faith Archives - Paula Wiseman

Test Time

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Matthew 25:35-36

My husband and my son are both taking online classes this summer. This means lots of books to read, online lectures, discussion forums, papers, and the inevitable exams. With these classes, there may only be two or three tests, so doing well on them is key to doing well in the class. So when the lecture comes or the information is posted about what the exam will cover, everyone pays close attention. You may recall classmates (or maybe it was you) in high school or college interrupting a lecture with the $64 question: “Is this going to be on the test?” How the instructor answered that question determined whether we listened for the next few minutes or went back to doodling in the margins of our notebooks. None of us wanted to waste time studying things that seemingly didn’t matter.

In Matthew 24, the disciples ask Jesus a couple of important questions – “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3) Jesus answers their questions in a lengthy passage called the Olivet Discourse. Then He gives His guys a couple of parables to help them understand. After the parable of the talents, one which underscores the importance of seizing the opportunity to demonstrate faithfulness, stewardship, and diligence in service to the master, Jesus gives them one more admonition.

When He comes in His glory, a separation will be made between His sheep and the goats. His sheep will be admitted to eternal rest prepared for them from the foundation of the world, while the goats are consigned to outer darkness. Without arguing the eschatological timing of this separation, let’s focus on the criteria in Matthew 25:35-36.

Feeding the hungry.
Satisfying the thirsty.
Welcoming the outsiders.
Clothing the naked.
Visiting the sick.
Caring for the prisoners.

Jesus, the King, explains, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:40

My friends, this is what is on the test.

Did our genuine faith lead us to care for others? James hits this hard in his short book.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:15-17

Did we see the unseen? Are we generous? Did we love the marginalized? Did we stand up for those who have no voice?

Or did we hoard our resources? Did we expend them on ourselves? Did we make our names great rather than growing the kingdom? Did we cross over to the other side of the road so we didn’t have to see, so we didn’t have to get involved?

This is not to say that we stop doing the one thing that only we as believers can do and that is spreading the gospel. Not at all, but as the gospel goes out, compassion and caring go with it. We feed the hungry because we know where they can find the Bread of Life. We satisfy the thirsty because we can offer them springs of living water. We welcome the outsiders because Jesus said. “Come unto Me.” We clothe the naked because He offers us His righteousness in exchange for our filthy rags. We visit the sick because the Great Physician has healed us of the sin that was destroying our souls. We care for the prisoners because we have been set free.

Or we abdicate that responsibility, that stewardship and let governments or agencies or nonprofits try it. The body of Christ will continue to grow weak and ineffective and irrelevant.

I believe we have a moment of testing right now. I know Covid-19 has presented challenges to believers and churches unlike any we have seen. But this season of unrest and upheaval in our societies is even greater. The test papers have been handed out. We know what’s on the exam.

How will we respond?

Lessons from the Good Kings: Jotham

By Paula

So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God. 2 Chronicles 27:6

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been surveying the lives of some of the kings of Judah. Today is our last one. Maybe you’re not into history. But all of these guys– Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah— should encourage us and bring us hope. That’s why we have their stories. We’ll finish up with Jotham.

Jotham was a young man, only twenty-five when he ascended to the throne. However, he was well-prepared for his reign. We saw last week that his father, Uzziah, had been struck with leprosy and forced to live out his last years in seclusion. This left Jotham to fulfill all the official duties of a king for a full decade before ruling on his own.

Scripture doesn’t tell us very much about Jotham, fewer than two dozen verses in fact, so it’s tempting to skip him as unimportant. But a close, thoughtful reading shows some admirable things about this king.

Jotham learned from his father’s failures. 2 Chronicles 27:2 makes a point of telling us that Jotham did not enter the Temple presumptuously. Furthermore, the chronicler uses the very same word to describe Jotham — mighty — as he did for Uzziah in 26:16. However, that was the moment Uzziah became filled with pride. Jotham was tremendously blessed with civil, financial and military success, but he remained humble.

We need to be wise enough to learn from others. It is easy to tell ourselves that the bad outcomes won’t happen to us, that we will somehow be different, but that rarely happens. Jotham knew pride and presumption led to disastrous consequences and he resolved not to give in to it.

Furthermore, he remained committed to God, leading by example, even though his subjects persisted in their corrupt lifestyles. As king, there is no doubt his every move was scrutinized. There is no comment on whether or not Jotham was a popular king, only that he was a godly one.

We too must remain steadfast even when we are in the minority. This will only be more difficult as our culture becomes more and more stridently anti-God. (Unless of course God intervenes and a great revival breaks out.)

Jotham’s purposefully ordered his life, his routines, his habits so that they lined up with God’s law. His life was marked not simply be the absence of evil but by the presence of godliness.

We can’t expect a God-honoring life to happen by accident. It takes intentional effort to cultivate as well as time and practice to make it a reality. Let’s renew our commitment to holiness.

Unfortunately, Jotham’s reign was a short one. He died at forty-one and his son Ahaz became king. Ahaz was the opposite of his father. He worshiped the idols of Israel and even sacrificed his children to the false gods. (2 Chronicles 28:3) Not even a stunning defeat at the hands of Israel and Syria, including the death of his own son in the battle, could bring Ahaz back to his senses. However, Jotham’s grandson, Hezekiah, built on the foundation of devotion to God. You can read about Hezekiah in 2 Kings 18-20, 2 Chronicles 29-32 and in the book of Isaiah.

The thing that stands out to me in this survey of the kings is that godliness is not necessarily passed on. Some good kings had evil sons. Sometimes, we as teachers, leaders, or parents can instruct and model faith, but each individual must decide to embrace it. That decision is out of our hands.

On the flip side, some good godly kings came from wicked, idolatrous parents. This shows that legacy is not destiny. We shouldn’t write anyone off because of their family or background.

We’ll start a new series next week!

Lessons from the Good Kings: Joash

By Paula

And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 2 Chronicles 24:2

We know King David. And Solomon. Maybe even Hezekiah and Josiah. But there were many other kings in Judah, and admittedly, many were terrible. However, there were some good kings, not perfect kings, but good kings. These good kings can serve as examples of things we can do even in our culture, in our lives to honor God. So far we’ve studied Asa and his son, Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram, began his reign with the execution of his brothers. 2 Chronicles 21:20, in recording his reign ends with “and, to no one’s sorrow, departed.” His son, Ahaziah, was no better and after his death in an ill-advised battle, Jehoram’s widow seized the throne and “destroyed all the royal heirs of the house of Judah.” (2 Chronicles 22:10)

Except one. Princess Jehoshabeath who was the wife of a priest named Jehoiada hid her toddler half-brother, Joash, in a room in the temple. Six years later, when Joash was seven years old, Jehoida led a group of men to overthrow Athaliah and establish Joash as the rightful king.

Joash leaned heavily on the advice of a godly mentor. You can read more about Jehoiada and his devotion to God in 2 Chronicles 23. He covenanted with the people and with Joash that they would be a people of God. He re-established the proper role of the priests and Levites. Everyone in Judah breathed a sigh of relief. He also chose wives for Joash. We can certainly argue that having two wives was outside God’s design, but it’s a subtle indication that Joash depended on the priest’s counsel.

The relationship between Joash and Jehoiada underscores our need both to be and to enlist a mentor. Of course, we are more likely to call it discipleship and maybe even do it in a small group setting, but that doesn’t erase the need or the importance of building deep relationships with other believers. That is the model Jesus established in His earthly ministry and we see it in the life of Paul later in the New Testament.

Joash had a heart for worship and for the house of God. Afterward, Joash took it to heart to renovate the LORD’s temple. 2 Chronicles 24:4 The Temple was the place God Himself chose to dwell and the respect the people showed to the place was a reflection of their devotion to the One who dwelt between the cherubim. Joash reinstituted the collection Moses had set up to pay for the upkeep of the tabernacle. Verse 13 says the collection was enough to restore the house of God to its original condition and it was reinforced as well. The original condition was what Solomon built. This was no small undertaking and a significant expense.

We tend to shy away from venerating the place we worship. It’s “just a building” and certainly the church of God is the people of God. However, do we have an intense desire to restore, to revive our worship? Do we long to meet with God, to be where He meets with His people? Are we generous with our contributions so that His full glory can be made known?

Joash walked away. Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. And they abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. 2 Chronicles 24:17-18a. The unsettling conclusion seems to be that Joash’s faith and devotion to God were shallow at best. When flatterers came, he knowingly, willingly walked away from truth and embraced a lie. That is the very definition of apostasy.

And it got worse. When Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah, called him out, Joash had the priest murdered. This brazen act ultimately resulted in Joash’s assassination at the hands of his own servants. He was buried without honor.

This is a cautionary lesson for us. Are we clinging to truth or are we enamored with lies? Are we following the God of Scripture or a god we created? How do we react when we are called out for our sins? Do we become defensive and lash out at the messenger or do we thank God for sending correction?

Following Christ is a lifetime occupation, not just a fad for a season. Next week, we’ll see how Joash’s failures impacted his son, Amaziah.

Precious Faith

By Paula

[S]o that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:7

Peter was the most outspoken of Jesus’s followers. He was a blue-collar guy. Hard working, but rough-hewn. So when a guy like that tells you something is precious, it’s worth stopping and considering his words. In his first letter, Peter quickly mentions several things that precious. (Or of great value or great worth, depending on your translation.)

The first is the genuineness of your faith.

More precious, that is more valuable, than gold. Why is this such a great thing? Let’s think about gold for a minute. (And the chemistry nerd in me is going to come out. Just humor me.)

Gold is rare, but when we find it, it usually unmixed with any other compound. It is resistant to almost every acid. It literally passes the acid test. Gold has unique properties. It is able to be stretched and molded. It is extremely resistant to corrosion and it just about the best conductor of electricity that we know of.

Now consider how Peter’s analogy applies to genuine faith.

It is unmixed. We don’t trust in Jesus and … our bank account, our position, our smarts. Or do we?
It resists attack. When our faith is attacked by circumstances or directly by the enemy, we resist it. We marshall our friends to help us pray. We go to Scripture for answers and assurance. We fight back. Or do we?
It is able to be stretched and molded. We undergo hard times and challenges, know that each one is making us more Christlike. Or do we?
It is extremely resistant to corrosion. We don’t allow anything to chip away at our faith. We also avoid things that will cause a layer of impurity to build up. Or do we?
It is a great conductor. We do our best to ensure that the Holy Spirit can work through us, accomplishing our greatest mission of bringing others into the Kingdom. Or do we?

The people reading Peter’s letter back in the first century were forced to flee their homes and homeland because of intense persecution. The proven genuineness of their faith wasn’t just an abstract idea. When I read his words today, they challenge me. Is my faith in Christ more precious than gold? Am I putting it to use? When the refining comes, how will I respond?

Peter knew how his friends would respond – to the praise and glory and honor of Jesus Christ at His appearing. That’s the kind of genuine faith I want. The precious kind.

Next week – precious blood

Journey to Easter: The Locked Room

By Paula

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” John 20:26

For the last several weeks, we have stopped at significant places with Jesus as He moved ever closer to fulfilling His mission. The Upper Room. The Garden. The Chamber. The Judgment Hall. The Empty Tomb. We’ve seen that each stop was purposeful and planned. And if we took the time, we learned something at each location.

Pessimistic. Loyal. Fatalistic. Devoted. Thomas is an interesting character. When Jesus receives word of Lazarus’s death and heads toward Jerusalem, knowing the imminent danger He faced there, Thomas is ready to go die with Jesus. (John 11:16) He wasn’t afraid. He didn’t hesitate. In the Upper Room, he wasn’t much for abstract ideas about going and preparing places, and said as much. Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:5)

Like the other disciples, he fled when Jesus was arrested. Like the other disciples, he really didn’t expect Jesus to raise from the dead. In his defense, the other guys were trying to persuade him AFTER they had the evidence. A few hours before, they didn’t believe the women’s reports any more than Thomas believed theirs.

On the eighth day after the resurrection, the disciples were gathered in a locked room. This time Thomas was there. We have all been where Thomas was that day. We have heard the promises Jesus made, but reality and the pain we’ve experienced made those words seem distant at best. We have heard the joyous testimonies of people around us, but struggled to respond with the same faith. Maybe we have wondered what was fundamentally wrong with us. Why don’t we get it? The faith thing seems so easy for everyone else. Maybe the heartache and struggles make the risk of faith too great.

But he was in the room. Notice how Jesus interacts with Thomas. Jesus doesn’t upbraid him for his lack of faith. It’s important to remember that Jesus didn’t shy away from doing exactly that when the situation warranted, like when He calmed the storm, or at Lazarus’s tomb. However, there is a difference between faith in Jesus and faith in our EXPECTATIONS about Jesus. Thomas misinterpreted that faith in his expectations for faith in Jesus Himself. When the expectations weren’t met, a faith crisis resulted.

Maybe you can identify. I know I can.

Thomas teaches us something else. His response wasn’t one of wonder or confusion like Peter and John at the tomb. It wasn’t even joy like Mary after seeing Christ in the garden. Thomas exclaims, “My Lord and my God!” Complete surrender. Genuine faith in Christ brings that. It throws out our agenda and our posturing.

The locked room is where things get real. Pretenses are stripped away and humility is refined. But the authenticity that results opens us up to the kingdom assignment Jesus has for us.

Thomas was in the boat when the tremendous haul of fish was taken a few days later. He was on the mountain when Jesus ascended. He was in the room when the Holy Spirit came. He preached the gospel in a language he had never studied enabling foreigners to hear the gospel clearly. There is strong evidence that he carried the gospel all the way to India where he almost certainly was martyred for his faith.

As you spend some time here with Thomas, consider your own faith. Is it in Christ or your expectations of Him? Are you genuinely surrendered? Are you ready to take on the task He has for you?

When you leave the locked room, your journey beyond Easter awaits!

The Shield of Faith

By Paula

Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Ephesians 6:16

A shield is for defense, for protection.
It is mobile. Big enough to hide behind.
It also bears the marks and scars of previous battles.

It is like everyone else’s,
But yet deeply personal.

No matter how brave,
How strong or
How well-trained,

Only a fool would face the enemy
Without a shield.

So when those fiery darts come…
And they will come
In the coming week, the coming day, the coming moment.
Doubt, despair, desire and more

Don’t be foolish enough to think that
Positive thinking, hard work, good character will be enough.

You must have the shield of faith.
Faith in God who loves you,
Who keeps His promises
Who will never leave you nor forsake you

Faith in a God who sees, who knows,
Who hears and who acts on your behalf.
Faith in a God who empowers, who strengthens
Who refreshes and revives you.

In all circumstances, in every situation, make sure you have your shield.

Test Time

Lessons from the Good Kings: Jotham

Lessons from the Good Kings: Joash

Precious Faith

Journey to Easter: The Locked Room

The Shield of Faith

Encounters Series

Covenant of Trust Series

Foundations Series