God's ways are not our ways

February 8, 2016

 Hosea 1:6-7

“She conceived again and bore a daughter. And the Lord said to him, “Call her name No Mercy, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all. But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.”

It is unwise to make an absolute statement about what one would do, or not do if put into that situation!  I’ve thought often about the LORD’s requirements of men like Isaiah whom God told to go naked for three years, yes, and out in public.  You may not believe God required this of whom many call the greatest of the prophets, and you can read the account in Isaiah 20:2-4.

What about God calling Gideon into His service to battle the Midianites and the Amalekites that had encamped in the Valley of Jezreel?  Now we are told in Judges 6:34-35, that the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon and he sounded the trumpet and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him, and then he sent messengers throughout Manasseh and he ended up with 32,000 men.  Now if you had trouble with Isaiah going naked for three years, you are going to have a problem with what God is going to tell Gideon.  Chapter 7:2, “The LORD said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, “My own hand has saved me.”  This was God’s plan, let anyone who is fearful go home, and 22,000 returned home and now the army is at 10,000, not the best plan for waging war.  And God told Gideon, still too many and you can read all about it in Judges 7, but the end results were 300 men took the victory and the people of the East lost 120,000 men in the battles.

So as the husband of my friend and wife of noble character and the dad of a daughter, it is hard for me to grasp the magnitude of what God has required of Hosea.  He first is told to marry a woman who he knows is going to sleep around and now he is being told to call his daughter by the name “No Mercy” for by doing so it was a statement of God’s relationship with Israel.  “And the Lord said to him, “Call her name No Mercy, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all.”  Israel was unfaithful to the LORD, and by doing so they forfeited God’s love for them.

My hope is that you and I don’t allow God’s ways or requirements of these men to block our understanding of the big picture, God’s chosen people were chasing after the little gods of this world, and turning their backs on the Father.  So once more it’s mirror time, what is your affection centered on, the only God, or the little gods of this present darkness?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The first child of Gomer

Hosea 1:4-5

“And the Lord said to him, “Call his name Jezreel, for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”

Always a little history is helpful in the understanding of history.  This helps in understanding what is about to happen, and why.  The prophet Elisha who lived 855-800 B.C. called the sons of the prophets and told them to take a flask of oil and go to Ramoth-gilead and ask for a private meeting with Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi.  And this is what he was to do as reported in 2 Kings 9:3, “Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says the LORD, I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee; do not linger.”  As we keep reading, we get the bigger picture in verses 4-10, “So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. And when he came, behold, the commanders of the army were in council. And he said, “I have a word for you, O commander.” And Jehu said, “To which of us all?” And he said, “To you, O commander.” So he arose and went into the house. And the young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I anoint you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. And you shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.” Then he opened the door and fled.”

Jehu was the instrument God used to fulfill all that he had spoken to Elijah about the house of Ahab and Omri’s dynasty in the city and valley of Jezreel.  Now this is the sad news, Jehu was just as wicked as Omri and would also suffer annihilation at Jezreel.  The naming of Hosea’s first son Jezreel was in keeping with the judgment coming to a people called by God, a special people, His chosen people, who had chased after other gods, like wealth, the good life, and had taken advantage of the poor and under-resourcedd, and were like Gomer, a wayward wife whose children were of promiscuity, as were the children of Israel.

As you look into the mirror what do you see, do you have any of the tendencies of Gomer, or the children of Israel?  Is the teenager that leaves your house for school a child of promiscuity in the mold of and model of this culture?  Where your heart is all your actions will follow.  So today is a great day to do as 2 Corinthians 13:5 admonishes us to do: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Obenience

Hosea 1:2-3

What is your definition of the word obedience?  Mine came about many years ago on the way to Czechoslovakia, by car from Austria with our friend Val Kimmel and her children Page and Andrew.  I was sitting in the front seat and Jan was in the back with the children when Val ask them to stop doing whatever, and they kept doing whatever.  And the next words that came from her mouth formed my understanding of “Obedience.”  This is what she said: “Children, obedience is doing what you are told as soon as you are told, anything else is not obedience.”

I believe Hosea also had this as his understanding of obedience; as we ponder on verses 2-3, see if you’re in agreement with my premise? “When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.”  Now we do not know much about Gomer but that she was the daughter of Diblaim, and depending on what version of the Bible as to how she is addressed, in the (NIV) as a “promiscuous woman”, a "harlot" (NASB), a "whore" (KJV), and in the (ESV) a wife of whoredom.  Gomer was one loose gal, she was not prophet wife material, but when the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom,” Hosea did as he was told.

Earlier this morning in my reading of the Scriptures in Proverbs 4:20-27, I believe the Spirit of God was speaking to me about the importance of living a life of obedience.  “My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings. Don’t lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.  For they are life to those who find them, and health to one’s whole body.  Guard your heart above all else,
for it is the source of life.  Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly, and don’t let your lips talk deviously.  Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established.
Don’t turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil.”

I believe the following are questions each of us who claim to be a follower of Christ must ask: 1) Am I paying attention to what God is saying to me from the Scriptures?  2) Have I lost sight of what God is saying to me, or have I taken the attitude of “I’ll do it later, at a better time.” 3) Do I believe that God’s word will bring life, and health to my whole body? 4) Am I guarding my heart from the darkness found all around me? 5) What about my mouth, is it deceitful, or is it known as a source of truth and light? 6) What are my eyes fixed on, the ways of the world or the things of God? 7) Am I carefully considering the path I’m on, is it going to guide me away from evil?

This I’m sure of, a life of discipline will not give your flesh what it is looking for, but one who has set their eyes on the path of obedience will find it’s only possible by living a disciplined life in all areas.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

He heard the voice of God

Hosea 1:2

“When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.”

I’ve often stated this fact; I’m neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, and with the goal of true discloser, is that I’m a mess in many areas of my life, and yet I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, who knows all about me and loves me anyway.  Now for just a moment let your imagination put you in the place of Hosea, and because we have little understanding of his family, you and I can assume Hosea was from a family like ours. 

At some point in his life he heard the voice of the LORD, maybe it was from one of the prophets of his time or maybe like Moses, God got his attention in some other way.  But this is clear, Hosea heard God speaking to him, and it is my hope that you also have heard the voice of God speaking to you.  So imagine this, you’re a young messenger of God, and you are single and have thought often about marriage, and the first thing you hear is, “Go, take to yourself a wife” and your response is yes, yes LORD that is the desire of my heart, and did I hear you say Gomer, she sure is a looker, but LORD it is rumored she sleeps around.  Is it your plan for me to marry such a girl, will I lose the respect of everyone, what will mom and dad think, what will those I’m speaking Your words to think, and did I hear this right?

You now have a choice, listen to God; I call that (Channel 2) or listen to the enemy of your soul, the one that voice mimics yours and we refer to that as (Channel 1).  Note: It is of importance to know that anytime God speaks to us channel 2 is going to voice very loud a safer plan of action.  Jesus makes this clear in John 10:10, “The thief (Channel 1) comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came (Channel 2) that they may have life and have it abundantly. (Emphasis added)

Hosea chose God’s plan for his life, a whore for a wife, who would have children of whoredom, because it was an everyday reminder of Israel’s marriage to God and their whoredom with the world and the flesh.

From The Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Introduction to Hosea

Hosea

 Introduction

  

“The word of the Lord that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.” (Hosea 1:1)

Any good study Bible will give an introduction to the book of the Bible you are studying, so you would be wise to look there for a more in-depth introduction to the book of Hosea.  But the first verse gives insight into the span of Hosea’s ministry, and it was about 750-710, so shall we go there?  Uzziah was king of the Southern Kingdom 792-753, and He ruled over Judah.  Jotham also ruled the Southern Kingdom and his timeline was around 750-732.  Next was Ahaz who ruled the Southern Kingdom from 735-716.  And last, we have Hezekiah as king of the Southern Kingdom from 716-686.

In the Northern Kingdom you have King Jeroboam II, who ruled over Israel and for a time he co-reigned with his father Jehoash from 793-782 B.C. then by himself until 753 B.C.  Forty-one years he reigned over the Northern Kingdom of Israel and Israel was very prosperous.  It is worth stating that during his reign the following people were prophets, Hosea, Joel, Jonah and Amos, and all of them condemned the materialism and evil of the elite of their day.  The more they prospered the farther they moved from the God they knew to little gods.  Note: can you see a similarity in our culture?

The ministry of God is much deeper waters than anyone can fathom, and we are reminded by the prophet Isaiah in chapter 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Do you recall God’s instruction to the prophet Isaiah, “at that time the LORD spoke through Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, "Go and loosen the sackcloth from your hips and take your shoes off your feet." And he did so, going naked and barefoot.  And the LORD said, "Even as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and token against Egypt and Cush, so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old, naked and barefoot with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.” (Isaiah 20:2-4)

When the LORD first spoke to Hosea it seems much better than being naked for three years, that is if you read past one word, go marry a whore.  The story of this marriage is a picture of broken promises, seeking other gods, like pleasure, possessions, power, and prominence with no regard for the love, grace and forgiveness of our loving Father.

From the Back Porch,

 Bob Rice

For the church to have unity and boldness

Romans 16:17-20

“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”

When one sees a “watch out” in Scripture they should take very serious what is being said, in this case, we are being told, “to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.”  But the Holy Spirit does not leave us without a clear picture of what that person looks like in verse 18, “For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” 

For the church to have unity and boldness it must be disciplined in its dealing with those in its fellowship.  We are told in 1 Corinthians 5:11, “But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slander, a drunkard or a swindler.  With such a man do not even eat.”  The apostle does not stop with this counsel but goes on in verse 13 with these instructions: “God will judge those outside.  “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

Now before you go looking for the evil in your church it would be very wise to look into the mirror, are you sexually pure in your private life, in what you watch, and what you read?  Is there a hint of greed or any items or things in your life that you value more than your relationship with the living Christ?  If so, you may need to take the log out of your own eye first.  Are you above reproach in all your business dealings, what about your drinking, has it become something you need?  Have you deceived someone so that you could get the better part of the deal, then it is time for confession before expelling the wicked man among you for you are the wicked person?  I must confess I’ve found myself in many of these roles and a look in the mirror and confession of that sin to my Father has set me free.

This writer is not attempting to say of the two examples that one is better than the other, but one is more devious and that is the one we find in Romans 16:18.  This person has an agenda of self; they are not interested in submission to Christ, they are deceivers as is the devil.  In the business world, we refer to them as con men and they are smooth, listen and learn to ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight into such people.  For they are “smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A Letter of Introduction

 Romans 16:1-16

Each of us knows a brother or sister in Christ that we would trust to make sure a letter of great importance was carried to the object of its intent.  Such a woman was Phoebe, a first-century Christian woman mentioned by the apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, verses 16:1-2.  She was a notable woman in the church of Cenchreae, and it is believed she was trusted by Paul to deliver his letter to the house churches in Rome.  Paul introduces Phoebe in this manner, a servant of the church in Cenchreae, so I’m asking you to receive her as you would receive Jesus.  And be of help in whatever she may need or ask of you, for she not only has been a benefactor of many – and of me also.

With that introduction, she is getting the guest room, the fresh lamb chops, and her feet washed, and she is also getting the full attention of those who are in leadership.  When I was a child I recall in those small Baptist churches a person could come into the membership if a letter was sent from the Baptist church they had come from.  I do not know what was written in those letters, it might have been no more than yes they were on our role.  But I will bet the farm it did not say; yes they are in the role, they never came, they never gave, and we are very glad you got them, for the few times they came they griped about the hardness of the pews, the length of the sermon or something.  Each of us who are followers of Christ should live a life of service that we would have a Paul write such an introduction about us.

One might call this Paul’s hall of thanksgiving, a recall of those who came along beside him so that he could bring the message of life to the Gentiles and the Jews.  “Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.”

I often share about the men that God brought into my life, men who were faithful servants of Jesus Christ, but my foundation was my mother and dad, no matter how far I went from God and wanted to run my own life, and to be the master of my ship, the teaching of mother and dad were fixed in my mind.  My wife came to know Christ a year after I had, but she is an amazing lady, a doer of the Word, and a prayer warrior, I’ve have been blessed.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Plans

Romans 15:22-33

Often a friend or family member will ask what are your plans for this year, do you have any big trips planned?  The apostle Paul had written to the house churches in Rome laying out his plans to visit Rome on his trip to Spain.  First, he shares that often he had a desire to come to Rome and visit with them but had always been hindered, but now that his work was over in Macedonia he was free to visit, after a trip to Jerusalem to bring aid to the saints.  He was bringing an offering from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia to the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

In verses 26-27, Paul addresses the contribution from the Gentile churches in Macedonia and Achaia to be given to the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.  Verse 27 states the following; “They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them.  For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessing, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.  When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.”

 I want you to give serious thought to verses 30-32; something is going on behind the scene that has driven Paul to ask for this prayer from the churches at Rome. “I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all.  Amen.” 

  

It will be of help to look at the ACTS of the apostles in chapter 20:17-21 where Paul called the elders of the church of Ephesus to come to him so that he could once more recall his ministry to them and how he testified to both the Jews and the Gentiles of repentance toward God and of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  I believe this thought found in verses 22-23 was in his mind; “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.”   It might be somewhat hard for you or I to dismiss that voice, but in Acts 21:10-11, where the prophet named Agabus came to Caesarea where Paul was staying with Philip the evangelist and the following is the account.  “While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

 It is this writer’s opinion that Paul had no doubt that he was going to be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles, but that did not change his desire to first be a witness to Spain, but it seems clear he never reached Spain, but what a witness he was in Rome.  You and I have the Holy Spirit prompting us each day to do the work of ministry, Jesus gave Him these names, the Spirit, the Helper, the Comforter and He is always talking, but often we have other plans and we turn up the noise around us, so as to do as we desire, and wonder why the Holy Spirit never speaks to us.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Boasting in what Christ is doing

Romans 15:17-21

Are you as boastful as the apostle Paul about what Christ Jesus is doing in your ministry?  Paul sounds like a bragger, for he is very bold in his statement; “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written,

“Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”

If one is not careful he will wonder, was the apostle Paul just full of himself, and you would miss the total message.  Maybe that has much to say about you and I, do we take credit for the talents, gifts, and abilities that have been imparted to us from the Father?  Let me be first to confess how often I’ve taken credit for a gift or ability both in the workplace and other areas of life, I knew the hand of God had opened doors so that I was able to accomplish the act, and my flesh said in a boastful manner, look at what I’ve done!

But that is not what we see in Paul’s statement above, for it is in Christ Jesus, Paul has reason to be proud of his work for God.  Everywhere we have this message from the apostle Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Colossian 2:20) And this Scripture gives more clarity to the heart of the apostle; “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Should not our boast be like the apostle Paul’s?  Should we not be telling our neighbors, family, and friends, the words of Paul and yet let them be found in our hearts and minds; “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Where did you meet Jesus?

Romans 15:14-16

“I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

One might say the apostle Paul was excited about the condition of the house churches at Rome, in that he could see and hear about how God had equipped them for service.  They had the gift of the Spirit and were using them to minister to others, and the church though under persecution was growing.

Today by all the research that is available we find reports of a declining church, where one will encounter in your neighborhood, at school, in the marketplace the results found in this report from the Barna Group.  “For the first time since Barna Group and American Bible Society’s Bible engagement tracking began, Bible skepticism is tied with Bible engagement. The number of those who are skeptical or agnostic toward the Bible—who believes the Bible is “just another book of teachings written by men that contains stories and advice”—has nearly doubled from 10% to 19% in just three years. This is now equal to the number of people who are Bible engaged—who read the Bible at least four times a week and believe it is the actual or inspired Word of God.”

If you go by the title Christian do you have any understanding of what that means?  It seems that even in decline the Church has many who attend for reasons other than being a follower of Jesus Christ, of allowing Him to direct your path, and to obey His commands.  Dr. Richard J. Krejcir from the (Francis A. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership Development) shares these statistics from Barna Research reported.  “That perhaps 50% of people who go to a church are not even Christians. I first heard of this statistic when I was in seminary, and even from my "hero," J. Vernon McGee, whom I visited as often as possible. I remember a conversation I had with Francis Schaeffer; he often said he believed a strong percentage of people in the church were not Christians, that they only go for a show! At first, I did not believe it could be a significant percentage, but after years of pastoral experience, I now know this to be fact.”

Before the age of 27 and my encounter with Jesus Christ in a hotel room in Victoria, Texas, I was a Baptist who had been drug to church every time the doors were open.  I gave a tithe from the time I got a job, was nice to little ladies unless they were trying to teach me something in public school and I believed in God the Father, and God as three in one personality.  I believed Jesus was born of a Virgin and that He died for the sins of all people, but I was not willing to turn over control of my life to Jesus.  I was one of those statistics referenced above, and inside of me was a dead spirit to the ways of God. 

The apostle Paul gives this insight into the larger problem of today's Church found in 1 Corinthians 2: 12-14, “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”  Jesus told the Pharisee named Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  It has not one thing to do with church membership, baptism, or cleaning up your act, it has everything to do with confessing sin, acknowledging that only God has the power to forgive sin, and to exchange your dead spirit for the Spirit of the living Christ, who sits at the right hand of the Father.  It is coming to grips with this truth, Jesus’ blood has the power to cover your sin, no matter what, the apostle Paul took part in the death of many who were followers of Jesus Christ, and he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, I met Him in Victoria, Texas, where did you meet Jesus?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Looking to our Hope

Romans 15:13

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

This morning I made a grave mistake of allowing my time and my mind to be engaged in a documentary of a past President of the United State of America, it was a long list of crimes, sexual encounters, and drugs, and even allegation of murder, whether true or not, it was used by the enemy of my soul to steal my peace.

Each day you and I are bombarded with things in the press whose end game will take from you without giving any hope, joy, or peace, how can we guard our minds?  I’ve often stated that one of my heroes was a very mild and meek little man, who was a professor of Music at the Seminary; his name was T.W. Hunt.  This statement I pray will grab your mind and heart and if needed be a reminder of this truth; “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:16-17)

T. W. who is experiencing glory with our Lord, had this to say in the first chapter of the “Mind of Christ” “Most of us, most of the time, are satisfied if we satisfy the expectations of society and the requirements of God by our outer, visible actions.  God looks on the inner; He said, as early as Samuel’s day, that “man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7) The New Testament takes it a step farther; “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:5-7)

One does not require a high I.Q. to understand the culture, what we see and what we hear is trying to press us into its mold.  So what can a follower of Christ do in order to keep this from happening?

·      Spend time in the word: 2 Timothy 2:15.

·      God has given us the ability to set our minds: Colossians 3:2.

·      Ask for help: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”  (John 14:26)

Hope is from God, for it is clearly written our LORD Jesus Christ is our hope of glory, you and I should not take our eyes off of our Hope, for in Christ we find peace and joy, for Christ in us is the Hope of Glory. 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Christ our only Hope

Romans 15:8-13

In the English Standard Version Bible it has this title over these verses “Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles” and what a great synopsis.  Beginning in the 8 verses, “For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.”

You may be wondering what were the promises given to the patriarchs, so let’s look at a few.

·      Who were the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob or Israel.

What was the promise made to Abraham: “And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:7-8 ESV)

·       What was the promise made to Isaac: “Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” (Genesis 26:3-5 ESV)

·      What was the promise made to Jacob: “ And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”

Do you recall God speaking to Moses at the burning bush and how He announced His title: “And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”  Now let us go to the New Testament and we find it was faith, not works that brought God’s favor on Abraham as found in Romans 4:3,  ^“For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”  And look at Romans 4:13, “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.” 

Now it is important to understand you and I received grace and were grafted into the true olive tree that is Christ, it was always the will of the Father that you and I would come into a relationship with the Father and His Son our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ.  Turn to Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

I must end this with Romans 15:9-13, “and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.”  Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”  And again “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.”  And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

 From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice