Hiding from God Genesis 3;8-11 NASV

 

8 Now they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the [a]cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?”  Genesis 3:8-11, NASV

    Very early on in Genesis, we see the story in Genesis 3 of the fall of man.  Before this time, possibly for a long time, God would walk with Adam and Eve in the garden and have fellowship with them.  But, this evening Adam and Eve for the first time ever hide from God.  God asks them "Where are you?"  That's an important question and we have to realize that God is not asking this to get information because God knows everything.  He is even at this point giving them a chance to reveal to Him what they did and repent of it.  You notice that sin immediately brings about shame and separation from God.

    Even in the life of the believer, sin can cause separation from God and difficulties in the fellowship of a believer and God.  This is because God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).  Most of the world doesn't come to God even to this day because they love the darkness rather than the light for their deeds are evil.   Likewise, a believer can get caught up in sin and get out of fellowship with God and then have difficulty with hearing from God.

    It is easy, in this day and time to get your eyes off of Christ and on the world.  Idols come in all shapes and sizes including things like money, jobs, a hunger for power or control or selfishness or greed.  I feel like one of the biggest obstacles that mankind has to overcome is simple pride.  It requires humility to humble yourself before God and realize you can't make it to heaven on your own effort.  

    There are many places in the Bible that warn us that if we are walking out of fellowship with God that our prayers could be hindered.  Several times in places such as Ps 66:18; Proverbs 1:28, Isaiah 59:2, Zech 7:13, 1 Peter 3:12, Isaiah 1:15.  The key is what the Bible refers to as repentance.  Repentance means a turning away from self and selfish desires and turning to God.  It begins by confession of sin.  Every great revival in the history of the church began when people started to repent.

    A passage that people love to quote is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."  Did you notice that this promise is conditional?  It says that "my people" are to humble themselves, seek God's face and turn from their wicked ways.  That is a good summary of the idea of repentance to humble themselves, seek Him, turn from wickedness.   This takes us from hiding from God to seeking Him out.  It takes us from shame to mercy, from alienation to reconciliation, from separation to fellowship.

A Debt of Ten Thousand Talents Matthew 18:21-35

  One day Jesus shared a parable with his disciples about forgiveness.  It is recorded in Matthew 18:21-35.  In it, the king wishes to settle accounts with his slaves.  So, he calls before him one who owes him ten thousand talents (a debt that would be over 10 million dollars today) and tells him to repay.  When he says that he cannot the king orders him to be sold along with all that he has and repayment to be made.  The man begs for his life and the life of his family and the king graciously forgives him and sets him free.

    But, unfortunately the slave learns nothing from this and goes out and find a man who owes him one hundred denari (about 3.5 months worth of wages) and starts to choke him saying "Pay back what you owe" Matt 18:28.  The other slave pleads for him to give him more time, but the slave has no compassion on him and throws him into prison.  HIs fellow slaves see what has happened and report it to the king.

    When the king hears this he is angered and says to the slave "You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you entreated me.  Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, even as I had mercy on you?"  As a result of this, the man is handed over to torturers until he can repay his debt in full.  The story ends with these words of Jesus "So shall My heavenly Father also do to you.  If each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

   I was thinking about this story about the king and the slaves today.  Of course the debt that the first slave had represents the debt that we owe to God and the compassion the king shows is what the king does for us.  He forgives us not because we paid the debt or would ever be able to, but based on grace and mercy.  But, then God expects for us to not hold a debt against others in return.  Yet, much of the time we are like the thief who goes out and chokes his fellow slave and demands repayment for a lesser sin.  

   If we could truly see our debt that God has forgiven us we would be astonished at it size.  Would we even be able to see the bottom or the sides of it if we could actually see it.  The magnitude of it and the stench of our sins that God has literally wiped away is beyond your and mine imagination.   All of this because Jesus paid for it and took it away.  Not because your such a great person and deserve it.  So, who am I to hold bitterness and anger against others when they wrong me?  My debt, which was bigger than any man can imagine, was forgiven and washed clean because of God's grace and mercy.  I can't go around with anger in my heart and hate others or be bitter because of their faults.  

   There is another warning in scripture that is a part of the Lord's prayer that says much the same thing as the passage I mentioned earlier.  "For if you forgive men for their transgressions your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions."  Matthew 6:14-15.  What that tells me is that if your walking around with unforgiveness in your heart you are walking on dangerous ground.   There is no question about the nature of this command.  There really is no other way to interpret it.

   Paul said it this way in Ephesians 4:31-32  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

Have you ever felt inadequate to the task God calls you?

      I was talking one day to someone about how God uses people that others have given up on.  After I stopped and really thought about it, that includes many of the so called "heros" of the Old Testament and New.  There is a section of scripture where it says,

"For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and god has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullfiy the things that are, that no man should boast before God."  1 Corinthians 1:26-29, NASV

       And when you do a survey of scripture you see that this is the truth.  Gideon for example describes hmself in Judges 6:15 as being from the least family in Manasseh and the youngest of his father's household.  And the time when the angel appeared to Gideon he was beating out the wheat to try and save it from raiding Philistines.  Another example would be Moses  Exodus 3:11.  We think of Moses as really great, but do you know he killed a man and hid him in the sand Exodus 2:12.  Or what about David, he was responsible for the death of Uriah and adultery with Bathsheba 2 Samuel 11.  Or what about Peter who denied that he even knew Jesus John 18:25-27.

      I think what that passage in 1 Corinthians above tells us that God intentionally choses the things of this world that are not that He might alone get the glory for what happens.  He wants people who are leaning on Him and trusting Him and depending on Him in order for something good to happen.  So that when it does He alone will get the credit for it.  Need more proof, look at the disciples themselves.

     Even up to the Lord's Supper itself the disciples had been arguing over who was the greatest of them Luke 22:24.  They were consumed often times by petty arguments.  Just as the church is often today.  That is why on the night that he was betrayed Jesus got up from his seat and grabbed a wash basin and washed the disciples feet.  They had a pride problem that they needed to be cured of before God could do anything good through them.

   I think this is why God was able to use Paul for as long as he did.  He was always aware of his shortcomings and faults.  And if there was a problem with pride that seemed to evaporate when God gave him what is called the thorn in the flesh, which we don't exactly know what that was.  When Paul asked for it to be removed in 2 Corinthians 12:9 the Lord said this and if it is true for Paul it is true also for us.

   "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."

   In response Paul was able to say,

   "Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast abot my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake for when I am weak, then I am strong."   2 Corinthians 12:9-10

5 Things We Can Say for Certain about the End Times

     I was listening to a sermon earlier today from Greg Laurie (which I will put a link to at the bottom of this post) and he was talking about the afterlife.  There are many different thoughts about how things will end in the end times including views of the tribulation and rapture and 1,000 year reign of Christ.  There are also many disagreements about how things will happen.  I thought I would write about five things (with supporting scripture which I encourage you to examine) that we can say for certain about the end times leading up to Jesus return.

1. The end will come about suddenly.  (Matthew 24:27; 1 Thess 4:16).  There is no question that when Jesus does return that it will be in a twinkling of an eye or very, very suddenly.  Before we know it things are going to change.  There will not be time to have a prayer meeting and prepare.  One moment things will be normal and the next the Lord will descend with a shout.  God is being patient right now giving people a chance to repent and come to him, but there will be a day when an opportunity will be over and God will be wrapping history up.  We are living in what Jesus referred to as the days like the days of Noah.  What does it say in Matthew 24:37-41

37 For [a]the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not [b]understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 At that time there will be two men in the field; one [c]will be taken and one [d]will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the [e]mill; one [f]will be taken and one [g]will be left.

2. The days of Noah were days of great sin and we live in times of great sin when people call wrong right and right wrong and have values that don't reflect godly living.  There is a time of apostacy before and during the end times.  I believe we are seeing this today when many preachers preach a gospel not found in the Bible at all.  Church has become something that is selfish and self seeking treating God like a giant Walmart.  God is viewed as someone who is there to help us instead of us living to glorify and honor Him with our lives.  Look at the way many big churches advertise themselves and it about being the best you or the most prosperous.  (see 2 Timothy 3:1-7, 2 Timothy 4:3, 2 John 7)

3. There are some now who are considered great who will be last in the afterlife and some last who will be great.  Jesus says this numerous times in the gospels see Matthew 19:30; James 4:4, 1 John 2:15-16.  There are some whom the world loves and they are getting all their attention and rewards now, but will be poor in the afterlife and there are some who have nothing who will have their tears wiped away.  Revelation 21:4.  The Bible makes it clear that friendship with the world is hostility towards God.  We are to be careful where our heart and treasure is.  The Bible tells us to seek first His kingdom and righteousness, but some are too busy building their own Matthew 6:33

There is a story about a rich man who had no place for his crops.  He decided to tear down his barns and build bigger barns so that he could be prepared for many days ahead.  God called this man a fool because while he was rich in the world's eyes he was not rich towards God.  That very night his soul was required of him and he saw no profit from all the barns and stuff he had on this earth.  There will be some who live in mansions now that will suffer in the next life and some who suffer now who will be rewarded. See the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16.

4. God will one day judge all persons.  People today seem to live as though they are accountable to no one but themselves.  There is no fear of God in their eyes.  But, Proverbs 1:7 tells us that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge."  To live as though there is no God who will judge you at the end is literally stupid.  You will have to stand and give an account and there will be no where to hide.  There is a God in heaven who sees everything you do and every motive of your heart and there is nothing hidden from Him.  Very soon you will see him and hear His voice and that is something you need to think about.  Are you trusting in your own goodness to get you through that meeting?  It's not going to turn out well for you then.  But, it says in scripture that God demonstrated his own love toward us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8.  Either you accept that or you don't.

5. God is coming back to redeem his creation.  There will one day be a new heaven and new earth.  Man has done everything he can to destroy and consume this creation.  The world is getting worn out and nature is showing the strain of the sins of man.  See Romans 8:22.  Those of us who are redeemed will one day be in the presence of God with no reference to sin or death, dying or pain.  There will be no heart problems, arthritis, diabetes, cancer or disease there.  There will be no darkness there.  I believe part of what that means is that darkness symbolizes sin.  see Revelation 21:1

https://youtu.be/uLiovnm_xWw Greg Laurie's sermon on the afterlife

Day 6 New Testament Reading Challenge Luke 7-9, 1 John, 2 John & 3 John

 I mixed up my readings today for a little variety.  Most of the time when I have read through the Bible in a year I did not go through it sequentially.  I would write a list of the book names on a sheet of paper and then plan on reading 4 chapters a day.  I would jump around from Old and New Testament back and forth often pairing books that I don't like as much with ones that I do.  Such as pairing Leviticus with Hebrews or one of the gospels.  If you read about 4 chapters a day of the Bible you should get through it in a year even with missing some days.

 My present challenge is to read through the New Testament in February.  So, today I did Luke 7-9 and then read 1 John, 2 John and 3 John.  I've always loved the personal way that John writes and the way he emphasizes walking in love and living out your example.  One of the passages that stood out to me today is in Luke 7:40-50. 

Jesus goes to the home of Simon who was a Pharisee because he has been invited to a dinner.  In those days, dinner would be eaten in a reclining position with Jesus' feet behind him.  A woman enters the room soon after Jesus and in tears wets his feet and anoints him with fragrances and wipes his feet with her hair while kissing his feet.  Simon responds to this by being indignant because he says that she is a sinner (probably a prostitute).  How Simon knows this is up for some speculation.  Maybe he's been a customer?

Jesus replies that while Simon offered no water for his feet she has wet his feet with her tears.  While Simon offered no kiss, she has been kissing his feet.  While he offered no anointing, she anointed his feet with costly perfume.  Then he says in verse 47 "he who is forgiven little loves little."  I think this is exactly what the gospel is really all about.  After all, the most important commandment of the gospels is to love God and then to go love others.  And one of the reasons that we love God is because we realize the sacrifice that he made for us and that he loved us first.  We realize that we have been forgiven a debt that there was no way in heaven and earth we could repay.  John says this also in John 4:9-10

"By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Reading Challenge day 5: Mark 13 - Luke 6

      My reading through the New Testament included Mark 13 through Luke 6.  Many of these passages are very similar in all three gospels. Possibly one exception is the detail that Luke gives of John the Baptist and his parents.  From Luke we learn that Mary and Elizabeth knew each other and that Mary stayed with Elizabeth and her family right up until the time when John the Baptist was born.  We learn also that Jesus' parents lost track of Jesus for about three days during one of their annual trips to Jerusalem to take part in the Festivals.

     One of the passages that stood out to me was in Luke 6:31-38. Where Jesus clearly teaches us that to be a follower of His means that we will be a compassionate people who have mercy on others.  

31 [a]Treat people the same way you want them to [b]treat you. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people. 36 [c]Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

37 “Do not [d]judge, and you will not be judged; and do not [e]condemn, and you will not be condemned; [f]pardon, and you will be pardoned. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will [g]pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

Reading challenge day 3: Matthew 20 through Mark 2

     Today is day 3 of the challenge I gave myself to read through the New Testament.  Today I read Matthew 20 through Mark 2.  Obviously, that is most of Jesus' ministry.  So, it is hard to sum up these important passages.  I think one of the things I noticed first is how brief this story is.  Jesus is thought to have lived on earth for about 33 years and his life story is summed up in 28 chapters of Matthew.  While it is full of miracles and teachings and obviously Jesus' death and resurrection there is nothing about his childhood or much of his family life or much of his relationship with his mother or father or if he ever worked at a regular job.  In fact, Mark sums up the temptations of Jesus in one verse.  So this is not a complete biography nor was it meant to be.  It is a pointed writing to tell us who Jesus is.

      The other thing that struck me is that even though it is Judas who betrays Jesus and leads the Pharisees and others to him is that Jesus is always in control of the situation when he is betrayed.  In fact, if you look you see several times starting around the time of the Transfiguration when Jesus tells the disciples that they are going to Jerusalem and he will be handed over, flogged and crucified and then rise again.  He says it in a matter of fact way without apology and it is the disciples who are grieved when they hear it and are afraid to ask him about it.  In fact, Jesus tells his disciples when they try to rescue him that he can ask the Father for 12 legion of angels and he would send them.  He doesn't try to talk his way out of it with Pilate.  In fact, he is strangely silent to the point that it amazes Pilate.

     I guess one minor point that I noticed is that while this first gospel is called the gospel of Matthew there is no identifier in the first chapter or in the last as to the author.  We are solely going by early church history and testimony of the early church fathers as to identify the author.  I'm not saying that it wasn't Matthew at all.  I'm just saying that it isn't mentioned in the entire book.  I personally wonder how much of the writing of this book was borrowed from Mark's account or what Matthew's sources were.  Did Mary or Joseph themselves tell Matthew about Jesus' birth?  How else would they know about some of these details?  Then again,  I am not sure that it matters to me if it was a disciple named Matthew or not.  The Holy Spirit is the one who primarily inspired this book and he could have used anyone.