The word “Blessed” is used by many people. People certainly want to be “Blessed.” If you ask how a person is doing, they will often respond by saying, “I’m blessed.” The book of Psalms uses the term “Bless” quite a bit. When one reads the book of Psalms, they will certainly be blessed. Let’s consider some passages from the Psalms. “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2 It is a blessing to follow the law of God! The counsel of the wicked and the path of sinners may seem enticing, but it will never end well. The psalmist reminds us in Psalm 119:67 that when we go astray, affliction comes. Those who travel the path of the wicked and sinners will not stand. When we meditate on God’s law day and night, we will be blessed. When we delight in understanding His ways, our lives will be much better. This doesn’t mean that we will never have problems. However, we will be able to eliminate the pain that sin brings with it. King David reminded us in Psalm 32 about the pain of sin. He said: “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.”  Do you want to be blessed? Then delight in God’s law. David spoke about the pain of sin in Psalm 32. But he also talked about the blessing of being forgiven! “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity. And in whose spirit there is no deceit.” We are blessed when we confess our sins to God and repent! Many may not view this as a blessing. However, being forgiven by God and knowing we have a right relationship with Him is the greatest gift we could ever have! Is there sin we need to confess to God? We will be blessed when we do! What other blessings might we find in the book of Psalms? Consider the following passages. Psalm 2:12: “Do Homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” Psalm 33:10-12: “The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 34:8: “O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Because we are so blessed by God, let us Bless Him! Let us give thanks to Him, praise Him, and honor Him! “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits.”  Psalm 103:1-2

Do you know who Jesus is? I mean, do you really know who he is? What was he all about? What kind of life did he live? Who was this man that we are trying to model our lives after? I think it’s safe to say that Jesus is very often misrepresented in today’s world. Ask someone who is not a Christian today what Jesus was like, or what people who follow him (Christians) are supposed to be like, and see what they say. I read a quote from a man who is not a Christian, and he made this statement: “I hate Christians because they are not loving of others. They show an intolerance for other belief systems and they condemn actions that they claim to be immoral. This intolerance is not the way you should be living if you claim to follow a loving savior, Jesus.” I would have to ask this man, and others who make similar statements, to consider this thought: What if Jesus really was who you say he is? What if he was loving and accepting of all beliefs, tolerant of all people and lifestyles, and hesitant to condemn anyone for their actions? That sounds like a pretty nice guy. But people who have this view of Jesus forget one very important detail about his life. He was killed...because people hated him... Clearly, people weren’t too fond of Jesus, seeing as how they numbered him among the criminals. Yet Jesus being proclaimed as a criminal, and killed because of it, ended up being the sacrifice that we needed for our salvation. If Jesus had been that incredibly tolerant guy that many people claim he is, then people would have loved him. If Jesus hadn't called out the sin around him, he likely wouldn't have upset people and we wouldn’t have a hope for salvation through his death. This claim, that Jesus tolerates all sin and lifestyles, doesn’t just exist outside of Christianity. Even people who claim to be Christians have become tolerant of many different lifestyles and allow sinful things to exist in their own, as well as others', lives all because they fail to recognize just who Jesus was. Was Jesus a loving and tolerant person? Absolutely he was, but that doesn’t mean that Jesus ever tolerated sin. In fact, Jesus, many times, called people out when the situation demanded it, even if that meant offending the people around him. In Matthew 23, Jesus, speaking to the Pharisees, calls these men “white-washed tombs…full of dead men’s bones.” These were men who had an appearance in front of others, as being really spiritual God-fearing people, but Jesus calls them out and says ‘Not even close!’ In John chapter 4, Jesus calls out a woman, whom he had just met, for living a life with many husbands & divorces because, though she might not have wanted to hear it, he knew more than anything she needed it. In Matthew chapter 12, Jesus calls a crowd of people a “brood of vipers.” This doesn’t really sound like a man who is trying to be tolerant of the lives around him. In fact, this sounds like a man who never lowered the standard but told people that he, as their judge, held them to a higher one. Nothing about Jesus’ life ever changed to adapt to the world around him. He called for the world to adapt to him and held strong even if they wouldn’t. Our savior Jesus Christ was definitely a loving and caring person. That much is evident by the fact that he was willing to die for us. But let’s not forget just what it was that caused him to end up on that cross; it was the truth that he stood for and the enemies he made while defending that truth. He brought this truth to us, knowing full well the effect it would have and the consequences it would bring. He says to his disciples, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34) We too are to recognize the effect that our message will have on people and the consequences that it may bring. Jesus says, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this, the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19) People may not like that we refuse to be tolerant of their sinful lives. In fact, people may hate us because we proclaim a higher standard enforced by Jesus. But none of that should cause us to stray from the truth of Jesus Christ. We need to be loving and caring for all people, but we cannot tolerate sin just because the world accepts it. We must hold fast in truth despite its consequences. “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)

What makes you afraid? People fear all kinds of things from snakes to tight spaces to needles. Some fears are completely irrational, others are based in some sort of traumatic experience. Matthew 10 talks a lot about fear and tells us exactly what we as Christians should and should not be afraid of. Verses 16-23 are Jesus’ warning to the apostles that they would be hated and persecuted for His sake. In fact, He tells them honestly and directly that he is sending them into dangerous, difficult situations. Families will be divided, Christians will be put on trial and martyred due to their faith, and the apostles will quite literally have to run for their lives. All of this, though, sets up Jesus’ main point in the next section. If you skip to verses 26-33, we read what we should really be afraid of. After outlining the horrors that would come to the first century church at the hands of their persecutors, Jesus says, “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” What the apostles had to realize is that there are horrific things that would happen in their lives, but no matter how much pain or persecution they endured, God would be just in the end, for better or for worse, for everyone, for all of time. If they lived faithfully to Him and kept His commandments, then they would be eternally “acknowledged” before the Father as The Redeemed, and they would be in a place where they would forget all the sorrows of this world and experience the indescribable joy of their Maker’s presence for all eternity. But, if they did not fear the living God and keep His commandments while on this earth, they would be eternally separated from the Father of the Man they had followed and worked with for 3 years. Their body and soul would be destroyed beyond anything an abusive, tyrannical emperor like Nero could even dream of. That should terrify us, just like it did them. Jesus’ goal in these verses, though, is not just to literally put the fear of God into His apostles. He also uses this time to encourage them. Verses 29-31 tell us, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Jesus uses the thoughts of the coming persecution as motivation for His apostles to keep their eyes on the Heavenly Father. No matter how bad the persecution got, no matter how many of their brethren were stoned, no matter how many Christians were forced to compete to the death in the Coliseum, God knew everything about them and cared for them deeply. We serve an omniscient God. He knows everything, including who are His, who are proud to be His, and who is slacking off in His kingdom. It is scary to know that whether we like it or not, and no matter how well we “fake it” with our brethren, we cannot hide from God. Jonah tried it. Adam and Eve tried it. It has never worked, so why would we be any different? In the context of a comparison between God’s mercy and His wrath, the Hebrew writer tells us in Hebrews 10:31, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” God’s mercy, grace, love, and faithfulness are all strong, but His wrath and His judgment are too. When the end comes, God Himself is coming back to earth with a vengeance unlike anything we have seen before. His eternal purpose will be fulfilled and those who have been faithful to Him, His word, and His plan, will reap the benefits of their work. As the song says: “This world’s a wilderness of woe, this world is not my home. We will work till Jesus comes.” But, on the other hand, Satan’s head will finally be crushed, darkness will be defeated, along with the rest of those who are not on God’s side. It is absolutely horrifying to think about the amount of destruction, judgment, and separation that will occur on that day.  But is also incomprehensible to imagine the amount of love and joy that awaits those who are sons and daughters of the King. The lesson in all of this is really to understand who we are dealing with. God has so many complex qualities that we can never fully understand, but the more we learn about Him and the closer our relationship with Him is, the better we will be able to understand and fear Him properly. We are to keep growing, keep praising Him, and keep communicating with Him through scripture and prayer. The more we teach ourselves about who God is, the more ready we will be to humble ourselves at His feet on the day of judgment. We are to stay humble, stay in the Word, and stay fearful. After all, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 1:7)

Several years ago in Southeast Texas, some visitors asked me a question I will never forget. They asked, “Where are the instruments?”  We had just wrapped up our Wednesday night Bible class. The singing was great! It was a very encouraging night. But these visitors probably didn’t think so. They were probably disappointed. Many find it weird to see a church without musical instruments in worship. But why? It’s because most churches have musical instruments and much more. But does that make it right? The answer is no. The reason why we don’t have musical instruments, a choir, a school, a dance team, a coffee shop, and more is because we don’t have Biblical Authority to have them. When we study the scriptures, we find a pattern for us to follow. In every age, God has given His people a pattern to follow. The challenge for many is whether they will be satisfied with God’s pattern and God’s way. Let’s consider some scriptures. Cain and Abel. God gave Cain and Abel a pattern to follow as they worshipped Him, Genesis 4:3-5. On the surface, what Cain did with respect to what he offered to God sounds good. And yet God regarded Abel’s sacrifice instead of Cain. God was not pleased with Cain. An answer is not given to us in Genesis as to why He was displeased. Yet additional details are found in the New Testament. Jesus spoke of Abel as the first righteous martyr, Matthew 23:35. The fact he’s described as righteous gives us insight with respect to the way he sacrificed to God. He worshipped God as God desired, 1 John 3:12. In Hebrews 11: 4 we learn that what Abel did was by faith. This wasn’t by accident, but rather because he followed God’s pattern. Abel’s sacrifice is to be an example for us. In what way is this an example? Just as he worshiped God by faith, we are to do the same. Our faith comes by hearing from God’s word, Romans 10:17. We can hear and determine correctly what it is that God wants from us as we worship Him. Moses and the Israelites God gave Moses and the Israelites specific instructions to follow as they worshipped Him. After being delivered from Egypt, God told Moses to build a tabernacle, Exodus 25. It was to be according to the pattern, Exodus 25:9, 40. In Leviticus 8, we see just how seriously Moses and the people took God’s authority. In chapter eight, we see that eight times Moses and the people did “Just as the LORD commanded them…” Leviticus 8:4, 9, 13,17, 21, 29, 31, 34, 36. Maybe this explains why God did what He did in Leviticus 10 with Nadab and Abihu. They offered strange fire to God, which He had not commanded them. They failed to honor and revere God, Leviticus 10:1-2. This story destroys the argument of “God didn’t say I couldn’t…” God used them as an example to the people to see that what His people did mattered to Him, Leviticus 10:4-6. These examples should matter to us! In every age God has given His people a pattern for them to follow. Under the New Covenant Under the New Covenant in Christ, it still matters that we act according to God’s pattern.  People want to know why we don’t have instrumental music. It’s not because we don’t have the talent, money, or energy. It’s because it’s not in God’s pattern. We don’t have Bible authority for instruments. We do have Bible authority to sing, Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 2:12. It’s just that simple. In fact, in the New Testament we find patterns found numerous times, 1 Corinthians 16:1; Philippians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 4:17. God has always given man a pattern to follow. The idea of God not providing us a pattern is simply false! Following God’s pattern does not negate His grace or our love for Him. Following God’s pattern is a way for us to demonstrate our love for God, 2 Timothy 1:13. Our starting point in all things is this: Is this pleasing to God, 2 Corinthians 5:9? How can we know what’s pleasing to God? Only following the pattern, He gave us.

"I am a Christian." That can be a very vague statement in today’s world. Typically, when I tell someone that I am a Christian their immediate response is, “What kind of Christian are you?” This can be a tough question to answer. Not because I don’t have an answer, but because in today’s world people expect that there must be some secondary label associated with my Christianity; Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, etc. When I try to explain to someone that none of these secondary labels explain my faith, they often stare at me with a look of confused pity as if I have failed to come to a conclusion on the direction of my walk with God. First, foremost, and of highest priority in life is my relationship with God, so I can assure you I have thought long and hard and reached conclusions on my foundation of Faith. Paul wrote to the church of Ephesus and said, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling: One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.” (Ephesians 4:4-5) Since there is only one faith that can lead to God, to answer the question, “What kind of Christian are you?” I would have to say the only kind. At least the only kind there should be. Why so many? Yes, today there are many “kinds” of Christianity. Most people will tell you that this is ok. "As long as we are all striving to follow Jesus, we are all right." But is that how it was intended to be? Should we simply accept that there are multiple ways to be a Christian and that your way is as good as mine? Contrary to popular opinion, I would have to say the answer is no. Jesus said that on the belief in Him he would build His Church [singular]. If He built one, why do we have so many? The apostles wrote constantly about unity and about Christians being like-minded. If that’s how Jesus intended it, what’s up with all the division and the differing views/practices? This clearly isn’t how things are supposed to be. The Bible makes it clear that division and various types of Christianity is not the way it was meant to be done. Though what the Bible says can be the end of this discussion, lets also consider the logic of what we [by this I mean anyone who claims to be “Christian”] are doing. We all claim to be following Jesus the right way. We all claim to be teaching truth. Yet we teach and do very different things. If Jesus said there is one way to follow him, we can’t all be doing it differently and still be right. If Jesus says there is one faith, then we can’t all have that one faith if we believe different things. Consider this; If I tell you that 1+1=3, but you tell me that 1+1=2, can we both be right? No. In this crude example, both of us are making a statement that we claim to be the truth, but they are different. Not only are they different, they contradict. Therefore both statements can’t be the truth. There is only one correct answer to the question. So, if you and I disagree, let’s face it, at least one of us is wrong. This same logic is true of different kinds of Christianity. Jesus says there is one faith; one church; one way to be a Christian. So if you and I disagree on matters of doctrine and practice then let’s face it, at least one of us is wrong. That’s not what the world wants us to think. We live in a culture of “Everyone is a winner and everyone can do what they want and be right.” That is simply not true and can not be true regarding Christianity. So that leaves us with the question: Who is right? With all the labels and types of Christianity in the world, which way is the right way? Like I said earlier, I believe that I, like many others in the world, am the only kind of Christian that is right in the eyes of God. Now you may be saying, “Wow Cody, that’s mighty arrogant of you.” But I don’t believe it is arrogant. I don’t believe this is a matter of arrogance at all. I would say it’s quite the opposite of arrogance. I choose to surrender my life fully to Jesus and what He wants of me. I choose not to model my faith by the teaching of whatever “denomination” or “group” I could claim to be a part of. My faith is modeled only by the words of Jesus. I believe that this is what Jesus intended for us. He told us to “take up our cross and follow Him.” He didn't tell us to be Catholic. He didn't tell us to be Methodist. He didn't tell us to be Baptist. He told us to be HIS. Christian simply means to be "like Christ." It's a called out group of people that are ONE body. Again, this isn't a matter of arrogance. It's not a matter of "what I do is better than what you do" or vice versa. What is most important is this; are we doing what Jesus wanted of His church? Does it really matter? "As long as I am serving Jesus, does it really matter where I go and what I do?" YES! Not everyone or every church that claims to follow Jesus actually does. And those people may not even know it. Jesus spoke about this very topic in Matthew 7. "Not everyone who says to Me, ' Lord, Lord.' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day. 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?" And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' (Matthew 7:21-23) This is something many people miss. God & Jesus care very much if we are following them the right way. These people Jesus speaks of were doing good things. They were calling on Him and trying to follow Him. But something about the way they were doing it caused Jesus to be unhappy with them. He says He doesn't even know these people. He says what they are doing is LAWLESSNESS. The good things they were doing were LAWLESSNESS because it wasn't exactly what Jesus wanted. This is why it’s so important to be sure you are doing what Jesus wanted. These people weren't trying to do the wrong thing. I'm fairly confident that they were doing these things with a sincere heart. But they still weren't doing it right, therefore, they were condemned. Sincerity isn't a saving faith. Now What? "Cody, I attend a church with one of the "labels" you mentioned. Are you saying I shouldn't go there?" Well let me put it this way; If the church you attend isn't doing things the way Jesus wanted, do you want to go there? I won't say one way or another whether the church you are a part of is right with God because I don't know your church. You need to figure that out! Here is what I suggest that you do: Read the book of Acts. Determine exactly what it was that was expected of a church and disciples that truly followed Jesus. What did they do when they gathered together? What did they not do? How did they spend their time? Does my church do the same things they did? Read the epistles of the New Testament [Romans through Jude]. Here you will read much more about how churches are to act as well as the individual Christian. Look to see what kind of instructions churches were given. Also, take note of what kind of acts and behaviors were condemned. Again, it's not a matter of arrogance, it's about complete submission to the instruction of the Lord. You need to be a part of a group of people who follow Jesus. No labels, no opinions, no teachings of men, nothing but the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Simply, Christians. This isn't an easy task. It requires study and work to make sure that the people you identify with as a church are following the pattern that Jesus and His apostles laid out in the first century. But it's a task that is of the utmost importance. Do you really want to get to the end of your days, stand before God and be told by Jesus, "Depart from me. I don't know you and you don't know me. You told people you followed me but you never have. I know you were sincere, but you weren't doing the right thing. I wish you had been sincere enough to study my word thoroughly to know the right way." Put your faith, beliefs, and your church to the test of the scriptures. Do a harsh comparison between your Christianity and the Bible. If you don't see in your life and church, the pattern of the New Testament, then it's time to make a change and find a group of like-minded Christians, striving to serve God the way Jesus intended. We all need to be the kind of Christian who diligently strives to obey every command of God in the way He intended.

When we think of what scripture asks of us, and what God invites us to do in scripture, what do we think of? Isaiah beautifully describes this “invitation” of God in Isaiah 55:1-2 saying, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” Wow! In a time where so many are talking about the prices of groceries, imagine living in a place where you can buy the finest goods that the world has to offer but with no money! Imagine being able to get something priceless for free. That is how Isaiah describes the blessings and pleasure that come from God’s relationship with His people. However, there is one important part of verse two that I left out of the quote above. Isaiah continues, “Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.” If we want to “eat” and “delight” in what God has to offer, we must “listen diligently” and “incline [our] ear[s]” to Him.” Isaiah continues to talk about what the Lord does in people when he says in verse 7, “let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts.” The reason for this, Isaiah explains, is so that the Lord “may have compassion on him.” The reason God wants us to leave our old ways, lives, and thoughts behind, is so that he can have compassion on the wicked! When we think of the wicked in this world, we likely do not think of ourselves and we likely do not think that we want them to be shown compassion! However, when God sees people making bad decisions or “enslaved to sin”, He is obviously upset by the fact that they are not honoring Him, but His response to that is not to immediately to wipe them off the face of the earth (Romans 6:20-23). Instead, He says, “[f]or My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.” In saying this, God is offering the wicked a better way: His! We have all had thoughts and thought patterns that are not Holy and frankly, that are not working well for us. Thanks be to God that He offers us His way and His thoughts, that are so much better than anything I could figure out left to my own devices. All of this leads to a better end than we could ever fathom as well. Imagine this: “You shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break out into singing, and all the trees shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off” (12-13). Imagine walking through nature and the mountains and hills singing praise to your King and the trees applauding the victory you have found in Him! I beg you, leave behind your own path that is covered in briars and thorns. There is a better, higher one that is lined with beautiful cypress and myrtle trees, where you can eat and drink freely, and continue forward confidently, joyfully, and peacefully. Listen diligently to His thoughts revealed in His word and take them as your own. Why would you spend your money and effort on things that do not satisfy? “Come, buy, and eat!”