RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH

Bobservations

by Pastor Bob Lawrenz

    Jesus tells us that He is the way, the truth, and the life. “Study to show thyself approved unto God,” Paul says, “…a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  (2 Timothy 2:15). The word of truth is the word of Jesus. But to rightly divide His word,  we must understand that it needs to be taught with the entire Bible in mind. To do otherwise is to abuse it and teach it like a man with no understanding, or to teach it from man’s own human understanding. Peter teaches that holy men of old spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance. Paul tells us that all of scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

    I learned of a man recently who denies the Rapture of the church, and willingly ignores some of the scriptures that teach it. He has degrees from several Theology Schools, matched with multiple degrees in Philosophy.

    With those two divergent backgrounds, all scripture for him is filtered through human Philosophy. This man has a great mind, and has earned the respect of many in Theological circles. His peers award him the title of “Theologian,” Yet Theology is the study of God’s wisdom, and Philospohy is the study of human wisdom. His chosen areas of expertise are like oil and water. No matter how much you mix them, they eventually separate.  (Isaiah 55:8 & 9)

    Scripture must be taught with the whole of scripture in mind, and not mixed with anything else. God is telling a story, and it’s the story of His faithful followers from Genesis to Revelation, AND how He leads them and protects them. For Jesus’ Church, even the gates of hell will not prevail against it. As He kept Noah, He will keep us. As He delivered Lot, He will deliver us. In the midst of the many sieges against Jerusalem, He preserves His Holy City. His faithfulness is to all generations. So how are we then to believe that God would not protect His Church, and keep us from the wrath of the Great Tribulation? It is contrary to His very nature.

“For God has not appointed us unto wrath, but to obtain

salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:9

GOD'S APPOINTED TIME

Bobservations

by Pastor Bob Lawrenz

   The story of the Hebrews begins with Abraham hearing from God, and then by faith, following God’s directions. While we see Abraham as being imperfect, we must also see that he obeyed God and packed up his family, moving away from familiar surroundings to a different land altogether. Abraham’s appointment with God led him to a new land, and to being the progenitor of a new people.

    Just this weekend, we have seen a young family pull up stakes, and move lock, stock, and barrel to a new region of the country; God wanted to bless them, and put everything together for their journey. They have had an appointment with Jesus, and He has directed them to a new life elsewhere.     

    We are also witness to a family that is watching a beloved member struggle with cancer, and being readied for hospice care, in apparent preparation to go home and meet the Lord. She has an appointment with Jesus.

    All of us are appointed by God for something. His desire is to change our course and alter our path. In Luke 12:46 an unfaithful servant is appointed his portion with unbelievers (This is NOT good news!). In Acts 6:3, seven men are to be appointed to serve in the church as deacons, taking on simple tasks. It should occur to us that everyone is appointed by God to something, regardless of their religious beliefs, or their lack of them.

    In God’s family of Believers, everyone has their place. Once in a great while, it’s a perfect fit from the start, but most times we are appointed and molded and shaped into a perfect fit. Our sister-in-the-Lord is being prepared for her appointment, for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. For the rest of us, our molding and shaping is less severe, but equally vital if we are to be used by God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

    God may have several appointments in our lifetimes, and always with a purpose, but it’s inevitably to draw us closer to Him in a relationship of loving trust, with each new appointment an adventure towards peace with Him.

But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou

our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.  ~Isaiah 64:8

HE MADE KNOWN HIS WAYS

Bobservations

by Pastor Bob Lawrenz

    We are presented with yet another Psalm of David in today’s Psalm, and I am left wondering when he found time to write. From his humble beginnings as a shepherd boy tending his father’s flock, to the nation’s King (tending God’s flock), David should inspire us all.

    Within the titles of the Psalms, seventy-three (73) of them are ascribed to David. David was inspired to write. That inspiration is reflected in both the number of them, and the emotional intensity of each one. We know that David was gifted in many ways: with his sling, in music (and therefore in writing lyrics), and in fearless leadership of the nation of Israel.

    David most assuredly found time to learn and practice all his gifts while tending sheep. Along while the sheep grazed, he had plenty of time to mull over in his mind and heart the things he had learned at his father’s knee. And though the sheep would know his voice, they hardly conversed with him more than a BAA here or there.

    Conversing with our heavenly Father would have been a natural choice, but think about the prayer closet he used: a wide-open field with all of God’s Creation surrounding him! It’s with that image in mind that we might begin to understand from where David’s inspiration sprang! We have them collated for us in five sections of the Psalms. And, if Psalm 1 was the first one he wrote, what a spectacular introduction to his writings we have!

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law doth he meditate day and night.” Ps. 1 : 1,2  

  

 With these words, David reveals the priorities in his life. It is then, no wonder that David was as gifted as he was, for he truly had a heart after God!

Lord, help us to follow David’s example. Turn our hearts and minds toward

You and toward Your Word, and lead us to be inspired by what you reveal.