The Morning Cup - Are You Spiritually Stagnant?

A stagnant pool of water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes and slimy filth. No one dares to slake his thirst from a green-covered pond. In contrast, what sight is more refreshing than a brisk, cool, flowing stream of mountain water? Spiritually, the difference between growing Christians and those who are spiritually dormant is a lot like the distinction between the algae pond and the swift, clear stream. Some are spiritually stagnant, while other Christians are vibrant and refreshed.

One of the most common grievances we here from brethren is that they feel stalled in their spiritual life. How does a stagnant saint get moving again spiritually? Please consider these suggestions:

First, your desire for spirituality must be real. To be spiritually-minded you must not pretend. Do you really want to honor God with your life? Do you really want to please and obey God? Then you must desire it with all your heart. "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God" (Psalm 42:1).

Then, make up your mind that sin is going to be taken seriously. Toying with sin will get you into deep trouble spiritually. Sin has to be an ugly, distasteful thing for you. If you play around with sin and try to be spiritually-minded at the same time, you will be empty inside. Coming to church on Sunday will not cover up your sin on Monday. You must deliberately choose to live separately from the world.

Occupy yourself with spiritual activities. Attending worship and Bible study periods arranged by the church is a must for spiritual growth. Real spirituality, however, does not stop at the church building. In fact, real spirituality is evident in us as we read our Bible privately, pray fervently when we are alone, and seek opportunity to serve our fellow man. You cannot be more spiritual if you are giving your time and energy to fleshly things. Think, act, and be spiritually-minded.

It will help if you Focus your attention on Jesus Christ. There is no genuine spirituality without a deep faith in Jesus Christ. In John 15:5, Jesus said, "without me, you can do nothing." If the focus of your faith is on someone or something other than Jesus, spiritual growth will be impossible! Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith. As such, He must be given more than a passing glance now and then! A popular song we sometimes sing says, "turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in light of His glory and grace."

Finally, you must allow God's grace to become your motivation for spiritual growth. If you really understand what it took to save you from your sins, then you are well on your way to spiritual vibrancy. Grace is not an excuse for sin, rather, it is a motivation to live righteously. Appreciated grace causes careful joyful obedience!

Try these suggestions for a month and see if you do not improve spiritually. If you are serious about avoiding spiritual stagnation, you must make the effort to keep yourself alive. You can be more spiritual, but it will take determination on your part.

MR

The Morning Cup - The Lord Will Provide

Young Isaac was perplexed. Doubtless, he had seen his faithful father sacrifice burnt offerings to Jehovah before, but this time was different. "My Father! Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" said Isaac in Genesis 22:7. Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself a lamb for the burnt offering." For a little while, at least, this must have set the boy's mind at ease. Little did he know that he was God's provision.

God provides. He always has, and always will. As a prime example of fatherhood, He is providing for His children. This is what is meant by God's providence.

We are in deep water when we discuss such a magnificent subject. It is doubtful that any man can fully understand or comprehend the ways in which God makes His provisions for us. But our inability to fully see how God's providence works does not make an anachronism of such providence. I may not fully understand electricity. Yet my failure to understand it completely does not prevent me from using its power. Neither do I deny it exists. Just because I cannot explain its workings in detail does not mean it is of no benefit to me. And so it is with God's provisions for both my body and spirit. The English word providence appears only once in the King James Bible. Tertullus, the orator commended Governor Felix for his providence toward the Jewish nation. The New King James uses the word foresight which really gets to the heart of the meaning of the Greek word.

God's foresight for His creatures is taught throughout Scripture. God asked Job, "Who provides food for the raven?" In His mountain sermon, Jesus expands these provisions beyond the natural world for men and women who see God's kingdom. Rather than make the sum of our lives a frantic search for food, clothing, and shelter, Jesus teaches that we should remember that our Heavenly Father knows we have these needs! All these things (food, clothing, shelter) which God provides for the birds of the air, and the lilies of the field will also be provided for us if we serve God first. Why is this so? Man is more valuable to God than birds or flowers! Jesus is not endorsing laziness, slothfulness, or a "welfare" mentality. But He is to get us to see the necessity of faith in God - faith that He will provide if we serve Him faithfully and expectantly. It is faithless to expect anything less from our Father. Could we dare think our Father would abandon His children and leave us to fend for ourselves? How unthinkable!

MR

What the Bible Says About - Forgiveness Pt. 1

Forgiveness Belonging To The Lord

Daniel 9:9 - To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him.

The Lord Forgiving

Exodus 34:6-7 - And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."

Numbers 14:18-19 - "The Lord is long suffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation. Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now."

Psalm 78:32-38 - In spite of this they still sinned, and did not believe in His wondrous works. Therefore their days He consumed in futility, and their years in fear. When He slew them, then they sought Him; And they returned and sought diligently for God. Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer. Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, and they lied to Him with their tongue; For their heart was not steadfast with Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant. But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath;

Psalm 86:5 - For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

Psalm 99:8 - You answered them, O Lord our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, though You took vengeance on their deeds.

Psalm 103:1-3 - Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;

Psalm 130:3-4 - If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that you may be feared.

Jeremiah 31:33-34 - But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, "Know the Lord," for they all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.

Ephesians 4:32 - And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Colossians 2:8-13 - Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Colossians 3:12-13 - Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

The Morning Cup -- The Sin of Ananias & Sapphira

"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet.

But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."

Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him." (Acts 5:1-6)

Three hours later his wife Sapphira showed up not being informed of the death of her husband. Peter asked whether she had sold the land for the price indicated by her late husband. Perhaps he even pointed to the money at the feet of the apostles. She answered, "Yes, for so much." Peter, undoubtedly distraught and yet filled with righteous indignation toward her brazen lie, asked why she had conspired with her husband to test the Spirit of the Lord. Those who had buried her husband were ready at the door to carry her corpse away. Immediately, she fell dead.

Such a reading needs to be considered thoughtfully. We are not reading an event from the Law of Moses, when the fire from God consumed Nadab and Abihu or when Achan and his household were stoned by the congregation. Those events would be appropriate warnings to us, yet such Old Testament episodes are discounted in the minds of people because they belong to the Mosaic era. Here is an event early in the Gospel age in which we live where we witness a candid display of God's wrath. What is the message of God's judgement on Ananias and Sapphira?

We must not be guilty of treating the blood of Christ as a common thing. Forgiveness of sin is a precious gift. Its cost was the price of God's own Son. When we sin and repent, sin and repent, sin and repent with a remorse that is transitory, with little or no struggle to defeat sin in our life, and with no concerted planning to escape the wiles of the devil, are we not treating the grace of God lightly? The cross of Christ is not to be regarded like Aladdin's lamp. We cannot willfully sin or engage in half hearted holiness and then conspire in our heart that we can always repent tomorrow. Just rub the cross and say the magic formula and poof our sins are gone. Is God obligated to forgive us just because we say the right words? Does He not see our motives and know that we don't mean it? Does God not know our hearts? Does He not see such presumptions? The judgement on Ananias and Sapphira says that He does!

To play the hypocrite is to lie, not to men, but to God. The real sin of Ananias and Sapphira was hypocrisy. There was a legitimate need in Jerusalem. They, like Barnabas and others, sold their property and brought the proceeds from the sale to the apostles to be distributed to the needy saints. Did they feel pressured to give because others were doing so and they had the means to help? They might have felt embarrassed if they did not join the benevolent activity. Or were they jealous of the notoriety that comes from philanthropy? Whatever their reasoning they pretended to give the entire price of the land when in fact they kept a part of the price for themselves.

They of course did lie to men, but the real lie was to God. They gave of their means under the pretense of being thoughtful and kind. They Gave. But they gave to gain glory for themselves. We must be careful that our worship, that our service to God on any plain does not become merely a veneer. We cannot allow it to degenerate to a theatrical production that is put on so that the elders, the preacher, our family will speak well of us, or maybe leave us alone. We will probably succeed in fooling them. But God is not mocked. When we have pretended to be His servants by yielding to the pressure of Godly company or to gain the audience and applause of men we have told a serious untruth to God. This occasion with Ananias and Sapphira demonstrates His disgust for those who wear His name like a mask.

We must be sober in our service to God. I don't wish that God would perform in our time the type of cleansing activity that He did that day before the saints in Jerusalem. I fear the loss of life that would come for I have had times when the gift of forgiveness has been regarded lightly and service has been rendered for show or for masquerade rather than for God's glory. But if God did interject a demonstration of this sort, what would that do to our worship? What effect would that have on our daily conduct? We would have a marked awareness that we stand before the Almighty. May I suggest that we keep such a picture of His glory and reign upon the heavenly throne before us each day. Such a vision should not just evoke fear, but hope that inspires us to serve our God. For He is alive!

MR

The Morning Cup -- Preaching and Science

Do not worry about science. It has its legitimate field, and in its field it has done wonderful things. We reap its benefits and are glad. The average preacher knows little about science, and the average scientist knows less about the Bible.

The claim that science and the Bible do not agree should disturb no one. What is called "science" is not static. Each generation brings new light; most of the old theories have been exploded by scientists themselves. Yet, each generation of scientists boldly announces that science has disproved the Bible.

But it can as easily be proven that science has disproved itself. With all their dogmatism about the Bible and science, there are few theories that real scientists are willing to take their stand on and say: "Here is the ultimate truth; no future discoveries will contradict this." So long as they cannot afford to affirm that they have arrived at ultimate truth, how can they with honor say that science disproves the Bible?

Besides, if the Bible fully agreed with the scientific theories of one age, it would not agree with theories of the next age. The Bible is unchangeable and cannot keep up agreement with that which constantly changes.

Some of the foremost scientists recognize the limitations of science and are firm believers in the Bible. Preach the Word! No known truth contradicts the Bible.

MR

The Morning Cup -- Jesus Marveled

In Matthew chapter 8 we find a centurion coming to Jesus, imploring Him to simply say the word that would heal his servant. This man displayed a phenomenal faith in the authority of the Lord, which evoked the response from the lips of Jesus which we read in verse 10: "And when Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel."

Upon another occasion, in Mark 6, Jesus came to his own country of Nazareth. There the kin and countrymen rejected both His works and His teachings; and because of this, we find in Mark 6:6, And He marveled because of their unbelief."

These are the only two places in the scriptures where it is stated that Jesus marveled. It is significant, therefore, to notice that in the one case, the astonishment and wonder on the part of our Lord was caused by the great measure of faith; in the other example, His amazement came because of the complete and utter lack of faith.

I wonder which of these dispositions characterizes the life of most Christians today? Would Jesus marvel at your life because of your great belief or unbelief?

MR

The Morning Cup -- "Baptizing Jesus"

John the baptizer probably immersed thousands of people during his ministry of preaching "the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins". All of Judea and those of Jerusalem went out to be baptized by him in the river Jordan, Mark's account states. Thus, John the baptist was the first messenger from God to break the silence of some four hundred years since Malachi. His appearance and remarkable message attracted the attention of the Jewish people, and his preaching was heard by rather large audiences in spite of the remote wilderness areas where most of his preaching was done. He made such an impression on some that they "reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not". Yet, John's sense of truth and humility caused him to say , "I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him".

I doubt that John knew the names and backgrounds of the greater number of those he baptized. He knew only that they were sinners in need of repentance before being able to receive the kingdom. But there was one out of the multitude whom John would never forget baptizing. That one was Jesus of Nazareth to most, but to John the baptist He was "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". John said that he did not know Jesus, but they were relatives, and he must have been acquainted with Him. Barclay says that what John declared was not that he did not know who Jesus was, but that he did not know what Jesus was. But he was soon to find out.

Is there any amazement at John the Baptist's hesitation to baptize Jesus? Would we all not have reacted similarly? Both John and Jesus recognized this request for baptism was an exceptional case. Jesus certainly could not confess His sins, as others submitting to John's baptism did, for He had no sin. He obviously did not need the remission of sins that accompanied the baptism of John. Yet, there were good reasons why Jesus was baptized.

To Fulfill All Righteousness

Jesus felt it was necessary to obey His Father's will. Even Jesus "learned obedience". He was baptized in spite of His unique circumstances. Superficially, it appears that if Jesus needed baptism in the same manner as did all others, then He would not be qualified to be our Savior. However, when we look a bit deeper we understand that if Jesus had not submitted to the command, then He would not be the example of obedience to God in all things that He teaches His disciples to be! Later, Jesus Himself gave a command that believers should be baptized. He did not ask believers to do something that He was not willing to do. What good master would require more of his servants than he himself was willing to obey? Jesus "fulfills all righteousness" by being baptized because it was God's will.

To Begin His "Spirit-filled" Ministry

The baptism of Jesus marked the beginning of His public ministry. To John the baptist, the appearance of the Spirit upon Jesus was a sign that Christ would baptize with something more than water. Jesus was being baptized in the Jordan by John; but He was also being overwhelmed by the Spirit. Jesus was conscious of His anointing by the Holy Spirit for the beginning of His public work, for after His baptism He preached His first sermon at Nazareth using Isaiah 61:1 as a text, where the prophet said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor."

To Be Acknowledged As God's Son

Immediately after His immersion, God said: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." To be acknowledged as one of God's children is the ultimate need of all who seek heaven. As a Son, it must have thrilled Jesus' heart to know He had pleased His Father. For us, Scripture does not teach that we should expect the same thunderous approval from heaven of our sonship to God, but we can know that He is our Father and we are His children.

If Jesus felt it was necessary to obey the Father's will, surely none of us are exempt. It is not possible for mere servants (us) to be greater than their Master (Jesus). If we would walk in the Spirit, and have Him as a witness that we are sons of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, we will do what Jesus did and commanded. To claim to be a son of God apart from being baptized for the remission of sins is foolish. There are so many people today who claim an allegiance to Jesus, but they have never been baptized into Christ. They balk at the command to be baptized. Friends, I would have serious doubts about my own salvation if I claimed to follow Jesus, but only to the banks of the river Jordan.

MR

Sorry for the delay

I will normally be posting two or three blogs per day. This evening, however, I was at a memorial service for most of the evening and had no time to prepare for this evenings post.

I will ask though that you all keep some dear friends of ours in your prayers. Jerri and Joe Maddox are active members of our church family and last week Jerri's sister was killed in a senseless act of violence.

Though hurting due to the loss, I was encouraged by the celebratory atmosphere due to the apparently fun-loving and meaningful life that their loved one lived.

We can not explain what some folks are feeling. Nor can we always explain what drives them to commit these sort of crimes. We know it is in no way the will of our God. Though He has shown us the way to carry out our Christian walk here on earth He has never interfered with the free will of man. Therefore man chooses not to always live according to what is moral or right.

We should pray for the Maddox family in their loss. We should also pray for the criminal who committed this unbelievable act, as well as his family who has now also lost a loved one. That is what Christianity is all about. When it hurts the most. When hatred is knocking right at our front door, we are to continue to LOVE and PRAY.

MR

The Circle of Love Is Everything

"As a physician who has been deeply privileged to share the most profound moments of people's lives, including their final moments, let me tell you a secret. People facing death don't think about what degrees they have earned, what positions they have held or how much wealth they have accumulated. At the end, what really matters (and is a good measure of a past life) is who you loved and who loved you. The circle of love is everything." Bernadine Healy, M.D.

Doctor Healy's observation, if not profound, is at least enlightening. It enlightens us to the fact that God's truth can be observed in life experiences. I have for sometime felt that those who were facing imminent death would shed their ties to this world, their perception of what is important changes drastically. One would be hard pressed to convince someone who can feel their life force waning from their body that they need to put money in an IRA. On the other hand, those among us who are in their fifties or so and expect a future here on earth, feel an ominous foreboding if they fail to 'sock a little away' for retirement.

John teaches us in his first epistle that who we love and who loves us is vitally important. "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:8-10).

God is love and has manifested that love by sending His Son into the world to save mankind. Who loves us? God, that's who!

Knowing that God loves us is not enough, we must love! "We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." (1 John 4:19-21). Who do we love? God and the brethren, that's who!

John also deals with love in the negative. "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life- is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:15-17).

How sad it is to come to the final moments of one's life only to realize they have loved the wrong things. And to realize that because they have loved the wrong things, hope of a wonderful eternity has passed.

God has given you and me a most precious gift. The gift is a life to be lived. What we do with that gift has eternal consequences. As the doctor observed, when we have used up God's gift, nothing will matter except who we have loved and who has loved us. Do you love God? Does God love you?

MR