Thoughts By Scott

Friday, December 2, 2016

Hope for a Future Peace

Photo from H

Scripture: Isaiah 2:4

And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.

Insights: Today we conclude our thoughts regarding the hope we have in Jesus. Notice with me our eternal peace begins with judgment. In other words, Jesus will first be the judge of the saints at His bema seat judgment. After this judgment comes the Great White Throne judgment which is reserved for those who will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. When this judgment is over, God will then usher in His eternal peace. At that time in eternity's history there will be no more need for sword and spear. These weapons of destruction and death will be transformed into instruments of life. In other words, we will use the plowshare and the pruning hook to cultivate and nurture instead of killing. There are those who foolishly believe we can obtain peace here on this side of eternity. The truth is that ever since the fall, man has been at war. Cain killed Abel and the world has seen violence ever since. There is a day coming, however, in which all of this killing will come to an end. It is the day in which the Lord Jesus announces His eternal authority and begins His reign as the King of kings and Lord of lords. We, who have received Him as Savior and Lord, will live under His peaceful reign forever and ever. This day of which I speak is a hoped for day. I pray you long for it as much as I. Until that day comes, Jesus promises us peace in our hearts here on this side of eternity. Paul describes it as a peace that surpasses understanding. It is a glorious state of contentment in the midst of difficult and unbearable situations. Only by having a relationship with Jesus are you able to have this kind of peace. If you have never met Jesus, I encourage you to meet Him today. He will give you a hope for your future.

Questions:

1. Have you ever experienced the peace of the Lord in your life?

2. As you imagine a future in Christ without war and strife, what kind of emotions are stirred within you?

Prayer: Father, I long for that day of eternal peace with expectant hope. You are my fulfillment of peace and I can’t wait to see You face to face. Amen.

If you have found this blog to be helpful, please forward it in Facebook or retweet it in Twitter. I would also appreciate if you would tell your friends to read this blog. As always, if you have a comment you would like to make regarding this Thoughts by Scott, please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section. Thank you.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Hope for a Future Rule

Photo by Chad Kainz

Scripture: Isaiah 2:3

And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Insights: The second aspect to the hope we have in Jesus’ second coming is His rule. Notice in today’s verse we see Jesus Himself teaching us about His ways and guiding us to walk down His paths. He will establish His law and it will go out from Him. In the Lord’s prayer Jesus said, “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” How is Jesus’ rule in heaven lived out by heaven’s residents? The answer to the question is perfectly. In other words, when Jesus gives a command, it is done. There is no arguing, procrastinating, worrying if it is the right decision, etc. When Jesus gives a command it is immediately followed in heaven. Notice with me a second aspect about this future rule under which we long to live. It is found in the phrase, “That He may teach us concerning His ways.” When we get to heaven it is true that we are glorified and no longer enslaved to our old sinful nature, but we do not become God. He is the infinite One. We are finite. One of the aspects of heaven is us learning from the great Teacher, Jesus, perfectly unhindered by the sorrows of sin. When He teaches us in heaven, we receive it perfectly and obey Him perfectly. So, the Lord’s prayer will be one day reality for us because God’s will is done perfectly in heaven. Until that day comes, may we strive to obey and learn His rule as best we can on this side of eternity. May we strive for obedience and servitude to Him in our current place of assignment from the Lord.

Questions:

1. How well do you follow the commands of God?

2. Do you have hope in the reality that in eternity God will teach you and you will obey perfectly His commands?

Prayer: Father, I learn from You now on this side of eternity, but I continue to sin. I long for the day in which I will be in Your presence and learn Your ways and paths unhindered by the bearer of sin. Amen.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Hope for a Future Kingdom

Photo by Pacheco

Scripture: Isaiah 2:2

Now it will come about that In the last days The mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it.

Insights: With today’s verse we start the season of Advent. The remainder of this week we are going to be looking at three aspects of our hope for our future. As a preliminary comment let me explain Advent for a moment. Advent is the season in which we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Each week leading up to Christmas day there is a theme on which the sermon and the candle reading/lighting ceremony is centered. Now Advent has two connotations to it. The advent of Jesus’ first coming foretold in the Old Testament, as well as, Jesus’ second coming as mentioned throughout the Bible. This weeks theme is that of hope. It was specifically focused on the hope of a Savior to rescue Israel from their sins. To be fair, however, the Israelites thought this Savior would save them through the establishment of an earthly kingdom that would never end. The truth, however, is Jesus would usher in this aspect of His kingdom at His second Advent. It is this kingdom that our verse today speaks. Jesus’ hoped for kingdom will be for all people who enter into a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus. This truth is an amazingly hoped for reality in the life of a believer. It helps us to put the situations of this world in the proper context. We are able to undergo and endure through all things because we know our residence is secured in Jesus. Beloved, it is my prayer you will join me in changing your perspective and life to such an extent that you begin sharing Jesus’ love and salvation with all people. God’s kingdom is for everyone after all. Let us be busy about reaching them.

Questions:

1. Do you have hope in a future kingdom?

2. In what ways are you trying to make this kingdom available for all people?

Prayer: Father, thank You for allowing me to be a citizen of Your kingdom. May I be bold in sharing with others about this amazing place in store for my future. As a result of my declarations, may many come to know Jesus the One who grants citizenship to this kingdom. Amen.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Obedience is Derived from Good Information

Photo by Karl-Ludwig Poggemann

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Insights: Today we finish our 2 Timothy study. Specifically today we are looking at how obedience is actually derived from good information. Good information comes from two sources. The first source is the people with whom we associate. There is an old adage that says you become like the people with whom you spend the most time. If you hang around bad people, you are going to likely become bad. You hang around wealthy people, you are probably going to become wealthy. You hang around good people, you will likely become good. Paul is encouraging Timothy to remember those people like his mother and grandmother as a source of inspiration for Him as he proclaims Jesus. People are not the only source of information which leads us to a life of obedience. The second source is God’s Word, the Bible, directly. Notice God’s Word is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness. I want you to notice, however, Paul is not telling Timothy it is just okay to hang around the right people. It is equally not okay just to become knowledgeable about the Bible. These relationships and God's Word ought to push us toward obedience. We ought to be compelled to serve Him. In fact, this truth is the final part of verse seventeen. This individual that hangs around the right people and studies the right Book are then adequate and equipped for every good work. We are not called to sit on the sidelines. We are called to serve. Beloved, let us serve well and all for His glory.

Questions:

1. Who has mentored you in your spiritual life for whom you are grateful?

2. What lessons have the Scriptures taught you recently?

Prayer: Father, thank You for the people You have put in my life. Thank You for giving me Your Word, the Bible. Thank You for growing me into the person I have become for You. May I walk obediently as a result of all You have dispensed into my life. Amen.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Disobedience is Derived from Bad Information

Photo by Caro Wallis

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:13

But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Insights: The second truth we learn this week is the world is full of people who have been deceived. The real problem, however, is once a person has been lied to and they have bought into that lie, then they become the next generation who proselyte this wrong belief. In other words, do you think a Jehovah’s Witness or a Muslim wakes up in the morning and says to themselves, “I am going to leave my house today and lead a person straight to the pit of hell because of this false message I am espousing.” The answer is a resounding, “no.” These individuals have been deceived to believe that what they are thinking is correct and because they think they are correct they share their belief with others. In their sharing of these wrong ideas, however, sometimes a person will believe them and before we know it another false convert is out there deceiving people to a lie. Beloved, we must understand this reality and pray for the the spiritual blinders to be removed from peoples eyes. I pray the Lord protects you from false theology and rhetoric. May you know the Truth, Jesus Christ, and may He guide you into the paths of righteousness. May our faithful lives bring glory to the Lord.

Questions:

1. Have you ever been deceived, and if so, how did it feel?

2. Have you ever deceived someone else, and if so, why?

Prayer: Father, in this world we desire to look good in the eyes of other people. As a result, too many times we deceive those around us. Protect me from my false image and let me walk humbly with You. Give me wisdom to not fall prey to the deceptive words of others as well. Amen.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Obedience in the Best and Worst of Times

Photo by Jan (Arny) Messersmith

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:10-12

Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Insights: This week we conclude what we intended to cover in the book of 2 Timothy. Look at today’s verses and notice the descriptive words Paul used in verse ten. They are words like teaching, conduct, purpose and so on. It is safe to say Paul is reflecting on the best of times in his ministry. There are times in which we have seasons of amazing grace and power by the Lord God. In those moments we are bigger than life and we are able to accomplish much for God and His glory. The problem is the verses do not stop with those positive words. The verses go on to describe persecution and suffering. Paul then began to list off three cities from his first missionary journey and things did not go well for Paul in those cities. In the first city he was driven out. In the second city Paul discovered a plot to stone him. In the third city, they actually did stone him and they left him for dead outside the city. If Paul had continued, then he would have come to the fourth city on that first missionary journey and we would have learned that it was during this portion of the journey that John Mark deserted him. It is safe to say these cities and these words are descriptors of difficult and hard times. Yet, we see Paul remaining stedfast and faithful. In fact, he declaratively proclaims that all who serve the Lord will experiencing these dark days. I think it is because in these dark days we get to taste in a very small measure what Jesus bore on the cross of Calvary. May you choose to serve the Lord in the good and the bad times.

Questions:

1. What have been some of the best times in which you have served the Lord and what made them special?

2. What have been some of the worst times in which you have served the Lord and what made them difficult?

Prayer: Father, may my service and worship of You not be dependent on the goodness of the moment, but rather, let me remain in intimacy with You. Let my life be characterized by service no matter how good or bad the life situation. All I ask is for You to receive glory however You deem necessary. Amen.

Friday, November 11, 2016

Are You Playing It SAFE?

Photo by Myfuture.com

After I preached the four points I have written about this week in Thoughts by Scott I gave some of the explanation as to my frustrations in my leadership over the 2016 calendar year. Before I share that information, you need to understand what had transpired during last week. Kristy and I had the privilege to attend the 2016 Church Revitalization Conference. The conference gave me a lot of information which helped me identify and address some of my short-comings as a leader this year. I wish to share some of those thoughts with you now. One of the speakers was Dr. Steve Smith and he shared the following three quotes:

A healthy vision is rooted in INTIMACY with God.

And a healthy vision leads the people of God seeing the LOST with COMPASSION.

When we see the lost with compassion because of our vision we will be INTENTIONAL about building relationships with the lost.

Tim Staley was also a speaker and he shared the following quote:

We don’t NEED to reach the lost, but rather we have the OPPORTUNITY to reach the lost.

As I thought about this quote I summarized and asked the following. For too many of us we don’t look at the PRIVILEGE we have in reaching the lost. You GET TO do this, now will you?

Dr. Tom Cheyney was yet another speaker and he shared the following.

Too many churches are playing it safe and safe stands for:

Stagnant and souring over the state of the church.

Accustomed to the stale climate of little success.

Faced with few options toward renewal unless you break free.

Entrenched in the past and holden of previous times of change.

The final speaker I wish to quote was Bill Easum and he shared with us from Matthew 9:36-38. He asked us to write out four words from that passage of Scripture that best describe this passage. He went on to explain that he has done this very assignment for years throughout the country and typically (because there are always exceptions) there are two sets of four given. The first set is:

Compassion, Helpless, Shepherd, Pray

The people who write those four words are typically internally focused and more often than not in a church that is dying. The second set of four given is:

Compassion, Pray, Harvest, Send

The people who write those four words are typically externally focused and more often than not in a church that is growing. I no longer wish to lead from a perspective of playing it safe. We must live by faith and turn our attention to the reaching of the lost world. It is my prayer you will join me in this endeavor.