Confirmation and Encouragement

Confirmation and Encouragement

December 16, 2019

Luke 1:45  "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was human, to be sure. She was chosen to birth the Christ child while yet a virgin. She was engaged to a man, not yet physically known to her and yet she was with child. An  angel appeared to her and told her about what would transpire for her. While she submitted to the angel's directions from the Lord, she was still human in having to deal with all that was in front of her. She had to go to her fiancee and tell her that she was now pregnant and that she would be bringing up the Christ child. She was likely nervous in that first, deep conversation with Joseph about her new-found pregnancy. And she had to not just tell him that she was pregnant, but that they were going to be the parents of the Savior. At this point in Mary's story, all she had to go on was a word from an angel. Joseph could have denied Mary's encounter with the angel, so far nothing was verifiable. Mary stepped out in faith, though, at the angel's original instructions, having to tell Joseph of her pregnancy and what Mary had agreed to do for the Lord.

Joseph was originally not on board with Mary's plan. He was willing to walk away respectfully, not calling Mary crazy in his disbelief. But an angel appeared to him as well, and gave him encouragement. Joseph heard from the Lord himself and went to Mary and confirmed the plan. Joseph was now on board and Mary had at least one person who believed in her. Shortly thereafter, Mary's relative, Elizabeth, who was carrying John the Baptist in her womb, met with Mary. Elizabeth heard Mary's story and she too agreed with her, having confirmation from the Lord.  Mary now had two people who verified her story independently, confirming what Mary took as a leap of faith in her journey.  Mary spent three months with Elizabeth, during her pregnancy, likely receiving encouragement from Elizabeth along this crazy new path.

Shortly after Jesus was born, May and Joseph presented Jesus at the temple.  There was a righteous man, Simeon, who had heard from the Lord, too, regarding the crazy plan. Mary and Joseph did not have to tell Simeon who Jesus was, he knew, he had already known. Mary now had another confirmation that she was on the right path.  Mary stepped out in faith, on nothing other than a personal encounter with the Lord. She had no written plan or desire to make this up. She was likely nervous and scared and maybe even questioned her own sanity at times. But the Lord provided confirmation and encouragement along the way. This confirmation and encouragement was likely needed to help Mary stay firm to the plan. It was not easy to step out in faith all by herself, but the Lord honored her for that and encouraged her that she was making the right decision in following the Lord's will.

The Lord's will for your life may not be easy to understand or even digest, but others have gone before you in stepping out in faith on that scary journey. It can be done, but the confirmation and encouragement may not come instantly. You still have to  step out in faith. Once you do, the confirmation and encouragement will come, but there is no script, no written plan for you to follow, only the Lord's leading. When you do have confirmation and encouragement along the way, it will help you to keep going, fuel you on when the going gets tough, when most still don't believe your story or in what you are doing. If you are awaiting confirmation before you step out in faith, then you really would not be stepping out in faith. If you are awaiting confirmation before you move, then you might spend the rest of your life paralyzed and missing God's amazing journey for your life.  Mary was blessed because she stepped out in faith, before others' confirmation or encouragement.

 

Don't take my word for it; look it up:  Luke 1:26-45, Luke 2:21-38

Hiding Words

Hiding Words

November 25, 2019

Deuteronomy 12:28  "Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God."

The Bible is the instruction manual for life, full of choice words, wisdom for every situation. The Word of the Lord is akin to a medicine that works across multiple ailments. The instructions contained in the Bible are akin to the answer sheets for a test. The directives in the Word are there to protect, keep us safe from evil as well as ourselves.  Most Christians accept that the Bible is the Word of God, the Standard, but few understand the value of it. Maybe you understand the value of it, but is it the first place you go when you need advice?

There are many places to go when we need advice.  Most people try to figure things out first, on their own, then consult a trusted friend or family member to bounce off ideas. People often go with the advice that makes sense to them, but the Bible is more than that. Unfortunately, many do not understand the value of the Scriptures, how much it can help with figuring out life. Sometimes the Words contained in Scripture are not always what makes sense, either, going against the grain of earthly wisdom. The Bible, however, has never led anyone astray. There is nothing in the Bible that has been tested and found to be false or wrong or errant or faulty. The Bible should be the first place we turn when we need to figure something out. Some Christians tend to skip the Bible and just go straight to the Lord in prayer. While this is, and can be, a good thing, it can be a risky endeavor. It is not risky because the Lord would give differing advice than Scripture, but it is risky in that we often hear a voice of reason other than the Lord's. It is easier to mistake a fresh Word from the Lord than it is to mistake what is written down in the Scriptures.

The Lord says we should hide His Word in our hearts. Those Words are the spoken Words of Jesus, as well as all the instructions given out by the Lord. The Bible is the easiest and most clear way to handle the Christian life and yet we often do not use it to the fullest. The Words in the Bible are not hidden from us, but are meant to be hidden inside of us, like a pearl protected from loss. But when was the last time you made any effort to memorize Scripture? As a Christian, there should be at least 20 passages you could recite from memory. What passages do you have memorized? In the Old Testament the Lord said we should write His words on our door posts, on our walls, on our clothing, even on our foreheads if we are prone to forget them. How many door frames in your home are full of the written Scriptures? How about on the dashboard of your car or the screensaver on your phone?

Chances are good you can remember the words to songs from two decades ago but cannot recite 10 passages from memory at this instant. What is hidden inside your heart? Where are the Lord's instructions written should you need to refer to the manual? How many words are hidden in your heart? Christians fill their hearts with so many things: anger, jealousy, resentment, bitterness, and pride. How about hiding the Lord's Words in there?

 

Don't take my word for it; look it up:  Ex 19:7, Deut 6:8-9, Deut 9:10, Ps 199:11, Pr 6:21, John 6:68, 1 Tim 6:3-4, 2 Pet 3:2

Revealed Identity

Revealed Identity

November 11, 2019

Luke 24:31  "Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. . . ."

After Jesus was crucified and out of the tomb, the Bible does not disclose where he went when He left the tomb. But He went somewhere, by Himself on the very day of His resurrection. Not wanting to stay hidden, Jesus decided to appear back on the earth that very same day. The Bible says that some of His disciples were walking along the road and discussing the deep tragedy of all that just transpired, not realizing Jesus was already walking among them. These disciples were talking about the events that unfolded, about Jesus the Messiah, and about His death. Suddenly, along the road Jesus appeared to them but they did not recognize Jesus. Jesus walked along side of them and joined in the discussion. It was a long walk, a decent journey that encompassed a long theological debate between Jesus and the disciples. The disciples decided to invite this man, Jesus, into their home to have a meal with them and possibly stay with them. The disciples were unaware that it was Jesus. The Bible says that suddenly their eyes were opened and they realized it was Jesus. Then Jesus disappeared. Their minds were blown wide open realizing their hearts were burning within them the entire walk.

They were walking with Jesus, even discussing Jesus, yet did not realize at the time He was among them. This is a huge parallel to our own Christian walk. The first and foremost thing to realize is that Jesus is present during your Christian walk, even before you start walking with Him. Jesus was walking alongside of you, before you came to the knowledge of Him. When someone discussed with you the person of Jesus for the first time, Jesus was there; you came to understand the concept of who Jesus was before you met Him personally. The disciple's hearts were burning within them the whole time they were walking with Him, yet did not realize it was Him. This is the same in your own life, too, that brought you to fully realize His presence. And then suddenly your eyes were open to Him,  you came to truly realize all of Him. In hindsight you can see it now, not realizing it at the time, though, all the times He walked with you.

You may have never led someone to the Lord, but it is not actually your job to reveal Him to everyone you meet. Your only opportunity lies in discussing Him, talking about who He is and what He represents. It is actually up to Jesus to reveal Himself to everyone on a personal level. He will, though maybe not physically. If you are frustrated that someone has not come to the knowledge of the Lord, then make sure you simply keep talking about Him. Rest assured that person's heart is burning within them; Jesus desires to reveal His identity to everyone.  If someone has not yet decided to acknowledge Jesus in their own life, then pray they would not stifle the burning in their hearts. Pray that Jesus would be revealed to them. No one has ever come to accept Jesus as their Savior if He remains hidden from them. His desire is not to remain hidden, but wishes to reveal His identity. Pray that nothing would quench the burning in their hearts, that they would respond to Him when He reveals His identity to them. Your job, your only job, is to keep talking about Him, to keep revisiting who He is and was and what He did on the cross.

 

Don't take my word for it; look it up:  Luke 24