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Luke 2:9-10

Don’t Be Afraid!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 16, 2014

The Angelic appearances are a significant part of the Christmas story. We love the passage from Luke where the Angel appeared to the Shepherds. In Charlie Brown’s Christmas, Linus reads the 16 angelspassage, Luke 2:8-14. It is really very profound. Verses 9 & 10 tell us about the Angelic visitation: “Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said.”

Whenever the “glory of the Lord” shone on people in the Old Testament the normal reaction was fear. Moses ascended the mountain and called the people to join him amidst the thunder and the lightening, but they were too afraid. They sent Moses up on their behalf and Moses came down the mountain glowing from his exposure. As you read of Angelic visitations in the Bible the normal response is fear. But that’s not what God intends. Someone said that there are 365 “don’t be afraid’s” in the Bible but I’ve only been able to find about a hundred of them. I suppose if you included “fear not,” “be not afraid,” and some other similar phrases you might get to 365, but I’ve not been able to do it. Yet I love the idea of there being a “fear not” for every day of the year. But I don’t think that gimmick is necessary to grasp the clear truth that God loves each and every one of us and pays close attention to us and watches over us in our day to day lives. The words of the Angel should reassure us all!

The Bible clearly teaches us to not be afraid of life’s problems and pains. Do you think God would let something happen to you that He couldn’t control? Absolutely not! His mighty hand extends beyond the veil of flesh and bone into eternity. He guarantees us safety. Jesus said that we’re too valuable for God to allow any permanent damage. In Matthew 10:29-31, Jesus says, “…not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” God sovereignly controls the details of every person’s life and he does so with a purpose. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” So no matter what the problem, “Don’t Be Afraid!” Take it from the Angel!

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Matthew 2:1

The Great Divider

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 15, 2014

The history of all mankind is divided into two eras; before Christ and After Christ. Of course the trend today is to make BC stand for “before the common era” and AD to stand for “After the common era.” However the two abbreviations were 15 changesoriginally “Before Christ” and “After Christ – or the Year of Our Lord.” Jesus is the great divider of all things. That’s what Christmas time marks whether you acknowledge it or not. It marks the coming of the new era by the birth of a baby in a manger in Bethlehem as recorded in Matthew 2:1. How does that minor event in a stable in an unknown little city in the mid-east change anything? I would argue that it changed everything because it changes one person at a time.

Look at the Apostle Paul. It was around 33 AD on the road to Damascus. Schenck writes, “Our gracious God stopped Paul the persecutor and pointed him in a different direction. In an instant God turned his whole view of life and the world upside down. Paul had thought God hated Christians; it turned out they were the ones who understood His will. Paul had thought God was all-concerned with the details of the Jewish law; it turned out He was more interested in bringing lost sheep back into His fold.” My life is also divided by the same thing. I lived for 32 years “before Christ” came into my life. When I think of those years and those memories I am often reminded that this was before Christ became to me what the Scriptures teach that He is; the Savior of all mankind. It wasn’t until after I met Christ that I saw myself as I truly was. Just as Paul saw himself when he met Christ on the road, so did I see myself when I met Christ. Like Job, I had always minimized God’s love but again like Job, through the course of personal suffering, I got a glimpse of God’s love and that changed everything. It always does.

Christmas can change everything in our lives. But we’re usually way too busy for it. We must stop the frenzy and take time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. For many, Christmas is only an excuse to party and revel and then quickly pass on to other pursuits, but those who listen with the ears of faith find a message that gives life and hope to a world lacking both. His birth does more than change the way we keep track of time – it changes who we are and how we live. When we grasp the depth of God’s love communicated to us at Christmas time it can’t help but change our lives. It’s in the incarnation, God becoming man, where the most profound message of the Christian faith can be found. Such unfathomable love changes every in a life that will make time and room for Him.

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John 21:6-11, 2 Samuel 24:10

Numbers Count!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 12, 2014

We often sing, “Count your many blessings, and name them one by one. Count your many blessings and see what God has done.” I like that little song! The idea of counting to exalt God is a common theme in both the Old and the New 12 countingTestament. God instructed Abraham to count the stars. He couldn’t, but that was how many descendants God would give him. God instructed Moses to count the children of Israel as mentioned above so that they would see how great God is. Jesus instructed the fishermen to count their fish on one occasion so that they would see when man fishes he catches nothing. Jesus asked the fishermen, “how many fish have you caught?” They answer, “Zero, zilch, nada, nothing!” Then Jesus directs them on where to fish (the other side of the boat) and they catch so many that they couldn’t count them. Jesus instructed Peter to bring the fish to Him. Peter lugged the net full of fish to Jesus and then we read that there were 153 fish (See John 21:6-11 – King James). How did they know? They counted them! After counting them, they glorified God.

In churches that I’ve been affiliated with in the past it was considered unspiritual to count people who came. Many pastors still argue that it’s not about how many people come to your church but how faithful you are to God’s word. But I like to see “counting” as another way of being faithful to God’s word. There’s nothing unspiritual about “counting” the many blessings that God gives us as long as we’re counting them to praise God and not ourselves. Further, numbers matter to God especially when a number represents a beloved soul. In the lost sheep the shepherd had 100 sheep and he went looking for one that was lost. How did he know that one was lost? He counted them! The same with the woman and the 1 lost coin. It mattered to her. When people criticize those who count the number of people in their congregation, I like to ask them if they count their money. Of course they do! Then I ask, “is money more important than people?” Of course not! Every single person that worships with us at my church is important to me! People count. When numbers represent people, numbers count!

In 2 Samuel 24:10, David decided to count the people. Counting the people brought God’s judgment on them and David. He repented and said, “After David counted the people, his conscience troubled him. David said to the LORD, ‘I have committed a terrible sin by what I have done. LORD, please forgive me because I have acted very foolishly.’” It’s difficult to understand what sin David committed by counting the people. It’s especially difficult when we remember that God directed Moses to count the number of the people on several occasions (See the book of Numbers) and it was not a sin. What’s the difference? The difference between the two countings seems pretty obvious to me. When God directed Moses to count the people he was illustrating to Moses and all Israel coming out of slavery how great and mighty He was. God wanted Moses to see what God had given him. When David decided to count the people himself, he was interested in seeing how great he, himself, was. Possibly, David wanted to number the people so that he could show his detractors and other nations around them how powerful he was. This counting was not intended to exalt God, but David, the man. Whether it’s the donations from Sunday or the attendance at worship, we count so that we can praise God.

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Proverbs 11:24

The Prosperity Gospel

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 11, 2014

Yesterday I shared how I don’t want to be like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day who exhorted the wealth from people who could not afford it. Jesus closed his condemnation of them by saying their judgment will be severe. These warnings 10 prosperityabout the responsibility of religious leaders, those who teach God’s Word, to exercise care in their exhortation to their congregations always give me pause. I have found in my life that God blesses me when I give and I’m convinced that’s a biblical principle explained in Proverbs 11:24, “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” But to exhort or beguile through guilt or any other means the poor to give what they cannot afford is a crime against God’s love.

Many preachers today from their pulpits and from the television exhort, coerce or manipulate the poor to give with promises of wealth in return. We see it all the time. The poor seem to be more susceptible to “get rich quick” schemes than those content with a mediocre income. Most lottery tickets are purchased by the poor. Most gambling is done by the poor. When gambling is introduced to a community the need for homeless shelters and free meals always increases. I find it fascinating that God didn’t condemn the widow who gave “all she had” but the religious leaders who “cheated widows” out of their wealth.

I believe God will care for the widow, but I’d advise her to pay her rent before she gave. I’d advise her to buy groceries and pay her utilities before she gave. But then to arrange her life and her finances to enable her to give generously in the future. I would not want to be numbered with the Religious leaders of Jesus’ day or with the “name it and claim it” preachers of today. One commentator writes, “The waves of our indulgent, selfish, materialistic society have washed ashore on Christian theology in many forms, including the prosperity gospel. Although the Bible teaches that God is sovereign and man is His servant, the prosperity gospel implies the opposite. Teaching that claims we can demand things of God is spiritual justification for self-indulgence. It perverts prayer and takes the Lord’s name in vain. It is unbiblical, ungodly, and is not directed by the Holy Spirit.”

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Luke 20:47 - 21:3

Preaching on Giving

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 10, 2014

I always dislike the sermons on giving that I feel obligated to do. If I’m to preach the whole counsel of God, I can’t neglect the subject of giving. Money is mentioned more in the New Testament than faith, hope, prayer or even love. Jesus 10 givingexplained that what we really treasure in life is revealed by the notations in our checkbooks. Well, He said “where your wealth is, that’s where your heart is,” but I think the principle is similar. I preach on money at least once a year because I believe that it’s biblical. But from my earthly, human, perspective I preach on money because I sometimes feel personally responsible for the livelihood of those in the ministry at CBC with me. We’ve been so richly blessed by God over the years that we’ve never had to let people go. On the contrary, we’ve been blessed with being able to add staff over the years. I sometimes feel a heavy load of responsibility. I know I should trust God. I do, yet sometimes I worry! Don’t you?

On the other hand, I also worry about being another “religious” leader. Regarding the resources of people in my congregation, I don’t want to be like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day. He condemned them for always preaching about money and the need for everyone to give even if they have little. That’s easy to say for those who live in big houses and dress in fine clothes and eat the best of foods. That’s the way Jesus described the Religious leaders of His day in Luke chapter 20. After describing their show of wealth Jesus condemns them for “shamelessly cheating widows” out of whatever wealth and property they have (Luke 20:47).

You’d think that the Religious leaders would be held accountable for such criminal behavior but the crime is very subtle. How exactly do they cheat widows? I would argue that they manipulate widows and other helpless, poor people to give what they can’t afford. In the very next passage, Luke 21:1-3, Jesus was with his disciples at the Temple and “He watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus said, ‘this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.’” Most sermons on this passage suggest that Jesus is commending the widow for her overwhelming generosity, but in the context, it looks more like he’s condemning the fund raising techniques of the religious leaders. It’s manipulating the poor to give even what they can’t afford while the rich simply give from their surplus. I certainly don’t want to be a religious leader like that.

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2 Corinthians 9:6, Philippians 4:19, Proverbs 11:24

The Gift of Giving

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 9, 2014

Some people are very good at leading people to the Lord. Although everyone is exhorted by Paul to do the work of an evangelist (2 Timothy 4:5), there are those who have evangelism as a special gift. Some people are just gifted at sharing their 09 giftsfaith with others and are often blessed with seeing people come to faith. Also, although everyone is exhorted to “give” and be generous, there are those whom God blesses in ways that make them exceptionally good at it (Romans 12:8). Usually what is included with those who have the gift of “giving” is the gift of “getting.” Some people are simply blessed with wisdom in the financial realm and know how to handle resources well and thus have gathered significant wealth. There aren’t many “rich” Christians, but there are some. That they have been blessed with God with the benefits of physical resources is evidence that God has also blessed them with the gifts of giving.

But that’s not the case with all those who have the gift of giving. Kathy and I are not rich and unfortunately we have not been as wise as we should have been on many occasions with our resources. Yet for 30 years or more we’ve given back as much as 30% of what God has given us. We currently give over 20 percent of our income to CBC and other Christian ministries we feel passionate about. I also think that God has blessed us with the gift of giving even though we don’t have great resources or great financial wisdom. It really is a “gift” to be able to give! It is one of the more joyful experiences in life. Furthermore, we’ve learned that you can’t out give God.

2 Corinthians 9:6 says, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” We reap materially. I’ve found that we can trust God to provide for us. I think He promised to do so in Philippians 4:19, “My God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” This statement is made in the context of the generous giving that the Philippians exhibited towards Paul. As “unspiritual” as this may sound, it’s been our experience that God richly blesses in physical ways those who are generous. Before becoming a Christian and before beginning our giving, we’ve lived miserly lives towards others and towards the Lord’s work in the world. We were always in debt! We always struggled with having way more month than we did money. But once we started giving God turned that around and we are living examples of the truth of Proverbs 11:24, “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.”

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2 Corinthians 8:9

Grace & Giving!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 8, 2014

People will often cringe when they are introduced to fund raisers. My wife has essentially been a fund raiser for the past 20+ years. She’s worked at the Open Door Mission as an assistant to Pastor Bob Timberlake. She served as VP of 08 generous givingdvancement at Grace University, Director of Development at Omaha Christian Academy and now has the same title at the Assure Women’s Center. No matter what her title has been, she’s been a fund raiser. People get nervous around her sometimes. I get nervous around her sometimes! She expects a lot out of people when it comes to worthy causes. She expects more out of herself and out of me her husband. In some respects people see Pastors as fund raisers! I’ve never liked that title, but as Country Bible Church has grown from 75 people to 750 people in the last 20 years, I’ve found myself facing the responsibilities of a fund raising as well.

The Passage I’ve chose for my Christmas devotions and sermons is 2 Corinthians Chapters 8 & 9. I find it very encouraging that the Apostle Paul has no shame in taking on the role of a fund raiser. He speaks of it as a privilege of being the one behind gathering support for righteous causes. He has written to raise funds for his own support. He’s written to raise funds for the hungry in Jerusalem. He’s written to raise support for other missionaries. He’s just not ashamed to ask others to help support a worthy cause with their resources. We often don’t have that confidence. I’ve known many would be missionaries who are still “tent-making” because they don’t want to raise their own support. We are often ashamed of that aspect of the ministry. I know because I too often feel that way. Paul doesn’t feel that way at all.

In 2 Corinthians Paul exhorts believers to be generous. He uses the term “grace” to refer specifically to generous giving by believers. Grace is the unmerited favor that God gives us, and to Paul it’s the unmerited favor we show when we give or our resources for a good cause. He illustrates this idea by reminding us about Jesus’ “grace” shown to us at Christmas. In 2 Corinthians 8:9, he writes, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” I love what Chafin and Ogilvie say when they comment on this passage, “Few people are more attractive or more contagious than those individuals who find happiness in generosity. It is unfortunate that so many of us seem to find it hard to associate the two words “enjoyment” and ‘giving.’ The words seem to them to be mutually exclusive. Because ours is a society that is preoccupied with ‘getting,’ we often fail to experience personally the truth of Christ’s saying, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35).

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Galatians 6:16-18

Peace, Mercy and Grace

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 5, 2014

Paul wraps up his letter to the Galatians by attributing to those saved through faith alone three blessings from God. Beginning in Galatians 6:16, He writes, “as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be (is) upon them, and upon the 05 graceIsrael of God.” Then in verse 18 he adds, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.” It’s all about peace and mercy and grace. Instead of wrestling all the days of our lives with trying to earn God’s acceptance. Jesus provides that for us. He makes “peace” with God on our behalf. We then get to enjoy a God connection without fear. Paul make this clear to the Romans also, for in Romans 5:1 he wrote, “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I remember my Dad often saying that the most important thing to him was to have “peace of mind.” Jesus brings that to us through faith!

We have peace, I believe, not because we’re so deserving of God’s acceptance, but because of God’s mercy. That’s the second thing that Paul attributes to the Galatians and to us! God is merciful to us because He “so loved the world…” I love the way the old Puritan write, George Swinnock describes the impact of God’s love. He says, “Have you never beheld a condemned prisoner dissolved into tears upon the unexpected and unmerited receipt of a pardon, who all the time before was as hard as a flint? The hammer of the law may break the icy heart of a man with terrors and horror, and yet it may remain ice still, unchanged; but when the fire of love kindly thaws its ice, it is changed and dissolved into water—it is no longer ice, but of another nature.… Therefore meditate much on the love of God and Christ to your unworthy soul.”

Finally Paul commends Grace to us! Paul began his letter in Galatians 1:3 with grace. He ends his letter her with grace as well. I love with C. H. Spurgeon is famous for saying; “The longer I live, the more sure I am that salvation is all of grace… Me too! Paul is expressing his conviction regarding God’s grace to the Galatians. One commentary on the last chapter of Galatians and this specific verse wraps it up well. Speaking about the Galatians and about us, it says, “It is the grace that sustains them, equips them to be living witnesses, fills their hearts with peace that passes understanding and with joy unspeakable and full of glory, and brings them at last to their inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and never-fading. Is it not true that throughout the letter the emphasis is on the marvel of God’s grace as contrasted with human work?

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