Do We Believe God’s Word?

John 4:50

The man took Jesus at his word and departed.

There are a number of stories in the Bible where people simply took Jesus at His word.  Does that amaze you?  Remember the story of the Roman soldier – an officer – a Centurion – who had a servant who needed healing – and He asked Jesus to heal him – but believed Jesus didn’t actually have to come to his home.

Today we read a story about Jesus’ healing powers again – and the man believed Jesus and took Him at His word.

John 4:46-53 – 46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. 48 “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” 49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus replied, “You may go. Your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.” 53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and all his household believed.

What would it take in our life for us to simply believe in Jesus and His word?  I mean – do we believe Jesus heals today?  Do we believe God will provide our needs – when we put His Kingdom first?  Do we believe that God loves us and wants nothing but the best for us?  Do we believe God can still work miracles – or has someone filled us with nonsense – telling us the gifts are dead?  Has God spoken into your life?  If so – isn’t it about time we took Jesus at his word and moved on in obedience?

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

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Hearing from God

As I sit at my desk in the wee hours of Sunday morning, waiting to hear from God, I began to put some thoughts down.  Have you ever wondered how one would hear from God?  I mean, the Scriptures are filled with people hearing from God.  There’s Moses’ burning bush.

Exodus 3:1-5 – 1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight — why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

What I wouldn’t give for a burning bush or two once-in-a-while.  Or how about an encounter with God like Jeremiah had when he was confused about his calling?

Jeremiah 1:4-10 – 4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew  you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” 6 “Ah, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” 7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. 9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “Now, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Jesus speaks about His sheep knowing His voice.  He uses the image of sheep and shepherd.

John 10:14-15, 27 – 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. . . 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

We recognize God’s voice by being in constant and consistent contact with Him according to this analogy.  The more we walk with Jesus, the more we will recognize His voice.  Sheep know the shepherd’s voice because they listen to it day after day after day after day.  They rely on the shepherd’s voice for food, for shelter, for safety, for life.  It is an example used by King David as well.

Psalm 23:1-4 – 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,  I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

If you wish to hear God’s voice, the answer is simple, walk with Him, moment by moment.  In walking with Jesus, removing the noise of the world more and more, His voice will be made clear.  This reminds me of one of my favorite TV shows – NCIS.  In several episodes Abby takes what others hear as noise, and by removing layers of the noise, a message is made clear.  One episode had a little blind girl who had exceptional hearing help the team solve a case by being able to hear what they could not.

Lord, help Your church to be more myopic in seeing Your will and focused on hearing Your voice.  Help us to walk with Jesus daily.

I bet some of you just knew I would end with one of my favorite passages – didn’t you?

Romans 12:1-2 – 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual  act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Feeling Welcome in the Church

Someone came to me with a concern recently.  The concern was that our church wasn’t as welcoming to people of differing political views with the majority.  This got me thinking and I met with this person over lunch.  We talked – mostly I listened.  The majority/minority issue was concerning politics – political parties.  I was puzzled because I was raised in one party and am now in another, yet my Christianity is greater than my political leanings.  So I listened some more.  The person I was talking to said that at times, they do not feel welcome at Mt. Oak because their political views are not found in the majority at our church (no poll, simply their experience).

I have prayed about this subject and then looked at it in light of our vision and mission as a church.  I found that most of us have very similar views Biblically, which is very much what a church family should focus on.  Yet we have differing social views – which are not always Biblical, yet deal with Biblical subjects.  For instance, dealing with social subjects like abortion, human sexuality, poverty, health care, capital punishment, social justice, and more, can and often must touch our faith as well as our citizenship.  Often, we do not do a good job of splitting the two.

Neither party has a corner on a Biblical worldview. Neither party can corner the market on the faith based community.  Some churches cater to one party over another, and not always because of faith issues.  We have a hard time IMHO, separating our faith based views and our political views.  Here is how Jesus dealt with it.

Matthew 22:15-21 – 15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

More on this issue in the days to come.  How about some thoughts on it?

Faith, the Church, and Politics

A politician came to Mt. Oak a couple of Sundays ago – to get to know us I guess – as he runs for office this fall.

On this blog we have dealt with some moral issues that enter the political arena such as abortion, sexuality, etc.

Some people have strong political views – conservative/liberal – Democratic/Republican/Independent.

We are a church of strong spiritual beliefs, yet we are a diverse political group, as well we should be.  Christians come with a variety of political views.  We can agree on Christ and differ in how to best live for Christ in the world around us.

Would you agree that we strive to be open to all political views while striving to hold to a Biblical worldview?  Or should politics have nothing to do with our religious beliefs?

Your thoughts?