New Foundations International - New Foundations Blog

A SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT, BUT...

12/14/2018

There are times when God gives His people a special assignment, but does not explain why or what the end result will be. In raising our children, we would ask them to do something without first explaining the reason for the request. The key point with God and with parents who have the right motive is that understanding increases as we obey.

As Israel became hemmed in between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea, God spoke through Moses to the people; “I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord…fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which I will work for you today” (Exodus 14:4, 13, 17). There was no other nation on earth that God chose and loved as He loved Israel. This was no credit to them in the same way that our salvation is no credit to us. Yet, God chose them as He chose us, to reveal His glory through people who would obey His Word. God’s assignment was that they obey His every word. Through this obedience, God would reveal His glory, not just to themselves, as we see below, but also to the nations around them.

“Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses” (14:31). The greatest witness to the world will be when they see love for the Lord in our obedience. Then our message will be heard. Even a church like Ephesus had to repent and return to obedience to the Lord (Revelation 2:1-7).

I am afraid that the Church today does not realize how weak it is through disobedience. Israel eventually failed through disobedience and their witness for God became a mockery to the nations. Are we doing the same thing today? Bigger buildings and wider programs that eat up more money become an empty shell that looks good to man, but is void of God’s glory. The answer? REPENT!

NATIONS WILL KNOW THE LORD'S POWER

12/13/2018

There is no question that God has demonstrated His power all through the history of mankind. Stories were passed down from one generation to another of the flood in Noah’s day. What was the purpose in these “acts of God”?

Forty plus years after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and that generation had died, the story of the Red Sea was still being told, and for a reason. “For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever” (Joshua 4:23–24).

While the immediate purpose of drying up the Red Sea and the Jordan was to make a way for the people of Israel to get them into the Promised Land and deliver them from their enemies, the larger purpose was to speak to “all the peoples of the earth” in a way that would communicate the power of God and cause them to understand that the “Lord is mighty.” This purpose is universal.

Taking this truth a step further, “all the peoples of the earth” will come to realize the power of God in the cross of Christ (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18). The death of Jesus on the cross, His burial and resurrection, provided a powerful message we call the gospel. It accomplishes what no physical power can do. It provides forgiveness of sins (Luke 1:77), saves the soul from eternal death and gives eternal life (John 3:16), even though we may physically die (11:25-26).
Are you sharing with others this power with “all the peoples of the earth”?

GOD'S PURPOSE BEHIND PAGAN RULERS

12/12/2018

It is often difficult for us who love God and have placed our faith in His Son, to grasp why He leaves certain wicked rulers in place. This is even more difficult to understand when we see our brothers and sisters in Christ suffering because of their faith. Yet, there are examples in Scripture that give us insight into God’s purpose behind allowing evil rulers to vent their schemes against God’s people. Let’s look at one particular example.

Over a period of four hundred years, Israelites suffered one setback after another. Put into forced labor by Pharaoh, they made bricks to build his empire. During this time, God said to Pharaoh, “Let my son go that he may serve me. If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son” (Exodus 4:23). God considered Israel His son and desired him free from bondage so they could worship freely. The punishment for mistreating His people was severe – killing Egypt’s firstborn. At the same time, it was God who said eight times, “I will harden his (Pharaoh’s) heart” (4:21; 7:3; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 17). Why would God do this when He wanted His people set free.

It would have been a simple thing for God to place His hand in judgment on Pharaoh much earlier, but God waited and allowed this ruler to remain in power. “For this purpose I have raised you up, to show you My power, so that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth” (Exodus 9:16).

It is very important for us to grasp the larger picture of what God is doing. We see evil rulers inflicting suffering on Christians, and naturally we want God or some other government to step in and stop the injustice. As God said to Pharaoh, His purpose behind leaving the evil ruler in place was so the name of God be “proclaimed in all the earth!” Let us ask the Spirit to give us His expanded understanding of God’s ways that will increase His glory. In places of rising persecution, the gospel is spreading faster than anywhere else in the world. This is God’s purpose.

THEY WILL KNOW THE LORD!!

12/11/2018

Through history, God has repeated his promises so that we His people would keep them in the forefront of their thinking. Man’s rejection of the knowledge of God has never nullified the promise that all mankind will know that God is the Lord.

Think for a moment of the Lord’s words to Moses: “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them [the Israelites], and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 14:4). The worst assault on the people of God turned out to be the way God was going to reveal who He really is to a wicked ruler and his nation. It was the same turn of events with the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. He had succumbed to pressures from his administration to throw three men into a fiery furnace, but God revealed Himself in a fourth man that is “like the son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25). From this, Nebuchadnezzar wrote to “all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell on the earth…the Most High God…His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion endures from generation to generation” (4:2-3).

God speaks through Isaiah and says, “all flesh shall know that I am the Lord your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob” (49:26).

We must not allow the present rise in persecution in many places to cloud our vision of what God is yet going to do through it. Yes, we suffer with such “as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3). Though the suffering of God’s people is real and painful, through it, He is going to be known in every nation (people groups – ethne) on earth. Let’s be concerned about His glory being revealed even through our suffering.

THE MISSION OF GOD - ALL NATIONS

12/10/2018

As we look down the corridor of human history and the development of nations, one of the most significant events was the Tower of Babel. The pride of man thought they could achieve what Satan promised in the garden; “you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 1:5; 11:3-4). In this they did three things that resulted in total failure:
1.    They made bricks to build a city and a tower (11:3).
2.    They exalted man by trying to reach heaven their way (11:4).
3.    They wanted to make a name for themselves and avoid scattering (11:4).

Two things took place at the same time that turned their plans upside down:
1.    God confused their language so they could not understand each other [judgment] (11:7).
2.    “The Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth” [preparing for a promise] (11:9).

At the end of Moses’ life, he looks back and declares; “When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He divided mankind, He fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God” (Deuteronomy 32:8). Consider in this verse the sovereign actions of God to make sure that a divided people because of sin, would ultimately serve His plan and purpose for His glory.

Paul stands in the Athens Areopagus and proclaims; “And He [God] made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.” Then Paul gives the reason why God took this path of dividing up the nations; “that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him” (Acts 17:26–27). The gospel is that appeal to every nation. You and I are the messengers.

WHY WE MUST FINISH THE TASK

12/9/2018

Why must we have an urgency in our hearts and ministries of finishing the task of reaching every people group around the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ? The answer is simple. It was always God’s plan from before the beginning of the world. He first communicated the promise to Abraham: “I will bless those who bless you…and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).

This promise was further revealed in amazing clarity to Paul. The idea of the Gentiles hearing and believing the gospel was not clear to even Peter. Paul declares that “the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:3–6).

Notice that Paul calls this promise and idea of God a “mystery” or secret, a “plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things” (3:9). God kept much of His plan secret until the coming of the Holy Spirit so that it could be fulfilled in His power as far as the ends of the earth.

When we think that this is the wisdom of God revealed to the right people at the right time, we must be like Paul who said, “I bow my knees before the Father” (3:14). There is no other response. This will lead us to devote our lives to finishing the task.

TEARS FOR THE WORLD

12/8/2018

Forgive me for not posting yesterday. We were traveling and returned home after mid-night.

I have been deeply challenged this week as I spent time with missionaries and ministries who are focused on reaching the unengaged unreached (UUPG) and unreached (UPG) people groups of the world with the power of the gospel in the name of Jesus. While many of the discussions and presentations centered around using technology in the process, collaborating together through shared resources, my heart began thinking about the urgent need for prayer.

One hundred and twenty disciples knew how critical prayer was, even before the Holy Spirit descended on them and filled them. It was not a short prayer meeting, mostly taken up with talking about what they were going to pray for and them rushing through the list. It was a TEN DAY prayer service. What would happen in our effort to spread the gospel to the UUPG’s if we linked our hearts, minds and voices with the heart of God for the world?

The answer will only be known when we disconnect from the noise of this world and connect with the heartbeat of God for the world.

"THE PROMISE OF MY FATHER"

12/7/2018

The moment was a difficult one. After three and a half years of being with Jesus, learning from His teaching, watching His miracles and being part of His ministry, eleven men called disciples, were ushered into a season of dramatic changes. How would they manage to continue on with life and His work when their mentor was leaving? Would they be forced to do everything without Him?

“Behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Wait! What is this “promise of my Father?” Just a few days before, Jesus gave these men clear and detailed instructions right after the Passover meal about “another Helper to be with you forever…the teacher…the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). He also promised them in 14:18 that “I will not leave you as orphans” or helpless or as a friendless person. The “other Helper” would be one just like Jesus, and actually better by virtue of being with them all the time and never susceptible to death.

BUT THAT IS NOT ALL! He promised that with the coming of this Helper, they would also be “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). It is not human power because it comes from heaven – God’s power. By ‘clothing’ us, it will impact the whole person and all we do.

Let’s put these things together. This Helper will be just like Jesus who will never leave them as they are fulfilling the Great Commission – spreading the gospel wherever they are and wherever they go. He is the one who will also fill them with power (divine ability) to fulfill the command to “GO” with His message to all the nations.

“WAIT!” Why? Notice that Jesus commanded these eleven men to “stay in the city until you are clothed with power.” Why should they have to wait? Couldn’t Jesus just give them the power right then? NO! It is absolutely necessary that they learn and we learn the essential quality of dependence if we are going to experience God’s power working in us through the Holy Spirit.

YOU ARE A WITNESS

12/5/2018

The word “witnesses” in Luke 24:48 is a very interesting word. It is a ‘nominative verb’ which means that the person is taking on all the qualities and characteristics of someone who fully represents the message they are proclaiming. This is both challenging and exciting! It is challenging because we must examine our lives to see if we are blurring the message by the way we live, what we say and how we say it.

In another way, being a witness for Christ and His message of the gospel is very exciting. Going back to Acts 1:8, Jesus again clarifies how we will become effective witnesses for Him. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.” Our witness is only effective if we are speaking and presenting the message of the gospel under the direction, control and power of the Holy Spirit.

The proof of this principle is clearly seen on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon those who were gathered and waiting for Him to fill them with His power (Acts 2:1-4, 4:8,31; 9:17; 13:9, 52). This becomes the normal way to witness for and about Jesus. Even though Simon believed and was baptized, he tried to buy this power with money (8:14-24) and was rightly rebuked by Peter. Any attempt to do the work of God with human means is “wicked” and must be repented of immediately.

God wants your witness pure and free from any taint of human effort that is not under the control and direction of the Holy Spirit. Will you let God purify your life today and make your witness clearly a powerful representation of Christ and His message of saving grace to a lost world?

BEGINNING HERE AND GOING THERE

12/4/2018

As we have been looking at Luke 24:45-47, we noticed that Luke records how Jesus “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” This comes before His giving instructions from the Scriptures on what the disciple’s role will be after His departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit. I cannot emphasize too much the importance of our understanding being opened and enlightened before any ministry or work for God is done!

Paul knew how important this is. He prayed for the Ephesian saints that “the eyes of [their] hearts [be] enlightened…to know what is the hope to which [they have] been called” (Ephesians 1:18). We will never be effective in proclaiming the gospel unless it has become a personal light in our souls. There is another reason why we need enlightening in our hearts. The gospel is a “mystery” that cannot be humanly understood (3:3-4, 6, 9). As it is revealed to us and in us, the Spirit will help us proclaim it to others.

Going back to our verses in Luke 24, Jesus gives the map for proclaiming the message of the gospel. They were standing in Jerusalem and He tells them that it was going to begin right there. In Acts 1:8, Jesus expands the circles of their influence from Jerusalem to “both/and Judea both/and Samaria both/and to the end of the earth.” NO PART OF THE EARTH ESCAPES THE MESSAGE!

Where do you live? That is your “Jerusalem.” From there, God wants you to be part of fulfilling the Scriptures; telling others “Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins [is] proclaimed in his name! Will you pay your part so others hear, believe and are saved?

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