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Showing posts from December, 2020

Jesus: The Believer’s Inheritance

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  It is fascinating to observe when people talk about inheritance, ones mind would immediately cater properties, wills, houses, jewelries, and other material things. All of which are centered on material temporal things.   In 1 Peter 1:4 , although The Apostle Peter used the term “inheritance” once in his letter, Apostle Paul on the other hand, mentioned this term in his letters several times. ( Eph_1:14 , Eph_1:18 , Eph_5:5 , Col_3:24 ,) But what is so significant about this particular emphasis of Peter? After all, he made a brief description of the inheritance (verse 4-5) a believer will obtain now that he is part of God’s family.   The term “inheritance” is not something new among Jewish ears. Going back to the OT, when God divided the promised land among the 12 tribes of Israel, every tribe received a portion of the land as their inheritance, except for the tribe of Levi…”the priestly tribe”. They were the only tribe that didn’t get one. God’s reason for doing so is interesting. Th
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Christmas - More Than Just a Day

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  Christmas, the remembrance of that day when Jesus was born-- goes far beyond a day's celebration. From eternity past, God has ordained the virgin birth, the fulfillment of the coming of "Immanuel," God with us-- God incarnate.  "I bring you good news"-- this is the concept of "to evangelize." This good news "is so good because the bad news is so bad." What this "good news" should cause us to remember: The sovereign will and gracious act of God being displayed through Christ! See Eph. 1:4-6, Titus 3:4-7, and Rom. 5:8. He "chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him."  The truth of God's Word-- He fulfills His promises in Christ! From Genesis to Malachi, God makes clear the prophecies concerning the Messiah; and, in Jesus, they are all fulfilled. See Luke 24:44-46.  The accomplishment of man's redemption through Christ! See 1 Cor. 15. This same Jesus will come
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Patiently Grumbling? - Notes on James 5:9-12

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After exhorting the oppressed believers to be patient until the coming of the Lord, James calls them next to "not complain against one another...so that [they] will not be judged." The root word for "complain" means to groan or to sigh, which in this context means much more than the mere disappointment expressed upon some inconvenience. This call to not grumble has to do with a problem stemming from a heart attitude that is not pleasing to the Lord, as it speaks of a heart that disregards the sovereignty of God and doubts His purposes.  Ponder on Philippians 4:10-13. There, as the apostle Paul himself had to LEARN to be content, it is evident that while still in the flesh, we have the tendency to grumble. By God's grace, though, we can learn like the apostle Paul "how to be brought low" and "how to abound in any and every circumstance." The same Spirit that enabled Paul is able to help us be content as we yield ourselves to His control.  Agai
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“Early and Latter Rain” - Notes on James 5:7-12

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In this passage, James changes gears from rebuking wealthy oppressors who live for their own wanton pleasure to exhorting his oppressed fellow believers to “be patient.” (On a side note, this passage is a timely message for us as we continue to face the effects of Covid-19, the rise of government restrictions, the movement towards loss of religious freedom, and the worsening of moral values in our society.) In view of the reality of trials in this life, James’ message is repeatedly addressed to fellow believers--“brothers and sisters.” As those who belong to Christ, we are told to be patient, which means that we are “not to lose heart.” Rather, we are “to bravely persevere in enduring misfortunes, troubles, or ill treatment” until the coming of the Lord! The basis of James’ exhortation is the fact that Christ's coming is near. It is for certain. It is "at hand!"  As an illustration, James reminds of how "the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being pat
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Wickedly Wealthy? - Notes on James 5:1-6

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In this passage, James is addressing the materially wealthy. At what point, though, does one become rich? Or how much does one need to possess to be considered as one of those addressed here by James? It is safe to say, I think, that this passage can apply to each of us who have more than what we need and have extra left over to help another. (Indeed, compared to most of the population outside the United States, we are all relatively wealthy!) Question: Is it sinful to be wealthy materially? Clearly, the answer is no. Indeed, we have rich individuals recorded in Scripture who were godly. Included in this list are Abraham, Job, David, and Lydia.  The problem, then, is not in possessing wealth in itself, but in the focus that we give it or the affection that we set upon it. It is not a small matter when we consider the fact that God gives us this specific warning: "the love of money is the root of all evil" (1Timothy 6:6-10). Take the rich young ruler, for example, in Matthew 1
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