Thursday, December 24, 2009

Dream it...and do it!

I have been working on a theory about God and missions. It’s a rather bold and rather impractical by earthly standards. But nothing about missions is practical by earthly standards. I mean think about it; that in their right mind would be willing to walk hundreds of miles, suffer shipwrecks, beatings, sickness, the weather, loneliness, and just over all hardship for a belief? No one. right?
Here is my theory, if it can be dreamed for God, It can be done by God! Now you may or not be thinking: “Kevin how did you think of this?” Well, let me tell you. I was sitting on a but going to a little city in Alajuality, Costa Rica. And As I was sitting there feeling a little discouraged, because I didn’t feel like I was doing great things for God. And as I continued to think about it over the course of the next few days I realized that a dream for God, and success in that dream is not measured by earthly standards.
Missionary history is full of things men and women who did amazing things for God. And I am sure that they felt discouraged and probably felt that they were not doing great things for God. Gladys Aylward was a serving girl who had a burden to reach the people of China with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She approached missions agencies, and they all said that she was not qualified to go to China. So on her own she started to study, and save to go to China. When she got to China few years after she got to china, she saved about 100 orphans from the Japanese invasion by taking the for 12 days over the mountain, along with many other great things.. A lady who the world and even many Christains said was not qualified to serve in China did extraordinary things for God. Gladys had a dream! A dream for God! And she did not let anyone tell her the calling was wrong! God gave her a dream, and He gave her the means to accomplish the dream!
You see our qualification is the fact that we are sons and daughters of God. If you are Christains you are qualified to be missionaries. And don’t let anyone tell you different! If God has given you a burden a passion for the lost go after it and don’t be discouraged! And if you don’t have a passion for the lost…you need to re-evaluate you priorities and your faith!

Integrity

Integrity

A mother gave her young son a command. She said: “My son, live in integrity!” Unfortunately the command was not explained to the boy. He walked away wondering: “What is integrity? And why is integrity important?” The mother’s command lacked practical application for the boy. I am writing this essay to clarify the word integrity and to give practical application to the importance of living in integrity.

Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary defines integrity as "1: an unimpaired condition: soundness 2: adherence to a code of moral, artistic, or other values 3: the quality or state of being complete or undivided: completeness ”(Webster 439). While this definition includes several synonyms already it is beneficial to note that honesty, honor, and unity are also synonyms of integrity. And this definition is from a secular view point. To help give us a better understanding of the word “integrity,” we will look at a Christian viewpoint. The New American
Standard Ryrie Study Bible Expanded Edition’s dictionary (1995 Update) defines integrity as “Sincerity of purpose and single-hearted devotion.” (Ryrie 2194). If I were to combine these definitions they would say, “Integrity is to be without guile and deceit, completely honest, with un-compromising uprightness of character!”

The Holy Bible in Psalms 15 gives a very clear and precise picture of Integrity.

Psalms 15: 1-5 says “1. A Psalm of David. O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 2. He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. 3. He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 4. In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the LORD; He swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5. He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.”(Psalms 15:15)
Do you see the practicality of being a person of integrity? No one trusts a liar. No one wants lies, gossip, spread about them. Do you want friends? Don’t hurt your neighbor! Really, it’s a matter treating others how you want to be treated. It is part of good business. As well as the secular benefits of integrity, there are spiritual benefits as well. God will take care of and bless those living in integrity and seeking Him.

Proverbs 10:9 goes on to confirm what Psalms 15:5 says: “He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out” (Proverbs 10:9). In other words, a man without guile and deceit, completely honest, with un-compromising uprightness of character has nothing to fear. No matter how hard a person without integrity tries to disguise his true nature, or lack of integrity, he will be unable to hide.

If you are living for God, and seeking God, you are living in integrity! Integrity affects both our secular lives and spiritual lives. If we are living in integrity we are in favor with God! My friends please live in integrity! Live for God!

Works Cited


Webster, Noah. Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary. Springfield: G.C. Merriam
Company, 1965.


Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. Ryrie Study Bible Expanded Edition, New American Standard Bible
Chicago: MoodyPress, 1995.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Mercy and Justice

Title: Mercy and Justice

Interpretive Summary:
The prophet Nahum is telling of the destruction of Nineveh and fall of Assyria. It is “The description of the divine justice, and its judicial manifestation on earth.” (Keil and Delitzsch 9)1 God had spared them almost 100 years earlier because of their repentance upon hearing the message from Jonah. Sadly, Nineveh quickly fell back into their sin and wickedness. God, who had been “slow to anger,” is going to punish Nineveh. “The forbearance of God had been extended to Nineveh a century earlier in response to her repentance (Jonah 3:10); But it was forfeited by her subsequent history of ruthless evil making way for God’s judgment instead.” (Gaebelein 462)2

Notes:
1. “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power.” That is not to say that “His long-suffering is not from a want of power.”(Fausset 612)3
2. God’s slowness to anger is “an emanation from His love and mercy.”(Keil and Delitzsch 9)4
3. God’s desire is that no one should perish, but all come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) “He [God] is long-suffering and patient… because of His desire that people repent. This was exhibited in His sending Jonah to Nineveh, about 100 years before Nahum prophesied.” (Walvoord and Zuck 1497)5
4. “And the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.” God is Holy. And being holy He can not leave sin unpunished. As can be seen in Psalms 96:13 God will judge the earth.
5. “In the whirlwind and storm is His way,” The Lord is powerful and majestic. “The power and majesty of God are evidenced most dramatically in the forces of nature.”(Gaebelein 462)6 it is incredible to realize that “for all their grandeur, however, these mighty forces are dwarfed in the presence of the Lord, whom the highest heavens can not contain.” (Gaebelein 462)7
6. “And clouds are the dust beneath His feet.” This is another reference to the power, and majesty of God. Isaiah 66:1 talks about the earth being the foot stool to God’s feet. One commentator says “the tempest is but the disturbance caused as he marches by, and the dark storm clouds are stirred by his feet.” (Gaebelein 462)8

Big Idea: God judges the wicked.

Application:
God’s mercy and justice are important to understand. They go hand in hand. He can not be a loving God without the mercy. On the other hand, He would not be a Holy God without being just. God desires that all come to repentance. He is reaching out to you right offering salvation. However, if you do not accept the salvation He offers, and keep on sinning…you are His enemy and you will be judged for you sin.

1 Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on The Old Testament Vol. 2, p. 9-10.
2 Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Vol. 7, p. 462.
3 A.R. Fausset, A Commentary Critical, Experimental, and Practical on the Old Testament Vol. 2, p.612.
4 Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on The Old Testament Vol. 2, p. 9-10.
5 Walvoord and Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 1497.
6 Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Vol. 7, p. 462.
7 Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Vol. 7, p. 462.
8 Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Vol. 7, p. 462.