I heard about a group of people who were travelling through a small village in Europe. When they encounter an older gentleman sitting under a tree in the park, one of the tourists asked if any great men were ever born in his village. To this the man replied, no, just babies.
How simple, yet profound. All of us have to start somewhere in our walk with the Lord, and that happens to be as babies. The Apostle Peter said: Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1 Peter 2:1-3 NKJV).
On the other hand, the writer to the Hebrews challenges us with these words: For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14 NKJV).
May we cherish the milk of the word while at the same time digging into the solid food that allows for genuine growth.
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
Friday, September 23, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Bible Study Time Introduction (10-9-11) (Introduction to a radio Bible study.)
Welcome to Bible Study Time. We come to you each Sunday morning on behalf of the Peace Church, and we want to invite you to join us for any of our services. We’re located 8 miles south and a half a mile west of Indiahoma, and we’re just 12 miles east of Manitou right on the Baseline Road. If you’d like more information about the Peace Church, you can find that on our website, which is www.ok-peacechurch.org
After the nation of Israel crossed over the Jordan River, God told Joshua to have the males circumcised so that they could observe the Passover and then go on to conquer the land of Canaan. At once, we find ourselves asking, why? Why did the Jews in the wilderness not submit to circumcision, and why did they not observe the Passover? The only explanation we find is in Joshua, Chapter 5, where we read that the Jews who came up out of Egypt were circumcised, but they perished in the wilderness because they did not obey the voice of the Lord. Then we are told that the boys who were born after the Exodus were not circumcised. (Joshua 5:4-7 NKJV).
This is somewhat shocking that the Jews did not practice circumcision or the Passover while they were traveling in the wilderness. God had told Abraham that any male who was not circumcised would be cut off from the people of God because he had broken the covenant of God. (Genesis 17:6-14 NKJV). At Mt. Sinai, God made circumcision a part of the Mosaic Law, saying that every male child was to be circumcised on the eight day after his birth. (Leviticus 12:1-3 NKJV).
So, it is very puzzling that the Jews not practice circumcision or the Passover during their 40 years in the wilderness? And frankly, we just don't know why that was, but if we allow ourselves the luxury of speculation, we might say that it was just too difficult to do in the wilderness. But that's not very satisfying because they were still in a wilderness environment when Joshua ordered them to be circumcised at Gilgal.
We might conclude that circumcision was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, and during their wilderness journey, they were not God's covenant people. Joshua, Chapter 5, says that the children of Israel had to journey through the wilderness until all of those who came up out of Egypt were consumed because they did not obey the voice of the Lord. But the problem with that is that those who came up out of Egypt and were consumed were the ones who were circumcised, while those who were uncircumcised were the ones who ultimately entered into the land of Canaan by faith.
And I think that this is a critical part of the puzzle. Namely, that God is more concerned about the condition of a person's heart than He is with any outward ritual or ceremony. The fact is that the Jews who traveled in the wilderness were the one who learned how to be truly circumcised in their hearts.
Physical circumcision was simply an outward sign of the spiritual circumcision that God requires of all those who follow Him. It is an outward sign of one's willingness to forsake the things of this world and the things of the flesh in order to enjoy the blessings of God.
When Moses gave his final address to the children of Israel, he spoke to a nation of uncircumcised Jews and said that they should fear the Lord and walk in His ways, that they should love and serve the Lord with all of their hearts and souls, and that they should circumcise the foreskin of their hearts. (Deuteronomy 10:12-16 NKJV).
As we study the history of the nation of Israel we find that those who traveled through the wilderness for 40 years were among the few who learned to be circumcised in their hearts. God actually forced these particular Jews into a situation where they were separated from the things of the world and the things of the flesh. While traveling through the wilderness, they lost their appetite for the garlic, the leeks and the onions of Egypt, and they learned to depend upon the Lord for their daily bread. They learned that the blessings of God are far more valuable than the things of this world.
As a result, this particular group of uncircumcised Jews was one of the most highly favored groups in all of Jewish history for they were the ones who were given the privilege of going into the promised land by faith to witness the mighty power of God as God helped them conquer the giants of the land.
From this we see that God has always been more concerned with the true devotion of a man's heart than He is with a man's outward rituals and ceremonies which merely give an outward appearance of devotion. If a person's heart is right with God, outward rituals can be meaningful even if they are unnecessary, but if a person's heart is not right with God, the outward rituals are certainly meaningless and actually would appear to be disgusting in the sight of God.
Now let's continue our Journey Through the Scripture with Pastor James Roberts.
After the nation of Israel crossed over the Jordan River, God told Joshua to have the males circumcised so that they could observe the Passover and then go on to conquer the land of Canaan. At once, we find ourselves asking, why? Why did the Jews in the wilderness not submit to circumcision, and why did they not observe the Passover? The only explanation we find is in Joshua, Chapter 5, where we read that the Jews who came up out of Egypt were circumcised, but they perished in the wilderness because they did not obey the voice of the Lord. Then we are told that the boys who were born after the Exodus were not circumcised. (Joshua 5:4-7 NKJV).
This is somewhat shocking that the Jews did not practice circumcision or the Passover while they were traveling in the wilderness. God had told Abraham that any male who was not circumcised would be cut off from the people of God because he had broken the covenant of God. (Genesis 17:6-14 NKJV). At Mt. Sinai, God made circumcision a part of the Mosaic Law, saying that every male child was to be circumcised on the eight day after his birth. (Leviticus 12:1-3 NKJV).
So, it is very puzzling that the Jews not practice circumcision or the Passover during their 40 years in the wilderness? And frankly, we just don't know why that was, but if we allow ourselves the luxury of speculation, we might say that it was just too difficult to do in the wilderness. But that's not very satisfying because they were still in a wilderness environment when Joshua ordered them to be circumcised at Gilgal.
We might conclude that circumcision was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, and during their wilderness journey, they were not God's covenant people. Joshua, Chapter 5, says that the children of Israel had to journey through the wilderness until all of those who came up out of Egypt were consumed because they did not obey the voice of the Lord. But the problem with that is that those who came up out of Egypt and were consumed were the ones who were circumcised, while those who were uncircumcised were the ones who ultimately entered into the land of Canaan by faith.
And I think that this is a critical part of the puzzle. Namely, that God is more concerned about the condition of a person's heart than He is with any outward ritual or ceremony. The fact is that the Jews who traveled in the wilderness were the one who learned how to be truly circumcised in their hearts.
Physical circumcision was simply an outward sign of the spiritual circumcision that God requires of all those who follow Him. It is an outward sign of one's willingness to forsake the things of this world and the things of the flesh in order to enjoy the blessings of God.
When Moses gave his final address to the children of Israel, he spoke to a nation of uncircumcised Jews and said that they should fear the Lord and walk in His ways, that they should love and serve the Lord with all of their hearts and souls, and that they should circumcise the foreskin of their hearts. (Deuteronomy 10:12-16 NKJV).
As we study the history of the nation of Israel we find that those who traveled through the wilderness for 40 years were among the few who learned to be circumcised in their hearts. God actually forced these particular Jews into a situation where they were separated from the things of the world and the things of the flesh. While traveling through the wilderness, they lost their appetite for the garlic, the leeks and the onions of Egypt, and they learned to depend upon the Lord for their daily bread. They learned that the blessings of God are far more valuable than the things of this world.
As a result, this particular group of uncircumcised Jews was one of the most highly favored groups in all of Jewish history for they were the ones who were given the privilege of going into the promised land by faith to witness the mighty power of God as God helped them conquer the giants of the land.
From this we see that God has always been more concerned with the true devotion of a man's heart than He is with a man's outward rituals and ceremonies which merely give an outward appearance of devotion. If a person's heart is right with God, outward rituals can be meaningful even if they are unnecessary, but if a person's heart is not right with God, the outward rituals are certainly meaningless and actually would appear to be disgusting in the sight of God.
Now let's continue our Journey Through the Scripture with Pastor James Roberts.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Why Ask Why?
When I was a kid, it made me wince when I heard parents say, do it because I said so. That just didn't seem right to me and maybe that was because my parents were for the most part willing to explain the reasoning behind the rules.
When we look at the Bible, we see that God does not get upset with those who sincerely ask why. In fact, we see just the opposite. God really wants us to seek an understanding of His will. In the Old Testament, God said: Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV). In the New Testament, Jesus said: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV).
Even when it comes to an understanding of why God would permit this or that in our individual lives, God may give us a sense of why things are the way they are. The Apostle Paul had a thorn in the flesh that really bothered him. He ask the Lord three times to remove it, but each time the Lord said no. Finally, the Lord told Paul that his thorn in the flesh was given to him so that he would not be lifted up with pride as result of the abundance of revelations that God had given him. This understanding was of great comfort to Paul because it helped him realize that his affliction brought him closer to Christ and made him stronger in the Lord.
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
When we look at the Bible, we see that God does not get upset with those who sincerely ask why. In fact, we see just the opposite. God really wants us to seek an understanding of His will. In the Old Testament, God said: Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV). In the New Testament, Jesus said: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV).
Even when it comes to an understanding of why God would permit this or that in our individual lives, God may give us a sense of why things are the way they are. The Apostle Paul had a thorn in the flesh that really bothered him. He ask the Lord three times to remove it, but each time the Lord said no. Finally, the Lord told Paul that his thorn in the flesh was given to him so that he would not be lifted up with pride as result of the abundance of revelations that God had given him. This understanding was of great comfort to Paul because it helped him realize that his affliction brought him closer to Christ and made him stronger in the Lord.
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
Sunday, September 04, 2011
Walking in the Spirit
All humans struggle to some extent with the destructive tendencies of the heart and mind. When jobs are lost, homes are broken, and lives are torn apart, we often ask why, but the Apostle Paul teaches that these things happen because of a powerful, spiritual struggle between the flesh and the Spirit of God. He said: I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Galatians 5:16-17 NKJV).
Paul describes the flesh as that which relates to sexual sins, murder and witchcraft, but also to hatred, envy, drunkenness, and so forth. However, the things of the Spirit of God are quite the opposite. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:19-23 NKJV).
Victorious living is available to us through faith in Jesus Christ and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1 NKJV). And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:30-32 NKJV).
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
Paul describes the flesh as that which relates to sexual sins, murder and witchcraft, but also to hatred, envy, drunkenness, and so forth. However, the things of the Spirit of God are quite the opposite. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:19-23 NKJV).
Victorious living is available to us through faith in Jesus Christ and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1 NKJV). And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:30-32 NKJV).
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
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