The Only Way

 

Does God hear and answer everyone’s prayers regardless of their language, beliefs, or religion?.

God will always hear and answer “Yes!” to the prayer of anyone who realizes they are a sinner in need of Jesus as their Savior and asks Him into their heart (Romans 10:9-10). Thereafter, His Holy Spirit within the believer’s heart (Ephesians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5) helps us to pray to God the Father (Matthew 6:9), in the name of His Son, even when we don’t know exactly how to pray (Romans 8:26).

God answers other prayers based on whether or not the one praying believes the Gospel (1 Peter 3:12; 1 Corinthians 2:14). Thankfully, the Gospel has reached many nations and has been translated into many different tongues, although there are still more places and peoples to be reached.

There are Names for Jesus in Hebrew, Arabic, the Romance languages, and all well-known tongues, but in any language, the Name of Jesus is above all other names (John 20:31) and connotes One Who is quite different from Allah or gods worshipped in other religions. There is no other name by which anyone can be saved (Acts 4:12).

Jesus was not just a good man and good teacher, but the perfect, sinless, all-powerful, all-knowing Son of God (John 11:27; 20:31; Acts 7:56; 2 Peter 1:17) and God Himself (John 1:1; 1 John 5:20), the Fullness of the Trinity (Colossians 2:9), present from the beginning of all time as the Word Who created all (John 1:1-3).

Regardless of whether people accept or deny Who Jesus is in their earthly lifetime, one day all shall bow to Him at the judgment and confess (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10) that He is God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 17:14; 19:16).

The Gospel is the Good News that Jesus Christ, Son of God and God Himself, took on human flesh without losing His divinity (John 1:14), and came to earth to suffer and die as the perfect, sinless sacrifice for all our sins (Hebrews 4:15; Philippians 2:5-8; Romans 5:8). He was buried and rose again from the dead so that all who trust in His completed work on the cross will have eternal life with Him in Heaven (1 Corinthians 15; Romans 10:13; Acts 16:31 ;John 5:24).

Because we are all sinners (Romans 3:23), a just, Holy God cannot allow us into His presence in Heaven without making us holy through the substitutionary death of His Son. Jesus paid our sin debt in full (Hebrews 9:26-27), so that when God looks at those who have repented and placed their trust in Christ, He no longer sees their sins (Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:9), but instead, He sees the perfect righteousness of His Son (Romans 3:20-26, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Isaiah 53:4-6).

The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ therefore has reconciled God’s children – those who trust in His only begotten Son – to God Himself (1 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Hebrews 2:17).

Jesus Himself said, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6). God’s Word clearly states that the only way to God the Father is by faith in His Son. This may be viewed as narrow in the sense that it excludes other beliefs and faiths, but Jesus Himself said that this was the case:

Enter ye in [to Heaven] at the strait [narrow] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7:13-15)

Jesus therefore said that there are many false religions, and false teachers, who appear holy but who mislead their followers into death and damnation (Revelation 20:15). He even went further to say that those who claimed to be His followers but did not have a close personal relationship with Him would not enter Heaven:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.(Matthew 7: 21-23)

Jesus illustrated this in the parable commonly referred to as the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), but as John MacArthur has so aptly pointed out, it would be better referred to as the Tale of Two Sons. The Father in the parable represents God the Father. The prodigal son represents the sinner who rebels against the Father, insults Him, runs away from Him, wastes the resources the Father gave Him, and finally stoops so low into degradation, poverty and worthlessness that He comes to the end of himself and realizes that He has sinned against Heaven and the Father (v. 18-19).

At that point He is willing to give up his status as a son and return as a lowly servant, but the Father is eagerly awaiting his return and runs toward him with open arms the moment He sees him approaching. He kisses him and offers him His finest treasures because of His joy that His son has returned and asked for forgiveness (v. 20-22).

This represents the joy of our Father when a lost sinner realizes His need of the Savior, repents of his sins, asks for forgiveness, and places his trust in Christ. That sinner, saved by God’s grace through faith in His Son (Ephesians 2:8-9), is then transformed from an enemy of God (Romans 5:10) to His child, joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:16-17; Galatians 4:7), and even His ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20).

But the outcome is quite different for the other son in the parable, who represents the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. The older son said that he always did what the Father told him, but in fact he harbored resentment against the Father rather than loving Him (Luke 15:v.28-30). Rather than rejoicing at his brother’s return, he was angry that his own good deeds were not rewarded.

Similarly, the high priests or Pharisees were “holier-than-thou” (Luke 15:2), proud of their “goodness,” and placed their faith in their keeping religious practices and customs (Luke 18:11-12; Matthew 15:1-19). But their hearts were far from God, and as a result, they would not enter into fellowship with Him in Heaven. It was the Pharisees who demanded that Jesus undergo the cruel suffering and death of the cross (Mark 15:1-15), as they were blinded to the fact that He was their promised Messiah (Daniel 9:25-26) fulfilling all the Old Testament prophecies.

It is true that God is love (1 John 4:8) and that He loves every one of us enough to give His Son to die for us (John 3:16). Every work of His hands reflects His perfection, creativity, and mastery (Psalm 19:1), but He is not “in” all of His creation any more than we could say that a master watchmaker inhabits an exquisite Swiss timepiece. Rather, God’s Word says that He indwells each of His children with the Holy Spirit at the moment they are saved (Ephesians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5).

Because God is love, He blesses His enemies as well as His children. Every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17), and the lost as well as the saved can enjoy the beauty of God’s creation and the benefits of His provision (Matthew 5:44-45). For those who do not pray to the Father in the name of the Son, blessings may follow the prayer, but this does not indicate that the Father hears and specifically answers those requests (1 Peter 3:12; 1 Corinthians 2:14).

Similarly, for God’s children who do pray to the Father in the name of the Son, not receiving the outcome we hope for does not mean that God doesn’t hear us, but means instead that He is giving us what we need (Matthew 7:11) for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28), rather than what we think we want (James 4:3). God grants His children the privilege of boldly approaching His throne with our requests 24/7 (Hebrews 4:16), knowing not only that He will hear us, but that He knows what we need before we even ask Him! (Matthew 6:8,32)

Anyone can become God’s child. God does not want anyone to go to hell (2 Peter 3:9), and He offers the gift of salvation to anyone, regardless of nationality, sex, or social status (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11), who believes in His Son:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

Sadly, many refuse this gift of eternal life because they deny the Son’s divinity and completed work of salvation (1 John 5:10-13). And many rely instead on their own good works to get to Heaven, thinking that the good they have done will outweigh the bad, but this is impossble (Ephesians 2:8-9;Titus 3:5). God is perfectly holy and just (1 John 1:5), and He views sin as sin. He doesn’t differentiate “little” from “big” sins.

No one is capable of perfectly keeping the Ten Commandments, because even those rare individuals who think they don’t do any sinful deeds have sinful thoughts. Jesus said that even feeling angry at someone without just cause, or looking at someone with lust, amounted to breaking the Law (Matthew 5:22,28). Anyone who has broken even a single commandment has failed His perfect standard and deserves eternal punishment in hell (Revelation 21:8; 1 John 3:4; Romans 6:23).

Whether someone has committed atrocities like those of Hitler or done countless good deeds like Mother Teresa is irrelevant to where they will spend eternity. If a criminal is charged with grand larceny but tells the judge that he has donated much money to charity, built an orphanage, etc., a just and fair judge would not be swayed by these deeds but would still require him to serve his sentence, unless another takes the punishment and pays the price for his liberty. Thankfully, this is exactly what Jesus Christ did for us!

The sole criterion determining your eternal destiny in heaven or in hell is whether or not you have placed your faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and, as a result of that faith, have a personal relationship with Him. Trust Him today and enjoy abundant, eternal life (John 10:10) beginning here and now as His child, joint-heir with Christ, and His ambassador!

© 2012 Laurie Collett

Triplets of Praise: How to Worship

 

God’s Triune nature is reflected in His creation, His attributes, the names of Christ, Old Testament worship, feasts and prophecies, and the birth of His Son. Not surprisingly, His instructions for worship in the New Testament are also triplets of praise!

God designed mankind to need Him, because only He gives us all we need: life, breath (spirit), and all things (Acts 17: 25). He designed us to be complete only when He indwells us at the moment of salvation. This occurs in a three-step process (Acts 17:27) – we seek Him (an intellectual process involving the mind seeking truth), we feel after Him (an emotional process involving the heart realizing its own emptiness), and we find Him (our spirit places its faith in Him as the only true Savior and living God).

Jesus promised that anyone who asks, seeks and knocks in this fashion will receive, find and gain entrance (Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 11:9-10). From that moment on, we are His, and in Him we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28). Only then can we love Him as Jesus commanded us (Matthew 22:37), and as was foreshadowed when the Lord spoke to Moses (Deuteronomy 6:5), with all our heart, soul, and mind.

When we are born again, we place our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15) as the only Way to Heaven. Before ascending to Heaven, Jesus Christ gave His followers (including present-day believers) the Great Commission: to go, teach, and baptize (Matthew 28:18-20). When we pray, we pray to the Father (Matthew 6:9), in the name of Jesus Who intercedes for us (1 Timothy 2:5), empowered by the Holy Spirit Who searches our heart and delivers to the Throne Room the prayers we cannot even utter (Romans 8:26).

As Jesus taught His disciples in the model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), our prayers should include adoration (praise and thanksgiving for Who He is and for what He has done; Matthew 6:9-10,13), repentance (confession of our sins; Matthew 6:12), and supplication (petitions asking for the needs of others and of ourselves; Matthew 6:11,13). The prayer closes by recognizing that to God alone belongs the kingdom, and the power, and the glory (Matthew 6:13).

Prayer is an important part of our corporate worship, as is praise and preaching the Word. The writer of Hebrews (10:24-25) urges us to continue meeting together for worship, especially as we draw closer to Christ’s return. By doing this, we can exhort one another (to refrain from sin) and encourage one another to love and to do good works.

Paul tells us that we can do this by speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and that in addition to uplifting each other by speaking in this way, that we should sing aloud and make melody in our heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19).

When Paul urges us to follow the path Christ has set before us (Ephesians 4:1), He reminds us that we are rooted in one Lord, one faith, and one baptism and that God is above all, and through all, and in us all (Ephesians 4:5-6). God blessed each believer with a special role within the church body, which can broadly be grouped into three categories: for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12).

Jesus tells us that God is spirit (John 4:24), and John tells us that God is light (1 John 1:5), and love (1 John 4:8,16). Accordingly, Paul tells us to walk in the spirit (Galatians 5:16,25; Romans 8:1,4) and in love (Ephesians 5:2), and John tells us to walk in the light (1 John 1:7), Three gifts of grace: faith, hope and love (1 Thessalonians 1:3).enable believers to do this.

May we always worship God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit with triplets of praise!

© 2012 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

God’s Provision and Protection

 

Photo by Richard Collett 2024

My husband Richard and I are blessed to be able to continue in our dance ministry, in the physically demanding style of Theater Arts Ballroom Dance, which combines elements of ballroom and Latin partnership dancing, ballet and contemporary, with overhead lifts, drops, and other strength moves.

Every day we are able to dance is a gift from God, especially given our ages (Richard is 76 and I am 71) and physical limitations. One of our favorite dance ministry verses is therefore Isaiah 40:31: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

While training for a world competition held in the UK in 2000, Richard was suddenly unable to breathe and was diagnosed with a heart condition, for which recommended treatment included exercise to the extent he was able! We competed successfully just 3 weeks after his heart procedure.

In 2017 I was bedridden with pneumonia for 6 weeks, but gradually improved through gentle exercise, singing, and a return to dancing! Four years ago, Richard was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer but responded well to treatment. We were able to perform 3 weeks after his surgery, even though the doctors had predicted 3 months of recovery! God is good! Praise God that His grace is sufficient, His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), and that with Him, all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26).

Recently we were blessed by an opportunity to bring our dance ministry to a new audience, venue, and state. We submitted a video audition to a senior talent competition in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and were selected from many in-person and video auditions to be one of 12 acts performing, including singers, musicians, comedians, and even a magician!

We were the only dancers, performing to a recording of Christian lyrics I wrote and sang to the song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from Carousel. As it was a full day’s drive to get there, we planned to combine the competition with a mini-vacation and found a reasonably priced AirBnB to rent for several days.

But it seemed that our recreation plans would be foiled by bad weather, as the forecast called for 80% chance of rain and thunderstorms every day we would be there. But thankfully, we had good weather on our trip to Tennessee, no issues with our aging and often ailing vehicle, and light traffic – all answers to specific prayers!.

We were delighted by our accommodations – clean and comfortable, nestled on the side of a hill with privacy, fresh air, and lovely mountain views. Every morning we enjoyed breakfast on the front porch, serenaded by robins, cardinals, mockingbirds, and even a crowing rooster!

As predicted, it rained often while we were there, but never while we were out in it, and we were able to enjoy the many beautiful sights of Chattanooga. Surprisingly, we experienced the unique rock formations and gardens of Rock City with only a few visitors we passed along the trails, rather than the dense crowds we had expected. We had Lookout Mountain practically to ourselves, with its breathtaking views and moving battle monuments.

Again, these were answers to specific prayers. We had almost wondered if it was appropriate to “trouble” God regarding these relatively minor requests, but then remembered the apostle James’ admonition that we have not, because we ask not (James 4:2), and that God delights in giving good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11).

As thankful as we were for these abundant blessings, our main focus was on the ministry aspect of our trip, with many concerns and hopes that God addressed. Safety is always a priority when we dance in a new venue, as the floor surface can be too slippery, or too sticky, which hinders the speed needed to enter and travel in lifts. Spotlights can be disorienting or even blinding during spinning lifts, increasing the risk of a missed connection or even a fall. Musical equipment or other obstacles in the dancing space can pose their own challenges!

But praise God, the stage floor was painted wood, an ideal surface for our dance shoes. The stage was evenly well lit without spotlights, and the dance space was clear! The crew and volunteers were welcoming, helpful and supportive. When we set out on a mission God has appointed to us, He will provide whatever we need to accomplish it, according to His riches in glory! (Philippians 4:19).

The theater was packed out – 650 enthusiastic spectators. As the newly built, spacious theater was on a Baptist academy campus, it was an inspirational setting because the walls in the lobby were filled with metal plaques and engravings of Bible verses about God being the source of our ability (Philippians 4:13) and about glorifying God in all we do (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Especially uplifting was an unsigned poem handwritten on a dry erase board by the stage entrance, entitled “A Liturgy Before Taking the Stage.” As I don’t know to whom to attribute it (other than to Holy Spirit inspiration) or how to get permission to post it, I will select only a few lines from this poem of many stanzas:

“What have I to offer here that might sustain the souls of others?…O Christ, as I step onto this stage, meet me amidst the wreckage of my ego and my woundedness, and through me give what I alone cannot.…Take this tiny heap of my talents and my brokenness alike…and meld it to the greater work of Your Spirit [so that] Your grace might somehow be revealed upon this stage in whatever gloried and peculiar patterns You have fashioned me to display. Amen.”

Praise God, He answered that prayer to use what He had given us – our talents and our trials -- to bless others and glorify Him! Many of our competitors were brothers and sisters in Christ who also took that poem to heart, and all were extremely talented. Rehearsal went well, with many of the crew, volunteers and competitors expressing their appreciation for our dancing, my singing, and our message. We often replied “Only by the grace of God!”

The actual performance went better technically and expressively than we have ever danced this piece, and it was one of those rare moments of complete immersion in worship through dance. The crowd applauded at lyrics and at lifts portraying the salvation message. One of the judges, herself a dancer and choreographer seeking to glorify God in this art form, gave us a standing ovation, and another judge said he had goose bumps the whole time!

Praise God, if we delight in Him, He will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4) -- in this case, to glorify Him in our performance!

Three of the four judges gave us a perfect score, and we received second place of the 12 competitors selected from preliminary auditions and video submissions. The cash prize of $500 paid for our AirBnB and was an unexpected blessing! In all aspects, God answered our prayers for this ministry opportunity far beyond what we could even imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

The day after the competition, we had a full day of sightseeing then returned to the AirBnB around 5PM. Around 6PM the internet and power went out, and winds began blowing in a circular pattern, making an eerie sound.

“I hope it’s not a tornado,” Richard said. As if on cue, a tree 4 ft. In diameter and 30 ft. long crashed straight across our driveway, only about 5 feet from our car. It pulled down all the power lines, which also blocked the driveway, broke the sturdy chain link fence, and snapped a telephone pole in the neighbor's yard.

Although the storm left as quickly as it had come, and we thanked God for protecting us, my heart sank as I feared we would be stuck there for weeks, with no power and no way to use our car. When a similar tree blocked the road leading to our beach house after Hurricane Ian, it took a full crew about a month to clear the road.

But amazingly, the AirBnB owner showed up with a chain saw. This wizard with a glorified weed whacker had it all cleared out in a couple of hours – just before dark!

Before he started working, Richard asked him if he was sure the power company had cut the electricity to the downed lines, tangled up in the fallen tree branches. “Oh, I’m sure somebody’s reported it by now,” he replied cavalierly, seemingly unphased by the destruction, by the potential danger, or by the herculean task ahead of him. “I’m surprised this tree was the first to go – I always figured it would be the one right over the house!”

We shuddered contemplating that scenario, especially when he told us that two houses had collapsed just a few streets away. Apparently the storm had indeed been a tornado, as the fallen tree was the only damage on our street, and the rest of the neighborhood had been spared except for the two collapsed houses.

The power was out all night, but it was a strangely relaxing experience. We had enough light to read the Bible out loud and then prayed in bed in the dark, giving praise and thanksgiving for God’s deliverance and prayers for all those affected by the storm and for our safe journey home. The open windows offered a cooling breeze and the soothing sounds of rain and light thunder in the distance.

We had so many praises to God for His protection and provision!  Praise Him that the tree didn't fall on our car, or worse yet, on the house! Thank God we were able to get out the next morning and get home safely, again with good weather, no car issues, and light traffic on the way home!. God is so good, all the time! Praise Him for the many prayer warriors at home and in our church family who stood in the gap for us during our journey and facilitated this unique ministry opportunity!

© 2024 Laurie Collett

Photo by Laurie Collett 2024

Stargazing

 

The more you look, the more you see. This thought entered my mind as my husband and I sat on the balcony of our beach house getaway, gazing upward at the vast, starry sky.

As we first went outside, the sky appeared overcast, with few discernible points of light. But the longer we sat there, the more dark-adapted our eyes became. Gradually more stars appeared, and even recognizable constellations. After several minutes of our evening prayer, a meteor even streaked across the horizon, leaving a shining trail before it vanished!

If we are to fully appreciate the night sky, we must spend time in hopeful anticipation that our patience will be rewarded. It is much the same for prayer. We can rush through it, like the hastily recited grace in a restaurant, squeezed in before the server returns to take the order. Or we can wait quietly in our prayer closet, not so that we can remember and ask for every last wish cluttering our mind that day, but so that we can hear God speak (Psalm 46:10; 1 Kings 19:12).

Before we reclined in the patio chairs, our view was restricted to what was immediately before and below us. The horizon and waves were mesmerizing and soothing, yet had we not changed our perspective to the heavens above, we would have missed the main event!

I wonder how many times God wants to direct our attention upward, to remind us that our home is in Heaven once we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), and that we are already seated in heavenly places in Him (Ephesians 1:3; 2:6). Yet if we stubbornly look downward or even straight ahead, how can we set our minds and hearts on things above and store up heavenly treasure (Matthew 6:19-20) that lasts forever?

The stargazing on that particular night was spectacular, with little light pollution from the quiet beachside development, and a new moon reflecting no light to Earth. Jesus Christ Himself is the Light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5), just as the sun is the physical source of light on our planet. Sunlight reflected from the moon, which has no intrinsic light source, illuminates the night sky. Similarly, we as believers are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14; Philippians 2:15), reflecting His light to others.

But in certain phases of the moon, sunlight reflected from the moon is not visible from our location on Earth, and the brilliance of the stars is our only nocturnal illumination. I believe there are seasons when Christ’s glory reflects brightly from His children, to His glory, and other seasons when His light is not reflected from us, lest we be consumed by pride and wrongly assume that we shine brightly without His power. As John the Baptist said, “[Christ] must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

The heavens are filled with countless stars, most of which are brighter than earth’s sun, yet they are impossible to see during the day because light from the sun is so much closer. They are even difficult to see at night, particularly when there is a full moon or many street or porch lights.

Jesus Christ is now seated at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 16:19), in the third heaven, even further away from the second heaven where the stars reside (2 Corinthians 12:2). Yet He sent His Holy Spirit to live within the heart of every believer (2 Corinthians 1:22), so He is very near to us (Acts 17:27; James 4:8). But if we allow His light within us to be eclipsed by the false lights of the world or by our own self-glorification, we will miss His lamp to our feet and light for our path (Psalm 119:105).

Thinking I could enhance our stargazing experience, I had surprised my husband on his birthday with the gift of a telescope! My intentions were good, but after more than an hour of fiddling with knobs, lenses, screws, and viewing angles, the image we could see through the viewfinder was blurred and actually inferior to what we could see with our naked eyes!

It may have been operator error, or faulty equipment, but in any case it made me think that God often wants to communicate with us directly through His Word, and not through an overly analytical approach that may actually distance us from His message or obfuscate His truth.

Bible study and meditation on His Word are good, desirable, and commanded by God (Psalm 119; John 5:39; Acts 17:11). Often Scripturally sound commentaries, sermons, and teaching can be illuminating, yet the best commentary on the Word of God is the Word of God itself. Reading books about the Bible are no substitute for reading the Bible itself.

If we attempt to view the stars through a telescope lens, we may succeed in getting a closer glimpse of a particular star, but we may lose sight of the forest for the trees and fail to appreciate the overwhelming glory of God through the vastness of His creation. The glory of the stars is different from that of the sun and the moon, and each star differs from the others in its glory (1 Corinthians 15:41)

I am reminded of a speaker I once heard at a funeral, who gave a most erudite, detailed presentation about Joseph of Arimathaea (Mark 15:43), his history, his family history, and his provision of the tomb for Jesus. Yet he failed to preach the Gospel, to mention that the tomb is empty (John 20), and that through Jesus’ resurrection, all who trust Him have eternal life!

The starry sky is not only beautiful and awe-inspiring, but it also calls to mind God’s many promises recorded and fulfilled in His Word. He promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation with descendants as innumerable as the grains of sand in the desert, or as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5; 22:17; 26:4; etc.). He kept and is still fulfilling this promise through the birth of Isaac even when his mother Sarah had been barren and was then decades past her childbearing years (Genesis 17:17).

God not only created all the stars by His Word (Genesis 1:16; Psalm 8:3; 136:9) and arranged them into constellations (Job 9:9) but knows each of them by name (Psalm 147:4), just as He knows each of us intimately and knows our needs before we even ask Him (Matthew 6:8). Bible prophecy foretells that during the Great Tribulation, which no believer will experience, a third of the stars will fall from the sky (Revelation 8:12; 12:4; Matthew 24:29), and the stars will no longer give their light (Isaiah 13:10; Joel 2:10; 3:15).

It has been said that looking at the star-filled sky is like hiding under the front porch as children, peering through the cracks between the floorboards, and seeing pinpoints of light among the cobwebs, dirt and rusty nails. We caught a glimpse of something better, yet we could not appreciate that on the other side of those floorboards was a stately mansion. Now we contemplate the stars but as of yet cannot imagine the glory Heaven holds (Isaiah 64:4; 1 Corinthians 2:9), including the special mansions Christ is preparing for us (John 14:1-3).

Jesus Christ Himself is the bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16) Who will come again (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), I pray soon, just when all is at its darkest. May the eyes of our understanding (Ephesians 1:18) be enlightened! Till He returns may we keep looking up (Luke 21:28), for our ultimate redemption into glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15: 42-57) draws near!

© 2020 Laurie Collett

 

Transitions: Triplets of Workmanship - God’s Enemies to His Ambassadors

 

Few transitions depicted in the Bible are as dramatic as that of Saul, Rabbinical scholar who thought he was doing God's work by persecuting and imprisoning Christians and even participating in their death by stoning. Yet on the road to Damascus, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him, struck him blind, and asked why he was persecuting Him.

From that moment on, Saul became a devout follower of Christ, meriting a change of name to the apostle Paul, who would not only win converts on his missionary journeys, but also plant churches and write many books of the New Testament

Once we are saved, we are to serve Christ, although few may be as fruitful as Paul. Nonetheless, our Christian walk should be marked by spiritual growth, following God’s lead, and knowing when to act and when to wait. The first step of spiritual growth is being born again (John 3: ) which transforms us instantly from enemies of God (Romans 5:10; James 4:4) to His children (1 John 3:1-2).

In our unsaved state, the apostle Paul describes us as being Gentiles in the flesh (Ephesians 2:11), The Jews were circumcised in obedience to God as a remembrance of the covenant He made with them and as an outward sign to those who were not God’s chosen people (Genesis 17:9-14). When Paul refers to unsaved Gentiles as uncircumcision, he is not describing their physical condition, but rather their state of separation from God. Unsaved souls are without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise (Ephesians 2:12).

But once we trust Christ, we are reconciled in peace by the flesh, blood and cross of Christ not only to God, but to all His children, whether Jew or Gentile (v. 13-17). Through Jesus Christ, all believers in Him have access by one Spirit to the Father (v.18). This transformation changes us from strangers and foreigners to fellow citizens with the saints, or others who have placed their faith solely in God (v.19).

We then become an integral part of the church, or “household of God,” (v.19), which Paul describes in three ways. We are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Himself as the chief corner stone; we are soundly framed together in a building that becomes a temple to worship Him; and we are built together as a dwelling for the Spirit to inhabit (v.20-22).

What is the ultimate purpose of this transformation? We are saved not only to “get out of hell free,” for if that were the case, God would take us to Heaven the moment we accepted His Son as Lord and Savior. We are saved by grace through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:9), but we are His workmanship, created in Christ to do good works, which God has appointed to us since before we were even saved (v.11).

What kind of works will He do through us, if we yield to His Spirit? We are transformed from enemies of God to His children and to ambassadors for Christ! Being His ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20) means that we represent Him to others through our witness, lifestyle, and teaching.

From the moment we are saved, we can witness to others about His transforming power, as did the Samaritan woman at the well once she realized He was the promised Messiah (John 4:28-30;39). This involves telling others that Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1); that He has lifted our burden of sin (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10); and that He has given us eternal life (John 3:16).

Over time, our changed lifestyle is a testimony that we are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). This includes turning away from sin (2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:4; James 1:21); worshipping Him by obeying His general will for our lives (Ephesians 6:6; Colossians 4:12); and doing good works for others by putting their needs before our own (James 2:16-18; 1:27).

Worship includes studying His Word (2 Timothy 3:15-17), praying in private (Matthew 6:6; Romans 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:17), and assembling together for corporate worship (Hebrews 10:25), as well as giving tithes, gifts and offerings (Malachi 3:10; Matthew 5:23-24; Luke 21:1-4) Corporate worship includes preaching God’s word (2 Timothy 4:2), prayer for one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), and praise through spoken word, music, and dance (Psalm 150).

As we mature in our Christian walk and in learning His Word, we should be able to teach others (Hebrews 5:12) what the Spirit has shown us. This might include formal teaching of Bible study or Sunday School, preaching, and/or Christian counseling from God’s Word, or simply a willingness to learn and share with others Biblical wisdom appropriate to their given situation.

We never know when God might arrange a divine appointment in which He wants us to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-14), illuminating another person’s path with truth we have gleaned from His Word (2 Timothy 4:2).  Surely every believer is called to teach their children in God’s Word, and many may be blessed to have that same opportunity with grandchildren (2 Timothy 1:5) or friends who meet for informal Bible fellowship.

When I was a medical intern, the principle regarding how we were to learn to perform medical procedures was “See one, do one, teach one.” This baptism by fire was a little scary at the time, not only for the interns but especially for our patients, and even more so in retrospect. Yet this strategy was surprisingly effective. A similar principle should apply to our Christian walk: see God’s goodness (be saved); tell others about how He has changed you (witness); and disciple others, teaching them Bible truths based on our own study of the Word (Matthew 28:19).

Solomon speaks of the transitions from planting to harvesting (Ecclesiastes 3:3), with a long period of growth in between. Much of this process is invisible to the farmer as the seed germinates in the earth, until finally a tender shoot appears above ground, and then the plant matures until it bears grain or fruit ripe for harvest. So the farmer has faith in the miracle of the harvest even though he has no visible proof (Hebrews 11:1), he has confirmation of his faith when the first visible shoot appears, even though the plant at this stage is of no practical value, and finally he has fulfillment of the promise when the plant bears fruit that is ready to harvest.

Parallel transitions appear in our spiritual service: we plant the seed of the Word; there may follow a long dormant period during which we see little if any signs of change; and then finally we or another lead the soul to Christ as he accepts Him as Lord and Savior (Matthew 13:1-43). We can witness of God’s goodness, pray for salvation of the soul to whom we witness, and encourage that soul to accept Christ. But it is the work of the Holy Spirit to harvest as He changes the sinner into a new creation in Christ.

When I was a little girl I remember planting seeds in the garden and being so impatient at their apparent lack of growth that I was tempted to dig them up just to see what was happening! Yet even adult Christians may be equally impatient after we plant the seed of God’s Word and of our own testimony, and we may get discouraged when our efforts seem not to bear fruit immediately.

Thankfully, Scripture warns not to get weary in obeying Him, for in His perfect timing, we will see the fruit of our labor if we don’t give up.(Galatians 6:9; 1 Corinthians 15:58). This may not happen during our earthly lifetime, but when we see Christ face-to-face, He will reward us with the crown of rejoicing for every soul led to Him through our efforts (1 Thessalonians 2:19).

Even if we did not personally lead that soul to say the Sinner’s Prayer and call on the name of Jesus to be saved (Romans 10:13), we will take part in the reward if we witnessed to them, prayed for their salvation, or even encouraged them indirectly or unknowingly by distributing tracts, posting messages from God’s Word online or in print, or supporting missionaries (Philippians 4:10-17).

Praise God for the many opportunities He gives believers to work together with Him in the ultimate endeavor of soul-winning! When we place our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Wayonly Way to Heaven (John 14:6), praise God that He transforms us from His enemies to His children and even to His ambassadors! 

Copyright 2014 Laurie Collett 

Edited, expanded and reposted from the archives

Perspective

 

Recently, after carrying heavy bags up the stairs leading to our beach house, I felt somewhat light-headed, probably because of the sudden exertion after a long car ride. But as I gazed out over the ocean and toward the blue horizon, I felt my equilibrium restored.

About two years ago, I had to rehearse for our dance ministry when I had nearly, but incompletely, recovered from a 24-hour bout of episodic vertigo. Spinning and being lifted overhead, sometimes while upside down, were more challenging than usual! But I found that if I looked up and into the distance, the vertigo disappeared and my balance quickly returned.

The key to overcoming these troubling situations seemed to be a matter of perspective. Keeping my focus narrowed on myself and my immediate surroundings aggravated my discomfort, whereas shifting to a broader, heavenward view gave me a reassuring sense of stability.

Leonardo da Vinci, the great Renaissance painter, was a master of one point perspective. This technique uses parallel lines converging at a single vanishing point to create the illusion of depth while drawing the viewer’s eye to focus on the main subject. In his renowned “Last Supper,” the vanishing point is behind the head of Jesus Christ, and the lines in the painting all converge on His right eye, directing the viewer's attention to Him.

Perspective has spiritual as well as physical and visual implications. When chaos swirls all around us, we can choose a heavenly rather than a worldly perspective and keep our eyes, hearts and minds focused on Jesus Christ. Remembering that we are saved by trusting in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6) and are promised eternal life with Him (John 3:16), all our worldly cares grow dim.

Just as Leonardo used artistic techniques to highlight Jesus Christ as his most important subject, we can use our spiritual gifts to give Him the pre-eminence in our lives. We must keep ourselves from idols, or any goal, relationship, or pursuit that we value more dearly than Him (1 John 5:21). We must bring every thought into captivity and subjection to Him, while casting out any prideful idea opposed to God’s supremacy (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Scripture urges us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), to be anxious about nothing (Philippians 4:6), and to meditate on God’s Word day and night (Deuteronomy 6:7; Psalm 119). Although our thoughts may flutter about like a swarm of bees, each bee can light on only one blossom at a time, and our mind can only process one thought at a time. So if we direct our thoughts to God, wicked, intrusive, or anxious thoughts take flight.

Like Elisha, we should pray for our own eyes and those of our loved ones to be opened to God’s perspective, seeing not only our physical enemies but also the angels and great cloud of witnesses far outnumbering and overpowering any physical dangers or foes (2 Kings 6:15-17).

If we first seek Jesus Christ and His righteousness, He will not only allow us to find these, but will add on the blessing of meeting all our physical and spiritual needs (Matthew 6:33). Beginning our prayers with praise and thanksgiving reminds us of His infinite power, wisdom, righteousness and love, and His great mercy and grace (Matthew 6:9-13). It reminds us to shift our focus from our weakness to His strength (2 Corinthians 12:9), from our confusion to His solution, from our fear to the faith only He can provide (2 Corinthians 4:8-18).

Turning next in prayer to intercession for the great needs of our loved ones, church family, acquaintances, and even our enemies (Matthew 5:44) changes our perspective by making our own problems seem small in comparison. Then we can ask for whatever personal concerns remain on our hearts, but by then our attitude is likely to have shifted from grumbling or anxiety to gratitude.

In today’s perplexing and distressing End Times, the world, our flesh and the devil want us to focus on the problems, misery, and evil all around us, to paralyze us with fear and distract us from doing God’s work, following His Word, and worshipping Him. But the Holy Spirit within each believer encourages us to look up, for our redemption is near! (Luke 21:28). May we shift our perspective to heavenly things above (Colossians 3:1-2).

In this life we will be troubled and we will face many trials and much suffering (1 Peter 4:12). But in the vast scope of eternity, these all last but a fleeting moment (2 Corinthians 4:17) and will all vanish at the last trump, when we are raised in our glorified body (1 Corinthians 15:52-53) and get our first glimpse of our Savior’s precious face!

Then our perspective will change completely, for we will know Him as He now knows us (1 Corinthians 13:12). We will enjoy Him, Heaven and one another throughout eternity, never again to experience death, aging, sin, sorrow or pain!

Look up, for our redemption draws nigh!

© 2023 Laurie Collett