeness of Christ and offence is one of the tools God will use to accomplish his purpose for you.

If we are aware of that, if we are looking for it, we can quickly begin to manage offences/conflict instead of allowing it to managing us.  When conflict comes, take your eyes off yourself, and look to God.  Figure out what he is trying to change in you, and work with him, not against him!

Conflict/offence provides an opportunity to sin, but it also provides an opportunity to glorify God.  It gives us a chance to bring Him praise and honor by showing who He is, what He is like and what He is doing. We can glorify God in the midst of conflict by drawing attention to him - his undeserved love, mercy, forgiveness, strength and wisdom.  We can be an encouragement to our brothers and sisters, or a witness to the lost if we handle conflict correctly.

II Corinthians 6:19-20- (God)…has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us…

What an honor to be made Christ's ambassador; to represent him in the world!  The lost around us are in desperate need of the true savior, Jesus Christ.  Most likely, you will not get them to listen to a sermon. However, they can't help but pay attention when they see Christ reflected through you – through the way you think, the way you speak, the way you act, and the way you react to others, particularly when handling offences.  Actions speak louder than words. 

In the past, offences have been all about us… how we were wronged, how we suffered, how we were not treated fairly, etc.  All of our focus is directed toward me, me, me.  Here's a radical idea: Can we turn our thinking upside down? Rather than seeing ourselves as a victim in any given offence, let's begin to see ourselves as God's ambassador or God's steward in that offence.

Sometimes the steward manages good things like big harvests or profitable business deals or lavish parties.  But he also manages problems and difficulties like coyotes killing the cattle, or labor strikes, or 'we're out of wing sauce', or whatever the problem may be.

I dare say that if you are like me, there are areas of your life where you are the best steward on the planet.  You do certain things very well, every single time. They may not even be a challenge anymore.

But there are other areas that we are not really managing at all.  Those situations are managing us. For many, forgiveness/handling offence is one of those areas.  What do we need to learn about managing offences?  A good first step is to see if the offence is a door for you to serve and help others.

You can be offended and unforgiving in this situation, if you choose.  You can replay the offence in your mind, dwelling on how unfair it is to you.  You can retaliate or gossip about your neighbor, making a mountain out of the mole hill. Satan would love it if you handled your conflict this way.

Or, you can approach your neighbor and ask about the situation, face to face, neighbor to neighbor, in a nonjudgmental way.  You may be surprised by the situation your neighbor is experiencing.  Maybe a health problem is preventing him from raking the leaves.  Maybe he is emotionally distraught by a family tragedy and he needs a Christian to offer him hope and salvation. 

You see, God may give you an opportunity to carry your opponent's burdens whether spiritual, emotional or material. I understand that is contrary to the world's view of "look out for number one", but God's ways are not our ways.

What if you offer to help rake the leaves and that simple act of loving your neighbor opens the door to share the love of Christ? 

My point is this: God has plans for the offences in our lives. Let's start stewarding/managing those offences in a way that brings glory to God and blessing to us.

You should know that offences fall into one of two categories:

Material – this category involves property, money, rights and responsibilities. (Should we build a new church?  How much money does Lancelot owe me? Did Sally breach the contract?)

Personal – this category relates to what goes on inside or between persons. (You are trying to cheat me. I don't like the way you are criticizing me.  You are unreasonable and stubborn, you're treating me badly because you're jealous.)

It would be nice if these two were always clearly separated, but in many offences or conflicts, they will both be present.

Luke 12:13-15 - And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.

In this case, both types of offence or conflict are present.  The material conflict is how the family inheritance should be divided.  The personal conflict is the brother's greed and estrangement over the inheritance.

In our biblical example, each brother is being stubborn and greedy.  Until they forgive each other and reconcile, they won't be able to settle the estate.  If they fail to reconcile, they may end up in court which will probably permanently sever their relationship and cost them a bunch of the inheritance anyway.

So, step one is finding the point of personal offence.  The next step is to decide if the offence is a minor one that can be overlooked, or a major one that cannot.

Overlooking minor offences

Proverbs 19:11- A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offence.

Proverbs 12:16 - A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

It's Biblical to overlook or let go of a minor offence. How do we determine if it is minor?

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Is this really worth fighting for?
2. Is this sin bringing significant dishonor to God?
3. Is it damaging your relationship (does it happen repeatedly,as opposed to a one time/pushed-over-the-edge scenario)?
4. Is it resulting in significant harm to others?
5. Is the sin causing significant harm to the offender?

Based on these criteria, decide if you can overlook the offence or if you need to pursue resolution.

In our biblical example of the two brothers, is the personal offense a minor one?  No, it is not.  The brothers are both greedy and they are fighting over the family money.  Their relationship with each other is broken.  Is that bringing dishonor to God – Yes.  Is it damaging their relationship – yes.  Is their relationship as brothers worth fighting for – yes.  So, they should not let this offence go.  They should work to resolve it and once this offence is ironed out, they can proceed to divide the estate.

In our example of the neighbors, is the personal offence a minor one?  Yes, it is.  One neighbor is allowing his leaves to blow into another neighbor's lawn.  Is this an issue that is really worth fighting for – no.  Is this sin bringing significant dishonor to God – no.  Is it resulting in significant harm to others – no.   It is a minor offence.  The neighbor should let this go, and move on to seeing how he can use this as an opportunity to exemplify the love of Christ.  

If you decide to overlook the offence, do you suppose you can just put it behind you and that will be that? The answer is yes, especially after some practice.  But be aware that you also may find the enemy knocking at the door of your emotions trying to upset you.

And what do you do when Satan comes and tries to trick you into going back to old habits? The solution is pretty much the same thing that we looked at last week for letting go of old offences which was found in Philippians:

Philippians 4:2-3 - I entreat Euodias, and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.  Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women who have labored side by side with me in the gospel…

These two women are having some kind of offence/conflict which does not appear to be major.  Perhaps they are trying to overlook it, but Satan is hindering them.  What does Paul tell them to do?

Philippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Tell the Lord that you want to overlook the office, then begin to praise God for the good in your life.  When you begin to praise God, those negative feelings disappear because they can't hang out with thanksgiving. 

Let's suppose that some dead leaves blow into your yard on Monday.  You overlook that and move on.  But by Tuesday morning, there are more.  And there are more on Thursday and Friday.  Each time, it gets harder to put the offence behind you.  You can gain victory by praising God for all the good in your life, like your home, your health, your job, etc.  Once you begin to praise God, the leaves will once again be reduced to the minor offence that they really are and you can put them aside.

So again, if it is a minor offence and you decide to let go, give it to God and then turn to praise.  Any resistance to forgiving will disappear because delving into prayer and praise puts you in God's presence.  Your anger and hurt will soon disappear, and the peace of God will descend on you.

That's how we overlook an offence.  However, there will be cases where you cannot overlook.  Sometimes an offence has to be addressed. If that is the case, how do we biblically handle that?

Pursuing resolution for offences that are not minor.

First of all, pursing resolution is clearly biblical.

Matthew 18:15-16 – If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.  If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.  But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

When pursing resolution, speak with your adversary first.  In other words, go directly to your brother.  Do not pass 'GO'.  Do not stop at "Gossip Corner" or "Revenge Ave" or "Mocking Lane".

Keep your mouth shut, unless you are speaking directly to the person involved in the matter.  Tell the person that you are offended by something they did.  Try to clear the air with them.  The best case scenario is that the two of you will resolve the situation on your own, just between you.

However, if they are unwilling to resolve the matter, take the next step and bring in an impartial Christian to help facilitate the healing process.  A church pastor or elder is a good choice. The general principle here is to involve as few people as possible for as long as possible.

What is the role of the mediator?  His primary role will be to help you and your opponent make the decisions needed to restore peace. They may simple facilitate communication, they may examine the facts themselves and gather additional information. They may give advice or offer biblically based solutions to the problem. They may encourage repentance and confession on both sides of the dispute.

If the situation is still not resolved, they become witnesses and should report the situation to the church, according to Matthew 18. That does not mean standing up on Sunday morning and airing all your grievances in the Sunday service.  It means telling the leadership of the church about the problem, so they can assist in promoting justice and peace.

Keep this in mind:  According to Matthew, the church's decision is intended to be binding on its members, whether they like it or not, so do all you can not to arrive at this point.

The issue of forgiveness is one that touches us all, and will continue to impact our lives until the day we are called home to be with Christ.  In the past, we may have responded to offences and conflict on an emotional basis, which often results in unforgiveness, gossip, bitterness, broken relationships and loss of peace and material possessions. It will destroy those closest to us and it can even render us unusable by God.

Let me give you some relief:  You no longer have to be burdened or bound by offenses.  Following the principles outlined in the bible, we can be set free from offences and live in peace.

Let me offer you some encouragement:  You are an over comer! You can manage your offences, instead of your offences and emotions managing you.  What was once a weakness in your life can be turned into a strength.

Let me give you some strength:  It is time to begin dealing with offence and conflict biblically.  In so doing, our conflicts, those things which used to destroy us, can actually become opportunities to minister to others and to show the world the love of Christ. They can also be used by God to make us mature and aid in the growth of fruit in our lives.  What an amazing turn around that will be!

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Colossians 3:12-14

Colossians 3:12-14 – Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.   And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

We determined last week that God commands us to forgive others, mainly for our own benefit.  We understand it with our minds, and yet, if we are honest, we will admit that we have trouble doing that.  Often times that is because there is a huge emotional response that goes along with being offended.  We can't forgive because we literally cannot let go or get past our emotions.

Some of you have been consumed by unforgiveness and bitterness for so long, you don't remember what life was like before that situation.  For some of you, the offence, the rejection or the betrayal you experienced is so deep and so painful, that you see no chance of ever letting it go.  You figure that you will have to carry it until eternity.  You may think your situation is hopeless.  You may think you have been permanently and irreparably scarred.

But let me give you some good news.  Let me offer you a sure word of hope and victory, from God our Savior:

Isaiah 53:3-5 – He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely, he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Did you see it?  "He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows" and "by his wounds we are healed."  Where did we ever get the ridiculous idea that this healing is only for our physical bodies?  Does God only care about the physical body that you have for maybe 75 years or so?  Does he want you to have a healthy body so you can carry around the sorrow and pain of damaged emotions for your entire lifetime?  No, of course not!  His stripes provide healing for the body, the spirit, the mind and the emotions.  God's healing is for all parts of you.  The price for your emotional healing has already been paid!!  Your savior is waiting to set you free from the captivity of unforgiveness and emotional pain.  

Luke 4:18 - The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised…

Do you have a broken heart/broken emotions? Jesus came to heal you.  Are you being held captive in the prison of unforgiveness?  Jesus came to deliver you.  Are your emotions battered and bruised? Jesus has come to set you at liberty.

The question is not "can" we be healed and set free from the cycle of unforgiveness, but rather "how" does it happen? How do we appropriate or apply the healing that Jesus has provided for us? How do we break the cycle of unforgiveness and get rid of all that extra baggage we are carrying around?  How do we take control of our emotions and force them into line with God's will?

Let's begin by examining the way God has created us in a broad sense; this is stuff you probably already know.

God has created us with a mind, a will and emotions.  When used properly (according to the pattern set by God himself), this combination of factors will allow us to experience God's best for us.  Improper use of these factors, or using them in a pattern other than the one God set up, opens us up to the bondage and destruction of Satan.

Here is how it works:

• GOD = MIND...WILL...EMOTIONS
• SATAN = EMOTIONS...WILL...MIND

God's way is the mind/understanding first, the will second in support of the mind/truth, emotions fall into place behind the mind and will.

God wants us to make our decisions and base our actions on truth, not emotion.

Instantly, you know that you will not touch that money, but you will return it to its owner and you decide to walk it down to the police station and turn it in.

What just happened? In the blink of an eye, almost without conscious thought, your mind knew the truth (thou shalt not steal/love your neighbor).

You will was already committed to allowing the mind to dictate your actions. Therefore, you instantly decided to return the money; you never even considered taking it.

What's going on with your emotions as you continue walking down the street to the police station?  You are probably joyful about helping someone in a meaningful way.  You are happy to do the right thing.  Why?  Because a righteous man is joyful when he does the right thing. Doing the right thing results in peace and joy because you are exhibiting the character of his savior.

We just saw that God wants you to operate with the mind/truth first, your will second in support of the truth and the emotions last. 

Satan wants the opposite.  He wants you to react with your emotions, put your will in full support of your feelings and ignore the mind/truth. 

Instantly, you know you are going to keep the money.  You quickly put it in your pocket and head to the police station to turn in the wallet.  You are probably joyful.  Why?  Because you are busy thinking about all the plans you are making for your unexpected wind fall.

What just happened? In the blink of an eye, almost without conscious thought, your emotions took over.  Your emotions became so excited, they just bubbled over.  You think:  Wow! This is my lucky day! My ship has finally come in! This is just what I need….

Your will was already committed to allowing your emotions to dictate your actions.  Therefore, you instantly decided to keep the money.

Catch this:  If your will is supporting your emotions, your mind has no choice but to justify your behavior (This guy won't miss that $1K.  After all, he owes me a reward for returning those credit cards.  Think how bad it would have been to cancel those. I deserve this money.  I need this money more than he does).

Do you see the difference? God wants us to put our will behind his truth, and when we do our emotions will fall into place.  Our emotions will rejoice when we do right.  Satan wants the opposite.  He wants us to put our will behind or emotions, and ignore the truth.  In so doing, we will destroy ourselves because our emotions were never designed to lead the way in our lives.  

Now, apply what we just learned to forgiveness:

Your cousin does you wrong.  You fold your arms over your chest and adamantly declare "I cannot forgive Lancelot! No way … it's not going to happen after the way he hurt me!"  In this instance, whose life pattern are you following?  [HINT: You are putting your will behind your emotions, ignoring the truth.]

That's right… you are following Satan.  And what do you reap? Based on what we learned in the last blog post, you get God's discipline as well as the destruction of your relationships.  You kill the work of the Holy Spirit in your life and you become unusable in God's kingdom.  Eventually you become angry and bitter. Even your physical health is affected.  In short, you reap bondage and destruction.  Sadly, this is the situation some of you find yourself in today.  However, there is hope, if you are willing to change.

First, do you see the truth?  Do you understand that in the past, you placed your will behind your emotions, instead of behind the truth?  Do you want to change?

Are you ready to turn this pattern around and receive/apply the healing that God has for you?

THREE STEPS FOR HEALING YOUR EMOTIONS/FORGIVING YOUR ADVERSARY:

Renew your mind; reject the lie that you cannot forgive, instead come to the realization that you CAN forgive.

Romans 12:1-2  - Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer 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.

As we begin to meditate on the truth presented in the scriptures, it will transform us. It will allow us to change the pattern we are living by. What truth should we be meditating on?

The truth as found in Luke is this:

Luke 1:37 -  For nothing is impossible with God.

Or if you prefer, as Jesus says to the disciples in Matthew 19:26  With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

The truth is that with God's help, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO FORGIVE. It is possible for you to let go of the offence and emotions you are holding onto, and receive freedom from anger and bitterness.  

Hebrews 13:20-21 -  May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back to life from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,  equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen.

God doesn't just tell you to forgive and then shut the door in your face and leave you to it.  Rather the Holy Spirit has promised to equip you with whatever you need to get the job done and he further promises to work with you/in you until the work is accomplished.  That's his job – to bring the will of God into fruition in your life.  He will see it done.

Philippians 1:6 - Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Not only that, he promises to walk with you through the experience.

Psalms 23:3-4  - He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.

Isaiah 43:1-2 - …Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…

Here's the bottom line:  In step one, the renewing of your mind, you start bringing your life into proper order/pattern by meditating on the truth and changing the way you think.  Satan will tell you that you can't change but that is a lie. Search the scriptures, find those that deal with forgiveness, and begin to recite them out loud several times a day. Memorizing them would be great.  Recite them in your car, listen to them on your phone.  

The truth is, forgiveness IS possible, regardless of how long you have been carrying that burden around. God promises to equip you with everything you need for doing what is pleasing to him, including forgiving others. He promises to walk through the process with you. He also promises to continue to work in you until the work is complete. He won't give up on you!  Will you commit your way to him?  

Step Two: Put you will behind the truth; release the person from the debt you think they owe.

Colossians 10:13 - Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

That is pretty straightforward and simple to understand, but what does that look like practically?

Charles Stanley in his book, "The Gift of Forgiveness", makes this suggestion: Make a specific list of wrongs that you recognize.  For instance, Lancelot, cheated me out of 10% of the profits from our widget company. Lancelot lied to me.  Lancelot gossiped about me.  Lancelot ruined my reputation, etc.  Then, take your list into your prayer closet and bring it before the Lord. Humble yourself before him.  Confess that you want to forgive Lancelot specifically, for each and every offence.  Confess any part that you had in the offence. (You might as well admit it.  During this conflict, you probably responded in anger or retaliated for the wrong, or caused an escalation of the situation.  Just confess it.  God knows about it anyway.)  Confess all the anger, bitterness and hate that you are carrying around because of those offences.

It's important for you to speak out loud (more on that in a minute).  When you speak it out loud, in essence you are casting it away from you, and at the same time giving it to God.

Psalms 55:22 - Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

1 Peter 5:7 - Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

What if you don't "feel" like forgiving Lancelot, and what if you don't "feel" delivered at the end of your prayer?

You may not feel like forgiving him at that moment, but you are planting a spiritual seed.  Joyce Meyer, in her book "Do Yourself a Favor – Forgive", instructs us to forgive with clenched teeth if we need to!  

When you do that, when you humble yourself before God and ask him to help you walk the path of righteousness and forgive, you are putting your emotions where they belong – in back of your will.  At first, they won't like it.  They don't want to give up power.  But eventually they will fall into place.  If you feel like you need to cast the offences to God a second time, go ahead. Remember: as you forgive and release your emotions to God, you must ask the Holy Spirit to give you the capacity to truly do it from your heart.  You cannot get through this by sheer willpower, but you can be victorious through the Holy Spirit.   

Zechariah 4:6 -  This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty.

What was true for Zerubbabel is true for us.  In order to reverse the pattern in your life, you must work with the Holy Spirit to forgive.  Corinthians 10:13 says to "forgive as the Lord forgave you".  If you are having trouble "feeling" like forgiving, remember some of the things you were forgiven for…

How long does the process take? Well, it will be different for each one of us, and different depending on how grievous the offence was.  Maybe the chains will fall off instantaneously, and you will be freed immediately. Other times, it will be a process over time.

How will you know when you have truly forgiven? Several things will occur when the forgiveness process is complete. 

1. You will feel a release of your burden. Once you finally let go of that all consuming unforgiving attitude, God's peace and joy can return to you.
2. Negative feelings about the other person will disappear.  You will not feel that instant anger or fear or bitterness you used to experience when you met them at the gas station or heard their name.
3. You will find it easier to accept people who have hurt you without feeling the need to change them.  You will be willing to take them as they are, faults and all.
4. Concern for the spiritual and physical needs of these people will outweigh your concerns about what they did to you. When you care about them and their needs as opposed to you and your feelings, you have truly forgiven.

Don't be surprised if Satan comes by at some random time and tries to bring that offence back to the forefront of your mind.  He will try his best to ignite those old emotions again.  When he does, reject it.  Cast it out from your mind.  Do not dwell on it.  Turn it back to God. 

II Corinthians 10:5 – We demolish arguments and every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

When those thoughts try to come back, take them captive, then push them out of your mind. Tell Satan he is not going to bind you again.  Remind yourself that you have already handled that situation, and it is done.  Then, focus your mind on appropriate things, like praise and worship or other good things.

Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

When you are thinking of those things, evil thoughts will flee because they can't stay in that environment.

When you truly feel that you have forgiven and you have been delivered from your bondage, you are ready for step three.

Step three: Reconciliation.

Matthew 5:23-24 - Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Unforgivness is a wall that hinders the relationship between us and someone else.  Many times when that wall has disappeared through forgiveness, we can become reconciled to our estranged friends and family.  Sometimes all it takes is a visit for a face to face talk.  Find your estranged cousin.  Say to him, 'Lancelot, I know we have had issues in our past, but I want to share something with you.  I forgive you for XYZ, and I apologize to you, for any part I had in our estrangement.  Can we be friends going forward?'  Sometimes it's that simple.

Other times, reconciliation is neither possible nor appropriate.  For example, when the actual physical distance between you is too great (perhaps Lancelot move to Italy), or the other person is dead, reconciliation is impossible.  Also, there are situations where the other person is hostile and will probably not receive what you are saying (like divorce.  You can forgive, but you can't control what your ex chooses to do).  There may be other situations when reconciliation is inappropriate, as in some cases of abuse.  

Let's talk about verbally speaking things out loud for a moment.  In step one (renewing your mind), step two (confession) and step three (reconciliation) we mentioned speaking the word out loud and confessing things out loud.  Why would we need to do that?   There is something about your verbal confession that makes a difference.

Mark 11:23 -  Truly, I [Jesus] say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be taken up and thrown into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

Is it fair to say that the burden of destructive emotions and unforgiveness that you are carrying around are like a mountain in your life?  Jesus says that part of casting that away from you and into the sea, is to speak out loud to it.

If that seems weird to you, then you must think Jesus is weird, because he did the same thing.

Mark 11:12-14, 20 - The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree "May no one ever eat fruit from you again". And his disciples heard him say it.  In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.

Spoken words can curse things, but they can also restore life – case in point: Lazarus.

John 11:43-44  - When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice "Lazarus, come out!".  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Proverbs 18:20 - From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.

Do you want to eat and be satisfied with forgiveness and reconciliation and healed emotions? Do you want the word of the Lord to renew your life? Then speak out the words.

Joel Osteen, in his book "I Declare", says this: "…the moment you speak to your mountains, something happens. In the unseen realm the forces of heaven go to work. God moves, sending healing, sending breakthrough, sending victory. You may not see what God has done for some time. That mountain may look just as big and permanent and strong as it was before, but … one day, all of a sudden, you will see that the mountain has been removed".

So take a deep breath and speak out loud!

Now, this process brings up a further question.  How do I treat the people I have forgiven?  First off, we need to have wisdom in our future dealings. Just because we have forgiven someone, does NOT mean that we have to trust them unconditionally.

If I forgive Lancelot today and a month from now he comes and asks to partner with me on a new widget company, there better be giant red warning flags waving in my face, and I better pay attention.

Secondly, when you are in a situation where you have been wronged or offended, it is important to remember that forgiveness is for our benefit. The other person's behavior may NEVER change. It is up to God, not us, to change them. Our part is to forgive and trust in God.

So, we need to accept others as they are; recognize that they are essentially tools in our lives God is using to aid us in growth. 

 Joseph is a prime example.  His brothers had certainly wronged him.  He had the opportunity to be angry and bitter, but he did not fall into that trap. Later, when he was reconciled to his brothers, he did not try to change them.  Instead, he loved and accepted them as they were and acknowledged that God was using them to accomplish his purposes in Joseph's life.

Genesis 50: 20- You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

God is not the author or cause of sin or offence.  He does not command or even tempt someone to sin against someone else. Those are the tricks of Satan.  What God will do is use that circumstance to bring you closer to him, to develop your character, and to fulfill his ultimate plan for your life.  God will use the people you have forgiven to shape you into his image.  Satan has plans to destroy you, but God will turn that plan around and use it to bless you.

So, let me give you some encouragement:  Forgiveness is a process that can be painful and at times seem unending.  But whatever our pain, whatever our situation, we cannot afford to hold onto an unforgiving spirit for even on more minute.  Right now, we must begin to renew our minds with the truth of God, we must set our will to follow God's truth and we must force our emotions to be transformed by the Holy Spirit.  It may be difficult, but it will be worth it.

Let me give you some relief from that burden you are carrying around:  When we set ourselves to truly forgive as the Lord forgave us, we will experience complete healing/restoration of our emotions.

Let me offer you some strength:  You can break the cycle of unforgiveness in your life, if you partner with God to get it done.  Start the process today and see where God will take you.  Remember, God specializes in bringing the dead back to life and restoring what has been lost!  

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Matthew 2:1-2 - Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?  For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."

Judea had been under Roman rule for about 63 years. Herod (or Herod the Great) was named 'king' or authority over that region by the Romans.  He was in his 34^th year of rule when the events of Matthew chapter two take place.

Because of the united Roman Empire, there was easy and free trade between the nations in the empire.  There were no travel restrictions between individual nations.  The laws were uniform throughout the empire.  There was a single, standard language – Greek.  All of these circumstances paved the way for the easy and rapid spread of the Gospel throughout the world. It is obvious that God arranged a set of circumstances that were perfect for the birth and ministry of the Savior!

Right now, God is also working behind the scenes in your life!  Even when it looks like nothing is happening in your situation, you can be sure God is moving!  Look back on some of the major events of your life – can you see where the hand of God was at work?

At the same time that God was miraculously arranging things in the political world, He was also awakening the minds and expectations of people (both Jews and Gentiles) for the coming of a new king.  Historians tell us that for many years there was a prevalent expectation regarding the coming of a great king who was to rise from among the Jews.  This expectation rested on the content and timing of ancient Messianic prophesies such as Isaiah 9-11 and Daniel 7.  Balaam also speaks of it in Numbers 24:17.

Numbers 24:17 – I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel… 

So here is a good question – If God was stirring up the hearts and minds of people to look for the Messiah, how did they miss him?  Specifically, how did the Jewish priests miss him?  They were the spiritual leaders of their generation, and it was their job to be diligently looking for the coming of the Messiah, so they could lead others to him. 

Well, here is at least part of the problem.  They had built up their own expectations of what the Messiah would do, and how he would do it.  They were looking for a Messiah King who would immediately reclaim the throne of David, oust the Romans and vindicate the Jewish people.  When Jesus came as a humble servant, proclaiming the spiritual kingdom of God, it was diametrically opposed to what they were expecting. Therefore, they had trouble accepting him. 

Let's not make the same mistake.  Our generation is looking for the return of Christ.  The events leading up to his return may not look like we feel they should.  We might be surprised by what God has planned.  However, let us be open to the Holy Spirit that we might see the signs of his coming, and lead sinners to his grace before it is too late.

Now, what about those wise men from the east?  They likely hailed from either Persia or Arabia.  The original Greek word for wise men is 'magoi', from which comes our word "magician".  That word had a negative connotation for us; it speaks of trickery or falseness, but that was not the original use of the word.  The wise men were men of great learning who devoted themselves to astronomy, religion and medicine.  They were highly revered and sought after in their own lands.

They had seen a 'star' or more likely a comet, which lead them to the King of the Jews.  They had rightly discerned the sign and had come to worship the new King.  This is a wonderful glimpse of God revealing himself to the Gentiles.  Also, we will see that the gifts they brought financially sustained the family during the coming turbulent times. Thus, God allowed the Gentiles to assist in the mission of the Jewish savior!

Matthew 2:3-4 - When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

Why do you think Herod was trouble by this news?  Well, he had obtained his power through cruelty, wickedness and the death of those who opposed him.  He had his own wife as well as some of his sons put to death because he considered them a threat to his throne.  Naturally, when he heard that a long awaited King of the Jews had been born, he was jealous and suspicious, because he felt his own throne was in danger.  He, like the Jewish priests, was looking for an earthy king, not realizing that Jesus' first coming was to establish his spiritual kingdom.

Here is the really bizarre part – he asked the religious leaders when God was sending his son to earth, so that he could thwart the plans of God with a deliberate act of hostility.  He thought he could fight against God and be victorious.  How incredible!  Clearly his anger and hatred were interfering with his common sense!

Matthew 2:5-6 - They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel'.

The religious leaders answer Herod with a direct quote from the Old Testament, namely Micah 5:2, which clearly revealed the place of Jesus' birth, almost 700 years before he was born.

Matthew 2:7-8 - Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."

Having discovered where the child was, Herod now wishes to know how long ago he was born.  Naturally he believes that the star/comet appeared at the birth of the new king.  Therefore knowing the exact date of the star/comet would give him a good estimate of the child's age.  He then deceitfully requests that the wise men send him word of the exact location of the child when they find him.  As we know, his true motivation is to not to worship the child, but to kill him.

Matthew 2:9-10 - After listening to the king, they went on their way.  And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

Eventually, the wise men find the Messiah.  This is exactly as we would expect; hundreds of years before this, King David tells us that God reveals himself to those who seek him. 

I Chronicles 28:9 - …If you seek him (God), he will be found of you…

The Lord himself proclaims this fact through the prophet Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 29:13 – And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.

Keep in mind that these verses are still true.  Seek God.  Seek his wisdom, his peace, his guidance, his provision, his will and his healing.  You will find him!

The unexpected part of this verse is that the wise men went to Bethlehem alone.  None of the Jewish priests or scribes cared enough about this event to accompany the wise men on their trip.  The wise men had traveled a very great distance to honor the Messiah, but the Jewish people couldn't be bothered to go to the next town to seek him out.  How sad that the Jews would have so little value for the gift of God!

What about you?  Are you seeking deeper levels of fellowship with Christ?  Or, having obtained salvation, have you stopped seeking him?  There are Christians in other countries that go to great lengths to find God and worship him, even risking great persecution.  You and I live in a place where we may freely and publicly seek him.  Are we doing so?

Matthew 2:11-12 – And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.  Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.  And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

So what did they see?  A little child from a poor family living in relative obscurity.  Perhaps his face and hands are dirty from playing.  Perhaps his hair is a little too long.  Maybe he has a tear in his robe.  That is a king who is a little bit harder to worship, isn't it?

Many of us would have hesitated to worship that small child.  Our pride would have never allowed us to bow down before one so young.  Perhaps his situation was not what we might have expected, and as a result, we would have hesitated to worship.

Yet, this sight in the natural realm did not stop the wise men from seeing or believing that Jesus was divinely appointed to be a king.  They did not consider what he was at that point, but what he would one day be.  Because they were certain that he would one day be different from how he appeared in the present, they are not ashamed to bow before a mere infant and render to him honor fit for a king in the prime of life.

What kind of honor are you showing our King?  In a way, we are in the same circumstance as the wise men – we have not yet seen our King in all his power, splendor and glory. We have hints of it… we have glimpses of it, but no one has seen God in all his glory and lived to tell of it.  If God would ever choose to reveal his glory to humans (and we lived), we would have no choice but to fall down on our faces and worship.  It would be an automatic response to his glory and power.  Indeed, scripture tells us that one day "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:11).

Until that happens, we have the privilege to serve and worship our King in faith, right now.  We should do so with our whole hearts and entire beings.  Search the scriptures.  Read about God's honor, his power, his majesty, his mercy and his love.  Recall the times he has moved mightily on your behalf.  Then, worship him for who he is, for one day you will see it with your own eyes!

The wise men considered Jesus an earthly king and they brought him gifts from the earth – gold, frankincense and myrrh.

As a spiritual son or daughter of Christ, the proper gift for you to bring him is a spiritual one - yourself!

Romans 12:1 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Matthew 2:13-15 – Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy him."  And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.  This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

Egypt is about 60 miles from Bethlehem.  It too, was a Roman province; Joseph could take his family there without any special paperwork or restriction.  The Greek language was spoken there, as it was in all of Rome.  There was a big population of Jews in that place; there were temples and synagogues.  This meant that Jesus could be raised Jewish, among his own countrymen, yet be beyond the reach and authority of Herod.

Side Note:  Joseph reacted quickly to the dream that God gave him.  There is a lesson there – When our direction is clear or has been made plain by God, compliance needs to be speedy.  Don't hesitate and don't wait – immediately do as God has commanded you!

Matthew 2:16-18 – Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more."

Eventually, Herod figures out that the wise men are not going to return to him.  His cruelty and anger boil over, and he decides to kill all the male children in that area that are 2-years-old and under, so he can be sure to eliminate the new King of the Jews.

At that point, Herod was fighting against God himself, and that could only end in his destruction.

Psalms 2:2- The kings of the earth set themselves…against the Lord and against his Anointed … He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.  Then he will speak to them…"I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill."

Jesus was indeed going to die, but not by the hand of Herod!  Jesus was delivered from death on this occasion, so that his ultimate purpose could be fulfilled; namely that he might die for the salvation of all.  These innocent martyrs will one day receive justice from the Lord, as will all who give their lives for Christ.

Matthew 2:19-21 – But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Rise take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead."  And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.

Again, we find God's leading and direction given to Joseph.  Again we find Joseph immediately taking action to leave Egypt and return to Israel.

Matthew 2:22-23 – But when he heart that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.  And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Joseph was a good God-fearing, obedient man.  Yet, we notice that God did not give Joseph all of his instructions at once.  God first told Joseph to return to Israel.  Once Joseph had been obedient to this word, then God revealed the next step – to leave the area of Judea and settle in Galilee, specifically in the city of Nazareth.

God often works this way in our lives too.  He may prompt you to start a new ministry or a good work, then wait for your obedience before he reveals your next step.  This keeps us dependent on God and ensures that we do not veer off course.

So, let me offer you some encouragement:  God knows what you will need, even before you know that you need it!  He also has the answer already lined up for you!  God knew about the threat of Herod before Joseph did.  God sent the wise men with gifts which provided the money needed for them to take the journey to Egypt.  The next time you find yourself in need, remember this:  God has your provision already planned out.  Keep your eyes and ears open so that you find it.

Let me offer you some relief:  You don't have to understand the entire plan of God for your life all at once.  You don't have to worry about working it out for yourself.  If you will step out in faith and take the first step, as Joseph did, God will then show you the next step to take.  While God does expect you to use wisdom and good judgment, he will work out your life and ministry as you look to him for guidance.

Let me offer you some strength: God is never going to leave you wondering what to do.  He will speak to you through his word, through prophetic words delivered by other Christians, through the Holy Spirit, through dreams, even through angels, if necessary.  You don't have to wonder what God's will is.  Look to him and he will be found by you!

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Dear Reader,

   My name is Pat and I will be hosting this online Bible study for the Kipton church.  As with all my Bible studies, you will get the most out of it if you ask questions, share your experiences and, most importantly, take some time to meditate on the Word of God that is being presented. We are delighted to have you join us! 

 

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For the next few months we will be considering the New Testament book of Ephesians.  Let's begin with some background information on this epistle.

INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS:     This book was written by the apostle Paul during his imprisonment in Rome, around 60-62 A.D.  It is one of four letters known as the 'prison' epistles.  Can you name the other three?

They are Philippians, Colossians and Philemon.  If you answered correctly, feel free to reward yourself with candy!

The letter was written to the church at Ephesus, although they may not have been its only recipient.  It seems that there are several early manuscripts that do not contain the phrase "at Ephesus".  This has led to the speculation that the book may have been a 'circular' letter, which refers to an identical letter sent to several different churches, each with a specific church's name inserted into it.  If this was the case, multiple churches would have received the exact same copy of the letter.  However, I would like to point out that this is only scholarly speculation, and in the end it really does not matter.  The Holy Spirit has preserved the book for us as a part of the Bible and it applies to Christians of all generations - including us!

What was the city of Ephesus like back in the time of Paul's writing?  It was one of the most celebrated cities of Asia Minor, located about 40 miles south of Smyrna near the mouth of the river Cayster (this would be the extreme western part of modern day Turkey).  Its position made it a busy center of commerce. The Pulpit Bible Commentary says "it was the highway into Asia from Rome; its ships traded with the ports of Greece, Egypt and the Levant". 

We would expect such a city to have abundant wealth.  As with many wealthy places, Ephesus was notorious for luxury and licentiousness (unrestrained by law or morality; excessive, immoral).  It is common for big wealthy cities to have a  number of poor and homeless people.  Wealthy communities also attract crime.  Therefore we would assume that these elements were present in Ephesus too.

 

What about the cultural and religious life in Ephesus?  History asserts that about half of the inhabitants of this area were Asiatic (eastern culture) and half Greek (western culture), although the noted historian Josephus tells us that a considerable number of Jews were also present in the city.  As we would expect, both the culture and the religious practices of that day were an amalgam of East and West.  While the practice of sorcery and magic was common, Ephesus was most famous its worship of the goddess Diana (also called Artemis).  This false god sprang from Western culture, however, the style of worship often incorporated mystical elements from the East.  As you probably recall, the temple of Diana at Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  More information about it is readily available, if you want to find it.

To summarize, Ephesus was a notorious city; it was wealthy, luxurious and excessive.  At the same time, we would expect to see homelessness, crime and sexual immorality.  It had a culturally diverse population.  Its religious practices were a combination of both eastern and western thought.  I don't know about you, but all this seems vaguely familiar to me� I think it could describe many of the cities we live in today.  We could probably take Ephesus, drop it in the middle of America someplace, and no one would really think it was that strange!  

This was the situation that Paul walked into as he began to spread the gospel of Christ in Ephesus back in the book of Acts.  Paul himself tells us that he spent 3 years in Ephesus, actively preaching the gospel (you might want to consider reading Acts chapters 19 and 20.  It will probably take less than 10 minutes and will provide you with some useful information).  He faced much opposition in that city but the scripture tells us in Acts 19:20 that "the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily". 

Of course, Paul could not stay in Ephesus forever.  In Acts chapter 20 he bids the Ephesians a heartfelt and tearful farewell as he heads off to Jerusalem. We will skip ahead in the narrative by saying that Paul winds up in a Roman prison where he is essentially under "house arrest".  He is confined and under guard, but he can have visitors as he awaits trial for some very serious charges.  It was during this time that he wrote the prison epistles, including Ephesians.  So, Paul has a history with the Christians of Ephesus.  He is well acquainted with them, their struggles and the opposition that Christianity faced in that area. 

Now that we have an adequate background for this epistle, let us examine it from the beginning.

Ephesians 1:1-2  - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The salutation of this letter reveals the authority on which Paul writes to them.  He does not write to them on his own authority, or indeed the authority of any man, but the authority of God the Father and his resurrected Son, who appointed him as the apostle to the Gentile world.  Therefore, his words should be taken as truth and should be used as a guide for living the Christian life.

The salutation also addresses the church as individual saints.  Webster's dictionary defines a saint as "a holy or godly person". 

Let me as ask you this:  Do you consider yourself a saint?  Before you blurt out an answer, let me give you something to consider: 

In the Old Testament, the tabernacle was considered holy.  What made it holy?  Was the goat hair in the curtains holy?  Was the acacia wood or the gold holy? No, the tabernacle was holy because it was the dwelling place of God. 

Was the grand and glorious temple of Solomon holy?  It sure was.  What made it holy?  Was it the cedar wood or the dressed stone or the gold and brass?  No, it too was holy because it was the dwelling place of God's presence.

Were the temple sacrifices holy?  Yes.  Was it because the ancient Jews actually found the original 'holy cow'?  Of course not!  The sacrifice was holy because it was dedicated to God. 

Were the Old Testament priests holy?  Yes� because they were divinely chosen and set apart by God for his service.  In the same way, the Sabbath was holy because those 24 hours were separated for God's use, while the rest of the hours in the week were for common use.

So, as a Christian, are you holy?  YES!!  You are the temple of the Holy Spirit of Almighty God.  Your life has been sacrificed to Him.  You are part of a chosen generation and a royal priesthood.  In a sense, your whole life is a Sabbath because it is set apart for God's use!   As a Christian, you are automatically a saint of God, not because of anything you have done, but because you have been set apart for him and his purposes.   

Now, just as a matter of clarification, I want to be sure that you understand that in addition to being a holy (set apart) saint of God, every Christian has a responsibility for personal holiness.  This issue will be discussed later on in Ephesians chapter 4, but until then, I want to point out that as a Christian, your pursuit of personal holiness will continue until the day God calls you home.  Personal holiness is an entirely separate issue from being a saint. Again, more discussion on this will follow.   

For now, let's get back to Paul's salutation.  Paul speaks of the grace and peace of God to each saint.  Grace and peace are both gifts from God the Father to his children.  They are gifts that Christ paid for with his death on the cross, which we can readily see from the following scriptures:

John 1:17 - For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 53:5 -  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Basically, grace should be understood as a state of favor with God which all Christians abide in.  Peace is the state of mind that results from being in right standing with God. 

Here then, is a big difference between the people of God and the people of the world. People of the world will lose or gain peace as their circumstances change.  As children of God, we can be at peace throughout any trial or storm of life, because our peace is not dependent upon circumstances, but upon that blessed relationship we share with our heavenly father.  Jesus himself says to us in John 14:27  - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Notice that this presents each of us with a wonderful door of opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ to the unsaved world.  When you endure a trial with peace, the unsaved will notice.  They will want to know how you are keeping it all together when you should be falling apart.  They will want to know how to obtain the peace that you have, and thus you will have a chance to share Christ with them. 

Well, we are going to stop here for today, but don't worry - We will be back soon! I want to take some time to hear testimonies from all of you. Revelation 12:11 says that the saints of God overcome by the blood of the lamb of the word of their testimony. So let me start a dialog with this:

Was there ever a time when you were in a trial and you felt God's peace overshadow you?  What was the end result?  Did others notice? Can you share a word of encouragement with all those reading this post who are currently in the midst of a storm?

 

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Ezra 1-6, Zechariah 4

I suspect Zerubbabel is not on the short list of famous bible characters - but he should be!  If you are not really sure who he was, read on.  His story will encourage you and challenge your faith.

The nation of Israel had a long history of rebelling against the Lord and serving false gods.  God warned them many times that if they did not repent and follow him whole heartedly, he would remove them from the Promised Land and send them into captivity. 

Eventually, due to their continued rebellion, God sentenced them to 70 years of captivity in Babylon.He fulfilled this decree through king Nebuchadnezzar.

Jeremiah 25:8-9 – Therefore thus says the Lord of Hosts: Because you have not obeyed by words, behold I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the Lord,  for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants…

So Nebuchadnezzar attacked Judah and laid siege to Jerusalem.  He captured and deported people in a number of phases. Daniel, who would later be thrown into the lion's den, was actually taken in one of the first waves of captives. The final fall of the nation occurred in 586 BC.  The scripture says that Babylon's soldiers killed the Israelites indiscriminately and without compassion; they killed not only soldiers but women, children and old people.  It was a very great slaughter (see II Chronicles 36:17-21). 

II Chronicles also reveals that all the temple treasures as well as the treasures of the King of Judah were captured as spoil and taken to Babylon.

The entire nation of Judah (except for the very poorest of the poor people) either died or was taken captive to Babylon.  What dark days these were for the chosen people of God!  They must have been full of despair as they left their homeland and marched to the land of Babylon… their beautiful homes – gone!  All the possessions that they worked so hard for – gone!  Their fields and vineyards – now possessed by others!  Their families – fate unknown! The temple of God – destroyed! 

Let us note that God chastised them; but did not destroy them, nor did they forfeit their place as God's chosen people.In fact, long before they were taken captive God declared that they would be in exile for 70 years but at the end of that time, he would bring them back to their land.

Jeremiah 29:10 – For thus says the Lord: When 70 years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you [the children of Israel], and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.

During those dark years, as the remnant of Israel settled in Babylon and began a different life, the promise of restoration must have seemed a long, long way away.  We can easily imagine how that future promise would take a back seat to the immediate needs of the day.  After all, very few of those who marched to Babylon would live to see the restoration of Israel.

To be sure, prayer and fasting are good things.  Nevertheless, the people settled for something that was less than God's best for them.  They lost their hunger for the land, the temple and its sacrifices.  They were missing out on the divine presence of God dwelling in their midst. Eventually, a generation arose that had never seen the Promised Land or the temple.  Consequently, desire for a life in Judah began to diminish. Clearly, their current circumstances caused them to lose focus on the promise of restoration. 

However, God has always been and will always be, faithful to his promises.  In fact, God says this to us:

Jeremiah 1:12 – …I am watching over my word to perform it.

Did you catch that?  God watches over his promises to make sure that he does all he said he would do.  God is so perfectly faithful in all he has promised!  If he said it, it will surely come to pass!

Were you aware that God named Israel's deliverer long before he was even born or before they even went into captivity?  That's right – nearly 150 years before Cyrus ascended his throne, he was named by our God as the one who would deliverer Israel from Babylon!  Look was the prophet Isaiah had to say:

Isaiah 45:1, 4, 13 – Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus…For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name.  I name you, though you do not know me; I have stirred him [Cyrus] up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward, says the Lord of Hosts.

So, while it seemed to the exiles that God was doing nothing and was nowhere to be found, nothing could have been further from the truth.

Like a crescendo, he causes new nations to emerge and grow strong, while he allows other nations to slip into decline and silence.  He raises up new rulers with new ideas.  He allows technology and science to advance.  He sends words of encouragement to his people through the prophets.  Here and there he allows super abundant years of harvest, so that supplies can be prepared.  He reignites a longing for himself and his ways in the hearts of his people.  He takes seemingly discordant notes and fits them perfectly into the harmony, making all things ready for the fulfillment of his promise.

And all the while, his focus on the individual person has not diminished.  He sees every injustice.  He hears every prayer.  He knows every need.  He feels the sorrow and the longing in the heart of each of his children.  Each person that God has created is like a perfect note in his symphony; each one is needed to make the melody complete.

As we mentioned previously, the nation of Judah was sentenced to 70 years in captivity. Therefore, according to the promise of God, they could expect to return home in 538 BC.  History proves that God did as he promised.  The Medes and the Persians defeated Babylon in 539 BC, one year before the promise was to be fulfilled. 

Here is an interesting question – who was king of Babylon when it fell to the Medes and Persians?  According to Daniel chapter 5, it was Belshazzar, the same king who saw the supernatural handwriting on the wall that was interpreted by Daniel (again, the same Daniel who was previously thrown into the lion's den)!

We would expect that Daniel would come into contact with Cyrus.  We would also expect Daniel to share the ancient prophesies that mentioned Cyrus by name.  Particularly, this one:

Isaiah 44:28 – [God] who says of Cyrus, 'he is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose; saying of Jerusalem, 'She shall be built', and of the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid'.

So, one year later or exactly 70 years since the captivity, Cyrus made a decree that the people of Israel were free to go home and rebuild the temple of God!

Ezra 1:2-3 – Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.  Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel – he is the God who is in Jerusalem.

At that point, any Jew who wished to return home was free to do so and more than 42 thousand did just that!

Ezra 2:64-65 – The whole assembly together was 42,360 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337 and they had 200 male and female singers.

One of the people in that group was our man Zerubbabel the son and/or heir of Shealtiel. Not only was he part of that first wave of Israelites to go back to the Promised Land, he was their leader!

What inspired him to undertake such a monumental task?  Well, Zerubbabel had not forgotten what God promised.  He meditated on that promise.  He allowed it to burn within his heart and mind.  He did not settle for life in Babylon, even though that would have been much easier in some respects.  He was ready to claim the promise of God and move on to a place of victory.  He wanted all that God had in store for him – and (spoiler alert) he got it!

After the long journey to arrive in Judah, the settlers immediately built an altar and re-established the sacrifices to the Lord.  How good that victory must have felt to the returning settlers!  But there was more to be done.  In the second year, the foundation of the new temple was laid.  What a reason for rejoicing!  Yet, there was still more to be done.

It was at this point that their adversaries came against them.  They pretended to be interested in helping to build the temple, but Zerubbabel, knowing what was in their hearts, refused to allow them to help. This refusal was the first step in a very protracted legal battle, which at times forced a work stoppage.

For fifteen years, the battle raged on.  Sometimes, Zerubbabel and company gained ground.  Sometimes their enemies were temporarily victorious.  Sometimes, they became a bit complacent, and work stopped. 

During those times, God sent words of encouragement (and sometimes rebuke) to Zerubbabel through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.  In fact, God sends a very profound and important message to Zerubbabel through the prophet Zechariah. 

Zechariah 4:6 – Then he said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts. 

What an amazing truth!  Zerubbabel was going to be victorious, but not because of his own power or military might orlegal maneuvering.  The promises of God would be fulfilled by the Spirit of God!  Victory was assured! 

Just to make things very, very clear God also prophesied this through Zechariah:

Zechariah 4:9 – The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it.

Sure enough, Zerubbabel completes his task - the temple is rebuilt.  The government who opposed him was ordered to provide all the animals needed for the daily sacrifice.  Two more waves of settlers return to the Promised Land.  The walls of Jerusalem are rebuilt and its gates are replaced.  God performed many more miracles on behalf of his people.  In short, God fulfilled every promise that he made to Israel!

If we could speak with Zerubbabel today, what do you think he would want us to understand? 

So, what promises can you lay claim to?  Did you have a word of prophesy spoken over your life at some point?  Perhaps God dropped a promise into your heart through the Holy Spirit.  Perhaps he is stirring you up to do a work for him, just the same as he did with Zerubbabel.  Maybe you read a promise in the scriptures and as soon as you did, it started taking root in your heart. 

What has happened to these promises?  Have they been fulfilled?  If not, why?

As we studied, the majority of the Israelites settled for life in Babylon.  They allowed the immediate needs of the day to crowd out the promise of restoration.  They missed out on having the presence of God in their midst.  I encourage you not to make the same choice.  Don't let the immediate and overwhelming tasks of your day crowd out the promises of God.  They are worth fighting for!  Make room for them.

I encourage you to take a second look at your promises.  Write them down or put them in your phone, if you haven't already.  Look at them in the morning or before you go to bed at night.  Allow the Holy Spirit to reignite a fire in your heart.

Make no mistake – when you answer that call and walk through that door, it will be a step of faith.  You won't have all the answers when you begin.  The settlers did not know what awaited them on the journey to Jerusalem.  They did not know how they would make a living when they arrived.  They did not know if they would be welcomed or ostracized.  There was no exact or complete plan for rebuilding the temple. They gave up a life of certainty for a life of faith.  If you want to claim the promises of God in your life, you also must take a step of faith.

The good news is that God has an amazing, 100% track record of faithfulness (Think of it this way: He has 5 full stars after billions of reviews).  If you step out, he will show up and keep his promises to you. 

I think Zerubbabel would also like us to know that when we face opposition to our promises, God intervenes with strength and power.  I bet that Zerubbabel stayed awake some nights worrying (I don't know that for certain, but it would be human nature to do so).  He probably wondered what his next legal move should be.  He may have fretted over the strength of his enemies or the size of the opposition.  I bet it seemed like it was taking forever to get anything done.  But in the midst of that, God sent Zechariah to encourage Zerubbabel in his work.  Remember, God declares that the victory is won by the power of the Holy Spirit, not the strength or determination of man. 

Whew!  What a relief for us all!  If we will do our part – take that step of faith and diligently do all that we know to do, the Holy Spirit will make the rest happen.  Does that mean that all will be smooth sailing?  Ha!  No way!  When we step out to do something for God, there will always be opposition from our enemy, Satan.  The good news is that we don't have to rely on our own strength or intelligence or power to fight him.  The Spirit of God will take care of that for us!  He is right by our side, watching over our progress, ensuring victory.

Romans 8:31 -  If God be for us, who can be against us?

This brings up another point – how close is your relationship to the Holy Spirit?  If you are struggling to claim your promises, you might want to seek a fresh infilling of the Spirit.  Ask him to equip you and give you strength for the task.  Ask him for a new spiritual gift.  He will bring you supernatural wisdom and understanding.  He will be with you as your promise is fulfilled!

Let me give you some encouragement:  Don't let your promises slip away under the burden of your everyday life.  Put some of that stuff aside, and reacquaint yourself with the things God wants to do through you!

Let me offer you some relief:  It's not your power, your might or your resources that will get the job done.  Don't try to do God's part for him.  He already has that covered.

Let me offer you some strength:  Seek the Holy Spirit.  He is standing by to comfort, lead, guide, open doors and bring provision.  He will stay with you as you claim that promise! Then, testify about your victory to encourage others!

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Jonah 1-4

When we begin to think of our favorite bible characters, Jonah is often mentioned.  Perhaps that is because it was a favorite of ours when we were children.  The story appeals to kids because it has elements of adventure, danger and gross body fluids.  When you first hear the story, it amazes you!  After all, it's an everyday occurrence when a man eats a fish, but when a fish eats a man, well, the rest of us take notice!  

As adults, we still cherish the story of Jonah.  Let's take a closer look for some of the lessons it holds for us today.

Jonah 1:1 -  Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me."

Nineveh was located in the nation of Assyria.  It was originally founded by Nimrod.

Genesis 10:8, 10-11 – Cush fathered Nimrod: he was the first on earth to be a might man.  The beginning of his kingdom was Babel… in the land of Shinar.  From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh…

In Jonah chapter 3 we are told that it was an 'exceedingly great' city, meaning that it was large.  Jonah tells us that it was three days journey in breadth.  Since 20 miles was the distance a soldier could travel in a day, commentators assume that the city was roughly 55-60 miles in diameter.  However, not all of the land was densely covered with streets and buildings.  The city also included farm land. Scholars estimate the population to be around 600,000 people.

The sin of the city had reached a point where God decided to act.  Rather than destroy them, he wants to make himself known to them, and give them a chance to repent. This is exactly what we would expect.  God's holiness demands an accounting for sin, but his mercy always provides a way of escape from judgment, if man is willing to accept it. 

God's concern for Nineveh and its heathen people is also a foreshadowing of his ultimate plan for all of mankind.  I Timothy 2:3-4 tells us that salvation "… is good and pleasing in the sight of God our savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Our heavenly Father again expresses his desire through the apostle Peter Acts 10:34-35:

 So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him." 

So, we see that God sends Jonah to the people of Nineveh that they might believe in him, repent and be spared from judgment.

Why do you suppose that Jonah overreacted to the command of God?  Go ahead and think about that for a bit.  We will present a likely answer later in the lesson.

God responds to Jonah's rebellion by stirring up a great storm on the sea; scripture says it threatened to break the ship apart.  Obviously, the crew was afraid and they all prayed to their gods to spare them. 

Meanwhile, Jonah is asleep in below decks until the captain of the vessel wakes him up and instructs him to get on his knees as well!  [So much for the old theory that people with a guilty conscience can't sleep at night!]

Since the storm seemed to be getting worse instead of better, the crew decided to cast lots and determine who was responsible for their situation.  Guess who comes up as the guilty party – Jonah!

Jonah then confesses everything to the crew.  He explains that he is a Hebrew and he serves Jehovah, the God who made the earth and the sea.  He also mentions that he was running away from God.  This really got their attention.  The seamen then asked what they should do to get the sea to calm down, before they all died. 

Jonah responded this way:

Jonah 1:12 – He said, "Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you."

The crew was unwilling to do this, because they feared it would be like throwing him to his death.  So, they vainly tried to get to shore but when they could not, they prayed and then tossed him overboard.

Jonah 1:14-15 – Therefore, they called out to the Lord, "O Lord, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you."  So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.

I often wonder about the way that happened.  Do you think Jonah saw the fish approaching and tried to get away?   Can you imagine that moment of panic as he saw the gargantuan beast bearing down on him?  What do you suppose went through his mind when he realized he was going to be swallowed? On the other hand, maybe he never saw it coming.  Maybe the fish came up behind him and he didn't even see it until it was too late.  Or maybe he was drowning and the fish seemed like a safe haven.  Who knows? Perhaps we'll have the chance to ask him one day!

However, there is no need to speculate what he did after he was swallowed; the scripture tells us that he prayed.

Jonah 2:1-2 – Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish saying, "I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me, out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice."

I have never been in the belly of a great fish, and my guess is that you haven't either, but I am imaging a grim situation.  There would be a lot of sea water, plus I bet it would be pitch black.  There might be other fish or sea life that had also been swallowed.  Any air would certainly not be fresh (fish breath – yuck!). You can read Jonah's description of the conditions in the fish's belly in the remainder of chapter 2. 

One part of the prayer I want us to take particular notice of:

Jonah 2:7 – When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. 

As a result of that prayer, God had the fish vomit Jonah up on dry land.

The people of Nineveh believed God.  They called for fasting and repented from the greatest among them to the least.  Even the king removed his royal robes, put on sack cloth and sat in ashes as a sign of repentance.  He decreed that no one in the kingdom should eat or drink, but everyone should call out to God and turn from violence and evil so that they might be spared from destruction. 

The result is exactly what we would expect – since the people chose to repent, God's mercy wins over judgment; the entire city is spared.

Jonah 3:10 –When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

Sounds like a great thing to me, how about you?  Jonah would disagree with us.  He was mad that God spared the city!  In chapter 4 verse 2 he actually complains that God is 'a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster'.  He goes so far as to say that he wishes God would kill him, for it is better to be dead than alive if the people of Nineveh are spared!  

Hmmm… how strange!  When people complain about God, they don't usually mention his abundant mercy and love.  Normally, those are things we cherish about God.  Clearly, something is bothering Jonah. Did you have a chance to consider what that might be?

The Jewish people had a very strong national identity.  That identity was based upon them being the chosen people of God.  Some of the elements of that national identity were circumcision, possession of the Law of God, sacrifices, prophetic words, signs and wonders, supernatural protection and provision, etc.  Therefore, Jonah was very unwilling that any Gentile nations should find peace with God, because he feared that the Jews would lose their special relationship to Jehovah.  He feared that the Gentiles would infringe upon the special place of the Jews. 

What he failed to realize of course, was that God's love is much too vast to be limited to one people group.  As prior scriptures have shown, it is God's will that all mankind be in right relationship with him. 

Clearly, Jonah did not understand the full scope of God's plan for mankind.  This explains his great reluctance (rebellion) to share the message of salvation with the people of Nineveh.    

Instead of rejoicing in what God was doing, Jonah has a tantrum and then he builds a temporary booth just outside the city.  He sits down to see what would happen.

Little did he realize, but God had already made a decision regarding the people and animals of Nineveh.  God was now going to deal with his prophet in a very tender way; he is going to attempt to give Jonah a glimpse of how precious the Gentiles were to him. 

The scripture says that Jonah was not just glad to have the plant, he was exceedingly glad.  I can believe that.  I know how much I love the shade of a tree on hot summer days!  Any relief from the blazing sun is most welcome. 

As the plant withered and died, God turned up the heat.  There was a scorching east wind and the sun beat down so hot, that Jonah almost fainted.  Keep in mind that God was not doing this to be mean, rather he was using this situation to teach Jonah a very important lesson.

When the plant withered and died, Jonah again becomes bitterly angry.  In fact he makes a second request for God to let him die (chapter 4, verse 8).     

At that point, God confronted him about his attitude.  God said to him "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?"

To which Jonah responded, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die."

Then God shares this revelation of his love with Jonah:

Jonah 4:10-11 – And the Lord said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night.  And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"

Fortunately, God's point was very clear and Jonah kept his zipped up at this point! That ends the book of Jonah.   

While there are a number of useful lessons for adults in this passage of scripture, I am going to limit my comments to two things. 

First of all, there is a message in this narrative about toxic relationships.  Specifically, this applies to romantic relationships as well as ordinary friend relationships between two women or two men.

Notice how selfish Jonah was to those around him, especially the crew of the ship.  We assume that the sailors on the ship to Tarshish were just ordinary men, earning a living for their families, when they make the acquaintance of Jonah.  Immediately afterward, as a consequence of spending time around him, they find themselves in a place of storm and upheaval.  All peace and rest was gone; they were afraid and worried from that moment on. 

At that point, in order to preserve their lives, they begin to toss all the cargo overboard.  So now their peace is gone, their confidence is gone and they are going broke or at least losing a great deal of money, all because of Jonah.  Things are so bad, they are in danger of losing the entire ship.  And how does Jonah treat them?  With utter disregard!  He is busy sleeping in the hold.  He isn't a bit concerned about the disaster that he is bringing upon all the crew of the ship and their families.  He does not care one bit if they go broke or even die!  

As you know, the captain forces him to get up.  When the lot falls on Jonah and it is determined that he is the sole cause of all the destruction, how does he react?  In a most shameful manner!  He tells the crew of the ship that if they toss him overboard, the storm and upheaval will cease and they will be fine. 

You see, if Jonah was a real friend, he would have taken responsibility for his actions.  He would have asked the crew help him up onto the edge of the ship and he would have jumped in himself in order to save them.  Instead, he puts all the pressure on the innocent sailors to literally pick him up and toss him overboard!

Of course, they are stunned and very unwilling to throw Jonah to certain death; but notice that he does not feel the same about them. Again, he was very willing for these men to die or go bankrupt for his bad choices!

Eventually, after doing everything in their power to ride out the storm, the sailors pray for forgiveness and toss him overboard.  Only then were they able to pick up the pieces of their lives and business. 

Does any of this sound familiar?  Do you have any toxic relationships like the one between Jonah and the crew?  Do you know certain people that always bring upheaval and drama to your life?  Do they somehow sap all your energy, your peace and even your finances?  Are they putting you in a position where you feel like you are fighting for your life? 

Ask yourself this question:  Is that person helping or hindering your ministry and your relationship to God?  Are you so weary from that relationship that you have no time to seek God and his plans for you?  Is your relationship with this person squeezing out the time you should be spending with your family?  As a result of this relationship, do you do things that you would never do otherwise?  Does this person influence you to make poor choices?

If so, you need to break off the relationship.  Just like the sailors, you may balk at the idea.  It may be uncomfortable, because they are not going to leave willingly.  They will make you do the dirty work.  But for your own sake and the sake of your ministry, you may need to do it immediately!

Do not be worried about being alone.  God is standing by to bring you the right spouse; one who will assist you in ministry, not bring you down.  He has plenty of good people who will be glad to enter into a friend relationship with you; a relationship that will bring you closer to the Lord and help you grow spiritually.    

The final thing I want to point out about the story of Jonah is this:  God is sovereign over all things.  Clearly in this narrative God is sovereign over nature (the storm, the fish), but he is also sovereign over your life.  He is vastly greater than all your failures, shortcomings or mistakes.    

Even though Jonah made some poor choices that left him in dire circumstances (the belly of the fish), as soon as he called out to God, God was there.

The same is true for you and me.  There is no mistake we can make that will test the limits of God's power.  There is no mistake we can make that will thwart God's plans for the universe.  Even if you made some poor choices, God is ready and waiting for you to call upon him.  The moment you reach out to him, he will be there.  In fact, the bible says that Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart right now. He desires to fellowship with you!

Revelation 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and eat with him, and he with me.     

We have all blown it at one time or another; all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  We have all made some bad choices or been rebellious a time or two.  But remember, you are not a finished product.  The Holy Spirit is actively at work in your life, continuously making you over into the image of Christ.  So put your sins under the blood and get back on your feet.  Forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead.  Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus!

Let me give you some encouragement:  Don't be discouraged about the mistakes you've made.  God isn't finished with you yet.  The Holy Spirit will continue to work in you until the day Christ returns or calls you home.

Let me give you some relief:  If you are in a relationship that is poisoning you, you have the right to lovingly but firmly end it.  You don't have to continue to carry around people that take all of the life out of you.  Turn them over to God; he has the strength to deal with them.

Let me give you some strength: God gave Jonah the wisdom the opportunity and the ability to speak to the people of Nineveh. So don't fret – God will also provide all you need to accomplish the good works he has planned for you.

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Numbers 13:6-33 and Numbers 14

Caleb is a very popular bible hero.  If you named one of your sons after him, you are not alone.  In 2018 Caleb was the 45^th most popular boys name in the United States.

We first find Caleb in Numbers chapter 13.  As you probably remember, this is the portion of scripture that tells us about the time that Moses sent 12 men into Canaan to spy out the land that God was giving them.  There was one representative from each of the tribes of Israel.  The scripture tells us that Caleb was the representative of the tribe of Judah.

Numbers 13:6 – from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh;

Moses instructed them to find out about the people of the land.  Were they strong or weak?  Did they live in camps or strongholds?  Where there many people or few?  Was the land rich or poor?  Did it have trees or not? In general, Moses was asking them for an overall picture of the land and its inhabitants.  He also instructed the men to bring back some of the fruit of the land.

So, off they went.  I wonder if they went secretly or if there was a public celebration as they left.  How do you picture their departure?   Either way, I suspect the Israelites frequently thought about them while they were gone. 

The Promised Land would be the fulfillment of the promises made to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  It was to be a place of peace and rest.  A place of prosperity.  A place where they could govern themselves.  A place where they could freely worship Jehovah.  They had waited so long and now it was within their grasp!

I bet you could feel the excitement and electricity in the air as the people waited for the men to return.  I bet that every day they speculated about what the Promised Land was like!

Meanwhile, the spies were hard at work. They traversed the land from north to south and from east to west.  Eventually they came to the valley of Eshcol where they cut down a cluster of grapes that was so big, it took two men to carry it!

Numbers 13:23 – And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs. 

Try to picture the scene as the 12 representatives came back into the camp carrying that fruit!  Once they were spotted, news of their return must have spread like wildfire. 

Moses gathered all the people together at Kadesh to hear the report of the spies.  Once everyone was assembled, they began to speak. 

Fact number one: the land was indeed prosperous and wonderful; it was all they could ever hope for.

Numbers 13:7 – And they told him [Moses], "We came to the land to which you sent us.  It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit."

I can picture the people getting more and more excited, like it was Christmas morning. I can feel the anticipation building within them. At last they were coming into their inheritance!

Fact number two:  The inhabitants of the Promised Land were fierce and numerous. There were Hittites and Amorites and lots of other 'ites' living there.  In fact, there were even descendants of Anak there. FYI, Anak is the name of a race of people, not an individual.  The Anakim were people known to be of giant stature.  Remember Goliath of David and Goliath?  He was one of their descendants.

Fact number three:  The cities were well fortified and protected.These people were not going to willingly hand Israel the keys to their kingdom and walk away. 

It is interesting to note that all 12 spies acknowledged these facts.  There was no dispute about the situation they faced.  Yet we have two very different responses to the facts.

Numbers 13:30 – Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it."

Caleb (and Joshua) believed the promise of God. They trusted that God was well able to fight for them and with them; he would defeat their enemies and they would take their inheritance.  If God was for them, who could be against them?  They wanted to claim their inheritance without delay. If Caleb had his way, Israel would probably have attacked that night!

But then, the other ten spies who were trusting in themselves and not God, encouraged the people not to go. 

Numbers 13:31 – Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are."

They went on to say that they felt like grasshoppers compared to the giants living in the land. 

Sadly, the whole congregation of Israel sided against Joshua and Caleb.  They grumbled against Moses and Aaron.  Then they turned their backs on God.  They wished they were dead and that they had never left Egypt!  In fact, they talked about choosing a leader and going back!  Can you imagine?

Numbers 14:2-4 – "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey.  Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?"  And they said to one another, "Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt."

Of course, Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb all tried to reason with them.  They begged them not to rebel against God. 

Numbers 14:9 – "Only do not rebel against the Lord.  And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us.  Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them."

You already know how this ends.  Despite the begging and pleading of Caleb and the others, the people rebelled.  They picked up stones intending to kill Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb, but God had enough.  He intervenes and eventually sentences them to wander in the desert until everyone aged 20 and over died. 

However, God makes a couple of exceptions:

Numbers 14:24, 30 – But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.  Not one [of the Israelites aged 20 or over] shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

Sure enough, the people wander in the desert for 40 years until the unbelieving generation died.   Joshua and Caleb must have seemed really old to all the rest of the Israelites!

Eventually, just as God promised, he took the next generation into the Promised Land.  Despite the 40 year delay, Caleb had not forgotten the promise of God.  In fact, he brought it up before the people of Judah when Joshua was assigning them their inheritance.  Caleb reminds Joshua that he had been ready, willing and able to conquer his inheritance 40 years earlier, but was unable to because of those around him.  Now he had another chance to claim his inheritance, and he was going to take it! 

Joshua 14:10-12 - And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness.  And now, behold, I am this day 85 years old.  I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.  So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day…it may be that the Lord will be with me and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said. 

So Joshua gave Caleb Hebron for his inheritance; and Caleb stepped up and took it.

Personally, I love movies and stories that tie up all the loose ends and give the viewer or reader a happy ending.  I feel like that is what God did in this case.  Eventually, Caleb received the inheritance he had been promised. 

What about us?  What can we learn from Caleb?

DON'T GIVE UP:   Have you been waiting a long, long time for God to fulfill a promise for you?  Maybe you have been praying for a spouse or for a child.  Maybe you have been waiting for God to save your loved one or heal your body.  Maybe you are asking God to take your ministry to the next level.  Maybe you are seeking a promotion at work. Whatever it is, does it seem to be taking forever?  If so, you have an example in Caleb. 

During the times of waiting, the enemy will come and try to get you to give up.  He whispers things in your ear during your most vulnerable times.  See if any of this sound familiar:

• God has forgotten you. 
• You know you are not worthy to receive that.  Obviously, God feels the same way or he would have given it to you by now.  
• You might as well give up - it's too late for your promise to come to pass.
• You are too old (or too young). 
• Stop kidding yourself – God's promises are for the spiritual elite.

I imagine that the enemy also spoke similar words of discouragement to Caleb, but he ignored them and held on tight to the promise of God.  Because he did not give up, he eventually got his reward. 

Sometimes your best friend or your parents or your spouse are the ones who try to discourage you from standing firm.  Sometimes they are the ones who encourage you to give up and move on.  That was the case with Caleb.  Of the 12 spies, ten of them told Caleb to give up, the Promised Land was just a dream.  After that, more than a million people (literally) said the same thing, yet he put his trust in God and did not give up.

Remember, like the Israelites, those around you have a right to believe that their circumstances are greater than God's power.  They can choose to believe that God has forgotten them.  They have the right to quit and let go of God's promises, but they can't force you to give up, unless you choose to do so!

Be on your guard during the waiting season.  This is no time to give up, even if others tell you to!

Looking for another example?  The same thing happened to Abraham.  God promised him a son, but Abraham went years and years without seeing that promise fulfilled.  The scriptures tell us that he did not give up, but trusted God and stayed strong in his faith.  

Romans 4:20-21 – No unbelief made him [Abraham] waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

I encourage you to follow in the footsteps of these two men.  Keep your eyes off the problem and on the one who is able to bring the promise to pass!  God is the great I AM.  Remember, nothing – NOTHING- is impossible for him!

Luke 1:37 – For with God nothing shall be impossible.

When you are tempted to quit, remind yourself and your naysayers that nothing is too hard for God!

Then, begin to praise him for his strength, power and glory.  As Abraham knew, praising God strengthens your faith.  It keeps you from giving up.

BEWARE OF BITTERNESS:  Let's be honest… if there ever was a person in all of history who had the right to play the "LIFE IS UNFAIR" card, it was Caleb. He did all the right things, but wound up suffering because of those around him.  Had he taken his eyes off of God and looked at his neighbors, he could easily have become bitter. 

Can you see how it might happen? 

• "Well today is my 45^th(or 50^th or 60^th or 70^th…) birthday, but it sure isn't a happy one.  I should be spending this birthday in my new house, but instead I am still here in this stupid desert"
• "I am so tired this morning! I don't feel like packing up and marching any more but thanks to my countrymen, that is exactly what I have to do!" 
• "Manna – again!  If it wasn't for my fellow Israelites, I could be eating lamb and drinking my own wine right now!"
• "My life stinks and it's their fault!"

Can you see how it might happen to you?  Maybe you missed out on some opportunities because you grew up poor.  Maybe a doctor misdiagnosed your condition and you have permanent health issues because of it.  Maybe your spouse left you for someone else.Regardless of what happened, keep this in mind:

Other people cannot negate the promises of God in your life – only you can do that – so don't be bitter!

The writer of Hebrews warns us against the destructive influence of bitterness. 

Hebrews 12:15 – See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no 'root of bitterness' springs up and causes trouble…

Let me give you some truth - even if you grew up poor and missed some opportunities, God can overcome that and bring to pass his perfect plan for your life. 

Your physical/mental/emotional issues are not a surprise to God, nor are they a stumbling block for him.  God is still in the healing and deliverance business.  Hestill has a divine plan specifically tailored for your life, and he will bring it to pass if (like Caleb) you trust him. 

Perhaps you were once addicted to alcohol/drugs or had an abortion or broke some laws and spent time in jail.  Once you stand up and take responsibility for what has been done, then you need to put it all under the blood of Christ and let it go.  None of these things (once they are under the blood of Christ) can negate God's plan for you!

So again, follow Caleb's example.  Do not blame others or become bitter.  Instead, forgive and keep your eyes on God.  Unlike humans, God keeps all the promises he makes!

Ps 12:6-7 – The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.  You, O Lord, will keep them…

Hebrews 10:23 – Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

MEDITATE ON THE PROMISE:  I believe that Caleb kept the words of God's promise close to his heart.  I believe that he rehearsed them in his mind on a daily basis.  Maybe he meditated on them while he marched through the desert each day. Perhaps they were the last thing he thought of as he went to sleep, and the first thing that came to mind in the morning. 

Maybe when his children were born, he held them on his lap and told them not to worry, because the promised inheritance was on the way.  When his family became discouraged, he gave them hope by quoting that promise.  He could rejoice, because he knew his situation would have an ending point.  The trial would not last forever.  The fulfillment of the promise was coming.

Notice that when he finally comes before Joshua to claim his inheritance, he speaks with authority, like someone who has kept a tight grip on a legal contract:

Joshua 14:10-12 - And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness.  And now, behold, I am this day 85 years old.  I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.  So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day…it may be that the Lord will be with me and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.  

What about you?  Is your promise close to your heart or have you lost it amongst discouragement?  Is it on your mind at bedtime and in the morning or are you busy thinking about the problem?  Do you keep it in prayer?  Do you praise God for its completion even before you see it?  You should.  The scriptures say:

God gives life to the dead and calls and calls into existence the things that do not exist (Romans 4:17).

Meditate on your promise knowing that someday, in God's perfect timing, it will become a reality.  Rejoice knowing that your waiting will eventually end.  Rest in the peace of God's love for you, as he takes you into your Promised Land.

Let me give you some encouragement:  Don't give up!  God has not forgotten you.  He is still on the throne and actively working in your life.  He loves you more than you can imagine.

Let me give you some relief:  Nothing in your past can disqualify you from God's will for your life.  God is famous for bringing the dead back to life.  If he has to do that in your situation, he will; you have not surprised him in any way. 

Let me give you some strength: You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.  As a child of the Most High God, you don't just endure the waiting period – you can thrive in it when you know that he is in control.   You can relish in it, knowing that your faith strengthens others.  At the end of the wait, you will have not only the fulfillment of your promise, but you will have greater faith and a closer walk with your savior. 

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Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:1-8

There are several women in the Bible named Mary, but we know that our text refers to Mary the sister of Lazarus because the scripture tells us so:

John 11:1-2 – Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.  (It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

It appears as though this trio of siblings were very close to Jesus.  The scripture tells us that Jesus loved all three of them:

John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

Therefore, it is not surprising to us that Jesus stops in Bethany to see them when he is on his way to Jerusalem to be crucified.  As we would imagine, they have a dinner for Jesus.  The host of the dinner was Simon.  

Matthew 26:6 – Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper…

Let's take a small detour in our study.  What do you know about leprosy?

It was an incurable skin disease that caused sores or nodules on the skin.  One of its prominent characteristics is loss of feeling in the part of the body affected by the leprosy.  Because they did not feel pain, lepers would often severely injure themselves. 

Back in Bible times, a leper was considered unclean, and they were required to live outside the city or camp.  If they moved among the people, they were forced to yell "leper" out loud, so people knew they were coming by.  They were essentially outcasts in their society.  Life was hopeless for the leper, because there was no cure for this disease. 

So, why would a leper be sitting at the table eating with healthy men?

The answer is: He wouldn't!

Therefore, we conclude that at some point in time Jesus cured Simon of his leprosy (he certainly was not cured by medical science).  That would explain why Simon hosted the dinner and why Jesus attended. 

Notice that even though he was cured, the stigma of the disease was still associated with Simon.  They didn't call him 'Simon the clean' or 'Simon who was healed', did they?  No, they still referred to him as Simon the leper.

I imagine that as they reclined at the table, they did many of the same things we do.  They probably told stories, shared memories, enjoyed the food, laughed and perhaps discussed the issues of their day.  At this time, the Passover was right around the corner and the city of Jerusalem was overflowing with people who had come to celebrate the feast.  As this was the Passover when Jesus would die, there was a lot to talk about.

Mark 14:3 - …as he [Jesus] was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 

The word 'ointment' does not quite convey the proper meaning of the text.  This was actually a very expensive perfume; it was a liquid, used solely to give a pleasant fragrance.   What she broke was the seal, not the container itself.  John tells us that the amount of the perfume was a Roman pound, which is about 12 ounces (about the size of a can of soda pop). 

We are not surprised that this perfume runs down his body, all the way to his feet, as noted in the gospel of John:

John 12:3 -  Mary… anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair.  The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

It is easy to imagine the love and gratitude that motivated Mary.  She sees Jesus at the table and no doubt remembers the hours she spent sitting at his feet, listening to his words about the kingdom of Heaven.  Through his teaching, she found wisdom, forgiveness of sin and peace.  Next to Jesus reclines her brother, alive and well!  The very one who had been dead in the grave for four entire days now sat next to her savior, laughing and eating.  Jesus had resurrected and restored him to Mary and Martha!

Perhaps too, she remembered Jesus' own words of his impending death.  She could see the hate and fury of his enemies and she may have sensed that time was short for Jesus. 

If she wanted to honor him, now was the time.  If she waited, her opportunity would be lost.

So, having freely received life and goodness from Jesus, she desires to show love in return - no gift could have been too costly or too precious for her savior!

Of course, there were those who did not understand her motivation:

Matthew 26:8-9 – and when the disciples saw it, they were indignant saying, "Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor."

Imagine, for a moment, that you are Mary.  You are acting out of pure, loving motives.  You 'go out on a limb' to serve Jesus in a way that no one else has ever done.  You did not hold anything back; you gave of your money, your time and yourself.  You have 100% of yourself invested in this act of love and devotion.

And then…your act of love is publicly scorned and questioned by those closest to Jesus.  I imagine the words of the disciples cut her deeply, probably to her very core.  Maybe she felt her face turning red.  Perhaps she had to choke back some tears at this stinging rebuke. Maybe she wanted to run and hide.  Can you imagine the embarrassment she felt?

Immediately, before she is forced to try and defend her actions, Jesus weighs in on the issue.  He defends Mary in front of the whole gathering.

Matthew 26:10-11  –  But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.  For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me."

Now, don't make the mistake of thinking that God does not care for the poor.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Even in the Old Testament law, God made provisions for taking care of the poor. 

Clearly, there is something else going on here. The disciples, who were looking for an immediate end to the Roman government and an equally immediate coming of the kingdom of God, did not seem to fully understand that Jesus was about to die. Jesus uses this opportunity to once again clearly confirm his death.

He then honors Mary by saying that her act of love would be proclaimed to the whole world!

Mark 14:9 – And truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.

And so, ever since that time, her story has been shared with generation after generation. 

Which people in this biblical account do you most clearly identify with? 

Perhaps you are like Simon the leper.  Maybe you were once an outcast in your community.  It could have been for any number of reasons.  Maybe you were the one who abused alcohol or drugs.  Maybe you were the one who needed attention and affirmation and you sought it in multiple partners of the opposite sex.  Maybe you were the one who was harsh and judgmental toward others. 

Regardless of the circumstances, know this: like Simon, you can be forgiven and set free! 

There is nothing you can do that Jesus cannot forgive!  He paid the price for ALL sin, even the sins we like to classify as 'big' ones.  All you need to do is repent and ask him to forgive you.  He will cleanse you with his blood and make you into a new creature in Christ.   Don't wait – he is willing to do it now!

What has you in bondage?  There is no chain that our God cannot break!  Don't wait – ask him now.

John 8:36 - He whom the Son sets free is free indeed. 

This narrative shows that people will remember your past.  At first, that may depress you, especially if you know you are no longer the person who did those awful things.  But what this really is, is a testimony opportunity.  When someone remembered Simon as the leper, he could respond, "True!  I used to be a leper, but Jesus has set me free!  Now I am totally healed.  Would you like to be free of your bondages?  Jesus can do it for you!"

If you past has been washed by the blood of Christ, it is no longer an embarrassment, it is a testimony.  Rather than being ashamed of it, use it as a chance to testify to the goodness of Christ.  Your testimony could really encourage someone else.

What about Mary?  I think we can all identify with her in some regards, which is one of the reasons I believe God preserved this lesson for us three times in the New Testament.

Since you have been uniquely made, and you have unique life experiences, you praise and worship God in a unique way.  For example, Mary had her brother raised from the dead and restored to her.  Can you imagine the praise that she gave to Jesus for that? 

I can't give God praise for resurrection in the same way that Mary did, because no one in my family has ever been raised from the dead.  However, you and I probably have some neat instances of things that God has done for us that Mary did not experience.  As a result, we have reasons to praise and rejoice in God our savior that Mary did not have.  What unique praise can you give him?

What about your talents and skills?  No one else paints like you, welds like you, or nurses like you.  The bible tells us that whatever we do, we should do it with all our might as unto the Lord.

Colossians 3:23 – Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men

The disciples, particularly Judas Iscariot, felt that Mary's act of service was a waste.  The truth is, acts of spiritual devotion are often scorned by the world as fanatic or foolish.  Those who do not have a relationship with Christ cannot understand our deep love for him, and they cannot understand that we would do anything for him, even if it seems foolish or embarrassing or illogical to the world. 

Know this:  No act of service to God is a waste.  When you love and serve him, he accepts and cherishes every act of love you give to him. When your service is unique, like Mary's, that makes it more special, not less!

Did you notice that Mary did not allow others (or their opinions) to keep her from Christ? She could easily have said to herself 'I'll wait until there aren't so many people around' or 'What will people say about me if I do this' or 'I bet someone else would be better at this than I will be' or 'what if something goes wrong'.  She didn't let any of those thoughts stop her, did she? 

Let me share a biblical truth with you.  Mary served by ministering to Jesus' body in a physical sense.  Now that Jesus has been glorified, he is the head of the church and we are what…. His body!

1 Corinthians 12:27 – Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Perhaps you have been serving the body of Christ and you were criticized for it.  Maybe someone told you that you have no business serving in a certain capacity in the church.  Maybe you did something, but the fruit of it is not yet evident and it looks like a failure.  Maybe you are placing limits on your service to God based on the opinions of others.  If that applies to you, I encourage you to look for affirmation from Christ, not people.  He is the one you are serving.  As he continues to open doors, I encourage you not to give up or to wait – continue serving!

The fragrance of Mary's devotion filled the entire house, and probably spilled outside.  People noticed it even if they didn't see it.  Good deeds are like a perfume released into a room.  They affect many more people than you know.  Why don't you release your acts of service to Christ and let him use them to reach as many people as he wants?  When you get to heaven, you may very well find out that you impacted people you didn't even know about.

Finally, we find that the apostle Paul had a lot to say about love and service. 

1 Corinthians 13:1-2 – Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angles, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

As Christians, we can get wrapped up in religious activity, without really loving those we are supposed to be serving.   If we serve out of a loving heart like Mary did, we can be sure that we please our Lord and have an impact on our world. 

So, let me offer your some encouragement:  If you are serving the body of Christ in love, continue to do so, even when others criticize.  God will sustain and reward you in the end. 

Let me offer you some relief:  Let guilt go.  Your past is in the past and it has been forgiven and forgotten by your savior.  It has been cast as far from you as the east is from the west.  If others remember the past, don't be embarrassed – use that as an opportunity for testimony.

Let me offer your some strength:  The love of Christ is so deep and so wide, that we cannot comprehend it.  He loves us unconditionally.  He loved us while we were yet sinners.  He loved us so much that he gave the ultimate gift – his only Son.  In light of such love, can we not fully love him in return?

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Luke 1:5-24, 57-66

The Bible begins by telling us that Zechariah was a priest of the division of Abijah.  This division is not really significant for our purposes, but just by way of interest, back in the era of the monarchs, King David split the priesthood up into 24 divisions based on the names of the adult males descended from Aaron.  He then created a rotating schedule, so that each division ended up serving in the temple for two weeks a year. 

This continued until the people went into captivity.  Upon their return, only four of the divisions remained; the rest died in captivity.  As their numbers once again grew, they again divided themselves up into 24 divisions using the old names.  So we know that Zechariah was, without question, a Levite and a priest, however, he may have been serving under the division of Abijah even though he was descended from another family member (you can read it for yourself in 1 Chronicles 24).

Anyway, in verse 5 Luke also reveals that Zechariah had a wife named Elizabeth, who was also a descendant of Aaron.  So both of them were from the tribe of Levi.  We are told that they both served God in righteousness:

Luke 1:6 – And they were both righteous before God walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

The people who lived under the Old Testament law had a multitude of commandments to try and keep (seriously – have you read Exodus and Leviticus?).  Keeping them all would be quite an accomplishment indeed!However, the overall meaning of the scripture is not that they were actually perfect people, but that they were faithfully observing both the moral and ceremonial institutions of the law.  They were certainly making Jehovah the center of their lives and they were fair in their dealings with others.

Interestingly, we see that despite their service to God, they had some problems in life.  I bet you can relate to that – I know I can.

Luke 1:7 – But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.

In our society, there is no shame or stigma attached to not having children.  So it is sometimes hard for us to imagine that back in the days of Zechariah,there was a lot of shame and embarrassment associated with being childless.  The couple without children were often considered as being under some judgment from God, leading to speculation that they had sinned in some way. 

To add to their dilemma, they were both 'advanced in years'.  Every day that passed made it look less and less likely that they were ever going to have a child. 

Incense was burned twice daily.  One priest would go into the Holy Place and remove the ashes from the altar.  After he departed, another priest would bring a pan of fresh burning coals from the brazen altar.  After he left, a third priest (in this case Zechariah) would come and burn the incense before God.  As the smoke ascended, he would make intercession for the people, while at the same time, a whole crowd was outside praying.

So Zechariah is in the Holy Place about to offer the incense and prayers, when all of a sudden, he sees an angel.

Luke 1:11 – And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

The wording here is interesting.  It does not say that the angle suddenly arrived; it says that Zechariah finally saw him.  The angel may have been there for quite some time.  How many times are we surrounded by God's angels of protection but we don't see it?

Anyway, Gabriel has a two part message for Zechariah. The first part is for him personally.

Luke 1:13-14 - …your prayer has been heard and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  And you will have joy and gladness…

How amazing is that?  A personal notification that God was going to give Zechariah and Elizabeth the deepest desire of their hearts!  Not only a child, a son!  Their prayers have been answered!  But wait – there's more! Not only will Elizabeth and Zechariah be blessed, John will be a blessing to the whole Jewish nation!  God is going to use him to prepare the hearts of the Jewish people for the soon coming Messiah, whom they have been waiting for, for literally hundreds of years.

Luke 1:14-17 - …and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord…and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah…to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.

Now, stop and consider this scenario:  if you saw an angel right this moment and he told you that God was giving you the deepest desire of your heart, what would your response be? 

For most of us, the response would be unbounded excitement and gratitude, right?  We would jump up and down and rejoice and burst out with audible thankfulness.  We would already be making plans.  We would definitely try to get a selfie with the angel.  Then we would tell him to wait a minute, while we either send out a mass text or a tweet, letting everyone know that we were blessed!

The priest, however, does none of that.  Apparently, he has a moment of weakness and unbelief, despite the heavenly message.

Luke 1:18 – And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this?  For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."

For future reference, calling your wife "advanced in years" is a bad idea, but doubting a direct promise of God that comes straight from an angel who stands in His presence is an even worse idea!  What was he thinking?

Luke 1:20 – And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.

So Zechariah is immediately unable to speak. Most scholars believe he was also struck deaf, based on Luke 1:62 which says that when the baby was born, they "made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him [the baby] to be called" (if he could hear, they could just ask him instead of making signs).

Meanwhile, as all this is taking place, the crowd outside is getting restless.  Zechariah has been in the Holy place an unusually long time, and they are wondering what is going on.

Eventually he comes out, but obviously, he can't tell them anything.  They realize he had seen a vision of some kind, but that is about all they can determine.  He ends up finishing his week of service, then going home.

Since communication was difficult, I wonder if Zechariah stopped communicating every little thought that popped into his mind.  I think he began to really consider what he wanted to say before he made the effort to communicate.  I bet that when he did make the effort, he had something meaningful to say.  He sure had lots and lots of time to think about how his words affected his life.

Well, as we would expect, the words of the angel are indeed fulfilled in their time. 

You already know the end of the story; Elizabeth gives birth to a son, Zechariah names him 'John' as instructed, and instantly the priest is once again able to speak and hear.  Now he bursts out with vocal praise to God.  People take note of John as a person of future interest; it is clear that the hand of the Lord was upon him. 

So, what can we glean from the experience of Zechariah? 

Answer:  THE THINGS THAT YOU SPEAK MATTER TO GOD.

Let me say it again:  Just as in the case of Zechariah, your words affect your life. God is listening and he wants you to pay attention to what you are saying.

Matthew 10:36 – I [Jesus] tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

When Zechariah responded to the angelic messenger, he spoke words of unbelief, instead of faith and thanksgiving.  Remember, he was living under the old covenant (not the age of grace), which means he spoke unbelief in the very presence of God.  He deserved to be struck down and killed, but God did not do so.  He showed mercy to Zechariah and used him to teach us this powerful lesson about our words at the same time.

The bible has much to say about what you speak.  Here are two of many, many examples:

Proverbs 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

1 Peter 3:10 - For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile…

We live in an era where communication is astonishingly quick and easy.  No other generation has ever had the potential to speak as we do.  Not only do we speak to people in person, we can call, text, Snapchat, skype, instant message, tweet, Facebook, YouTube and on and on and on… 

If our tongue really does have the power to give life and death, shouldn't we pay attention to what we are saying?  Is it really a good idea to just communicate anything and everything that pops into our minds? Have you ever said/posted/tweeted/shared something that you later regretted?

Do any of these things sound familiar:

• I'll never get out of debt. 
• It's too late for me to find a spouse.  I will always be alone. 
• kids are addicted/living in sin/making wrong choices.  I don't think they will ever change.
• Nothing every goes right for me.  I never get any good breaks.
• I'm losing my mind.
• I probably have Alzheimer's.   My memory is shot. 
• I am so stupid.
• I'll never have a son, I am too old (that one was from Zechariah)!

The good news is that we can learn from the lesson of Zechariah and going forward, we can change the way we speak. 

First, let's take a look at how our words function in the spiritual realm.

Joyce Meyer tells us in her book, "Power Words, What You Say can Change Your Life", that words are like containers of power that you sow into your life. They can contain power to destroy or power to create, depending on what you speak.

When you speak words that destroy, such as 'I give up, my marriage will never work', you are sowing destruction in your life in the spiritual realm.  If you speak words that are life-giving such as 'I believe God is going to is going to heal my marriage', you are sowing life and blessing into your situation in the spiritual realm.

Now that we have a better understanding of how our words affect ourselves and others, what can we do to ensure that we speak words of faith, encouragement and affirmation instead of unbelief and destruction? 

Once again, the bible has the answer.  Jesus tells us that the words we speak are a product of what we are thinking.

Matthew 12:34-35– You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.

Matthew 15:18-19 – But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.  For out of the heart come evil thoughts…

Our thoughts determine what we speak.  The words we speak play a big role in what happens in our lives.  The key, then, is to gain control over our mind and thoughts.

I'm sure you have already figured out that despite your salvation you may still have thoughts of lust, envy or (like Zechariah), unbelief.  [Also, many times we speak destructive words out of pure habit].  That is because your mind/thought life is not instantly regenerated when you receive Christ as your savior.  Rather, it is sanctified over time as you strive to control it.  Gaining control over your thoughts is part of spiritual warfare.

2 Corinthians 10:5 – We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ

You can choose to fill your mind with the things of God like scripture or praises or testimonies of God's grace and mercy.  You can dwell on stories of triumph and love. When you dwell on those things, you will speak praise, thanksgiving and words of life to yourself and others.

Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Stop and do a quick inventory of what you are watching, what you are reading and what video games you are playing.  Which of these things does your mind dwell on?  Do they affect you positively, negatively or not at all? What is coming out of your mouth as a result of what your mind is dwelling on?

Obviously, this little lesson is not an exhaustive study of the power of words and the importance of our thoughts.  It is up to you to look for good Christian sources to further assist you in making changes in your life.  Please do so!

In the meantime, what choices can you make right now that would make your thoughts (and by default your words) more pleasing to God and more beneficial to yourself and others?  Are you willing to take the first step? If you could ask Zechariah, I bet he would tell you to get started, because these issues are vitally important.

Let me offer you some words of ENCOURAGEMENT:  You can do all things (including this) through Christ.  With study and discipline, you can control your thoughts and bring them captive under Christ.  You can speak blessing into your situation. It won't happen overnight.  There may be some struggles.  You may make mistakes from time to time, but getting your thoughts and words under control is going to make a big difference in your life. 

Proverbs 21:23 - Whosoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

Let me offer you some RELIEF:  You don't have to do this on your own!  There are many, many good sources available to you from other believers who have taken control over this area of their lives.  They can offer you advice and helpful insights.  More importantly, the Holy Spirit is living right there inside your heart and it is his job to sanctify your life – including your thoughts and words!  He is standing by right now to help.

Let me offer you some words of STRENGTH: Speaking words of faith can break bondages in your life.  It can open the door for God to move in miraculous ways.  Even though this may be a long term process, the rewards will be worth it.  Take the first step today!