Author: pastortravislv

I am a husband, and father of three, serving as pastor at Providence Reformed Church in Las Vegas, NV. We came here on July 1, 2015.

A Prophecy’s Context (Zechariah 9:9-10)

pastortravislv1 Comment

Zechariah 9:9-10 -Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
.

The passage above is often quoted, not from its context, but from our celebration of Palm Sunday. The prediction of the Lord Jesus entering Jerusalem, humbly seated astride a donkey’s foal is a beautiful image to ponder. What grace. What humility. What gentleness is there seen in the face of the Savior.

We should recognize, however, that to take any passage of scripture out of its original context risks much. When we fail to look back at the passage that is cited, we may lose sight of something crucial that God wants to communicate with us. Take for example the end of verse 10. In the same breath that the prophet pronounces the coming of the Lord on the colt, he says, “his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.”

Take a moment to again ponder that sentence: “his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” The Lord was not only predicted to enter Jerusalem on a little donkey. He was also predicted, promised to be the ruler of the entire world. Jesus is not merely the Son of David in the sense of governing Israel on David’s throne, he is promised by God to be the ruler of everything even to the “ends of the earth.”

When all we see is the picture of Jesus on a donkey as God telling us, “See, I told you I was going to do that,” we fail to recognize that God has also promised something else. Jesus entered Jerusalem on that day before his passion. He suffered the wrath of God for the sins of humanity. He rose from the dead, proving that the work he came to do was finished and acceptable to God. He ascended into heaven. And, if verse 9 of Zechariah is true, we also know verse 10 to be true. Jesus will reign. He will reign on this earth. He will reign bodily. And he will rule all the world, from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. The earth belongs to Jesus Christ.

As you ponder this great reality, see more than a coming conclusion to the affairs of the earth. Yes, see that Jesus will return and set the world right and rule forever, but also see something more. The land on which you live, that is Jesus’ land. The house in which you live, that is Jesus’ house. It does not matter whether you are in the US, Israel, Iraq, China, or Antarctica. “his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth,” and that rule means that everything is his. You own nothing. You have no rights that Jesus does not give to you. You are a subject living under the reign of the rightful ruler of all things. Maybe we do not yet see Jesus enthroned on David’s throne, but that fact is a mere technicality. Jesus is Lord. The earth is his to rule. Your life is his to command. And the good news is, following your glorious ruler is the one thing in the world that can give your soul true and lasting joy and meaning forever.

Faith & Works (John 5:28-29)

pastortravislv

John 5:28-29 -Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
.

One of the key doctrines of genuine Christianity is salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. God teaches us in the Bible that all of us have done evil before him, sinning and falling short of his glory (Romans 3:23). God also teaches us that we have earned an eternal death sentence for that sin, but that Jesus Christ died as our substitute to offer us eternal life (Romans 6:23). The way that we receive that payment for our sins and become right with God is by placing our entire faith for our entire eternity in Jesus and his finished work done on the cross. And the Bible is clear that this faith is what saves us, apart from any righteous works we might perform (John 1:12-13; 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9, etc.).

So, as a people who understand salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, we should take a moment to seriously consider the implications of the passage above, John 5:28-29. John, the same biblical author who wrote for us that all who believe in Jesus shall not perish but have eternal life (3:16), here tells us that those who have done good rise to life and those who have done evil are resurrected to judgment. The same author that preaches salvation by grace through faith here indicates that our works are somehow connected to the mix. How?

Like Martin Luther’s struggle between Paul and James, we find ourselves asking the question of whether or not faith saves or if works are necessary. And the answer that we must give here has incredible impact on our eternity. So, let me simply say, without hesitation, that genuine faith in Jesus Christ for the salvation of sins is what saves us. That faith, a gift to us from our God who breaks into our sin-deadened hearts to bring us life, is all that is required for us to be saved, because Jesus Christ, the infinitely perfect and infinitely valuable Son of God, has already done all the work necessary for us.

So what is this stuff written here about works? The answer has been given time and time again, but is worth repeating: “Genuine faith always works.” The simple truth is, if you have true saving faith in Jesus, that faith has come to you because your heart has been changed. If you live with a save, changed, converted heart, you will, without question, live a life that is marked by works of righteousness. Those works do not save you. Those works do not add any merit to you whatsoever. However, those works serve as an evidence for you and for the rest of the world that the faith that you claim is true, genuine, saving faith.

With such a theological discussion in mind, it is worth your time to examine yourself in light of the scriptures. Do you claim to have true faith in Jesus? If you do not have true faith in Jesus, you are not saved, you are still in your sins, and you are destined for an eternal hell suffering the wrath of Almighty God. If you do have genuine faith, your life will look different. Does your life look different? Is your life marked by a genuine interest in the word of God, the people of God, and the glory of God? Is Jesus Christ a treasure to you that outweighs the simple little treasures that the world offers? Is your life marked by love for God and for people? Is your life marked by a commitment to the church, which is called the Bride of Christ? Are you growing in your relationship with God? Examine yourself, and see if your life bears the marks of genuine faith, the mark of good works done for the glory of God.

Religion vs Relationship: A False Dichotomy (Zechariah 7:5-6)

pastortravislv2 Comments

Zechariah 7:5-6 – Say to all the people of the land and the priests, “When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?”
.

“I’m not talking about a religion, but a relationship with God.” That sentence became one of the most popular Christian platitudes of the last few decades. People began to reject the concept of “organized religion,” assuming that they could find something more favorable around another corner. Their Christianity became based on what they perceived as their “relationship” with God, a relationship that was somehow separate in their minds from the commands of God to live as his people.

Why did such a view of what should be Christianity become so popular? Perhaps it is because of lives that could be questioned as we see in Zechariah 7:5-6. There are many people in the Christian world who live out rituals, but not for God. While those rituals may be performed in the name of God and under the auspices of the service of God, they are performed, in reality, for the ego of the supposed worshiper.

We need, however, to be careful not to see questions as we read in the passage above as a God-endorsed rejection of all things formal and religious. God would not recommend to his people that they reject religion. God, instead, would tell his people that in order to follow him, they must perform their religious acts for his glory and according to his will. God only rejects ceremonies when they are performed with false motives or when they are performed in direct contrast with his actual commands. God rewards neither empty ritual nor sincerely well-intentioned disobedience to his commands. God is no more satisfied with a person who rejects all formal religion for a supposedly more personal relationship than he is satisfied with a person who performs religious rituals and duties with no heart for his glory.

So what, then, are we to do? The answer is simple. IN Zechariah 7, God was not telling the people to stop fasting or to stop eating. He was, instead, telling them to start fasting and start feasting for him and not for themselves. God wants people to have hearts that deeply desire him and his glory. He wants people who perform religious actions for his glory. And no one will glorify God by refusing to offer him worship in the manner he has prescribed. We who know Jesus, do what God has commanded, including religious ceremonies and rituals, out of hearts for his glory. When we worship in that way, we will please him. God does not tell us to reject religion for relationship. Instead, he calls us to genuine religion that springs from relationship.

Counsel From Paul’s Farewell (Acts 20:17-21)

pastortravislv

Minister in a way that will make you happy to review.

Acts 20:17-21

17Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 18And when they came to him, he said to them:
“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Miletus was a town near the sea, about 30 miles from Ephesus. Paul sent to the leadership of the Ephesian church, and asked them to come and meet him there. He only had a little time to spend with them, and so he wanted it to count. The church leaders arrived, and Paul presented his farewell address.

In this opening section of Paul’s farewell address, he reviews his ministry among the Ephesians. That is why I say that we should minister in a way that will make us happy to review. Again, whether you are a pastor, a school teacher, or whatever your career, you should spend your time with people in such a way that, when it is all said and done, you will be happy to look back on it.

One way to minister in a way that will make you happy to review is to minister with transparency in your life. Paul says that the people knew how he lived before them. He was open. He was honest. He did not have any part of his life and ministry that was hidden from the people. And if you want to have a life and ministry that pleases God and makes you happy to review, you need to develop that kind of openness to others. Let others see who you are. Let them see how you live. The stronger you cling to your privacy, the more likely you are to fall into sin, believing that others will never find out about the compromises you make. So, live openly before all people, and you will be taking a step toward a ministry and a life that you can review with joy.

Another thing we see in Paul’s statement is in his next phrase. At the beginning of verse 19, Paul says that he was serving the Lord from the first moment he set foot in Asia. A second key to living a ministry that you will be happy to review is to serve the Lord first and foremost. What I mean by that is that you must serve God, even before you serve people. The Christian life is not about others first. The Christian life is first and foremost about the glory of God. Thankfully, God is honored when we also care for others, and so it is not that you will neglect others for the sake of God. However, if you are going to have your priorities right in ministry, you must have it clearly set in your mind that you are sent out to serve God. It is more important that God be happy with your life and ministry than it is for other people to applaud what you do in serving the Lord.

Paul says that he served the Lord with humility, tears, and trials. The idea here is that Paul most certainly did not serve for his own comfort and ease. The humility that Paul had marked his life as a life given for others and not for his own selfish gain. His tears showed that his heart ached when the name of God was dishonored by the lost, or by those who claimed Christ but who were not living as believers. Paul went through trials and persecutions in many of the cities that he entered. His ministry was not about making himself comfortable. His ministry was about doing the will of God and spreading the Gospel. And, if you want to have a ministry that will make you happy to review, you too will live more for the glory of God than for your own comfort.

In verses 20-21, Paul wraps up his ministry review by pointing out how he taught. This is a central component to having a life and ministry that you will be happy to look back on. Paul says that he did not shrink back from proclaiming anything profitable. He never hid biblical doctrine and teaching. He never held back. Paul proclaimed the truth with boldness. He taught the truth in public and private. He taught the truth to Jews and gentiles. He taught the truth when people wanted to hear it and when they didn’t. He called people to repentance and to faith. Even when people did not want to be thought of as sinners, Paul helped them to see their need to turn from sin and to receive God’s grace through faith in Christ. He boldly, unflinchingly taught the truth; and that made his ministry something he could look back on and smile.

I’m no Paul, and neither are you. But we can all live as Paul did if we will be committed to ministry, and to having a ministry that we can look back on with joy.

Practical Deism (Zephaniah 1:12)

pastortravislv2 Comments

Zephaniah 1:12 –

At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
and I will punish the men
who are complacent,
those who say in their hearts,
‘The Lord will not do good,
Nor will he do ill.’
.

In Zephaniah 1, God is predicting his wrath which will be displayed on the coming Day of the Lord. That Day will be a day when God sets right all that has been wrong with humanity and creation. He will punish evil doers and give rest to those under his grace.

Of note to me, as I read through this passage, was verse 12. Notice that God will not only punish those who were actively evil. God’s wrath will also be poured out on those who might think themselves neutral. Those who would say that they do not believe that God does anything good or bad, they are in just as much danger as the idol worshiper or atheist.

Now, if you are reading this, you are likely in quick agreement with the thoughts so far. It probably seems like an easy reminder for you, not to mention a good tool for you to use in sharing the gospel with complacent friends; and in fact, these things are true. However, there is something that truly struck me as I read this passage: We must avoid living a “practical deism.”

Deism, as you probably know, is a belief that goes something like this: God created the world and set it in motion, but now does not interfere with its operation. As Christians, we reject the notion of deism with all our might as false, ungodly, completely unscriptural. However, I am not expecting any of us to admit deism. What I fear is that many live a practical deism. A practical deism would be a person who says with their lips that they believe God to be active in the affairs of the world, but who does not actually expect him to make any difference. You will recognize a practical deism in your own life by a lack of prayer, a lack of God-thought in non-religious times, or severe worry when things go badly. Practical deists will attend church services regularly, but will not actually make major life changes Monday through Saturday. These supposed believers are all for religion in general, but are not willing to let this take over their lives. They do not want to be “fanatics.” They do not want to risk their health or comfort on the foreign mission field. They give what they can afford, nothing more. They serve when it is convenient. A practical deist might teach a Sunday school class or sing in the choir. Simply put a practical deist will lack passion for or fear of God in daily life.

Examine yourself. Are you a practical deist? Do you find yourself living as though God will neither do good or ill? Do you say the right words, but in actuality live as though God is simply watching us from a distance? If so, look back at Zephaniah 1:12. God will not tolerate such a life. The Lord has very strong things to say about those who declare him to be inactive in the world. And, if we are honest, many of us declare God to be a non-factor in the world’s affairs by the way that we live, the way that we pray, and the way that we think. Don’t let your willingness to sign off on a good doctrinal statement convince you that you are not living a practical deism.

Lord, I acknowledge here and now that you are active in the affairs of man. There is no sphere over which you do not exercise complete control. You are sovereign. You are Lord. Your will shall be done. You reign on high. You work all things for your ends. I pray that you will remind me again and again that you are active in every aspect of life every moment of life. Let me never slip in to a secular thinking, no matter what day of the week it is. Let me never slide into a practical deism. I believe that you reign. I know that you rule over all things. I trust you, and desire to live a life that declares your glory for all the world to see.

The Importance of the Book (2 Kings 22:8-11)

pastortravislv

(From Tuesday, August 08, 2006)

2 Kings 22:8-11 – And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the Lord.” Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.
.

Early on in the reign of King Josiah, those working in the temple of God made a very interesting discovery. They found a book. Now, they did not even know what that book was, until they read it. And, to their shock and dismay, they discovered that the book was the book of the law of God.

This nation, which is supposed to be the people of God, had gotten so far away from the commands of God that the priests, the very men who were supposed to be teaching the word of God, did not even recognize the book. No wonder Judah had managed to fall so deeply into idolatry. No wonder they were doing all sorts of abominable things before God. They had lost his holy word, and they fell deeply into sin because they had no inspired word of God to guide them.

Thankfully, when the priests took the book of the law to the young King Josiah and read it to him, he recognized the significance of what he heard. The king tore his robes, a sign of his great distress over the sin of his people. He then began a campaign of reformation in Judah and Israel the likes of which had never been seen under the rule of any other king. He tore down pagan altars, defiled the places of cult sacrifices, and put an end to the worship of idols among his people.

While we could learn a great deal from this section of scripture (including the fact that government sponsored religious reforms do not tend to stick), the main thing that I think we need to grasp is the significance of the book. What prompted the reforms of Josiah? They were prompted by the inspired and holy word of God. You and I will never do what pleases God without doing so in direct relationship to the word of God. We will never know how to do what is right, regardless of what we feel in our hearts, without doing so in response to the commands and teachings of holy scripture. We have no greater treasure to help us to live the Christian life, to live to honor God, than the Bible, God’s word.

Today is a great day for you and me to renew our commitment to the book. If we love God and want to serve him, we must love his revealed word. The only sure way we have of knowing his revealed will and word is the Bible. Since the Bible is his communication of himself to us, we must treasure it above all other things we have. Let us meditate on the Bible, memorize it, study it, believe it, and live it. Let us remember that the Bible is our perfect standard for all that is right. Let us remember that the holy scriptures are useful to make us adequate and equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Let us become people of the book.

Dear Lord, I pray for myself and for all who will read this that we will become people of your word. Let us treasure your holy word as you want us to. Let us be like Josiah, hearing your word, learning your commands, and enacting immediate life changes because of what you have revealed. Let us hear your communication to us in the Bible, and let us never again live by the whims and feelings of our hearts.

Unselfish Suffering (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

pastortravislv

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

Are you selfish with your suffering? It may seem like a strange question, but not in the light of 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. There is a way to suffer hardship that, if we do it rightly, will be a benefit to others and a testimony to the glory of God.

In the passage above, notice how Paul uses the word “comfort.” He praises God for how God has comforted him and his friends as they have suffered hardships for the sake of the gospel. But Paul also understood that he did not simply receive that comfort for his own benefit. He clearly expresses that God has comforted him in order that he might use that very same comfort to comfort others. The very gift that God gave Paul to sustain him through his suffering was a gift that Paul was called by God to use to help others who are going through similar suffering.

What have you suffered? What are you suffering? In our world, there are many who have gone through horrible, unthinkable suffering. There are likely many people you know even today who are presently enduring pain that is off the charts. Maybe even you are suffering. Let me encourage you to not be (or have been) a selfish sufferer.

What would a selfish sufferer look like? A selfish sufferer might endure the pain. A selfish sufferer might even be comforted by God in his or her affliction. But a selfish sufferer will keep all of that wisdom and experience to himself or herself. A selfish sufferer will not look into the lives of others to see how they are suffering. A selfish sufferer will not expose how he or she has hurt in the past, but will work to quietly maintain a particular reputation. A selfish sufferer will not allow others to help in his or her own trial, and in turn, will not help others during theirs (at least not with any sort of genuine help).

One word of caution is this: Do not use this text or this discussion to cause you to become a pity-seeker. There are many Christians who, every time a small group convenes, dominate the conversation with how bad they have had it in the past or that they are having it at present. You’ve seen them, I’m sure. No small group Bible study session can conclude without them declaring how they have been through great trials as a child or in their marriage or at the doctor’s office. Again, I’m not saying that you keep your troubles to yourself, because that is a selfish sufferer. But it is also selfish to find your solace in the pity of others. Don’t try to compete with others in the group to see who has had it worse over life. Instead, focus little on your past pain and much on how God comforted you in that pain. Make your discussion of your past suffering about the glory of God, not about your misery. And, when you are suffering, be honest with Christian brothers and sisters as you seek comfort, but do not use your story to simply win sympathy.

So, how do you become an unselfish sufferer? When you suffer, be honest with other Christians. Tell them your concerns. Let them help. Let them offer you comfort. But do not make yourself the center of the universe. And, when you have come out of suffering, determine in your own mind that you will comfort others with the same comfort that you received. Tell your story, but not with a focus on yourself. Tell your story with the glory of God and the comfort of others in view.

Lord, I recognize that all people will, in one way or another go through difficulties in life. I pray that, when I suffer, you will lead me to other brothers and sisters in Christ who can offer me the kind of genuine, God-focused comfort that I will need to pull through. At the same time, I pray that I will offer others the same comfort that I have received from you. Let me never make my suffering about myself. Let me never be a pity-seeker. Instead, let me unselfishly use my suffering for the comfort of others and for your glory.

Heavenly Focus (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

pastortravislv

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 – Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
.

One of the great weaknesses in our churches today is a lack of true heavenly focus. While many of us still sing hymns or gospel songs that speak of heaven, few of us actually focus on the glory that is to come. Those who sing of heaven are far too often focused on the secondary amenities of heaven—a mansion, streets of gold, gates of pearl, seeing long lost relatives—without truly recognizing the greatness of heaven.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is calling the Corinthians to hope. It is not a hope that things in this life are going to get better and better. He is not calling them to live out a gospel of happiness, health, wealth, and prosperity. Instead, Paul calls them to recognize that, because Jesus has been raised from the dead, we have the hope, the sure promise, that we too will be raised from the dead with him. Paul wants us to remember that, though our bodies get weak and die, they will be changed, instantly, to bodies that do not die, that do not wear out, and that will last forever in the holy presence of God. Paul focuses us on heaven, the real heaven. He does not pretend that we all wear halos and angel wings while playing little harps on Hallelujah Boulevard. Instead, Paul points us to the great and glorious hope of being made new by God that we might live in the presence of God for eternity.

When is the last time you thought of heaven? Were your thoughts of heaven true thoughts? What excited you most about heaven? Were you focused on seeing long dead relatives? Were you wondering if there are golf courses in heaven? Were you looking forward to golden streets? If so, I fear that you were looking too small. You were looking at the window dressing without seeing what really matters. In heaven, we will live, truly eternally live, in the presence of our Lord. We will have our souls truly satisfied and our hearts truly comforted. The comfort of heaven will far outweigh all the pain and suffering that any of us face in this lifetime. That is the picture of heaven that God wants us to have, and it is worthy of much thought and of hopeful, God-centered songs.

Lord, I thank you for heaven. I thank you that I have a promise set before me of a life the glory of which will far outweigh all earthly suffering. I thank you that you will change my body with its flaws and failings to a heavenly, immortal body that will live in your presence for eternity. I thank you for the beauties of heaven. I thank you for the joys to come. I thank you that I will experience wonderful things. But most of all, I thank you that in heaven, I will experience the true satisfaction of beholding your glory forever. Help me, Lord, to remember this picture of heaven. Help me to live in the light of eternity every day.

The Deadliness of Unbelief (2 Kings 7:17-20)

pastortravislv

2 Kings 7:17-20 – Now the king had appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. And the people trampled him in the gate, so that he died, as
the man of God had said when the king came down to him. For when the man of God had said to the king, “Two seahs of barley shall be sold for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour for a shekel, about this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria,” the captain had answered the man of God, “If the Lord himself should make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?” And he had said, “You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it.” And so it happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gate and he died.
.

There are many people in the world who have not yet come to a recognition of the danger of unbelief in the Lord or his word. Many find it difficult to imagine that a loving god would actually punish someone for failing to believe him or what he has said. “God just would not do that,” they mutter. The only problem is, their belief is based on how they want the universe to be, and not based on the clearly written revelation of God in the scriptures.

In the account above, the king’s guard had expressed genuine doubt when a prophet of God told him exactly what the Lord planned to do. The man not only doubted that God would do a miracle and feed the people in a famished city, he clearly expressed a doubt that God even could accomplish such a feat. It is that doubt, that denial of the power and character of God, that doomed the guard. As the people of God rushed to gather up the food that God had miraculously provided for them by driving away the enemy army, the guard was trampled under the feet of the surging crowd. Why? Because the man refused, in a very basic way, to believe in God.

Unbelief is deadly. When we fail to believe the word of God about the power, character, and ways of God, we do something very dangerous. To fail to believe God’s word is to offer insult to the Lord who created you. To fail to obey God’s word is to say to the Lord who created you that you are somehow above him, not subject to his commands. Few people believe that, if a person spat in the face of God, the Lord would simply let them get by with it without something being done to purchase their forgiveness. Yet, many believe that God should merely overlook a person’s denial of his word. This passage, however, displays for us exactly what is at stake when we fail to believe our Lord. Failing to believe God is deadly, the most deadly thing that could ever be done.

Today, ask yourself a couple of questions. First, who do you know who is failing to believe God? Pray for that person and ask God to have mercy on them, changing their heart to a believing heart. Even if you are a believer, where are you failing to really believe the word of God? Pray, seeking forgiveness and asking God to help you to trust him in accord with his revealed character in his word.

Dear Lord, I recognize this morning that to fail to believe you is a major offense against your holiness and glory. I have no right, under any circumstances, to fail to believe anything that you have written about yourself in your holy word. I pray that you will forgive me for any unbelief that has been in my life. Please expose to me my unbelief, convict me of that sin, and change me to become someone who truly believes you in all things. Let me learn to trust you for your glory.

Ready for Immitation? (1 Corinthians 11:1)

pastortravislv

1 Corinthians 11:1 – Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
.

One of the simplest keys to teaching a child to do anything is to show them what you want done, and then to ask them to imitate your action. Whether you are wanting to teach pronunciation, dance movements, or the proper way to hold a fork, simple explanations are not enough; a good teacher of children must demonstrate the action.

How true is this principle for teaching life and biblical principles? Paul charges the Corinthians to imitate him as he imitates Christ. He has no delusions of personal perfection. Remember, this is the same Paul that called himself the chief of all sinners. Yet, Paul understood that, warts and all, he still was a more mature believer than those to whom he wrote. So, he undertook an amazing challenge. He called the people to take a look at his life, see how he lived, and imitate him in the particular area of living about which he was teaching.

You may object, arguing that you lack the growth and Christian perfection necessary to help others to follow Christ. Such an objection, however, is not useful. Paul was not perfect, but he was growing. Besides, how dare we say to God, “I don’t want to do your will; I’m still too attached to my sin. Maybe I’ll try to be an example later.” We do not say such things to God, because, if we are genuine believers, we deeply desire that our lives would give honor to our Lord. That means that our hearts’ desire must be for us to give God glory. And, if we are living to accomplish this in a biblical way, we ought not fear asking others to watch what we do and imitate it.

Today, ask yourself what would happen if others around you saw your actions and mimicked them. Would they become more like Christ? If not, ask yourself what it is about you that does not reflect the glory of God. Repent, and turn your attention toward doing that for which you were created. Then, as you glorify God, allow those who are younger than you in the faith to look, see how you live, and imitate you as you imitate Christ.

Lord, I recognize that I am a weak reflection of your glory. I fail so often and so regularly that, on my own, I will not be a good help to others. I pray that you will not allow this to be the case in my life. I repent of my selfish ways, and I desire to spread a passion for you among your people. Help me, I pray, to turn from my sin and turn to righteous living. Then, I pray that you will help me to help others to look like you.