Bibledoorajar: The value of fruit

     This week we have all watched Venezuela with horror thinking of the struggle of the people who are being denied food to eat that is right there within reach. But the terrible man in charge will have nothing to do with the olive branch extended by the caring world. It is beginning to look as if a seige may have to take place to save the people. This reminded me of how God told Moses to prepare the warriors of Israel for taking land in which enemies ruled. First, they were to send envoys to extend the hand of peace. Perhaps the enemies would choose to work for the Israelites and thus continue to benefit from the land and its' resources. But, if not....
^""When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them?  However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls." Deuteronomy 20:19-20

    When John the Baptist came as a forerunner to Christ he preached repentence. He responded to the Pharisees and Sadduccees that were coming at him. He called them a brood of vipers and asked who had warned them to flee from the coming wrath. He then told them that since they were under siege they should produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And then he said, "do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

     In Mark 11 we read this...."The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again". And His disciples heard Him say it." Later we read that the disciples saw the tree and it was completely withered as if an ax had been taken to it. A tree with just leaves was of no good to a hungry Jesus. It accomplished a work for the making of fruit but not bearing fruit the leaf work was worth little. Jesus went on to teach the disciples that fruits produce powerful leaves (works like moving mountains) but a work (leaf) without fruit cannot move things like mountains (or the mind of God).
     Some people are deceived and feel like they will see God because of their beautiful leaves (works) and that He will applaud them,  But God values the leaves associated with the fruits of the Spirit. Being of greater value they will not be not be subject to the ax. Through them, the Christ, Israel's Messiah, is glorified.

......."down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations."      Rev. 22:2


 

Bibledoorajar: Standing Before God

     As Moses addressed the people about their latest covenant with God, the Bible says they all stood before Moses as he talked(Deuteronomy 29). But Moses was more than anything trying to help them understand that they were standing in the presence of their Holy God. This same God had laid upon them a law that entailed both blessings and curses. This was not a call from Moses for the people to take a seat, relax and experience joy and safety before the Lord unless they first came to grips with this new culture. They would have no separate dignity among the nations unless they demonstrated that their God was infinitely Holy and that His law showed forth that all the evil in men would end in meaningless death. It would be in the merits of the law and their keeping of it that they could stand. God wanted it inscribed on their hearts in such a way that it impacted their behavior. God did not need a people for a people's sake for indeed He had created all men. He needed a people who would see the value of addressing the laws of God, its' condemnation, and His plans for rescue from it. Many hours were spent perfecting the sacrificial laws that would support them before the living God until Messiah would come. The High Priest carried a great responsibility. All of the requirements were meant to make a great impression on them not just in knowledge but in conviction of heart. He would not be a saving God unless they believed His requirements; they would not be His people without taking Him to heart. This was the aim of the law. Keep it, be justified; do not keep it, be condemned. Without this understanding all the wars, triumphs and losses they would endure would end in no good result.

     Today, we who believe in this same God have seen a great Light. The Holy Spirit has impressed us with the Holy and beautiful image of Jesus Christ, the Great Messiah. We all stand in His presence awaiting a coming judgement day. But for those of us who are aiming at holiness in Jesus we can also feel the dignity of being His people justified and radiating the light of the Lord to the nations. We have sought to renounce every dependence on any thing or any one but our Savior. We are a dignified people because of the merits of Christ. The apostle Paul says that we will all one day stand before God to be judged as to what we have done in the body. Thank God that Jesus will make that a moment, though humbling for sure, one of great joy. A grateful heart standing before God. It is a happy picture.

     Yesterday I saw such a happy heart. A brother, three years out from surviving cancer, stood before a grateful congregation. Moved by the Spirit in heart, he encouraged us all to pray for those battling illness and in need of healing. We knew he meant it because his tears showed us it was a request engraved upon a grateful heart. So, to all in need of healing, I lift you up to the Goodness of our God and Savior and in the gratitude of your fellow believers..

    

   

    

 

Bibledoorajar: Healing

     Thanking God for healing among His people. I am a candidate for relief from a head cold that has stilted my thinking and my desire to hold up my head. So, Bibledoorajar will return next week. To all who need healing, I stand with you in prayer!

Bibledoorajar: Yet another covenant

     I remember when the time came for me to graduate from college. I thought I had arrived. Ready. I was shocked when my major professor told my class that upon graduation we would now be prepared to start learning! Now looking back I realize how those diplomas and continuing education certificates built on each other. But I also realized there were a lot of things I wished I understood more definitely.
     God had to take the same approach as He taught His people just who He was and what He wanted in a relationship. In Deuteronomy 29 Moses recorded the content of yet another covenant, one in addition to the one He had sealed them with in Horeb. In his speech, Moses declared that he had led them for forty years in the Wilderness; their garments did not wear out and their shoes kept trucking. They did not gorge on their own food or drink intoxicating drink. In that way they learned that their God had supplied their every need. Interestingly they had seen deliverance and miracles but Moses stated that God did not give them eyes to truly see nor ears to truly hear until that day. But with new sight and new hearing they fought a battle and won land for two tribes and half enough for another.
     It is hard to know just when God give us eyes to see and ears to hear in a deeper way. But we can all probably remember a time when we, like Paul, said we know without a doubt whom we have believed. That, after all, was what God was after all along. And He still is.

Open our eyes, Lord,
we want to see Jesus,
to reach out and touch him,
and say that we love him.
Open our ears, Lord,
and help us to listen.
Open our eyes, Lord,
we want to see Jesus.

         Robert Cull