Category: Jesus Christ

Faith During Life’s Storms #7

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

As these final two studies for this devotionals arc were a-preparing, I experienced a major “storm of life” (ongoing). In this sin-cursed world of error, division, strife, and violence, we find solace in Jesus Christ. We can let life’s problems force us to retreat (surrender), or we can use them as opportunities to rely on Him.

Romans 5:1-5 encourages: “[1] Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: [2] By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [3] And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; [4] And patience, experience; and experience, hope: [5] And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Tribulations (troubles), once viewed from the grace perspective, produce patience in us. Rather than wanting God to remove our troubles, we remember that He has fully equipped us in Jesus Christ to handle every circumstance: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). That patience brings us experience, skills to better handle similar problems next time (learning more sound Bible doctrine to apply). That experience brings us hope, that we not despair or get depressed. We remember God’s Word is fortifying us inside so we react to difficulties in the same way God Himself would (the Christian life is His life!). That hope guards us against shame; we grow confident in God’s Word. The indwelling Holy Spirit fills our believing souls with the verses that speak of God’s great love for us, that He cares for us, that He is there for us, to see us through to the “other side”….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Do we study only Paul’s epistles?”

Faith During Life’s Storms #6

Monday, September 8, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

In a previous study, we commented on how life on this sin-filled planet is uncertain. While most people do not believe the Bible, they doubtless agree with Job 14:1, which says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” From daily hassles to life-altering events, the human life is “full of trouble.”

Take a few moments to recall that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, had plenty of trouble—after escaping at least two assassination attempts during His earthly life and ministry, His last day alive He faced a betrayal, thrice-denial, insults, spitting and jeering critics, an unfair trial, merciless punching and beatings, and an awful crucifixion (culminating with a fatal, but very slow, asphyxiation). Think on that when you complain of having a “bad day!”

It is ever so easy to look at dire physical circumstances and become hysterical (like the disciples did in today’s Scripture), but the Bible says, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Like the disciples should have done, we are to look beyond physical circumstances, to see God’s truth with the eyes of faith (Hebrews 11:1).

Rather than falling apart when those tempests arise on our calm waters, we have to remember and believe the Lord Jesus’ words to us. Jesus Christ, because we have placed our faith solely in Him as complete payment for our sins, has promised to take us to “the other side,” to see us through “the storms of life.” Let us briefly consider what He has spoken to us to give us spiritual fortification….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Is ‘Jesus’ a mistake in the King James Bible in Hebrews 4:8?”

Faith During Life’s Storms #4

Saturday, September 6, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

To demonstrate to His disciples that He was the Creator God in human flesh, the Lord Jesus commanded the winds and the sea to be quiet… and instantly, the waters were just as calm as before. JEHOVAH stills the noises of the raging seas and waves (Psalm 65:7; Psalm 89:9; Psalm 107:29); JEHOVAH in the flesh (Jesus Christ) did likewise. “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still” (Psalm 107:29). If He could create those natural laws from nothing with just a few spoken words, He could easily manipulate them to disassemble a storm (with just a few spoken words!).

Both before and after Jesus Christ calmed the storm, His disciples were guilty of unbelief (today’s Scripture; Mark 4:40; Luke 8:25). Their sinful hearts were deceitful. “But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (Matthew 8:27). Mark (4:41) put it this way, “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Luke wrote (8:25), “And they being afraid wondered, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.” Oddly enough, Jesus’ disciples were just as troubled during the storm as they were after He had dissipated it! The Scriptures indicate they still did not get what He had taught them.

What Israel of the future can learn is this… despite all the horrors of the seven-year Tribulation period, that “storm of life” will pass, and there will be peace as such the world has not seen since the creation week….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Who is ‘the great cloud of witnesses’ of Hebrews 12:1?”

Faith During Life’s Storms #3

Friday, September 5, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

Today’s Scripture says that, before He calmed the storm, Jesus asked them, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” After He calmed the tempest, He questioned them, “Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). Luke’s account (8:25) affirms that He also asked, “Where is your faith?”

The Bible says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Jesus had said something important just prior to them entering the ship, so had His disciples really believed His Word, they would have also grabbed pillows and rested with Him! Had they really been men of faith—trusting what He said—they would not have worried about the storm.

Mark and Luke explain what Jesus said just before they entered the boat. “And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side” (Mark 4:35). Luke 8:22 reports, “…And he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake.”

Jesus told them that they were traveling by ship to the opposite shore of the Sea of Galilee. He said that they would get to the other side, so they should just believe Him—His Word will surely come to pass. They do not have to worry. Yet, when the storm arose later, the disciples focused on their circumstances and ignored God’s Word. They were sidetracked (doubting Jesus’ words). They assumed they would die in the middle of the sea—they forgot that Jesus had already said they would reach the other shore!

In the future, Israel will reflect on this miraculous account, to learn a valuable lesson….

Faith During Life’s Storms #2

Thursday, September 4, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

Whenever attempting to understand a passage in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, it is very helpful to search them for parallel passages. While all four books are not verbatim—they are not meant to be 100 percent identical anyway—we can find the same account in one, two, three, or even all four books. Where one book briefly summarizes an event, another book will provide details of that same incident.

For example, we read in the context of today’s Scripture (Matthew 8:23-27) that Jesus and His disciples are in a ship, out on the Sea of Galilee. Their peaceful journey suddenly takes a “turn for the worse.” There arises a mighty storm, and the disciples panic—Jesus is sleeping peacefully as the once-tranquil waters rock the ship! Fearing shipwreck, they frantically awaken their Lord and beg Him to save them. He answers, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?”

From Matthew’s account alone, this expression cannot be fully grasped. Mark and Luke, who also recorded this account, must be consulted for enlightenment: the Holy Spirit had Matthew ignore certain details, but He chose to include them in Mark 4:35-41 and Luke 8:22-25. For example, in Mark 4:37, the great windstorm has beaten the waves against the ship, “that it was now full.” Luke 8:23 says, “and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.” Jesus, at the back of the ship, asleep on a pillow (Mark 4:38), is awakened. According to Mark, His disciples also asked, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” Jesus did care that the boat was full of water, but He was still calm. Why?

Mark and Luke alone provide the key to understanding Jesus’ peaceful demeanor, and why He wanted His disciples to relax….

Faith During Life’s Storms #1

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

In this world, life is unpredictable—from good health to poor, from a job promotion to loss, from friendships to heartbreak, and so on. One moment of peace and quiet can suddenly turn into a matter of life-or-death. This literally happened in today’s Scripture.

Verse 23 says that Jesus entered into a ship and His disciples followed Him. (Judging from the context, they begin drifting on the Sea of Galilee.) We read in verse 24, “And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.” The Lord Jesus, fully God and fully human, is physically exhausted, sound asleep in the ship, at peace. On the other hand, His disciples, fully human, are terrified, sorely troubled because of the danger they face. It is not just a rain shower; it is a “great tempest.” It is a mighty storm! They hurry to Him and wake Him, crying out, “Lord, save us: we perish!” We can almost hear the urgency in their voices, the sound of the winds whipping across the sea, the roaring of the waves bashing against the sides of the ship and rushing over the top.

Today’s Scripture says that Jesus awakens, but He is not at all alarmed to hear of the violent storm. Instead of panicking with them, He asks, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” We can almost hear His soft voice, consoling them and yet rebuking them: He tells them that they should not be afraid, that they are “of little faith.” Exactly what did He mean, and what lesson is He teaching Israel? What lesson can we members of the Body of Christ learn from this narrative?

Let us search the Scriptures….

If Just One

Saturday, August 30, 2014

“…[B]rethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:” (2 Thessalonians 3:1 KJV).

God’s Word will have “free course”…even to be glorified in “just” one!

I was thrilled when a dear brother once contacted me asking how he should start his ministry. God’s Word had so filled his heart that he was almost bursting, so driven to tell someone—anyone—about the message of God’s grace to us in Christ. He expressed, “If [I] could assist even ONE person….”

It greatly delights a pastor, a Bible teacher, or a soul winner, to hear when even one person is saved unto eternal life or saved unto sound Bible doctrine, spiritual fruit of their ministry, who then reach others. Yet, Christians often give up in witnessing because “no one” wants to listen to God’s Word. (Actually, there is always at least one person somewhere who wants to hear God’s truth. Diligently seek him or her!). Beloved, we are not here to save anyone or to force any saved people to mature spiritually. They have free will, as do we. What we are here to do is reach out to them in love, meekness, and patience—share the Gospel of God’s Grace with lost people and dispensational Bible study with Christians. If you reach just one person, rejoice in Christ. Just imagine if every Christian reached “just one!”

An amazing thought is, the Lord Jesus Christ’s heavenly ministry—His ministry through the Apostle Paul—has lasted almost 2,000 years now. Just imagine, by God saving that one man, the resulting ministry brought the Gospel of Grace to billions of people, and millions upon millions were saved! Right up to our present day, the same Lord Jesus Christ is willing to use us to continue what He started nearly 20 centuries ago. If we each only reach just one, and the Lord continues to tarry, extending our dispensation long after we have passed on, the manifold testimonies of those our converts generations future, will be ours in which to rejoice when we meet all those precious souls in heaven!

And, yes, as you might have guessed, it all starts with “just” one! 🙂

The More Excellent Ministry #5

Friday, August 29, 2014

“For the love of Christ constraineth us… God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:14a,18bc KJV).

Our flesh is ever so weak, but Christ’s love—the unconditional love He has for us—drives us to push ourselves aside and think of others instead.

God never saves anyone to sit and do nothing. Romans chapter 6 is the simplest passage regarding Christian living, and when read with chapters 7 and 8, one unquestionably learns how the Christian life operates. (Read these three glorious chapters to get a blessing!) Father God wants us to let Christ live in us via the indwelling Holy Spirit taking verses we study and believe, and bringing them “to life” in our lives!

When we trusted exclusively Paul’s Gospel, the Gospel of God’s Grace—Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3,4)—the Holy Spirit instantly placed us into Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). That moment, we died with Jesus on Calvary’s cross and we were raised again with Him “to walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:1-6). We are “dead, freed from sin” (verse 7). Now, Jesus Christ’s life is in us; we are dead to self-living. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me…” (Galatians 2:20). We read in 2 Corinthians 5:15, the context of today’s Scripture: “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”

In Matthew 20:28, Jesus Christ identified the more excellent ministry: “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” As His Father instructed, Jesus did not come to be served (self life), but to serve others (Christian life). Christ’s love for us drove Him to Cavalry’s cross, so His love for us—yea, for lost people—compels us to tell them of that love exhibited at Calvary: “For God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). 🙂

The More Excellent Ministry #4

Thursday, August 28, 2014

“For the love of Christ constraineth us… God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:14a,18bc KJV).

Our flesh is ever so weak, but Christ’s love—the unconditional love He has for us—drives us to push ourselves aside and think of others instead.

“For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written [Psalm 69:7], The reproaches of them that reproached thee [God the Father] fell on me” (Romans 15:3). Hebrews 10:5-9, quoting Psalm 40:6-8, contains a Messianic passage (prophetic of Jesus’ earthly life): “[5] Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: [6] In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. [7] Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. [8] Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; [9] Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God….”

Jesus “delighted” in doing His Father’s will (note Psalm 40:8); here, to lay down His life for our sins (John 10:17,18) and thus abolish the Old Testament animal sacrifices. As Christ, in His humanity, gained more awareness—more wisdom (Luke 2:40,52)—regarding Father God’s will for Him, He better understood what to do. Our Christian life operates in the same manner, for it is the same life of Jesus Christ!

What is Father God’s will today? He wants “all men to be saved” and all saved people “to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). He wants lost people saved through faith in Jesus Christ (the Gospel of the Grace of God). He wants saved people to understand why He saved them (dispensational Bible study). God’s will for us Christians is for us to grow in knowledge of His will for us. This is where today’s Scripture and its context come in—“the ministry of reconciliation.”

Where Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry ended (His finished crosswork), our ministry literally begins….

The More Excellent Ministry #3

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

“For the love of Christ constraineth us… God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:14a,18bc KJV).

Our flesh is ever so weak, but Christ’s love—the unconditional love He has for us—drives us to push ourselves aside and think of others instead.

What sort of life did Jesus Christ live on earth? If we can understand how He lives, then we can understand how He wants us to live in Him, or technically, how He wants to live in and through us. Philippians 2:3-5 reminds us: “[3] Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. [4] Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. [5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus….”

Our Lord Jesus Christ lived in complete awareness of what His Heavenly Father wanted accomplished. Unlike most Christians today, He did not wonder about in spiritual ignorance. His mind was so filled with the Word of God that nothing would distract Him from fulfilling it.

Isaiah 50:4-6 actually quoted Jesus Christ seven centuries prior to His incarnation: “[4] The Lord GOD [God the Father] hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. [5] The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. [6] I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.”

Jesus Christ said, “I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29c). He had so studied the Old Testament passages describing His life and ministry, that He was able to fulfill them perfectly. Hence, God the Father was so pleased. If we want our Christian lives to be acceptable to God, it will have to be Jesus Christ’s life in us….