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)