Troubles?

            Troubles are common to all people. Even people who try to do good by honoring God and following his ways, are going to experience some type of adversity. A particular verse in the Bible, Psalm 34:19, states this very clearly. Most translations use the word “affliction” to describe the condition. For example, the New American Standard Bible (NASB) says, “The afflictions of the righteous are many, But the Lord rescues him from them all” (Psalm 34:19, NASB). 

 Below are some other expressions of Psalm 34:19.

 The Amplified Bible (AMP) reinforces,

“Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous,

But the Lord rescues him from them all.”

 Christian Standard Bible (CSB) translates this as,

“One who is righteous has many adversities,
but the Lord rescues him from them all.”

 The Passion Translation (TPT) puts it this way,

“The Lord is near to those who are in despair, and save those who have lost all hope”

 The Contemporary English Version (CEV) says,

“The Lord’s people may suffer a lot,
    but he will always bring them safely through.”

 The Good News Translation (GNT) reads,

“Good people suffer many troubles,
    but the Lord saves them from them all.”

 The Living Bible (TLB) reiterates,

“The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one.”

 The Message (MSG) decrees,

“Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.”

             Besides trouble being common to all, what is the other reoccurring theme in this verse? Yes, you got it!  God rescues!  That is the good news.

             God is near, God helps. God saves.  God delivers. God rescues, not just once or twice, but EVERY time the need arises.  God provides Jesus as our Refuge.  Jesus is our access to all of God’s salvation.  Jesus is the answer for the world today, and for all times.

             Another awesome thought brought out in Psalm 34, is in verse 7 which says, “If you honor the Lord, his angel will protect you” Psalm 34:7 (CEV).  God has angels doing his work on our behalf. Many Bible translations use the word “encamp” to describe the angels positioning. Picture angels camped out, ready to spring into action on behalf of those people who honor God, yet still find themselves in some kind of trouble. 

            Trouble may be close, but God is always closer. Trouble may seem real, but God’s reality rescues from trouble. Receiving Jesus as our Savior and following his teachings, sets in motion the deliverance we need to take care of the troubles that may come our way. My hope is anyone reading this will receive the Refuge of Jesus.  Please contact me if you want to, but don’t know how. 

 

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

The Cost of Truth

            Does truth have a price tag? Sometimes the Truth offends. Recorded In Acts 7 is a story of one of the first Christian martyrs. I encourage you to read in for yourself right now beginning with Acts 6:8 through to the end of Acts 7.

The story begins, “Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). It is clear Stephen had a following of people who greatly appreciated his ministry. This created jealousy among the high-ranking religious leaders of his day. They dragged him in before the Council to be tried and most of Acts 7 is his defense statement. His defense gives a overview of the ancient Israelite people, from the calling of Abraham up to the present. God’s people were on a journey, not unlike each God follower’s call and journey we are on as individuals today.

Stephen’s hearers seemed to track with his message until he spoke truth about Jesus as the true Messiah. Stephen boldly pointed out where his hearers were mistaken in their beliefs, and they became indignant. He reminded them of how their ancestors persecuted prophets who spoke of Messiah, and then Stephen spoke these words, “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.  Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;  you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it” (Acts 7:51-53).  The “Righteous One” referred to is Jesus, who is the only Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

            The narrative goes on, “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.  But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;  and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”  But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.  When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him ….” (Acts 7:54-58).

            Declaring the truth sometimes has a cost to our personal preferences, comforts, and  livelihood. Even Jesus, as the very embodiment of Truth, gave up his life on earth to accomplish God’s higher purposes. Is Truth worth the cost? Ask Jesus. I think his answer is an obvious, yes.

            Truth is truth whether people believe it or not. Stephen’s hearers were okay believing the truth of their Jewish heritage, but when he declared them “stiff-necked,” their Belief turned to disbelief, which turned to anger, rage, and bitterness. In truth, Stephen’s hearers were murderers, and they proved it once again, by murdering Stephen. Their denial of truth set them up to act wickedly. In God’s eyes they were bringing condemnation upon themselves. Stephen  lost his life, but by knowing Jesus, he entered into eternal glory. Without repentance, it cost Stephen’s murderers much more dearly; eternal damnation in hell. Even if they believed they were doing the world a favor by getting rid of Stephen, God’s reality (truth) was just the opposite.

            As religious leaders, Stephen’s adversaries were leading people away from God, not towards him. Because Stephen bore witness to the Truth, regardless of the outcome, his leadership was authentic and authoritative. Truth always wins. Wisdom never shrinks back from the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.   

            The culture we live in seems to have lost its respect for truth. Although this is a display of darkness, as Christ followers we much shine the light of truth everywhere we go and with everyone we meet. The Truth of the Word is our standard, and if we do not lift the standard high, who will?

            May the Lord keep us from being “stiff-necked” in our worldly wisdom. May our hunger for truth keep us searching for more satisfying measures of truth.  May we be proclaimers of truth. May we value the truth enough to point out when someone is being untruthful (like Stephen did, even at the cost of his own life). The cost of  rebellion, denial, or silence is far greater than any imagined price tag on Truth.

 by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Believing Is Obeying

Do you believe in Jesus?  How do you know you believe? The Gospel of John has a clear answer.

John 3:16 is an often quoted verse in the Bible.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16; NASB).  How do we have eternal life?  The answer is believing in Jesus as the Son of God for the salvation of our soul. But, what does it mean to “believe?” The Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines believe as “to expect or hope with confidence; to trust.” Webster defines trust as “Confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person.” To believe in Jesus is to put our complete trust in his Way, his Truth, and his Life (John 14:6). When we rely totally on him as the way to Truth, we find life.

            By aligning our thinking, feeling, and actions with the teachings of Jesus, we can rest assured we believe in Him. Obeying is the way to believing as John chapter 3 is summed up in the last verse, “The one who believes in the Son has everlasting life. And the one who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36; RSV). This also tells us when we’re NOT believing. If we are not obeying Jesus, we are not believing, and therefore, will NOT have eternal life.

            Even the Old Testament links the idea of showing one’s devotion to God by submission to his ways. Prior to Jesus’ arrival on earth (as the ultimate sacrifice), the Jews following God’s commands, used animal sacrifice for remission of sin.  The Bible also says, “What is more pleasing to the Lord:  your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?  Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22). The purest tangible offering to God, is not as valuable as the intangible devotion of heart. Our affections,  motivations, and attitudes toward his ways, reflect what God really means to us. We esteem God by showing our submission to His divine order for all things.

Believing is Jesus shows our gratitude for what He accomplished as the Savior from our sin and shame condition. Not all people believe, and therefore, not all will have eternal life. The reason why is also mentioned by Jesus, “ … men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (John 3:19b-21, NASB).

            Aligning our hearts with the Truth is a process. We are all born with a broken (unbelieving) heart. Only Jesus can put our hearts together to become whole (believing) persons. We are born into darkness, but believing in Jesus brings us into the Light.  “He who practices the truth, comes into the Light.” Being “born again” (described at the beginning of John 3) starts the process. As we “practice” our believing, more and more of the dark, broken pieces of our hearts come into the Light.  As we obey more, we trust more, and our belief becomes stronger.

             The daily, sometimes moment to moment decision to obey Jesus, is the only path to believing. Whether we were born again yesterday or many years ago, believing is obeying, and obeying is believing.  And if you’re not born again? Why not start believing right now.

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry