Author Archives: Steve

A Spiritual Wake-Up Call – Revelation 3:1-2

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“You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.” According to the Apostle John the church in Sardis was in a spiritual state that was near death–the church had no spiritual vitality. But there was still hope the church would awake from its spiritual coma and revitalize itself because it had not accomplished God’s plans and purposes. The differing salutations to each of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 forewarns the failure and/or poses a subtle hint at the solution for the failure identified for each church. In the case of the church in Sardis, the salutation says: “The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars” (vs. 1). The “seven spirits of God” is figurative language for the Holy Spirit and the seven stars are the angels for each church–a personification of the identity of each church as if concentrated in its angel or messenger. Thus, the Lord informs the messenger of the church in Sardis that it needs a spiritual wake-up call–it needs a refilling of the Holy Spirit so that its works can be complete in God’s sight. So how does this Holy Spirit revitalization take place? “Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent” (vs. 3). The Lord tells the church in Sardis that what it needs is a Holy Ghost revival! It needs to repent of its spiritual apathy and indifference for the gospel, get back to the fundamental truths of the gospel, re-ignite the passion with which it first received the gospel, and go out and actually live out the gospel. If you need a spiritual wake-up call, then try this recipe for revival and let the Holy Spirit revitalize you with a new zeal for the gospel that will enable you to accomplish what God has planned and purposed for your life.

The Kingdom Where All Are Priests – Revelation 1:5-6

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“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.” The roles of kingdom and priests now belong to those of all nations who are freed from their sins by Jesus’ blood. Now all believers are citizens of God’s Kingdom and are like priests, meaning each believer is consecrated by the blood of Christ to approach God directly on his or her own behalf. John’s declaration is reminiscent of Exodus 19:6: “and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” which Moses spoke to the people of Israel when God freed them from slavery and brought them out of Egypt. What God told the people of Israel–that if they obey His voice and keep His covenant they shall be His treasured possession among all the peoples of the Earth (Exodus 19:5)–is now fulfilled through Christ and those who believe and follow Him. Therefore, exercise your priestly role before God each day by making the sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving, by obeying the voice of the Holy Spirit, and by sanctifying your life to His service by studying His word and keeping His commands and covenant.

We Shall Overcome – 1 John 5:4-5

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“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” The Apostle John reiterates what Jesus told His disciples in John 16:33. Jesus said that He has overcome the world and so John says that everyone who has faith in Jesus also overcomes the world. Our faith in Jesus is the basis for a right relationship with God and, therefore, directly connects us to His overcoming power. We overcome the world because Jesus already did. Although we encounter adversity in this world, we enjoy victory over the adversity because we now live in a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

No Bullying Allowed – 1 John 4:4

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“You are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” According to the Apostle John, there is a bully in this world who actively works against God by threatening, intimidating, tempting, and deceiving people including the children of God with his evil influences: “This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already” (vs. 3). Fortunately, we have a Big Brother who is bigger and stronger than the bully who thinks he controls this world. In fact, our Big Brother, Jesus, has already overcome and defeated this bully. Therefore, the Spirit of Jesus who dwells in us is more powerful than the evil spirit, Satan, who controls this world. You have nothing to fear from this bully. Whenever this bully threatens or intimidates you, you can call on your Big Brother, Jesus, who is always near because His Spirit dwells in you to help you take on and defeat this bully.

We Shall Be Like Him – 1 John 3:2

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“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” The Apostle John indicates that Christ is the prototype for our own resurrection. In other words, our resurrected bodies will take the same form as the resurrected Christ. Although Christ has been raised from the dead, we have not yet been raised. So we have hope for being resurrected from the dead and having resurrection bodies like Jesus, but, as John points out, “we are God’s children now.” So the redeemed of God have one foot in eternity and one foot in this present world. But the power of Christ’s resurrection is already at work to purify us so that we start becoming like Christ now: “And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (vs. 3). John goes on to say that God’s chidren do not make a practice of sinning (vs 4), but instead practice righteousness (vs. 7). You are enabled to practice righteousness because you are born of God and have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you and working through the Word of God to empower you to refrain from sinning and to practice righteousness (vs. 9-10).

Successful Service – 2 Chronicles 31:21

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“And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.”

During his reign over Judah, King Hezekiah cleansed the temple, restored temple worship, and organized the priests.

In other words, he made serving God his personal and professional responsibility and he was successful at it.

Hezekiah’s formula for success in serving God was simple:

  1. Align your service to God with His commands;
  2. Seek God’s will in everything you do for Him; and
  3. Make serving God your main priority.

You can be successful for God if you will follow this simple formula for serving Him.

Truth Professionals – 1 John 1:6-7

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“If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” The Apostle John says in the preceding verse (vs. 5) that God is light. Therefore, those who walk in darkness are not walking with God, no matter what they say. John says that if you are walking in darkness then you are not practicing the truth. By contrast, those who walk in the light reflect God’s glory; they walk in the same way Jesus walked (vs. 2:6). The light in which they walk includes both correct doctrine (truth) and God’s moral law (holiness). If you “walk in the light” then you practice the truth and your behavior is consistent with your doctrine. When you live your life each day according to God’s redemptive love and moral law, then you are living the truth. You are like a practitioner of the truth, a truth professional. Just as doctors practice medicine and attorneys practice the law, Christians practice truth. As a practitioner of truth, when you “walk in the light” then your life is known to others: “You are the light of the world…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). Be a truth professional and let the way you live your life and the way you say you live your life be one in the same and to the glory of God, and the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse you from all sin.

A Sudden Change of Heart – 2 Chronicles 29:36

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“And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because God had prepared for the people, for the thing came about suddenly.” During the reign of King Ahaz of Judah, he closed down the temple and built altars in many places around Jerusalem and in many cities in Judah to make offerings to other gods. When Hezekiah, his son, became king, the first thing he did was to open and repair the doors of the temple. Then he called in the Levites and priests and commanded them to cleanse and consecrate the temple. Sixteen days later they completed the repairs and consecration of the temple and the people of Judah brought so many sacrifices that there were not enough priests to prepare the burnt offerings. God had changed the people in such a way that they “were of a willing heart” (vs. 31). The change of heart of the people and the restoration of  temple worship happened suddenly. In fact, it was so sudden a change that the people, who but a few days earlier were ready to comply with wicked King Ahaz in his idolatrous ways, were now ready to be obey and worship God. King Hezekiah recognized the hand of God on the people and he seized the opportunity to repair the temple and restore the people of Judah to the worship of God. Like Hezekiah, we must be spiritually perceptive and prepared so that we can seize any opportunity to lead or restore a person to faith in God when the Holy Spirit is drawing her or him.

God’s Marvelous Help – 2 Chronicles 26:15

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“And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.” During his fifty-two year reign in Jerusalem, King Uzziah built towers, dug many wells, organized a large army, conquered surrounding nations, and made devices for the defense of the city. Uzziah was a remarkable king who had a broad interest in the improvement of his kingdom and because of his many achievements, his fame spread among other nations. For all his accomplishments he became strong because he was marvelously helped by God. Unfortunately, Uzziah began to trust in his own strength forgetting that it was the marvelous help of God that brought him prosperity and success. Uzziah transgressed against the Lord by entering the temple to burn incense on the altar, a ceremony of religious worship that was performed by a priest. It seemed that Uzziah was not content with the authority God had given him as king and apparently wanted to add priestly functions to his royal power. You also, have been marvelously helped by God. In fact, the “marvelous help of God” is a fitting description of the enabling power of the Holy Spirit that is at work in your life: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth…for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). The Holy Spirit will marvelously help you and make you strong in the Lord; but remember where your strength comes from and give God the glory because pride is always lurking behind any success that you may achieve through God’s help.

Time for a Tune-Up? – 2 Chronicles 23-24

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“And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest” (vs. 2). The story of Joash, king of Judah, is an object lesson we all need to take to heart. When Joash’s father, the king, died prematurely, his father’s mother usurped the throne. She had all of the royal family killed, but Joash, the infant heir to the throne, was concealed in the temple for six years by his aunt and uncle, Jehoida, the high priest. Jehoida led a coup to restore the throne to the house of David and install the rightful heir, Joash, as king. In the first part of Joash’s reign while Jehoida was alive, Joash was devoted to the restoration of the temple and adherence to God’s law. After Jehoida, the high priest, died Joash succumbed to the evil counsel of certain leaders in Judah who identified with the evil ways of Ahab, the former king of Israel and so Joash established idolatrous practices in Judah. Joash even commanded that the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Jehoida, be put to death because he spoke against the king. In a battle with the Syrians Joash was severely wounded and brought to Jerusalem where he was killed by his own officials in revenge for Zechariah’s death. King Joash’s faith was dependent upon Jehoida and once Jehoida was gone, so was Joash’s faith. Furthermore, Joash listened to bad advice from the wrong spiritual advisors. Joash couldn’t handle dissent–everyone around him had to agree with him. The lessons we can learn from Joash are to always guard your faith; don’t let your faith be based on the faith of someone else; be careful who you listen to for spiritual advice and then be careful of the spiritual advice that others give; and don’t dissociate yourself from those who disagree with you because God may be using them to reprove and discipline you! Your faith requires continual maintenance–is it time for tune-up?