Return of Christ

This could be the year. Perhaps on God’s eschatological calendar he chose this year as the time for the completion of his Son’s work of assembling to himself a people for God’s possession. Maybe this year the Church will reach its evangelistic consummation and Christ will be sent to meet the last generation of his Bride face to face. Remember that Jesus’ emphatic and repeated emphasis on no one knowing the date or time of his return was not given to diminish his disciples’ expectation, it was given to increase it. The strategic ambiguity was not to lull his people into inactivity, it was to motivate them work at church growth as though this could be the week! Clearly God wants us to always be ready and expectant of his return! Peter even hints that we can “hasten” the day of Christ’s return as we seek to bring just one more life to the place of repentance and faith in Jesus (2 Peter 3:9 & 12). May we embark on another great season of ministry, mindful that this could be the year.

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Christmas Forgiveness

In this season of giving and receiving gifts, let us never lose our focus on the incomparable grace that was bestowed on us when God decided to give us everything that was needed to free us from the consequences of our sins through the life and death of Jesus Christ. It would seem only right that God would have walked away from our rebellious world, taking all his benefits and gifts with him. But instead, because of our Creator’s incredible love, he paid the high price of redemption by sending his Son to suffer in our place as our judicial substitute. Just as the Apostle Paul pondered the “surpassing grace of God” in 2 Corinthians 9:15 we should all be quick to say “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” Merry Christmas!

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Change

Though most of us are inherently opposed to it, change is an important part of God’s good plan for his children. You and I may prefer the cozy security of familiarity, but both the advancement of the church and personal sanctification usually involves large quantities of change. Throughout the Bible we see God changing the setting and a variety of factors in the lives of his people as he moves them into new levels of maturity and effectiveness for his name’s sake. We have certainly been warned that the one constant in the Christian life is the changing nature of the Christian life (2Cor.3:18; Phil.3:12-14). So the next time you find that God’s plan is bringing some uncomfortable periods of adjustment for you, your family or your church, just remember that this is God’s tried and true method of preparing you and positioning you to be all that he wants you to be.

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Thankfulness

Because we live in a world that isn’t great at saying “thank you,” we tend to think that gratitude is an extra-credit Christian virtue. Like our temptation to send a “thank you” note in response to someone’s “thank you” note, we might secretly believe that God should be grateful for our thanksgiving. The Bible, of course, reveals a different perspective. Jesus showed us that gratitude is the minimum expectation of those who are enriched by God’s gifts. When ten lepers are healed of their malady Christ doesn’t praise the one who returns to say “thank you,” he disappointedly asks, “where are the other nine?” (Lk.17:17). The Bible tells us that it is “fitting” and appropriate for his people to praise God (Ps147:1). Certainly we, of all people, should recognize the “gracious hand of God that is upon us” (Ezra 8:18). We should habitually respond with heartfelt thanksgiving, not just on special days and special occasions, but everyday and in every circumstance (1Th.5:18). May God enable us to always fulfill our fundamental duty to express our joyful thanksgiving to our gracious and generous Redeemer!

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Open Door of Mercy

I remember reading of an old-time preacher who wrote of God’s “open door of mercy” in his appeal to his readers. It may sound like an antiquated phrase, but I hope it is a perspective that will never be lost for those of us who seek to talk to our friends and coworkers about Christ. So often these days Jesus is presented as a pitch for life improvement or personal fulfillment. By contrast, the Bible presents Christ and his salvation as a mercifully provided portal to escape the impending consequences of sin that are coming on a rebellious world. In the words of the Apostle Peter, as he pleaded with those who would hear him, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation” (Ac.2:40). It is a perspective clearly heard in heaven’s call to those on earth in Revelation 18—“Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues” (v.4). Thankfully, for now, the merciful door of escape is still open. But as Peter would later remind his generation, we should never presume upon God’s grace thinking the door will stay open forever. We must instead “count the patience of our Lord” as perhaps the last of the opportunities for any to be saved (2Pt.3:1-15). Time is obviously running out. So let us be thankful and motivated, that at least for today, God’s door of mercy is still open.

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Invisible War

There is a lot going on in the room in which we sit that is very real yet unseen. Not only are we surrounded by a huge spectrum of electromagnetic radiation carrying hundreds of radio programs, television channels, text messages, and cell phone conversations, the Bible says that there is an abundance of spiritual agents, both good and bad, vying to influence our thoughts, affections, and priorities. While the world has long since made a caricature of the white angel sitting on one shoulder and the red demon on the other, we should never let such mocking dissuade us from the truth of what God says is going on all around us. How unfortunate that the world’s scoffing has lulled many Christians into being ignorant of the enemy’s schemes (2 Cor. 2:11). Though we interact with human beings all day long, we are informed that much more is actually in play. “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood” the New Testament warns, “but against cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil” (Eph. 6:12). God, of course, doesn’t want us preoccupied with our spiritual enemies, but he does want us to “armor up” every day with an effective defense (vv.13-18). So let’s keep in mind the unseen realities today and always be spiritually prepared to combat the shrewd work of our spiritual enemies.

For more sermons and devotionals on Invisible War, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org.

Trustworthy Tongue

Nothing may be more difficult in the Christian life than avoiding sin in the things that we say. James diagnoses the tongue as a “restless evil, full of deadly poison” (3:8). We experience plenty of circumstances and emotions every day that can easily set off a powder keg of demeaning and destructive words. And while we can’t control many of the negative things we encounter, the Bible says that we can experience increasing success in restraining our negative words. Consider the scene depicted in Proverbs that presumes a frustrated heart, a personal offense, or the pressure from a group of friends venting their own set of caustic words. We are told, “Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent” (11:12). As James put it, that kind of restraint may be akin to the challenge of “taming” a wild a beast, but God expects us to be men and women of understanding who with God’s help learn to shut their mouths. Our minds may quickly amass plenty of fuel to add to the fire of words, exposing more dirt, “slandering,” and “revealing secrets” as the next verse in Proverbs says, but “he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered” (11:13). May there be more trustworthy spirits among us who honor Christ and display the power of God’s Spirit by keeping a careful guard on their mouths (Ps.141:3).

For more sermons and devotionals on a Trustworthy Tongue, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

A Disconnect

Many say they love God, and yet are seemingly indifferent about the departure from and rebellion against the principles and precepts of God’s word that we see all around us. “To each his own,” “Live and let live,” “We can’t cram our convictions down other people’s throats,” you’ll hear them say. And yet the claim of sincere love coexisting with complete indifference toward mutiny against someone would be an unthinkable pairing in any other arena of life. If you sincerely love your wife, while her work is being maligned, her home is being ridiculed, or her car is being vandalized, you certainly wouldn’t shrug your shoulders and say, “Everyone’s got a right to their own opinions.” You would naturally feel indignant, repulsed, and stirred to defend the things she has created, promoted, and cared for. Perhaps that is the crux of the disconnect for modern Christians—we simply don’t see how God’s commands relate to the God we love. Maybe the problem is that we fail to see how God has personally and intimately expressed himself in the instructions found in his eternal word. Instead of displaying passivity, those in the past who clearly saw this connection wrote: “Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked who forsake your law,” “My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law,” and “I look at the faithless with disgust because they do not keep your commands” (Psalm 119: 53, 136, 158). Of course we must be careful how we manage these kinds of feelings, being sure to never express them in sinful ways, but we also should never expect to truly love God without experiencing them.

For more sermons and devotionals on A Disconnect, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org.

Discernment and Acceptance

Acceptance is a virtue that is easy to applaud. It feels good for everyone involved when we are approving, supportive, and accepting. Often that is precisely what life calls for—a broad, sympathetic, and inclusive heart that embraces someone even when they don’t deserve it (Rom.15:7; Col.3:13). But there is a complementary virtue that Jesus frequently taught us to possess. Perhaps it was emphasized so frequently throughout the Bible because it often feels bad, and is rarely applauded. I am talking about the biblical call for godly men and women to “beware” (Mt.7:15), “watch out” (Mk.8:15), “avoid” (Rom.16:17), and even “separate from” (2Cor.6:17) those who claim Christ, but practice and promote the things that are contrary to God’s word (1Cor.5:11). The core of this virtue is called “discernment” and it has certainly fallen out of favor in our day. But because, as the Bible warns, “false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you” (2Pt.2:1), we must be on guard. Especially because the twisting of the truth is rarely obvious. The wolves’ most effective work is done in sheep’s clothing (Mt.7:15). “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2Cor.11:14). So be discerning, and carefully consider when it is godly to be accepting and when it is not.

For more sermons and devotionals on Discernment and Acceptance, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Deliverance and Gratitude

It is easy to simplistically assume that if we trust in Christ and are considered by God to be his favored and adopted children then all should go relatively well for us—but of course that is not what the Bible teaches. Throughout the Bible we are reminded of the wide variety of reasons God chooses to providentially lead us through “the valley of the shadow of death.” The good news for God’s favored children is that he delivers us—even in our dying. And when he “redeems” us from our trouble, whether temporal or eternal, we should be careful to broadcast his deliverance as broadly as possible. Consider Psalm 107, which says that some of God’s children “wandered in desert wastes” (v.4), others “sat in darkness and in the shadow of death” (v.10), some had trouble on the seas (v.23), and others simply fell into all kinds of problems due to their own foolish decisions (v.17). No matter the dilemma, in each case in Psalm 107 the sufferers call out to the Lord, experience relief, and rejoice in God’s mercy toward them. Each act of “redemption,” we are told, needs to be celebrated. So when the Lord grants relief, regardless of how small it may be, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble” (v.2).

For more sermons and devotionals on Bearing Real Fruit, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org.  

Real Love

Having spent years walking through Israel with Jesus, having listened to him teach, and having seen him heal the sick and even raise the dead, the Apostle John distilled Christ’s love into this intriguing statement: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16a). Without reference to any warm feelings or emotions, John elevates the painful sacrifice of Christ’s execution as his defining act of love. While the connection of biblical love with Christ’s tortuous death may sound familiar to experienced churchgoers, I would argue the paradox is often missed in the minds of modern Christians. Maybe we can more readily see it when we read the rest of John’s sentence: “…and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16b). As we imagine the biblical call to love our fellow Christians, I suspect we envision the joy and camaraderie of spiritual brothers and sisters happily encouraging each other over a meal or after a prayer meeting. I don’t think we visualize the pain of death. Yet, our call to “love” each other is a call to sacrifice our comfort, our freedoms, or our advantages for the good and benefit of others. This “dying” to ourselves and our own agendas comes incrementally when we love in the manner of Christ. But don’t miss the fact that those painful sacrifices are the essence of Christlike love. So don’t hold back today. Go the extra mile, stay the extra hour, or spend the extra dollar for the edification of a brother or sister in Christ.

For more sermons and devotionals on Real Love, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Giver of All Good

The Bible tells us that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father” (James 1:17). God is certainly benevolent and generous to us. He gives a variety of good things, from the gift of life in a newborn baby, to the satisfying experience of a good meal after a long day’s work. No matter how profound or how seemingly mundane, the good we experience comes from the mind and intentionality of a good God. One of the reasons the connection between the good gifts and the generous Giver is so critically important to keep in mind is because, like spoiled and presumptuous children, we can easily become ingrates. Thanksgiving is not an extracurricular activity reserved for the deeply pious or the overly thoughtful. Being purposefully thankful is at the heart of true Christianity. To celebrate the redemption of Christ, or to be grateful for a good night’s sleep is a reflection of our awareness that God is God, and that we are utterly dependent on his kindness. So today, be cognizant of the blessings that God is dispensing in your life, and take the time to express your sincere gratitude to the Giver of all good things.

For more sermons and devotionals on the Giver of All Good, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Tree of Life

Proverbs 13:12 says that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” While that principle holds true for all varieties of hopes and desires, the ultimate hope of the Christian life is bound up in the arrival of Christ and his kingdom (Titus 2:13). That is one reason the “tree of life” finds a prominent place in the descriptions of our eternal home in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14, 19). So then, if our supreme hopes and desires are in the right place we should expect that a healthy Christian life would always carry some palpable level of “heart sickness,” as we ache for the consummation of God’s eschatological plan. Paul often revealed his godly and mature “unsettled spirit” that “groaned” and “longed” to see us all “put on our heavenly dwelling” (2 Corinthians 5:2). He knew that “to be with Christ” was “far better” than any pleasurable experience this world could possibly afford (Philippians 1:23). Therefore, if you sense you are growing in Christ, but can’t shake that blue sense of dissatisfaction about your present experience and the state of the world, rest assured your spiritual growth is right on track. That ache is a sign of your increasing maturity. Make sure it is tempered with a joyful anticipation, and don’t allow it to degenerate into bitterness. Be reminded each day that with the imminent arrival of our King, the definitive “tree of life” will be here before you know it.

For more sermons and devotionals on the Tree of Life, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Bearing Real Fruit

Jesus said, “You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). That kind of straightforward evaluation should not only be applied to “them,” but also to us. In the upper room, not long before his crucifixion, Jesus told his twelve apostles, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). At that time, you’ll remember, one of the Twelve was secretly conspiring to betray Christ, cashing in his association with the Messiah for thirty pieces of silver. Judas wasn’t intent on bearing “much fruit,” instead he was busy keeping up appearances while working out his own selfish agenda. All too often people who associate with the church are adamant about publically “professing to know God,” while privately “denying him by their deeds” (Titus 1:16). Of course, no Christian has achieved sinlessness (1 John 1:8; James 3:2; Ecclesiastes 7:20), but we need to be honest with ourselves—fairly comparing our claims to follow Christ with an actual pattern of following him (2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 John 3:2-10). Genuine Christianity transforms lives (2 Corinthians 5:17). The indwelling Holy Spirit always conditions real disciples to repudiate hypocrisy, driving them to pursue the kind of bona fide fruit-bearing that demonstrates the reality of their faith.

For more sermons and devotionals on Bearing Real Fruit, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

The God Who Is

God, by definition, is “Almighty.” In our desire to “humanize” God and relate to the softer and gentler side of Deity we often lose sight of the fact that the God who actually exists is a God who possesses all authority, all power, and all dominion. He is a Being who is unchallenged in his rank, sovereignty, and supremacy. He speaks things into existence, and at will chooses things to come to an end. There are times in life when we sense the profundity of this core truth with fresh insight—usually in some circumstance when we’ve reached the end of our own strength. Hannah, for instance, facing her own inability and experiencing God’s sovereign power over her reproductive life exhorts her generation: “Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth… The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts” (1 Samuel 3:3, 6-7). Don’t wait for some crisis or trial to sharpen your focus on the God who is. As the psalmist wrote, “Let the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm… Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you” (Psalm 33:8-9, Psalm 20-22).

For more sermons and devotionals on The God Who Is, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Life's Detours

We all experience life’s detours—those unexpected twists and turns which disappoint and frustrate us because they’ve disrupted our well-laid plans. When the next one comes our way, let’s be careful how we respond. If the disappointment turns into anger and bitterness, then we know we’ve clearly lost sight of one of the central tenets of biblical Christianity—namely, that God is sovereign. Of course this is not some kind of fatalism that gives us license to rejoice in our failures or the sins that others commit against us. God’s sovereignty doesn’t preclude the fact that sin is sin and worthy of our regret and repentance. But it should keep us from wallowing in our hurt and becoming disgruntled when circumstances beyond our control take us down an unforeseen path that lands us in a place we didn’t want to go. In part because none of it was “unforeseen” to the God who loves us, and more importantly, because the “twists and turns”, we are told, are all a part of his wise plan to accomplish with our lives something better than our well-laid plans ever could (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28; Psalm 119:71; Proverbs 19:21; Acts 2:23-24; etc.). So let’s trust in our sovereign God and get over our disappointment quickly. He is working out a plan that will glorify himself, and will be good for us in the long run.

For more sermons and devotionals on Life's Detours, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org.  

Fear of God

Here is one of the most simple, yet most serious warnings found in the Bible: “God is opposed to the proud” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). The last thing we as God’s children should want is to dabble in the archetypal sin that was the initial cause of all the rebellion and corruption in the universe (Ezekiel 28:14-17). We are shown in God’s word that pride’s antithesis and remedy is the fear of the Lord (Romans 11:20; Jeremiah 44:10; Proverbs 8:13). For those who have repented of their sins and put their trust in Christ this fear is not the kind that dreads the punishment of hell (1 John 4:16-18). Instead, the fear of God that is considered a virtue in Scripture is a kind of humble awareness that our merciful Savior is also our omnipotent and omniscient Father—who will one day call us to give an account for our stewardship (1 Peter 1:16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11; Romans 14:12). Because the idea of “fear” doesn’t harmonize well with the popular misconceptions of a domesticated god, many dismiss this essential virtue and important safeguard, thinking that it couldn’t possibly coexist with their quest to love God. But the truth is that “the friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him” (Psalm 25:14), and any true knowledge of God is impossible to attain without it (Proverbs 9:10). So let us fight the subtle temptations to arrogance, pride, and self-promotion by humbly drawing near to God as we learn the fear of the Lord.

For more sermons and devotionals on Fear of God, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Worship the REAL God

Worship and good theology must go hand in hand. When Jesus dialoged with the woman at well in John 4, he reprimanded the Samaritans with the words, “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know” (John 4:22). Paul did the same when he spoke to the Athenians in Acts 17, and told them, “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23). Just as in those days, the problem with a lot of today’s worship of God is that people aren’t really worshipping God. Tragically many worshippers are busy adoring a god of their own imagination. It is understandable, that as fallen and sinful creatures, we would foolishly prefer the holy and sovereign God to be someone other than he is. But the Bible is clear that a genuine and acceptable offering of worship to the true God requires accurate thoughts about who he truly is. So be sure that you are not exalting an imaginary god—one that has been conveniently constructed to mirror your own values and character. And instead, resolve to always be a diligent student so that you might better understand and actually worship the God who has revealed himself in the pages of his word.

For more sermons and devotionals on Worshiping the REAL God, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Wait Patiently

Sometimes the way we read the Bible becomes a disservice to our Christian life. When a tension is presented in the plot of a biblical narrative we naturally “can’t wait” to see how it will be resolved; so we rush on to see how God works it all out. And after we’ve become familiar with all the Bible stories, our rereads of the various human crises are often skimmed with the calm thought that “in a few pages it will all be fine… I know how this story ends!” Unfortunately the impact to our Christian lives in not allowing our hearts to feel the duration of the time markers found in these accounts, is that we begin to feel like our own prolonged and unresolved conflicts, injustices, pains, and problems are bizarre or unusual. We impatiently cry out to God as though he is inattentive or has forgotten about our hurt. But stop, think, and sympathize with the reality that Isaac wasn’t born to Abraham until twenty-five years after the promise. Remember that Joshua and Caleb had to wander through the desert for forty years before entering the Promised Land. Call to mind that the time between the anointing of David as king and his enthronement was a turbulent fifteen years. Don’t forget that the Babylonian captivity stretched on for seventy years. So when you read your Bible, slow down and experience these stories as they were intended. Recognize that built in to almost every biblically recorded predicament is God’s call for his people to “wait on him” and “be patient!”

For more sermons and devotionals on Waiting Patiently, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Tumultuous World

We live in a violent and tumultuous world—for now. Surprisingly, it’s one of the byproducts of grace. Had God chosen to destroy every sinner at the moment of his or her sinful intent, our world would indeed be free from all the horrible headlines, but it would also be unoccupied. Instead, God graciously and mercifully provides time to bring many sinners to repentance, and this leaves us living in a prolonged period of human rebellion and suffering. On top of that, as a consequence of the first act of rebellion in Genesis 3, as well as a reminder of our dire need, God justly imposed material rebellion and natural corruption to be interwoven into the fabric of our planet. Therefore, the immediate forecast will be an ongoing string of moral and natural disasters, which will continue to erupt around our world as we go about calling men and women to repentance and faith in Christ. As Jesus warned, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed… For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:8). It’s doesn’t feel good to hear a “bad forecast”, but it does keep us from being demoralized while we continue to make our way toward a time and a place in which sin, violence, and suffering are a distant memory.

For more sermons and devotionals on Tumultuous World, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Self Apologetics

The Apostle Paul actively engaged the people of his generation, logically and persuasively “destroying arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and taking every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Such is the work of apologetics, evangelism, and discipleship. But this is not only the work we should seek to do in the minds and hearts of others, it is a job that starts with our own thoughts and feelings. Earlier in the same letter Paul wrote, “we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Consider the first record of the Tempter’s work. He was insidiously twisting and contorting the commands of God in unsuspecting minds. He was tragically successful in leading those who should have known better to rationalize and justify their compromise with a series of distorted thoughts and feelings. We can read of Eve’s sinful negotiations and we can easily imagine Adam’s. So be careful. Police your heart and mind, deny and biblically counter any line of thinking or set of feelings that are not in keeping with the truth God has revealed in his word. Don’t underestimate the battle that goes on in your mind. Be ruthless with self-serving “arguments” and “lofty opinions.” With hope in Christ and our eyes in the Book, may we see increasing success in taking our own thoughts captive to obey Christ.

For more sermons and devotionals on Self Apologetics, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org.  

Prayer and Evangelism

Prayer and evangelism go hand in hand. Many of us hope that our lives will be used by God to lead people to the place of repentance and faith in Christ. But if we learn anything from the example of the evangelists in the New Testament, we learn that this is not likely to ever happen unless we pray! Consider the person who had to be one of the best-prepared evangelists in history – the Apostle Paul. He should have been able to rely on his knowledge of the truth, and his persuasive speaking skills, but he did not. Paul knew that prayer was the key. If people are to be saved, God has to get involved by setting up opportunities, guiding conversations, and ultimately changing hearts. To the Colossians Paul writes, “pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ… [pray] that I may make it clear” (Colossians 4:3). In Ephesians 6:19 he says, pray “for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.” So today, let’s do more than hope; let’s begin to fervently pray. Let’s ask that God would use each one of us to boldly and clearly present the message of the gospel in those divinely orchestrated conversations, which end with someone repenting of their sins and placing their trust in Jesus Christ.

For more sermons and devotionals on Prayer and Evangelism, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Trinity

The Bible presents us with a mathematical dilemma when we study the nature of God. From the beginning we are told that there is only one God. That revelation became the doctrinal rally point of ancient Israel – “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). And yet, also from the beginning, there has been a kind of uncontainable “plurality” to that one God. Not only do we find in Genesis plural pronouns for this one God, but even the Hebrew word for “God” is a plural noun—utilized as a grammatical singular throughout the Old Testament (i.e., Elohim). Then, when we turn to the prophecies concerning the Messiah, we find him described as a distinct person, and yet at the same time he is presented to us as the “Mighty God” and “the Lord” (Isaiah 9:6; Malachi 3:1; et al.). And when he arrives in the New Testament we read that the people who were chided and even threatened to only worship the one true God (Exodus 34:14) were repeatedly called to worship Christ from the time of his birth all the way through his post-resurrection appearances. Add to this that the Spirit of God is spoken of as a distinctive third person, who the Messiah said the Father would send to be our Helper (John 14:16-17), and you have the mathematical dilemma that God’s people have been grappling with for centuries. While some foolishly try to explain it away, humble Bible students have been left to worship this God who is far more complex than anything or anyone could possibly imagine. So boldly stand with God’s people throughout the generations, and take time today to admire and worship the mysterious God who is three in One.

For more sermons and devotionals on Trinity, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Proverbs and Parenting

When we read through the Proverbs we often forget that much of the book is framed as a parental plea to children. The collection commences with the words, “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and forsake not your mother’s teaching” (Proverbs 1:8). Of course we ought to go to the Proverbs for God’s wisdom regarding our own lives, but what an overlooked resource when we fail to prayerfully read this inspired book with our children in view. Solomon boldly warns his child of the deceptive enticements of temptation (Proverbs 1:10), the corruptive influence of rebellious friends (Proverbs 1:15), the value of God’s painful discipline (Proverbs 3:11), the incomparable rewards of righteous choices (Proverbs 4:10), the repercussions of sexual sins (Proverbs 5:20), the enslavement of financial debt (Proverbs 6:1), the grief that a rebellious child brings to his parents (Proverbs 10:1), the shameful by-products of laziness (Proverbs 10:5), the incomparable joy a child’s wise choices bring to parents (Proverbs 23:24), and the necessity of the fear of God (Proverbs 24:21), just to name a few. So if the dialog with your kids has degenerated to “So, how was school today?” perhaps you should take a cue from the book of Proverbs and engage in the kind of conversation that your children could only get from a loving and godly parent.

Future Good

Because mature Christians have learned that all good things in this life come from God’s generous hand, they are usually careful to give thanks to him whenever they experience them. And so we should (James 1:17; Ephesians 5:20). But the Bible also calls us to learn to give thanks for the good things we’ve yet to receive – the ones we will experience in the next life! Colossians 1:12 says you ought to be “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints.” The “inheritance” Paul has in mind is the unimaginable blessings and rewards that will be permanently lavished upon us when we enter into God’s presence (Ephesians 1:14; 1 Corinthians 2:9). This practice of thanking God ahead of time for the blessings we will receive in the next life has a way of producing a current surplus of endurance, patience and joy (Colossians 1:11-12). And that’s helpful, especially when the “good things” here and now are in short supply. Peter writes to a group of suffering and persecuted Christians about their extravagant “inheritance”, which is reserved in heaven for them (1 Peter 1:4). He then speaks of the transforming power of being thankful now for those future gifts, saying, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:6). So let us add to our spiritual disciplines the daily practice of expressing our thanks to God, not only for the good he supplies day by day, but also for the incomparable good he will bestow when we see him face to face.

For more sermons and devotionals on Future Good, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Biblical Standards

Christians are often accused of defying logic and reason to become superstitious mystics when we run to quote our Bibles as the authority on what is true and how we should live. The problem with this accusation is that thoughtful Christians contend (perhaps not loudly or cogently enough) that it is supremely logical and reasonable to understand the Bible as God’s authoritative voice on life and reality. Christians are not asserting a belief in an illogical universe, but one that is best understood as the product of a transcendent and personal God, who can, and arguably has intervened in this universe from time to time throughout its history – the greatest and most dramatic intervention being the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And because the Bible specifically predicted that intervention centuries before it happened, along with a slew of other historical events, Christians have logically deferred to this Book as the avenue through which God has communicated to his creation. If then this God exists, and he has given us reason to be confident that he has spoken to us in the Bible, then it would be illogical and irrational for us to ignore his authoritative words in our quest for truth and in deciding how we will live our lives.

For more sermons and devotionals on Biblical Standards, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Pain and Sickness

The Bible promises us that this life will be punctuated with sickness and pain. For some it will be more chronic than others, but unfortunately for all of us there will be certain seasons of severe and almost unbearable discomfort. While we’d wish that God’s children were exempt, we must remember that for now, Christ has not granted us any such immunity. When sin entered the world God’s universal judgment included a physical reality that would be subject to disease, decay, and ultimately death (Genesis 3:16-19). While that may not sound like good news to our ears, it can certainly assure our hearts when we are tempted to ask, “Why is this happening to me?” So the next time you are pained, injured or ill, remember that mankind’s rebellion against God was the ultimate cause. And then be quick to remember that Jesus Christ came into the world to rectify the problem by satisfying God’s justice on the cross. This obviously doesn’t mean that we won’t continue to experience the varied effects of sin in this world, but it does mean that by the time God’s kids step into the next one, sin and all its related consequences will be nothing but a distant memory.

-- Pastor Mike

For more sermons and devotionals on Pain & Sickness, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Subtle Lies

It is not difficult for Christians to admit that deception is morally wrong, and that because he is a God of truth, “lying lips are an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 12:22). But unfortunately we are not always quick to recognize all the subtle forms lying takes in our everyday conversations. Consider the way we can toss around insincere compliments and words of praise, which, if pressed, we’d have to admit are “not entirely true,” simply to make ourselves appear pleasant, kind, gracious, or godly. The dictionary calls this kind of lying “flattery”, and God’s word explicitly equates those who “flatter with their tongue” with people who “speak lies” (Psalm 5:6, 9). Or consider the way we can embellish a story, pushing it just beyond the reality of what actually happened, to make our knowledge or experience seem more interesting, more exciting, or more commendable to others. This form of deception the Bible roundly condemns under the heading of “boasting.” Lastly, consider the way the facts get twisted when we craftily choose to augment and enhance “the evil” in a story to help cast our opponents in the worst possible light. The Bible calls this “slander,” and aptly groups this transgression with others that flow from “lying lips” (Proverbs 10:18). So let’s remove the artificial shades of abhorrence from our tailored definitions of deception and prayerfully seek to avoid every form that lying takes, always mindful of the high value God places on “truthful lips” (Proverbs 12:19).

-- Pastor Mike

For more sermons and devotionals on Subtle Lies, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Christ's Return

The Bible warns that many will ridicule us for our confidence in the second coming of Christ. “Where is he?” they will scoff, “It seems to be taking him a long time” (cf. 2 Peter 3:3-4). While we may respond defensively, inwardly a lot of Christians share their sentiment – especially when we revisit Christ’s repeated promise: “I am coming soon” (Revelation 22:7, 12, 20). Before we are tempted by the mockers’ skepticism, we ought to be careful to rightly understand the biblical promise. Peter offers two helpful explanations. First, he tells us that “soon” is obviously a relative term. God’s view of time is not our own (2 Peter 3:8). Ever since his ascension, Christ’s return is “soon to be accomplished” as the next big event on God’s agenda. Next, Peter reminds us that all that is preventing this world-changing event is the effortless command of God. With a single syllable, everything will change. This concept of “suddenness” is included in the sense of the ancient Greek word translated “soon”, and is the reason it is rendered “quickly” in some translations. To quote a Hebrew text concerning the end, God has said, “In its time I will hasten it” (Isaiah 60:22). As James taught, the “nearness” of his return is as simple as the swinging open of a door (James 5:9). And Paul adds that the end will come “suddenly”, like “labor pains upon a pregnant woman” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). So remember, if your anticipation of Christ’s arrival feels like the never-ending “pregnancy”, know that the end will come swiftly and suddenly, and then, at last, we will see Christ face to face.

-- Pastor Mike

For more sermons and devotionals on Christ's Return, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Weightless Words

The Bible states, “Do not take to heart all the things that people say [about you]” (Ecclesiastes 7:21). And these days, with everybody saying all kinds of things about everyone else on social media, this timeless principle may be more important than ever before. The biblical context of this verse clearly has in view the typical opinionated chitchat and conversational commentary that has gone on between friends and coworkers since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, with the advent of social media this assertive dialogue between “friends” is digitally captured and perpetually broadcast for everyone to read and reread. It lends itself to being taken to heart. But the Scripture says don’t! God forbids us to dwell on these off-the-cuff words either explicitly or implicitly said about us, because as the next verse reminds us, we too have often insensitively or extemporaneously spouted off about others. And in most cases, our irritable words were reactionary – springing from our own annoyance and frustration, and not our thoughtful and reasoned reflection. A prayerful rebuke, an edited book, or a well-prepared sermon is one thing, but the unrehearsed and impulsive opinions tossed around on the patio or on the internet should be lightly esteemed, and quickly forgotten.

-- Pastor Mike

For more sermons and devotionals on Weightless Words, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Sin and Reproof

We intuitively like to think that what we do is right. “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,” the Bible says (Proverbs 21:2). But when we honestly reflect on our lives we know that we are not always right, and what we do is not always what we should do. That’s not hard to admit – as long as we keep it in general terms. The problems arise when someone dares to be specific in pointing out a wrong in our lives. Which, by the way, is something that will necessarily be taking place in any community of loving Christians who truly know and value the Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16). The ability to accept this kind of reasonable “reproof”, as the Bible calls it, is the difference between being designated by God a fool or a wise man. God’s word goes so far as to say, “he who hates reproof is stupid” (Proverbs 12:1). On the other hand, “The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise” (Proverbs 15:31). With so much at stake, it is regrettable that so many of us would rather be artificially consoled by the “deceitful kisses” of those who don’t really have our best interests at heart, than to be genuinely helped by the “wounds” caused by the corrective words of true friends (Proverbs 27:6).

-- Pastor Mike

For more sermons and devotionals on Sin & Reproof, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Training

Accomplished athletes make their sport look easy. But for all of us who have tried to advance in a sport, we know there is nothing easy about reaching a level of proficiency in athletics. Some people can make godliness look easy. They seem to effortlessly love God and do what is right. But the Bible is clear that like athletics, reaching a level of proficient godliness requires a lot of hard work. Paul wrote, “train yourself for godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7). The word that translates “train” is the Greek word gymnazo, from which we get the words “gymnasium” and “gymnastics.” This word carries with it the sense of strenuous, persistent, and sweaty exercise. And that certainly doesn’t sound easy. Of course it is not physical exercise Paul is promoting, as he goes on to say: “…while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way” (1 Timothy 4:8). But the parallels are undeniable. To grow in godliness we must strenuously and persistently work to establish and intensify godly habits, godly traits and godly patterns of thinking. This is key in moving us toward spiritual maturity, which the writer of Hebrews defines as “those who have their powers of discernment trained (gymnazo) by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14). So keep at it. And remember that God’s Spirit is in you to carry you forward as you give yourself to the hard work of becoming a more godly person.

-- Pastor Mike

For more sermons and devotionals on Training please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Juicy Morsels

There is little debate that “there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Even the most godly Christians are quick to concede that “we all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2). Thankfully, when it comes to imperfect people engaging in imperfect fellowship the Bible tells us “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Unfortunately though, the gossips among us make it their aim to neutralize this divinely sanctioned “oil of love”, which God provides to grease the gears of Christian unity. These perverse and selfish personalities whisper and mutter as they steady the spotlight on any hint of imperfection to leverage others’ shortcomings into something truly demonic (James 3:14-16). What would otherwise be forgiven and forgotten is protracted and exacerbated by the work of these satanic emissaries (2 Timothy 2:23-26). “For lack of wood the fire goes out,” the Bible says, “and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases” (Proverbs 26:20). While Christ works to establish love and harmony among his people, the “whisperer” toils to “separate close friends” (Proverbs 16:28). The latest gossip may be a kind of “delicious morsel” to the twisted appetite (Proverbs 18:8), but we would be wise to build up a strong distaste for the kind of private conversations that do so much to tear apart what Christ gave his life to bring together. -- Pastor Mike

For more sermons and devotionals on Juicy Morsels please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Easy Answers?

We all like easy answers. Yet the Bible tells us that “It is the glory of God to conceal things” (Proverbs 25:2). That may appear to be a cruel portrayal of God, who is lauded for stealthily hiding important matters from his creatures. But think for a moment about how loving parents routinely and strategically choose to refrain from simply handing over the answers to their children’s homework questions. Parents and teachers alike intuitively recognize that there is virtue and lasting benefit bound up in the process of learning, not just in possessing the right answers. Of course God could have constructed a universe in which the answers to everything were easy to come by. But he didn’t. The world he made for us requires that we search for wisdom and understanding “as for hidden treasures” (Proverbs 2:4). As hard as that often is, the Bible extols the process as a godly and noble task. God praises us for continuing to ask, seek, knock, study and labor to arrive at prudent and judicious answers and insights. Life will always require it. Godliness will perpetually demand it. So remember that yes, “It is the glory of God to conceal things” (Proverbs 25:2) but it is also “the glory of kings to search things out” (Proverbs 25:2). -- Pastor Mike

For more sermons and devotionals on Easy Answers?, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Why Me?

“Why me?” That’s a question we usually mutter in bad times, but it’s actually a great question to ask when things go well. Of course the theological answer is easy and concise – namely, God’s grace. But beyond that, asking “why me?” when you are blessed may have practical and more specific answers that are worth discovering. In the Old Testament the question was asked of Esther, who had been plucked from the foster care of her cousin Mordecai to become the wealthy and pampered queen of Persia. After her unexpected rise to prominence a plot had been uncovered that threatened to annihilate the Jews in the region. Mordecai then wisely asked Esther to consider if perhaps God had blessed her in the way that he had so that she could leverage that blessing into something that would meet the need of the moment. Mordecai was confident God would deliver the Jews in one way or another, but he had to ask her, “Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Great question. And one that the rest of the story clearly answers. Yes, the dramatic promotion of Esther was God’s strategic means for foiling an evil plot and protecting his people. So the next time God clearly and perhaps unexpectedly blesses you, acknowledge the grace of God, then consider how that blessing might be utilized to advance the cause of Christ and make a difference for God’s glory. You may find that it was granted to you “for such a time as this!”

-- Pastor Mike

For more sermons and devotionals on Why Me?, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Humble Prayer

The Bible tells us that the prayer of Solomon “pleased the Lord” (1 Kings 3:10). It’s a simple phrase that we can read without giving it a second thought. But we ought to. Consider what a big statement that is. The content of Solomon’s prayer evoked pleasure in God’s heart. To imagine that something we ask for can have an impact on the way the Almighty God feels is a remarkable truth we find over and over again throughout the Bible. Yet as frequently as we read it in Scripture, I find that most of us fail to appreciate what an amazing truth this is. Perhaps because it is much easier to consider that our sinful actions affect God negatively, as when the Bible speaks of the sinful generation prior to the flood saying that they “grieved God to his heart” (Genesis 6:6). But the inverse is also true. “The Lord takes pleasure in his people” (Psalm 149:4), especially, the rest of that verse points out, when they are humble. That brings us back to Solomon. It was the humility of Solomon’s prayer that brought joy to God’s heart. When prompted by God to lay out his request with the promise that God would do it, Solomon humbly considered his need for wisdom to fulfill his job as the new king of Israel, and boldly asked for it. The Scripture then says, “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this” (1 Kings 3:10). May the dependent attitude of our hearts bring joy to God’s heart today. May our selfless prayers and our concern for God’s people brighten the disposition of the Lord even now.

For more sermons and devotionals on Humble Prayer, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Scripture Twisting

Occasionally when reading the words of Christ we come across some jarring statements. For instance, in Revelation 2:6 Jesus says to the church in Ephesus, “You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” Sentences like that should slow us down to consider the powerful concern motivating such strong language. Think of it, “hatred” in this case was praised as godly when directed toward the behavior of a group of false teachers making the rounds in Asia Minor. These Nicolaitans had already made inroads in the church of Pergamum just 75 miles away. Like Balaam of the Old Testament, the Nicolaitans, under the banner of “Christianity”, were persuading God’s people throughout the region that mirroring the culture’s values and indulgent practices was no big deal (Revelation 2:14-15). You can almost hear them, “It’s no big compromise.” “God is forgiving.” “He understands.” “We don’t live under the law.” “Don’t get so uptight about holiness and righteous living.” “Don’t be such a legalist.” As Jude had previously warned, this kind of distortion is insidious – and regrettably it’s been effective. “For certain people have crept in unnoticed… ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality” (Jude 4). Of course, we are called to be civil and gracious, but when it comes to this kind of Scripture twisting we need to remember that Christ hates it and so should we.

For more sermons and devotionals on Scripture Twisting, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Time

The Bible makes a sweeping and comprehensive point when we are rhetorically asked, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Consider the magnitude of that question. Scripture goes on to definitively clarify that the Source and Purpose of all the things we tend to feel so possessive of is in fact Jesus Christ himself – “all things were created through him and for him” we are told (Colossians 1:16). That undoubtedly includes time itself. Yet few things feel more “ours” than “our time.” But in reality it is not ours at all. As thoughtful Christians have always been careful to point out, we have no ability to make or retain time. We are transient recipients and stewards of each day and every hour. When we irrationally believe that our evenings, weekends or the years of our life are our own to spend as we please, we operate under a false pretense that will one day be suddenly dispelled. Recall how much of Christ’s teaching instilled the principle of accountability and stewardship. “Now after a long time,” Jesus continued to impress on his hearers, “the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them” (Matthew 25:19). Our time must be seen as a divine gift. It is not ours to spend, it is his, lent to us to invest for his glory and the advancement of his kingdom. So be wise and “make the best use of the time” (Ephesians 5:16) knowing from whom it comes.

For more sermons and devotionals on Time, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org. 

Motives

The wisdom and appropriateness of our actions can often be assessed by asking ourselves the simple question, “Why?” Of course it should go without saying that nothing can be considered biblically wise or appropriate if it is biblically prohibited. A good motive cannot salvage a sinful action, but plenty of good actions have been polluted - if not completely annulled by a bad motive. Jesus taught us that even generous and sacrificial acts are in fact sinful when done for selfish reasons (Matthew 6:2). Regardless of the apparent “godliness” of an action, if a twisted reason is behind it, there is nothing righteous about it (Matthew 6:1; Matthew 23). Yet frequently we take this unnecessary risk by failing to ask ourselves why we are going to do what we are about to do. We may just assume that if it is not a prohibited act, then it’s fine and there is no need to go to all the work of trying to discern our motives. But God calls us to ask ourselves “Why?” “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes” the Bible tells us, “but the Lord weighs the spirit” (Proverbs 16:2). Our forthcoming evaluation by Christ will “disclose the purposes of the heart” (1 Corinthians 4:5). So before you go there, do this, send or post that, be sure to evaluate your reasons.

For more sermons and devotionals on Motives, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org.

Reaching, Teaching and Training

When Christ’s redemptive work was complete he gathered his disciples and, with “all authority in heaven and on earth”, commissioned them (and every subsequent generation) to get serious about their job of propagating the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20). The central verb of this passage is straightforward and notably uncomplicated: “make disciples!” Between the two advents of Christ, his followers are to be busy “making” more Christ-followers. The three participles that surround the central verb are helpful in showing us how this gets done. Firstly, we are to be “baptizing.” Of course the “baptism” (i.e., “placing into”) that saves is when people repent of their sins, trust Christ and, by God’s grace, are “placed into” a genuine relationship with God. That transaction is then symbolized by being ceremonially “placed into” water as a rite of initiation into God’s family. Secondly, we are to be “teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded.” All the followers of Christ with whom we associate are to be continually encouraged and exhorted to “follow Christ” in their words, thoughts, and behavior. Lastly, the first century disciples had been thoroughly equipped by Christ to “get out there” and make more disciples. (“Go” translates a third Greek participle.) The preparation to their “going” included training in the message and meaning of the gospel, and a lot of time learning all that Christ commanded. In short, to “make disciples” we must be engaged in “reaching” people for Christ, “teaching” people to be like Christ, and “training” people to serve Christ. Jesus gave us a clear assignment and promises “to be with” us until it’s done. So let’s get to work today.

For more sermons and devotionals on Tolerance, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org 

Mindful of God

The Christian life is a life that is lived mindful of God. The crux and catalyst for sin is frequently described in the Bible as thoughtlessness or forgetfulness of God (Judges 8:34; 1 Samuel 12:9; Jeremiah 2:32; et al.). Godly living, on the other hand, is prompted and motivated by a chronic remembrance of the presence of God (Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 5:21; Hebrews 4:13; 1 Peter 2:19; et al.). For us as Christians, the call to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to “be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12) provides us with a practical discipline through which we make ourselves aware of the informed, active, and involved omnipresence of God. By contrast, looking around at the bustling people of this world who give little or no thought to their Maker ought to give us a chilling and sorrowful pause. The God to whom all will give an account is entirely disregarded and forgotten by so many. “As in the days of Noah”, Jesus said, so it will be that in the last times people will be “eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage” all without thought of their Creator – his demands, his desires, his mercies, or his provisions (Luke 17:27). Such a simple observation from people who are mindful of God should provoke us to intercessory prayer and evangelism. May God use you and I this week to open the eyes of a sleeping world.

For more sermons and devotionals on Tolerance, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org.

God's Calling

When we read of people in the Bible provoking God to anger we ought to take note – especially when the people making God mad are his own children. The last thing we should want is to follow in the erring footsteps of our elder brothers and sisters. One such cautionary incident took place on the day God called Moses to lead Israel’s exodus from Egypt. If you’ll remember, Moses didn’t handle the commissioning very well. His reluctance to do God’s will was irritating, to put it mildly. Moses attempted to resist God’s call by “reminding” God of all the resources he did not possess. “I don’t have the reputation!” “I don’t have the credibility!” “I can’t speak eloquently enough.” The Bible tells us that “the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses” (Exodus 4:14) because of all of his excuses. God preferred that Moses take his inventory with a different perspective. It wasn’t about what Moses didn’t have; it was about God’s ability to use what Moses did have. “What’s that in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2) and “Who has made man’s mouth?” (Exodus 4:11) were the questions that mattered. Sometimes God’s will for us may seem daunting, but remember that when we step up to do what God asks even a measly shepherd’s stick becomes “the staff of God” (Exodus 4:20). So don’t irritate God this week, stop trying to remind him of what you don’t have, and trust him to take what you do have to fulfill his calling on your life.

For more sermons and devotionals on God's Calling, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org 

God's Goodness

When joy gives way to sadness and light of good days fades into a dark season of personal pain it is common to hear God’s people questioning the goodness of God. That may be a natural response to our discomfort, but it is not the right one. Instead, Psalm 107 calls those who are hurting to purposefully “give thanks to the Lord, for he is good” (Psalm 107:1). His goodness, the psalmist reminds us, can be seen in the ways that God has delivered us from previous bouts with trouble and pain. In speaking of God’s goodness the psalmist employs a vivid word that should always prompt Christian thanksgiving, he writes: “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” (Psalm 107:2) While there may be many earthly “salvations” from trouble for which to praise God, there is no doubting God’s kindness to us when we consider our eternal “redemption” from the consequences of our sins. With that in mind, Psalm 107 poignantly prompts us to consider our part in our present pain. The song proposes that many of our troubles come when we “rebel against the words of the Lord” (Psalm 107:11). Boldly the lyrics declare, “Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction” (Psalm 107:17). Yet with all of this, the goodness of God is seen in the reminder that when sinners “cry to the Lord in their trouble, he delivers them from their distress” (Psalm 107:13, 19). It may be a dark season for you, but God is good. Even if your pain is self-inflicted, remember God is gracious to deliver.

For more sermons and devotionals on God's Goodness, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org 

Tolerance

We live in a society where the advocates of “tolerance” are increasingly intolerant. We should be careful not to miss this hypocrisy. These loud and angry voices decry views and beliefs that fail to conform to their own. Under the banner of “freedom” modern secular voices emphatically denounce the freedom of Christians to assert their convictions regarding God’s written revelation, Christ’s lordship, and the biblical data regarding the coming judgment. I can sympathize with the natural tendency to recoil at the assertion of these sobering realities, but one cannot rationally claim to be “open-minded”, “accepting of diversity” or “tolerant”, while vehemently attacking those who are convinced of the reality of God and a pending accountability. For centuries the idea of “tolerance” described the peaceful coexistence of those with divergent views. Today our culture employs the word “tolerance” to justify a rancorous campaign to insist that everyone conform to their intemperate values. We can be sure that until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ we will live in a world that chafes against the authority of God and his written revelation. That will continue. But we should not buy the rhetoric that holding to an increasingly unpopular view is “intolerant.” Christians should continue to peacefully and respectfully stand up and speak up for the things that we will all be held accountable for one day. This is what our Lord desires and requires.

For more sermons and devotionals on Tolerance, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org

Health

Good health is good. It is certainly preferable to sickness and disease. Occasionally you’ll find some concern for it in Scripture (3 John 2; 1 Timothy 5:23). But we should be careful not to cherry-pick from the few biblical passages regarding good health in order to justify today’s wide-spread obsession with it. Many godly and productive people in the Bible and throughout church history have been plagued with disease, chronic pain, poor health and a variety of physical disabilities. All of which God sovereignly chose to not alleviate. And when God didn’t heal, these godly men and women concluded that even in bad health God’s “grace was sufficient” and that their diseases and disabilities were purposeful (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). They were thoroughly “content with weaknesses” knowing that the biblical goal was never good health to start with (2 Corinthians 12:10). After all, God has promised that sickness and disease will eventually prevail over all attempts to the contrary (Genesis 3:17-19). Yes, fitness and good health are preferable, but they are neither promised nor prioritized for this life. As Paul wrote to the ailing Timothy: “bodily training is of some value, but godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).

For more sermons and devotionals on Health, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org

Anger

Anger is admittedly a volatile and dangerous emotion. But it is important to note that it is not always a sinful emotion, and it certainly isn’t always expressed in sinful ways. God gives us adequate warning that “a man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression” (Proverbs 29:22). And yet the command of Scripture isn’t that we strive to be devoid of this emotion, but rather we are instructed to be careful how we get there and cautious about what we do with it. Just as God is said to be “slow to anger” (Exodus 34:6), we are commanded not to be “quick tempered” (Titus 1:7). If we were to try to never get angry, we might in fact be fighting the work of God’s Spirit in our lives. For instance, when it was reported to King Saul that the Ammonites were threating to mutilate and extort the people of Jabesh-Gilead, the Bible says “the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled” (1 Samuel 11:6). Knowing that there are several godly reasons to get angry, the Bible goes so far as to command that we “Be angry (!) and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). Let’s not forget that there were times when Christ himself got angry, yet he remained sinless (Mark 3:5). To get angry without sinning, will require that we are only angered by sinful things. And even then, we must never choose to express that anger in sinful ways. So let us not oversimplify our understanding of this volatile emotion, instead let us be careful to be slow to anger, discerning regarding its cause, and wise in how we respond to it.

For more sermons and devotionals on Hard Truth, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org  

Real Love

When we read the word “love” in the Bible we should always be careful to remind ourselves that it bears little resemblance to what passes for love in today’s world. When the people of our culture speak of “love” they are usually referring to something that impulsively springs from feelings of happiness, warmth, attraction, affection or pleasure. But the Bible uses the word to describe something very deliberate, usually without reference or thought to motives driven by good feelings. On the contrary, in the Bible depth of love is typically measured by the extent to which that love required sacrifice and planning. Consider the Bible’s ultimate description of love. It wasn’t generated by an impulsive attraction to the ones being loved. The Bible says, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Elsewhere we are told that the “love” we are to have for others is based on this template of sacrificial love, which isn’t given because it “feels good,” but rather because it accomplishes good! “Bear with the failings of the weak” we are told, not seeking to “please ourselves,” but instead working to “please our neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself” (Romans 15:1-3). I realize this clarification may seem superfluous to those familiar with the Bible, but I find it is very easy to forget. So let us make sure to remember. And let’s all purpose and plan to love each other as he loved us (Ephesians 5:1-2; 1 John 4:11).

For more sermons and devotionals on Hard Truth, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org