Destruction in Haiti: What You Can Do to Help

  

Haiti suffered a 7.3 magnitude earthquake the afternoon of 1/12. Our friends at El Shaddai Ministries are struggling to communicate and find out the status of the hundreds of orphans in their care. Pastor Louis St. Germain, leader of El Shaddai Ministries who lives in the southern city of Les Cayes, had this update today: 

“Access to Les Cayes by road is impossible. A big mountain collapsed. Only by motorbike.

We cannot communicate with Port au Prince, our relatives and friends are missing so far in those areas. We have no news from them. We have no news from our children’s home in Port au prince. In the south most the children and the sites are Okay. Pastor Chry’s house at Chantal was hit. A wall collapsed.

In Les Cayes we wake up in a different city this morning. Until now we still have some aftershocks. Everyone left their home. The people is in the street. There is panic every were. People are afraid.

If Port au Prince, which represents the heart of Haiti is 85%of the population is destroy, we cannot imagine the next few days how it’s going to be if we don’t get any help.

Thank you for your love and your support.”

Pastor Louis St. Germain

 

Here are resources if you can help our brothers and sisters in Haiti: 

• Global Orphan Project (Christ-centered organization well-connected with local Haitian networks; currently trying to get 1-2 months extra supply of food to the many orphans close to the epicenter of the quake)
• Food for the Hungry (Gospel-centered ministry with holistic philosophy of relief and development, currently with first responders coming from the Dominican Republic)
• American Red Cross (You can text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief for Haiti)
• Mission to North America (This is the Haitian church-planting arm of the PCA where you can donate directly to the Haitian locals of El Shaddai Ministries who know firsthand the needs of their own people)

Sermon on the Mount: Week 9 and Blogging hiatus to prepare for baby!

This was the final week of our study of Kay Arthur’s book on the Sermon on the Mount, Lord, I’m Torn Between Two Masters. In many ways, Arthur definitely came “full circle” from Week 1 when she focused on the kingdom of heaven, what it is, and its coming glory. This final week focused on possessing the kingdom of heaven and coming to a true understanding of how Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount shines a light on His kingdom.

The life of righteousness set before us in the Sermon on the Mount is one that is impossible to attain without Christ. Many non-believers will try to emulate the principles of the Sermon but will ultimately fail in achieving a righteousness that “surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees.” (Matthew 5:20) This life of righteousness is one characterized by complete dependence on Christ. A persistent striving to ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7) and a belief that God delights in our dependence on Him. This is His character.

We note the parallels between the Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments in that the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) begin with our relationship with God (vv 2-6; poorness in spirit, mourning, meekness, a hunger/thirst for righteousness) and then turn to our relationship with others (vv 7-12; mercy, making peace, persecution). In the same way, the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) first instruct us on relating to YHWH (vv 2-8; idols, taking the LORD’s name in vain, keeping the Sabbath) before instructing us on relating to our fellow man (vv 9-17; honoring parents, murder, adultery, stealing, lying, coveting).

As we have learned throughout this study, Jesus did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). His Sermon on the Mount gives us a fuller understanding of the Law and how this Law is fulfilled through our Savior and ultimately fulfilled in our lives when we strive to live by the higher Law of Love.

There was an interesting “news” feature on ABC World News describing how “nearly 6 in 10 Americans blend their faith with new age beliefs.” According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, Americans from all religions are blending their traditional beliefs with new age and eastern beliefs, such as astrology, reincarnation, and yoga. What is most disturbing about this trend is how it stands in striking opposition to the teaching of Jesus. Humans will always want to enter the kingdom of God on their own terms. That is the story of the Fall in Genesis 3. But what does Jesus say?

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few… Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:13-14; 21-23)

In the words of Kay Arthur, “How small is that gate? It’s so small that it causes you to bow in total poverty of spirit in order to enter it. How narrow is the way that leads to life? It is the narrow way of righteousness, a righteousness that actually exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees.” (p 242)

Strive to enter by the narrow gate, friends. Jesus is the only way through that gate and his teaching is pure and true. Do not be fooled by false teachers and do not be swayed by the desire to find a spirituality that “fits” your lifestyle or makes sense on the afternoon talk shows. Our God is a holy God who calls us to a life of righteousness modeled after Christ. Make the choice. Shalom!

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Thank you to all of the lovely women of Grace Chapel who joined us for this study of the Sermon on the Mount. As many of you know, I will be taking a break from leading study and blogging to prepare to have my first child in a few short weeks. I wish God’s blessing on you and your family and look forward to joining you again very soon!

Sermon on the Mount: Week 8

Judging others…this is one of the most difficult topics to discuss for Christians. It is extraordinarily difficult to feel judged, to react when someone comes to you with a criticism of your behavior, and to accept when you may not be living up to the example set by Christ. But the question remains: is it ever appropriate to judge others?

The answer according to Scripture is yes. But are there certain conditions that must be met for judgment to take place appropriately? Again, a resounding yes. What does Jesus say about judgment in the Sermon on the Mount?

“Do not judge lest you be judged.
For in the way you judge, you will be judged;
and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck
out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
Your hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
(Matthew 7:1-5)

Jesus is saying that at times judgment of your brother is appropriate. But a very important thing must happen first: directly addressing your own sin (taking the log out of your own eye). By doing this first, you will then be able to see clearly to approach your brother about his sin. Part of addressing your own sin first is prayer and knowing the Word of God — these actions will further allow you to be right in the eyes of God before you correct your brother.

God has many purposes for judgment. James 5:20 tells us, “…let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.” Galatians 6:1 says, “Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Salvation. Covering sin. Restoration. Building up one another and the body of Christ.

Kay Arthur provides an excellent summary of the issue of judgment in her book Lord, I’m Torn Between Two Masters:

“A careful study of [the] scriptures — including Matthew 7:1-5 — shows that judging is not forbidden. Irresponsible behavior, wrong doctrine, and sin must all be discerned, clearly identified, and dealt with…Righteousness is to be upheld, the gospel is to be earnestly contended for. Judging, therefore, is not wrong if it is done properly. It is fine to correct a brother as long as you do it in a spirit of gentleness, as long as you are spiritual, realizing that you are not above temptation yourself. It is all right to judge as long as the motivation of that judgment is love of God and love of your neighbor. The goal of judgment, remember, is not to condemn but to restore.

It is all right to judge as long as we judge with a righteous judgment, a judgment that is in accordance with God’s Word. We may judge dogs and swine, false prophets, sin, wrong behavior, and wrong doctrine. But we cannot judge the motives of a man’s or woman’s heart. But above all…we must continuously judge ourselves!” (pp 226-227)

Sermon on the Mount: Week 7

What is it about this world that makes us want to accumulate more and more stuff? To put our faith in the things we can buy, collect, display, or store in closets and under stairs? To find it easier to be comforted by looking at our bank account balance than by studying the Word of God? We are all vulnerable to the overwhelming desire for “things” — for whatever reason, “things” provide feelings of comfort and security.

Jesus exposes the vulnerability of earthly possessions in Matthew 6:19-20:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth,
where moth and rust destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal,
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
whether neither moth nor rust destroys,
and where thieves do not break in or steal;
for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

What does this tell us? Our earthly possessions are completely vulnerable and our heavenly possessions are not. Vulnerable to what? In so many words, impermanence. Nothing in heaven is impermanent — you can be sure without a doubt that any treasure you lay up in heaven is permanent…eternal. These verses also tell us that it is our human nature for our heart to go with our possessions — what we have becomes very closely linked to who we are. Are you linked to your earthly possessions or your heavenly ones?

Jesus then turns to directly address the issue of anxiety in Matthew 6:25-31:

“For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life,
as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink;
nor for your body, as to what you shall put on.
Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not worth much more than they?
And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to life’s span?
And why are you anxious about clothing?
Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory
did not clothe himself like one of these.
But if God so arrays the grass of the field,
which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace,
will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith?
Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’
or ‘What shall we drink?’
or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’”

In these current times, we are clearly vulnerable to anxiety about having our needs met (food, drink, clothing, our bodies). Yet God seems to be saying that we are the only earthly creatures who have anxiety about these things — the rest of nature does not work to earn and gather possessions as we do, but God provides for them and they don’t struggle with anxiety. God provides for us to a much greater degree than the rest of nature, but we continue to question Him. Do you ever ask yourself, “Will He actually provide? Don’t I need to make sure I’ve provided for myself and then I can trust in God to provide?”

Jesus gives us our answer in Matthew 6:32-34:

“For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek;
for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness
and all these things shall be added to you.
Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow;
for tomorrow will care for itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

First notice the three references to “all these things” that I emphasized in italics — Jesus is referring to what He addressed in the previous verses — our needs. Food, drink, clothing, our bodies. We seek all these things, but God already knows that we need them. In fact, He is the one who knows most deeply and intimately what we truly need.

The amazing thing about this passage is that Jesus is telling us EXACTLY what we must do to finally free ourselves of the anxiety related to “having enough.” We must seek God first, even before we seek the things that we need. As one of the wise women in the Grace Chapel Women’s Bible study pointed out, God is our greatest need. By seeking Him first we have in essence found the One who will meet all of the needs that follow. The daily needs. The hourly needs. The moment by moment needs. He is at the heart of it all.

Sermon on the Mount: Week 6

What an incredible thing to know that Jesus Himself taught us how to pray. So often we stutter and mumble while praying, unsure of the “right” thing to say to God, wondering if what we are saying truly expresses our hopes, desires, and needs to our Father. How many of us simply turn to the “Lord’s Prayer” of Matthew 6:9-13? These are words of perfection — words that somehow encompass all that we would ever need or want to say to God.

“Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed by Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily  bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”

The opening of the Lord’s prayer (“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name”) rightly expresses worship of our heavenly Father. We should enter into prayer expressing our praise and adoration of the one true God of the universe. But here’s the catch — Jesus is introducing a relationship here. A relationship with a God who is also our Father — someone we can approach with the love and adoration that we would approach our earthly father. I have known people who have not had the gift of an earthly father, and the realization that they have a heavenly father who can fulfill the same role (and infinitely more) is an unbelievable blessing.

The next phrase (“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”) expresses both allegiance and submission, which naturally flow from worship. We have first expressed praise for the one sovereign God and, in coming to know who He really is, we naturally bow our knee in front of Him and acknowledge that our greatest desire is to see His kingdom fulfilled on earth. Arthur points out that this portion of the prayer “has the effect, then, of drawing us into intercession for those outside the kingdom of God…we are praying that Jesus’ lost sheep would hear His voice, come to Him, and receive eternal life.” (p 147) We are also submitting to the will of God above all else and recognizing that submission to God’s ultimate purpose-plan must come before any of our own needs and desires.

Note that the next phrase (“Give us this day our daily bread”) only comes after we first express worship, allegiance, and submission to God. Jesus is teaching us here that there is an order to prayer that puts our needs and desires into the context of who God is, and who we are in relation to God. Yes, our needs are important to God — but our needs must be expressed in accordance with the character of God.  We can only understand the character of God by delving into His Word. The petition here is for a daily need to be fulfilled — the “daily bread” — in other words, daily and even momentary sustenance. What we need for now, with the full knowledge that God will provide according to His will.

The next phrase (“And forgive us our debts, and we also have forgiven our debtors”) is a confession and cry for forgiveness that also includes a recognition of the need to forgive others. Jesus had already expressed in the Beatitudes “blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7).  Here He is saying the same thing in a different way — our own forgiveness is undeniably linked to our forgiveness of others. As Arthur states so accurately, “Failing to forgive others shows that we have no comprehension of what we are really asking for, or of the magnitude of our own debt to a holy God.” (p 149) Many people resist the truth and implications of this part of the Prayer. I think Jesus knew this, because he immediately follows the Prayer with a further explanation: “For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:14-15). Plain and simple.

The next phrase (“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil”) is a cry for deliverance that only comes after our confession and forgiveness of others. Jesus is not saying here that any temptation could come from God (cr. James 1:13-14), but He is leading us to acknowledge that we are always vulnerable to sin and need constant vigilance to not stray into evil behavior. The flesh is weak and we need God’s daily protection and deliverance if we are to live righteous and holy lives.

The final phrase (“For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen”) is a return to worship and is a rightful reminder that it is only because of God’s kingdom, power, and glory that we can approach him on our knees in the first place. In this prayer we have given worship, allegiance, and submission. We have petitioned for our daily needs to be fulfilled according to God’s character. We have confessed our sin and asked forgiveness. We have asked for deliverance and protection. And we have come full circle, worshipping again.

Sermon on the Mount: Week 5

Jesus says a lot in the Sermon on the Mount about how we should respond when we feel hurt, cheated, or wronged. The Law gave Israel specific instructions for how to penalize those who commit crimes: “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21) Under the Law, punishment was sure and swift, people knew that they would receive punishment that was equivalent to the crime they had committed, and people were held accountable for their behavior.

But what does Jesus have to say? “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone wants to sue you, and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:38-42)

This sounds so very different that the Law of the Old Testament! Was Jesus changing the Law?  No. He was revealing to us the true intent of the Law. Jesus was fulfilling the Law by “telling us that righteous men are to be controlled by a higher law. The law of love.” (Arthur, pg 116)

Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength should lead us to have love and compassion for our fellow man. And loving your neighbor allows you to fulfill the Law because you cannot cheat, murder, steal, or covet from one that you love.  Mercy and the desire for another’s ultimate good are the goal of the law of love. And with this goal, we no longer need personal justice or retribution.

What are we to do?

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not.”
“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.”
“Never take your own revenge.”
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink.”
“Overcome evil with good.”
“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.”
Romans 12:14, 17, 19, 20, 21; 13:8

Sermon on the Mount: Week 4

One feature of the Sermon on the Mount that jumps off the page is the juxtaposition of the phrases “You have heard” and “But I say” — without a deep study of the text one might think that Jesus is changing or contradicting the Law with which the Jews were so intimately familiar. However, Jesus reminds us at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, ” Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but fulfill.”

What becomes very clear is that Jesus’ teaching cuts to the heart of the matter. He is not providing “new” teaching, but rather providing new insights into the teaching that God had already provided.  As Kay Arthur states, ” Jesus was concerned for his disciples…He wanted them to understand the narrowness of the way that leads to life, the gravity of not just hearing what He said but living accordingly. It was with these concerns on His heart that He preached the Sermon on the Mount.” ( p. 78)

The other key feature of Jesus’ instruction in the Sermon is that there is always an “action” piece to the teaching. We are never simply given counsel or admonition, but He consistently tells us how we can put the teaching into action.

Concerning murder (Matthew 5:21-26), Jesus expands the Law by saying that even a person who is angry, or calls his brother good for nothing (Raca) or a fool is “guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” How do we put this into practice? Before bringing our offering to God we must go to our brother and reconcile. In other words, we have to initiate making amends with the one who has something against us.

Concerning adultery (Matthew 5:27-32), Jesus expands the Law by saying that even a person who “looks on a woman” in lust has committed adultery with her in his heart. How do we put this into practice? “Tear out your eye…cut off your hand” — take physical control of yourself and make the necessary changes to rid adultery from your life. Do not continue or make a practice of “looking” and do not let your heart follow your eyes.

Concerning vows (Matthew 5:33-37), Jesus expands the Law by saying that we should make no oaths at all. How do we put this into practice? Let our yes be yes and our no be no — don’t say we will do something we won’t, don’t over-commit, be honest with our obligations. When the intent of our heart is to not keep a promise, but we make the promise anyway, we profane the name of God. As David prayed, “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3)

No Sermon on the Mount notes this week…

Our meeting was cancelled this week due to illness so there are no notes for the Sermon on the Mount study…we’ll resume with Week #4 next week!

Sermon on the Mount: Week 3

In Week #3, Kay Arthur continues to prepare us for the study of the actual Sermon on the Mount by examining the true condition of the heart. According to Arthur, “men and women persist in believing that they can instill the moral, ethical structure of Jesus’ teaching without installing Jesus as their King.” (p. 46) She uses Gandhi as an example of a man who, albeit an incredible and principled leader who exemplified the teachings of Jesus, never (at least openly) accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. His heart was full of peace and love but he did not openly choose to bow his knee to confess Jesus as Lord.

What does Scripture tell us about the true condition of the heart? Genesis 8:21 tells us that “man’s heart is evil from his youth” and Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us that “the heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick.” God gave the Law to Israel to make their sin and the true conditions of their hearts evident to them. In the Law God also provided the guidance and instructions for sacrifices that would atone for sin until the coming of the True Sacrifice, Jesus Christ. In Romans 7:24, Paul reminds us that the Law is spiritual and good but it is impossible for a person in the flesh to keep the Law perfectly, which leads him to ask “Who will set me free?”

We are slaves to sin and only God can set us free. How does this happen? The process is described in Romans 6:1-7 (note the process outlined in the italicized verbs that follow):  those who are baptized into Christ Jesus are first baptized into His death, then buried with Him into death, then raised with Him from the dead through the glory of the Father, then united with Him in the likeness of His death and also in the likeness of His resurrection, and finally freed from sin because our old self was crucified with Him. The Christ who has died and been resurrected has freed us from slavery to sin! We now walk in the newness of life.

As believers in Christ, our hearts are no longer bound to the old covenant of the Law. We are part of the new covenant that God promised as far back as the prophet Jeremiah: “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall by My people.” (Jer 31:33) This covenant is no longer written on tablets of stone but on the tablets of our hearts renewed by the sacrificial blood of Christ.

It is only this kind of heart — the heart bound by the New Covenant of grace — that makes possible the kind of lifestyle described in the Sermon on the Mount.

MIQRA Fall Seminar 10/31: Reading Philippians

The MIQRA Institute is offering a fall seminar, READING PHILIPPIANS, on Saturday, October 31, 8:00-12:00 noon, at Oak Lake Church, 3300 No. 1st Street, Lincoln. The cost is $50.00 per person or $75.00 per married couple. For more information or to register, visit www.miqra.net or call the MIQRA office at (402) 420-7677.

This will be a seminar for students and teachers of the Bible, including pastors, campus ministers, school teachers, Sunday school teachers, small group leaders, and others who are serious about biblical study.

Session Titles

“Jesus’ Kingdom in Paul’s Theology: The Contribution of Philippians”

“The Mindset of The Creator, The Christ, and
The Church: Self-Giving Humility, Unity, and Sublimity (Philippians 2:5-11)”

“Difference without Discord: Resolving Conflict in the Community (Philippians 4:1-9)”