Your True Worth

                                                                                     

Aloha Dearest Family,

                One day as I was driving to work, I was listening to a Pastor on the radio. He was telling of his childhood; how he and his siblings endured horrendous physical abuse at the hands of their father. But he said that the greatest blow he ever received was when his father looked at him and said, “You are worthless”. The Pastor said that this affected him more than all the other beatings he had received.

                Maybe some of you can relate to this story. It’s sad that the experience of feeling worthless is far too common in our day and time. This is why so many young people (and old people too) are constantly looking for something or someone to give them a feeling of worth in their lives. This becomes even harder when you are looked down upon because of what social-class you were born into. Not that you are inferior, but because the “privileged” make you feel this way.

 Enter Israel

                Thousands of years ago, God chose to bless a man named Abraham, saying to him, “In your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 22:18). His descendants became the nation of Israel and God gave to them His promises, laws and blessings. God wanted Israel to be His “shining city on a hill” for other nations to follow.

                But by the time of Jesus Christ, the Jewish people treated ANY group of people that was not Jewish, with enormous contempt. If you were not born of the bloodline of Abraham, you were considered a filthy, uncircumcised Gentile. And if you were a Gentile, you were considered by Jews as worthless. The cultural differences between Jew and Gentile were enormous and considered unchangeable.

 Enter Jesus Christ  

                Because of the work of Jesus Christ, EVERY cultural “wall of division” was broken down. ALL men, whether Jew or Gentile, could now be born into God’s family and claim legal status into God’s household – making us all EQUAL. In God’s kingdom, no one is above anyone else; Christ being the ONLY head over us all.

                This was the “mystery” (the sacred secret) that God revealed to the apostle Paul.

                 “..that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.” (Ephesians 3:6)

When this secret was revealed to the church, many of the Jewish- believers rebelled against this “new revelation.” This idea was abhorrent to them. They could never have conceived that God would choose those filthy, uncircumcised Gentiles as part of His church. They were so used to being “God’s chosen people” that it was very hard to accept Gentile-believers in. However, as some did accept the Gentiles into the Christian church, many did not and treated them as “second-class” believers.

 Enter Paul

                As Peter’s ministry was mainly to those of Jewish descent, Paul’s ministry was mainly to the believers who had once been Gentiles. (It must be noted that once a Jew or Gentile gets born-again, they are from then on neither Jew nor Gentile, but members of the Church of the one body of Christ). Most of Paul’s epistles to the churches, are addressed to “Gentile” cities: cities such as Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, Thessalonica, are predominately Gentile cities. Meaning that most of the believers in these cities were Gentile-believers. As many Jewish-believers still looked upon the Gentiles as “common and unclean”, Paul in his letters, encourages these believers by telling them their worth in God’s eyes.

                 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus..” (Romans 8:1)

                 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption (a sonship spirit) by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” (verses 14 and 15)

                 “if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” (verse 17)

                 “whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Verse 30)

 Keep in mind that Paul is writing mainly to believers who were at one time hated Gentiles by the Jews. Now they no longer had to feel inferior to anything or anyone. For God had told them of their worth in HIS eyes. God had given His own son up for THEM. Showing them that if He could give up His own son, there is nothing that He would not give them.  

                 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Verse 32)  

 

                Our worth is not determined by what anyone may tell us – they are NOT GOD! God tells us that we are called, that we are justified and that we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with His son Jesus Christ. He also tells us that we are His child and He is our Abba – our Daddy. If God has said this about us, we should never feel unloved or worthless again. Furthermore, let us teach our children these truths and show them their true worth in God’s eyes.

                Not convinced yet? I will leave you with the following verses that will.

                 “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Verses 38 and 39)

                    

                        Love Always, Ray

The Miracle Diet

 

                                                                    

Aloha Dearest Family,

                 God rewards the faithful. Nowhere is this truer than in our next story. Today we will look at the record of 4 young Hebrew men who were taken to Babylon as slaves. This story is often overlooked, but it proves that God rewards those who choose to remain faithful to Him and who choose to honor Him – even to the point of death.

                 This record begins when the kingdom of Judah is being overthrown by Babylon and many of the inhabitants in Jerusalem are carried away into slavery. What I have always found remarkable is that they didn’t just kill the strongest and wisest that Judah had, in fear that the conquered people would rebel against them. But in Babylon, they would incorporate the best and brightest into their own kingdom – making them stronger. And this is how 4 Hebrew teens wound up in the royal city with many other promising young men of the nation.

                 “Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.” (Daniel 1:3 and 4)

                 It is interesting to note that these men were already gifted in wisdom and quick understanding, well favored and without blemish. Ashpenaz, the master of the eunuchs, also changed their names. Daniel became Belteshazzar, and his companions became Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These men were among the best and brightest in the nation.

             “And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king.” (Verse 5)

 These men, with the others, were specially chosen to be nourished with the king’s meat and drink for three years and then they would be brought before the king to serve him. It would be understandable if they chose to “go along to get along”. It would be easier for them to just follow their instructions – they might live longer. But Daniel, in reverence to God, chose to not eat of the king’s food, for he felt it would defile him. Remember that he and his companions are slaves in a foreign land. They have no rights. This decision could very well cause their death. But God honored their commitment and gave them special favor in the eyes of their overseers.

             “God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.” (Verse 9)

 God is so good. Even here in slavery, God is able to work on their behalf. But Ashpenaz is unsure about their decision in refusing to eat the king’s food. This could cause him to lose HIS head.

             “And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.” (Verse 10)

 He explained that if they brought them before the king and they appeared to be “unhealthy," that he could be in trouble. But Daniel set before him a test. He and his companions would only eat vegetables and water for ten days. And then after ten days, if they didn’t appear looking healthier than the rest, then he could do with them as he saw fit.

             “TEN DAYS?? I don’t care what kind of diet you try. You’re not going to be able to see noticeable results in just ten days. The idea for this test came from God. That’s the only way this was going to work. Their life depended upon it, for they were determined that they would NOT eat the king’s food.

             “So he consented with them in this matter and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables."  (Verses 14-16)

 This was surely a miracle. I’m not sure how God accomplished this or what the overseer saw in our heroes that made him change his mind. The difference between them and the rest of the men must have been quite drastic. But whatever he saw impressed him enough to take away the king’s food and just give them their requested vegetables and water from now on. Furthermore, God continued to bless them with wisdom and knowledge, and more.    

             “As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.” (Verse 17)

 After three years they were brought before the king and interviewed.

             “Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego); therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.” (Verses 19 and 20)

     These 4 men continued to be blessed by God and became respected advisors to the king. And because of their unswerving devotion to God, they were appointed to high positions in the kingdom. Their exploits were well known throughout the land as well as their complete trust in their God - which was legendary. (And we are still reading about them thousands of years later).

         God has NOT CHANGED. He is STILL able to do the impossible for those that love and honor Him. If He can do it for them, He can do it for you as well. The situations we may find ourselves in makes no difference. God can still cause you to prosper right where you are. Remember there is nothing too hard for God.

                            Love Always, Ray                                       

The Search for Knowledge

                                                                                   

Aloha Dearest Family.

                     Years ago, I saw a Martial Arts movie called Circle of Iron (1978). It is about a young, arrogant fighter named Cord who goes on a quest to earn the right to look into the “book of enlightenment.” This book is said to contain all the world’s wisdom and knowledge. During his travels Cord must defeat several opponents in hand-to-hand combat to earn the right to look at the book. After many trials, he finally reaches the island where the book is kept. He is given the choice to stay and guard the book without gazing inside or open the book. Cord decides to open the sacred book and what he finds is that each page is just a mirror. All of the hidden wisdom of mankind was – in himself?    

         The ancient religion of Gnosticism boasted of having a secret, hidden “knowledge” that only the most devout followers could attain. But in reality, this knowledge was just the wisdom of men-which is basically worthless. The quest to find the secrets of life has been going on for thousands of years and mankind is still searching. Maybe he’s been looking in the wrong places.

                 In James chapter three, man’s wisdom is described as “earthly, sensual and devilish” (James 3:14-16). This type of wisdom produces bitter envy and strife. But God’s wisdom is described as:         

         “…pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (Verse 17)

                  Man’s knowledge is supposedly based upon facts. But facts can change over time. God’s knowledge is based upon eternal truths and therefore cannot change. A knowledge of God and His ways will not only have countless benefits for you today, but also in the life which is to come.

                   “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge…” (Hosea 4:6a)

 God says that His people were being destroyed because they lacked knowledge. What kind of knowledge were they lacking? A guarantee you this was not a lack of knowledge about fashion, music, social media trends or political view-points. The knowledge that He is speaking of is a knowledge of their own God. 

                 “Hear the word of the Lord, You children of Israel, For the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: “There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land.” (Verse 1)

  This is what was causing their downfall. They did not know God and worse yet; they did not search for Him.

             God is the fountain of living waters, the source of all wisdom and knowledge. Why would anyone not want to pursue this knowledge? In truth, it is better to rely upon the infinite, spiritual realities of an eternal God than the limited, many times flawed, ideas of finite man.

                  No one knew God better than His son and Jesus came to make his Father known to the world. In one of his last prayers on earth, he prayed:

                 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they (the apostles) know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (John 17:25 and 26)

  Jesus Christ wanted his followers to know the Father the way he knew Him. This is the great joy of the Christian life. We have the awesome honor and privilege to come to know the Creator of the Heaven’s and the earth as our Abba, our Daddy. This knowledge is the greatest treasure of all. This is available to us today because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. He gave us free and unlimited access to God Almighty.             

         Many of the prayers addressed to the first-century church, were about requesting that the believers being filled with a knowledge of God.              

         “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,” (Colossians 1:9)

         “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened (lit up)…,” (Ephesians 1:16-18a)

  Why is this important? God does not want us to be ignorant; He wants us to know the score in life. Remember that God said that Israel were being destroyed because they didn’t know Him. God wants us to prosper in every category of life and when we meditate on God and His Word, we can.  Finally, we want to know God so that we can more fully trust Him. When we put our trust in man’s knowledge, ideas and opinions, we will be like a scrawny, desert shrub, always thirsty for water but never getting enough. But if we put our trust in God, we will always be nourished, always be protected and always be producing fruit.

                                      Love Always, Ray

                  “This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9:23 and 24)

Dwell

                                                                                                           

Aloha Dearest Family,

                Someone recently sent me a phrase that said:

                 “You can either wake up saying, “Good morning, God” or wake up saying, “Good God, it’s morning.” Pretty funny.

 I pretty much wake up each morning praying and thanking God for another day. I am grateful that I get to spend time with the Father. This led me to this next thought.

                 One of the joys in life is found in the next verse.

                 “And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22 NIV)

 We as born-again believers have the spirit living in us. Because of this, God has His dwelling place in us. This seems impossible; that the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Maker of all that is, has chosen to dwell within us, his sons and daughters. WOW!

 Philippians has a similar thought.

                 “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

 God is at work within us. Most Christians do not give this a second thought, sadly, but it is vital if we want to live a life of joy. Now that we know that God dwells in us, we should ask ourselves, “where are WE dwelling?”

                For eons of time, God has desired a family to have intimate fellowship with. He longed for sons and daughters to call His own. Finally, because of the work of His only begotten son Jesus Christ, He now can enjoy our company on a day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute basis. This is why man was created.

                The Bible gives us endless examples of how God blesses His own. But that’s only if we choose to dwell in His presence. He wants to spend time with us. But how much time do we spend with Him?

                Jesus told his disciples that they would prosper and bring forth fruit in their lives if they chose to dwell in him and obey his words.

                 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing... ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:4, 5 and 7)

                 If we dwell in Christ, our lives will be fruitful. How do we dwell in Christ? By dwelling in his words and the words of God his Father. Just like the olive tree, if we as branches abide in the vine, we will flourish. But we must choose to abide there. If we don’t, we miss the connection to abundance. So, our answer to living life fully is always to make the right choice.

            Dwelling where God is has endless benefits. As Psalm 91 shows us:

             “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (verse 1)

 When we choose to dwell where God dwells, we will abide under His hand of protection. The following verses give us a taste of how much will protect us from.

             “Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be our shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.”

 This is available to all those who choose to dwell under His unfailing shelter from life’s storms.

                     We have to stop thinking that when God looks at us, that He sees our shortcomings and imperfections. He doesn’t. He sees us as someone that has been forgiven of all sins. He’s sees us as justified. We now have PEACE with God.

             “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we a have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) 

 God also tells us that He has chosen us “from before the foundation of the world.” (Ephesians 1:4) He knew even way back then that we would one day be His. After thousands of generations that have come before us, God couldn’t wait until we were born so that He could enjoy fellowship with us. This is what God wanted from the beginning. So, let’s choose to spend every minute walking and talking with our Heavenly Father.

             “But if we walk in the light, as He is light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His son, purifies us from all sin.” (I John 1:7)

                                     Love Always, Ray

 

Length of Days

                                                                                                                                                                             

,

Aloha Dearest Family,

                Psalm 91 ends with some magnificent promises to us from God.

               

“Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.“ (Verses 14-16)

God has always desired for man to live long lives and to enjoy life to the fullest. His ultimate desire was for his creation (us) to have continuous fellowship with Him.

          

                “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.” (Proverbs 3:1 and 2)

God wants us to not only live a long life, but that we would also have peace. God must surely love us very much.

                

                When Israel was getting ready to cross into the Promised Land, God gave them instructions in how to prosper and do well in the land they were entering. God laid out for them the terms of His covenant with them. He detailed all of the blessings that would be theirs if they obeyed His commandments. He also detailed the curses that they would experience if they disobeyed His commandments.

                

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing...” (Deuteronomy 30:19a)

After leaving them the choice to obey Him or not; to render to themselves God’s blessings or God’s curses, He advises them which choice to make.

                

“Therefore CHOOSE LIFE, so that you and your descendants may live, and that you may love the LORD your God, obey Him, and hold fast to Him. For He is your life, and He will prolong your life in the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Verses 19b and 20)

God wants His people to prosper and be in health. He desires man to not just survive, He wants them to thrive. God wants His people to live long lives, with peace and enjoying His abundant blessings.

 

An Endless Life 

                God knew that one day He would send His own son to save the world. And because he would choose to lay down his own life, God would give him his heart’s desire - to live forever.

               

“The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give! You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—length of days, forever and ever.” (Psalm 21:1-4)

The ”King” in these verses refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. He gave up his life for mankind and in return, as a reward, God gave him a body that would never die.

               

               One day Christ will return for us. On that day our bodies will be changed into a body that is like HIS glorious body.

               

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20 and 21)

 

                Even though it is God’s desire that we all live long lives, sadly, many do not. But to those who have Jesus Christ as their Lord, they are guaranteed to live forever in a new body without sickness, disease or defects. This awaits all of God's children.

               This life is very short compared to eternity. It’s time to choose LIFE and be blessed forever and ever. For who wouldn’t want to live forever? 

               

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. “ (John 3:16)

 

                                  Love Always, Ray

Writing on the Ground

                                                                                                                                  

Aloha Dearest Family,

 

                In the Gospel of John chapter 8, we read about Jesus and the woman caught in the act of adultery.

                “And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what said thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.” (John 8:3-6)

There has been much discussion over the years about what Jesus wrote on the ground. Many have said that he wrote out the Ten Commandments and others have had other theories. But by reading the record, there is no indication that what he wrote had any impact on the religious leaders whatsoever because they kept asking him to give an answer.

               

            To understand this record we must first ask ourselves, why did they bring this woman to Jesus? These religious leaders were trying every way possible to “trap’ Jesus in his words so that they might accuse him. They knew full well what the law said should be done with this woman. (The law of Moses actually required that both the man and the woman should be brought, but these religious leaders cared nothing about the law of Moses. All they were concerned with was trying to trap Jesus). Jesus knew the law and he knew WHY they had brought her. Jesus had a wealth of knowledge of the Old Testament law at his disposal. He could have easily given them the proper “legal” answer, but this would not address their motivation and their hard-heartedness. What he would say next would have to cut them to the quick.

               

Jesus and his Father           

     We have to always keep in mind that Jesus never did or said anything that he did not first receive from his Father.

                “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” (John 5:30)

A constant theme in John’s Gospel is that fact that Jesus always did the Father’s Will and he ONLY spoke what his Father wanted him to speak.

                “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.” (John 12:49)

                So what did Jesus write on the ground?

 

Receiving Revelation

                As it has been stated, Jesus only spoke what his Father revealed to him to speak. In this case, as in all cases, he must have asked the Father what to answer these men. When waiting for revelation from God, many occupy themselves with a mundane activity such as walking, jogging, housework or even doodling while they are waiting for God’s answer. I remember once receiving an answer from God while I was driving to work one day. Another time I received an answer from God while I was vacuuming a carpet. In the case of this record, Jesus wrote on the ground to occupy himself (perhaps doodling) while he waited for God’s answer as to what to answer these men. He continued to write on the ground and they continued to ask him until God finally gave him the answer.

                “So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.“ (Verse 7) 

 

This response from Jesus stopped them in their tracks. This was the perfect answer. Jesus had delivered the answer directly from his Father. He then waited for these words to have their effect.

                “And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” (Verses 8-11)     

 

This record teaches us a ton of stuff. First it shows us the hypocrisy and hard-heartedness of the religiously leaders who were desperate to trap and accuse Jesus. It also shows the love and mercy that Jesus showed to this woman who had sinned and found forgiveness. But it also teaches us how Jesus continually relied upon and waited for revelation from his Father in everything that he both said and did. This is truly one of the secrets of his success.

 

                               Love Always, Ray

Seasons of Life

                                                                                                                                                                             

Aloha Dearest Family,

                I recently read this quote from Cathy Lawton;

                One season or time of day does not tell the whole truth of the garden. Just as one visit in one setting doesn’t tell you all about a person or group of people.

 This quote brought several images to my mind. First, a snap-shot of a garden, months before it blooms. I can clearly see the barren looking ground, the brown hard dirt, perhaps some weeds had sprung up in this empty space. Next, I see this same scene months later. With beautiful, manicured flowers, all of the vibrant colors making this entire garden look alive and flourishing. You could have never guessed what this piece of ground would look like months before. But this is what the seasons of life look like.

                The seasons of life are seen in every part of God’s creation. Not just in the ways of the earth, but of man also. We will all go through different seasons throughout our lives. It is the way God designed it. These following words of Solomon still ring true even today:

                 “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace…He has made everything beautiful in its time…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11a)

                 Most of us who are older, can easily look back on our lives and recognize these “season of life”. But what I have learned through it all, is that in every season we go through, this can also be a season for rejoicing in God Almighty, for it is God who is the designer of life.

                 In Philippians the Apostle Paul mentions that he also had gone through many seasons in his life.

                 “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:11 and 12 NIV)

  Paul says that through his life, there were times when he was in need and there were times when he had plenty. There were times when he was well-fed and times when he was hungry. But Paul says that no matter what circumstance he found himself in, he had learned the secret of being CONTENT. When he wrote these words he was in chains in a Roman prison. How could he have possibly been content with his situation?

                 He writes, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Verse 13)

A better translation of this verse is:

     “I can face any situation or condition for my union with Christ continually infuses me with strength.”

             Like Paul, we can also find strength to endure all of life’s trials because we are united with the one who overcame death. Since we are in union with Jesus Christ, we will be infused with inner strength so that we can overcome ANY situation because it’s not our strength we are relying on – it’s his.

          Every man or woman will go through many seasons through his or her life; and not every season is fun. But every season also brings with it an opportunity for us to grow in our trust in God. He instructs us to rejoice during seasons of suffering and why is that? It is during these times that we can learn and grow with Him and in Him. How? Read His Word. Think His Word. Obey His Word no matter the circumstances surrounding you. Each man or woman makes a choice whether to walk with God during trials or to walk on his own. Only one choice guarantees victory.

     “Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3)

 It is sad when people go through these seasons of life and don’t learn anything. We should learn to rejoice no matter what we are going through (see I Thessalonians 5:16).

     Through every season of life God can always cause us to triumph and grow. Just like a garden, we can never underestimate the ability of God to prosper a man or woman when they trust Him. Because we’ve asked God to be our gardener, our lives can blossom and bloom and produce magnificent, abundant fruit. He is constantly at work cultivating and pruning our lives so that we will show His goodness to the world. So, keep growing. Remember the mighty oak tree was once a little sapling.

                    Love Always, Ray

Influencers

                                               

Aloha Dearest Family,

                Lately, I’m seeing more and more people who refer to themselves as “influencers”. By definition, this is a person who is regarded as an expert in their particular field, who also has a following. People trust their opinions and the products they endorse carry considerable weight. In the social media world, anyone that has a blog or a podcast can be considered an influencer and their followers trust whatever they say. BUT you must be confidant that what they say is CORRECT. If it is not, this could have disastrous results on their followers.

                Good parents are always on the lookout for bad influences that affect their children. Whether it be what TV programs they watch, what they are taught in school, the type of language they hear and even what friends they hang around with. From an early age, these parents have spent years instructing them what they should do and what they should not do. Every parent wants their child to follow their instructions, even when they are not around. This is why good parents are always on the lookout for what or who will be an influence on their child. As a parent myself, I know how easily children can be swayed to listen to someone else and forget about all of the proper instruction that they have received.

                The Bible says tons about raising children. The book of Proverbs, for example, gives us instruction on this very topic. 

                “My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul; let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit (the grave); we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; cast lots with us (choose to hang with us); we will all share the loot”—  (Proverbs 1:10-14 NIV)

Any father will give the same words of instruction to their sons. Do not associate with those who want to cause mischief.

                “My son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood…. (For in reality) These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves! Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it.” (Verses 15-19) 

In the ancient East, every boy was required to know these sections from Proverbs. They were not only required to follow their father’s instructions but also God’s commandments. We should do the same. This is why parents are constantly on the lookout for ANY influences that may be questionable. This is necessary if we want to raise children to be successful adults who will be a blessing to others and not a curse.

                Fortunately, God has given to us plenty of examples of what TO do and also what NOT to do.  

 Israel

                When the children of Israel conquered the Promised Land, God instructed them to cast out the inhabitants of the land that lived there. God knew that if they did not, Israel would be influenced to follow the ungodly practices of these people. These people that were allowed to stay, would be to Israel, like thorns in their sides.

                 “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live.” (Numbers 33:55) 

If you study the history of Israel, you will find that this is exactly what they did. The inhabitants were allowed to stay and Israel started worshipping the god’s of the people of the land. In time they started to sacrifice their own children on the altar of these god’s.

 Solomon

                King Solomon is another example of what NOT to do. Because of God’s wonderful grace on the house of David, his son Solomon became the wisest and richest man who ever lived. But Solomon married many wives who worshipped other god’s and, in turn, he himself started worshipping these god’s.

                 “King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” (I Kings 11:1-4)

Because of this, Solomon’s son would reign over a divided kingdom.

 Joshua

                When God commanded Joshua to cross over the Jordan river and conquer the Promised Land, He instructed him…

                 “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:5-7)         

God told Joshua that He would cause him to be successful IF he obeyed the Law of Moses, meditated in it and did not turn from it from the right or to the left. This is a figure of speech that means to keep your eyes ONLY of God’s words and not be distracted by any other influences. This is the same type of promise God made later to Israel and to Solomon. But Joshua DID obey all of God’s law and God caused him to be very successful. Joshua was the one who famously stated, “..Choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15) Joshua didn’t care who the people chose to serve (their decision would not affect him). BUT he and his household would serve the Lord God of Israel. God was his biggest influence. 

                This is a great lesson for all of us. First, for parents who are endeavoring to raise children to love God; basically, a child’s ONLY job is to OBEY. We teach them to obey US so that one day they will know how to obey God (If a child will not obey us, he will not obey God) and we constantly watch for bad influences and steer them clear of them.

“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character” (I Corinthians 15:33 NIV).

                Second, we each need to be aware of influences that are not Godly. Our measurement is God’s Word. If it does not line up with The Word, IT IS WRONG. Let’s let God’s Word be our greater influencer. When we meditate in His Word, God promises us great success in all that we do.

                 “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law, day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3) 

                       Love Always, Ray 

What I Have Learned

                                                                                                       

 

Aloha Dearest Family,

            I have been studying the Bible for over 40 years now, and it’s amazing what I have learned. Throughout the years I can say without a doubt, that if you want to know God, you’ve got to come to His Word. The Bible doesn’t just say that there IS a God, but shows you His heart and soul and His great love He has for mankind. He had His Word written so that we may know Him and His ways.

            In my years of study, here is what I have found:

 A God of Order.

            God’s brilliance and planning when He created the earth is nothing short of breathtaking. He created all life with incredible precision. He created plants, animals and man to reproduce “after its own kind” so that life could be perpetuated throughout the ages. Even after man’s disobedience to God, He still showed His perfect plan for man to be redeemed by promising to send a redeemer. His only begotten Son.

 God is Faithful. 

            God always stays true to His promises, for He is not a man that He should lie.

            "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Number 23:19)

Since God had made a promise that He would someday send a redeemer, He made a way for the line of Adam to continue – through Noah. God saved Noah and his family and preserved mankind and through Noah, the world would once again be repopulated.

            To ensure that God remained true to His promise, He chose a man out of all tribes of the earth to bless. Abraham and his descendants would be a people that would be the example to all other nations, that God was mighty with abundant blessings to those who follow and obey Him. God also gave the children of Israel laws and precepts that would keep them alive and prospering for generations. This law would also point the way to the coming Messiah.

 A God of Mercy.

            The Old Testament shows us constant examples of the failures of His people, Israel. And even though they were worthy of punishment, time and time again, God showed His mercy toward His people by sending deliverers and prophets to try and bring them back. God saved them from utter destruction many, many times even though Israel continually turned their backs on their own God.

 God is Love.

            Nothing can demonstrate the amazing love God has for mankind more than sending His own son to be the payment for man’s sins.

            “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

 Jesus Christ would be the greatest gift mankind had ever received. But God was about to unveil His greatest secret of all – showing His great love for all men by making salvation available for EVERYONE. Jesus Christ became the sacrifice so Christians could triumph in life.

 God the Father

            Because of the finished work of His son, God was able to bring many more sons and daughters into His family. The born-again ones are true children of God Almighty and we can call Him Daddy. As God’s children, we are brought into the family business of bringing more sons and daughters into the household. It is not hard to do when we tell people how good our Heavenly Father is.

 God the Victor over evil.

            In the age to come, God will demonstrate His justice by punishing the ungodly and destroying all evil. The final day of reckoning has come. God has foretold of this day for 6,000 years and there will be no excuses for anyone who chooses NOT to believe.

After the ungodly are destroyed, God will once again establish paradise on earth where there is no more death, tears or sorrow.

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

This little sharing cannot fully capture the full essence and magnificence of God, but what He has revealed to us is wonderful. The story of our wonderful God as written in the pages of the Bible, shows us a God of order, faithfulness and mercy. But most of all Love. The Father’s love cannot be fathomed and His wisdom and knowledge are beyond comprehension.

            Love Always, Ray

 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33)

3 Words

                                                                                            

Aloha Dearest Family,

               Words are used to communicate something to the hearer. However, many of the words we hear during our day sound an awful lot like just noise; sounding a lot like Charlie Brown’s teacher. But some words are full of meaning and sentiment. Just three words can convey so much. Just hearing the words, “I love you”, for example,  immediately gives us a sense of happiness and warmth.

                When it comes to the Bible, so much is conveyed in just a few words. In the Gospels for example, we might think about when Philip told Nathaniel, “Come and see” (John 1:46). Or maybe when Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:43). These words have tons of meaning, especially when we know the context of when they were spoken. But I think the three words that mean the most to me is when Jesus said from the cross, “It Is Finished”.

 

                “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30)

 

After many hours of anguish, torture and pain, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the savior of the world, spoke these last three words before giving up his life. In truth, our vocabulary cannot fully convey the full depth and meaning of what his sacrifice truly meant, but the words, “It is finished”, came close. But what do these words mean?

                In one sense, it could mean that the cruel suffering that he had to endure was finally over. Or it could be referring to the work that His Father gave him to do on earth; he successfully completed it. But I think the meaning is even bigger than even this.

                At the time when the New Testament was written, the Roman Empire spoke mostly Greek. And many of the phrases used by the common people of the time, are also used in the Bible. One of these Greek phrases that was commonly used was, “it is finished”. Whenever a contract was transacted and completed, it was stamped “finished” or “paid in full”. This means that the parties listed in the contract had fulfilled their part of the contract and now it was completed or fulfilled.

So what was the contract that Jesus said was finished?

               

        The covenant of the law can be considered, more or less, like a contract. When God gave the law to Israel, He explained all the abundant blessings that He would shower upon them - IF they obeyed the law. God also listed the curses that they would experience if they DID NOT obey God’s Law. After explaining the terms of the covenant, the people said:

               

“…We will do everything the LORD has said…” (Exodus 19:8a)

 

They willingly entered into this “contract” with God. God would fulfill His part, but Israel had to fulfill their part as well. The law of Moses consisted of more than 613 laws covering every aspect of life. These included laws about, diet, clothing, servants, sex, as well as the required feasts and sacrifices. The laws involving the animal sacrifices were very important for they would cover the sins of the people, year after year. But these animal sacrifices could never really take away sin; it only covered them. In truth all of Israel’s sacrifices were just a “shadow” of the ultimate sacrifice that was coming - Jesus Christ.

               

“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect….For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 10:1 and 4)

               

The importance of the three words “it is finished” cannot be overstated. No other sacrifices were needed for his FINAL sacrifice took away all sin. His death COMPLETED and FINISHED the Covenant of the Law, rendering it “Paid in Full.” Christ was the end of the law administration.

               

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:4)

 

Jesus Christ completed the entire Law Covenant and opened up the way for a New Covenant; the Covenant of the Spirit. This is the covenant that we are a part of right now. We have been set free from sin and the penalty of sin and our righteousness is not based upon following rules and regulations, but is based upon the finished work of Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus paid it all.

 

             “…He takes away the first (the Old Covenant) that He may establish the second (the New Covenant). By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:9b and 10)

 

                        Love Always, Ray