A Call to Holy Living

1 Peter 1:13-16

A Call to Holy Living

¹³So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.¹⁴So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. ¹⁵But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. ¹⁶For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

Leading up to these verses Peter is talking about the hope with have of eternal life through Jesus’ death on the cross. Reminds me of a credit card commercial:

Car $25,000 – House 150,000 – Eternal life with God, Priceless

Here he is talking about getting ourselves ready. You don’t exercise without stretching out first. You don’t stop exercising. If you do you lose out on all the work that you’ve done.

Ever heard anyone talk about the fact that they are saved so they can continue to sin because they are covered. Peter is saying that is not the way this works. We have to continue to live the way that God called us to live. God knows we are going to slip up and make mistakes, that is not what I am talking about. If we are living like Jesus taught us. If we are letting the Holy Spirit guide us, then we will lived changed lives. We will not want to do the sinful things we once did. Peter says “You didn’t know any better then.”

Now that we know better we need to strive to live as God’s obedient children. God tells us You must be holy because I am holy.

I don’t know about you but I can remember being all over the place with how I felt about this. Now that I am doing my best to live as one of God’s obedient children I can see and feel a difference in myself. My wife sees the difference. God is so amazing that He puts people in your life that will help you with this. I’ve experienced it. I’ve watched the change in others. In this I rejoice! How awesome is this – God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our since and knowing that this would not be enough, He sent the Holy Spirit to live in and guide us. On top of that He gave us people in our lives to reinforce this way of living.

THANK YOU GOD for all the precious gifts You have given us. Thank you for Your Word, Your Son, the Holy Spirit and all the believers that you have put in my life. Thank you that we are Holy because You are Holy. Father, You know how full and excited my heart is right now, help me to show that to others. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Amen!!

July 21, 2015 SOAPing

Be careful of idol worship

2 Kings 18:1-4 NLT

¹ Hezekiah son of Ahaz began to rule over Judah in the third year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel. ² He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. ³ He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done. ⁴ He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it. The bronze serpent was called Nehushtan.

This morning I was reading and this passage of 2 Kings 18 hit me how easily we can take something and make it an idol. Because Hezekiah “did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done” he was removing the pagan shrines and other idol worship items. These were all items that were used in pagan worship, but he also destroyed the bronze serpent (snake) that Moses had made.

Now without some background that does sound odd that Moses would have created an idol like this. The thing is, that was not why he made it. We have to go to Numbers 21:4-9 to see why it was made. The Israelites were once again speaking out against God and Moses so God sent poisonous snakes. Many died because of the snakes. When they repented, God had Moses create the bronze snake and anyone that looked at it was healed.

The bronze snake in and of itself was not evil, in fact the reason it was made was because God told Moses to make it. Over time the people forgot what the meaning behind it was and they were offering sacrifices to it. Things are not idols until we make them that way.

So what can we take away from this? We have heard it said that money is not the root of all evil, but the love of it is. The love of something can make it an idol. We should not love anything or anyone more than we love God.

God, help us to not to be idol worshippers. Help us to remember to rely on you and not things or stuff. Just as Your Son taught us that you take care of every living thing, we need to be mindful of this. Thank you Father for providing all that we need each and every day. Amen.

July 20, 2015 SOAPing

Joshua 1:6-9

⁶ “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. ⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. ⁸ Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. ⁹ This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

In this passage we have God’s charge to Joshua as he prepares to lead them across the Jordan and into the Promised Land. God tells Joshua three times to be strong and courageous in everything that he does. God also reminds him not to forget the instructions that Moses gave them and that they should study those instructions all the time.

Later, Joshua would present these same instructions to the Israelites (chapter 23). That tells me that these instructions are also for us. We need to study the ‘Book of Instruction,’ the Bible, continually. It provides us with the instructions that we need to live each day while we are still here. But as I think about this passage more and more I am led to what Jesus says in Matthew 22:37-40 about what the greatest commandment is:

³⁷ Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

If we live these two commandments, then all the others will fall into place. What I mean is that to love like Jesus did and commands us to, then we just naturally will follow what the Bible teaches. We do not have to work at it. If we had to work at it then we would fail, but by loving the way Jesus says to, it all falls into place.

So, what do we do with this? We study the Bible daily. We pray daily – in other words, just talk to God. In studying we hear God and in praying He hears us. That’s what we call communication and it is what makes relationships work. This will help us from ‘turning either to the right or to the left’ and keeps us on the path that God has for us.

As we continue to study Your Word each day Lord, help us to understand what you are saying to us. Show us through Your Word how to be strong and courageous so that we can love the way that Jesus teaches us to. Help us to overcome whatever obstacles are in our way to reading the Bible and hearing what You have to say to us. Thank you Father for giving us Your Word and Your Instruction so we can grow our relationship with you. Amen

July 15, 2015 SOAPing

Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-6

¹ Who has believed our message?
    To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
² My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
    like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
    nothing to attract us to him.
³ He was despised and rejected—
    a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care.

⁴ Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    a punishment for his own sins!
⁵ But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
⁶ All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.

Observation: It is hard to read this chapter of Isaiah without being filled with wonder and amazement. This prophecy was spoken nearly 700 years before it was fulfilled by Jesus. This chapter talks about how we (when I say we, I mean the human race from Adam and Eve to the present and into the future) have either chosen to believe God’s message or not to believe it. It talks of a humble man that God sent to us. A man that by all appearances was no different than anyone else. Yet He was very different from everyone else.

Much like the Old Testament prophets He and His message were rejected. The message that Jesus was teaching and preaching went against the grain and was tested time and again by the Jewish leaders. In today’s terms we could really say that He was bullied. Those of us who have been bullied can attest that you feel alone. Sure there are those around you like friends and family, but it is an internal loneliness. Unlike us I would think that this cause Jesus great pain as He listened to and watched what the people were saying and doing.

We turned our backs on Him. Most of us know what that feels like. A feeling like nobody cares about us or what happens to us. Jesus would have felt the full effect of this. Even His disciples would abandon and deny Him. That is a weight that is impossible for us to bare. He could and did bare that weight and did so willingly. Not something anyone I know could do.

How frustrating this must have been, especially knowing that He would carry this along with our sins to the cross. When He was whipped with a whip that was designed to break and rip skin and then crucified it was believed that He was being punished by God for His sins. And for the treatment that He received they had to think that Jesus’ sins were really bad. Jesus’ punishment was extremely severe and undeserved.

Unlike us, Jesus had no sin. He lived the way that God wants us to live. Jesus took a punishment that we should get for our sins. A punishment that if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior we do not have to endure. He took it all. Even to the point that God left Him on the cross.

Application: The question now is, would I take the punishment for someone else. Would I die for someone I didn’t know? I can tell you that for a time when my brother was little I did take the punishment for him. That is until he took advantage of it. But seriously, how far are we willing to go for each other?

Am I living a life worthy of the punishment that Jesus took for me on the cross? Am I striving every day to be more like Jesus?

Just because He took the punishment for me does not mean that I have a blank check to do whatever I want to. It does not give us a license to keep sinning. If we do, we are turning our backs on Him. We are doing exactly what is described in verse 3, “³ He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.”

Prayer: Father, I don’t want to live life constantly turning my back on you and Jesus. I don’t want to look away from you. What Jesus did for me and everyone else should not be in vain. Help me to live a life worthy of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. I pray that my example would let others see You in me. Amen.

July 13, 2015 SOAPing - Our words

Scripture:
James 3:5
In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.

Observation:
There is more to this passage from James than just the destruction that the tongue can create.  He also talks about how powerful it can be. In verses 3-4 he uses the analogies of moving a horse with a "small bit in it mouth" and how "a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go." For now let's concentrate on the destructive power of the tongue.

Have you ever said or written something you wish you could take back? I know I have. I like the example Chris used a couple years ago at youth group. He had the kids squeeze a small tube of toothpaste on a plate. Then after he talked about words he gave them a fork and told them to try to put the toothpaste back into the tube. Sounds a little crazy but it made the point. Once our words are out there we can't take them back.

Our words speak volumes. Speak, post and comment wisely whether online or in person. If not, one word, one sentence, one thought can cause a lifetime of hurt. Think about some of the news articles over the past few years.  People get bullied. In some cases those that are bullied are making permanent decisions and taking their lives. I don't want my words to be the ones that are like a single match that light a dry forest on fire. The effects are so much bigger than we can imagine. I don't know what started the fires in Northern Canada, but I do know that the resulting smoke was affecting people all over. Here in Iowa we were warned to stay inside if we had breathing troubles. Our words, written or spoken can have long lasting consequences.

Application:
Just like the article below I am relying on God's Word to guide how I not only post and comment online, but also how I speak to others. I know if I don't, well, let's just say I know some of things I would have like to have said. Those words. Those comments. Those posts. They would have been like a small match starting a huge forest fire. So, what do I do with those thoughts? Those words? I tell God how I'm feeling and ask Him to release me from them. I know alone I can't deal with them but He can.

The article I have linked here has more on how we can apply this to our lives every day: www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-should-christians-comment-online

Prayer:
Thank you God for giving us Your Word to teach us.  Your Son Jesus to show us. And the Holy Spirit to guide us. I pray the my words would encourage and not destroy. That my actions would shine Your love and not hate. I pray that in everything I do that You would get the glory. Thank you for using me with all my faults and failures to show and speak so that people would see You in me. Amen

Ash Wednesday

Last night for youth group I had the students create masks because masks are what we use to hide our true selves.  We hide our sin.  We hide our shortcoming.  Basically, we hide anything that we do not want others to see.  That takes care of the inside, but what about the outside?  That is where our masks really come in handy.  With our masks on, we can pick and choose exactly what we want others to see.  This led to the following instructions for the students; on the outside they put words representing how others see them.  On the inside they put their fears, doubts and shortcomings.  When they finished, they put their masks aside and we discussed Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness using a video from your tube based on “40” by Si Smith with the song “How He Loves” by John Mark McMillan.

Today’s New Testament prayer mentions how we are still “sometimes paralyzed in fear.”  That is when we put the masks on.  We want to hide our pain from everyone, even God, but God does not want that for us.  He wants us to be honest with ourselves and with Him.  God wants us to share those fears, shortcomings and doubts.

God know we struggle and face temptations.  Jesus struggled and faced temptations in the desert when the devil tempted Him.  Jesus showed us that we can get past those struggles and temptations by relying on God.  We ended youth group by turning off the lights, the room lit by a single candle.  In silent prayer each student came forward and placed their masks with all the fears, doubts and shortcomings at the foot of the Cross.  They placed it in God’s hands.  Won’t you?

Father, I pray that we can truly “rise up” and “follow You fearlessly.”  Go not let us fall prey to ways of the world, but instead help us to get up and not be afraid.

Amen.

Terry Van Wyk