You Cannot Take It With You

"Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him..."
– Psalm 49:6-7

We have heard that two things are certain in this life: taxes and death. This song was written about both money and death. That no matter how much money is accumulated in this life, it cannot spare anyone from the certainty of dying. And, that comes to all the inhabitants of the earth, “both low, and high, rich and poor together.”

This is not a popular topic to discuss, yet it must be addressed. There are many misunderstandings in the world today about eternity. Everyone begins to wonder what happens after this life at one time or another. Many want to ignore the subject. As believers in Jesus Christ, though, we have great hope!

We cannot take anything with us when we die. No amount of wealth can save our souls or the life of another. Wealth can be an excellent legacy to leave, but the better gift is leaving others with the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is the wealth of knowledge of Him that brings true redemption.

I know many family members and friends in religions that teach another gospel. I will say this plainly, they are wrong. There is only one way into heaven and only one provision made. That is through the Messiah, Jesus! If you are searching for the truth today, God will reveal Himself to you. My hope and prayer is that He does, and you begin walking with Jesus today in the newness of life!

"For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
- Romans 10:11-13

An Old Testament Example

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."
– 1 Corinthians 10:12

As we observe others in their walks with Christ, we often begin seeing reflections in our own lives. Sometimes, they are areas we do not want to see, areas in which the Holy Spirit wants to bring conviction and correction. And we find the Lord many times having to take us through lessons several times. This is why it is essential to take our time with the Scriptures and not just breeze through them. They review many of the same topics because we need to be taught and reminded. This is what I believe Paul to be doing in these chapters as he continues on the subject of our liberties in Christ.

Through these last few chapters, it seems as though the Apostle Paul is spending much time on the subject of Christian liberties. He has been writing to the Corinthians about their questions regarding our freedoms in Christ. The emphasis has been on self-denial and thinking of others first and self last. Our relationships are vital in this life, and loving one another is of utmost importance. If we say we love God but hate others, the Bible tells us we are liars (1 John 4:20).

We have examples in the Old Testament. This is why we cannot overlook the importance of teaching the Old Testament and the New Testament. We are to study the entire Bible from cover to cover. Here, the Apostle Paul uses their examples for our learning. The Nation of Israel was set free from the bondage of Egypt, and they were led into the wilderness for forty years. Yet they were disobedient and went through lesson after lesson. There was a continual lusting after evil things that the Lord did not want in their lives. Not just what we typically think is evil, like sexual immorality. Murmuring and complaining were also considered evil (1 Corinthians 10:6-11), and so was misrepresenting the Lord.

Moses and Aaron misrepresented God’s heart for the people (Numbers 20:10-12). As a result, they could not enter into the promised land and fulfill their original calling. They misrepresented God’s heart for His sheep. As people, we can be “short” or rude to others. It is easy to get frustrated with one another. Moses and Aaron were certainly frustrated with the people throughout their journey because of the consistent disobedience to God’s Word. Yet they did not look at their own failures and were guilty of being disobedient as well. This is why Paul here tells us to take heed to ourselves lest we accuse others of the very things we are doing ourselves. Let us not examine the lives of others without first examining our own lives (Matthew 7:2).

“The harlot, the liar, the murderer, are short of it; but so are you. Perhaps they stand at the bottom of a mine, and you on the crest of an Alp; but you are as little able to touch the stars as they.” Everyone falls short, but everyone can be justified freely by His grace." - (unknown)

Mourning Over Sin

“At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God.”
– Ezra 9:5

There are many great prayers in Scripture; three, in particular, are found in the ninth chapters of Nehemiah, Daniel, and Ezra. Just like Nehemiah and Daniel, Ezra identified himself with the people. As you read Ezra’s prayer, you notice something significant. He included himself in the iniquities of those already there in Jerusalem.

Think of Ezra’s excitement and joy as he entered the city and saw the Temple. He had finally arrived to fulfill his calling. He was a skilled scribe and God’s chosen vessel to instruct the people in God’s ways. The Lord’s hand was upon him (Ezra 7:6). Not only that, he was given special permission by king Artaxerxes to use his “God-given wisdom” to set things in order (Ezra 7:25-26). Ezra’s authority was seemingly unlimited. Not only did he have man’s permission, more importantly, he also received God’s commission. Ezra could banish people, confiscate their wealth and even order their execution. When the people came and told Ezra about the sin of the leaders, it could have been his first inclination to do just that. But just as you would expect from a humble man of God, he fell astonished. His heart was ripped out from what the people were doing, and he expressed his grief as if he were mourning the dead (Joshua 7:6).

As Ezra began to pray, he fell to his knees and lifted his hands. It was complete surrender to the Lord, a place of vulnerability. When we raise our hands in prayer and worship, we feel vulnerable. It is not always comfortable, yet it is a necessary action that displays a vulnerable heart. And here is Ezra, just surrendered and at a loss. When I read this story, I can visualize Ezra’s position and sense his heartache. It makes me wonder why we, as the church, do not display this more. As we look around at a compromising church, it should cause us to sit astonished and mourn. We should fast and pray and seek the Lord for His direction, just as we see done here.

Although Ezra had just arrived, he included himself in the iniquities of the rest of the people. This is a sign of humility. When you walk with the Lord in humility, you can hear from God. You cannot hear from God when you are full of yourself. Israel was one covenant nation, and the sins of one leavens the entire lump. This is the same principle that applies to the local congregation, and unless sin is dealt with, everyone may become defiled (1 Corinthians 5:6-8). May we learn to humble ourselves, mourn over our sins, lift our prayers and praises to God, and once again hear Him speak to our hearts!

Gathering of The Saints

"Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!"
– Psalm 47:1

Just as all the others, this is an amazing Psalm. It is a Psalm of celebration. The previous Psalm gives us a picture of Christ ruling, reigning, and being on the throne. What a time it will be in the millennial reign when our Lord is ruling. It is important as the Scriptures present these things to us to take the time and be reminded of what is coming and what we are to be right now.

The Super Bowl has recently taken place. I am sure there was a lot of shouting and screaming as many were cheering on their favorite team, for better or for worse. And, that is just for a football game! The shouting and praising we can do because of the truth of what God has for us should be even more exciting. What an honor and blessing we have to praise God!

The church has gone through a time when we have not gathered together. Now we are in a time when we either desire to get back to fellowship or become comfortable with the "new way" of having church. Maybe you have noticed what I have seen. Not everyone is excited about God. Churches are emptying and selling their properties at a very high rate across the country and the world. People are not coming back and supporting fellowships, and churches are crumbling. People are just watching it on their televisions, unsettled and distracted, wondering when a commercial break will be—not paying attention to the message. There is church going on, but it is not in the heart. This is why we get together so that the Holy Spirit can move in us as we are obedient to His Word. Obedience comes when we are not "forsaking the assembling of ourselves together" (Hebrews 10:24).

Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in what is going on in our own lives. I love God's Word because it not only speaks of what is happening today. It also goes over experiences of the past that we can learn from. We are learning from the saints who have gone before us. Not only that, they provide us with the prophetic hope that we all, as Christians, will have in the future. And, that is what these Psalms are giving us a picture of. There will be a new age before the new heaven and new earth. Christ will be here on this earth, ruling and reigning for a thousand years. While we are here, waiting for the church's rapture, may we finish well.

“As water cannot rise higher than its source, so the moral quality in an act can never be higher than the motive that inspires it. For this reason, no act that arises from an evil motive can be good, even though some good may appear to come out of it.”
– A. W. Tozer

Patterns of Self-Denial

"What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel."
– 1 Corinthians 9:18

The Greek cities were filled with transient teachers looking to make a quick dollar in Paul's day. They only worked for a paycheck with no genuine care for the Lord's sheep. Paul defended his authority to receive from the people yet was willing to deny this right. His authority was balanced with discipline. Paul also shared why he was willing to set this right aside. It was for the sake of the gospel. Paul was taking the higher road. His desire was for the message to be free from any hindrances in the minds of those who needed to hear the good news.

It is well known that the Apostle Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:1-3). Throughout his ministry, he employed his skills not to burden others (2 Thessalonians 3:8). This does not mean he never received any support. He did, on occasion, receive from others and was thankful for the gifts. To the Philippians, he wrote, "Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account" (Philippians 4:15-17). The Apostle Paul received from fellowships when it was given with the right heart. However, when this liberty was questioned, Paul had no issue setting it aside so that others might be saved.

The local church is responsible for providing for the local pastor (Galatians 6:6) provided that the leader is rightly dividing the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). This is why when called to minister, it is vital to spend time in preparation, as Paul did. In the book of Acts, when it was brought to the Apostles' attention that there was neglect towards widows, they did not personally take it upon themselves to go and take care of the issue. Instead, they chose able men to take care of those responsibilities. They knew what their calling was. They said, "we will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:1-4). It was then that the Word of God spread, and the number of the disciples grew greatly (Acts 6:8).

They, like Paul, disciplined themselves to stay focused on the only task that mattered, spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. May you and I be disciplined and run this Christian race with endurance. May we not be earthly bound but rather heavenly minded and run for those things that never perish. May we share the gospel by setting aside hindrances in order to store our treasures in heaven.

“Whenever we preach, we stand between those two things, between human need and Divine grace. We are the messengers of that grace to that need.”
– G. Campbell Morgan

Stricter Judgment

"When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, ‘The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands…”
– Ezra 9:1

Imagine the excitement that Ezra and the captives must have been experiencing as they arrived in their homeland after a long, arduous trip. This is a place they had never seen before. It is not unlike what we experience when traveling to a destination we have never been to before. We plan and pack, then set out with anticipation to see things we have only been told. When we arrive at our destination, it is typically just as beautiful and blessed as we expected. This was not the condition in Jerusalem when Ezra arrived, though. What was to be a holy place was found to be a place of sin. A deep sin that started with the priests and Levites. Those who set out over fifty years earlier to rebuild the Temple were now living a life of disobedience. They did not keep themselves separated from the land they entered.

When Ezra arrived on scene, the leaders must have seen a glimmer of hope. They reported the disobedience of these Jewish men who violated the law of God (Exodus 34:15-16; Deuteronomy 7:1-6). Those concerned were right when they informed Ezra. Wiersbe wrote, “It was perfectly in order for these concerned Jews to report to Ezra what was going on, for he was one of their key spiritual leaders and carried great authority from the king (Ezra 7:25-26). It’s likely that these concerned citizens had opposed the mixed marriages but were ignored, so they appealed to their leading priest and scribe for this help.”

Regarding holiness, the Lord’s repeated command is, “You shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44). God called His people to be holy and separated from the rest of the world. It was so they would not become like other nations and begin serving their gods. Yet the Jews and their leaders were found exposed. They were found living like the heathen nations.

There are many blessings as a leader in the Lord’s church, yet it comes with heavy responsibility. The Bible points out that leaders are held to a higher standard, therefore a stricter judgment. Their lives are to look vastly different than the world and more like Christ. This is why James reminds us to “let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment (James 3:1). We are told to whom much is given, much more is required (Luke 12:48). So when judgment comes, it comes to the house of God first (1 Peter 4:17). As Christians, we can begin well in life and ministry. However, we know it is not how we start that matters; it is how we finish. We must examine ourselves by asking how well we are running this Christian race. How are you running today? Will you finish well?

"A minister’s wisdom lies in endeavoring to be wise for others, not cunning for himself."
- C. H. Spurgeon

The Patience of God

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."
– 2 Peter 3:9

The Bible says, “From the abundance of the heart, the mouth shall speak” (Luke 6:45). Who we truly are inside comes out in our speech and actions. This is why the Bible tells us to keep our hearts with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23).

I am so glad God does not change. He is patient. It is one of His attributes. Since He is patient, He demonstrates grace towards all of us who are saved by working with us daily. He changes our hearts so that our conduct will reflect more of Him in this life.

God has all power to bring swift judgment on a sinning world. The restraint of God to bring this justice is demonstrated through His patience. It describes God’s long-suffering with the goal to lead all sinners to repentance. This is the restraint of God put into action.

Many of us have what is commonly called “selective hearing.” This is when we only hear those things that are important to us and throw out the rest. We enjoy hearing about God’s love towards us. We like that He is a God of mercy. And He is all of these things. However, we can begin to think that because these attributes are true, everyone will automatically go to heaven, but this is not what the Bible teaches. Because of His love and mercy, He has given us His grace, that which we do not deserve. And His grace is salvation through His Son. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

New Every Morning

"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."
– Lamentations 3:22-23

Mercy has been defined as the Lord withholding deserved punishment, while grace is the act of freely giving unmerited favor. In other words, He withholds what we do deserve and gives us what we do not deserve. Mercy and grace are communicable attributes; what we have been shown, we can also share with others. You and I are called to be merciful, yet we can only do this through the power of the Holy Spirit. These traits can only come through being born-again (John 3:3).

Without God’s attribute of mercy, none of us would be here today. It is God’s action of compassion to you and me. It is manifested in his loving patience with sinners. We are all sinners. Yet some are still living in sin with no hope, while others are saved from hell in eternity by the grace of God. Salvation comes only through the Messiah (1 Timothy 2:5). God’s justice is satisfied in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior (Romans 3:23-26).

Jesus illustrated God’s mercy on the cross. Through the Scriptures, we recall the night of His arrest and the mock trials set up for Him. The Man who knew no sin was innocent of any wrong yet being put to death. Jesus became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21), and while He was enduring the agony, pain, and humiliation, He said something while hanging there. Jesus cried, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). What wondrous love God has for us! There has never been a greater love demonstrated than this, God’s mercy through Jesus’ death (John 15:13).

"Our Heavenly Father never takes anything from His children unless He means to give them something better."
- George Muller

Good Stewardship

“You are holy to the Lord; the articles are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers. Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leaders of the priests and the Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.”
– Ezra 8:28-29

Ezra was getting prepared to take a long journey and lead the people of Israel back to Jerusalem. He was using wisdom. Before setting out, Ezra and the people sought the Lord for guidance and protection. He writes, “So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer” (Ezra 8:23). He did not want to ask for help from a man. He desired to rely solely on the Lord. He and the people entreated God for their needs. To “entreat” is to petition and seek. More literally, it means to beg, and to pray in this way takes humility. They begged the Lord for help and listened for the answer. And the Lord did answer.

Their possessions with them on this long journey were extremely valuable. Not only did they use wisdom by asking for the Lord’s protection, but they also took great care of all the possessions given to them. Before setting out, they counted the money to ensure they knew how much they had. They were responsible for turning in the exact amount when they arrived at their destination. How they cared for the Lord’s provisions in between leaving and arriving was crucial. There needed to be accountability.

In this life, we are given special provisions that belong to the Lord. He gives us everything we need, and we must be good stewards of our finances. As Christians, we have much more responsibility to take great care of the Lord’s provisions. To whom much has been given, much more is required. We are held to a higher standard, the standards of God. As humans, we place a lot of value on money. God often tests us in this area to see how we handle His money. After all, if we cannot take care of earthly possessions, how will we ever be entrusted to handle true riches? Ezra was a good steward and accountable for what he was given. He was teaching the people the Lord’s standards. He “practiced what he preached.”

How important that is for each one of us. You cannot teach what you do not live. The power comes not from teaching God’s Word but from living it out in obedience. We can all say, “thus sayeth the Lord,” but if we are doing the very thing we tell others not to do, how powerful is that? Our words have therefore become “null and void.” They are worthless and carry no weight with others. You do not know the Word of God unless you are living it out in your life. You might know what it says, but you do not understand until you apply it. May we use Ezra’s life as an example and live out what we say we believe.

"He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?"
- Luke 16:10-12