The Bible tells me so! (Pt.2)

(Part 2)

“Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.”-1 Thessalonians 2:13

When we receive God’s Word, as the very word of God, it will affect the way that we live. However, if we choose to be selective regarding what we will receive and respond to, then we will bear the consequences of choosing to step outside the protection and direction of God’s authority.

The motto adopted by the Police Academy is to protect and to serve. Most people recognize police officers as authority figures, however, the Word of God is designed to protect and serve us; yet we reject it’s authoritative reach into our lives.

Here is an interesting concept, if I am driving the speed limit and pass a police officer, the will simply wave and keep on going. When I speed past them, breaking the law, they come after me and reward me with a ticket for my disobedience. We cannot claim ignorance when we have chosen to ignore the directives that have been given us. Real authority has the latitude to bring correction, which means that something or someone is only a real authority is your life if you allow it to correct you. If you have no authority to correct you, you are only subject to yourself.

 Author Ken Ham once said, “When you abandon the absolute authority of God’s Word, anything goes.” This begs the question: What guides your morality in the absence of an  authority in your life?

This is the exact scenario that afflicted the Israelites in the book of Judges:

“After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.”-Judges 2:10

Although God was an authoritative figure in Moses and Joshua’s generation, the generation that followed them refused to acknowledge Him. In doing so, they became only subject to themselves:

“In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”-Judges 21:25

That is the definition of chaos! Not only did they reject God as their authority, but they had no earthly king either. They simply did as they pleased. They lived according to their own pleasures, wants, and desires.

God’s Word is not simply a compilation of good ideas, but it is the will of God recorded to bring transformation to our lives. One commentator wrote this and I think it is very fitting for us to consider:

“Jesus accepted the absolute authority of the written word over His life. His whole life was shaped by what God caused to be written before He was born.”

God’s Word shaped Jesus’ life! Are you allowing it to shape yours?

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

The Bible tells me so!

(Part 1)

“During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,

‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”-Matthew 4:3-4

Do you live by every word that comes from the mouth of God? This passage caused me to reflect this week. In order to live, I must receive and respond to every word that comes from the mouth of God. I had to ask myself a question that really everyone reading this column has to answer for themselves. The answer to that question will dictate how you live. That question is this: Is God’s Word the absolute authority in my life?

The word authority means: the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.

I believe that for most Christians the Word of God only amounts to a strong influence in their life. There are a few that may let it rise to a place of limited authority, however how many can honestly say that they live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God?

It begs the question, does the Word of God simply inform our life or does it instruct our life? Here is a great test to start with: If you do not pick up your Bible everyday to look to the Word of God for instruction, then most likely you have not given the Word of God complete jurisdiction over your soul.

If you feel you have the right, the power and the preference to reject what you are being instructed by someone, then that person is not a recognized authority in your life.  They may be in a position of authority over you, but you are not recognizing it by how you live and respond to them. Be certain of this, there are consequences for rejecting authority that has been placed over you, should you decide not to recognize it. The fact that you don’t receive God’s Word as an authority in your life doesn’t change the fact that God’s Word is an authority over you life.

“Your eternal Word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven.”-Psalm 119:89

Could someone look at your life and say with any certainty that the Word of God is an authority in your life? For the Word of God to be an authority, you first have to believe that they are actually God’s Words:

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”-2 Timothy 3:16

When we receive God’s Word, as the very word of God, it will affect the way that we live. However, if we choose to be selective regarding what we will receive and respond to, then we will bear the consequences of choosing to step outside the protection and direction of God’s authority.

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

Even if You Don't (Pt. 3)

(Part 3)

“Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”-Daniel 3:13-18

God has called us to worship Him for who He is, and not simply for what He can do for us. There is probably no other story in Scripture that captures this better than Daniel 3:13-18. 

Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego are faced with a dilemma. Worship the statue of gold set up by King Nebuchadnezzar or face being thrown into a fiery furnace. The faith of these men is about to be tested. How will they respond to Nebuchadnezzar’s edict? More importantly, how will they be affected by God’s response?

These men’s faith was not dictated by what God could or could not do; nor was it rooted in what they believed He would do. They simply worshipped God for who He was and trusted Him with the outcome. Their declaration of faith still echoes in our hearts today: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Many of you are familiar with the popular hymn, It Is Well, by Horatio Spafford. Spafford’s daughters died when their boat sank on the way to Europe. Spafford had stayed back to finish up some business before boarding the next ship out. His wife, who survived the shipwreck, messaged him: “Saved alone. What shall I do?” Spafford took the next ship out and when passing over the spot where his daughter’s perished penned these words:

"When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,

It is well, It is well with my soul.”

Events like this can cripple a person’s faith in God and cause them to become angry; or they can drive a person deeper into the arms of God. As believers we will continue to pray and believe that He will show up in our circumstances, but even if He doesn’t we will keep our trust in HIm. 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church  

Even if you don't (Pt.2)

(Part 2 )

“The enemy boasted, ‘I will chase them and catch up with them. I will plunder them

and consume them. I will flash my sword; my powerful hand will destroy them.’ But         you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord—glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders? You raised your right hand, and the earth swallowed our enemies.”-Exodus 15:9-12

The Israelites, early on, worshipped God for what He could do. They would praise Him for performing great wonders, however, when God didn’t appear to be coming through for the, over and over they would complain about it:

“At the Lord’s command, the whole community of Israel left the wilderness of Sin[a] and moved from place to place. Eventually they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there for the people to drink. 2 So once more the people complained against Moses. “Give us water to drink!” they demanded. “Quiet!” Moses replied. “Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the Lord?”-Exodus 17:1-2

From Marah to Rephidim, the Israelites complained about God’s lack of provision, even after He repeatedly and miraculously met their needs in every circumstance. They went from praising God for His mighty works to complaining about His expediency. It begs the question, Is God only God when He is performing in a way that benefits us or that we approve?We praise Him when He shows up in a person’s life and delivers them from cancer, but what about the times that He doesn’t show up and that person dies? Is God, still not God?

I am reminded of the book of Job:

“Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”-Job 1:8-11

Satan challenged God with this argument: the reason Job serves you is because you constantly protect him and prosper him. Take it all away and see if he is so quick to serve you. Don’t answer all his prayers and see what that does to his faith. So God allowed Satan to rob Job of his wealth, health and family. And when pressed Job makes this bold declaration: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”-Job 13:15

Many people point to those moments of suffering and perceived injustices to define God’s character; to vilify Him and challenge His goodness. If God is so good, they ask, then why didn’t He stop this? Yet, they themselves give no heed otherwise to His word, doctrine or instruction, which in many cases could have, if it had been followed, avoided the tragedy all together. The tendency, however, is to exclude God from most every area of our lives until there is a tragedy and then they cry out to Him to step in and intervene and when He doesn’t we become angry at God. This has caused many to dismiss Him because He didn’t intervene as they had hoped or expected.

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

Even if You don't (Pt.1)

(Part 1 of 2)

“After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah’s wife. David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused. Then on the seventh day the child died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?” When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.”-2 Samuel 12:15-20

Have you ever experienced a moment when you were angry with God, because He didn’t come through for you as you’d hoped He would? Have you ever prayed for something repeatedly, fasted, and pleaded with God to show mercy in a certain situation and it feels as if God was ignoring you?

In this story King David had just been rebuked by the Prophet Nathan. David, during a time when he should have been out to war with his men, had stayed back in Jerusalem. It is during that time that he saw and became intimate with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah; one of the soldiers under his command. She became pregnant, and after unsuccessfully trying to get Uriah to sleep with her to cover up what had happened, David had Uriah killed in battle. Nathan rebukes David and we see according to 2 Samuel 12, the child born to David & Bathsheba becomes ill.

David’s response to these tragic turn of events was to pray. He pleased with God and fasted, crying out to God for mercy night after night. Yet, despite all his efforts, his son dies. David had made some sever mistakes, but he was also the one to whom God referred to as a man after His own heart. Was David’s repentance and cries for mercy not genuine? If you take time to read Psalm 51 you will hear David’s heartfelt repentance over his sinful choices. So why did God not answer? Why did God allow that child to die? Why does God allow bad things to happen when it is in His power to stop it?

These are the thoughts that we’ve all had at one time or another. I am sure that they ran through David’s mind as well. However, when news of his son’s death reached him, he did something that caught even his closest servants off guard. He got up off the ground, washed and anointed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the house of the Lord and worshipped.

Even though God didn’t answer David’s prayer as he had hoped, David’s hope remained in God alone. When his cries for mercy went unanswered, he turned his attention to worship. David worshipped God for who He was, not simply for what He could do. David’s worship wasn’t based on what God did for Him, but who God was to Him.

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church