Sonshine's Journal

March 9, 2015

Living Righteously in an Unrighteous World

Jesus challenged us to be a proclaimer of the Good News of the Kingdom which essentially means that we seek to glorify Him that brought us to redemption and salvation. But, practically what does that mean and how is it evidenced? One of the ways we can be a proclaimer is to live righteously in an unrighteous world, a world that defies God and denies His existence. The entire book of Proverbs’ theme is to teach us how walk in the paths of righteousness so that we may glorify God in all that we do, all the time with all we have. Prov 6 is a reminder of what Moses told the Israelites: “I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing if you take to heart the commandments of the Lord; the curse if you pay no attention to his commandments…” [Deut 11]

Thus the author now reveals to us wise counsel on how to be discerning between good and evil [Heb 5] and how to live that out practically in our conduct and attitudes by listing 7 attitudes and behaviors that the Lord detests. If we mirror the contrasting qualities we are thus proclaiming the Lord to a world that needs to see Him as the leader of our lives and as we live humbly “He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God.” [Mic 6:8] The author of Proverbs is challenging us to look within and then see what we do with our eyes, our tongue, our hands for this reveals what is in our heart. If we want to be righteous in an unrighteous world we must begin in the heart and let that flow forth in our words and deeds.

February 25, 2015

People of the Cross

This image has gone viral across the internet. The words of ISIS reverberate across our consciousness and the question arise: Are we really the people of the Cross? It is then that I recall the words of Joseph: “Gen 50:20 As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose….” What good can come out of something like this? It is this that OM Harris a blogger friend recently wrote: “We have a mandate to live in anxious anticipation, and in so doing I preach a gospel of repentance” Am I living in anxious anticipation? Do I really believe that God’s good will come from this? That is what a true “people of the Cross” do.

This is the same message Paul left with the Ephesian elders as he met with them for the last time. “testifying …about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus….But I do not consider my life worth anything to myself, so that I may finish my task and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.” [vs 21/24]. Later Paul would write: “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith!” [2Ti 4:7]

But the race is not over! Until then we are the “people of the cross” with the message of truth: Jesus alone is The Way, The Truth, and The Life! We are to be busy about testifying about the gospel message even when the wolves rear up. Remember this promise: Indeed, the Lord who commands armies has a plan,” and it will be fulfilled. [Isa 14] Listen to these words: “Obedience is better than crumbling to the fears of speaking out.” [O.M. Harris] Be faithful to pray that God release his angelic legions, miraculous signs and wonders so that the wolves’ mission of destruction is hindered; that they may have dreams that will convict and turn them from unbelief to the true Messiah. And how do we pray for ourselves? We must pray that we remain steadfast as the “people of the cross” and join Paul in saying: “I do not consider my life worth anything to myself.”

Are we truly the “people of the Cross?” That is the question of the day.

February 17, 2015

Give God Glory

Luke wants us to follow his train of thought as he seeks to remind his reader of these principles: “The chief end of man is glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

Herod was an example that lived by neither and in fact sought his own glory. Luke teaches us through the illustration of Paul and Barnabas in Lystra, where a lame man is healed, that it is God alone who deserves glory. Seeing a lame man healed, the entire town erupts and seeks to glorify them. But, unlike Herod who accepted what was due God, Paul and Barnabas shouted, tore their clothes and said: “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are men, with human natures just like you! We are proclaiming the good news to you, so that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them.”

When pagans (unbelievers) know not the living God and seek to glorify us we must do as Paul; present God as Creator and ourselves as the creation always seeking to give God his glory and the praise due to him alone. Paul wisely used God’s creation first for this reveals “God’s invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature.” Yet is not creation that points men to the Savior and their need of salvation; it is the very breathed inspired Word of God. Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [2Ti 3:16] “so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”[Rom 15]

February 15, 2015

The Depraved Heart

In Acts 12, Luke wants us to notice not only just the death of James and the deliverance of Peter but rather how longsuffering God is and how depraved men are and he accomplishes this by showing us the heart of Herod. Just as creation reveals God in all of his glory so the heart of men is revealed in all of their depravity. Herod, like us, falls into the category of one who has seen, heard, and experienced all of God’s grace. We all have a choice; repent and be forgiven or remain steadfast in our sins.

King Herod, rather than seeking to know about Jesus and His resurrection, seeks to silence the message and the messengers by arresting and beheading the Apostle James. Seeing how that pleases the Jews he has Peter arrested and plans his execution. But, God’s ways are superior to men and God will reveal Himself to Herod by delivering Peter because of the power of praying church. God’s grace is revealed to the guards and Herod through a unexplained miracle yet in retaliation Herod becomes livid and executes Peter’s guards. Pouting Herod retreats to Caesarea where he is proclaimed as God by men from Tyre and Sidon. Herod did not give the glory to God. Just as an umpire in baseball says: “you’re out!” so God called Herod and said “you’re out” “I am the Lord! That is my name! I will not share my glory with anyone else” [Is 42]

And yet, God graciously gave Herod 5 more days to repent. Did he or does he have this before him: Heb 10:31 “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Have you experienced God’s grace?

February 11, 2015

Psalm 19-20 “God in all of His Glory!”

psalm 19 god and his glory revealeda Dr. Henry Morris in reflecting on this psalm wrote: “The 19th psalm is one of the most magnificent writings in the Bible and indeed in all literature. Charles Spurgeon also in reflecting wrote: “Any book without its first page would be sadly imperfect, and especially the great Natural Bible, since its first pages, the sun, moon, and stars, supply light to the rest of the volume, and are thus the keys, without which the writing which follows would be dark and undiscerned

So from a scientist to a theologian we have the same view: God is sovereign and He is revealed in the glorious expanse of the heavens. Thus the words of Paul resonate with our spirits: “For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made” We see them as we stand and view the heavens in the dark of night or the bright light of day. No matter when, God has clearly revealed himself that we may bow our knee in humble adoration and praise him for who he is and for his glorious majesty.

January 6, 2015

Jan 6th Prov 1 “Kingly Gifts”

Today many across the world will celebrate Epiphany or Three Kings Day marking the supposed day that the three wise men from the east came bearing gifts asking ““Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we…have come to worship him.” [Matt 2]. Upon finding this infant King Jesus they “bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes” [and presented three precious gifts] of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

As we open Proverbs we begin with three precious gifts God places before us “wisdom and moral instruction, and to discern wise counsel” [Prov 1] so that we may be “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,” [2Ti 2:15] Gleaning these precious gifts begins when we fear or reverence the Lord God Almighty and “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” [Matt 6]. The contrast is presented in the fool who despises wisdom and instruction. The admonition as to how this is accomplished is given in vs 8 “Listen…to the instruction from your father; do not forsake the teaching from your mother.”

Today which of these three Proverbs gifts do you have to present to him as you worship him “…so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us” [2Co 4:7]?

November 24, 2014

Oh Lord my Lord How Majestic is Thy Name!

With today’s technology we are able to “see” into the womb and see the development of the fetus. We can determine sex and the contours of the body. We are awestruck when we read of surgeries that have been done to repair fetal conditions. But it is God alone who sees beyond conception to our very lives from the time we emerge from the birth canal. Stop and ponder the depths of these words: “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.”[Psa 139:16]

Not only is God aware of our comings and goings, our motives and our future actions but even our words are known before we speak. How awestruck we should be when we stop to ponder these words God spoke to Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”[Jer 1:5] and again as the psalmist records: “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written” [Ps 139]

This explains why when God says that he was willing to send his only beloved Son to die for us that we should be awestruck with the amount of love that was poured out upon us. We should pause and thank God that he is not willing any should perish but all come to repentance. God knows our comings and our goings because he can see into the heart. He is the Lord of hosts, who judges righteously, Who tries the feelings and the heart, [Jer 11:20] For He knows the secrets of the heart.[ Psa 44:21] This is the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. [Psa 118:23]

Beloved consider that you are loved by God and have been loved by him even before your conception and why the truth of Jer 29:11 is so profound: “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

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November 12, 2014

Having a Holy Boldness

September 16, 2014

O Lord How Majestic is Your Name!

When you woke up this morning did you stop to think of what had gone on from the time you dropped off into slumber-land until you arose? Did you stop to think or consider that “The several motions of our planet are carried on so noiselessly and evenly that, as far as we are concerned, all things are as permanent and peaceful as if the old notion of its resting upon pillars were literally true. With what delicacy has the great Artificer poised our globe! What power must there be in that hand which has caused so vast a body to know its orbit, and to move so smoothly in it!” [Spurgeon]

The Lord God as our God is robed in splendor and majesty. “The Lord is seen in his works as worthy of honour for his skill, his goodness, and his power, and as claiming majesty, for he has fashioned all things in sovereignty,…” [Spurgeon] As Creator, God said “let there be light” and as the Son of God here upon the earth he fashioned, he said “I am the Light of the World.” He was covered with Light as with a cloak to dispel the darkness of sin. How majestic is His Name!

Psalm 104 mirrors Genesis 1 in its order of creation. Whereas Genesis speaks of what occurred, here we not only see the creation but hear it as well. “Your shout made the waters retreat; at the sound of your thunderous voice they hurried off.” The mountains rise up with a great crescendo knowing just how far they may rise and no further. Both the mountains and the valleys had appointed places and there they stand fixed from the time of creation. Unlike man who given a task failed, the mountains and valleys in obedience never cross their boundaries. If only we would take a lesson from this picture!

Truly Romans 1 is so very true: “For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.” Therefore as we begin this new week, may we stop and praise Him for this marvelous creation that is before us.

And as you do join in adoration using the hymn: O Worship the King by Sir Robert Grant.

Oh, worship the King, all glorious above.
Oh, gratefully sing his power and his love;
Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.

July 27, 2014

Matt 18 “A True Kingdom Disciple”

Sometimes when an argument erupts and there appears to be no solution, a mediator is brought into the equation. We stop and wonder why the disciples are arguing about greatness when the greatest sits before them and three of them having just experienced his transfiguration! We want to say why are you even thinking about this question! [see Luke 9 ]And so it boils down this; “Let’s let Jesus settle this.” Jesus reveals that is not “who” is the greatest but “the one” who lives and acts by the principles and attitudes that reflect the character of God. Thus true kingdom people are humble as a child and/or welcomes a child in the name of Jesus; are not a stumbling block, pray and seek those who are the lost sheep; demonstrate true justice and compassion for others even if they have harmed you; forgive as God has forgiven you from your heart.

In a nutshell we might say to be great in God’s kingdom is to mirror God in all we think, say and do otherwise we are like the evil slave who being forgiven refused to forgive another who owed a debt to him. Perhaps that is why James wrote: “By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” [James 1] Perhaps we should stop in the hallway of God’s Word; look into His mirror and see what is reflected back to us. Then when we know what do, follow his words “go and do likewise” making decisions based upon that reflection. James warns us that there will be those who look, see and purposefully walk away forgetting what God has revealed to them. The warning is given: ‘So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.’ [James 4]

What is your mirror showing today? Can you say you are one of the “greatest” in the kingdom? Dr. Luke reminds us: Luk 22:26 the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves.