The Reward

The “end” is over,
Timeline erased.
Life ran o’er its course;

Heart completed the race.

One last beating.

One last exhale.
One final eye-blink.
Life ends its brief trail.

What more can be done?

What remains beyond?
Mere mem’ries recalled
At setting of sun.

A psalm said o’er life.

A psalm said o’er death.
Prophecy fulfilled,
Shepherd’s love begets.

Mem’ries of Shepherd’s love;

What was now and not yet,
Becomes now and always
As with Shepherd, they sit.

The Lord is my Shepherd,

Said with understanding in full.
He laid them down in green pastures,
Just as He led them by waters still.

He refreshed and restored them

And led them on righteous paths.
The Shepherd gave them peace and calm,
Walking with them, with His rod and staff.

Before eyes of their enemies

Made He a table for His own.
Anointed their heads with oil;
Son and daughter, He made it known.

Faithful and faultless,

Merciful and good,
The Shepherd never left them;
Through their days of life, He always stood.

Breath and heartbeat gone forever.

Timeline faded away.
Eternity stretched before them,
Because of the Ancient of Days.

Surely goodness and mercy followed them

Through the length of their days.
The “not yet” is now theirs,
To God, we now praise.

     For being their Shepherd,
     the One who gave rest and led.
     For being their Savior,
     their Restorer and Righteousness.
     For being their Conqueror,
     their Peace, Rod, and Staff.
     For being their Provider,
     their Defense and Holiness.
     For being their God
     all their days and night.

To them, all that was, their timeline ran out.

The days of their “not yet” have begun without end.

The reward of a life consecrated by God?

Forever hearing “well done” and eternity with the King,
Singing with the angels, “Praise God and Amen!”

In their lives, they sang with men.

Now with the angels, this song never ends:

The Lord is my Shepherd;

I did not want.
He laid me down in green pastures;
He led me beside still waters.
He restored my soul.
He led me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yes, though I walked through the valley of the shadow of death, I did not fear evil because You were with me;
Your rod and staff comforted me.
You prepared a table for me in the presence of my enemies.
You anointed my head with oil; my cup overflowed.
Surely goodness and mercy followed me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.

Take Comfort

 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” — Psalms 23:4

Why do we always think this verse is meant for a person at the moment they are dying? Why do we think Psalm 23 is only relevant for an imminently dying person? Consider this, we are all dying each day. Each day we breathe brings us closer to the day we stop breathing. This psalm is not only for the imminently dying. It’s for everyone. 

 

Recognizing that, let’s look at Psalm 23:4. Many of us memorized this verse using the King James Version. We began reciting it like this, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” In other translations, this verse begins with “though” or “even though.” The beginning of verse four rests upon what David wrote before it. He said, because the Lord is my Shepherd, I will have everything I need because He is almighty, all-loving, kind, and merciful. I have food and drink, rest when needed, rescue from physical danger and eternal separation from Him, release from fear of harm, and guidance each day and with each footfall from Him who is all-wise and all-knowing (Psalm 23:1-3).

 

From this wise, knowing, almighty, kind, merciful, loving, powerful, and rescuing Shepherd, I know I need not ever fear what is happening or what may happen. In verse four, David basically said, “Because of who I personally know my great Shepherd is and because of what I have seen Him do, I fear nothing that is or may come against me—not death or any kind of dastardly development.” The hardest places in life that we live through or could ever think is the worst we could go through, those places of deepest, darkest, extremely dangerous times are when I can know and do know my Shepherd is there and mightier than what is happening.

 

My Shepherd is greater than any storm or suffering. He is mightier than them and is Lord over time and space. Before I even faced this valley of the shadow of death, my Shepherd spanned across time and created the plan of rescue for me. I need not worry because He has already rescued me in the future, so I can trust in Him and His rescue in my now. The Shepherd is with us, behind us, before us, and around us in time and presence, so we need not fear any storm or darkness. How does David say the Shepherd helped him in his extremely dark and dangerous circumstance? His presence kept David from harm. 

 

David spoke more of how the Shepherd protected and guided him. He said the Shepherd’s rod and staff were with Him. The rod that beats off attacks and attackers defends him and defeats the dangerous presence or pandemonium. With the Shepherd’s might, power, wisdom, care, and His unbreakable rod, David knew he was safe. He can beat back whatever may cause physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual harm. Once you are part of the Shepherd’s flock, He will not let you be taken from Him. You are His. Keep you eyes, heart, and mind on the Shepherd, your Savior. Take heart and remain spiritually strong; have faith in your unyielding, ever-protecting Shepherd. 

 

David wrote that this Shepherd carried another tool. He wrote that He carried a staff as He cared for His flock. Why would a Shepherd and Savior need a rod and staff? The rod defends the sheep from an attack. It rescues the sheep in advance. The staff rescues the sheep from precipices and crevices, from blindly walking astray forgetting where safety is and only seeking the next blades of grass or spring of water that appears nearest to it. 

 

Sheep, like people, have tunnel vision. What they see tempts them to walk away from their Shepherd. It may or may not be intentional. Being lured by our eyes to keep walking toward what you think you want often leads you beyond what the Shepherd knows is best. Being lured and decidedly willingly go also often leads a person away from the shepherd. The appetites of our flesh, heart, and mind often are not what’s best for us. These can be due to error, lies, or intentional sin. 

 

This is where the Shepherd’s staff comes in. A staff has a crook at the end to hook around the leg or neck of a sheep to bring it back to Him from a precipice or crevice. The crook was often not a round stick rounded at the end looking like a candy cane. Instead, the rounded hook was flat so the Shepherd could scoop up the sheep to let it lie upon the flat crook end securely. This Shepherd’s staff can remind us of the hands of God. He can round His hands to go around us and pull us back to safety or He can place us in His palms to carry us close to Himself.

 

Psalm 23 isn’t just an end of life or funeral psalm. It speaks about life as we journey with our Savior Shepherd. It reminds us that God never leaves or forsakes us (Deuteronomy 31:6 & 8, 1 Chronicles 28:20, 1 Kings 8:57, and Hebrews 13:5). He is the God of time and all that is. God has already planned the rescue from your storm or temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). He is your Savior Shepherd. The Shepherd has defeated the enemy. He lovingly scoops you onto His crook and into His palms to carry you back to His pasture of plenty and safety. He lovingly stretches out His staff to catch you from falling off the precipice or through the crevice as you focused solely on the next blade of grass or drop of dew that would satisfy your desire. 

 

Though we walk through dark and dangerous times due to temptation, blindness, and/or evil, we need not fear. The almighty, loving, merciful, all-knowing Savior Shepherd is with you if you are one of His sheep. He will rescue you and take you back to His pasture of plenty and safety. 

 

How can you know if you are a sheep in the Savior Shepherd’s flock? Admit Jesus is God’s Son who died for your sins. Believe in Him to save you from your sins and the judgment of eternal separation from Him. Confess your sins and repent of them. Once you believe, profess, and confess making Jesus Lord of your life and accepting Him as your Savior, He will never leave or forsake you. That is a continual promise from God throughout the Old and New Testaments. It is His covenant of love to all His sheep, His children.

 

Today, if you are saved by Jesus, you can say with David, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff comfort me.” Nothing can ever separate you from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). Nothing! You are rescued. You are safe. You are loved eternally. Take comfort; you are God’s.

True Success Defined

Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you… LUKE 10:20

What do we hold up to prove we are successful in the spiritual realm? Do we say we must visit a certain number of people? Do we hold ourselves up as casters-out of demons or healers? Do we put ourselves forth as ones who speak in tongues? Do we count how many people we've saved? Do we keep track of the meals we've taken to people or the number of people we've taken to the doctor? Do we keep record of these things to show ourselves as better than others or to prove we are doing a lot of good things?

There are so many things we do, for which we feel pride about, yet, these are not the main task. These are "markers" for worldly estimation of success. True success, if we dare use that word when considering our work for God, is being in a growing relationship with Him, leading people to Him, and discipling people.

We don't count the numbers of people. We don't parade ourselves as the greatest healer or the most fluent spiritual-tongues speaker, or the most prolific caster-out of demons, or that we have driven the most miles to help people, or, or, or. Those are all manmade standards placed upon a spiritual realm. The two do not mesh. One does not fit the other.

A life hidden with Christ in God is not a statistically visible life. It's a meek life of obedience and relationship to God made possible through Christ, not through man. The world's standards don't determine the heavenly servant's worth or work. How can it, when the world is sinful and so much less grand than heaven? Man's standards are tainted with sin; heaven's is not. Would we dare to tell God He had not saved enough people, get back to work? Ridiculous! Applying the earthly idea of success to heavenly work is ridiculous. The measure would never fit the grand scale, the grandeur and almighty-ness of who God is, and what He has, is, and will do.

Discipleship under Christ (to those who have been given a new self by Christ's Holy Spirit), grows the mind, heart, and spirit of each person to the standard of heaven by gradual growth in relationship with God, which leads to obedient discipleship. It is the growing into the new life Christ has given us, becoming less of self and more of Christ. ("He must increase, and I must decrease," as John the Baptist said.). It is as Paul said to the Colossians in Colossians 3:3, "For you (your natural life) have died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. "Your old, natural life would never have done enough good or been good enough to earn eternal life. Your new life, given by Christ through His death and resurrection, is fully made for heaven. It is to this new life in Christ that we learn and grow more like Him. When Christ appears, then you who are made new through belief in Jesus will appear with Him in Glory. (Colossians 3:4)

The two do not mix. One is sinful and thus, it's standards are sinful, since made by men. The other is righteous and justified since Jesus Christ gives new life to all who believe in Him for salvation. "Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you." (Colossians 3:5). Seek God's standards and turn away from the earth's standards and ways of measuring success.

May God continue to grow you into His image so that your standard is always Christ and not that made by His creation, humanity.

Creating Our Own Stumbling Blocks (or The Seeking Shepherd and Unending Mercy)

Matthew 18

Matthew 18 caught my attention when I read verses 7-9. This is a hard saying. Would we want to cut off our hand or foot or pluck out our eye? What was Jesus saying? People often write this teaching off because they think it impossible. People consider it one of the “hard sayings” of Jesus. When we look at it closer in context, we see the overall lesson,  verse 11, “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” What occurs when Christ saves people? They accept that He is the Son of God who died to take away their sins and they ask for forgiveness of their sins. In Matthew 18, Jesus gave us several types of people as well as the temptations that cause people to sin, from which they need saving.

            The occasion that began Jesus’ teaching was when the disciples questioned Him about who is greatest in heaven. Jesus called a child to himself and said, “Unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (vs. 3). That appears easy and straightforward. Each person who wishes to enter heaven must be humble, recognize God’s supremacy, recognize Jesus as the Savior, and with a sincere heart ask for forgiveness. People who are converted and humble are children of God and will be great in God’s kingdom because they are His children and co-heirs with Christ. Jesus went further when He said, “Whoever receives such a child (a believer in Jesus) receives Me, but whoever causes one of these little ones (a child of God) to stumble, it would be better if he or she was drowned in the sea” (vs.5-6). Wow, what a statement! Causing a person, a believer, to stumble by tempting them (to sin) is such a great sin on the tempters part. Jesus had set the stage for what He next taught the disciples. Children of God receive the kingdom of heaven and are “great” because they are children of God. Great sin occurs when a person causes a believer to fall into sin by deliberate tempting or wrong teaching. Jesus said it would be better for that person to tie a millstone around their neck and drown. That is extreme, too. Jesus wanted the attention of the disciples so exaggerated the statement.

            In verses 7-10, Jesus spoke of the person who creates the stumbling blocks. Because we live in a fallen world, stumbling blocks come. Jesus said, “Woe to the man through whom the stumbling block comes!” Jesus was serious when He said this. He became even more serious in the next two verses. He said,

If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell. (vs. 8-9 [NASB])

Jesus changed the recipient of the stumbling block in these verses. He now spoke of the person providing the stumbling block as being the one who stumbles. He spoke of the person’s own inclinations creating temptations for him or herself. Jesus recognized that two people stumble from one temptation, the one providing the temptation or stumbling block and the one who stumbled. These two people could be the same and we know this to be a proper diagnosis of sin. Often our desires cause us to act upon temptation and sin. Jesus added a further note to the one creating the stumbling block. He said, “Do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven” (vs. 10). Sometimes we create stumbling blocks for God’s children because we are jealous of their piety or favored-ness of God. We need to be aware that whatever we do to make them stumble, their guardian angels in heaven are aware of and bring before the Father so He can give the child strength of spirit to stand against the temptation. We can have this, too, so do not despise them, but seek the Father.

            The first two sections of chapter 18 (Jesus spoke of who a child of God is) warns those who make stumbling blocks for God’s children, made the disciples aware that these people create stumbling blocks for the child and for themselves, and angels go before God intervening for the child of God to stand strong during the times of trial. The children of God, because of Jesus dying for them, have strength available from God to withstand temptations to sin, whether the sin to create the temptation or succumb to the temptation. In the next three stories, Jesus gave further details about what He came to give us.

Verses 12-14 speak of a shepherd, who, upon noticing one sheep of the hundred has gone astray, chose to find the lost one. Jesus does not give up on any of us. He came to save us all. In verses 15-20, Jesus told us how to correct a sinning brother or sister first gently then with much greater effort. He reminded us that we can go to the Father in prayer to help lead the person, the sheep, back to the fold of God. Jesus said, “If two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst” (vs. 19-20). We need to confront the sinning believer as to his or her sin. If this does not work then Jesus provided two other steps to approach the person about their sin. These should be done while at the same time praying to the Father. The believers pray for the confronted person and for themselves - that they will not fall to temptation while confronting the person, for the ability to love the confronted person, and for the return of the person, the lost sheep, to the fold.

The final story in the lesson is on forgiveness. Jesus told Peter that His disciples must forgive a brother or sister his sin up to seventy times seven. Since the number seven is a complete number in the Bible, Jesus could have said seven times seven, but He wanted to be emphatic and said ten times that. Jesus said His disciples are to forgive people an infinite number of times, unending forgiveness, just as He forgives us repeatedly. Jesus gave an example of this great forgiveness. He said, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents (A talent was worth more than 15 years wages of a laborer.) came before him. Since he did not have the means to repay, the lord commanded him to be sold along with his wife and children and everything he owned, and repayment be made. The slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ The lord of the slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt” (vs. 23-26). Upon receiving the lord’s mercy and having his debt cleared from his name, the servant went to collect debts owed to him. One slave begged for mercy to have more time to repay. The forgiven slave threw the fellow slave into prison until he could pay back what he owed. When the lord heard this, he summoned the forgiven slave, gave him an account of his own mercy to him, and told him he should have learned from the lord his master. The lord in anger handed the slave over to the torturers until the slave could repay the debt that he forgave him . This slave met the lord, but did not give all of himself to him; he had not learned from the lord. By his actions, the servant/slave showed he was not a part of the lord’s true household because he did not extend mercy and forgiveness as his master did.

Each of these stories speaks of forgiveness. The stories give us glimpses into God’s character and the characters of humankind. The first story of the lost sheep shows us God’s determination to save humankind. He goes to great lengths to save each of us, which includes unconditional forgiveness and mercy. The second story shows us that God is determined to find and confront us with His love, mercy and forgiveness because He wants each person to come to have a personal and saving relationship with Him. God is persistent in seeking us. It also shows us, believers in Jesus Christ, how we are to approach a sinning brother or sister in love and with the grace and power of God. The third story tells us we are to forgive infinitely. No matter how often we have to forgive a person for causing harm against us, we are to forgive them. Jesus forgave our past sins and will forgive future sins when we come to him confessing and asking His forgiveness.

There is another part to these stories; Jesus tells us who we are to be, to love, and to forgive. The small child in verses 1-6 represents each believer in Jesus Christ. We must remember children of God who are younger in the faith than we and to whom we are more accountable to teach and not cause to stumble. In verses 7-10, the person causing the stumbling block is of whom Jesus spoke. We need God’s strength and forgiveness, too. Verses 12-14 speak of sheep, those who are in the fold of God (current disciples) and the one Jesus is determined (the person not yet a disciple) to follow and bring to safety. Jesus forgave them of their sins and went to great lengths to bring them to His fold. We used to be that lost sheep. As sheep in His fold we can still stray and Jesus will still seek for us to take us home. Jesus spoke of disciples leading other disciples in His name in verse 15-20. He also spoke about following His way and calling upon Him to help the sinning brother or sister return to God’s way. The final story speaks of a lord, symbolic for God, and a servant who supposedly is a devoted follower of the master’s ways. This servant received great mercy and forgiveness, but then showed his true beliefs by exacting from a fellow servant vengeance when he could not repay him. This servant proved his lack of devotion to the master by his lack of following the master’s example and teaching.

In each of these stories, Jesus showed the Father’s forgiveness. To the humble child, He gave forgiveness upon confession and acknowledgement of Him as Lord and Master. To the one who causes stumbling blocks, Jesus gave advice to remove from them that that causes temptation for them and creates temptation for others. Jesus loves so much as to teach His disciples to beware of their own sinful selves and remove from themselves whatever causes temptation. In the third story, Jesus purposely sought for the lost one because the Father’s will is that no one should live an existence separate from Him. Jesus went out of His way to find and forgive. In the fourth story, Jesus taught that He forgives every time a person asks and His disciples should forgive infinitely, too. Finally, Jesus taught that the Father wants everyone to come to Him so much that He will forgive them no matter what they have done. Yet, when that person, such as the first servant, turns out not to be a true son of God, God’s righteousness and justice prevail, especially when it causes one of His children harm or makes them stumble in their own faith. Because the second servant borrowed from the first, I assume the first servant had seniority over the second. The first should have been one to teach, as the master/lord taught him; but, he had not learned well and caused harm to the second servant. By putting the second servant into prison, mercy would not be taught and the servant and his family would be harmed.

This last story brings us back to verses 6-9. Jesus told the disciples not to create stumbling blocks for His children, themselves or other believers. He forgives infinitely a person who confesses his or her sin with a sincere heart. Jesus forgives each of God’s children and goes out of His way to seek the lost so that no one is lost for eternity. There are people, though, who intentionally create stumbling blocks and temptations for God’s people or who allow themselves to live in such a way that they distract themselves from the proper devotion due to God.

What came most to my attention while studying is the hard saying Jesus taught in verses 7-9. What is it that causes you to remove you devotion from God? Is your drive for climbing the ladder at work keeping you from reading the Bible daily? Is your desire for the newest edition of a car or a bigger house keeping you from seeking God’s face and worshipping Him? Is your desire for just a little wine keeping you from praying to God? Is your mental occupation of food keeping you from thinking about God? Possibly the eye, foot, or hand that is causing you to sin are these or a myriad of other things you allow to take priority in your life. Could you live with a smaller or older house or car so that you did not have to work so much and could go to church or Bible study? Could you move to another location so you are not as close to the bar or pub? Could you use the money God gives you to buy less for yourself and buy food for another family who does not have enough? Instead of allowing your eye, hand or foot (things close and dear to you) to guide you, allow your concentration on God and His will for your life to guide you. Do not let your desires drive you away from God as the non-believers do. It is better not to have these reminders of desires that distract your devotion to God than keep them and have to fight the temptation each day. Remove yourself physically from these temptations. Do as Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”

What is your millstone? What is it that occupies your mind and drives you?

Is it God or

your next meal,

your next house,

your next car, or

your next drink?

Many things can become stumbling blocks. Do not let Satan deceive you into believing you want and need them.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Are you lost?

Seek the kingdom of God and He will give you His righteousness and all you need.

Do You Love Me?

          Jesus’ questioning of Peter three times reminded him of Jesus’ prophecy of Peter denying Him three times before the rooster crowed. For Peter, when Jesus asked him the first time if he loved Him, Peter thought Jesus was asking him truthfully. When Jesus asked him the second time, Peter doubtless thought He was testing Him. When Peter listened to Jesus question him a the third time, he remembered the prophecy Jesus spoke. Jesus said Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed. It was then Peter realized Jesus wanted his attention. Jesus wanted to make sure Peter, as a lover of Christ, heeded what He commanded him. He told Peter to feed His sheep. Jesus then told Peter to shepherd His followers so they grew in the knowledge of and in oneness with Christ, just as Peter and the other disciples had done. He also told Peter to love them and care for them. 

            Peter spoke on Pentecost. He became the leader of the Christians in Israel, but, Paul became the leader of the Gentile Christian converts. Peter founded and lead the church in Antioch for several years. In those days, the Bishop, the lead pastor, guided the lay-peoples' work within society and the church. In that regard, Peter was the Bishop in Antioch. Jesus preached the gospel and taught and lead others again and again during His ministry. Peter saw his mission from Christ as feeding His sheep. Peter lead the people to Christ and trained them to be one with Him just as Jesus is with the Father.   

From this oneness with God, the followers of Jesus told the gospel, taught, and trained other believers. Jesus did not want Peter and the other disciples only to testify of their love for Him. Jesus wanted Peter to “spend out” the love of Jesus into other peoples’ lives. It did not matter if they were people who had not bathed, people who drank too much, or people who danced to strange music or ate dog or whatever. Jesus told Peter to spend out in living the love of Jesus to these people. This love has no mortal temperament to make it prejudiced or to stop, but is an unending, overflowing blessing from God in heaven. This is “feeding” His sheep. Jesus gave Himself completely, spent out to the utmost, by becoming the sacrifice for our sins. In addition, Jesus healed peoples’ physical illnesses. We must be willing to heed God’s call for us to do the same thing. If we are in truth one with Jesus as He is with the Father, we will be spent out for others to come to know Christ. We will love others even when we do not want. This love goes beyond bounds. Love comes from God so is always unending and available for use. This is what Jesus told Peter. Do you really love Me, Jesus asked? Then feed my sheep... to the nth degree. 

            Peter spent himself out for the rest of his life. He preached at Pentecost, led the church of Antioch as bishop, and went to Rome at least three times. Scholars say Peter became Bishop over the Christian church at Rome. In the end, Nero tortured and persecuted Peter and passed the blame for the burning of Rome onto the Christians. Christians made a handy scapegoat. Peter hung on a cross upside-down. Peter and Paul, both leaders of Christian converts, Peter to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles, gave their lives to be spent feeding Jesus’ sheep with their lives. Are we allowing ourselves to be spent out for Christ, to feed His sheep? Are we in a similar oneness with Him?