old testament

Snow-covered mountain peak emerging from clouds with sunset sky

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El Shaddai – The Almighty, Self‑Sufficient God

June 24, 2026May 4, 2026 krisshetter

“When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram.” Genesis 15:17-18

“For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.” John 5:26

God doesn’t need you. He doesn’t need me.

That may sound shocking or stark to some. But truth is what sets us free. Just like God’s self‑existence, understanding His self‑sufficiency is essential to our Christian walk.

Now, God being self-sufficient doesn’t then lead us into the heresy of deism. That’s the claim that God did create the world but doesn’t intervene daily in our lives. Deists must disregard just about every page of the Bible, including the entire New Testament in order to hold to their views. They must shut their ears to the millions of testimonies by believers of God’s daily intercessions.

On the flip side, we must believe in God not needing us lest we become like pagan idol worshippers or followers of superstitious practices. Rubbing coins for a god to make our wishes come true. Or making daily sacrifices to please an unpleasable piece of wood.

Oh, we Christians do try and fall into this practice. I heard a friend once say that as a new Christian she was led to believe if she didn’t end a prayer with “In Jesus’ Name,” then God wouldn’t hear her prayer. If we miss church, “God will be mad.” If we skip our daily 15 minutes of Bible reading, our day will be filled with quiet punishments.

The Truth and The Balm

We need to leave all those big and little lies behind us. God may not need us but the balm to that hard truth is that He still made us and loves us. He shows up, He blesses, He listens, He comforts. The worshippers of the goddess Artemis in Ephesus didn’t have that same security.

We find in Acts 19 the apostle Paul making quite a stir when, with the work of the Holy Spirit, he was making headway into spreading the Gospel. That not only angered all the artisans responsible for the booming Artemis idol trade but it also frightened them.

They were worried that without the constant bowing down and sacrificing then the goddess would lose her divine stature and authority.

But the One and Only True God doesn’t need us to rub our beads, wear our crosses, lay flowers at the church altar. Without us, He is still God. With or without belief, He reigns.

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” Acts 17:24-25.

This truth, my Friends, should bring you to your knees in loving worship. He’s not just a god who loves people. He is God who IS love. Between the Son, the Father and the Holy Spirit they have all the love they ever need. But He chooses to bestow that love upon us. How glorious is that?

“Goodness (love, truth, beauty, holiness) is not some external standard He tries to emulate. He is goodness. God has no parts on which he depends.” Michael Reeves, President, Union School of Theology

He Doesn’t Have To

This Spring as the flowers around you begin to bloom and the colors explode in all their majesty remind yourself of this point: God didn’t have to. He could have been content in His own perfect triune situation. Instead, with an expert painter’s brush He created the world and everything in it. He then became the eternal steward of His creation!

The Westminster Confession of Faith (2.2) says this about God’s self-sufficiency:

“God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them: he is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; … To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, he is pleased to require of them.”

God is contingent on no one and nothing. He is to be reverently feared while at the same time loved as a good, good Father. When you read the covenants of the Old Testament you’ll find a remarkable aspect of each.

Our opening OT verse today mentions the flaming pot moving amongst the animals split in two. It was a type of longstanding ceremony done in those times. But when done by man, man was responsible for the keeping or breaking of the deal. A broken deal meant death. But God’s covenants are made and kept by one faithful person, God. God makes the promise and God fulfills it. His promise is sufficient.

All we need to contribute is our gratefulness through obedience. That should help us not only have confidence in God but also allow us to rest easy that we don’t need to be in constant “please God” mode.

Instead, we can wake each day knowing the gifts we have received come without burden and therefore should be received with all honor and love.

Bighorn sheep standing on rocky terrain with mountains and a colorful sunset in the background

The Lord Provides

June 10, 2026April 17, 2026 krisshetter

“Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.” Genesis 22:1-19

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

The story in the Old Testament of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his God-given son is the cause of so much anxiety about God. These scriptures have led to many deep discussions into the night by my friends, all mothers. The horror of being asked by God to not only release a child to death but to also be the one responsible for that death seems unimaginable and cruel.

It’s important to notice that Abraham didn’t go gleefully to the hill where the sacrifice was to take place. In fact, you get the impression he was taking his time, slowly preparing the funeral pyre. What he did go with was the ultimate trust that God would provide. God had already provided for Abraham in many ways, not the least of which was resurrecting Sarah’s womb so they could have the very child he led up the mountain.

Commentators say, and I agree, that Abraham not only trusted that God would provide a substitute sacrifice but also that if one were not given, God would be able to resurrect Isaac. Somehow, he had already developed the deep insight into Jehovah jireh, the God Who Provides.

Complete Trust in the Provider

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” Luke 12:24

When the bill arrives or the diagnosis comes, do we trust God’s provision as fully as Abraham did? Do we believe Jesus when He tells us how much more valuable than birds are we! Or do we scoff at His words when He commands us:

“Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.” Luke 12:22

I think we get a bit confused by His promises for provision. While yes, God provided water from a rock. Or miracles of a place to stay, a check to cover rent right when needed, or even a baby when we have been deemed unable. Those are amazing experiences of His provision!

Day to day however, we should be so thankful for the more mundane. The physical ability to go to a job. The job itself. The education that got you that job. The paycheck from which you can buy food and pay the mortgage. The strength to wrangle your kids when you just don’t feel well. That solution suddenly revealed to a nagging problem.

The idea of seeing our lives as being provided for by God was foreign to my dad. He told me once, “I’ve done everything on my own, by myself.” One day I finally pointed him to the many miracles when God intervened during his 80 years. As I listed them all, my dad became quiet. He had never reviewed his life through the lens of God’s provision. He had never stopped to contemplate that someone “out there” was watching over his needs.

When we see the thousands of ways Jehovah jireh works in our daily lives we become people of thankfulness. I believe we also become people who, in the name of our LORD, become providers for others.

Our Good Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1

Friends, sheep don’t worry about what they are going to eat or where they are going to sleep. They don’t even seem to worry about any dangers on the perimeter of their wooly lives. They trust completely in their Shepherd. That is the picture Jesus paints for us throughout the Gospels.

^“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28

We are such independent people and being likened to sheep really rankles us. That’s because our sinful nature begs and brags about doing everything ourselves. This striving without ceasing brings us separation from the God who loves you so dearly that He wants you to come to Him for all your needs.

Whatever worry is on your heart and mind today, bring it to God. Bring it to the Father who is the giver of all good gifts. I hope you will also ask Him how you can be a blessing in return.

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” John 6:35

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Wooden cross on rocky hill with sun setting and rays of light

The Consistent Mercy of God

May 22, 2026April 11, 2026 krisshetter

“But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are!” Nehemiah 9:31

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5

A few years ago, I was asked to disciple a young woman who was new to our church. I realized early on that as a result of her not knowing the Bible she also didn’t really know or trust God. Wanting to give her what she needed, I asked which parts of the Bible interested her most. She answered, “I want to know more about the God of the Old Testament.” Her reasoning? She couldn’t wrap her mind around the idea that the merciful God she gravitated towards in the New Testament was the same as the wrathful one in the Old.

Now, some of you may think the same. That olde God who destroyed whole cities and their entire populations certainly isn’t the same as the new God of mercy and love, correct?

If you’re thinking that way, I encourage you to read the book of Isaiah. Yes, you’ll find God’s anger and wrath in those scriptures. You’ll also find his long suffering and mercy towards His people.

“Turn to the Lord and pray to him,
    now that he is near.
Let the wicked leave their way of life
    and change their way of thinking.
Let them turn to the Lord, our God;
    he is merciful and quick to forgive.
“My thoughts,” says the Lord, “are not like yours,
    and my ways are different from yours.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so high are my ways and thoughts above yours.” Isaiah 55: 6-9

After years of turning their backs to God, He still holds out his hand to His people imploring them to come. To receive His mercy and love and rest. In fact, the Old Testament is rife with God warning His people and then giving them another chance. Of being disrespected and still promising green pastures for those who believe and trust in Him. Throughout the Psalms we read of God’s unexplainable mercy to those who aren’t deserving of it.

“The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” Psalm 145:9

I mentioned in the last post about God’s love that the Old Testament is a love story. A story between a God and His people. He woos them, protects them, and shows endless amounts of mercy. And when He’s finally had enough, He allows their actions to have serious consequences, mostly by the hands of pagan nations. Yet in the Old Testament we also see God’s promise of the final mercy. Isaiah chapters 7, 9 and especially 53 all prophesy of this hope and mercy to come—the Messiah.

Mercy Fulfilled in Christ

But the God of the New Testament shows no wrath, correct? In this case might I suggest you watch the Passion of the Christ? To whom does God show no mercy and why? Jesus. Our sins need to be taken to account in order to stand in front of a perfect God come Judgment Day. In the Old Testament he required frequent deaths of animals to partially cleanse the people of their sins. In the New, He puts His Son through a terrible death so that we may obtain His ultimate mercy.

Understanding this truth became deeply personal when I was out walking one day. I began visualizing what Jesus went through before and during the Cross. I wanted to feel as though I was there in person watching and agonizing with the disciples. They didn’t know at the time why God required this to happen. They were constantly confused when Jesus spoke of His impending death. But we know why.

So I imagined the excruciating pain He experienced for me and broke down in tears. Not just in the fact He was in pain. No, more so that He was in pain FOR ME to receive less than I deserve from God.

Got Questions has an interesting take on the concept of God’s mercy:

“Mercy is such an exceptionally complex concept that several Hebrew and Greek words are used to express the dimensions of its meaning. Synonyms like compassion, lovingkindness, favor, and steadfast love often appear in Bible translations to illustrate the idea of mercy. A brief biblical definition of mercy is “the gift of God’s undeserved kindness and compassion.”

You find all these synonyms in Jesus’ sacrifice. They are spread throughout the Old Testament as well. The Israelites were rescued out of Egypt and immediately started complaining. And God gave them food and water. They complained they didn’t have a king like other nations and He gave them King David. They complained, we complain, they sinned, we sin. And God gave us Jesus. The most merciful act anyone could hardly imagine; To save us from eternal hell.

There’s a very poignant song performed by Steve McWirther called Come Jesus Come. The chorus goes like this:

Come Jesus Come we’ve been waiting so long
For the day You return to heal every hurt and right every wrong
We need you right now come and turn this around
Deep down I know this world isn’t home
Come Jesus come

It’s a beautiful plea to God. I recognized one day that although I was personally ready for the day of Jesus’ return a few of my loved ones are not. It made me think of God’s mercy. He is right now allowing His Word, in both the New and Old Testament to be shared; for the truth of His mercy to be received before He comes in judgment of all humanity. Our merciful God is gathering all His people before the final days. His mercy is not a past story or a future hope alone—it is an open invitation right now.

“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

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Snowy mountain peaks reflected in a calm alpine lake during a dramatic sunrise.

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The Unchanging God in a Changing World

May 6, 2026April 10, 2026 krisshetter

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

A few years ago, my Bible Study Girls were asked to create a faith growth chart. We were to mark where we thought our faith was at say 5-10 years ago and then where it was at the time of the study. As we shared our charts it was great to see that all of us felt we had grown in our faith lives. We also all showed times where we plateaued. As Christians, we call this being sanctified by God. We were justified with God when we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior. We are currently being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. And one day we will be glorified when we see Christ again. That’s Christian growth.

Our lives, believers or not, are filled with changes. Changes in our bodies, beliefs, relationships, financial situations and more. We are reflections of all of God’s creations – we are born, we live and one day we die. Returned to the dust. In this way we are wholly divergent from our Creator. A Creator who is immutable, never changing.

“Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end.” Psalm 102:25-27

Progressive Teaching vs Biblical Teaching

Liberal thinking, in politics, religion and society, is that everything changes. Everything grows above and beyond yesteryear. That thinking gives us “progressivism.” Liberal pastors and bible teachers believe the Bible is a dusty book with old fashioned rules and ways of living. They pick and choose what us “modern believers” should follow as we become more advanced. But in holding to that interpretation they also have to believe that God is ever changing. Which the Bible makes clear He is not.

God doesn’t change His mind. Why? Because He is omnipotent and therefore already had all the information needed to form His thoughts. God doesn’t seek to improve because that implies He wasn’t perfect to begin with. God doesn’t have a growth chart – He is beyond time.

“The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand forever.” Isaiah 40:10

So while King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3 accurately shows there’s a season for everything — life and death, joy and sadness, and a time to be born and a time to die — God does not exist by those constraints. And for that we should be eternally grateful.

A Steady Hand

For much of my life I was waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. In other words, when things were good, I just knew they’d take a turn for the worse. Unfortunately, when things were bad I just figured they’d also get worse. As my faith chart has soared, I can rest in the truths of God’s Word. He has a plan for us for all eternity, and it is good. He won’t pull a rug out from under me. He is the Rock I can count on. His truth is something to which we can hold fast. Let’s remember the words written about 3,000 years ago: “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Ps 100:5)

We look around us and can believe things seem so much worse than “before.” We look in the mirror and see new lines and wrinkles. The seasons outside our windows come and go. Instead of despair we can look to the immutable God and see a steady hand guiding us to something better. A hope that we should pray all those whom we love would have. We build our life on His steady hill so as storms come and go, we are not rocked or defeated.

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

Friends, His Word is true, good and never changing. While culture may have been different in biblical times, man’s propensity to sin carries on for thousands upon thousands of years. There’s scripture that says something like, nothing has happened to you that hasn’t happened already to someone else. It’s good to remember that because then we can look to God and see just how He has always wanted the situation resolved. The answers were carved in stone, then papyrus, then on a printing press, and now in our hearts. The same words of the Old Testament were read by Jesus. And His words by believers almost 2,000 years ago.

We don’t need a “new word” or a shiny new god. We need to rest in and believe the everlasting, unchanging God who rules the world with wisdom, grace and justice.

Everlasting (Psalm 90) by Sovereign Grace Music

O God, before the mountains were brought forth
Or days of spring and summer filled the earth
From everlasting, You are God

We dwell beneath the stars in ancient skies
A thousand years are nothing in Your sight
From everlasting, You are God

And all our days are held within Your hands
Your perfect love and favor have no end
We rest within the wisdom of Your plan
Everlasting God

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Enjoying A Wisdom-Filled Life

April 15, 2024April 17, 2024 krisshetter

A teenager asked his father if he could go to an unsupervised party where there would surely be drinking. He denied his request. “Aw Dad, why not?” he complained. “I’m in high school now!” Dad replied: “Because some will drink and the party could get out of control.” “But, Dad, those are just very small parts of the party! “My answer is ‘no,’ and that is my final answer. You are welcome to stay home tonight, invite some of your friends over. But you will not go to that party. End of discussion.”

The teenager walked dejectedly into the family room and slumped down on the couch. As he sulked, he was surprised to hear the sounds of his father preparing something in the kitchen. He soon recognized the wonderful aroma of brownies baking in the oven, and he thought, “Dad must be feeling guilty, and now he’s going to try to make it up to me with some fresh brownies. Maybe I can soften him up with lots of praise when he brings them out to me and persuade him to let me go to that party after all.”

The teen was not disappointed. Soon his father appeared with a plate of warm brownies. He took one. Then his father said, “Before you eat, I want to tell you something: I love you very much. That is why I’ve made these brownies from scratch with the very best ingredients. The best stone-milled flour. The best free-range eggs. The best organic pure cane sugar. Premium vanilla and the finest chocolate.” The brownies looked mouth-watering.

“There is one ingredient I added that is not usually found in brownies. I got that ingredient from our own backyard. But you needn’t worry, because I only added the tiniest bit of that ingredient. The amount of the portion is practically insignificant. So go ahead, take a bite and let me know what you think.”

“Dad, what is the mystery ingredient before I eat it?” the teen asked. Dad answered, “Why? The portion I added was so small. Just a teaspoonful. You won’t even taste it.” The teen said, “Come on, Dad; just tell me what it is.”

“Well, OK, if you insist. That secret ingredient is organic…dog poop.” The teen instantly dropped his brownie back on the plate and began inspecting his fingers with horror. “DAD! Why did you do that? You’ve tempted me by making me smell the brownies cooking for the last half hour, and now you tell me that you added dog poop! I can’t eat these!”

Dad asked, “Why not? The amount of dog poop is very small compared to the rest of the ingredients. It won’t hurt you. It’s been cooked right along with the other ingredients and you won’t even taste it. Go ahead and eat it.” His son replied, “No, never.”

The wise dad continued, “And that is the same reason I won’t allow you to go to that party. You won’t tolerate a little dog poop in your brownies, so why should you tolerate a little immorality in your life? We pray that God will not lead us unto temptation. So how can you in good conscience entertain yourself with something that could easily get you into trouble?”

The teenager lowered his head, then looked up at his Dad. He smiled. He finally understood. He never did go to high school parties where there was drinking.

Ah, the wisdom of a father. Don’t most parents wish and hope we can provide such clever and wise examples to their children? And best of all, they listen and obey? But alas, so much wisdom dispensed, even to us, falls on deaf ears. We know better and usually think we can do better than the person trying to save us from heartache or hardship.

The Old Testament can be broken into four categories of books. The Pentateuch, the first 6 books, Israel’s history, the prophets, and then wisdom. Two entire books, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, have as their focus the topic of wisdom. It must be something God finds very important in the lives of us humans. Yet, wisdom and the enjoyment of having a life filled with it, seems so elusive to many.

We all have that family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker or acquaintance who causes us to scratch our heads each time they make yet another disastrous decision. A decision that looks a lot like the same mistake they made last time when they sloughed off good advice. Or maybe that person is…you.

Much of the wise advice we hear throughout our lives has its roots somewhere in the book of Proverbs, authored mostly by King Solomon. In Ecclesiastes 7 & 8, he goes on to remind us to seek wisdom but that wisdom, by itself, is not to be the end-goal. He should know. Having asked God to grant him the wisest mind, he eventually managed to really mess up his life pursuing all manner of fleshly desires of which his gift of wisdom afforded him by becoming a wealthy king. He became the poster boy for “do as I say, not as I do.”

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverb 9:10

Had he heeded his own wise words he might have produced offspring that didn’t want to betray him or destroy the kingdom once they were in power. It’s a good lesson to learn when we dispense wisdom to our fellow, earthly travellers. As Jesus once reminded us, remove the log out of your own eye before you comment on the speck of another.

All that aside, it appears that at end of Solomon’s life he recognized so many of his faults, sins or indescretions. The result was his study of life in Ecclesiastes. And with that we get such wonderful pearls as:

“For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.” Ecclesiastes 7:12

If there was one thing, after seeking and thirsting for Christ, that we should spend our life attaining it would be wisdom. It’s not easily gained. So often the attaining requires we suffer first. Isn’t that what we so often try to impart to others? How to avoid pain, suffering, loss by taking our hard-earned advice?

“It is for discipline that you have to endure.  God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  ⁸If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.”  Hebrews 12:7-8

Like the son in the brownie story all of us need discipline sometime in our lives. It’s the first step in wisdom seeking. The person who learns from their mistakes or experiences (or others’) gains one step closer to being wise. One step closer to living a peaceful, joy-filled life.

None of us can come to the highest maturity without enduring the summer heat of trials.”
Charles Spurgeon

“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” Ecclesiastes 7:4

Solomon isn’t telling us in the above verse to not have a good and happy life. What he is saying is our seeking joy and happiness at all costs is a shallow goal and not wise. When our yearning for closeness to God can only be satisfied during joyful times, we miss out on the richness that tough times can bring. Life, as we all know, isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. As he has said throughout Ecclesiastes, life is frequently about toiling and repetitiveness. Wisdom is rarely sought and found while we are whooping it up at a party.

Wisdom is found before we enter the door and remember the terrible hangover we had that last time. Or the fight you and your spouse got into because of inappropriate behavior at the neighborhood BBQ. Or even maybe the DUI your friend got when you drove home together. When we brush all that aside for a “good time,” we’ve entered into the land of folly.

Wisdom is gained by remembering. Remembering the wise words shared with you. Remembering the results of poor decisions, either by yourself or someone you know.

Wisdom isn’t just knowledge. My mother-in-law was a very wise person. She didn’t go to college, she didn’t have some big shot important job. She was a mom, a sometimes employee at dress shops and florists. She was a devoted Christian and a ready-hand at many volunteer events. She was creative and quick-witted. And she dispensed wisdom with ease. Wisdom gained from a dirt poor childhood with an alcoholic dad. From watching her brother make one bad decision after another ending up on drugs and in jail. She didn’t need self-help books to know about life, she lived it and remembered it.

To know is not to be wise. To know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.”
Charles Spurgeon

Friend, in this first look at wisdom let’s make a good evaluation of our own lives. Are we enjoying a life of wisdom or are you continuing to make the same bad decisions? Are you saying “talk to the hand” when someone who has wise words wants to impart them to you? Do you brush aside past mistakes thinking things will be different this time? Have you prayed, as King Solomon did, to the Lord asking for wisdom, in each and every aspect of your life?

Wisdom will keep you from the extremes, as Solomon reminds us in verse 7:9. It will preserve you, your good name (Ecc 7:1), your family and other relationships. Seek first to be obedient to God and then ask Him for insight and wisdom.

I want to leave you today with a prayer that many may be familiar with written by theologian Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971), called the Serenity Prayer.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.

Enjoying A Wisdom Filled Life Part Two now available! Click here.

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Enjoy Being Set Apart Part Two

March 27, 2024March 27, 2024 krisshetter

Missed part one? Go to emboldened.net/2024/03/25/enjoying-being-set-apart/

I recently was listening to a teaching on the Good Samaritan. It’s such a popular and well-known parable that it’s become an axiom. In some cases, even the title of laws. In many states in the United States, “good samaritans” are protected from lawsuits if they’ve provided physical aid but an additional injury may have occurred as a result of that help (ie a person giving CPR fractures a person’s rib). For many believers and non-believers this story represents “being nice” or acting kindly to others. Jesus, however, throughout His time on earth spoke basically about only two things: God and His Kingdom. So, it’s important, however familiar we may be with the parable, to know why the story was told. It starts with this interaction:

"On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ "Luke 10:25-27

Now let’s look at what was happening. This lawyer was testing Jesus. Maybe he wanted Jesus to say, “Follow me.” This would have been heretical for the Jew. Instead, Jesus points him back to God’s Word. Notice the man fully counts himself a wonderful, loving person in his own eyes. He believes he uniquely and fully loves God with all his heart, mind and soul. There’s apparently no chance he has failed at this overwhelming task. Instead, he wants to parse out the requirements by then asking Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

“‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly….“‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19: 17 & 33-34

The Old Testament religious Jewish leaders had come to define (erroneously) their “neighbors” as those in their own circle. People exactly like them. That allowed them to hate anyone else — other Jews who they deemed unworthy such as tax collectors and then gentiles. They turned “love your neighbor as yourself” into “love your neighbor and hate your enemies.”

Some might say they were justified. I mean God did call on them to eliminate entire groups of people. But biblical scholars will clarify those particular groups actively hated God and sinned in abominable ways against Him. Murderous cultures, child sacrifices, rampant sexual immorality, pillaging and raping innocent people year after year after year. God also had warned them for hundreds of years. They all knew of the God of Abraham and Jacob — as witnessed by the likes of Rahab from Jericho. (Joshua 2:9-13) So, when Israel was directed to take action it was God’s justice, not personal justice. Each man was directed throughout Deuteronomy and Leviticus to treat the foreigner as themselves. Personal vendettas were against the Law. And still the religious leaders contorted God’s Word.

Jesus upends their well-worn, twisted morality by exposing the lack of compassion by the “righteous” versus the godly love by an “outsider” or even enemy. This parable wasn’t about acts of kindness, rather it highlights our sinful tendencies to divide and hate those on the other side of that divide. That hatred and the distortion of God’s Word leads us in the opposite direction the Jewish lawyer wanted to go. It’s not heaven he will find with a dark heart. Jesus allows the lesson to sink in; the lesson of reminding believers that He sets us apart from the world to do something unthinkable and difficult. To love others and show mercy as God loves us.

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”  Luke 10:36-37

Friend, in God’s world, the world of eternal life, envy, hatred, greed, and jealousy, have no place. It didn’t during King Solomon’s time seen in Ecclesiastes 4 and it doesn’t now. True justice for the oppressed and downtrodden is not equity or retroactive punishment or even self-flagellation. It’s love. It’s the kind of love that looks different than the world. It says, “Let me help you out of sin.” It gives all that it can and doesn’t hoard the blessings we’ve been given. It looks hatred in the eye and says, “God loves you too.” It stops and, without care for itself, gives compassion. It protects the weak and helpless. It overflows with mercy and forgiveness. It’s a love that hates only one thing — the hatred of God — yet still prays for that person. It helps us see we are all needy sinners who disobey the Lord regularly and we thank God He abounds in mercy.

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  But if you show favoritism,you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it....Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.  James 2: 8-13

We are all, no matter our worldly status, guilty of not loving enough. Not forgiving enough. Not being people of grace. It’s not just to the faceless who we think have wrong us but to those in our church, in our home, in our neighborhood. It is our constant striving for the one and only thing that makes life meaningful that will bring us eternal life – our joyful obedience to the God who loves us.

When we seek personal justice or vengeance let’s remember the Apostle Paul. Remember the evil that lived in him and the terrible acts he oversaw. Then look to your Bible and see not only God’s mercy but the mercy and forgiveness he was granted by his fellow Christian Jews and gentiles. There is always hope in God’s plan for someone (like us) to turn their meaningless, oppressive life into something oh so meaningful.

When I was researching Ecclesiastes 4, I was led to reflect on my experience with Tom. You remember him? The one who hated women. The Holy Spirit convicted me. I have long, quietly harbored ill-will toward him. For making my life difficult during a stressful time. For hating an entire “type” of people. Suddenly I realized I was just as guilty. I was not loving my enemy, my oppressor. That realization brought me to tears of joy. Knowing our good God is constantly working in our hearts to prune us in ways we didn’t realize needed work. That act, alone, made that day so meaningful.

Ask Him today to reveal any hidden sins, especially of hatred, envy, oppression, vengeance, and jealousy. Then thank Him for the revelation and mercy. Enjoy the moment where you have been set free once again.

For more on Pastor John MacArthur’s sermon concerning the dangers and false teaching in our churches on social justice, go to https://www.gty.org/library/articles/45SJ

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Planting His Flag

December 23, 2023December 20, 2023 krisshetter

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger... O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Psalm 8: 1-2 & 9

Close your eyes and picture the scene of Jesus’ birth. It’s probably nighttime with Mary and Joseph and the little baby laying peacefully in a straw-laden manger. A cow and lamb may fill the empty spaces of the room. Above is a bright light shining down on the small structure. It’s the scene shown over and over throughout the earth in church Christmas stories, front yard manger displays, Instagram and Facebook posts, and even blow up Christmas decorations.

I’ll be honest, until just recently I was “all in” with that peaceful, sweet panorama unfolding before me. Lately, however, as I’ve learned more about Old Testament prophecy, the history of the actual way of life and traditions of people in Judea, and the necessity of seeing Jesus as King, my picture has changed. And right on cue, just before I sat down to write this an Instagram post featuring Christian singer Phil Wickham popped up on my screen singing “Manger Throne.”

Glory be to You alone
King who reigns from a manger throne
My life, my praise, everything I own
To Jesus the King on a manger throne
Phil Wickham, Manger Throne chorus

Tied with our verse today I see the amazing and glorious God at work splitting the heavens apart for His entry with all majesty and power. I also see Him mending the world with humility and grace; a baby wrapped in basic, cotton cloth quietly sleeping. He is the Lion of Judah and the Lamb all at once.

So often the nativity scene shows no one touching the baby. Mary sits by with hands clasped either in prayer, reverence or delight. A curious posture for a mom with a newborn. She is possibly remembering the promise from God’s angel. That this sweet little child will be the Savior for all mankind. A promise that would seem too hard to completely grasp. As a mother myself, a promise that also might terrify me.

Jesus didn’t just come quietly into the world. It may have looked that way to us humans. But the battle God will have victory over is not just in this physical world but the spiritual realm. Jesus, the King — when He arrived that day — threw down the proverbial gauntlet. The demons knew. They immediately went to work trying to eliminate Him. The angels worked on God’s behalf to protect Jesus until He was ready to take evil on Himself.

This weekend, as you go about your day and see the nativity scenes in your home or around town, close your eyes and create a new picture. A picture of the King riding down to a little town called Bethlehem and planting His Holy flag in a manger. Declaring in glory and majesty that He shall reign, forever more!

Soli Deo Gloria. Amen.

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In His Time

December 21, 2023December 19, 2023 krisshetter

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18

In the advent study I’ve been working through we reviewed many of the Old Testament prophecies which came true with the birth of Christ. From Genesis 12 to Isaiah 9 and Micah 5 to Psalm 72 so much of these historical texts focus on the coming Messiah. Even the genealogical texts are there to affirm the lineage of the future King of Kings.

Some of the events foretold by the prophets have a time span gap of 500 to 800 years before they came to fruition. Surely people in their time brushed much of what they said aside thinking they weren’t speaking in the name of God because the events “never came true.”

St. Augustine, in his autobiography Confessions, is noted as being one of the first to write of and discuss the experience of time. After his conversion to Christianity in about 386 AD he wrote about time in relation to God.

“Who will lay hold on the human heart to make it still, so that I can see how eternity, in which there is neither future nor past, stands still and dictates future and past times? Can my mind have the strength for this?”
St. Augustine

In God’s eternal existence there is no past, present or future. It is all just now — just one big present moment, Augustine surmised. A bit mind blowing and hard to grasp. For us, a 500 or 800 year wait to see a prophecy come about seems almost pointless. We are creatures of our own conscious timeframe. Our past was last week or last year. The future is next month or next year.

What does all this matter to us now as we live in a broken world? In Romans 8 we are promised that the suffering we see or experience is nothing compared to the promised glory of the Lord that will be shown to us. For some that may mean we expect the results of an election to turn the tide. For others it may be a physical healing, next month. A quick completion of a war means peace will reign forever. I would imagine that during Jesus’ time it meant He was going to conquer the Romans and bring the Jewish nation back into glory.

And since Jesus’ death and resurrection we all, even non-believers, have been waiting for the greatest prophecy to be fulfilled — the return of Christ to complete His victory over evil. Those first century Christians were probably bolstered in their faith by thinking along their own human timeline. They suffered intense persecution and death, all on the promised return of the Savior. The entire chapter of 2 Peter 3 is a great read on this topic. But let me pull out this one verse:

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  2 Peter 3:9

At the end of the weekly advent study we were asked, “What evidence is there in the world today that Christ truly did come to reign as King over all His creation?” One member answered simply, “The existence of the Bible.” And she’s right. The Bible is filled with historical documents, proven over and over throughout history to be true. Jesus was a real man who was seen as a resurrected Savior by hundreds of people. He says the Old Testament and is prophecies are true. And as Frank Furtek of Stand to Reason once said, “I tend to believe the guy who said he would die and rise again, when he actually did rise again.”

My answer? All around us we see evil striving harder than ever it seems to fight against the will of God. Trying to erase God from our everyday lives. They are thrashing and gnashing and screaming — as they are being pressed back against the coming truth of God’s judgment day. In the face of all the unrest, anger, selfishness, and sinful behavior however, thousands are being baptized each month in the name of Jesus Christ. Masses of people are coming to the Lord knowing they want to be on the right side of the coming judgment.

Friends, the glory of the Lord was seen on the first light of day many millennia ago. He saved a remnant of His chosen people to be the first witnesses to the glory of His coming to earth to save us from our sins. One day the whole world will see His glory reign throughout the earth when He comes again. Until then we can rest in steadfastness that He is the God who fulfills all His promises, in His time, not ours.

May all Honor, Glory and Power be to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

Savior King

December 15, 2023December 14, 2023 krisshetter

"Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!" Psalm 24:10

Yesterday, in the Advent study I’m working through we were tasked with listing the names and characteristics of Jesus from various Old and New Testament scriptures. The names included: child, son, Son of the Most High, Father, Counselor, God, Prince of Peace, Lord, King, Jesus and Messiah/Savior. Attached to these names were adjectives such as wonderful, mighty, great, everlasting, zealous, wise, and upholder of justice and righteousness.

We were then asked to highlight the name and characteristic that we believe to be the most significant. Which would you say? It may depend on your current state of mind or the situation you find yourself in. But let me back up a bit and take us to the year 2019. There were just a few small things going on in the world that year. A worldwide pandemic for one. And the U.S. election for a new president.

What was your state of mind at the time? Were you afraid for your health? Worried about who would lead the world’s most influential country? Concerned about the status of your job? Upset about the situation with your children’s schools? Angry about people wearing masks or not? Abandon by your church for shutting their doors? Distraught over a loved one’s death? The year 2019 certainly held a lot of opportunity for all those emotions. At the time, the bigger question was: being honest, who did you cling to? The TV newscasters? Health officials? Elected leaders? Family? Or God?

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed." 1 Peter 4:12-13

“When His glory is revealed.” What does that mean for us in the here and now? We suffer through leaders seeking their own glory through greed and immorality. We hear false teachers leading Christians astray with destructive heresies (2 Peter 2:1). Neighbors and even family and friends follow their sensual desires and blaspheme the truth (2 Peter 2:2). And we shouldn’t be surprised. It is all written in God’s Holy Word. But what is also written is that there will be a day of judgment.

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed." 2 Peter 3:9-10

My friends, if we believe that Jesus is a real person who walked this earth as both God and man; if we see how the truth of the prophets in the Old Testament came to pass over and over; if we have experienced our glorious God working throughout our life, then we must place the banner of truth on the promise of times to come. We must look different than the world. Our choices both physically and emotionally must cause others to ask us questions. ”Why aren’t you worried?”

I’ll tell you honestly the Lord was doing a might work in me in 2019. On one hand, I allowed myself to be carried away with all manner of worldly emotions. On the other, I began clinging to God. The battle of the heavens was revealed in little ‘ole me. I know that God is winning and will be victorious. Just the other day a good friend shared her husband’s observation of me. He told her how much I’ve changed over the years. I almost cried when she shared that he called me “gentler.” And I raised my hand up giving God, the Victorious, all glory.

Jesus is all the names I listed during my study. He has all the characteristics found in those scriptures. Surely the name Savior should speak most to us especially during times of trouble and strife. He came to save us from a terrible judgement. He is the Savior King who will uphold all final justice and righteousness. Knowing that this glorious and powerful God cares about those two things should bring us everlasting peace.

The world is a mess, just like it was hundreds of thousands of years ago. Just like it was when the Romans ruled throughout Israel, Judea, Samaria and the far reaches of Europe when the Jews sought an earthly king to save them. The Word of God promises us it won’t get better until Jesus returns. So, let’s put our hope and peace and love in His hands. He is the only one who will lead us into victory.

Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen

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Forever & Ever

August 6, 2022August 22, 2022 krisshetter

“To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen” Philippians 4:20

“Jesus, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to live in me. I can turn to you at any time, day or night, in times of joy and of sorrow and you are with me guiding me, convicting me and loving me. Forever and ever. Amen”

When I married my husband 34 years ago, we promised to be there for each other till the day we die. I plan on keeping that promise, and I’m certain he will too. However, I also recognize that we are both human. We will disappoint each other. At times we’ve felt betrayed by the other. We’ve been angry and hurt. We’ve also loved each other deeply. And although I hope that our promise we made all those years ago stays true, you just never know what strange turns our sinful human nature may take.

In all our relationships there is only one that we can know without a doubt, that we could place a million dollar bet on and know it’s a “sure thing.” And that’s the one we have, as believers, with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will bein you.” John 14:16-17

Before the glory of Pentecost the Holy Spirit only came and “visited” man. He would come and direct various people in the Old Testament to do God’s work. But Jesus made it clear that He would no longer make us orphans. When He left He would step aside for the Holy Spirit to come and live IN us believers forever. How beautiful, loving and glorious is that? God – this magnificent, mysterious, expansive, all powerful being wants to be a part of me and you, always. While we are taking a shower, making dinner, at work, running errands He is with us.

“You have often left God. Has He ever left you?”
Charles Spurgeon

I’ve had friends that no longer talk to me. I’ve turned my back on some myself. I’ve even gotten pretty mad at God. With one of my funnier moments telling Him, “I’m not going to believe in you anymore!” (Ponder the irony of that statement for a minute) But God has stayed true.

Friends, look at the very best relationship you have. The one that brings you laughter, joy, loyalty and more. And magnify that by a billion. That’s God living with us and in us through the Holy Spirit. I don’t know about you but I think that’s certainly something for which we should glorify and give thanks.