Discipleship | A People for His Name

You Can Be Pleasing to God in the Midst of Terrible Circumstances!

October 4, 2014

First Kings 14 provides a glorious account that has great relevance to the very difficult life circumstances that a vast number of people in the world are facing today. A close look at this passage shows that you can be pleasing to God in the midst of terrible circumstances!

The Great Wickedness of Israel under the Rule of King Jeroboam I

As His judgment upon Solomon for his wickedness, God brought about the division of His people into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah (1 Kings 11-12). God raised up Jeroboam the son of Nebat to be king over the Northern Kingdom (1 Kings 11:31, 35).

Jeroboam was a horrifically wicked king (1 Kings 11:26-33; 13:33-34). He sinned greatly in spite of God’s great goodness to him (1 Kings 14:7-9; see this post for an explanation of this important point).

Under his evil rule, Israel became very wicked (1 Kings 12:30; 13:33; 15:30). False worship abounded in Israel far more than it ever had prior to the reign of Jeroboam (cf. 1 Kings 14:9).

One Who Was Pleasing to God in This Evil King’s Own Household

Scripture implicitly highlights the great wickedness of Jeroboam’s household in a noteworthy way by revealing that there was only one person in it who was pleasing to God (in some unspecified manner):

1Ki 14:13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.

This statement, however, does much more than implicitly highlight the wickedness of Jeroboam’s household—it magnifies the reality that Abijah the son of Jeroboam (I Kings 14:1) was a person in the royal household in whom was “found some good thing toward the Lord” (1 Kings 14:13)!

The Glorious Significance of Abijah’s Uniqueness

In a manner that Scripture does not explain, Abijah was somehow still pleasing to God even though all the rest of his family was wicked, especially his father. Moreover, God found something good in him in spite of the great wickedness of all the people around him and of the country in which he lived.

Despite his terrible circumstances, especially the horrifically false worship that permeated Israel at this time, Abijah was yet pleasing to God to an extent that God deemed it worthy to record in His eternal Word how He would uniquely favor him in contrast to the fate that the rest of his family would experience! This record about God’s strikingly taking notice of Abijah provides us all with a glorious account of how someone was pleasing to God in spite of his terrible circumstances!

By not specifying anything about what was good about Abijah or about how and why Abijah had something good in him toward God, the Holy Spirit has made this text applicable for people who live in all kinds of bad situations. Undoubtedly, God intends from this passage that you would learn and believe that like Abijah, you can be pleasing to God in the midst of terrible circumstances!

May He grant you repentance (as needed) and faith to please Him regardless of how difficult your life circumstances may be.

To learn how you can be pleasing to God, please read my post The Gospel of God and His Christ.

In Exhortation, Exposition, Interpretation

A Light in the Midst of Great Darkness

September 29, 2014

King Jeroboam I was one of the worst kings ever to rule over God’s people (1 Ki. 14:9). In the midst of a horrifyingly tragic account of his life, Scripture records some glorious revelation about God’s goodness in providing a light in the midst of the great darkness of this evil ruler’s life.

Tragic Sinfulness in spite of God’s Great Goodness

Because of the evil that Solomon and Judah had committed against the Lord (1 Ki. 11:1-9), God made known through the prophet Ahijah that He would “rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and [would] give ten tribes to” Jeroboam (1 Ki. 11:31). God then offered to Jeroboam a magnificent prospect if he would be righteous before the Lord:

1Ki 11:37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

³⁸ And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

Through his wickedly originating false worship among Israel, Jeroboam tragically forfeited the great favor that God had offered to him (1 Ki. 12:26-33).

God sent a prophet to Jeroboam to make known the fierce judgment that would come upon him for his wickedness (1 Ki. 13:1-3). Instead of immediately repenting and pleading with God for mercy, Jeroboam sought to persecute the prophet that God had sent to him (1 Ki. 13:4a).

Jeroboam immediately experienced divine judgment upon him, resulting in his hand drying up so that he was unable to pull it back in again to him (1 Ki. 13:4b). In an amazing display of yet more favor to Jeroboam, God even restored the king’s hand when the prophet interceded for him (1 Ki. 13:6).

Instead of allowing God’s continuing goodness to him to lead him to repentance (cf. Rom. 2:4), Jeroboam tragically continued in his wicked ways (1 Ki. 13:33-34). As a result, he experienced further judgment from God (1 Ki. 14:1-18).

Amazing Favor in the Midst of Great Wickedness

Because of Jeroboam’s great wickedness, God judged him by touching the life of his son Abijah (1 Ki. 14:1). Jeroboam deceitfully sent his wife to the prophet Abijah to find out what would happen to his son (1 Ki. 14:2-16).

Through the revelation that Abijah gave to Jeroboam’s wife, God confronted Jeroboam with how he had failed wickedly to be righteous before God in spite of God’s favor to him (1 Ki. 14:7-9). In fact, God made known to Jeroboam that he had been more wicked than all who were before him (1 Ki. 14:9).

God declared His fierce judgment that would could come upon him and his household because of his great sinfulness (1 Ki. 14:10-16). God’s judgment on Jeroboam would include the death of his son Abijah (1 Ki. 14:12).

In the midst of the record of God’s great judgment that would come on this horrifically wicked king, we read that God had favored Jeroboam in an amazing way by giving him his son Abijah, in whom alone there was “found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam” (1 Ki. 14:13). This remarkable statement shows that even in the midst of the great darkness that permeated the life of this wicked king, God had given him light within his own home!

Jeroboam had the opportunity to see the truth of God through observing the life of his son. Jeroboam, however, failed tragically to behold the light that God had so graciously provided for him in his own household.

God had favored this wicked king in an amazing way even in the midst of how wicked he had been! Although Jeroboam did not profit from God’s provision of a light in the midst of great darkness of his life, we who have the privilege of reading this tragic account should allow the goodness of God that is abundantly seen in this passage to lead us to repent from all of our evil ways!

In Exhortation, Exposition

Guitar for Ministry Update 9.21.14

September 21, 2014

For many years, I have prayed that God would give me opportunities to use the guitar for ministry in ways that would glorify Him. As part of His answers to my prayers, I had the opportunity today to use my guitar to accompany people in two ministries at my church!

Including the opportunities that I had today, I have used my guitar to minister in four different ministries at my church in the past two years:

1. Instrumental openers and offertories as well as accompanying people who sang specials for our regular Sunday morning and evening services;

2. Instrumental specials and accompanying people who sang specials for our Spanish ministry;

3. Instrumental specials and accompanying people who sang specials for our Neighborhood Class ministry; and,

4. Accompanying singing for our Released Time ministry—a ministry for children from a local elementary school.

I have also been able to minister with my guitar in various services at two local Spanish churches. Beyond my playing for some services at these churches, I have also had the opportunity to teach various guitar-for- ministry classes at these two churches.

The Lord has also answered my prayers by allowing me to create three new accompaniment styles for playing the guitar that I have not heard anyone else use before. Moreover, He has allowed me to develop a new approach to learning and playing the guitar that I have successfully taught to the students that I have had for the past several years.

In answer to my prayers, I have also originated several highly effective approaches to using the guitar to play music at an advanced level. It has been quite encouraging to have several students successfully learn some of these techniques.

Lord willing, I hope to publish several guitar method books in the future that will allow many other people to benefit much from what God has entrusted to me in answer to my many prayers about using the guitar for ministry. May He see fit to advance His kingdom and righteousness greatly through using these resources for His eternal glory.

In Guitar Music, Ministry, Music

Less Than 400 Chapters to Go in the Reina Valera!

September 16, 2014

I now have less than 400 chapters to go in the Reina Valera to finish reading through the Bible in Spanish this year!

¡Gloria a Dios!

In Bible reading, Spanish

Guitar Music and Audio for “Aura Lee”

September 13, 2014

“Aura Lee” is a beautiful song that is easy to play. This PDF provides the melody and chords for this song in the key of C. Because the song has only 5 chords (C, Dm, G7, E, Am), it is a good song to use to master basic chord changes between these basic chords.

You can practice playing the melody and the chords along with the audio of the song:

In Guitar Music

How Scripture Exposes Some Common Tactics of Corrupt Politicians

September 9, 2014

Second Samuel 15 records some key tactics used by a popular man who obtained a top position of national leadership through corrupt practices. This revelation provides helpful biblical instruction about some common tactics of corrupt politicians.

Absalom as a Popular Figure in Israel

In addition to his being a son of the king, Absalom was an exceedingly handsome man who was highly praised for his remarkably unblemished physical appearance (2 Sam. 14:25). He also exerted considerable influence over his father king David (cf. 2 Sam. 13:27).

How Absalom Usurped His Father’s Throne

Absalom usurped his father’s throne through a “political” campaign of convincing aggrieved people (2 Sam. 15:2b) that his father did not really care enough about them to give them the justice that they deserved (2 Sam. 15:3). Using an extensive PR campaign of rising early to meet these people (2 Sam. 15:2) and patronizing them (Absalom “put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him” [2 Sam. 15:5]), Absalom was able to steal away their hearts from their allegiance to David as their king (2 Sam. 15:6).

Absalom then lied to his father about his desire to serve God and did so in order to accomplish his evil purposes (2 Sam. 15:7-9). Through his influence over a vast number of co-conspirators, he was able to usurp the throne of David (2 Sam. 15:10-12).

The Deceitfulness of Absalom

Scripture provides no evidence that Absalom was truly concerned with providing unjustly treated people in Israel with the justice for which they sought. His goal was rather to attain supreme national authority (2 Sam. 15:10) by pretending that he really cared for their welfare.

To obtain his ends, Absalom asserted that King David had failed to depute someone to hear and settle their cases justly (2 Sam. 15:3). Scripture, however, does not mention anything about such a failure on David’s part.

Furthermore, Absalom asserted that he was qualified and eager to serve the people in such a capacity (2 Sam. 15:4). Again, we have no biblical basis for thinking that he had the character and training to exercise such authority over the people.

Instead, he used his “charismatic” appeal (cf. 2 Sam. 14:25; 15:5) to sway them into believing that he was qualified to do what he claimed he would do for them and that he would do so if they supported him in overthrowing their government. Through his great deceitfulness, Absalom even succeeded in manipulating many other people into unknowingly support him in usurping the throne of Israel (2 Sam. 15:11).

Some Common Tactics of Corrupt Politicians

The Scriptural account of Absalom’s corrupt rise to power reveals that he employed some common tactics to deceive people into wanting him to be in a leading position of authority over them:

1. He used his highly attractive appearance and his skill in patronizing people to ingratiate himself with them. Pretending to take a genuine personal interest in them, he was able to win their hearts.

2. He used his skill at deceitfully manipulating people so that they thought he was qualified to rule over them in a capacity in which he had no intent in doing so.

3. He deceived people who wanted justice from their existing governmental leaders into thinking that their government did not really care for them and that he really cared for their concerns and would see to it that their concerns would be addressed properly. He thus manipulated these people so that they would support him in overthrowing the supposedly unjust leader who was then ruling over them.

4. He lied to the existing governmental authority to achieve his evil purpose.

5. He pretended to be a religious man when it suited his evil designs.

6. He skillfully used his abilities to manipulate people to form a strong conspiracy against legitimate governmental authority. In fact, he was so cunning that he was able deceitfully to garner the support of a sizeable number of people who did not know anything about his evil intentions.

Through this passage that exposes these common tactics of corrupt politicians, let us beware of the use of such tactics by deceitful, popular people who are highly skilled in manipulating people into supporting them in their political activities. Furthermore, let us scrutinize carefully the claims of all those who assert that putting them into power would help us to get the justice that we deserve but supposedly have not received from existing governmental leaders who are legitimately in power over us.

In Discipleship, Exposition, Theology

“How to Pray for Missionaries Today”

September 6, 2014

These six pointers provide much food for thought for believers who have a burden to pray for missionaries.

HOW TO PRAY FOR MISSIONARIES TODAY

by Allan & Robin Cuthbert, Sao Paulo, Brazil

1. CHRIST-GLORYING ESSENTIALS It is not so essential that you ask God to give us good health. The important thing is that He give us only the measure of health that will best glorify Him. Who knows but what it may be to His glory that we should be sick, and thereby demonstrate to the nationals about us that we have a God who can keep us in a perfect peace and joy, even in the midst of pain.

2. SUFFICIENT GRACE We do not want you to pray that God will give us an easy path on the mission field, but rather that He might give us grace sufficient to be overcomers for Him.

3. TIME TAKEN TO PRAY Do not pray so much that God will answer our prayers, as that God will keep us from being too busy to pray. Haven’t you thought of the fact that it is just as easy for us missionaries to be too busy to pray, as it is for you in the homeland to be too busy to take time with God?

4. STEWARDSHIP OF TIME It is not so important that you pray that God should bless our activities, as that God should censor our activities, for how easy it is for a missionary’s time and energy to be spent on second best things.

5. RESISTANCE TO TEMPTATIONS Please do not pray for us as though we were saints, living up on a high level, because we are missionaries. We who go as missionaries are subjected to temptation. Satan will determine in one way or another to hinder our testimony, to rob our lives of power or make our witness futile. We need your prayer that God will give grace and strength to resist temptation.

6. COMPASSION FOR LOST SOULS Won’t you remember please, that missionaries can become lonely; we can become discouraged, irritable, sharp, impatient with other missionaries. Above all, we want to tell you that we can do a great deal of missionary work without being on fire for the Lord. So we covet, above all, your prayers for us that we may ever live with our hearts aflame with passion for the lost and aflame with the glory and love of Christ.

–This article is from a prayer resource produced by my church.

In Prayer, Quotes

In Gratitude for the United States of America

September 4, 2014

Although I was born in India, God in His providence ordained that I would grow up in the United States. Having grown up here and especially because I came to experience the true forgiveness of my sins here in the US through hearing and believing the gospel of God concerning His Son, I am profoundly grateful for the goodness of God in raising up this great nation.

The United States of America as a nation is near and dear to my heart in spite of the increasing spiritual darkness that is blighting it now. Although many believers today seem to me to be promoting downplaying the importance of loving one’s country, I believe that those who have been blessed of God to have experienced so much of the goodness of God in this land should continually display an open gratitude to God for the United States of America.

Not just around the Fourth of July, but also throughout the year, Christian gratefulness should abound for the goodness of God in blessing the world so greatly through the United States of America. In keeping with the truth expressed long ago by God, “When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which He hath given thee” (Deut. 8:10), let us who have eaten and become so full both physically and spiritually in this good land continually praise and bless God for the USA.

In fact, I believe that we would do well to praise and thank God regularly for the USA after we have been fed richly, both physically and spiritually. Praying to God both before and after meals would be a great way for us all to cultivate greater appreciation for all that He has blessed us with in this good land.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for so blessing the world and me through this great nation. Most of all, may You truly bless the USA by “turning away every one of [us who live here in the US] from [our] iniquities” (Acts 3:26)!

In Exhortation

A Surprising Way to Lessen Work-Induced Fatigue Dramatically!

September 1, 2014

After long, tiring days of many hours of standing and working under considerable pressure, I often find myself wanting and needing to take a nap right after I get off work. Recently, I have been surprised at discovering another way that has been working very well for me to lessen work-induced fatigue when I cannot take a nap soon after getting off work.

With my current schedule, I am often not able to take a nap after work on two days of the week. Because of teaching and other commitments that I have relatively soon after work on those days, I also need on these days to clean up shortly after a long day of strenuous physical work.

Because of a problem that we have been having with the showerhead in our bathroom, I was forced to take a rather cold shower one day about three weeks ago so that I would not be smelly when I went to teach. Although the process was initially quite unpleasant, I discovered that I experienced an almost immediate and dramatic lessening of my fatigue after taking that cold shower.

I was very surprised that I was able to teach effectively and function quite well that evening without taking much time at all to rest or nap after work. In fact, the cold shower reenergized me in a way that taking a nap usually does not.

Every time that I have tried this approach so far after a hard day of heavy physical work, I have experienced the same dramatic relief afterwards. Although this way may not work for other people and may not work for me as well in the future, I have found it so far to be a great help to me in handling the much heavier workload that I now have!

If only there were a less unpleasant way . . .

In Health

Mi Ministerio – Un Pueblo Para Su Nombre

August 29, 2014

Hechos 15:13-14 dice, “ Y cuando ellos callaron, Jacobo respondió diciendo: Varones hermanos, oídme. Simón ha contado cómo Dios visitó por primera vez a los gentiles, para tomar de ellos pueblo para su nombre.” Estos versículos nos muestra que en el Concilio de Jerusalén, Jacobo compartió cómo Pedro había declarado “cómo Dios visitó por primera vez a los gentiles, para tomar de ellos pueblo para su nombre” (Hechos 15:14). Lo que Dios comenzó en ese entonces en Cesarea, Él continúa con su labor en todo el mundo.

Como gentil a quien ha llevado a estar entre su pueblo, deseo de perpetuar la glorificación de Dios mismo por medio de sacar a muchas más personas por causa del Nombre. Por esta razón, he escogido un pueblo para su Nombre como título para mi ministerio.

Dios me salvó en 1990 y me puso en la Iglesia Bautista Calvario en Cookeville, Tennessee. Con los años, he servido allí en muchas capacidades, incluyendo la enseñanza para la Escuela Bíblica de vacaciones y la escuela dominical en numerosas ocasiones, así como predicar muchas veces. También he estado muy involucrado en el ministerio de la juventud en el Calvario de varias maneras desde que asistí allí.

Dios me trajo a la Iglesia Bautista Monte Calvario en Greenville, Carolina del Sur, en 1991. He estado muy involucrado en las visitas de puerta a puerta en mis años en el Monte Calvario. También he dado muchos desafíos antes de las visitas de puerta a puerta, también he enseñado adultos de la escuela dominical en numerosas ocasiones, y ministrado muchas veces en música especial en varias capacidades en la iglesia.

Como parte del ministerio de estudiantes universitarios en el Monte Calvario, así como por mi cuenta con un número de amigos, he ministrado muchas veces en otras iglesias en Carolina del Sur, Carolina del Norte, Georgia y Tennessee. Hemos llevado a cabo actividades para la juventud, ministramos en predicación, la enseñanza, y la música, y participamos en los alcances de visita. También ayudamos a una iglesia extensamente con el trabajo de jardinería y otros trabajos manuales alrededor de la iglesia.

También he ministrado durante dos veranos en el extranjero. Enseñé a los hombres que estaban en el ministerio o en la formación para el ministerio, prediqué en las iglesias, y evangelizé muchas personas perdidas.

De Abril a Octubre de 2010, el Señor me dio 20 oportunidades para predicar y enseñar en nueve iglesias en Carolina del Sur, Carolina del Norte, Georgia y Tennessee. Entonces ministré 43 veces en 42 días, incluyendo la predicación 39 veces. Además de predicar en las iglesias, mi ministerio incluyó la predicación en servicios de capilla en cuatro colegios, enseñando tres temas durante una semana en un colegio, hablé en un campamento familiar, en un orfanato, y acompañé a un coro de una universidad con mi guitarra clásica en dos servicios.

El 8 de febrero de 2011, Dios respondió a mis oraciones al permitirme publicar por primera vez en mi sitio web! Desde entonces, he tenido el privilegio de publicar 685 veces en mi sitio (como de 29 de agosto de 2014).

En el 2011, también tuve el privilegio de continuar un ministerio de predicación itinerante y enseñanza que promueve especialmente el evangelismo que está totalmente de acuerdo con todo lo que la Biblia revela acerca de lo que Él quiere proclamado en todo el mundo. El Señor abrió algunas oportunidades para ministrar en ese tema, y espero que para muchos más en los próximos años.

El Señor también me permitió terminar en el 2011 un proyecto de lectura muy especial de la Biblia leyendola en griego en el 2011! Leyendo tanto la Septuaginta y el griego del Nuevo Testamento a través de ese año fue inmensamente valioso.

En el 2012, el Señor me dirijó a participar en el ministerio en español a través de la enseñanza de clases de guitarra en las iglesias españolas y ministrando en el ministerio en español de mi iglesia local. También me llevó a comenzar a servir en un ministerio de alcance en mi iglesia a los niños de una escuela primaria local.

El Señor también me ha dirigido en los últimos años a estudiar intensamente todo lo que la Escritura enseña acerca de la música. En el 2012, Él me llevó a leer a través del libro de los Salmos 25 veces para que mi mente se saturara y se renovara a fondo por su verdad.

En los últimos tres años, también he tenido el privilegio de ayudar a editar dos libros, La Biografía del Dr. Frank Garlock, y un libro por Shelly Hamilton, “¿Por qué yo no escucho la música cristiana contemporánea.”

Ahora tengo una carga para instruir al pueblo de Dios acerca de la música que es aceptable para Él. Para ello, he escrito numerosos artículos relacionados con el tema de la CCM, y espero tener oportunidades en las iglesias para ayudar al pueblo de Dios manejar este grave problema correctamente.

Este año, el Señor me ha dirigido para escribir las letras para muchos de los nuevos himnos, entre ellos algunos en español. También me he centrado en gran medida en el ministerio musical en mi iglesia y en prepararme más para el ministerio en español.

El 17 de agosto de este año, el Señor me dio el privilegio de enseñar en la escuela dominical y la predicación del mensaje de la mañana en una iglesia en español que es local. El Señor gentilmente permitió que ambos servicios fuera mucho mejor de lo que esperaba. ¡Alabado sea Dios!

In Ministry, Preaching, Spanish, Sunday School, Testimony

Archives For Discipleship

The Great Wickedness of Israel under the Rule of King Jeroboam I

One Who Was Pleasing to God in This Evil King’s Own Household

The Glorious Significance of Abijah’s Uniqueness

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Tragic Sinfulness in spite of God’s Great Goodness

Amazing Favor in the Midst of Great Wickedness

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Absalom as a Popular Figure in Israel

How Absalom Usurped His Father’s Throne

The Deceitfulness of Absalom

Some Common Tactics of Corrupt Politicians

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