Scripture Treasures

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all” ~ Mark 9:35 Power is often the ruse we use to feel self-acceptance. If we are powerful, we are worthy. If we can use our power, people will respect us, listen to us, and we will have value in their eyes. Power, most often when held with this viewpoint is destructive, not only to the self, but to others. If we lose this type of power, in our opinion we are worthless, less than, and not worthy of love, or care, or respect. A person who has no sense of personal value when it is based on power is then lost, sometimes with a life-threatening action – suicide. How terribly sad that is. Counter to the world, our power actually comes from servanthood. We cannot realize this without Christ in our heart, for it is the world which teaches power is the ultimate goal based on the actions of that person. If we work hard enough, do enough, our power will increase. A great pas

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” ~ John 4:24 God is spirit, and not a body with substance like we have. Most other gods that are worshipped are carved images, other than the Jewish God and the Islamic Allah. Whether we are talking gods of the ages such as Zeus, or Mohammad, or Buddah, they were all given a body image. The only body image our God has was in the time of incarnation when Jesus came to live as a man/God. Within that man shell was the Spirit of God, which cannot be said of the others. God is immortal, immaterial, invisible, and intelligent. He is a willing and active being in our lives. He differs from other gods in that he was not created, but is an eternal spirit, one without beginning or without end. And, due to his nature, and his perfections all must worship him. Whether we are in private or public, whether we are in our closet or in the church, we are called to worship and adore our God which is our light and our life. Our p

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand ~ Ephesians 6:12, 13 Whenever Jesus encountered a person with a demon inside them, he only had to speak once, and that person was healed completely. If, and when, the demon did speak, Jesus instructed it to keep quiet. Never did Jesus allow the evil spirit to name him. Why was this? In Jesus’ day, the one who did the naming had control over the other. Jesus is the one with authority over the spiritual realm, therefore, the demons had no authority to speak once Jesus removed it from them. They were rendered powerless. It is in Jesus’ name we have control over the demons of this world which inflict spiritual pain upon people. There

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up ~ James 4:10 Submitting ourselves before God is the first step toward true repentance and allowing our Saviour into our heart. God cannot come into a proud heart, for it senses no need for God. A proud heart feels it can do all things on its own, with no help. A proud heart feels that it is a weakness if someone else, or if God, needs to work on its behalf. When though, an unrepentant sinner sees the need and is awakened in their soul to the sense of their guilt in life, and the only way of salvation is through the God they have turned away from, then can humility of soul be their encounter, and God’s grace lift them from the mire of their past. Humility before God does not mean that person is worthless, never, for all are created by God in his image, and all have value in God’s eyes. What humility means is that we are willing to take our rightful place before a holy and sinless God. It is the story of the prodigal son. In hi

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things ~ Philippians 4:8 Our thoughts are very powerful indicators of what we will actually do. If we think negatively, we will act negatively; if we are angry in our thoughts, our outward reactions will be angry. Of course, our heart and our mind are very closely connected. This is why Jesus had said, “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts…” (Mark 7:21, 22). Jesus then lists several evils of sin which lead us astray. Paul is encouraging the Philippian church to think, not of what they had thought of in the past, but to think of the new – the holiness and righteousness in every point of view. They were now called into a new life, one in which modelled the Saviour, Jesus Christ. They were called to walk as he walked, to think as he thought, and to act as he act

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted ~ Galatians 6:1 Not one of us is perfect, even in the church! Maybe I should rephrase that: not one of us is perfect, especially in the church. There are undoubtedly many, many good people I have met in the church life, but we are still all incomplete in our sanctification. The day when we will be complete and perfect is the day when we stand before our King. So, it is with meek and gentle hearts that we are to come before a fellow brother or sister who has fallen by the wayside into sin. It is with a forgiving heart we are to discipline those who have turned from God’s ways. And, we have to be sure it is away from God they have turned and into a definite sin. If we ourselves do not have a spirit of meekness we have no business trying to restore someone else. The Bible tells us not to judge each other and to make sure that

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden” ~ Matthew 5:14 There is nothing that can compare to light. When the sun shines brightly in the day’s sky, our spirits just seem to rise up in joy. The sun radiates both our outer body and our inner soul, and we rejoice in the day. Our mood seems brighter and lighter, and we seem more able to tackle any trials which come our way. In the city, it is more difficult to see the stars and moon light up the night, but in the country, wow, just look at the sky and you are overwhelmed by its light. I lived out east in the very heart of Nova Scotia where there were no cities, no streetlights, no other competition for the nighttime sky. The stars and the moon seemed within reach of the hand, and a full moon would light up the woodlands with remarkable clearness and beauty. There was no need for a flashlight on those nights. We are compared in the words of Jesus’ to this type of light. We are called to be so different, so

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life ~ Galatians 6:7, 8 Discernment is a gift often taken for granted, but it is a worthwhile gift to have when it comes to deceivers. Never do they come as they really are, but always hidden beneath a cloak of disguise. Like the wolf in the sheep pen wearing the sheep’s wool coat to blend in, so come the deceivers. We must always be ready to search the scriptures for those who proclaim the gospel message, for their charge is one of truth and honesty. To neglect this duty and reap what is not of God’s truth is deception. In this, God will not be mocked, for he knows our heart, and though we may deceive ourselves and others, God knows the difference. God will not let it go on for long, for if a deceiver has set up a palace in a pig pen, the dirt will soon apply itself. It will

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance ~ James 1:2, 3 In the Beatitudes, Jesus declared, “ Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.   Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven …” (Matthew 5:11, 12a). This is the thought of James here when he tells us to consider it pure joy. He does not mean that we should pretend we get joy out those things in life which are disagreeable, but that we are to look upward and forward and count it joy in the heavenly realm, for there awaits a crown for us. But also, it is pure joy because it is an opportunity to gain a new strength through our overcoming. Whenever we face opposition and we learn new things, grow in our stature as a Christian, and overcome through the power of Christ, our trials shrink in comparison. When a child is born, a new mot

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets ~ Matthew 7:12 It really is all about love – love for God, love for others, and love for self. If we do not love God first and foremost, and if we do not have God’s love within us, we cannot really know what love is. We live in a superficial world which states love easily and carelessly. I love my home, I love ice cream, I love movie nights, or whatever. The term love has become a commonplace word used to give meaning to the meaningless. Real love means devotion, commitment, and sacrifice. Love is not just another adjective for a materialistic pleasure. Next to loving God and having God’s love within us, we love others. Loving others requires that we know what it is to have God’s grace applied to our lives. Grace is to receive the free and unmerited favour of God, though we did not earn it, or do anything for it. God loves us because we are. We are to love others because we we

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13 I understood this verse as the temptations of the human flesh. If this were so, why do Christians fall when it comes to the flesh and not find a way out, but are in fact found out. I think of some televangelists who have been found in precarious situations of the flesh which then ruined their ministry and brought shame to Christianity. It was always an oxymoron for me. If a way was provided out, why did they, or we, not find it before falling into temptation headfirst. Most commentators state the temptations spoken of here relate to the temptation which would have the tendency to forsake their allegiance to their Lord and to lead them into idolatry and sin. This might appear as open persecutions, or afflictions on account of their faith. T

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain ~ Philippians 2:14-16 Do all things good is the meaning here. If God would not go there, then we must not either. And keep a happy heart, no matter whether your burden is heavy or light. Remember the Israelite’s in the wilderness and how they murmured against Moses and Aaron to give them bread and water. They murmured against God himself when they did this. God know our needs and he will meet them; our wants may be another matter. An attitude of a complaining person pushes us away from them, for their negativity can be passed on to others. By Paul’s words here, we are to strive to be blameless in our attitude, in the sight of God and of mankind. It is

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh ~ Galatians 5:16 Walking by the Spirit of God takes us places we could never imagine if we followed the desires of the flesh. Following the flesh leads us down roads of destruction, if not outward, most certainly that road leads to inner destruction. Many a Christian found they have let their weakness take control, and have had their ministries ruined, their integrity destroyed, their marriages in upheaval, and the name of their Saviour cursed by the world. The flesh has a strong pull on us, but we must remember our flesh has been conquered by Christ. This is how we walk by the Spirit – in faith, trust, and the hope that we can set our flesh behind us as we follow Jesus. When we do, our path stretches out before us into unknown places. We step out in faith as we hear the voice of the Spirit in our heart and we are challenged to go beyond our comfort zone. No one that follows the Spirit can say being a Chr

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ~ John 8:31, 32 The Jews who believed in Jesus were standing in amongst the Pharisees who were questioning Jesus, trying once more to trick him. As Jesus spoke to this crowd, he talked about his Father in heaven and that soon he would be with him. “Where I go, you cannot come,” said Jesus. Jesus continued speaking, saying that not only could they not come to where he was going, but that he had much in judgment of them. He is addressing the Pharisees at this point, but also to any to who do not believe in him. Some however, did believe, and to them he says these words, “You really are my disciples…and the truth will set you free.” Of course, they did not understand. Set us free? We are a free people. We have not been slaves of anyone they say. Jesus is not talking about physical oppression, but of spiritual oppression –

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister ~ 1 John 4:20, 21 If we do not have love for our brother or sister, we are void of the love of God, and God is not in us. The apostle knows our human nature and that we expect to love those we know. It is hard to love someone we do not know, that is how human nature is. If we are, and claim to be a Christian, but do not love even a stranger who has engraved upon their soul the image of God, how can we love God whom we have not seen and whose image we are supposed to bear? Love comes from God and when he enters our heart and soul, we turn away from our natural being which claims love for those only that we know, to loving all people. This love is not a sentimental feeling, but the awareness that we need to care

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven ~ Matthew 5:10 True godliness is usually attended with persecution. The truth is, Jesus died on the cross to take the curse of sin from us, not the cross. We are not shielded from suffering, and in fact Jesus warned his followers because of him they would suffer more than others. We carry Jesus in our heart, and the cross on our shoulders, but take heart, for Jesus is never parted from his cross. Persecution may not be aptly applied here in North America, but it is here in subtle ways. Persecution is the abuse of power used to harm another. In the Scriptures, persecution pertains to evil treatment on a religious account. It is the infliction of an injury, or the withholding of a right. In our society, we have become multi-cultural and multi-god. If I hold up my God as the only way to heaven an argument comes back there are many gods and many ways to heaven. “I just have to be a good per

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus ~ Galatians 3:26-28 There is no pecking order in the Christian faith community. We are all one the same level. Often people will select people with whom they place higher than others, either favouring them, or placing them on a “pedestal” of their own making. When God looks at you and me there is no comparison as to whom is better. He sees you as you are and loves you. He sees me as I am, and he loves me. He wants what is best for you and what is best for me. Paul had this to say to the Galatians to guide them against living in and under the law. We can do that too. We see one Christian doing something we would not do, and we make a judgment according to the “law”. As we are all adopted by the Spirit of God, we are one i

When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? ~ Psalm 118:5, 6 These words take us from the confinement of oppression to the room of freedom, gained through our tears as we cry to the Lord in the expression of pain. We are never alone when we stand in the compressed space of trouble. A few years ago, I went with my granddaughter into a “House of Horrors” here in my hometown. She laughed at me the whole way through the imaginary games room. First, we had to walk in pitch dark areas, which were fearful enough for me, but I am also claustrophobic. We came to an area where the walls began to close in on me. Fear broke out and my heart began to pound. By now you may be laughing as hard at me as my granddaughter was, but for me, the feeling was pure panic. This was not a real-life situation for we were in a make-believe place, but my feelings were the same as if it was real. When we ar

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” ~ 1 Peter 1:15, 16 We serve a perfect God, a holy God, and our lives should always reflect his principles in all our ways. We are called not only externally by how we live our lives, but also internally by his Spirit of grace. We are called to life by our God, called to higher principles than are viewed by those who serve the world. We are to be the light on a hill, we are called to be the salt that gives the flavour to life. We can only do this if we follow the perfection of our Lord and strive for it in our own lives through his power. This means that we must not shut down or impede his Holy Spirit within us, but allow him to transform us, to alter our ways into being more like Christ. This command was first given in the Old Testament, in Leviticus 11:44, and was addressed to the Israelites. We as Christians are equally commanded to follow, as we are to be like our God.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble ~ Psalms 46:1 These days are filled with a troubled world, full of anger and division, full of fear and mistrust. People who live in the world and are expecting it to meet their needs will always find that it lacks. Yet still the world does not come to the One God who can and will meet the needs of those who seek him. There is no other god such as our God, for he is alive, and we may go to him with any and every matter. He listens, he hears, he answers, and he moves for us. Jesus told us to seek him, to seek his righteousness and all these things will be given to you (Matthew 6:33). It does not matter what your need is, God wants and desires to grant it to you. We may pray for any need and God will listen and hear. It matters not what your troubles are: illness, family problems, financial issues, job issues, or if you find yourself in the midst of a change in life. God is there always ready to be our strength and refuge.

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph ~ Amos 5:14, 15 Seek good so that you may live. We are all born with the tendency for good and for evil. The temptation to hate, to be unjust, to be merciless is our “old man” within us, and he will rear his ugly head if we let him. It therefore takes control and our will to put him in his place, and to hate evil of all kinds. If we let go and let even a bit of resentment into our heart, it soon blossoms out of control, and we lose our joy, we lose our friends, and our friends lose us. We cannot maintain hatred and joy at the same time, for it is impossible. Either everything is tainted black, or we rise above and love what is good, and just, and live life with the fullness of joy. When we receive the free salvation of Jesus Christ, our hearts are filled

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God ~ Ephesians 5:1, 2 Yesterday the world witnessed the carnage of a country which has become so divided they have succumbed to violence on their house of parliament. Anger, violence, and destruction were all a part of this demonstration on the White House. It is a perfect example of how we are not to live, in how we are not to act. It is the perfect example of following a leader which incites this type of behaviour in those who look up to him. It is shameful and sad that this has occurred. It is also an example which has no scale, for this type of behaviour can also happen in a home, in a small company, in a large organization, and as we saw displayed, in a country. It is not the first time this type of demonstration has been witnessed in our world. Other countries have encountered such in history. There ha

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming ~ 1 Peter 1:13 There are many trials we face in life, and they differ from person to person. Jesus advised his disciples, and us through his words that we would face trials, that just because we believe in him, we would not be free of the ups and downs of life. In fact, he warned us because we believe in him we could face more trouble than those who do not. Many churches and preachers today preach a soft Christ, a friend you can cozy up to, and one that will protect you from all harm. They mislead new believers, for when trouble comes upon them, they turn their back on the God who did not supposedly protect them. Jesus is our friend, and he does walk with us, but his walk continues through the hard and the soft times. This is our hope. Jesus will not keep from us that which is good, though we may have to walk through the trial to reach that

Give us today our daily bread ~ Matthew 6:11 Sometimes our prayers go up to God seeking what we want, desiring what our heart lusts after. Our attitude is “give me, give me, give me!” We are like children when our parents ask us what we want for our birthday or for Christmas. We jump up and down and exclaim that we want the latest Barbie, or video game! The biggest and the best is what we want! And God does not respond to our prayer and we think, “What kind of God is he that would not give me what I asked for?” God does not give us everything. He is not like a compliant parent which gives in and spoils the child, fulfilling their every desire. This part of the prayer of Jesus gives us an indication of how we should come before God and pray. “Give us today our daily bread, give us what we need to help us grow, to sustain us, to keep us healthy, that is what I seek from you, God.” The prayer is not asking for the whole loaf, but just what is needed for the day. Jesus teaches we ought t

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God ~ Micah 6:8 Through the prophet, God speaks to his people about the right way to worship. The people had come to worship him with their burnt offerings, with their olive oil, even the mention of offering a firstborn for their transgressions was mentioned as a possibility. Of course, Moloch was a Canaanite god associated with child sacrifice, but there were times when the Israelite’s were influenced by this offering choice. Ahaz, king of Judah offered his son to this god in 2 Kings 16:3. We are appalled at this type of worship to a god, but we cannot be so judgemental. We must ask ourselves if we worship God in the way God requires. There are those who place their holiness in external rites, in what appears as piety. God requires something very different from us who worship him. His law is good, otherwise Moses would not have delivered God’s

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age ~ Titus 2:11, 12 The grace of God which appears in our hearts after his salvation has been received becomes that which transforms us, and what we once took pleasure in, we find no longer offers that same pleasure. The transformation within us becomes this mysterious sense that the ways of our past no longer bring honour to God, and so we are just done with those old ways. Sometimes we learn what brings God glory by reading it in his Word, but there are times when we inwardly sense it without being taught. Our learning comes by our conscience through the power of the Holy Spirit. The world and all that is offensive to God stings our nostrils with its stench, and we immediately reject all that belongs to this worldly life. When we hear the stories of the person who immediately gave

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom ~ Psalm 90:12 In these continuing days of COVID-19, I find my days tend to get mixed up. In fact, today is Saturday, but in my mind, it was Sunday. I was ahead in the number of my days this time, but I can also find myself behind in the number of my days. There are times when the days seem to blend into one another as the routine of staying in my home, and out of the retail and workplace world carry on in regular routine of their sameness. I wonder where the last year went, and how it went so quickly by when most of my time was spent with me alone. How we spend our days is vital to us all, especially in these times. I can easily waste a day in doing nothing of great importance, or I can spend a day making a difference in what I learn, and what I do with my time. It is up to me to decide, unless I turn my days over to God for his guidance, just as the psalmist prays. Teach us to number our days, he cries out. Help me to m

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here! ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17 It is a New Year! All day I have been receiving greetings and blessings, as I am sure you have been as well. We like to view a New Year as a turning over, a new direction, and often we make new resolutions to leave the old habits behind and begin new healthy ones – or, usually we do. What about this year though? What has become important to you as we have travelled the past 9 months in a pandemic, in shut-downs and lock-downs, and virtual visits? I know what has become important to me when I look behind and forward to what is ahead. Most certainly family has always been at the top of the list, seeing daughter’s, sons, grandchildren, and siblings, parents and other relatives I hope are always at the top of your list. I know sometimes our list includes finances, and losing weight, or travelling to that distant land we have always dreamed about. But, when I hear comments