The F Factor

You are my servant, I have chosen you.

How do you see yourself? Good, Bad, Free, Slave…….?

The Word of God says that we are slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness and the master we serve is Satan or God. Do you believe this is true?

The following is from Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

If we have received the grace of God in our hearts, its practical effect has been to make us God’s servants. We may be unfaithful servants, we certainly are unprofitable ones, but yet, blessed be His name, we are His servants, wearing His uniform, eating at His table, and obeying His commands. We were once the servants of sin, but He who made us free has now taken us into His family and taught us obedience to His will. We do not serve our Master perfectly, but we would if we could. As we hear God’s voice saying unto us, “You are My servant,” we can answer with David, “I am your servant. . . . You have loosed my bonds.”¹

But the Lord calls us not only His servants, but His chosen ones—“I have chosen you.” We have not chosen Him first, but He has chosen us. If we are now God’s servants, it wasn’t always so; the change must be ascribed to sovereign grace. The eye of sovereignty singled us out, and the voice of unchanging grace declared, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”² Long before time began or space was created, God had written upon His heart the names of His elect people, had predestinated them to be conformed unto the image of His Son, and ordained them heirs of all the fullness of His love, His grace, and His glory.

What comfort is here! Having loved us for so long, will the Lord then reject us? He knew how stiff-necked we would be, He understood that our hearts were evil, and yet He made the choice. Our Savior is no fickle lover. He does not feel enchanted for a while with some gleams of beauty from His church’s eye and then afterwards reject her because of her unfaithfulness. No, He married her in old eternity; and He hates divorce! The eternal choice is a bond upon our gratitude and upon His faithfulness, which neither can disown.

¹⁾ Psalm 116:16
²⁾ Jeremiah 31:3

There are times when we look, hear, or read something and come away with a certain understanding based on how it was presented. We look at an object, we only see the front, or we hear someone speaking but it’s muffled or we read an article that is written with a certain bent.

Our takeaway would be completely different if when viewing, let’s say a car, we were able to look on the inside and outside of the vehicle. We took time to look under the hood, take a test drive, and check out all the gadgets, we would have a better appreciation of the car than if we were looking at a brochure.

That being said, I ran across The Ten Commandments written more as positive affirmations and less like forbidding rules. What if God had stated the same principles this way:

I love you s much that I will give you Myself. I am true reality, the only God you will ever need. In Me alone will you find wholeness.

I desire a wonderful thing: a direct, personal relationship between myself and each of you. You don’t need inferior representations of Me, such as dead wooden idols. You can have Me. Value that.

I love you so much that I have given you My name. You will be known as God’s people on the earth. Value the privilege; don’t misuse it by profaning your new name or by not living up to it.

I have given you a beautiful world to work in, play in, and enjoy. In all your enjoyment, do not forget Me, and remember to set aside a day to refresh your soul and rest your body.

Human life is sacred. I gave it and it has enormous worth. Cling to it. Respect it; it is the image of God. He who ignores this and commits the sacrilege of murder must be punished.

The deepest human relationship possible is marriage. I created it to solve the essential loneliness in the heart of every person. To spread what is meant for marriage alone, among a variety of people will devalue and destroy that relationship. Save sex and intimacy for its rightful place within marriage.

I am entrusting you with property. You can own things and use them responsibly. Ownership is a great privilege. For it to work, you must respect everyone else’s right to ownership; stealing violates that right.

I am a God of truth. Relationships only succeed when they are governed by truth. A lie destroys contracts, promises, trust. You are worthy of trust: express it by not lying.

I have given you everything to enjoy, just remember people are always more important than things. Love people; use things. Do not use people for the love of your things. (An excerpt from Fearfully and Wonderfully Made)

“Those who have ears, let them hear and those who have eyes, let them see”.

Have you ever thought about all the voices vying for your attention? Think about it, since birth, sound has been a large part of your daily life. First, there are your parents holding and talking to you, other family and friends eager for a chance to hold you and make weird sounds that no one understands, TV and the radio cranking out a variety of Bupkis.

From birth to age 5, your brain develops more than any other time in your life. Early brain development has a lasting impact on your ability to learn and succeed in school and life. The quality of your experiences in the first few years of your life, positive or negative helps shape how your brain develops and your ability to learn.   Think about this, Like a newborn baby you have all the brain cells (neurons) you’ll have for the rest of your life, but it’s the connections between the cells that really make the brain work. It’s those brain connections that enable us to move, think, communicate and do just about everything.

That’s the reason a child’s early years are crucial for making these connections. At least one million new neural connections (synapses) are made every second, more than at any other time in life. Again, those early years are the best opportunity for a child’s brain to develop the connections they need to be healthy, capable, successful adults, without this early stage of development it is difficult to learn high-level abilities such as motivation, self-control, problem solving and communication skills.   This can’t be stressed enough. The most important influences on a child’s early development are the adults in their life. It begins with healthy loving parental and family relationships in addition to child care providers, teachers, and members of the greater community. From birth, young children readily engage with their parents, other adults, and caregivers. Babies do it by cooing, smiling, waving their arms and legs, or crying. Toddlers, through words and actions, have learned to communicate their needs a little more directly. During these early weeks, months, and years there are numerous opportunities for adult interactions that help in the process of wiring the brain. Those parents and caregivers who give attention, respond, and interact with their children are literally building their child’s brain. That’s why it’s so important to talk, sing, play, read and hold young children from the day they are born and give them opportunities to explore their physical world and provide stable, safe, and nurturing environments.

  Conversely, when children are exposed to violence, live in poverty, or lack access to quality early learning experiences, hinders and negatively impacts a child’s early brain development and ultimately, their long-term success. This will be my focus in the coming weeks.   I hope to delve into this process of learning, the beliefs that are formed along the way, and the rewards or consequences directly attributed to the paths we take. Scripture reminds us that during these formative years we have to be a proper example and at the same time help in the development of our child’s relationship with Jesus. (Dt. 6: 5-9)
Children often model their parents’ behavior. They do and say many of the things they hear at home. That’s why it’s so important to talk with them about Jesus in ways that will benefit them as they grow toward maturity.  A few things to consider until next time. Think about the word complete, does it mean absolute, total, finished? The examples below indicate that what is needed to start the growth process is present. Take a seed for example. It’s complete but nothing happens until it’s planted, exposed to the sun, and given the proper nourishment, and so it is with our little ones.

It takes about 24 hours for a sperm cell to fertilize an egg. When the sperm penetrates the egg, the surface of the egg changes so that no other sperm can enter. At the moment of fertilization, the baby’s genetic makeup is complete, including whether it’s a boy or girl. After the birth of a child, the process of raising the child begins.

When you are born again you are complete.Col. 2:9-10 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. After a person is born again the process of discipleship and sanctification begins. (2 Pet. 1: 1-11)

Plain Living

 Have you ever spent time on a mountain, breathtaking, isn’t it? There is something very special about being above the tree line so to speak, a certain exhilaration in being able to look out and see for miles. It seems clearer, brighter, and quieter on the mountain.

The question is, are we made for mountain top living? We love it there, special things happen both in the spiritual and physical realm. We feel closer to God because we’re on a higher plain and most of the things that so easily distract us are far below. We can take in the wonder and majesty of God’s creation. It can be a time of thanksgiving and reflection, of wonder and awe, and a time to draw near to the Creator of the world, but we must remember the mount is not meant to teach us anything, it’s meant to make us something.
Moses saw the Burning Bush on Mt. Horeb, the Law was given on Mt. Sinai (Now the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Exodus 24:16) and Jesus was killed on Golgotha. 

Many things happen on the peaks, some very good, some not so good. What’s clear is the fact that we don’t live our lives on the mountain. Hills and mountains are for inspiration, prayer, meditation, and rest. 

Living takes place on the plains, in the valleys, and through the desert. This is where we spend the majority of our time, dealing with ordinary stuff. All too often it’s the mundane, trivial, challenging, hectic, tragic, boring, and sometimes devastating things of life that consume so many hours of the day. This is where we prove our mettle, work out our salvation, use what we received on the mountain. It is in the desert where we learn to trust and obey God. It is in the valley where our character is formed. (Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:1-4)                                        
The moments we spend on the mountain tops are rare, precious, and brief. Enjoy the experience while it lasts because invariably it will end and it’s back to the valley.
 “And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. (Deuteronomy 8:2) 

Neither did they say, ‘Where is the LORD, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and pits, Through a land of drought and the shadow of death, Through a land that no one crossed And where no one dwelt?’ (Jeremiah 2:6)  

I guess the thing to remember is, the valley experience is a passage through… not a destination to….
“yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”

We should never forget that the God of the mountain is the same as the God of the valley and He is more interested in our character than our comfort. As we study scripture it is evident that God uses both mountain tops and valleys to accomplish His purposes. 

On the mountain top you see Him as the God of all glory;
In the valley you see Him as the God of all comfort.
On the mountain top you see Him as the Lord who reigns;
In the valley you see Him as the Shepherd who walks beside you.
On the mountain top you see Him as the Judge of all the earth;
In the valley you see Him as the God of all mercies.
On the mountain top you see Him as the exalted King;
In the valley you see Him as the suffering servant.
On the mountain top you see Him as the Lord God omnipotent;
In the valley you see Him as your loving Heavenly Father.
___Roy Lessin
Ultimately, we must Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6) 

Well, here we are again. We survived the ‘Christmas Holidays’. That season we call the most wonderful time of the year.

For many, this is a true statement. You prepared for weeks, hoping not to overlook any details. All the cards were mailed, all the gifts purchased and given, many miles racked up traveling here and there to be with family/friends, trees decorated, the house was aglow with new LED’s blinking to the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Let’s face it, we love a party, a celebration, festivals, galas, bashes, anything that will give us an opportunity to feel good about ourselves.

It doesn’t matter how you cut it, it’s all about us. Think about it, we are by nature, selfish people. Our lives are a continuous circle of wants and desires that start at birth. Babies want to be fed, held, cleaned, and coddled. This world through various traditions and the bombardment media spark a hunger in us that begs for more comfort, more pleasure, . We want the next best gadget, the latest sports shoe, the bigger house, the newest model car, to be recognized for our great accomplishments.

For others, it’s not the most wonderful time of the year. Because we are so focused on the things of this world, (1 Tim. 6: 17-19) we fail to see that for so many people it’s not the greatest time of the year. The things that many enjoy this time of year are sorely lacking in others’ lives, and that void brings sorrow and heartache. Far so many of us, our focus is on the things of this world which are temporary, instead of things eternal. One day, no matter how firm our grasp, we will have to let all the stuff go. If all our treasure is stored on earth and no provision has been made for eternity, what a rude awakening that will be. Do you know where you will spend eternity? (1 Jn.2: 15-17)

So what’s the point? The point is, we have forgotten the reason for the season. We love the season but we make it all about us and what we want, what we need, and how we can get more.

Instead, we should celebrate the Christ of Christmas because Jesus is the reason for the season. The question is why have we sidelined Him? I suspect the reason is that many don’t know Him. Let’s take a look at who He is and why He matters.

First, it’s important to know that Jesus is God. The Bible tells us that God is invisible and no one saw Him until Jesus was born. In Him (Jesus) dwells the fullness of God in human form and people got to see him, talk with him, listen to Him, and pray with him. (Col. 1: 1-23)

Jesus is the second person of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and when He came to earth, He gave us a beautiful picture of the image of God and the heart of God

It’s important to note that everything that was created was created for and by Jesus. (John 1: 1-5) All of creation is amazing and it all starts with Jesus the Creator. Being the creator, He exists outside of time. Abraham lived a couple thousand years before Jesus and yet Jesus says, “before Abraham was I am.”

He is the beginning, he’s the end, and he holds everything together (Col. 1:17) One of the reasons Jesus came was to reconcile us to God. He did this by taking our sin upon Himself, dying on a cross, and rising from the dead three days later, he defeated death. All this was for our benefit.

God has placed eternity in our hearts and made man for His eternal purpose, and nothing in post-fall time will ever bring complete satisfaction. (Eccl. 3:11) When we finally agree with God that we are sinners (Rom. 3:23), and our hearts are wicked from our youth (Gen. 8:21) and understand that even in our sin state, God loved us enough to send His Son to take our sin on Himself and die in our place. (Rom. 5:8) When we finally understand, we will confess our sins, repent, and believe His promises, (Rom. 10: 8-11) God says because of His Son’s love and sacrifice we will spend eternity with Him.

We may want a great many things but what we need is a relationship with the creator. Scripture says, ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything else will fall in place. (Mt. 6: 25-34)

Remember, the Son of Man (Jesus) has come to seek and save that which was lost. (Lk. 19:10)

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton