A Little Jug of Oil

In today’s Bible readings, I was impressed with how all of the Scripture passages flowed together with consistency even though they were written at different time periods, and were penned by different authors. Of course, it shouldn’t be surprising that the Word of God is consistent because the Spirit of God is the One who inspired the writers of the Holy Scriptures. It is the Spirit of God who speaks to us today, and breathes life into His Word as we take time to read it. I witnessed God’s Spirit at work today as I read 1 Kings 17, 1 Peter 4 and Psalm 52.
I have always been touched by the story of the widow of Zarephath. She was a poor woman, barely able to care for herself and her son. However, the Lord commanded the woman to be hospitable to Elijah; to feed him and take care of him. The story goes like this: “So Elijah went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, ‘Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?’ As she was gong to get it, he called, ‘And bring me, please, a piece of bread.’ ‘As surely as the Lord your God lives’, she replied, ‘I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.’ Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid, Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.’ (1 Kings 17:10-14)
This story demonstrates the abundant resources of our God when we are spent and have nothing else to give. Many times in ministry and with my family, I have been tired and worn out, feeling like I had nothing left to give. My resources had run dry, and yet the needs of those around me continued to demand more of me than I felt like I could give. But God has always provided ways for me to give out of my emptiness and He took my “little jug of oil” and multiplied it supernaturally. He wants us to depend on Him so that He can provide us with strength that we do not have. This principle is confirmed in1 Peter 4: 9:11: “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength that God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”
In Psalm 52, David presents a stark contrast to those who are dependent on the Lord for his provision. He is disillusioned by the fact that the wicked prosper and gain power by destroying others. He speaks of them harshly: “Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold, but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!” (Ps. 42:5-7) David knew that their strength was temporary because it was not provided by God, but rather by their own power. Unlike the wicked men, David endured many days of anguish and called upon the name of the Lord out of his own emptiness and desperation. Yet, as the widow of Zarephath experienced, he also witnessed the faithfulness of God to give out of his vast resources when he only had a “little jug of oil.” He concluded Psalm 52 with this glorious truth: “But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.” (Ps. 52:8-9) God took David’s little jug of oil and caused him to be like an olive tree, the very source of the oil. What a beautiful picture of God’s ability to provide! Let us not forget to place our hope in God’s strength to do mighty works in our midst!

Jesus What a Friend for Sinners

As I read through the book of 1Timothy 1 this past week, I was particularly impressed with verses 13, 14 and 16. These verses reminded me of the vast mercy and infinite patience of our Lord as He continues to pour out His love out on those still walking in darkness. Paul admitted his own frailty and painful past as he reflected upon his own life in his letter to Timothy: “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (1Tim. 1:13) Not only does God pour out his grace, but He also throws in a couple of bonus gifts: His faith and love! The faith that He supplies will allow us to grasp how high and wide and deep His love is for us, then we will be able to further understand His abundant grace. He knew that we needed help “wrapping our minds” around this concept so He offered some assistance! Paul continues in his letter to Timothy by saying, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” It occurred to me this week that we, who are followers of Christ, are living examples of the patience of God in order that others might believe Him. His work in our lives is a manifestation of His unlimited patience and others will see it and believe! This is truly miraculous. It is no wonder that Paul ended this particular discourse with an incredible benediction: Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever Amen.” (1 Tim. 1:17)
Jesus came to free the captives, to redeem and restore all that has been stolen from us, and to bind our wounds when we were helpless in our own sinful, ignorant unbelief. He came to seek and to save those who were lost. Jesus was and still is a friend to sinners; and now He is saving, helping, keeping, and loving us. He also promises his loving presence with us until the end of our days on earth. Hallelujah what a Savior!

Jesus What a Friend for Sinners
Jesus What a friend for sinners!
Jesus lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior makes me whole.
Hallelujah! What a Savior! Hallelujah! What a friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end!

God You Are!

Psalms 46:10 tells us to “Be still and know that He is God.” Part of that process involves consciously thinking about the different aspects and characters of God. I am amazed at how quickly I can forget what I read in my Bible if I don’t continually keep it before me. In the first chapter in the book of James, we are instructed to “look intently” into the Word of God so that we are not like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and forgets what he looks like. “Looking intently” means that we need to focus on the Word of God in such a way that it makes an unforgettable impression in our hearts and minds. Years ago, a friend encouraged me to read through the Bible and look for different aspects of God’s character. I began to make a list of all of the wonderful qualities of God that I had found in His Word, and before I knew it, my stress level went down significantly and my faith was increased. It makes perfect sense for us to focus intently on the Word of God and praise Him for his incredible characteristics. As I made a list of the characteristics of God, I would recall back to Him those attributes and say, “God, You are faithful” or “God ,You are my Redeemer.” We can also simply say, “God, You Are” because He is the Great I Am! This past week, I focused on God as my Deliverer. Here are some wonderful verses that proclaim God as our Deliverer. May He bless you today with these Scripture passages:
Psalm 34:4-7
I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him, he saved him out of all of his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him. And he delivers him…
Psalm 91:14-16
“Because he loves me”, says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. “
Isaiah 46:4-5
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. To whom will you compare me or count me as equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?
2 Cor. 1:8-10
We do not want you to be uninformed brothers about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. In- deed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.
2 Sam. 22:17-20
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
Thank you Lord, for being our Great Deliverer!

Continue

My daughter, Haley was struggling with her math homework last week and I discovered that I could not help her at all because I had completely forgotten everything I learned in high school math. In fact, I was overjoyed on the day I finally finished my last math exam in college. Math was not one of my favorite subjects, but I do remember vaguely that all of the information was cumulative; one step led to another and many of the formulas were somehow related to each other. The reason that I didn’t remember any of my high school math is because I didn’t continue with it. The same is true with piano lessons. So many people have approached me and have said, “I wish I hadn’t quit my piano lessons when I was growing up.” Many students begin piano lessons at about age 9 and quit somewhere between the ages of 12 and 15. There are just too many distractions and many more attractive options available for teen-agers who find themselves in the drudgery of practicing the piano. However, I was one of those unusual students who loved to practice the piano and I continued lessons all through college and even in my graduate years. Even now, I play regularly each week to keep my skills sharp because I know if I quit playing, I will begin to lose the accuracy and technique that I have worked to develop all of these years.
As I read 2 Timothy this week, I was reminded of the importance of continuing in what we have learned about the Lord and His Word. Like many of you, I grew up in the Baptist church, and was exposed to so many sermons, Bible stories, memory verses, hymns, praise songs, etc. It is amazing to think that all of the truths contained in those songs, Bible verses and sermons are still somewhere in the recesses of my mind. I still remember Bible verses that I learned in the 4th grade. I still remember some of the great songs that I learned as a child and as a teen-ager. I remember my Sunday school teachers and pastors from my childhood. All through my life, God has been building a foundation of truth for me so that I may be able to stand upon it during times when my faith may be tested.
It is evident that as Paul and Timothy shared ministry together, they encountered some difficult situations and great times of testing. Paul was in the process of “passing the torch” to Timothy so that he could carry on the work of preaching the Gospel. It was also at this time that Timothy needed some encouragement. Paul, the ever resilient and tenacious ambassador of the Lord, admonished Timothy to continue in what he knew to be true, just as he himself had done. In his tender letter to Timothy he wrote, “You, however know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact everyone who wants to live a godly life will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:10-17)
By continuing in what we have learned, we have the opportunity to become convinced of the truths that we have heard repeatedly and have witnessed in others. Through our knowledge of the Scriptures we allow the Lord to equip us for every good work because all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. May we follow Paul’s example as he said in 2 Timothy 1:12: “…for I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.”

No Confidence in the Flesh

A couple of weeks ago at the Adult Bible Conference, Dr. Wiles mentioned that our society has become a very narcissistic society. We now have You Tube, the i-phone, My Space, etc., all of which display pictures and videos of ourselves and those we know. Many of the advertising campaigns have adopted the slogan “My__________________”, as in “My McDonalds”, My Albertsons”, etc. Advertisers are tapping into our “I, me mine” philosophy and we are rapidly being persuaded to focus inward to what belongs to us, much like two-year old children do with their favorite toys.
Many of our reality T.V. shows also emphasize narcissism such as America’s Top Model, American Idol, The Bachelor, etc. These shows reveal by process of elimination the most talented, the most beautiful, and the most desirable. Each contestant on these shows has one goal in mind: to win the prize; the coveted American Idol or Top Model title, as well all of the benefits that go along with that particular title.
When I read Philippians 3, I am reminded of how far we have drifted as a society from what Paul addressed in his letter concerning confidence in the flesh. Philippians 3 is the antithesis to narcissism.
“For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh…” (Phil. 3:3)
As we read further in Philippians 3, we find that Paul did not lack in self-confidence. In verse 4 he states: “…though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else things he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more…” In other words, as a Jew, he had it all: circumcised on the eighth day, from the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, zealous toward the law, righteous in his legalism and faultless in his ability to follow the law. He had pedigree, education and flawless behavior according to Jewish heritage. However, in the midst of all of his accomplishments and impressive heritage and education, he developed a shift in his thinking regarding all of these things. He had an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. That one encounter changed everything about what he once thought for he wrote: “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Phil. 3:7-11)
I am so impressed with Paul because he could have easily become self-sufficient in his own confidence, pedigree and heritage. Instead, he found something greater; a relationship with the Lord Jesus which added more depth and meaning than any earthly accomplishment or accolade. These words of Paul continue to remind me that Jesus is worth it; He is worth the loss of all things great and small. When we have experienced great loss in our lives, we gain the blessing of knowing Jesus in a more powerful and intimate way. When this happens, all that we once had diminishes in comparison to what lies ahead. That is why Paul said, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. What a wonderful promise awaits us as we persevere and lay aside those earthly hindrances which so often entangle us. There is a prize more wonderful than we can imagine, and we can rejoice because Jesus is our prize. As Paul says, “Let us live up to what we have already attained” as we eagerly wait for Jesus to bring everything under His control and He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like him in glory. Halleluiah, what a Savior!

Green Pastures and Still Waters

This week, we read through Psalm 23. This short Psalm is packed with so many spiritual metaphors revealing necessary truths for us to embrace. For many years, I have heard this Psalm recited at funerals because of its comforting words, but its message is very much about life as well as death. Every time I read the 23rd Psalm, I am reminded of the things that God desires and intends for us; particularly verse 2 which says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. “ In Phillip Keller’s book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, he sheds some insight on this passage.
He says, “Generally speaking, water for the sheep came from three main sources: dew on the grass, deep wells, or springs and streams. Most people are not aware that sheep can go for months on end, especially if the weather is not too hot, without actually drinking, if there is heavy dew on the grass each morning. Sheep, by habit, rise just before dawn and start to feed. Or if there is bright moonlight they will graze at night. The early hours are when the vegetation is drenched with dew, and sheep can keep fit on the amount of water taken in with their forage when they graze just before and after dawn.
Of course, dew is a clear, clean, pure source of water. And there is no more resplendent picture of still waters than the silver droplets of dew hanging heavy on leaves and grass at break of day. The good shepherd, the diligent manager, makes sure that his sheep can be out and grazing on this dew-drenched vegetation. If necessary, it will mean he himself has to rise early to be out with his flock. ‘”
In the Christian life it is or more than passing significance to observe that those who are often the most serene, most confident, and able to cope with life’s complexities are those who rise early each day to feed on God’s Word. It is in the quiet, early hours of the morning that they are led beside the quiet, still waters where they imbibe the very life of Christ for the day. There alone, still, waiting for the Master’s voice, one is led gently to the place where, as the old hymn puts it, ‘The still dews of His Spirit can be dropped into my life and soul.’”
Our Good Shepherd loves to see us contented, quiet, at rest and relaxed. He delights to know that our souls have been refreshed and satisfied. Unfortunately, we as Christians try to satisfy our thirst by many other substitutes. We try to appease the cravings of our souls while we pursue careers, intellect, money, relationships, etc. only to find dissatisfaction. We do as Jeremiah once declared, “My people…have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” (Jer. 2:13)

Take Up Your Cross

Mark 8:34-35 Then He called the crowd to Him along with His disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, He must deny Himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life with lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
Take Up Your Cross
Deep in the heart of the Sawatch mountain range near Vail, Colorado is the Mount of the Holy Cross. It is one of the highest peaks in Colorado and it is famous for its East facing facade which fills with snow and forms a well-defined cross within the mountain. The vertical cross beam stands approximately 1100 feet tall and the horizontal cross beam is around 750 long. First discovered in 1869, it was described to be a sign from God and His promise; a beacon upon the very center and height of the continent to all people and all generations. Samuel Bowles referred to this phenomenon when he said, “Here is a supply store and workshop of creation, the fountain of the Earth.” For many years, people saw the Mount of the Holy Cross as a place of healing. One pastor once took 2000 handkerchiefs from his congregation and prayed for healing for each of the members who gave him handkerchiefs symbolizing their particular needs. Near the foot of the cross structure in the mountain is a lake known as the Lake of Tears.

Colorado is known for its 14ers; the mountains with at least 14,000 feet to the summit. Advanced hikers come from all over the world to hike the trails to the top of the 14ers. The Mount of the Holy Cross is a 14er and a very difficult hike. Many 14ers take at least 8-10 hours to hike to the summit. Before hikers can see the cross in this particular mountain, they must take Half Moon Pass and descend into the Holy Cross valley across East Cross Creek. The trail will then head to the Ridge of the Holy Cross and will follow the rest of the way to the summit. As I read about the Mount of the Holy Cross and its particular trail, I saw the incredible parallelism between this mountain trail and the Christian life of someone who “takes up his cross” and follows Jesus. Following the Jesus Way, often involves descending into the valley and walking through treacherous, rocky paths. However, after putting one foot in front of the other, after much toil and sweat and prayer, we eventually reach the summit—the exaltation, the glorious inheritance that is ours for eternity.

I love how God demonstrates Himself through His creation and tells the very story of the Christian life as a follower of Jesus through a rocky mountain trail. Last week, my family hiked a difficult trail in Colorado. It was not the Mount of the Holy Cross trail, but it was certainly rocky and steep. I had to carefully watch where I took each step so I wouldn’t trip and fall. I became short of breath in the thin mountain air, and even had bouts of altitude sickness. My legs were burning from climbing miles of rocky stairs, but eventually I reached the summit and it was absolutely gorgeous. At the summit there was an incredible waterfall that flowed into a turquoise blue pool of water. As difficult as the hike was, there were also beautiful sights along the way; other waterfalls, rushing rivers and beautiful trees to encourage me to keep going. As we “take up our cross” and follow Jesus, there will be steep inclines, rocky paths and we may run out of breath and have to stop and rest, but He will give us joy in the journey by granting us His presence and He will encourage us as we make our way to the summit. We know that as we follow Jesus, there is no path that He will take us that He hasn’t been before, and we know that our ultimate destination is an eternal summit filled with the glory of God. I am thankful that He does not leave us to walk our life’s journey alone, but He guides us every step of the way.

Take up your cross and follow me
I heard my master say
I gave my life to ransom Thee
Surrender your all today
Wherever He leads I’ll go
Wherever He leads I’ll go
I’ll follow my Christ who loves me so
Wherever He leads I’ll go