Obedience: The Pathway to Blessing (March 2023 Article)

“They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers. Fear came to every soul. And many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common. They sold their property and goods and distributed them to all, according to their need. And continuing daily with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (rf. Acts 2:42-47)

 

            For the past few months, we have been looking into the subject of the True Worship of God. We’ve seen how God wants to be adored by His people, but He wants our worship to be  done according to His directions and not by how we would like to do it. When we follow His instructions, we find that God is pleased with our obedience and blesses our efforts accordingly. 

            The above passage details the results of the obedience of Jesus’ disciples to His last directive. He told them before His Ascension to remain in Jerusalem, to continue in prayer and fellowship with each other until “the Comforter” was sent to them from Him to prepare them to take His Gospel to “the ends of the earth”. Therefore, His disciples diligently obeyed, prayed and waited for His promise.

            So, it is important to note that obedience preceded blessing. In our day, we want the blessing regardless of our obedience. We want things done to please ourselves rather than seeking to please Almighty God by our actions and attitudes. It is no wonder that the blessings He would give to us are often bottled up in heaven because God has seen our own self-centeredness and has chosen not to reveal the best experiences to us.

            This was not the case with Jesus’ disciples. They did as they were told by Him. They stayed put, prayed and waited. Their obedience seen by Him, they experienced the full measure of God’s blessings. They were filled with His power by His Spirit. They saw God work miracles in their midst (i.e. “signs and wonders”). They were moved to provide for the least fortunate among them (i.e. “had all things in common”). They enjoyed special fellowship with one another and enjoyed the fullness of God’s pleasure through the teaching of the “apostles’ doctrine” and Holy Communion (“the breaking of bread”). Don’t miss the last blessing! God added to their number “daily those who were being saved”. Some might call this “a revival”. The better expression would be that God visited His people’s obedience with abundant blessings! 

            If God’s people would experience such again, it is predicated upon their full obedience to His declared Word. If we follow His directions by faith, we will likewise see God pour out His delight upon us so that we grow spiritually, numerically and in our capacity to enjoy and love Him. Let us commit to this path of obedience and watch what only God can accomplish!

The Love of God in Christ (February 2023 Article)

 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (rf. Jn. 13:34–35 NASB) 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (rf. Mt. 5:43–48 NASB)

 

            The favorite word and concept of the Apostle John was “love”. He took his cues directly from Jesus who possessed not only the emotional aspects of love, but, more importantly, executed the actions that most clearly displayed the true meaning of love. Jesus’ example was simply living out the reality and reflection of the love of God in the arena of men. 

            In Matthew’s Gospel we find Jesus sharing with His disciples how the love of God plays out in the midst of a sinful world. He shows without doubt that the true love of God is a proactive measure, seeking to do what is counterintuitive to a culture that expects anger, hatred, retribution and vengeance. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches a Jewish population that what they had learned previously about loving their neighbor and hating their enemy was not really different from what the sinful world does regularly. Both the “tax collectors” and Gentiles love their own and show hatred and enmity toward those they consider their enemies. 

Jesus says that if you are willing to follow Him and be His disciple, you must go beyond those norms. You must love those that do not love you and those who want to see you hurt, in pain, or dead—“your enemies”. This is the reason that His love is not pure emotion as we assume all love is. The love Jesus speaks of is a conscious, willful decision to extend God’s love to someone who, in our opinion, does not deserve the experience. This kind of love is far beyond our human abilities to accomplish. Thus, the love of Christ in the heart of a believer is love that He has put there by the Holy Spirit. By the same Spirit, He exercises that love out of ourselves toward folks we would never dream to associate with, much less to whom we would show compassion and care. This is why the love of Christ is so different and so needed.

In all of our lives, we have folks in our circle of influence who are seem to be so unlovable and undeserving of any form of grace because they are so negative, hateful, arrogant, etc. These are the ones who desperately need a good dose of Christ’s love. They need to see that His love extends even to them, no matter how bad their lives may have been. And by His grace, He has chosen His disciples to convey that love. 

Let us then be more mindful of this responsibility and show His love to others at every opportunity. Note also that Jesus Himself stated that by doing so, “all men will know that (we) are My disciples”. Amen.

Submission--The Right Way to Face the New Year

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’” 

(rf. James 4:13-15 NASB)

 

As I type out this article, one year is closing and another is about to begin, much like turning the page in a book from one chapter to the next. We are living in the present, remembering the past, but are not at all sure what the future holds for us. We make plans but quickly realize that we have no real control over what will happen ahead. We are reminded of Solomon’s words of wisdom, “the mind of man plans his way...the Lord directs his steps” (rf. Proverbs 16:9).

How then do we overcome this frustration of not being in total control? The answer is an easy one to acknowledge but is never easy to apply. It is a matter of relinquishing the idea of possessing control and letting God exert His authority over us, our lives and our time, plans and future. This is a daily, conscious, willful submission of one’s life to the Lord. This produces humility in attitude and spirit as well as an understanding that none of us ultimately control our own destiny. When we affirm the Lordship of Christ in our lives, we see Him as He is Biblically portrayed, “Lord of all”. That designation is not limited to all things outside of ourselves, but it includes us as well. This does not relegate us to mindless robots. Rather, we are fully responsible for our own decisions and actions even as these are under the full jurisdiction of His will. The Old Testament patriarch Joseph understood this principle perfectly. Though his brothers feared for their lives after their father, Jacob, died, Joseph in compassion explained to them that God was in total control of their situation despite their sin against him: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (rf. Genesis 50:20).

The truth that we need to possess as we proceed into this new year is this—submission.  We should be humble before the Lord, readily recognizing that His way is much better than our own, His plans far exceed ours in wisdom and authority. Thus, being submissive, we should follow through with His directives and be obedient to His Word, regardless of if conventional wisdom or popularity says otherwise. God does not operate by worldly ways according to cultural norms and wisdom, mind you. As His Word testifies, His ways are not ours...but they are much higher than our own (paraphrase of Isaiah 55:9). 

This new year lies before us all with great possibilities and opportunities. Let us then pursue the course that the Lord has set out for us to follow, understanding that His way and will for us is always best.

The Silence of the Angels (December Draft)

 

The end of the year has come again, all too soon. Yet around us are the sights and sounds of Christmas. One cannot escape being overcome by the awe and joy of this wonderful holiday. For many, this will be a bittersweet experience, remembering loved ones not present to rejoice in this temporal realm, but are very much here in heart, mind and memory. In regard to those who have passed on into the heavenly places, we can at least be assured that they will be celebrating Christmas in the very Presence of the Savior Himself, this year. Can one imagine the beauty and grandeur of hearing the hosts of heaven proclaiming their praises firsthand with their songs echoing throughout all eternity and space? What a privilege to be able to join one’s voice with those who have believed in Him throughout the ages, to adore Him who came as a babe to die for His people that their sins would be forgiven that they should be called the children of Almighty God!  It is almost a thought too great for words.

But alas, words are what we are given to us that we might share our thoughts and the contemplations of our hearts. So, this Christmas and for the approaching New Year, I give you the following poem as a gift. May it be to you a means of meditation and reflection. May it draw you into a deeper place of understanding between you and our Lord. May its reading result in a greater celebration of His coming as we together rejoice in this holy day and season of Christmas.

 

And the Angels Were Silent

by Dr. Chris King

© September 14, 2012

 

Before there was time and creation began,

Before there was a universe or the discussion of man,

God in Three was in fellowship with Himself 

And for all three Persons, all was well.

 

In His glory He created forms of music and light,

Spirit beings who would bring Him great delight.

They would sing and fly about His throne. 

Now, though never lonely, He was never alone.

 

Their song of His greatness continued with no pause from above.

They sang of His holiness, His justice, His love

Unabated, undaunted by even fellow angels who rebelled

Their melodies rang out in the heavenlies, never quelled.

 

But in time one thing God in Three brought to be. 

The Father called the Son to the Throne for all to see.

He sent Him to earth in the form of a man

To be born of a woman and to die at evil hands.

 

Hearing this, the singing spirits, who sang always, lost voice

Amazed and astounded at the Father’s heartrending choice

To sacrifice His Son for the sinful human race,

The lesser ones of creation before the Father’s face.

 

Yet, even as the holy angels in silence before the Father stood,

God shared with them His plan of salvation for sinner’s good.

Once the angels heard the scope of what God through the Son required

The spirit beings’ song returned more joyously, more hopefully inspired.

 

The angels now asked the Lord for opportunity to share

In this great Incarnation taking place on earth down there.

So, God arranged for them to take the good news of His Son

To shepherds in the fields abiding so they might declare to everyone

 

That the Son of God has come to earth to set the sinner free

From the sin that keeps us from the life God has for you and me.

When we see all that God has done for us to show to us His love,

We will all be awed in silence like the angels up above.

 

 

God’s richest blessings to you and yours for a most joyous Christmas and the best year ahead of service and praise in His Presence that you have ever experienced. 

 

From our family to yours in all sincerity, 

Dr. Chris King

The Blessing of Giving Thanks

 “We give thanks to You, O God; we give thanks, and Your name is near; Your wondrous works declare it.”(rf. Ps. 75:1 MEV)

 

            The one dynamic that separates our Thanksgiving celebration from all other holidays is or what should be the central focus of the day—giving thanks. This is a time purposefully set aside to give thanks to God for the many blessings that He has given to us throughout the preceding year. It is a clear recognition that those blessings were not brought into being by ourselves but bestowed upon us by One far greater than we could ever be. It is an opportunity for us to stop from our busyness and take inventory of what we have that others less fortunate than ourselves do not and be grateful. We do not rejoice in the disparity, but, rather, because of our bounty, we can bless others by helping to meet their needs. This is a holiday not to celebrate self-centeredness or pride. It is a reminder to be selfless in our generosity and humble that we have been the beneficiaries of so many good things from God’s hand.

            God delights in hearing from us in reference to how much we appreciate Him and the gifts He has given to us. When we give to others, it blesses us immensely to hear how much their lives have been touched and enhanced by our gift. If that is the case with us as sinful human beings, how much more does the heart of God rejoice to hear the thanks and praises of His people!

            Thanking God should never be a chore nor a matter of compulsion or a feeling that “I have to do this”. To give God appreciation should be a part of our common routine, though never allowed to become mere ritual with words devoid of heart and meaning. Rather, we should always be in an attitude of thanksgiving, aware of God’s Presence and blessings, ever responding to the many gifts He gives to us each day. In this way, celebrating Thanksgiving is but a corporate expression of what He expects from us individually. When He hears our hearts of appreciation and declarations of praise, He is ready to show us even more acts of love and mercy.

            Keep in mind that the celebration of Thanksgiving lies on the cusp of a new Church year with the season of Advent waiting in the wings to begin. So, may our hearts be refreshed by the joy and gladness in our giving of thanks to the Lord as we prepare to wait and rejoice for the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh to be our Emmanuel, “God with us” forever. 

 

Dealing with the Enemy

 

“For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

(rf. Ephesians 6:12 MEV)

 

 

            Whether or not we truly realize it, we as followers of Christ are at war with the evil forces under Satan’s dominion. For most of us, we would heartily prefer to live out our lives in relative peace, harmony and quietness. However, as Christians, the only peace we can count on is “peace with God” (rf. Romans 5:1) because Jesus has taken away our sin permanently and has placed us into His family. Therefore, during most of our earthly pilgrimage, we find ourselves in a struggle with evil in one form or another. It is hard enough to deal with our own sinful natures on a daily basis. But the overall conflict is greater than this. It is not a battle that we have asked for; it is one that comes with the territory of being a believer in Jesus. Thus, even though we do not relish the conflict, we have to embrace its reality. 

            Rather than being complicit in the actions and attitudes of evil, we are called and required to expose evil whenever it crosses our path so that other, less mature, Christians will not fall prey to its deception. Indeed, as the Apostle Paul states earlier in Ephesians, “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light” (rf. Ephesians 5:11-13 MEV). Like soldiers on the battlefield, we expect arms fire from the enemy at any moment, so we look out, not only for ourselves, but also for our fellow comrades to keep them safe from the dangers that surround us all.

            Secondly, we must remember that our enemy is not human, but a well-organized spiritual entity, known as “the Evil one” or Satan. Paul here stresses that we are not at war with our fellow man, though individual persons can indeed be pawns or puppets being used by the Enemy. Rather, the forces arrayed against us are well-arranged and placed so they can be most effective in the actions they take against God and His people. We are hated by them. We are targets of their wrath because we belong to Jesus (rf. John 15:18) and are not citizens of this world, but of the kingdom of God (rf. John 17:14). 

            Therefore, when we see people exhibiting evil in their actions and attitudes, know that the Enemy considers them disposable, used only to promote his evil agenda. When we observe people promoting examples of violence and death, witchcraft, Satanism, creatures of the darkness, they are being deceived into allying themselves with the forces of wickedness whose sole desire is to destroy God, His people and all things truly good. It is always better not to give sway to their efforts nor to be afraid of them. 

            Although Satan’s fate has already been decided (rf. Matthew 25:41), he has not given up on his destructive plans. He will undoubtedly battle until his end comes. On our part as children of God, we should concentrate on being “light and salt” (rf. Matthew 5:13-16), bringing healing to offset the damage of the Enemy in the lives of others and to shine the truth on his work around us. In this way, we can better serve the cause of Christ and bring release to those imprisoned by Satan and his minions.

 

Joining God in Our Giving

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (rf. Philippians 4:19-20 MEV)

 

            The God we serve, the Almighty God of Holy Scripture, is One who has promised to provide for all of the needs of His people, His Church. We know that in concept because we have seen His hand at work in the lives of the saints in both the Old and New Testaments. We also have personal experience with His sustaining and providential power. We can testify that He has come to our aid many times over the years to address our need. He has promised to be the only resource for us as His people. There is no need or situation beyond His ability to meet and to solve.

            We already know that as part of His storehouse of treasures from which He draws to meet needs is our giving. This is the reason our commitment to tithing is so important. When we give over and above the tithe through our gifts and offerings, we are helping Him to expand His provision for His efforts of ministry. Yet, our giving of money is only one way that He brings His resources together.

            He also uses the property and convertible personal items to expand His pool of resources. In the book of Numbers, there is an account of when God placed on the hearts of His people to give specific items of value that would be useful toward the construction of the Tabernacle (see Exod. 35:4-36:4). They gave their personal property, anything of great value, so that either it could be melted down for direct application to the building of the Tabernacle or it could be converted to money to be used to make necessary purchases. Indeed, the people gave so much that Moses had to stop the collection because they had much more than enough for the job. This is what transpires when God’s people get truly excited about giving back to the Lord in appreciation for all that He has given to us. 

            This brings up the necessary point for us to consider. When we think of how valuable things are to us, is His kingdom’s expansion by means of His Church a high consideration and priority…or is resourcing His work much lower on our list of important actions? We give because He desires for us to show our love and devotion in very tangible ways. The tithe belongs to Him already (if we’re being obedient); gifts and offerings are an opportunity to go beyond what is expected to something more expressive. When one enters into sacrificial giving, then he/she finds themselves in a realm occupied by few. Yet those who give sacrificially experience a true sense of His presence and favor because they have shown in visible ways how much we love and appreciate Him.

            We can even continue to give after we have died. By leaving behind an inheritance specifically designated for use by His Church and His people, we can ensure that His message moves forward and expands outward to cover as much territory as possible. Jacob left behind a legacy to his sons in both spiritual and physical terms. Likewise, we can pass on a nice gift that will long stay on the earth for many years past our departure.

            Our present culture teaches us that we should live “in the now”, that present experiences mean more than planning for the future. God stresses in His Word that the future belongs to Him and that we should not worry about tomorrow. However, in Proverbs, He uses the illustration of the ant and his life to point out the necessity and wisdom of future plans. He has already committed Himself to our provision and sustenance, but, more often than not, He fulfills His role through the agency of the giving of His people. Can He rely on you to be a part of such a worthwhile venture?