We have been given very specific motives and process on why and how to pray, and yet most of us struggle with doing so.
One of the aspects that should truly set God’s people apart should be our prayers, specifically the unique aspects of prayer that may not be recognized or practiced by other religious adherents. Historically, people have prayed for millennia, yet Yeshua distinguishes the practice of prayer by God’s people through being extremely specific about what believers should pray for, and how to pray.
While not an exhaustive list of prayer, the following points are comprehensive in the main ideals put forth throughout the New Testament teachings that should stand behind our regular communication with God.
First and foremost in the narrative, believers should pray for persecutors.
Matthew 5:44 “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Luke 6:28 “bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Prayer is then identified as a private matter between the individual and God.
Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Prayer should be concise and specific.
Matthew 6:7 “When you pray, don’t babble like the nations, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. …
From Matthew 6:9-15, Yeshua teaches us that private prayer should include the following points:
For God to be recognized as the one true God.
That his kingdom would become evident on the earth
For personal daily provision
For forgiveness based on our forgiveness of others
For deliverance from being led astray
Other types of communal prayer are listed, as we are also encouraged to pray with like-minded believers.
Matthew 18:19 “Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 1 Timothy 2:8 Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument. James 5:16 …confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.
We are to pray continually.
Luke 18:1 Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up. Ephesians 6:18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Colossians 1:3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray constantly,
We are to pray guided by the Spirit of God and with full assurance of faith.
Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. 1 Corinthians 14:15 What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing praise with the spirit, and I will also sing praise with my understanding. Mark 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for – believe that you have received it and it will be yours.
Personal and communal prayer should be the distinctives that set God’s people apart from other religious groups in the world. We have been given very specific motives and process on why and how to pray, and yet most of us struggle with doing so. For me personally, I am usually so busy trying to solve my own problems throughout each day that I get lost in the blur of activity and don’t stop to involve God in my process, or to involve myself in praying for others. I find it more natural to think about God and about the Bible than I do to actually participate with him and invite him into my situations for his purpose and plan to be enacted in tangible ways.
Following the command to intercede for all the saints, my prayer for believers everywhere is that we may all learn how to be more obedient and faithful in this practice that sets us apart. If you join with me in that prayer, we are agreeing in faith that this can be so, and God will be glorified through our faith and unity.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.
A spiritual person is typically looked upon as someone who rises above situations and maintains a consistent and reasonable viewpoint.
Vigilance can be defined as “the action or state of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.” Being vigilant in our walk with God means that an individual must remain self-aware for dangers and difficulties at all times. This self-awareness includes emotions along with our doctrinal understanding, and also extends to our practices and habits.
If we are to remain vigilant over our emotions, we must be able to have a balanced perspective in all situations. The most common way we allow our emotions to get the best of us is when we succumb to frustration and anger. This emotion rides just below the surface of our persona or our residual demeanor. It can be sparked by the slightest of apparent infractions; however, the we must remain vigilant in controlling this emotion.
Proverbs 25:28 A person who does not control his temper is like a city whose wall is broken down. Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise person holds it in check.
The wisdom of emotional vigilance means we will not say or do things under the control of anger that we may come to regret under any normal circumstance. Violent actions and words are extremely difficult to regain.
James 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.
We must also remain vigilant in our doctrinal understanding. This is why we should be spending quality time in prayerful searching, Bible studies, listening to sermons, or reading commentaries. Having a correct understanding of doctrine provides us the basis for balance and appropriate conduct. According to the apostle Paul, the constant assistance of the Spirit of God is his provision for that balance and insight.
1 Corinthians 2:10-14 Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, since the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except his spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. But the person without the Spirit does not receive what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually. 2 John 1:8-9 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
A spiritual person is typically looked upon as someone who rises above situations and maintains a consistent and reasonable viewpoint. This level-headed thinking then plays out in solid and useful actions.
2 Corinthians 8:21 Indeed, we are giving careful thought to do what is right, not only before the Lord but also before people. 1 John 3:10 This is how God’s children and the devil’s children become obvious. Whoever does not do what is right is not of God, especially the one who does not love his brother or sister.
To be vigilant over our emotions, doctrine and practices provides us the best opportunities to demonstrate true love to others. Our vigilance in these areas is the basis for conducting ourselves in ways that honor God. In the larger picture of our lives among those who live in darkness, we then have the most potential to draw others to him.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.
Be shining: let your good practices be seen by all. Magnify God.
Core of the Bible Podcast #31 – Lighting the way for others
In this episode we will be exploring the topic of integrity, and how a life of integrity cannot help but shine brightly for God in a world filled with darkness.
Yeshua stated it this way:
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16
This passage can be paraphrased as “Be shining: let your good practices be seen by all. Magnify God.”
The life of a believer is a life that is all about others. It’s not just about receiving light for your own path, but about lighting the way for those around you. As that light is received, others can recognize and honor God for who he is.
As much as we might like to believe it’s all about us, we don’t have the luxury of receiving wisdom from God simply for our own benefit and use. Unfortunately many messages from within the halls of Christendom today ring with the hollow platitudes of self-improvement for the sake of self, living your best life, getting all that God has to offer you. These are merely phantoms and shadows of the truths of the Bible, and yet their message is so seductive that many, if not most, have been led astray.
These messages of self do not align with God’s view of integrity because integrity is not only about doing the right thing, but doing the right thing in view of, and on behalf of, others. In fact, integrity doesn’t exist until it can be demonstrated to someone else, whether it be God or your neighbor.
That being said, this does not mean that we should make a point of everyone seeing how righteous we are. This is hypocrisy, the very opposite of integrity. Yeshua condemned the religious leaders of his day for their hypocrisy.
Matthew 6:5, 16 “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. … “Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.
Instead, integrity is doing the right thing in the sight of others even if it is the unpopular or undesirable course of action. The motivation for this type of example is not to become the center of attention, but to simply do the right thing even if the right thing to do is sometimes messy. When others can see that someone is going beyond the minimum or is willing to step outside their comfort zone to be of assistance or to take an unpopular stance on an issue, they are more likely to be inspired and encouraged to follow suit.
And isn’t this why integrity is more rare than it should be? Acts of integrity typically come at a personal cost to the individual, and most people do not feel that they are willing to come out of their own safety zone to do the right thing, even if they know what the right thing to do is. It is easier to simply go along with the crowd.
The answer to increasing integrity in our society is realigning peoples’ motivation to do the right thing. If people are unwilling to act with integrity, it is because they have no motivation to do so, and would prefer to guard their own interests. This is just human nature.
Motivation for actions of integrity will come from one of two places: a motivation to please the desires or opinions of men, or the motivation to please the desires of God. Whomever you are seeking praise from is whom you will serve. If you seek the praise of men, you will do just enough to receive their praise, and do nothing more. However, if you seek the praise of God, you will serve him BY serving others AS IF you were serving God directly.
As for believers, we don’t need the praise of men when the things that we do are done for God. Our motivation is to please God, not the opinions or desires of men. Operating in this perspective typically means we are willing to go well above and beyond the minimum requirement of the needs of others. This is because we have the awareness that God is ultimately the one who is receiving the benefit of our efforts.
Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people…
When you serve others as if you are serving God, notice is taken by everyone else who is merely doing the minimum, and God is honored in this world. Those acts of integrity then become a light for others who see the consistency of your beliefs and your actions. When that happens, God is magnified. Just like the principle of a magnifying glass, to magnify God is to make him appear larger, that is, he is brought closer in reality to others.
Psalm 34:3 O magnify Yahweh with me, and let us exalt his name together.
Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
The reality is that the truth of God can’t be contained when you are operating with integrity. As you do so, your good works make a real difference as they shine into the lives around you.
On the subject of shining, in our passage today Yeshua says to his disciples, “You are the light of the world.” While this is one of the most popular and familiar sayings of Yeshua, if we step back and take a look at this passage from a cultural and historical context, this well-known saying actually takes on some new and distinct characteristics. Quoting Talumudic sources (that is, the oral traditions of the Jews that were were written down and compiled in the first and second centuries AD), John Gill, in his exposition of the Bible, says that great leaders and rabbis within Judaism have been viewed as “the light of the world.”
So. R. Meir, R. Akiba his disciple, and R. Judah the prince, are each of them called , “the light of the world”; as R. Jochanan ben Zaccai is by his disciples, “the lamp of the world”: and it was usual for the head of a school, or of an university to be styled, “the light of the world.”
This metaphor of light, Gill describes, has been picked up from Daniel 12:3.
Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.
If all of this is the true context, then this greatly amplifies Yeshua telling his disciples that “you are the light of the world.” He was intimating that they were to be the teachers and leaders of that generation of believers.
This is borne out as we view how the religious leaders of the day were viewing Yeshua and his disciples.
Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
Yeshua himself was accused of the same thing.
John 7:15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”
It was mind-boggling to the Jews as to how men who were not steeped in the traditions and schooling within the Jewish traditions could have such wide ranging and authoritative spiritual influence among the people.
That the rabbis considered themselves to be the light of the world is also intimated by Paul when he writes
Romans 2:17-21 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth– you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?
Paul was sarcastically poking at the hypocrisy of the Jews who considered themselves to have the light of torah and instruction, and yet continued to violate the requirements of torah themselves. The louder someone shouts they have the light, the less light they actually convey, especially if they don’t even abide by the light they say they have.
True acts of integrity don’t need to be announced, they are simply done, quietly and effectively, because they are the right thing to do.
And the analogy to a brightly lit city on a hill also cannot go overlooked. John Gill continues:
The land of Israel, the Jews say, was higher than all other lands; and the temple at Jerusalem was higher than any other part of the land of Israel. And as a city cannot be hid which is built on a high place, so neither could, nor ought the doctrines which the apostles were commissioned to preach, be hid, or concealed from men…”
If we take Yeshua’s analogous city on a hill to mean not just any generic city, but Jerusalem itself, as Gill does, then it takes on even more meaning. The city of believers, as the New Jerusalem, is not a city that can be hidden or missed. Just as a high city at night draws all attention to itself, so the people of God cannot help but be noticed and seen by our very presence among the societies of this world.
On the topic of the city on the hill, John Ellicott writes:
“The imagery might, however, come from the prophetic visions of the Zion of the future, idealising the position of the actual Zion (Isaiah 2:2; Micah 4:1). No image could so vividly set forth the calling of the Church of Christ as a visible society. For good or for evil, it could not fail to be prominent in the world’s history, a city of refuge for the weary, or open to the attacks of the invader.”
Albert Barnes contributes:
“Jesus…told his disciples that they were like [a city on a hill]. Their actions could not be hid. The eyes of the world were upon them. They must be seen; and as this was the case, they ought to be holy, harmless, and undefiled.”
Because believers in this world are motivated by pleasing God and not men, our actions stand out in stark relief to the corruption and darkness all around us. The message of Yeshua’s analogy to a city on a hill is captured in the popular proverb, “Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
Paul’s desire was for believers to continue this legacy of light.
Romans 13:12-13 The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime…
Philippians 2:15-16 that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life…
Put your lamp on the lampstand where it belongs. The integrity of your actions fuel the lamp that shines into the night. Together, our collective lights become a city of righteousness on a high mountain that is visible to all, magnifying and broadcasting a beacon of God’s truths to our world. In this way, a generation of those living in the darkness can be drawn to him.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.
God holds men accountable for the integrity of their actions, and yet is actively supporting, directing, and regulating those actions for his perfect will.
“If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this;” doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?”
Proverbs 24:12
Yahweh is he represented as one who weighs the heart and keeps the soul. Scripture conveys the idea that Yahweh is observing, and guarding, and watching at all times. To say that he observes is to say that he keeps watch, as one who is guarding a fortress. A watcher must be alert and aware at all times of what’s going on. But a watcher is also a preserver, or a guard who protects what he has guarding. These meanings bleed together in the descriptions of how God is intimately involved with the inmost motives of his people.
Proverbs 16:2: “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Yahweh weighs the motives.” Proverbs 21:2: “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs the hearts.”
As a weigher of hearts, he is depicted as a measurer, balancing motives on a scale to see how they measure up. But there is also conveyed a notion of being a regulator of those motives which drive our actions. In this sense, Yahweh is depicted as being actively involved in molding and shaping one’s thoughts toward a desired outcome.
Proverbs 21:1: “The king’s heart is in Yahweh’s hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires.”
Many great minds over the centuries have pondered these aspects of Yahweh’s involvement within the deepest recesses of those whom he has created. Some have concluded all is predestined and Yahweh’s hand guides everything without exception. Others have concluded that the free will of mankind is the only explanation for how God can hold us accountable for our actions.
However, I am of the opinion that these types of passages demonstrate how all of creation is balanced on the point of a needle. The very actions and motives of our heart are not only known by God but also at times purposefully planted with intent. To my mind, this is why predestination and free will are both sustainable arguments from Scripture, because they are both true, but neither is satisfactory in the extreme.
To be wholly predestined is to be a robot acting out a pre-programmed course of events. To have complete free will is to acknowledge the sovereignty of man above the will of God, hence, making mankind God. The reality is that God holds men accountable for the integrity of their actions, and yet is actively supporting, directing, and regulating those actions for his perfect will.
I believe the practical key for our understanding lies in recognizing the outcome of our actions which are based on our motives. The more in line our actions are with God‘s word, the more we can know we are doing what’s right in his eyes. The integrity of our actions are the feedback loop on our motives. While this indefinable process of God’s influence on our heart and motives strains our understanding, we are not left without a recognition of the results of that influence in our lives.
We should join with the pleas of David, as he seeks Yahweh’s strength and wisdom in molding and shaping his heart, so that his actions would reflect and conform to the will of God.
Psalm 51:10-13,17: “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners shall be converted to you. … The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
When we offer up broken hearts, we demonstrate our willingness to conform our lives to God’s standards so that his will can be accomplished. Allowing his influence on our hearts through his Spirit completes the purpose of God to establish his ways in our hearts, and not just in a book.
Integrity is consistency of action with the revealed will of Yahweh. We should welcome his scrutiny and influence as a watcher and influencer of hearts while we seek to obediently chart our way through this world. The more we do so, the more he is honored and glorified.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.
The heart of a nation can only be transformed from within.
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds of flour until all of it was leavened.”
Matthew 13:33
This is one of the briefest parables of Yeshua, and yet it is rich with meaning and purpose.
In his parables about the Kingdom of God, Yeshua always likens an aspect of the kingdom that he is teaching about with some earthly counterpart; “The kingdom of heaven is like…” The simplicity of this method of teaching belies the profundity of its power. In a very direct way, these little “truth-bombs” summarize volumes of doctrine that explode into new areas of understanding and wisdom.
When studying the parables, we must also keep in mind that the parabolic style of teaching that Yeshua adopts was for a reason: so that the religious leaders would be given the message of the kingdom but they would also be confounded by it. This was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah.
Matthew 13:10-15 Then the disciples came up and asked him, “Why are you speaking to them in parables? ” He answered, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them. “For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. “That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand. “Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You will listen and listen, but never understand; you will look and look, but never perceive. “For this people’s heart has grown callous; their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn back — and I would heal them.
This is why we have to keep in mind that the parables always revolve around the centrality of Israel, both as a nation and a religious standard.
Viewed from this perspective, the simple message of the woman and the leaven was a direct challenge to the traditions and exclusivity that the religious leaders had assigned to their religion of Judaism. Yeshua explains that “the kingdom of heaven is like leaven.” While it is small and unseen, once the leaven is mixed into the dough, eventually the entire batch of dough will become leavened. Once underway, the process cannot be stopped. The good news of the kingdom was ultimately to consume and overrun the stale traditions and practices of the corrupt and dying religiosity of the nation.
If we view the message of the kingdom as the leaven, and the batch of dough as the nation of Israel, Yeshua is intimating that the kingdom message, though small and insignificant to start, will grow among the people until it transforms the nation completely.
That the nation is equated with bread can be shown by the pattern of the tabernacle. Within the tabernacle (and later the Temple), there was always to remain twelve loaves within the presence of God; hence the “bread of the Presence.” Each small loaf was arranged in rows on the table of show bread and represented one of the tribes of Israel.
Exodus 25:30 “Put the Bread of the Presence on the table before me at all times. 2 Chronicles 2:4 Now I am building a temple for the name of the LORD my God in order to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense before him, for displaying the rows of the Bread of the Presence continuously, and for sacrificing burnt offerings for the morning and the evening, the Sabbaths and the New Moons, and the appointed festivals of the LORD our God…
Yeshua’s message implies that the leaven was already at work. As it was being mixed into the dough (the nation of Israel), the process of leavening was already underway. Typically, the bread of the Presence would be removed and replaced week after week with fresh bread. However, Yeshua is implying that the bread dough was not to simply be removed and replaced by fresh loaves, but was itself to be transformed into a different type of bread entirely.
This is how the kingdom would come: through individual transformation working its way through the whole batch of dough. This is also why Yeshua instructed his disciples to spread the message to every town in Israel first.
Matthew 10:5-7 Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan town. “Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. “As you go, proclaim: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’
All of Israel would have an opportunity to hear and believe the message. Those who received the “leaven” of the message would be transformed. This was how the kingdom was to come: by transforming individual lives until everything in their lives became new. And as the message continued to spread, it would ultimately transform the entire nation into the bread of life for the world.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.
We can obtain a better grasp of the type of compassion God intends us to have with others by using the picture of a parent with a child.
“Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.”
Psalm 103:13
Almost every mention of compassion in the Old Testament is about God’s compassion toward his people. God is frequently depicted as a loving God who, like a father caring for a child, provides for the needs of his people in a gentle and caring manner.
Isaiah 49:15: ““Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you!”
Psalm 103:13: “Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.”
The apostle Paul carries this idea into the New Testament as he quotes from the Septuagint, keeping this image of God as the Father of all those who believe.
2 Corinthians 6:18: “I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
The picture of a parent with a child helps us to more fully understand the compassion of God towards his people. A baby has no ability to help itself in any aspect of its life, whether being fed, changed, dressed, or comforted; all these things require someone else’s help and assistance.
It is small wonder than that God chooses to use this image as a way of describing his care for his people. As a parent tenderly cares for the needs of a helpless child, so God watches over those who call him Father.
Similarly, we are expected to demonstrate the same level of compassion to our own believing brothers and sisters, as well as to everyone else.
Colossians 3:12: “Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance…”
We can obtain a better grasp of the type of compassion God intends us to have with others by using the picture of a parent with a child. What physical or emotional requirements do they have? How can we make up for what they lack? In what practical ways can we comfort them?
This simple thought exercise may prompt us to evaluate how we connect with people and to truly reflect on the levels of compassion we are expected, as God’s people, to demonstrate in this world.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.
None of the other Ten Commandments have bearing unless they are rooted in the authority of the one true God.
The primary thrust of Yeshua’s Sermon on the Mount in regards to forgiveness focuses on our forgiveness towards others. However, most of the emphasis in Christianity today focuses on God‘s forgiveness towards us. To understand this principle of God‘s forgiveness better, we need to understand his standards that he holds us accountable to in order to know what we would be requesting to be forgiven from. This is where the Ten Commandments come in.
The Ten Commandments are God‘s standards for all people, which is why Bible records that they were written in stone and delivered to an entire nation at once. While the commandments cover many behavioral and ethical practices, they all began with a focus on the one true God, and to avoid the worship of any other god besides him.
One of the most recurring themes throughout the entire Bible is God‘s denouncement of Israel’s idolatry, and the idolatry of the nations around them.
Exodus 34:17: “”You shall make no cast idols for yourselves.” Leviticus 19:4: “”‘Don’t turn to idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I am Yahweh your God.” Deuteronomy 29:16-18: “(for you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed; and you have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them); lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turns away this day from Yahweh our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that bears gall and wormwood;” 1 John 5:21: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. amen.”
Yet when people turned with all of their hearts back to the one true God, God was willing to forgive them.
Joel 2:12-13: “”Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.” Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.”
This principle was played out among one of the New Testament congregations. Even amidst the prevalence of idolatry in that culture, the apostle Paul writes to the Thessalonian believers and encourages them in regards to their turning from idols to the one true God. They stood as believers who were forgiven of the most basic of sins against a holy God, the sin of idolatry.
1 Thessalonians 1:9: “For they themselves [the believers in Macedonia and Achaia] report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,”
From the typical human standpoint of personal gain and pleasure, there really is no compelling reason to avoid sinning against God by committing adultery, or stealing, or even coveting unless there is an ultimate and final authority to hold us accountable for these very private and destructive actions. None of the other commandments have bearing unless they are rooted in the authority of the one true God.
It is only when we come to understand the singular nature of the God of the Bible and we recognize he is the Creator of all that we can begin to recognize our propensity toward actions that offend him; i.e., sin. To turn from idolatry to the one true God then provides context for seeking his forgiveness, as we desire to be pleasing to him, ensuring we have not offended him with our actions. It is only then that the rest of the Ten Commandments, and the biblical writings that follow, have any true bearing in our lives.
This is the basis of forgiveness. There is only one true God, and he has standards he expects of us. Yet this God has declared he is a forgiving God even if we are undeserving because of our selfish and careless motives. If we turn to him with all of our hearts, he then desires us to reflect his image in this world and expects us to exhibit that same forgiveness towards others who may exhibit selfishness and carelessness towards us. This is the message of the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 6:14-15: “”For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
The one true God desires us to recognize his sovereignty in all things, and in so doing, to honor and respect him by also abiding by the same principles we expect of him. If we are seeking his undeserved forgiveness, we should exhibit that same type of undeserved forgiveness towards others.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.
Faith in the words of Yeshua is faith in the words of the Father.
“”Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.”
John 14:1
The disciples had many reasons for their hearts to be troubled. They were following an itinerant preacher, one who was being shunned by the local synagogues and who was calling out the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. They had given up essentially everything, their livelihoods and their social status, if they had any, to follow him.
Yeshua reassures them that to have placed their faith in him was equivalent to believing God; that is, in the fulfillment of his purpose and plan for Israel and the nations.
Yeshua is speaking here of the validity of his ministry as the spokesman for Yahweh God. Trusting in the words of Yeshua is equivalent to trusting the words of the Father, because he spoke exactly what the Father wanted him to say.
John 12:49-50: “For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak.””
To have faith or to believe is to place one’s trust in some thing or someone. The disciples had demonstrated where their trust was placed by following Yeshua wholeheartedly and completely. Their lives were bound together with his, and therefore with the life of the Father. This unity with him in all things is what caused their faith and understanding to grow.
For those of us today who are placing our faith in the words of Yeshua, we can be assured that we are believing the very words of God himself. In the same way as those early disciples, our lives should be bound together with his. When we are faithful in this way, we can rest secure in the knowledge that his words are continuing to come to pass. When we commit our lives to his purpose, as the disciples did, we can know that his kingdom is being established throughout the world. And knowing that God is continuing to accomplish his purpose in this world should prevent our hearts from being troubled.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.
When we exhibit the qualities which God blesses, we are then set apart for the very purpose that God designed us for.
“for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.”
Exodus 20:11
To be blessed by God is to be holy, or set apart. Just as the Sabbath day is unique among the “unholy” days of the week, so is the one whom God calls to himself.
The characteristics of holiness are exhibited by those who are blessed. In the passage in Matthew 5:3-12 known as the Beatitudes, we see the qualities of those who are called and set apart by God.
Humble Grieving over unrighteousness Gentle Desperate for righteousness Merciful Pure in heart Peacemakers Unjustly persecuted for Messiah
These are not qualities for the faint of heart, or for those who is faith is shallow and temporary. These are qualities that are forged in the fires of affliction and struggle. They are only apparent amidst their counterparts.
Pride Flaunting sin Harshness Rebelliousness Cruelty Corruption Agitation Persecution
It is only within the conditions of these negative and hostile qualities that holiness shines, just as the Sabbath is only apparent as set apart from the mundane days of the week. If it seems that we can’t escape these oppressive environments, it’s because this is the very reason we are put here: as counter-balances to, and overcomers of, the darkness of this world.
This is why it’s necessary for God’s people to maintain their qualities of holiness at all costs, so that God’s kingdom becomes manifest. When we exhibit the qualities which God blesses, we are then set apart for the very purpose that God designed us for, and he is honored and magnified.
Matthew 5:16: “Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.
Understanding God’s perspective helps us make the choices each day that honor him.
Core of the Bible podcast #30 – The priceless objective of accomplishing God’s will
In this episode we will be exploring the topic of the kingdom, and how the kingdom of God, defined as doing his will, should be the primary and most urgent focus of our lives every day.
Yeshua stated it this way:
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46
How invested are you in the kingdom of God? Yeshua taught us that we should be seeking the kingdom first, not somewhere further down a list of spiritual things we think we should be doing.
This parable illustrates the immense value that a true seeker places on the discovery of the kingdom of God. To be willing to sell everything you have in order to gain one single objective is a demonstration of the very highest commitment.
John Gill in his Bible commentary comes to this interpretation of this parable, which I have paraphrased a bit for clarity from the 18th-century prose:
“…in conjunction and harmony with the other parables, I believe this is to be understood of those who seek knowledge in all of its branches, natural, moral, and spiritual; and who, like a “merchant man seeking goodly pearls,” find the Gospel and prefer it to everything else. … for those who seek wisdom and knowledge through proper means are like merchant men who trade abroad and for valuables; and these, under divine direction, find the truths of the everlasting Gospel in the Scriptures, and through the ministry of the word, and by prayer and study…”
If the merchant is the seeker of truth and the pearl is the gospel of the kingdom, then we would do well to first of all ensure we know what the kingdom is.
What is the kingdom of God?
In a very small nutshell, the kingdom of God is exhibited anywhere God reigns supreme. While he ultimately rules heaven and earth, he is not always granted rule here by men who don’t believe in him or who prefer to follow their own ways rather than his. Hence Yeshua’s prayer that God’s kingdom would come and that his will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.
The carrying out of God’s will on earth is the demonstration of the reality of his kingdom. According to Yeshua, God’s kingdom is all about God’s will being done here on earth in the same way that his will is accomplished in heaven. Consider the following:
Matthew 6:10: “May your Kingdom come, your will being done, as in heaven, so on earth.”
Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
When we are doing God’s will, his kingdom comes, or is present. God’s desire is for his kingdom to cover the earth; that is, that his will would be accomplished in the lives of his creation. We can know God’s will by being in his word on a continual basis. Understanding God’s perspective helps us make the choices each day that honor him. As we live out his word, we become the light and salt of the world that Yeshua spoke of in other parables.
In this parable we are encouraged to be like this merchant. In a believer’s life, everything one has and does should stem from the reality of the kingdom. God’s purposes should have priority in all decision making. Once we find the treasure of God’s will in his word, we should engage every resource we have to see it come about by living it out. It should consume all of our actions and thinking.
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If the kingdom of God is all about accomplishing God’s will on earth, then how do we discern God’s will?
Matthew 12:50: “For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.””
We know that it must be possible to know and do God’s will, otherwise Yeshua has a set a standard that is unachievable in this life.
In a similar way, the apostle Paul challenges the Ephesian believers to the same standard of knowing what God’s will is so that they can bear fruit that is pleasing to him.
Ephesians 5:8-10 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light — for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth — testing what is pleasing to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:15-17 Pay careful attention, then, to how you live — not as unwise people but as wise — making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
In his letter to the Roman congregation, Paul provides some insight into how God’s will is discerned. In this specific instance, while sarcastically cautioning the Jews among the congregation against their potential for hypocrisy, he does let slip a secret on what God’s will is based.
Romans 2:17-18, 21 Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law, and boast in God, and know his will, and approve the things that are superior, being instructed from the law … you then, who teach another, don’t you teach yourself? You who preach, “You must not steal” – do you steal?
You see, he mentions the key principle that to know God’s will was to rely on and be instructed from the law. The law, or torah of God, is how we can know and approve what God sees as best for his created beings.
Paul continues this thought later on in the epistle, saying that the only way to really understand God’s will is to be transformed by not conforming to the world around us, and to have a renewed mind. Since he has already set the precedent that the knowing God’s will is based on being instructed from the law, we can know that this renewing of the mind comes from understanding God’s will from his law.
Romans 12:2: ” Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
Further, in other epistles, both he and Peter specify aspects of God’s will for his people that are once again based on his torah. Let’s look at each of these admonitions and compare them with their roots in the law of God.
SEXUAL IMMORALITY
1 Thessalonians 4:3: “For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality.” What defines sexual immorality? The law does in Lev.18 and 20:9-21 when it explains all of the different family members and and appropriate and inappropriate relations.
GIVING OF THANKS
1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.” Where are we encouraged to give thanks to God? From God’s law:
1 Chronicles 16:8 Give thanks to the LORD; call on his name; proclaim his deeds among the peoples.
Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart celebrates, and I give thanks to him with my song.
Psalm 92:1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praise to your name, Most High…
DOING GOOD
1 Peter 2:15: “For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” Where are we encouraged to do what’s right? Once again from the law:
Deuteronomy 6:18 “Do what is right and good in the LORD’s sight, so that you may prosper and so that you may enter and possess the good land the LORD your God swore to give your fathers,
2 Chronicles 19:11 … Be strong; may the LORD be with those who do what is good.”
Psalm 34:14 Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.
All of God’s word is his torah, his instruction for his people. By purposefully and intentionally spending time each day in his word, we are transformed by understanding what things God desires for his people, so that his will can be done on earth by us. This is the way his kingdom comes.
1 Peter 4:2: “that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”
1 John 2:17: “The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.”
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When you are fully invested in seeking the things of God, this desire for conformity to the kingdom becomes second nature. It becomes all-consuming and touches every aspect of your life. Living out the principles of God’s kingdom brings it to life among all of those around you.
How do you know what the most important things are in your life?
The things you value most are the things that consume your time, your energy, and your resources.
In the case of this merchant seeking the pearl of great price, we can imagine his search consuming all three of those qualities.
He would have spent time searching for what he was looking for. We can imagine this to have been a lifelong pursuit. He was a merchant, a trader, this is what he did for a living.
He would also have had to expend energy in his search. Day after day he would have continued to travel to market after market and comb through merchandise. There could have been wasted trips with no results. Long, hot days would have been spent jostling among the crowded venues, trying to find the ultimate prize.
And when he finally discovered what he had been looking for, imagine his relief! All of the efforts and time expended was worth it. He had obtained his goal, the most amazing pearl he had ever seen in all of his travels. He knew he needed to obtain it, whatever it took, because it was valued above every other precious treasure he had seen. So all of his resources then went in to obtaining it to make sure he would be able to purchase it for himself.
Yeshua explains that this is what the kingdom of God is like. It’s like this merchant, spending his time, his energy and his resources to obtain the most precious treasure. The kingdom should be made up of individuals who value God’s principles and his will above everything else. All of our time and energy should revolve around the goal of accomplishing God’s will in our lives. We should be willing to travel long distances, struggle amidst crowded marketplaces and invest all that we have in this commodity which contains the highest value in our lives.
Is the kingdom to you a pearl of the highest value, or only one of many other similar pearls strung together that you wear to adorn yourself to be admired by others? By applying the principles of accomplishing God’s will in all we do every day, we can overcome our vain efforts at shallow beliefs and be engaged in the most rewarding pursuit of all: the kingdom of God on earth.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive here. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.
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