Encouragement

Set Free!

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

The fourth word that Paul used to describe what happens when we accept Christ as our Savior is the word “justified.”

For the sake of review, the first word found in Romans 8:29 was “foreknew” referring to the fact that even before the beginning of time, our omniscient God knew all about us.

The next word found in Romans 8:29 is “predestined.” Not only did God foreknow us, but He determined a wonderful plan for our lives. He determined that He wanted us to be His child and that we would accept His invitation to become our Heavenly Father, Savior and coming King.

The third word in this sequence is found in Romans 8:30. It was the word “called.” God has called us to follow Him; He has called us out of a sinful life and opened the way for us to live life abundantly.

Our word for today, justified, is a wonderful word. It is a legal term that was used in the court of law, back in the day. It means that all charges against us, due to our sin, have been dropped. We have been acquitted. It means that more than being forgiven happened. Now it is as if we had never even sinned. There is no record of our sin.

As a result, we have been reconciled with God. Now, we can walk with Him, talk with Him, listen to Him, follow the plan He prepared in advance for us, and we can have he assurance that He will never leave us, nor will He forsake us. He will always be our helper, our healer and our hope.

This also eliminates guilt, shame and condemnation. Paul wrote in the first verse of Romans 8, “…. there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” We are free to serve Him unencumbered by our past.

By the way, being justified is a gift. It is not something we can earn. The price for our sin was paid by Christ when He gave Himself as the once, for all, sacrifice. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

My prayer for you is that you “live free” and live the abundant life that God has planned for you today!

Always in Pursuit!

Don

God Is Calling You!

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The next word we discover in the sequence of salvation, as explained by the Apostle Paul in Romans 28:29-30 is the word “called.”

First, we are told that God “foreknew” us from before the beginning of time. Then we are told that God “predestined” us to be in right relationship with Him. Now we are told that we are “called.”

This is a great word. Everyone of us is called. Unless people are involved in full-time vocational ministry, most do not think of themselves as being called. But that is a fallacy. We are all called. It does not matter if you are a pastor, janitor, stay-at-home mom, carpenter, doctor, nurse or schoolteacher, you are called.

This call was created at the same time as when God foreknew you and when God predestined you. He called you before the beginning of time.

God wants you to be His own. He created you to be in fellowship with Him. Sin got in the way. This is why God sent Jesus to die and be resurrected so you and I could be reconciled to Him. This would fulfill the call on your life.

Another aspect of being “called” is that of authority or ownership. In Genesis 2:19-20 we read how God put Adam to work and gave him the responsibility of naming the animals. In effect, this gave Adam authority over the animals. He named them. He called them.

In some ways, it is like naming a pet. You try to pick a name that fits. A name that will make that pet uniquely yours. God has done the same with you. He created you, then He called you to be His.

God has done the same with us. He called us. We are His. We are His unique possession. There is not another human like you. One translation of Scripture uses the word “peculiar.” We are peculiar to God. We are His one of a kind. Paul described us in Ephesians 2:10 as God’s masterpiece, His workmanship.

In Romans 11:29 informs us that this call is irrevocable. In other words, you will not be able to make God stop loving you. Nor can you make Him love you more. You are His. He called you. He desires relationship with you. He is patiently waiting for you to accept His invitation.

Always in Pursuit!

Don

(Pre)Destined for Greatness!

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The second word we encounter in Paul’s explanation of what happens when we come to Christ as our Savior is the word “predestine.”

Many evangelical Christians do not like this word. When they hear it, they feel as if someone is taking away their God given privilege to make up their own mind. In some theological circles, the word is used to describe how some have been predestined to be saved while some have been predestined not to be saved.

The problem with the idea of some not being saved because they were predestined to be lost is that it contradicts the teaching of God’s Word. Take a moment and read through John 3:16; Matthew 18:14; and 2 Peter 3:9. It is not God’s will for any to perish. It is His will for all to be saved.

Just as God foreknew you from before the beginning of time, He predestined you to be saved at the same time. At the same time, He predestined a wonderful plan for your life that included healing, freedom and victory over sin.

Of course, you have the privilege of rejecting His plan. Many do so because it does not fit their pre-conceived idea of what God should do for them or the type of life, they think they want to live.

If you go back to the text, Romans 8:29, you will discover that God predestined you to be “conformed into the image of His Son.” This means to be God’s son or daughter following the pattern that Jesus lived. This does not mean we have to be perfect. But we are forgiven, free from sin and marching to the drumbeat of the Holy Spirit just as Christ did. (Read Acts 10:38)

This is His plan for you. It was predestined. You cannot earn it. It is a gift. It is yours. Just receive it.

Always in Pursuit!

Don

God Knew Me When!

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Ever felt like you were a mistake? Perhaps you were a surprise to your parents? These things happen along with many other scenarios that sometimes can make us feel as if we were mistake or even worse, not wanted.

Truth is that while you may have been a surprise to your parents, God knew all about you before you were conceived. Even better, He promised to bring good things out of those circumstances. (Romans 8:28)

In Romans 8:29-30 we are introduced to five terms that describe why and how God can bring good out of the good, bad and ugly circumstances of life. (Please understand the word “good” is defined by the “goodness” of God. This does not always include what we think might be good for us. We need to lean on God, not our own understanding about what might or might not be good. Ask yourself the question, how does this measure up against what God’s desires are for my life. Do not forget what Solomon wrote for us in Proverbs 3:5 and Proverbs 14:12; and Proverbs 16:25.)

The first of these five terms is found in verse 29. There we read that God “foreknew” us. The action attached to these five words took place prior to creation or prior to the beginning of time.

He knew you. In addition, there is also an underlying sense that God not only knew you but understands you. He knows all about you. He knows your strengths and your weaknesses. He knows how circumstances effect you. He knows when you are angry, frustrated, disappointed, and even offended. He created you and knows every single detail of who you are.

He loves you. He sent His One and only Son, Jesus, to die for you (John 3:16) and to be resurrected for you. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) God also has a wonderful plan for your life. (Jeremiah 29:11)

One final thought regarding this topic is that God is crazy about you, He sings over you, He has your name written (engraved or tattooed) on the palm of His hand and He will not forget you. (Zephaniah 3:17; Psalm 147:11; Isaiah 49:16)

The promise of Romans 8:28 is that no matter what happens or no matter what the source is of these things, God is more than able to bring about good. Sometimes the good is immediate, sometimes the good is delayed. Sometimes we find there is both an immediate and a long-term good that God brings about through the circumstances of our life.

Do not ever forget that God knew you “when.” And when you confess Him as your Savior, He will not allow anything to separate you from His love. And that is good!

Always in Pursuit!

Don

The Psalms, #2

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In a previous post, I introduced you to the genre of Psalms known as lament. Laments came from those times of great questions, from persecution, from hardships, and events that cause us to wonder where God is, or to wonder if God is going to be trustworthy.

There are over 60 Psalms classified as laments. Some scholars choose to ignore the lament, denying the existence of these emotions. Some have simply stated that “if we have faith” we will not experience times that bring about lamentations. I do not agree with that and obviously, the Holy Spirit, the one who breathed these words into the heart of the writer did not believe that way either. Difficult times wreak havoc on our emotions.

As I’ve studied many of the laments, I believe they were placed in God’s Word for the purpose of showing us how to handle those emotions when they come rather than allow them to handle us.

We all experience times of doubt, fear, helplessness, and hopelessness but we do not have to camp there. The Word of God encourages us to express these emotions to God and allow Him to speak to us from those times. Too often we do two things in these dark times. We deny them, put on a “happy face” and pretend that all is well. Even when we pray, we try to convince God that we’re okay. But He knows better. And He is waiting for us to come clean. To confess we are having a tough time. To ask for His help and to put our trust in Him. Too often we carry guilt over our emotions which causes us to hide or feel condemned.

Perhaps the most famous of the laments is Psalm 22. This was the Psalm Jesus quoted while hanging on the cross. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.”

The psalmist is being honest with his emotions. Jesus was being honest with His emotions. I believe the greatest source of pain for Jesus during all His trials and abuse as He was crucified was feeling separated from God. That was the “cup” He was asking to pass on in His prayer in Gethsemane.

Look though at the next line of Psalm 22. “YET you are enthroned as the Holy One, you are the one Israel praises. In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted you and you delivered them. To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.”

What a great prayer. We too can pray a prayer like that. Admit that times are tough; admit that we feel separated from God; admit that we do not always know what to do, then confess that you have confidence and know that God is more than able to bring you through this season.

God hasn’t changed. He’s the same today as He was while Jesus was on the cross or while David was being run out of town. He’ll do the same for you!

Always in Pursuit!

Don

The Psalms, #1

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My study of the Psalms has been a continual journey for many years now. When I first started, one of the things I realized about the Psalms was that every emotion I had ever experienced was found in the Psalms.

I could find Psalms that spoke of joy (Psalm 16 & 33). Psalms that speak of God as our fortress when I was feeling threatened (Psalm 18). I could find the promise of God being my strength when I felt weak. (Psalm 28 31, & 40) There are even Psalms that speak of anger but that’s for another day.

Of course, we all love and can quote the 23rd Psalm, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

There are various “kinds” or “types” of Psalms. (These are called, “genres.”) One of my favorites is the, “lament.”  A very simple definition of a lament is that it starts off kind of whiny but ends up in victory.

Ever feel kind of whiny? Things aren’t going like we want them to go. Seems like every time we turn around, we are having a conflict with someone. We don’t understand what’s happening or why it’s happening. We don’t know what to do and we feel helpless and even hopeless.

Instead of sitting down and eating a can of worms, the psalmist gives us a great plan for dealing with these emotions. He lets us know that it’s okay to express these emotions, especially to God. Denying you feel this way will only lead to an explosion down the road and there will be innocent victims.

Psalm 3 is a lament of David. He was having a really bad day. His son was trying to kill him You can read the whole story starting in 2 Samuel 15.) Take a moment to read the first four verses in Psalm 3. The first four verses are understandably “whiny.” “Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him.’” Take note though, David didn’t stay there. He pulled from his past. He drew from the faithfulness of God in days gone by. Listen to what he says, “BUT you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts up my head high. I call out to the Lord, and He answers me from His holy mountain.”

Even though things aren’t going like we want them to go these days and maybe even for many more days to come doesn’t mean we are helpless and hopeless. Don’t forget that important word “BUT.”  It’s okay to express your emotions to God. He can handle them. He understands. Best of all, He can bring comfort, peace and joy in these times. He is more than able to bring you through victoriously.

Tomorrow we’ll look at the most famous lament, Psalm 22. Jesus quoted this Psalm from the cross when He was having a bad day.

Always in Pursuit!

Don

Passion Week–Resurrection

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You can read about the Resurrection of Jesus in all four Gospels (Matthew 28:1-13; Mark 16:1-20; Luke 24:1-49; and John 20:1-31) You’ve probably heard many sermons/teachings about the Resurrection. It’s an exciting story that causes our hearts to burn with love, joy and hope.

Even though we all know how the story ends, the Passion Week of Christ is one of the most meaningful stories of the Bible. Every time I read it, something inside me burns.

I love Luke’s account of Jesus walking with the two of His followers on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-35. I get their disappointment. I’ve been disappointed at times by the way God works. But the part I really relate to is their reaction to the words Jesus spoke to them. Their words at that time were, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Something inside me burns every time I read about the death and resurrection of Jesus. It’s the foundation of my faith; it’s what brings me hope; and it’s what gives me faith in Him and all that is found in His Word.

There’s one more thing about the Resurrection that causes something inside of me to burn.

The same Spirit that raised Christ from the grave, is living inside you and me. It’s power over death and it’s the power that gives me life. Read it in Romans 8:11: “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

Life. Jesus’ death and resurrection opens the door to each one of us for life, abundantly. This life is for both the here and now, but also for eternity. His death and resurrection defeated death and destruction satan planned for us.

It’s a great promise! Enjoy!

Happy Resurrection Day!

Always in Pursuit!

Don

Passion Week, Day 6

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The night of the Lord’s Supper and the betrayal would make an action-packed thriller of a novel in our world today.

Many scholars believe Jesus and his disciples, minus Judas, left the Upper Room and walked to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus spent time praying. This was when He invited Peter, James and John to join Him, but they couldn’t stay awake. You can read this account in Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; and in Luke 27:40-46).

As you read the account of this time, I would challenge you to note the agony Jesus must have felt.  I would assume He felt very alone. One of His best friends, Judas, was leading a band of soldiers to come and arrest Him. Three more of his best friends, Peter, James and John, could even stay awake to pray with Him. The Luke account says that “His sweat was like drops of blood” indicating a great deal of stress upon His body.

In Matthew 26:39 He pleaded with God, His Father, about whether “this cup be taken” from Him. I don’t believe this was a request to avoid the suffering or to avoid death. His suffering and His death were part of the plan He signed on for, before the beginning of time. The separation from God was part of the plan too, but it was just about more than He could bear.

The idea of being separated from God brought about great stress in the life of Jesus. I’m thinking we might need to learn a lesson from that. We need to make sure we don’t allow anything, sin, to get between us and God. That’s what happened in the Garden with Adam & Eve. They allowed doubts which turned into sin, to separate them from God. And look at the mess it caused!

Back to the Garden of Gethsemane. I believe the arrest of Jesus happened about midnight, or perhaps a little earlier. Keep in mind, that Jesus was placed on the cross at the time of the morning sacrifice which was 9 AM. The next nine hours were jammed packed.

There were six judicial trials that happened from the time Jesus was arrested and taken away to the time He was nailed to the cross.

There were five rules pertaining to all trials at this time.

#1—A trial was never to be conducted at night

#2—The accused could have an attorney speak on their behalf

#3—The accused could not be declared guilty without reputable witnesses

#4—Members of a Jewish court, after hearing testimony in a capital crime, were not allowed to render an immediate verdict. They were required to adjourn for two day and two nights before returning and hear once again the testimony against the accused

#5—The Sanhedrin was supposed to vote, one person at a time. The youngest members were to vote first so they would not be influenced by the older members. Since there were 70 members to the Sanhedrin, this would have taken a great deal of time.

Here’s a list of the trials along with the Scripture references:

Trial #1—Before Annas, ex-high priest of the Jews, owner of the Bazaars of Annas, the marketplace set up in the Temple Courts—John 18:13-23

Trial #2—Before Caiaphas,  the current High Priest and son-in-law to Annas along with the entire Sanhedrin—Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65; John 18:24

Trial #3—Before the Sanhedrin—The seventy ruling men of Israel—Mark 15:1a; Luke 22:66-71

Trial #4—Before Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea—Matthew 27:11-14; Mark 15:1b-5; Luke 23:1-7; John 18:28- 38

Trial #5—Before Herod Antipas, Roman governor of Galilee—Luke 23:8-12

Trial #6—Back to Pilate—Matthew 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:18-25; John 18:29-19:6

At the end of the six trials, it is probably 7 AM. All trials were illegal. Five times Jesus is declared innocent by Pilate and by Herod. Yet the Jews still called for His death. They even traded a known murderer, Barabbas, for the life of Jesus.

I think the cross Jesus was hung on had been prepared for Barabbas. But just as He did for you and me, Jesus took the place of this renowned sinner.

Pause for a just a bit, think about it, an innocent man, a sinless man, the Son of God, took your place, took my place, on the cross!

Always in Pursuit!

Don

Passion Week, Day 5

/ Don McGarvey / 1 Comment

Day 5 of Passion Week is traditionally known as Maundy Thursday. It also has been known as Holy Thursday.

The word “maundy” comes from the Latin and means “command.” On this day, Jesus spends several hours with the disciples in the Upper Room. They celebrate the Passover Meal but during the meal, Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper. He also commands them to “love one another as He had loved them” and He demonstrates what it means to be humble and to be the servant of all.

This will be a little different than the previous Passion Week writings, but I hope and pray you will be challenged by it.

We know from Scripture that Jesus kept the Jewish holy days. From the time He was a child, He would travel to Jerusalem to keep the feasts. In some ways it makes sense because they were all about Him.

This day of the Passion Week was the time spent in the Upper Room, the Passover Meal which became the pattern for the Lord’s Supper was instituted.

 Perhaps the most impactful lesson was when Jesus demonstrated what it meant to be a servant to all. He put on the servant’s apron, took the basin and towel, and proceeded to wash the feet of each disciple. You can read about this in John 13.

While I think this was hugely impactful, it is obvious that this too zoomed over their heads because just a little later, they broke out in the old argument about who among was or would be the greatest.

Earlier, Jesus sent two disciples to prepare the “Upper Room” for their celebration of the Passover Meal. Tradition says the man they encountered was the young man Mark, and the home they ate the Passover Meal was his mother’s Mary upper room.

It was during this time at the meal, Jesus announced that one of them would betray Him.

I’ve always been intrigued over the concern that each one expressed about who the betrayer would be. In Matthew’s account of this, Matthew 26:22, it appears that each of them asked1 the question, “Surely not I, Lord?” They were appalled at the thought of one of them would betray Jesus. But they all asked if it was going to be them.

It appears Judas was not part of this conversation because it was several minutes until Judas addressed the issue by saying, “Surely, not I, Rabbi?”

In John’s account of this, John 13:27, this was when Jesus told Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

They finished the meal, Jesus taught on the ministry of the Holy Spirit John 14-16. He also prayed His High Priestly Prayer, the actual Lord’s Prayer in John 17. They sang a hymn, probably one of the Hallel Psalms (perhaps Psalm 116, 117 or 118), and left for the Garden of Gethsemane where His arrest took place.

Before moving on, I’d like to make an observation regarding the disciples. The evening started with Jesus taking the servants apron and performing the act of washing the feet of the disciples. This would have normally been done by the youngest servant, or the lowest servant of the house.

An interesting thing happens here in Luke’s account. Luke 22:24 tells us that at this point in the evening, the disciples once again began arguing among themselves as to which one of them was the greatest. This was not the first time an argument like that had broken out.

I realize they were young, but they just witnessed their “Lord” and “Master” put on the servant’s apron and wash their feet. They missed it. It “zoomed” right over their head. Jesus’ response was to teach how they were to all be like the youngest, assuming nothing. He also taught that the one who rules, also serves.

The commands of the evening were to love one another; serve one another; and never forget the broken body and the shed blood of Christ, who willingly gave Himself, as a ransom for all.

What areas of your life do you see yourself as a servant? Are there areas of your life where you see yourself as “being served?” How do you think that would fit into the teaching of Jesus to His disciples? Could it be there needs to be a change in your thinking?

Always in Pursuit!

Don

Passion Week, Day 4

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This day of the Passion Week is not mentioned specifically in the Scriptures. On the charts detailing the Passion Week, it is sometimes referred to as “A Day of Rest.”

It followed a jam packed three days, First, the Triumphal Entry; then the Clearing the Temple; followed by the Confrontation with the Priests and Elders in the Temple.

Jesus and the Disciples probably returned to Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

I believe this was the time when the Olivet Discourse was given (Matthew 24, 25; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44).

The setting would have been atop the Mount of Olives, overlooking the city of Jerusalem.

The Olivet Discourse is the final of five teachings given by Jesus and recorded by Matthew. Essentially, it is Jesus’ response to three questions posed by the disciples in Matthew 24:3.

The three questions and their answers are: “When will these things happen?” (answered in Matthew 24:36) “What will be the sign of your coming?” (answered in Matthew 24:30-35) and “What will be the sign of the end of the age?” (answered in Matthew 4:4-29)

Notice that Jesus answered their questions in reverse order.

In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus reminds the disciples to not get so caught up in trying to figure everything out that they miss out. He was also wanting the disciples to “be righteous,” rather that simply to “appear righteous.” The Pharisees had done a pretty good job of this. They were so focused on dotting every “i” and crossing every “t” that they forgot to make sure they were taking care of business, watching and always being prepared for these things to happen.

In Matthew 24:36, Jesus tells them that, “No one knows about the day or the hour.” He then proceeds to liken the day of His coming to the times of Noah. It was evil; people were completely disregarding the call to repent; and were eternally lost when the door to the Ark was closed.

I guess the moral of that lesson is to make sure we “don’t miss the boat.” Jesus proceeded to try and help the disciples not to miss the boat.

Jesus tells two parables in Matthew 25. The first (Matthew 25:1-13) is the Parable of “The Ten Virgins.” You remember it from Sunday school. Five were wise, five were foolish. The foolish ran out of oil and ultimately missed the coming of the Bride Groom because they were not prepared.

The second parable (Matthew 25:14-30) is, “The Parable of the Talents.” In this story, Jesus puts the emphasis on each of us using the talents (God given abilities) to accomplish His purposes. I would remind you of Ephesians 2:10 were we are told that not only are we God’s workmanship or His masterpieces, but there are also works established for us to do. And God has given each of us “talents” or “abilities” to accomplish those works. We just need to make sure we do what we we’re supposed to do.

Matthew 25 concludes with a great warning. It’s a teaching about the coming judgment. It’s about “sheep and goats” in Matthew 25:31-46. These words were a warning for those who do not live prepared or for those who choose not to use their talents for God’s purposes. There will be judgment. Christ will separate those who were obedient from those who were disobedient.

Again, the big picture here is to always be ready; always be doing the work of God; and always be looking to God as our source.

Always in Pursuit!

Don