Weekly devotionals from Pastor Mike Fabarez Senior Pastor at Compass Bible Church in Aliso Viejo, CA and host of daily Focal Point Radio broadcast.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
God's Sovereignty
Trusting in the
sovereignty of God does not give us license to live lax or laidback lives.
Knowing that God is actively governing and guiding life’s events is a
comforting realization. It rightly dispels fear and anxiety, but it should not
quench our passion or drive to attack each day with zealous intent. Consider
Paul’s confidence in God regarding the salvation of the elect. He obviously
believes that “as many as are appointed to eternal life believe” when he
proclaims the gospel (Ac.13:48). And yet we see his passionate determination as
he describes his evangelistic fervor: “Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord,
we persuade others” and “God is making his appeal through us: we implore
you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2Cor.5:11; 20). There is no
“letting go and letting God.” Rather, there is an underlying confidence in the
providential work of God as we give ourselves wholeheartedly and
passionately to the work he has called us to do. So whether it is
evangelism or financial planning, prayer or childrearing, the biblical model is
to trust God fully and work at it with all of our heart.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Confession
The Bible instructs
us to “confess” our sins (1Jn.1:9). While many think that means to say “I’m
sorry” to God, the word actually precludes most forms of modern apologies. The
word confess in the Greek New Testament is a compound word which is made up of the
words “the same” and “to speak”. The idea is that when we confess our sins, we
are saying the same thing about our sins that God says. God, of course, sees
our sins as detestable (2Kgs.21:11), appalling (Jer.2:12-13), shameful (Job
31:11), grievous (Eph.4:30), wicked (Gen.39:9), offensive (Pr.17:9), and even
nauseating (Rev.3:16). Popular sentiments like “I’m sorry if I offended you” or
“I’m sorry you were hurt by my actions” is a long way from calling our own
actions detestable or appalling. True biblical repentance always includes
seeing our sins for what they are and agreeing with God about the sinfulness of
sin. That is why passages that depict biblical repentance include phrases like
“this godly sorrow has produced in you… indignation, alarm and readiness to see
justice done” (2Cor.7:11). So let us be careful that we don’t mistake a
half-hearted “I’m sorry” for biblical “confession” of our sins.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Feelings
Our Maker tells us in
his word that our volition can and should take charge of our emotions. God has
so designed our minds and now insists that we not be tyrannized by our
feelings. It may not be easy. At times it will be a fierce battle, but our
decision-making must not be conscripted by our fickle moods and emotions.
Consider the Psalmist who taught God’s people to marshal their inmost being:
“Praise the Lord, O my soul; and all my inmost being, praise his holy
name” (Ps.103:1). Even when fears grip the psalmist’s heart his response is,
“In God I trust; I will not be afraid” (Ps.56:11). Circumstances will obviously
ignite our feelings, but God has designed us and called us to take charge and
lead with our volition and not our emotions. If we let our feelings lead we
will inevitably be driven and tossed by the tide of our circumstances. May
God’s Spirit embolden our minds to lead and allow our feelings to fall inline.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Stand for Truth
God warned of a great
apostasy as the end of human history draws near (2Th.2:3; 1Tim.4:1-3;
2Tim.3:1-5; 4:3-4; et al.). This is not a promise of a religion-less world. On
the contrary, the end times events are filled with references to popular and
influential religious organizations (Rev.17:1-18). What God’s word predicts is
the loss of true biblical faith in Jesus as the “only way to the Father” and in
Jesus as our “sovereign Lord” (Rev.17:1-18; Jn.14:6; Jude 4). We must not let
this forewarned slide into relativistic religion take us by surprise. We must
stand on the objective truth of God’s word regardless of how unpopular it may
become. Though God’s truth is timeless, we should expect increasing portions of
society to mock it and malign us for adhering to it. As J.C. Ryle once wrote,
“if a man studies the Scripture and labors continually for the conversion of
souls… he will probably be thought a firebrand and ‘troubler of Israel.’ But
let men say what they will. Such are the truest friends of the Church who labor
for the preservation of the truth.”
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Relationship God's Way
The newspaper recently reported that what people are looking for these
days is a “spiritual” experience without any “religious” guidelines. That’s
nothing new, so were Adam and Eve. We tend to want a relationship with God our
way. The problem is “our way” is “sin” – which by definition is the lack of
conformity to “God’s way”. God and his holy standard are what they are. Wishing
or wanting it to be the way I’d prefer it won’t change the reality of God and
his revealed standard. The goal of biblical Christianity is to see our
thoughts, hearts and lives conformed to what is holy, just and right –
according to God’s definition. Which, believe it or not, is best. And because
God, the perfect One, has made us for himself, in the end, what is holy, just
and right will be exactly what we want. In our fallen state, human desires are
all over the map, but when God restores his children, first internally at
regeneration and then externally at his coming, we realize that God’s commands
“are sure and altogether righteous… more precious than gold… and sweeter than
honey” (Ps.19:9-10).
--Pastor Mike
--Pastor Mike
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Good News
To trust in Jesus as the sole provision for
my acceptance before God is the essence of the gospel. But by definition this
gospel cannot be the same as a gospel which allows you to trust in Jesus plus
something else. Many are glad when they find those who “love Jesus” and are
quick to consider them participants in the gospel. But the gospel found in the
Bible requires more than “accepting Jesus” – it requires that I relinquish my
trust in any other means of approval before God. To think that “adding Jesus” to
my life is the secret ingredient for salvation is to miss the “substitution”
that is at the heart of biblical faith. I cannot add Christ to my efforts,
works or good deeds. Christ must replace these! Paul, in describing his
personal efforts to do good testifies, “whatever was to my profit I now
consider loss” (Phil.3:7). He goes on to say, “I consider them rubbish, that I
may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that
comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ” (Phil.3:8-9).
The gospel calls us to forsake any trust or confidence in ourselves and instead
to trust exclusively in Jesus Christ as the sole provision for our acceptance
before God. Adding Christ to a spiritual portfolio or loving Christ as an additional
spiritual asset is “another gospel” - which God in the letter to the Galatians
goes to great lengths to show is “no gospel at all” (Gal.1:6-7).
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Creation
While many of us affirm the truth that God made the world and that it
displays his handiwork, and while some of us go so far as to say that it is
God’s strategic source of “general revelation” to mankind, it is unfortunate
that most of us take so little time to utilize God’s creation as a catalyst for
worship. David states that “the heavens declare the glory of God and the skies
proclaim the work of his hand… day after day they pour forth speech and night
after night they display knowledge” (Ps.19:1-2). That was not just a
theological assertion for David, it was most often a stirring prompt to pray,
sing and worship the Creator. In Psalm 8 for instance, David recognizes the
various ways God’s greatness is seen in the created order (from the stars and
the moon to the varieties of herds, birds and fish) only to frame his
observations with heartfelt praise: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your
name in all the earth” (vv.1, 9). While the world is often enamored with God’s
creation, yet failing to honor the Creator (Rom.1:25), let us not miss the
daily opportunity given to us through the sunsets, constellations or crisp
ocean air to specifically and sincerely praise the Creator whose craftsmanship
is on perpetual display.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Be Strong!
We
intuitively prefer strength to weakness. And we should. It is a biblical virtue
to possess the strength to resiliently face life’s challenges and to “bear up
under the pain” we all inevitably encounter (1Pet.2:19; Eph.6:10-13).
Thankfully God is desirous of granting his children strength (Is.40:29;
Ps.29:11; Phil.4:13). Many do well to ask God for it, but err in passively
waiting for its arrival. God would have us get active – specifically in his
word! The connection between acquiring strength and indulging in God’s word is
unmistakable. David testifies that encounters with God’s written word “revives
the soul” (Ps.19:7). John equates the growing strength of spiritual “young men”
with “the word of God living in them” (1Jn.2:14). We cannot afford to be ignorant
of Satan’s strategy in this matter. To keep us weak, feeble and internally
fragile, he only needs to keep us from God’s word. If we are to “overcome the
evil one” and possess real strength as those spiritual “young men” in 1 John
2:14, then we must keep our nose in the Book and our mind set on God’s eternal
principles.
-- Pastor Mike
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Assessing Motives
Unfortunately
Christians these days routinely and confidently assert their supposed insight
into the thoughts and motives of those with whom they disagree. God’s people
are regrettably mirroring the practice of the world by all too often claiming
to know what others are thinking. While it is common to routinely impugn
motives, the Bible prohibits such arrogant judgments. We may be told to
adjudicate words and actions (cf. 1Cor.5:11-13; 6:2-5; et al.), but we cannot
possibly judge someone else’s motives. When it comes to “why” someone did what
he or she did, the Bible affirms what should be obvious to all: “no one knows
the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him” (1Cor.2:11). Paul
says that when it comes to another’s motives we must “wait until the Lord
comes” when Christ “will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will
expose the motives of men’s hearts” (1Cor.4:5). So let us refrain from saying
we know “why” he or she did or said this or that, and let us only deal with
ourselves regarding motives. Let us each spend more time allowing the
convicting word of God to expose the “thoughts and intentions” of our own
hearts as we prepare for the Lord’s arrival (Heb.4:12). Transgressing God’s
word in this matter and engaging in accusing one another based on the
speculative guesswork of appraising one another’s motives can only lead to
trouble.
--Pastor Mike
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Pain
Having a daughter with paralysis, I understand
the blessing of pain. Without the ability to feel pain, both physical and
emotional, we would run headlong into destructive situations. The pain of guilt
is a classic example. We usually feel that something is wrong, because
something is wrong. We often feel bad, because we have been. When our hearts
feel those uncomfortable pangs, as with our feet or knees, it is important to
stop and check things out. In our fallen world pain serves as a warning sign, and
more often as a stop sign. The good news is, as with our coming resurrection,
there is a solution for our pain. God is willing to grant repentance,
forgiveness and restoration. And that right now. I know we don’t like
pain, but until our lives are glorified, we need the warning signal that pain
brings. Perhaps we should thank God, that for the time being we are afforded
the blessing of pain.
Stream sermons and get answers to Bible questions at the Focal Point website.
Stream sermons and get answers to Bible questions at the Focal Point website.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
The End
Part of the reason God gave us divine
revelation about the next life is to motivate us in this one. Some have said
Christians can be “so heavenly minded, they are no earthly good.” But as C.S.
Lewis rightly pointed out, Christians are no earthly good until they are
heavenly minded. Until we digest what God says about the end of this world and
the beginning of the next, we will never truly embrace Christ’s values or live
a Christ-like life. The New Testament repeatedly drives this point home, frequently
exhorting us to “set our hearts on things above” (Col.3:1-2). Jesus calls us to
punctuate our prayers with an ardent request for God’s “kingdom to come”
(Mt.6:10). Because our decisions, our discussion and our disposition need that
eternal perspective, may God empower us today to “fix our eyes not on what is
seen, but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen
is eternal” (2Cor.4:18).
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Fight
If you knew that you
had to engage in a street fight with someone today, you’d prepare. Not wanting
to fight wouldn’t help if the fight were inevitable. Ignoring the fight would
only ensure your loss. The Bible says that you are in a daily battle for the
control of your words. Scripture warns that your “tongue is a fire, a world of
evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole
course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell” (Jms.3:6). James
then goes on to say that it needs to be tamed, arrested and controlled. Each of
us will battle today with that unruly, disruptive and powerful force. We must
win this battle. We must prepare every day. We must start each day with a call
for God’s help. We must seek the power of God’s Spirit to endow us with
self-control (Gal.5:22-23). We must be conscious of this daily battle before it
begins. May God give us the vigilance, the wisdom and the strength to mitigate
the damage and marshal this powerful foe into submission. May we, with God’s
help, successfully “offer the parts of our bodies to God as instruments of
righteousness” (Ro.6:13) no matter how difficult the fight might be.
Visit the Focal Point website for free resources by Pastor Mike Fabarez.
Visit the Focal Point website for free resources by Pastor Mike Fabarez.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
All In
Life really does
necessitate that we decide who or what we are going to serve. The words of
Joshua are perpetually relevant as he turned to the people and said, “choose
for yourselves this day who you will serve… but as for me and my household, we
will serve the Lord” (Josh.24:15). Without a resolute decision in this regard
we will be driven and tossed by every whim, trend or pressure that comes our
way. Our heart will be plagued with an emotional schizophrenia until we settle
this question regarding our purpose and direction. We must come face to face
with the timeless words of Elijah who asks, “How long will you waver between
two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him, but if Baal is God, follow him”
(1Kgs.18:21). We cannot sanely drift through life without a decision. It
behooves us to choose our “master”; Jesus said, two will not work. Lukewarm, he
warned, is not a reasonable option. James warns that a “double-minded man” is
“unstable in all he does” (Jms.1:8). So chose. Will the Triune God be your
Master or something else?
For more biblical teaching visit the Focal Point website.
For more biblical teaching visit the Focal Point website.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Help Me
As you read through
the Psalms you will see the repeated, simple and effective prayer of a
righteous man. It is a prayer I hope you pray regularly. It is a prayer that
reveals your heart of dependence on God for your life, your protection and your
future. I mentioned that this prayer is simple. Actually it is extremely simple
– two words in our English Bibles. The prayer: “Help me!” (Ps.38:22;
40:13; 59:4; 109:26; et al.) The inspired Psalms led God’s people to pray this
simple prayer regularly in their songs of worship. It should be our song hour
by hour. Few things are more worshipful than declaring our continual dependence
on God as our Sustainer, Protector and Guide. To be consciously reliant on our
Creator for all things is simply a truthful awareness of reality. Scripture
repeatedly reminds us that we are finite, dependent and needy. For in reality,
God “gives all men life and breath and everything else” (Ac.17:25). May God
help us to always be mindful of this, calling frequently on God to grant us his
wisdom and help.
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