WHAT ARE YOU WORTH?

Luke 12:6-7 New Living Translation

“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins*? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 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.”

            What do you think you’re worth? What is your worth to your family, your friends, your employer, your fellow church members … can you put a value on it? It’s tied into how you feel about yourself as a person, isn’t it? Do you like yourself? You should. You’ve no doubt heard the phrase “you’re special, cuz God don’t make junk”? Well, it’s true. Did you know that you are priceless to God?  To be priceless is to be of inestimable worth.  God created you and considered you so valuable that he sent his own Son to die in your place as payment for your sins.  Let that sink in for a few minutes.

            If He takes care of everything in His creation and nothing escapes His ever-watching eye, then why would you think he doesn’t know you and care for you? The devil wishes for you to believe the lie that you are worthless because of your past mistakes.  That’s not true.  The world judges you based on your achievements and how you look.  That is conditional acceptance.  There’s nothing about you that could make God stop loving you. He created you and loves you without any conditions being placed upon the relationship. Couples may sign “prenuptial agreements” prior to marriage just in case things don’t turn out well for them; however, no such agreements are needed with God. You may turn from Him, but He will NEVER turn from you.

            So no matter what you have done in your life, know this, the world may turn its’ collective back on you, but your Heavenly Father will NEVER, EVER leave you or forsake you. His love surpasses anything our finite minds can comprehend. There aren’t enough words in existence to describe Him. He loves you no matter what. Get used to it, because that truth will never change.

Resources: The Life Application Study Bible, published by Tyndale House.

*Roman coins equal to 1/16^th of a denarius, which is a gold coin of ancient Rome equal to 25 silver denarii. For the sake of modern day conversion, why don’t we simply say a sparrow is worth two modern day copper pennies?

AVOIDING THE DARKNESS

ROMANS 13:13-14 NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

“Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”

            Paul is speaking of “sins of the flesh and insidious vices”[1] that mark ones involvement in a sinful lifestyle.  While sexual sin is generally a sign of an ungodly lifestyle, quarreling and jealousy was no doubt directed squarely at the church body.  Back biting, strive and divisions are sinful practices that take place in the church with regularity.  Instead of being concerned about everyone else, focus on the Lord and your own spiritual growth.  Although Paul has compared our life in Christ as a race to be run, it is certainly not a competition.  It also isn’t all about ‘us’.  It’s about the Lord, who he is and who we are in him.  With him we have eternal life and infinite value, without him we can do nothing. [2]

            The question that needs to be asked is: “How do we clothe ourselves with the presence of Christ?” Being water baptized is a place to start.  Baptism allows us to identify with our Lord symbolically with his death, burial and resurrection.  It is a public declaration that shows others we have solidarity with Christ.  Another way is it consider what Jesus would say or do in a given situation you may be facing and let the Holy Spirit guide you as you seek to emulate him.  You must also avoid circumstances that open a door to satisfying sinful desires.  Temptation is out there and if we do not use self-control, wisdom and discernment we could have a great fall from grace. 

            Avoid like the plague those things that invite immoral living and dedicate your life to pleasing the Lord in all you think, say and do.  Christianity isn’t boring and God isn’t a killjoy.  He created us, loves us with unconditional love and happens to know what will bring us the deepest contentment and the most lasting fulfillment in this life and the next.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

[1] Commentary note from The Reformation Study Bible.      

[2] John 15:5 New Living Translation “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

TASTE & SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD

1 Peter 2:1-3  International Standard Version

“…rid yourselves of every kind of evil and deception, hypocrisy, jealousy, and every kind of slander. Like newborn babies, thirst for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in your salvation. Surely you have tasted that the Lord is good!      

            New mothers feed their babies milk because it has the nutrients their little bodies need to grow. It is a natural instinct for newborn babies to crave it.  Likewise, baby Christians need the spiritual milk of God’s word to grow and mature as a follower of Christ. Their craving for spiritual nourishment is important.  You must want to grow and then go about seeking ways to obtain that growth.  Having the desire yet not following thru to attain your goal is time wasted. 

            While some translations simply say to avoid evil behavior, this translation gets more specific. These are traits that we cannot control on our own and are not emblematic of a disciple of Jesus. It is when we submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit that the spiritual maturation period will begin. It’s a constant growing process that shouldn’t stop until we leave this earth.  Our Christian walk will experience ebbs and flows, inclines and plateaus.  It is during times when we reach a spiritual plateau that we can catch our figurative breath.  In all things that transpire in our lives we will find a lesson to be learn, but we must be paying attention for it to show itself.  Learn your lessons well so as not to continue to encounter the same types of lessons over and over.

            The goodness Peter is speaking of is the salvation that has been paid for on our behalf by Jesus Christ.  To say that the Lord is good because he paid the proverbial debt we owed but could not pay is a massive understatement.  It’s news that is worthy to be shouted from the rooftops.  It’s news that is so wonderful that words could never describe it. One must experience the redemptive work of Christ to know what it feels like.  The weight of all our sin is lifted and will never be held against us ever again.  What a wonderful blessing!  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The International Standard Translation & The Life Application Study Bible.

THE ETERNAL WORD OF GOD

1 Peter 1:24-25 New Living Translation

“As the Scriptures say, ‘People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.”*

            The thing that the Apostle Peter is pointing out here is that we are all mortal, but God’s word is eternal.  Just as the Lord “never changes, as a shifting shadow does”, ^[1] so neither does his word change.  Man’s interpretation of God’s word changes constantly, but the intended meaning remains the same.  Just as there is no flaw or failing in God there is no flaw or failing in his word.  It is perfect just as God is perfect.  Just because we don’t understand an event that has taken place in the world or in our personal life doesn’t mean God has failed us.  We are not asked to understand, neither are we required to.  Like all things with the Lord, we take things at his word and apply our faith and trust to the situation.

            The court of public opinion vacillates constantly. People sometimes spend their entire lives attempting to either prove the existence of God or his non-existence.   Many things people will take at face value, but taking God at face value is more than they can cope with.  Is it because they cannot grasp the concept of someone dying for another without even knowing them?  Is it because it’s simply too preposterously illogical that they refuse to allow themselves to entertain its possibility?  Perhaps it’s a little of both. 

             The Good News of God is the Gospel message that changes the trajectory of a person’s life in a significant way.  To have a ‘do over’ in life is something that is nearly too much to hope for, but that is exactly what the Lord provides for us thru the shed blood of Christ.  The message of the cross, found clearly stated in the Gospels and referenced in the Letters to the Churches, is the only thing that can provide a lasting solution to our problems and needs.  Anything other than the word of the Lord is just someone else’s opinion or a contrived story.  God’s word is the only thing that can change a man’s heart, save his soul and resurrect his spirit.  Make time for his word, it will change your life. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible, published by Tyndale House.

^[1] James 1:17

* Isaiah 40:6-8 NLT “A voice said, ‘Shout!’ I asked, ‘What should I shout?’ ‘Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field. The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord.  And so it is with people. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.’”

WALK WORTHY

Colossians 1:9-10 New Living Translation

“So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.”

            If I am filled with the knowledge of God, then it stands to reason I will walk worthy of His calling. We are all called to play a part in His Kingdom. We are all given gifts, skills and talents that can be used to encourage and edify the body of Christ. However, if we do not cultivate our relationship to Him, we will be incapable of utilizing the gifts given to us.

            We cannot use our gifts if we do not know what they are. We only need to ask the Lord to reveal this to us. Some requests are answered immediately, some dwell in the land of the “not yet”. God’s timing is impeccable; perfect in every way. We must trust in Him to use us how, when and where He deems necessary, for He knows all things and is able to place you where you need to be to accomplish the most good.

            If we submit to the will of God for our lives, we WILL please him and be fruitful in every good work. We tend to grow impatient as we walk down the narrow path set before us. The Lord can show us how to be patient in any situation if we allow Him to. We need to come to the place where our trust and faith feed our actions so that we make wise, godly decisions.  There is always a right and wrong way to do anything. You wouldn’t screw 2 pieces of wood together with a hammer or clean a piece of glass with steel wool. In like manner, you wouldn’t honor the Kingdom by judging or criticizing non-believers or your brethren each day. Through Godly patience and longsuffering, with joy, we can walk worthy of our God and thus be pleasing to Him.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible, published by Tyndale House.