“A Rock”

February 9, 2024

February 9, 2024

Read Exodus 26-28, Psalm 40

When has there been a time when you have been on shaky ground?  I’m not referring to an earthquake but rather a time when things in your life were not as solid as you would have liked them to be. Maybe it was a time of transition in your life when things were changing around you. Maybe your shaky ground was centered around a relationship with someone that brought turmoil into your life. None of us like to be in these places in our lives, but being human means having times in our lives when things are shaky.

Psalm 40 is a psalm of David where we could identify with him being on some shaky ground. David starts the psalm with, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand” vv. 1-2. David knew that the only firm place for him was with the Lord. This is true for us today. There might be things that temporarily seem like sure ground, but they will not last and give us the rock on which to stand. How many people think by achieving financial success, the right job, power or fame, or the right relationship will solve all their problems. All we have to do is look to those that have reached these goals to see that they are still living in turmoil and struggling with circumstances just like we all do.

David saw that his relationship with God brought him the ultimate joy in his life. “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. 4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods” vv. 3-4. I read a survey not to long ago that said the “nones” are growing. The “nones” are those who do not identify with any religious group. They typically are atheistic or agnostic about many things in life. 29 percent of America claims to be a “none” according to this 2023 survey. Along with the beliefs of this worldview comes a natural order of events. Our beliefs dictate our actions. If I believe there is no God, I am forced to take the view that I am a cosmic accident, created with no purpose. The only purpose that I can grab hold of is the one I create for myself. It’s no wonder so many in the two youngest generations say that struggle with mental illnesses and according to a 2023 Barna survey 75 percent of Gen Z say that they have no purpose in life.

I just want to highly encourage you to hold on to the rock of faith in Christ in your life. If you are checking into who Jesus is and what he taught I hope that you know that you can reach out to me and ask any questions.

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Posted by John Weldon

“Sin and Consequences and Believe”

January 3, 2024

January 3, 2024

Read Genesis 3, Psalm 3, John 3

Genesis 3 describes the fall of humanity. Sin is real and so are the consequences. People often make little of sin. We compare ours to others, we minimize our own and point the finger at everyone else. After God confronted Adam and Eve in the garden, the blame game started. Each one pointed the finger at the other. Adam not only blamed Eve, but he even threw some shade toward the Lord with “the woman you put here with me…” v. 12. If you have ever been around children, you know this is par for the course, but sadly adults do not respond much better. Each one had their own consequences, each consequence was different, but related to who they were and the role they had. We must learn to confess our sins. It starts with acknowledging that we are sinners (Romans 3:23) and we need to act where we cannot.

Satan is also real. Here he is disguised as the “serpent” whose sole plan is to mislead and cause doubt to enter the picture. The first four words from his mouth were, “Did God really say” v. 1. According to the latest Barna worldview survey’s, most people who identify as Christians do not believe in a literal Satan.

Four out of ten Christians (40%) strongly agreed that Satan “is not a living being but is a symbol of evil.” An additional two out of ten Christians (19%) said they “agree somewhat” with that perspective. A minority of Christians indicated that they believe Satan is real by disagreeing with the statement: one-quarter (26%) disagreed strongly and about one-tenth (9%) disagreed somewhat. The remaining 8% were not sure what they believe about the existence of Satan.[JW1] 

If Adam and Eve could not fend off the temptation of the servant what hope is there for us? Although we are like Adam and Eve; descended and designed in like manner we have hope. The solution for us all, one Adam and Eve would not see, was hinted at in the Garden when God pronounced his judgment on the serpent. “he will crush your head, and you will strike his heal” v. 15. A future single male descendant of Eve’s would crush the serpent one day. We know now looking back that Jesus was this promised deliverer.

In Psalm 3 we read a psalm of deliverance. David wrote it when he fled from his son Absolom who was trying to take the kingdom away from his own father. In the midst of trouble, David would call on the Lord and trust that God would be “a shield around me” v. 3. Even when David was in the minority and only had a few hundred men, when he was protected by the Lord, he was confident in God’s deliverance.

One of the repeated words and theme in the Gospel of John is the word “believe.” It is used 98 times in the fourth gospel and only 56 times in the remaining 26 New Testament books. John 3 is a much beloved chapter in the Bible. It contains John 3:16 where Jesus tells Nicodemus “that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Let’s not forget the grace gift that God gave to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. He “made garments of skin” for them and covered their nakedness. The implication is that an animal had to be sacrificed to provide the skins for them. This was just the beginning of the sacrifices that would have to be made for everyone going forward who sought forgiveness. Jesus came to give us the ultimate grace gift by giving his life on the cross for our sins. Jesus death on the cross was the final sacrifice that was made for the sins of all humanity.

What else sticks out to you in these chapters? What words or phrases catch your eye? Add your thoughts below.

 [JW1]https://www.barna.com/research/most-american-christians-do-not-believe-that-satan-or-the-holy-spirit-exist/

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Posted by John Weldon