Author: Scott Chafee

Scott serves on staff at King’s Grant Baptist Church in Virginia Beach.

Leaders in a Dark Valley

Posted on by

I read just yesterday about several pastors who resigned their churches and “are available for interim or other full time work.” It broke my heart because I interpreted this to mean they had no other choices but to leave their position due to some sort of issue(s). I talked to a former pastor friend of mine the other evening and he left his pastorate for personal reasons but we talked about a lot of the dysfunction that is in the DNA of the congregation.

I read this leadership devotion just this morning and wanted to pass it on to you. Taking courage because His presence will not leave you:

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

Life in general is filled with highs and lows, but it can especially be apparent for those in Christian ministry leadership positions. Just look at how many pastors, youth ministers, and worship directors eventually leave ministry. The work wears on a person. The constant complaints of doing too little of this or too much of that can drain anyone. As a leader, you are expected to be there for everyone at every moment of the day. No one is able to be there at all times. Still, guilt fills the mind and causes you to doubt your ministry and your effectiveness.

Yet, we are not left alone in this world. Through the darkest valleys of life, through the most difficult times of ministry, God is with us. As we lead his people, we can rest knowing that God leads us. When things get tight, the problems don’t seem to go away, and we struggle with guilt–the false guilt of not being able to be there for everyone–God will comfort us. He shields us even during the assaults of bitter people and harsh words. He will always lead us in a path meant to protect us and keep us strong.

When the road is dark and tough, God will guide and protect you. When you feel overwhelmed with loneliness, the Lord is close beside you. When your heart is asking hard questions and you feel beaten down, God will sustain you. We don’t need to live in fear, for God is always with you. He is willing to comfort and protect you. He guides you through every mountain and valley of life. He is your true Leader/Shepherd. And the more you trust him as Lord, the more you will experience the wonder of having a Shepherd.

Following God’s Leadership

Posted on by

All of us at one time or another have probably asked the question of God, “What do you want from me?” It’s interesting that a few times in the Bible He gives a point blank answer:

  1. The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
  2. For this is the will of God, your sanctification… (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
  3. Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)

Acts 16 brings us to a passage where the Spirit of Jesus prevented our missionaries from going a certain direction. The immediate question would be, “Does God still operate this way?” Can we know for sure the direction we ought to go? No matter how close we are to God, life can bring on twists and turns; which are from the Lord and which are obstacles set up by the enemy?

The Christian life is not just about meeting the Lord and seeing Him one day; it ids about walking with Him every day on a winding road. One day Paul and his group intended to preach the gospel throughout the region of Galatia and beyond, but the Spirit kept them from going into Asia (Acts 16:6). Also in this chapter, we have an addition to the missionary team (Acts 16:10). Notice the writing moves from third person to first person (“they” to “we”). Since Luke is the writer of the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, it is likely here that he joins Paul, Timothy and Silas.

Paul describes Luke as a dear friend and a doctor (Colossians 4:14). There are verses in the Bible that indicate that Paul may have had a physical illness of some sort; perhaps poor eyesight (Galatians 6:11) or maybe a physical or spiritual “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7, 8, 9).

Sometimes the most noble plans of anointed servants differ from the plans of God. They wanted to spread the gospel in another area but the Spirit of Jesus prevented them from going in that direction (Acts 16:7). One reason may have been timing because God eventually opened a door of great opportunity in Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:9). Another reason may have been that God wanted Peter to go to Bithynia, who had some level of access to that area (1 Peter 1:1).

How could they have misread the direction God had for them? As with Paul, it takes a lot of courage to admit that we have made a mistake in discerning God’s direction in our lives. Once the direction is more clear, we must make sure to pursue it just as passionately as before. How did Paul know? Perhaps it was an inner tugging of the Spirit, rather than just personal feelings or instincts (Jude 1:10). Since the Spirit resides in each believer (Romans 8:9) what can we do practically to better understand God’s will or direction?

  1. Study God’s Word: He will never lead us contrary to His revealed Word.
  2. Yield to the Spirit’s control: This will keep us flexible, pliable and available when there is a change of plans.
  3. Pray for clear leadership: David’s approach is a good example (Psalm 27:11). He asked God to teach him His ways and to lead him in a straight path.
  4. Pray for wisdom and discernment: God desires to give these to us (Ephesians 1:17).
  5. Make plans, but hold them loosely: They were not supposed to just wander around the countryside, but they made plans. Paul was a smart guy, he probably had an itinerary all charted out but God had a different idea.
  6. Learn to recognize God’s peace: This is a tricky one. We like to believe that peace is a good indicator of following God’s direction and being in His will, but not always. It is not always safe to be in God’s will (I interviewed and approved many missionaries going into places around the world that we not safe). Consider this: Jonah was totally at peace in the bottom of the boat, running from God, totally out of God’s will (Jonah 1:4, 5, 6); while Jesus was totally in God’s will yet in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:41, 42, 43-44).

Application: Let’s be willing to change our plans if we sense the Spirit leading in another direction. The key to missionary work overseas was always flexibility. Paul and the team did not have to wait long for redirection, but sometimes we feel like we are in a deep, dark hole waiting for God to show us His way. Paul received a vision, a dream, about where to go next, Macedonia (Acts 16:9, 10) and the first person he finds is Lydia whom the Lord had prepared to hear the message (Acts 16:14). She was the first convert in Europe.

So, how familiar are you with the Bible? How is your prayer life? In what ways do you seek guidance from God? How do you evaluate your walk with Christ? Do you have a set time each day to seek His direction, read His Word, or ask Him for opportunities where you can be a servant of Christ each day? How does your knowledge of Christ affect your marriage and relationships? One great thing about the church, the “church” is all of us; we are in this together. That is a strength that we can use in our favor.

Leaving a Legacy

Posted on by

We pick up the story of Paul in Acts chapter 16, “Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey” (Acts 16:1-3a). I have two observations about this biblical paragraph. First I believe Paul saw something in Timothy; potential. The other is that Paul invited timothy to join him on the journey.

The Christian message is not something we pass on like we are selling a product, always ready to close the deal. It’s more like inviting others to join us on a spiritual journey. What better activity can we participate in than to invite others to join us in this journey? According to the book Reimagining Evangelism, we are to be more like spiritual guides than salesmen. Paul was a mentor to the young Timothy. We also should seek out younger people into whom we can invest our lives. Younger people should seek out others who are more mature and whom they respect; seeing in the lives of others that which they want to possess and develop in their own lives.

When it comes to the Christian growth process, sometimes mentoring is synonymous with discipleship. Paul saw the potential for ministry that Timothy possessed. So much so that he wanted to eliminate any potential obstacle that might prevent the Jews from hearing the gospel (Acts 16:3). Since his mother was a Jew, Timothy was circumcised so that the Jews would not be offended and close their minds to his testimony.

Paul encouraged Timothy not to let anyone look down on his youthfulness (1 Timothy 4:12), and this advice came about fifteen years after Timothy first joined Paul. Timothy had been a man of faith from early childhood, being familiar with the Scriptures since cradle roll (2 Timothy 3:15). With a little mentoring, Paul knew that Timothy had great potential for bearing fruit, and his youthfulness was a benefit rather than a hindrance.

I am convinced that anyone mature enough to surrender to the will of God is mature enough for God to use. Students, you are the missionary to your campus. Men, you are the ambassador for Christ in your workplace. We need to encourage those who are attempting to make a difference in their sphere of influence.

Timothy was a great protege for another reason, his upbringing. With a Jewish mother and a Greek father, he was uniquely qualified to understand differing belief systems. How often do people today come from families that are not united in their love for Christ; where one parent is a believer and the other is not? The Bible tells us not to be unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14), which means don’t get involved with someone who does not even exist on this planet for the same reason as you. Joining together two completely different belief systems is a recipe for disaster, unless the believer is not really serious about their faith. I am praying for Bethany’s future spouse (have been for 14 years); that she will one day meet a man who loves Jesus with all his heart, mind, soul and strength, and sees Bethany for the treasure that she is.It is such a tragedy when a believer gets involved with an unbeliever… and I never believed that missionary dating was a good idea. With rare exception, rather than bring the unbeliever up toward Christ, generally the believer gets dragged down the path of compromise.

I also see that Timothy had his faith passed down from his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5). While no one is perfect, we can raise godly children in spite of ourselves; but remember that we are not doing it alone. We must turn our kids over to God; remember that He cares for them way more than we ever could. We need to be genuine examples of faith to our kids, because the sins of the fathers are passed on (Exodus 20:5).

Application: What has been your heritage of faith? What do you plan on leaving as a legacy to your next generation? Is there someone into whom you are investing for eternity, even outside of your immediate family? Who is your spiritual father, and who are your spiritual children? Perhaps meditate on and pray for your family tree. Just think how your faithfulness will carry on to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9).

Divide and Multiply

Posted on by

After the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:4, 5), Paul and Barnabas wanted to go back through the cities of the first missionary journey to strengthen the believers and see how they were doing (Acts 15:36). When the Spirit of God moves we need to be in a position to not only hear from Him but to act in obedience to His call. If we don’t, we will be miserable. One encouragement for me is that God does not use perfect people, but flawed ones like you and me.

On this second journey, Barnabas wanted to take John Mark (Acts 15:37) but Paul sharply disagreed (Acts 15:38) because of John Mark bailing on him back in Pamphylia (Acts 13:5, 13-14, 15:38). So Barnabas took Mark and Paul enlisted a young man named Silas (Acts 15:40); basically two teams going out rather than only one.

The story is deeper since Mark was more than just a fellow believer, he was Barnabas’ cousin (Colossians 4:10). Blood was thicker than water, they were a team, and Barnabas was still the “son of encouragement.” Strong emotions can bring on sharp disagreements, and both men were upset at this argument. Disagreements tend to cause people to take sides. I wonder if someone always has to be right or has to be wrong. Sometimes we just disagree.

Both men are assumed to be under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, but the Spirit cannot have two separate opinions, can He? Regarding John Mark, I suppose the Spirit could have said “yes” to Barnabas and “no” to Paul, both following the Spirit’s direction. As a result of this disagreement, these two preachers became four. While the Bible is clear that unity is a value that needs to be in the church, sometimes God wants to divide in order to multiply. People in churches today argue over worship styles and music, but does someone have to be right and the other have to be wrong? Why not both, not two services can reach even more people.

I discovered a four item checklist for resolving conflict:

  1. Identify the real source of the argument (Job 16:3): In Job’s case, the question is basically, “What’s wrong with you? Why do you keep arguing?” The Message puts it this way, “I’ve had all I can take of your talk. What a bunch of miserable comforters! Is there no end to your windbag speeches?” Ask the Holy Spirit to shed light on the true source of the disagreement. Sometimes God will reveal selfishness or an unwillingness to change. The Holy Spirit reveals our motives.
  2. Submit the issue to God (James 4:7): Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Do not let sin or anger give the devil a foothold in your life. Ask God to remove all worldliness and selfishness and watch the issue come down to size.
  3. Resist the temptation to sin in your anger (Ephesians 4:26-27): While anger is not a sin, what we do in our anger is often quite sinful. Sin that comes out of anger will create regrets over what we said or what we did.
  4. Pray for the other person involved (and maybe pray with that person): Philippians 4:6 invites us to pray about everything. Imagine the enemy’s defeat by two quarreling believers down on their knees in prayer, praying for God’s glory.

Application: None of this is easy. Don’t let fear or difficulty keep you from doing what will bring God the most honor. Think about how you have handled disagreements over the past few months: at work, in your marriage, with your kids. What could have made the situation win-win rather than “I win” and “you lose?” Have you ever felt like John Mark, when someone perhaps did not want you on their team (on the playground or in the board room)? Have you treated others poorly just because they might disagree with your opinion or decision? Sometimes people just have to agree to disagree, and then let it go. Seek the Spirit’s guidance on the direction you need to take.

Have you ever took a John Mark under your wing to bring encouragement and restoration to them? Paul may not have wanted John Mark on the team for this second journey, but at the end of his life, Paul recognized how valuable John Mark was to him (2 Timothy 4:11). Mark even spent time in prison with Paul where they apparently bonded together during this difficult mission (Colossians 4:10). Thank God that our Father is a God of second chances. Let’s give others that same opportunity.

Vision, Planning, and Growth

Posted on by

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the word vision refers to “imaginative foresight.” This foresight is absolutely necessary for a leader, both for the group they serve as well as for themselves personally. Without vision, we cannot see the end from the beginning; then we need to make incremental steps toward reaching the desired goal. Otherwise, the best-case scenario involves the leader spinning in circles.

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. — Proverbs 16:9

Consider the story of former Atlanta Braves pitcher Pascual Perez. In August of 1982, only a few days after moving to a new home outside of town, he jumped into his car and headed to the stadium for a game he was scheduled to start. While on the freeway, he began looking for something resembling the downtown skyline. Three hours later, he still didn’t see the stadium! It turned out that Perez didn’t know the correct exit to take off of Interstate 285, a circular bypass around Atlanta. As a result, he literally drove in circles around Atlanta, finally getting to the game during the fifth inning. By then, his reputation had been cemented as “I-285” Perez. He never heard the end of it.

Looking forward is a critical aspect of a successful leader. But in order to accomplish this, a person must be determined to carry out what God has planned. I recently read a good question to ask at this point is, “Would I be willing to do this even if I never got paid for it?” Once that is answered, planning is necessary, both in terms of goals and actions, to help make the vision a reality. And since vision is much bigger than just one person, God has to be involved in the process. As the Bible says, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (Proverbs 16:9). Then as God directs and leads, one can effectively put the vision into action, instead of driving around aimlessly.

By way of reminder, the vision of the discipleship ministry at King’s Grant is to “move people toward higher levels of commitment to Christ and His church.” So, what does that involve?

  1. Movement: We cannot remain in the same place; we desire to move away from the status quo toward obedience to God’s call and command.
  2. People: We work with a group of volunteer believers. The old phrase is correct, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” People have their flaws and their own stubborn wills, but leaders know what growth should look like. But motivating others to desire to attain it is quite a challenge.
  3. Higher levels: This means that we seek to be in the position to hear from God, just like Moses went up to the mountain to receive God’s Word. Sort of like the higher he got, the closer he was to God.
  4. Commitment: This refers to the amount of energy and passion we bring to the table. We become what we are committed to, just like in marriage, friendship, teamwork and even our salvation. If we are committed to our salvation, we will actively seeks ways to live it out and bring others into our spiritual journey.
  5. Christ: It is all in vain if we do not exist for Christ, His kingdom and His mission.
  6. Church: We are more than a social club on Sundays; we have purpose, a mission, and a passion to do that which God calls us to do. The body of Christ is the hope of the world; and the church gathered is the keeper of the Great Commission.

So we need to develop a plan to grow in faith. Since we have a vision of what a disciple of Christ should look like, we can dream of how we can get there. This weekend is the Men at the Cross conference (October 30, 2010). By the end of the conference every man will receive the challenge not only to become a disciple of Christ but to disciple other men. A man’s first discipleship group is his own family; what an awesome responsibility, and privilege. Let’s not drive around in circles forever missing the proper exit. Actually, if we just let Christ sit behind the wheel, maybe we will get to where we need sooner rather than later.

Discipleship and Grace

Posted on by

Is discipleship something we do, or is it something that God does through us? The base command of the Great Commission is to make disciples (Matthew 28:19), but how does that happen? I have discovered that one person cannot make another person into a disciple (you can lead a horse to water…). I’m not even convinced that I can make myself into a disciple of Christ. Paul told the Philippians that “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). He gives us the want to and the strength to work for the kingdom.

Growth does not come out of my own strength, because it is God who is the One who causes the growth (1 Corinthians 3:7). We can faithfully till the soil, prepare the ground, plant, water, weed and cultivate, but God causes the growth. We set goals and when they are achieved we generally take the credit. When we come short after doing all that we can to cause growth, God still says it is up to Him because Jesus said that “apart from Him we can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Paul tells the Ephesians that “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (Ephesians 4:16). God makes the body fit together and causes growth, which is a sign of a healthy and loving church. The key is each part doing what God has called them to do. I believe that God wants much more than my earthly success, He wants my obedience and faithfulness. Will I continue to do what He has called me to do even when there are no visible and measurable signs of growth?

The Great Commission also says we are to teach people all that Christ has commanded (Matthew 28:20), but does that create a disciple? Perhaps we are to create an atmosphere of hunger and thirst where the believer will desire to become more like Christ (Romans 8:29).

I am an encourager; I challenge people with the claims of Christ and the truth of the gospel in hopes that people will receive salvation and desire to grow in their relationship with the Lord. Complete trust and dependence on God is freeing but it is not easy. It is a marathon more than a sprint. It takes endurance and patience. It takes the understanding that we cannot become a disciple on our own.

Oswald Chambers wrote:

“Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy to someone with impulsive boldness, but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is something altogether different. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, but he “followed Him at a distance” on dry land (Mark 14:54). We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises—human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God—but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people—and this is not learned in five minutes.”

Faithfully continue in the things that God has called you to do. Allow God to work through you. Turn your will and ambitions over to Him. Strive for obedience and understanding of His will and mission for your life. All of us need to exercise clarify, movement, alignment and focus allowing God to take us where He desires, rather than where we desire. Be patient while you remain faithful.

Don’t Make it Any Harder

Posted on by

After all the turmoil that Paul and Barnabas experienced in Acts 14, the ending verse is a wonderful statement of rest (Acts 14:28). They reported all the things God had done with them and how He opened a door of faith to the Gentiles, but then they stayed a long time with the disciples.

Now we come to the first Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. With all these non-Jewish believers coming to faith, the early church needed to define what it took to become a follower of Christ. Some were saying that converts needed to become Jewish first, while others where saying that becoming Jewish was no requirement in the gospel (Acts 15:1, 2, 5). Practically this meant that Gentile converts to Christianity would need to go through circumcision, which was the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham (Genesis 17:10, 14). Proponents of this view where called Judaizers or legalists who wanted strict obedience to the Law of Moses.

These legalists would rather split hairs than rejoice that people were coming to faith in Christ. If we look throughout history, it is probably legalism that has caused more churches to die, more servants to quit and more denominations to split than anything else. It starts out in the name of righteousness in order to clean out false teachings and poor interpretation of Scripture, but it ends up causing people to take sides and feud. Legalism is that same as a group being in pursuit of a godly standard. I love what James says in Acts 15:19, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles turning to God. A letter was drafted stating such, only to avoid four practices that were offensive to the Jewish brothers (Acts 15:29).

Three Mistakes Regarding Legalism:

They drew a universal standard out of their personal experiences; since they had been circumcised prior to salvation, everyone should experience salvation this way. The truth is that we all come to Christ out of different experiences. Some get saved out of a wild and reckless life and never return to that old lifestyle, while others might grow up in the church and regularly stumble with lifestyle issues. Both are saved based on their faith in Christ, but one cannot say to the other that they can only be saved if they have the same experiences as the other.

They tried to make salvation harder than it is; adding something to the basic truth of salvation by grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). We all come to God with nothing to offer but simple faith in Christ, believing in His resurrection.

They expected of others what they could not keep themselves; they should not yoke the believers with something they and their forefathers could not bear (Acts 15:10). If we cannot live up to our own expectations, we can that failure. When we cannot live up to the expectations we put on others, that is called hypocrisy. Let’s remember the simplicity of salvation.

Once the Son sets people free, let us not enslave them in a system of laws from men (Ezekiel 34:27). What about the four restrictions (Acts 15:29)? They were free from the laws of Moses but not free from the life-giving laws of God. God gives us the freedom to separate from the practices of those around us. Abstaining from these four practices should keep them free from falling back into the old lifestyle.

Application: Don’t make salvation harder than it is. Avoid legalism that eliminates the Holy Spirit working in your life. If there is something you need to avoid or change, it is much more convincing and convicting to hear the Spirit tell you to give it up than to simply follow a man-made rule. Don’t fall back into your old lifestyle, the old hangout, the old friends, the old refreshments. It may be harmless and not forbidden, but will there be a temptation to slip back into your old ways? Don’t risk your freedom in Christ only to get enslaved all over again.

Life Can Be Hard

Posted on by

After Paul had his near death experience (the stoning at Lystra – Acts 14:8, 19), the group packed up and headed to Derbe (Acts 14:20). They preached the gospel faithfully and then went back through the previous cities to strengthen the believers by telling them that “we must suffer many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21, 22). The converts needed to be reminded to stay true to the faith.

What did Paul mean using the word, “must?” He meant that it was inevitable in the nature of things. Hardship has a place in the life of a believer, check out 2 Corinthians 4:17, mentioning “our light and momentary troubles achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweigh them all.” Perspective helps us to see that what happens on earth is temporary but our eternity is worth it. Our struggle is not against fresh and blood but against spiritual forces that would have us fail (Ephesians 6:12). A great reminder comes from 1 John 4:4, that God is greater than our common enemy who wants us to fall.

At first we may not think a message of unavoidable troubles very appealing, but check this out:

Recognizing inevitable hardships can motivate us to redirect our energies; fear of the trial can consume more energy than just facing the trial. In redirection, we change our focus from fear to faith. I’m not talking about a prosperity gospel that says if one has enough faith these hardships won’t defeat us, but to stand on what Peter says that hardships will prove that our faith is genuine (1 Peter 1:7).

Believing a heretical prosperity gospel can leave us disappointed, broken, wounded and discouraged. A friend once told me “the only people who believe such a gospel are baby Christians in America.” I tend to agree. I have seen great faith of believers in Africa, who regularly suffer greatly. I see their faith to be genuine, not a result of what they get out of a relationship with God. It is such an insult to their faith to say that if they only had enough faith they would not have children die of worms or malaria, or they would have plenty of food on the table.

We also know unbelievers who may suffer as terribly as believers, but the difference is that our suffering is never in vain; Paul says that we will enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).

Application: Do you ever feel that God is against you when your life seems to be falling apart? Take courage in the fact that you and the apostles and early believers are in good company. They did not escape the hardships of life, so why should we be immune to them? See life from God’s perspective, he walks through life with us. We may not experience his deliverance as we would like, but we always have His presence. Paul encouraged Timothy that all who desire to live a godly life will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12, John 15:20). Sounds like a certainty to me. Keep the faith.

Faith, Works, and Salvation

Posted on by

Faith is a word with many meanings. It can mean faithfulness (Matthew 24:45). It can mean absolute trust, as shown by some of the people who came to Jesus for healing (Luke 7:2-10). It can mean confident hope (Hebrews 11:1). Or, as James points out, it can even mean a hollow belief that does not result in good deeds (James 2:14-26). What does Paul mean when in Romans he speaks of saving faith?

We must be very careful to understand faith as Paul uses the word, because he ties faith so closely to salvation. It is not something we must do in order to earn salvation – if that were true, then faith would be just one more deed, and Paul clearly states that human deeds can never save us (Galatians 2:16). Instead, faith is a gift God gives us because he is saving us (Ephesians 2:8). It is God’s grace, not our faith, that saves us. In his mercy, however, when he saves us he gives us faith – a relationship with his Son that helps us become like him (Romans 8:29). Through the faith he gives us, he carries us from death into life (John 5:24).

Even in Old Testament times, grace, not deeds, was the basis of salvation. As Hebrews points out, “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). God intended for his people to look beyond the animal sacrifices, but all too often they instead, put their confidence in fulfilling the requirements of the law – that is, performing the required sacrifices. When Jesus triumphed over death, he canceled the charges against us and opened the way to the Father (Colossians 2:12-15). Because God is merciful, he offers us faith. How tragic if we turn faith into a deed and try to develop it on our own! We can never come to God through our own faith, any more than his Old Testament people could come through their own sacrifices. Instead, we must accept his gracious offer with thanksgiving and allow him to plant the seed of faith within us.

What About Faith and Works in James?

James offers a larger number of similarities to the Sermon on the Mount than any other book in the New Testament. James relied heavily on Jesus’ teachings. The author of this epistle (post card) is James, also called James the Just, who is thought to be the brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). James was not a believer (John 7:3-5) until after the resurrection (Acts 1:14; 1 Corinthians 15:7; Galatians 1:19). He became the head of the Jerusalem church and is mentioned first as a pillar of the church (Galatians 2:9).

  1. When your life is full of difficulties and persecutions, be glad because a reward awaits you (James 1:2, Matthew 5:10-12)
  2. You are to be perfect, mature, and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:4, Matthew 5:48)
  3. Ask God, and he will answer (James 1:5; 5:15, Matthew 7:7-12)
  4. Those who are humble (who don’t amount to much by the world’s standards) should rejoice in their positions as those whom God loves (James 1:9, Matthew 5:3)
  5. Watch out for your anger because it can be dangerous (James 1;20, Matthew 5:22)
  6. Be merciful to others, because God is merciful to you (James 2:13, Matthew 5:7; 6:14)
  7. Your faith must express itself in helping others (James 2:14-16, Matthew 7:21-23)
  8. Blessed are the peacemakers; they sow in peace and reap a harvest of righteousness (James 3:17, 18, Matthew 5:9)
  9. You cannot serve God and money, pleasures, or evil. Friendship with the world is hatred toward God (James 4:4, Matthew 6:24)
  10. When we humble ourselves and realize our need for God, he will come to us and lift us up (James 4:10, Matthew 5:3, 4)
  11. Don’t slander or speak against others; it speaks against God’s command to love one another (James 4:11, Matthew 7:1, 2)
  12. Treasures on earth will only rot and fade away, so we must store up eternal treasures in heaven (James 5:2, Matthew 6:19)
  13. Be patient in suffering, as God’s prophets were patient (James 5:10, Matthew 5:12)
  14. Be honest in your speech so you can say a simple “yes” or “no” and always be trusted (James 5:12, Matthew 5:33-37)

Run Away or Trust God?

Posted on by

Paul and Barnabas shared quite a lot together. Today I’ll write about two episodes on their journey with different outcomes.

When they arrived at Iconium, as usual, the two would first go to the local synagogue (Acts 14:1), where the norm is that the Jews would begin to poison the minds of the people to prevent the gospel message from entering the hearts of the people (Acts 14:2). But our missionaries were faithful and fearless, proclaiming the gospel boldly and even working miracles among the people (Acts 14:3). Then comes the real trouble.

In their boldness you would think they would make their stand and trust God to protect them, but they did the unexpected, they ran (Acts 14:5, 6). Could not God have done a miracle to protect His witnesses? They were already doing signs and wonders, what’s one more to keep the ministry going? They fled and preached elsewhere.

God made these two smart. They were not running out of fear but responding with wisdom (Proverbs 22:3). Even Jesus would elude people who meant Him harm (John 7:1), and slipped away when the crowd picked up stones to kill Him (John 8:59). No one would mistake what Jesus did for fear or cowardice. Jesus explains that His time had not yet come (John 7:30). There was a purpose for miracles back in the day:

  1. Miracles were more for authenticating the message of the gospel than for divine intervention.
  2. Miracles were often used when natural means were either not available or not conceivable.

When the disciples were hungry Jesus did not do a miracle but usually found something to eat. When they were thirsty they would go to a well and draw water. Today, whether God uses natural or supernatural means to deliver us from danger, both or divine provisions. If you have ever been attacked or injured and wonder why you were not delivered, there’s more to this story of Paul and Barnabas.

On to Lystra for the next episode. Sometimes we think that one good miracle would convince people of the truth and get right with God, but it can also have a negative effect (Acts 14:11). After one miracle the people declared Paul and Barnabas to be gods, which was not their desired outcome. Not only were these two men smart, they were also sincere. They immediately spoke up declaring themselves to be mere men (Acts 14:14, 15). They maintained their integrity and did not allow the crowd to elevate them. A big miracle about now might have been helpful, but the people decided to cast stones at them, leaving Paul for dead (Acts 14:19).

I can imagine that the face of Stephen came into Paul’s mind as he was being stoned to death (Acts 6:15). But Paul endured this hardship and so much more, crediting God for delivering him from them all (2 Timothy 3:10, 11). I would rather be delivered before the first stone rather than after the last one, but Paul describes both situations as God’s divine rescue.

Remember that God did not just want to get Paul out of difficulty or danger; He wanted Paul to draw closer to Himself. That is the point each time we are delivered from a difficult situation.

Application: How many times have you felt that God had abandoned you in your time of need or distress? Your prayers just hit the ceiling and God was so distant. Remember that He promises to walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death, not necessarily to deliver us from that danger (Psalm 23:4). Do you see the miraculous in everyday life? How lives and relationships can come back together? How believers can respond to evil with good? Do you see God’s direction and protection as you walk through this antagonistic world? God gives us His wisdom and His presence. Walking with God may not be easy, but it is definitely worth it.