Author: pastortravislv

Lamentations 2:14

Galatians 4:15-17 – What then has become of the blessing you felt? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.
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In two places in my daily reading this morning, I see the same message echoed. In Lamentations, we have the sorrowful outcry of Jeremiah the prophet as he watches and reviews the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonian army. If you remember, God had warned Judah for years and years through his prophets that, if they did not repent of their sin, they would find themselves taken by enemies. Yet, the people of Judah also had false prophets arise who preached false doctrines to them. These false prophets told the people that they were fine, and that they need not worry, for God would never judge them. And so, as Jeremiah watches the city fall, the people slaughtered, the temple burned, and the survivors taken off to Babylon in captivity, he cries out that the people listened to false prophets and failed to hear the true message of God that was preached.

IN Galatians 4, Paul has a very similar message that comes in a totally different context. The church at Galatia had been influenced by false teachers who were trying to lead them away from a belief in salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. These men were attempting to lead the people back into a more legalistic Jewish religious system. And Paul cries out against such teaching. In the midst of that teaching, Paul points out that they used to be very accepting of him and his message, the true gospel, but that seemed to change. The false teachers were apparently swaying the people by “making much” of them. Instead of preaching the truth to the Galatians, the false teachers were preaching little feel-good messages to them, making them feel extra important and super special. And, as they preached their false gospel mixed in with empty encouragement, the false teachers mislead the Galatians away from the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

In Lamentations 2:14, Jeremiah says, “they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes.” Paul asks the Galatians “Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16). Both men display for us the solution to false teaching and the common response to the true solution. The way to combat false teaching and worldly and sinful attitudes is to tell the truth. Jeremiah even tells us that exposing sin is the way to reverse someone’s descent toward destruction. The right thing for Christians to do for one another is to expose false teaching and sinful living for what it is. We dare not keep silent. We dare not offer encouragement to one another when encouragement is not warranted. We dare not tell someone that they are OK if they are not. We dare not allow any los person to think they are saved if it is obvious that they are not. We dare not allow any believer who is living in sin to continue the practice as though there is no problem with what they are doing. We dare not allow any believer to believe false doctrines about Christ or the gospel, nor do we allow them to share such false beliefs and mislead the lost and dying world. We must, in the love of Christ and with no selfishness, tell the truth.

And, much like Paul and Jeremiah faced, there will not be a good response to our message. Jeremiah was imprisoned, beaten, and persecuted on every side. Paul’s own words in Galatians show us that the church had completely turned their back on him for telling them the truth. Yet Paul and Jeremiah were faithful. Fleshly and sinful people will always turn away from the message of the truth. Only those whose hearts God penetrates will respond to the true gospel and to the commands of God favorably. However, God will penetrate the hearts of many. God will draw many to himself. Therefore, it is worth the risk. It is worth the risk of being persecuted or rejected by the many if, in preaching the true gospel, we reach some.

Today, ask yourself which are you. Are you more of a person who wants everybody to like you? Would you compromise the message of the gospel or ignore the commands of God so as not to discourage someone or to lose friends? Or, are you one who will tell the truth, even though it cost you? I pray that you who read this message will become those who tell the truth to others. Tell the truth, even though it may be hard. Tell the truth with as much love and gentleness as God will allow. Tell the truth with humility, recognizing that you are only a sinner saved by God’s grace. Tell the truth, with the desire that people change and not with a simple desire to condemn. But, for the name and glory of God, tell the truth.

Dear Lord, I am challenged and encouraged this day to tell the people the truth. I see that, in Jeremiah’s day, a lack of truth telling and truth believing led the city and the people to destruction. I see in Paul’s day that a bowing to comfort above truth led the church astray. I pray that you will help me to be a strong, faithful truth teller. Let me not compromise the gospel for status, position, or the accolades of others. Let me learn to tell the truth with all love and humility, but let me preach the one true gospel both in and out of the church. Let me call the lost to salvation. Let me call the believers to righteous living. And let me do it all by your power, in your name, and for your glory.

Psalm 144:3-4

O Lord, what is man that you regard him,
or the son of man that you think of him?
Man is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.
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These two verses, found in the midst of a song of worship or prayer, remind us of our lowly position before God. Though God created humanity in his image and declared that creation to be super-good, in comparison to the Lord, we are so very small indeed.

It is far too easy for us to think too highly of ourselves. It is far too easy for us to think that we are so very important that God dare not allow any calamity to befall us. People far too easily think of themselves as indispensable to God’s plan. “Without me,” we think, “God might not be able to accomplish all he wants to accomplish.” And while we may never say this aloud, our self-important attitudes can most certainly reveal for us that such thoughts are in our hearts.

But the psalmist has the right idea. What is man that God would pay any attention to him? Who am I that God would even notice me? I am weak. My life is short, like a breath to the Most High. I am sinful from my youth. I have been rebellious since the moment I began making decisions for myself. I am weak. I am frail. I am fully dependant on God for my life. He does not need me. It is I who need him. He can accomplish anything he wants without me. But apart from him, I can do nothing (John 15:5).

Today, let us recognize and not turn away from our lowly position. Though God made us and God loves us, God most certainly does not need us. We add nothing to him. He is fully perfect and fully able on his own. We bring him nothing that he does not already have. Let us learn to marvel that such a strong, sovereign, all sufficient God would even think of us. Let us give God thanks that he would choose to use people like us to accomplish his will. Let us lay our lives at his disposal, asking simply to be tools and instruments in his mighty hands. Let us rejoice at the thought that the God of all the universe might choose to use us for his purposes and glory. And let us give our lives to the cause of God’s glory, so that our lives might accomplish the purpose for which we were created in the first place.

Dear Lord, who am I that you would think of me? Who am I that you would use me? I am weak, sinful, and inadequate in so many ways. But I thank you that it is not my skill that you seek. You do not need me. You do not lack anything that I or anyone else could make up. So, Lord, I ask that you will first continue to remind me that I am not the most important person in all the universe—you are. I also ask that you will use me and my life to accomplish your will. While you do not need me, I still ask that you will use me so that my life might be spent in bringing glory and honor to your holy name. I recognize that nothing will ever give me greater joy than when you accomplish your will and bring glory to your name through me. Please make me a tool in your hand for the accomplishing of your will. And thank you, o Lord, for willingly using a sinner like me, for giving me grace and making me a part of your plan.

Galatians 1:8-9 – But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
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In many areas of our lives, we want to be eager to allow room for the views and opinions of others in order to be gentle, loving, and to live at peace with others. For example, you might greatly disagree with someone’s preference of musical styles, but that should not be a reason to break in Christian fellowship from them. Likewise, your church may focus more on ministry to the poor and needy while another may focus more on evangelism or education; and neither church is totally out of line in its choice. But there is one issue over which you can not compromise. There is one issue that, regardless of your cultural background or social standing, you must be ready to go to the mat to defend. There is one issue that, if you disagree with others on, you can not have a peaceable Christian relationship. That issue is the gospel itself.

IN Galatians, Paul is writing to a church that was moving away from a belief in salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Instead, many of the people in the church were embracing again the Jewish laws, and considering them requirements for anyone to truly be saved. That is why Paul, in his opening statements in chapter 1, says that he is astonished that they are so quickly deserting the faith. They were moving away from the true gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Christ, and they were moving toward a supposed gospel of salvation by grace through faith and works of the law.

When we look at verses 8-9 above, we see that Paul took aim at those Christians who were thinking about backing back into the Jewish law system, and he blasted them with the strongest possible words. He declared that anyone who goes out preaching a gospel different than the gospel that he had originally preached to them (a gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone), let that person be accursed. Literally, Paul is actually saying to the Galatians that any person who is preaching a gospel contrary to the gospel of Christ should be cursed by God, that they should go to hell forever.

Why such strong words from Paul? Why no tolerance? The answer to these questions should come immediately to your mind if you are a believer in Christ. We know that there is salvation in no one else other than Christ (Acts 4:12). We know that no one will be justified or made right before God by doing righteous actions or works of the law (Romans 3:20). We know that the most righteous actions of any unsaved person are like filthy rags in God’s sight (Isaiah 64:6). And if we know these things, we should also know that a person who preaches something other than salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone preaches a false gospel that will lead people toward someone other than the real Jesus Christ. Someone who preaches salvation by works is someone who preaches a false gospel that will lead people toward hell. The preacher of such a false gospel takes the name of Christ and the story of Christ’s life, and twists it in such a way as to steer people just shy of receiving God’s grace. Such a false teacher actually leads people to hell, and that is why Paul speaks so harshly against anyone who would preach a gospel other than the true and original gospel that Paul himself preached, the gospel of salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ apart from any additional works.

Paul was clearly furious at the idea that anyone out there might preach a gospel contrary to the true one, leading people to hell. My question for myself and for you today is this: Are you that upset at the notion of people claiming Christ and misleading the lost? Do you have a righteous indignation that boils up within you when you recognize that there are teachers and churches out there that are completely misleading thousands, even millions? It is time for those who believe in the true gospel to act like Paul here. It is time for us to shake off any false form of tolerance and speak the truth. We need to speak the truth in love. We need to speak the truth without resorting to physical violence. But we need to speak the truth with honesty and boldness. If we believe that people are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, we need to preach that truth for all to hear, even if it contradicts those around us who are preaching a false gospel. Whether they be our friends, our co-workers, or members of our church, if we see people preaching a false gospel, we can not let that go. We have to , if we are to be responsible before God and loving to the lost, preach the true gospel and correct those who distort it.

Dear Lord, I thank you so much for the gospel. I thank you that you saved my soul, not based on anything I have done, but based on your grace through the works and righteousness of Jesus Christ. I add nothing to salvation. I can do nothing to earn my salvation. And I pray that you will help me to be honest and bold while being loving toward those who preach a false gospel. Help me to faithfully stand for truth in my community, so that none over whom I have influence might believe that they are saved by anything other than by your grace alone.

Psalm 138:2 – I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.
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This verse catches my attention for the things that it says God has most highly exalted. If we want to know what are the most important things in the whole world, we need to know what God has most highly exalted. Whatever God says is most important, we should say is most important. Whatever God sets up as central to life, we should honor as most important.

In this verse, the Bible tells us that God has set above all things his name and his word. Beginning with his name, we see that God is jealous for the glory of his name. God created us for his glory. He works in us for his glory. God does all things that God does for the glory of his name. All events in human history will ultimately be for the glory of God. They will either display his justice or his mercy, his sovereignty, his patience, his kindness, or some other facet of who God is. All things will be for him. Thus, if we are to honor God properly, we will live our lives, above all else, for the glory and majesty of our God.

God has also set apart and exalted his word. The words of God are his commands, his promises, his communication to us. We now have his word in the Bible. Let us exalt God by being faithful to his word. If God has set his word above all things, we too should make his word the ultimate standard for all that we live, say, and do.

Today, ask yourself if your life is focused on the glory of God and on the word of God. Are you living to honor your Lord in every choice you make? Are you ordering your steps so as to bring the most honor to his name? Are you trusting his word? Are you reading his word and following it as something God counts as sacred? Today, learn to give yourself to the honor and glory of God’s name and God’s word.

Dear Lord, I thank you for who you are. I praise you, for your name is truly glorious. There is none like you. There is none who is as glorious as you. I honor you, for you are most to be honored. And I thank you for your word. Thank you for every bit of communication that you have sent to me. I pray that I will love your Bible. I pray that I will read it, and hear you speak to me through it. Let me never dishonor your name or your word.

Jeremiah 23:5-6 – “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: The Lord is our righteousness.”
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I have heard it said that the most easily proved doctrine in all the Bible is the depravity of man. The word of God makes it plain to us that all of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:7-10; etc.). There is no person, with the exception of God’s own Son, who has ever lived a life of total, God-like perfection. And, I would imagine that, if you are honest with yourself as you read this writing, you too will readily admit that your life, while not as bad as it could be, is most certainly not as perfect as God.

What makes this verse stand out so much to me is the name that is predicted for the coming descendant of David. In Jeremiah 23:5-6, God promises that, someday, he will raise up a branch from the line of David who will rule Israel with righteousness. That descendant of David will be called “The Lord our righteousness.” And, if you know your Bible even a little, you should be able to connect this prophecy with the coming of Jesus, God’s own Son.

Jesus was born, on the earthly side, as a descendant of David’s through his mother, Mary. However, Jesus is also God the Son, God come down to earth. Jesus is the Lord. He is also the promised king. He lived perfectly. He lived with the righteousness that only God could live.

Now, for you and me, we are sinful. We mess up. We fail. What we need from God, more than anything else in the whole world, is for God to do something so that we can be made righteous enough to live in his kingdom and to forgive us for our sins. Jesus is not only called the Lord. He is called the Lord our righteousness. Jesus, came to earth to die as a sacrifice for our sins and to give to us the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is why this verse stands out to me so much: Jesus is not only God; he is God our righteousness.

Today, take a moment to give Jesus thanks for fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah 23:5-6. HE came to be our ruler. He came to b our King. But, thankfully, he also came to be the Lord our righteousness—to give us the righteousness that none of us has ever been able to live on our own.

Lord Jesus, I thank you for being “the Lord my Righteousness.” I am not righteous on my own. I have sinned against you and against others. I thank you that you, Lord Jesus, came to die as my sacrificial substitute. I thank you that you also came to give to me a righteousness that I could never live, your righteousness. You are my only hope for righteousness, and I thank you that you have been so kind as to give me that righteousness.

James 1:2-3 – Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
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One of our major downfalls in Christianity in the US is our treasuring of our comforts. We have been given so much by God that we sometimes fail to remember that the things that we have been given are merely that: things. God has blessed us materially. For Many of us, God has given us far more than we could ever imagine. He has given us more than so very many have all over the world.

Yet, when trials and troubles come, regardless of their form, we often fail to count those trials as joy. AS James tells us here in chapter 1, we are to find joy when we face trials, discomforts or persecutions that cause us difficulties. It is as though the material blessings that we have been given have softened us up so much that we can no longer suffer to the glory of God.

Let us remember that, in Christ, both prosperity and suffering may very well be the will of God. Any religious teacher that declares to you that Christians will never suffer (perhaps because they declare us to be the children of the King and argue that King’s kids do not suffer) is a person who teaches you unbiblical and destructive things. Christians have suffered from the dawn of the church. God’s children have always faced trials. In reality, many Christians have been witnesses to Gods’ faithfulness in the midst of trials, and not because God released them from the suffering they were under. Many throughout history have commented on the way that Christian martyrs sang the praises of God or prayed God’s mercy on their murderers until their bodies were consumed by the flames or the wild animals. Those who suffered in these ways were ultimate witnesses to the glory of God, to the supremacy of Christ, and to the ultimacy of the eternal over the temporal.

Now, as you and I work our way through this world, we are less likely than many in the world to suffer under the scourge of persecution. However, trials and persecutions may indeed come our way from various directions. Let us learn, as we see here in God’s word, to become people who gladly endure suffering. Let us endure because we know that God is still in control. Let us endure because we know that God has already blessed us so richly. Let us endure because enduring suffering gives glory to God. Let us endure because enduring builds up godly character which honors Christ. Let us endure because we know that eternity and heavenly rewards far outweigh the temporal suffering that we face—even suffering that is extreme. Let us endure because enduring suffering for the glory of Christ makes us like the heroes of the faith of old who sacrificed their bodies as martyrs at the hands of evil men for the glory of God.

Dear Lord, I do not seek to suffer, but I pray that, should trials and sufferings come my way, I would be ready to face them for your glory. Let me not cling to the comforts and toys that my life affords. I thank you for all the blessings that you have given me, but I pray that not one of those blessings would ever be something that I would value above you and your glory. May I readily be willing to give up anything material that you have given me for the sake of your holy name and your glory. I also pray for those around me who are facing trials. Help them to face their trials in a way that will most bring glory to your name. Help me to remind them that their trials will ultimately lead to their greater soul satisfaction as they honor you in their suffering.