Craig Cooper

The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus mark the fulfillment of prophecy dating back to The Fall when Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden. This redemptive work of Christ offers all of us salvation in Him today, where its full effect will be experienced by all who receive Christ, the Lord when in the unforeseen future, we spend eternity with Him in paradise. We, Christ’s church, invest much time in Jesus as Savior, and rightly so. But, we invest far less time in exploring what it means that Jesus is Lord and what impact that ought to make in each of our lives. After all, Jesus is Lord!

In Jesus’ day, “lord” was commonly used as a title of respect toward earthly authorities. This occurred when the leper called Jesus “lord,” showing respect to Him as healer and teacher (Matthew 8:2, 25; 15:25). However, something changed with the title “lord” as applied to Jesus after the resurrection. When we speak of Jesus as Lord, it’s more than a title of honor or respect; it’s also a way of declaring Jesus as God. When Jesus appears to the disciples after the resurrection, Thomas sees Christ (nail holes in His hands and a hole from the spear thrust in His side), and Thomas cries out, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). From this point forward, when the disciples – the apostles shared the message of Christ, they declared Jesus is Lord, meaning “Jesus is God.”

We read in Romans 10:9, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The word Paul uses for “Lord” (kyrios) is Greek for “lord” or “master” but is used throughout the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint, for the Hebrew words Yahweh and Adonai (God). The declaration, “Jesus is Lord,” offers far more than respect to Jesus but actually acknowledges that He is God and, therefore, has all authority and is indeed Lord of all.

Since Jesus is Lord of all, including you and me, what ought to be our response to Jesus as Lord? First, let’s look at Christ’s own words, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Jesus, in one short statement, describes what it looks like to follow Him as Lord. Then, He explains what we ought to do in response to His Lordship. Let’s look at three responses from this verse.

Since Jesus is Lord, we ought to deny ourselves in following Him. People are willing to pay a high price for something they value. So then, is it surprising that Jesus would require this much commitment from His followers? The ultimate purpose of denying self is to glorify God. Jesus is talking about denying self in the essential battle of life. In the struggle of who will be the lord of our hearts, we need to surrender that position to God and Him alone. As Christ occupies the throne of our hearts, He’s able to lead us through His Spirit. To what end? Only through Christ’s power and leading can we genuinely glorify Him, be blessed, and bless others.

Since Jesus is Lord, we ought to imitate Him. Christians are called Christ-followers because they follow their Lord by imitating His life and obeying His commands. What is meant by “taking up one’s cross?” To take up the cross meant to carry your own cross to the place where you would be killed. Many Jews had been killed that way by the Romans. Applied to Christ’s disciples, it means identifying entirely with Christ’s message, even if it means death. We must deny our selfish desires to use our time, talent, treasure, and testimony for our own gain and choose to use them to advance Christ’s kingdom. Carrying one’s cross is giving our very lives to Christ no matter where He leads. We are called to imitate Jesus by sharing His character, love, and mission. This occurs as we deny ourselves and, by His transforming power and leading, imitate Him.

Since Jesus is Lord, we ought to invest our lives in His service. If this present life is most important to you, you will do everything you can to protect it. You will not want to do anything that might endanger your safety, health, or comfort. If Christ is most important to you, you will do anything to glorify Him. You will do anything, no matter how uncomfortable or safe, to know Him and make Him known and to share the love and message of Christ with others. Jesus’ disciples, His followers, Christians, are not to live for their own pleasure but in service to the Lord.

Being a disciple of Christ, acknowledging Him as Lord requires more than denying certain things, but denying personal control of our lives to Him. It’s taking up our cross and being willing to do whatever and go wherever the Lord leads, trusting Him, no matter what lies ahead, for His glory. It’s following Him in our actions, being on mission with Him by being everyday missionaries in the everyday mission fields of where we live, work, go to school, and play.

Jesus is Lord. This is true, whether or not people acknowledge the fact. Someday, all will submit to the truth (Philippians 2:9-11). Jesus’ humiliation, His humbling Himself by taking upon His divinity humanity, being born in such modest means, living a perfect life, dying on the cross for our sins, and being resurrected for our salvation became the grounds for His exaltation. By humbling Himself on the cross out of love, He demonstrated that He truly shares God’s divine nature, who is love. Therefore, Jesus is God, Lord (kyrios), and as God, has divine status and authority.

When Christ returns, all will acknowledge Him as Lord. We can either do so now by choosing and receiving the salvation that comes from placing our trust in Him or later when we’re no longer presented with the ability to choose salvation. Today, the Lord lovingly calls out to all of us to receive Him as Lord and Savior. Today, He offers us the resources of heaven in this life and confident hope that we will spend eternity with Him. Come to Jesus, the Lord. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

What does it mean that Jesus is the Savior, the Messiah, which is at the heart of the gospel message? The Apostle Paul preached the gospel throughout his world, and this is what he wrote, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This is the heart of the gospel. It’s important for all of us to implant this deeply into our hearts and minds. Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again on the third day. That is the cornerstone, the foundation of our faith.

But why? To answer this, we must go back to the beginning. When we look back to our origin story, we discover that we have been made in the image of God (Genesis 1:17). Humans reflect God’s divine nature in their ability to achieve the unique characteristics with which they have been endowed. As believers, we understand that we, through God’s Spirit, can be transformed in an ever-increasing measure into the image of Christ by growing in our ability to share His love, have His character, and join with Him in His mission. We have life because God created us and literally has breathed life into us (Genesis 2:7). I share this to emphasize that God created us with such intimacy because we exist to live in relationship with Him, which is good news.

In fact, we were even given a perfect place to live, Eden. The Hebrew word translated as “Eden” is taken to mean “pleasure” or “delight.” Eden was planned and planted by God Himself. It was mankind’s first home. Eden was a place where Adam and Eve could meet God. The Creator “was walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8), and Adam and Eve could be with Him and converse with Him. In the middle of the garden was “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9), the fruit of which God had said Adam could not eat: “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). It was the one prohibition in the Garden of Eden. God had created Adam and Eve to be free, with a moral sense and the ability to make decisions and choose for themselves. The presence of a forbidden tree provided the opportunity for Adam and Eve to make a real, necessary choice to either obey or disobey. Unfortunately, Adam failed the test. The serpent in the garden, Satan, tempted Eve with a false promise of blessing, and the woman ate the forbidden fruit. She, in turn, gave the fruit to her husband, who also partook. Both were disobedient to the word of God, and the consequences of their sin were disastrous for them and all their descendants (Genesis 3:1-19), including you and me. They lost their fellowship with God, they lost their home, they were cast out of Eden, they lost their innocence, and this is bad news for all of us.

This left humanity east of Eden, unable to return but longing for intimacy with God and the home for which we have been created. Unfortunately, we no longer live in a place that can be described wholly as “pleasurable” or “delightful” due to sickness, wars, loneliness, strife, and loss. But, there is hope, even in the curse of the fall: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). Genesis 3:15 points to the serpent’s defeat (Satan) by the future descendant of the woman (Jesus). The defeat is inspired by the serpent’s being bruised in the head, which is more serious than the offspring of Eve being bruised in the heel. For this reason, v. 15 has been labeled the “protoevangelium,” the first pronouncement of the gospel, which means good news (Col 2:6-15).

For thousands of years, God began to weave a sacred thread throughout history by creating a people, the chosen people, Israel, to be a light unto the nations. Unfortunately, just like Adam and Eden, they failed to be pure light. Time and time again, they strayed from God. God sent prophet after prophet to call them back to Him, and share prophesies of the coming Messiah. The Messiah or Christ, which means “anointed one,” is the promised deliverer mentioned in Genesis 3:15 and throughout all the Old Testament prophesies. Thousands of years came and went, then something happened, the Messiah came. Jesus came. God’s Son humbled Himself and took upon His divinity human flesh (John 1:14). The word incarnation means “the act of being made flesh.” It comes from the Latin version of John 1:14.

Jesus came with a mission: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus came to seek and save those far from God, from Him, but so close to His heart. Our problem is our sin: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Due to sin, we deserve death. This is a debt we can’t pay. Only a perfect sacrifice, like those mentioned in the prophesies and foreshadowed through the sacrificial system recorded in the Old Testament, could pay the price of our sin.

The Promised One, the Messiah, the Anointed One is Jesus Christ, who demonstrated the most profound act of love of all time. We discover in Scripture: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God did not just say He loved us but showed it by coming and dying on the cross. Jesus declared about Himself: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). In Christianity, the cross is the intersection of God’s love and His justice. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Because of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross, those who place their faith and trust in Him alone for salvation are guaranteed eternal life (John 3:16), which is good news offering us a choice to receive Christ and salvation.

However, if Jesus had just died for us, it would have been a profound act of love, but we would still be lost in our sins and not have eternal life. Therefore, something more needed to and did occur. Remember what Paul wrote about the heart of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Jesus died on the cross. He lay dead and buried. I believe Satan believed he had won. The Disciples thought they had lost. But light pierced through in the darkest moment, and Christ was alive. This, of course, speaks of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), and in that statement, claimed to be the source of both. We have no hope of resurrection apart from Christ, no eternal life. Jesus does more than give life; He is life, and that’s why death has no power over Him. Jesus confers His life on those who trust in Him so that we can share His triumph over death (1 John 5:11-12). We who believe in Jesus Christ will personally experience resurrection because, having the life Jesus gives, we have overcome death. Death can’t win (1 Corinthians 15:53-57). The resurrection is the triumphant and glorious victory for every believer and good news to all who receive Christ as Savior and Lord. To receive this new life, salvation, and eternal hope, we must choose Him.

Way back in Eden, Adam made a fateful choice. But, like Adam, we all have made choices that reflect the same lack of trust in God. We all have fallen short and deserve death, but our debt has been paid in full through Christ’s loving and salvific act of dying in our stead on the cross. We have no need to live in our regrets or be consumed by fears, for as the grave could not keep Christ down, through His resurrection, He offers new life to each of us. Salvation is offered to all of us today, and its full effect will be experienced by all who come to Christ when in the unforeseen future, we spend eternity with Him in paradise. God offers to turn our lost lives around and experience His goodness. No one has ever found complete rest apart from Christ. Do you want rest, joy, peace, security, and abundant life? Come to Jesus and receive Him as Savior and Lord; surrender your life and heart to Jesus, the Messiah. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

On Palm Sunday, we remember Christ’s Triumphal Entry. Jesus enters Jerusalem while a crowd celebrates Him and lays palm branches down before Him. Palm Sunday kicks off Passion week, leading to Jesus’ crucifixion and His resurrection a week later. We discover that the crowd wanted Jesus for all the wrong reasons, and we often struggle with the same temptations.

I want us to ponder an important question. What kind of Jesus do you want Him to be? You may ask, “What do you mean?” We can fall into the trap of wanting a Jesus of our own making. Let me give you some examples. There is Ibuprofen Jesus, where He just covers up my pain. There is shopping spree Jesus, where He just gives me what I want. There is therapist Jesus, where He just tells me what I want to hear, and many other attempts to make a Jesus of our own making.

We all must admit that sometimes, even in the lives of believers, we would rather have a messiah of our own making than the one true Messiah. We want Him to do our will rather than Him leading us to do His. We want Him to help us build our kingdom rather than desiring to build His.

In Mark 11, we discover a large gathering of people. It would be easy to get wrapped up in the celebration. But I want to look at it more closely. I want to get beyond the emotions represented in the account. I want to look at who they were actually seeking.

As we look at this account along with the other reports of this event found in Scripture, we can surmise that at least four groups are probably present at this moment. The first group is the crowd. The excitement of many of the crowds that surrounded Jesus in His earthly ministry was not there to celebrate the true Messiah, Lord Jesus. When Jesus taught what being part of His kingdom meant, they often thought it too difficult and walked away. They sought the miracle worker and food provider. They invited friends to experience the miracles and free lunch with them. It’s very possible they were not celebrating the real Jesus.

Then, we have the second, the Pharisees. They wanted a Jesus that would not in any way disrupt their religiosity, their external legalistic religion. They certainly did not want Jesus to cause them any trouble that could take away their power or societal position by causing problems with their Roman overlords. In fact, they were hanging around Jesus to trip Him up and get rid of Him.

The third group is the zealots. They wanted a Jesus who would overthrow Rome once and for all. They wanted Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom free of Rome and restore Israel to a position of power and prestige.

The fourth and final group is the disciples. They wanted a Jesus who would advance their desire to rule alongside Him. They wanted power and prominence. They, at this point, seem of little interest in the true mission of Jesus, at least, as much as they understood it. When Jesus would speak of His suffering and the true nature of the kingdom of God, the disciples would change the subject and ask about themselves and their role in the kingdom. This would obviously change later, after Christ’s resurrection. But, at this moment, on this Palm Sunday, the disciples reveled in the Jesus whom they were associated with and more than likely thought this was the beginning of a more prestigious life for them.

It’s easy to blame these four groups for their shortsightedness and selfishness, but let’s be honest. We’re not always excited about who Jesus truly is, either. So at these moments, we try to make Jesus less than what He is and more what we want Him to be.

We look at this passage on two levels, as Mark records it. One level is what God is doing at this moment. Then, the other level is the understanding of the people who are part of the scene. God is specifically fulfilling the prophecy through the life of His Son and, in so doing, demonstrating that He is the God of the ages, and His Son is the Savior of the world. What a beautiful picture of God’s power and purpose.

It’s clear that the prophecy in Zachariah 9 is fulfilled at this moment as Christ enters Jerusalem. We discover in the prophecy and on this day of its fulfillment that the king comes, riding on a colt, and the people’s reception, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!” These prophecies are all there in Zachariah and completely fulfilled at this moment at the gate of Jerusalem.

Mark confronts us with the inescapable truth that Jesus is King Jesus – Savior, and Lord. When we reduce Christ to something less, we damage the gospel of Jesus Christ in our own lives. We are called to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord ad nothing less.

Salvation is not in our own understanding. Lasting joy does not come in making Christ in our image. Instead, our hope, salvation, and genuine joy are found in the real Messiah, Jesus our Lord! So, I ask us to consider again, “What kind of Jesus do you want Him to be?” Ultimately, it doesn’t matter; salvation is only found when we come to Him as He is Messiah, Savior, and Lord. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

It can be challenging to distinguish between faith and mere positive thinking. I believe in being positive but doing so while grounded in Christ and His Word. It’s easy to allow phrases like, “If you can see it, you can be it.” And, “If you can name it, you can claim it” become like Scripture to us. These phrases sound good. They are positive. But are they genuinely grounded in Christ and His Word?

I remember years ago visiting a student ministry that was claiming cars for every student old enough to drive. I don’t mean any old cars. The students brought in pictures of the vehicles they were claiming in prayer for themselves. Now, there is nothing wrong with praying for a car. Especially if you need one to get to work or school. But, these were vehicles made for far more than meeting a student’s transportation needs. I saw pictures of cars like Ferraris. A Ferrari, although pretty cool, is not very practical. The Student Pastor told me they used it as an evangelism strategy. They trusted God to provide the cars, and in return, they would use them to be a witness of what you can get when you come to Jesus.

I certainly believe God blesses His people to be a blessing to others. However, we ought to realize that God is more concerned with our character than comfort. Further, we should come to Christ for salvation, not mere stuff.

In one way or another, the name-it-and-claim-it camp of positive thinking has seeped into our churches and been accepted by far too many as part of the gospel. When we approach God’s Word with a particular slant, it’s easy to see it fit our way of thinking. Besides not being biblical, it causes great disappointment in the least and for some to walk away from the church when it doesn’t pan out.

A verse often taken out of context but provides a profound truth is Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” We could wrongly approach this verse with a particular slant and think, “All I need to do is love Jesus, and I can get what I desire (like a Ferrari). First, this verse literally says God will give you what your heart desires. This is accurate and true. However, it’s to be understood that those who delight themselves in the Lord will be transformed by Him, and their hearts will desire the right things. Charles Spurgeon, an English preacher of the 19th century, explained, “When your will is God’s will, you will have your will.” Now that will change a person’s life for the better, and such a person will be a faithful witness for the Lord. Won’t you take time today to ponder what it looks like for you to delight in the Lord and partner with His Spirit to make His will your will, which is always something to claim and a witness to others? Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Stewardship is managing what the Lord has given us in use for His good purposes. One area believers are called to steward is money. Few topics bring such anxious thoughts than money. In the gospels, this must be why Jesus taught on money second only to the Kingdom of God. The righteousness of the kingdom of heaven works out in the details of one’s personal life. This includes our finances (Matthew 16:19-20).

Jesus calls His followers to choose our master, either God or wealth. Francis Bacon professed, “Money is a great servant but a bad master.” Money is not bad; it’s helpful but is often the biggest obstacle to being all in with the Lord. Therefore, God has instituted the principle of First Fruits to teach us to rely entirely on Him – to be all in with Him.

What is the principle of First Fruits? The principle of First Fruits is giving God the first and best of what we have. Giving back to God has been practiced since the second generation of humans. Immediately in Genesis, after we are told of The Fall, we discover examples and teaching on returning first fruits to God. Since the sin of selfishness had entered the world through The Fall, God introduced a practice of giving to counter greed. We need to give back to God to maintain spiritual health. The principle of First Fruits teaches that giving the Lord our first fruits is for our benefit.

When we give back to God a portion of what He has given us, our first fruits, it acknowledges that God owns everything. This principle is found throughout the whole of the Bible. This was so important that Jesus stated plainly, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Here is the simple truth, Jesus taught that your giving will reveal your heart and that your heart will follow your treasure. Therefore, Jesus urges His disciples to trust God. What we work for shows us what or whom we have set our hearts on.

People have tried for generations to measure spirituality. But, truth be told, there are not many tangible ways to do so. Giving can be an actual measure. However, you can give back to God and not love Him. But you cannot truly love God and not give back to Him. The principle of First Fruits teaches that giving our first fruits to God acknowledges God owns everything and can provide evidence that our heart is His.

In Paul’s second letter to believers in Corinth, we are presented with an example of a right First Fruits mentality. He writes to the Corinthians about the extravagant love and generosity of Macedonian believers (2 Corinthians 8:2-5). God’s extravagant love was manifest in the Macedonians, giving even though they had little. What surprised Paul was that the Macedonians also gave themselves first to the Lord and then to Paul and his companions. This giving was not just in money; it was a true gift of their time, talent, treasure, and testimony in service to the Lord first, then to others. The Macedonians had little but gave much out of love and for the Lord’s glory and the benefit of others.

This kind of life is only exemplified in those who understand and practice that God must increase and I must decrease. When God has increased in believer’s life, allowing the Spirit a growing influence in the way they think, feel, and live, the seed of First Fruits giving begins to take root. Such a life only comes when, in partnership with the Holy Spirit, the Christian has evidenced in his or her life – an undivided devotion to the Lord. Such Christians who realize that God owns everything understand that they are only giving back to God what He already owns, leading to a First Fruits mindset. The principle of First Fruits teaches that a First Fruit mindset is born from giving yourself to God first.

A spiritual discipline, which has existed since the calling out of God’s people in the Old Testament, that God has used to transform our thinking and actions from a scarcity mindset to a First Fruits mindset is the giving of the tithe. The purpose of tithing is to teach us to always put God first in our lives. What is a tithe? The word tithe means a tenth part or 10%. In the Bible, God tells us that we are to give back to Him the first 10% of all we earn. Where should I give my tithe? The Bible makes it clear that God expects the tithe to be given back to Him as an act of worship at the place where you worship (Malachi 3:10). The Bible also makes it clear this should be a plan and consistent act of worship (1 Corinthians 16:2).

In the days of the Old Testament and New Testament, the tithe or “First Fruits” came from the best while not knowing how the rest would hold up – their crops, animals, and financial dealing. This is as true today. God calls us to give the tithe (10%) of what we earn to God, trusting that God will not only provide what we need but provide in such a way that we can be generous.

Now, I know money is a touchy subject. But, how we handle our money gives insight into where our heart or faith lies. Tithing displays a trust in God and a desire to transform our minds so we can live in Christ, like Christ. Tithing is a spiritual discipline used by God to transform lives of scarcity into lives that express trust in God and His wonderful provisions.

Let me share with you some practical steps to help you take your next step in developing a First Fruits lifestyle. Decide to participate in a small group or a one-on-one discipleship relationship or participate in Financial Peace University (a class that offers financial education that helps create biblical behaviors that let you master your finances). You can discover more about any of these opportunities at Crosswinds’ Info Central, online, or in our coffee shop lobby on our Canandaigua campus. Finally, take the 90-Day Tithing Challenge (tithe for 90 days and see if the Lord is faithful to His promise to care for you).

Wherever you find yourself in this journey of living a first fruits lifestyle or being all in with God by giving the Lord your first fruits, remember, our giving to the Lord is not because the Lord needs it. After all, it’s already His. Really, we don’t give but return to the Lord the first fruits of what He has given us. Our returning to the Lord a portion of what He has given us – our first fruits is for us. Giving the Lord our first fruits is for our benefit. Giving our first fruits to God acknowledges God owns everything and can provide evidence that our heart is His. A First Fruits mindset is born out of giving yourself to God first. Giving the Lord our first fruits, along with our time, talent, and testimony produces an “all in” life blessed with heavenly treasure, divine rest, and fulfillment as we know God and make Him known. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

There are five essential questions everyone attempts to answer throughout their lives. Who am I? Where do I come from? Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? What is my purpose? We are going to look at the fourth, “What is the meaning of life?” We discover the answer to this question in Scripture.

First, it’s helpful to understand that pursuing the meaning of life is closely related to finding one’s purpose in life. Both are spurred on by a deep desire to experience fulfillment and satisfaction. When these two essential questions are not answered, people find themselves looking back over their life, puzzled by fractured relationships, failed dreams, and overall emptiness. This was the observation of the writer of Ecclesiastes (Ecc 1-2). Unfortunately, far too many in our culture seek meaning by pursuing experiences, things, and achievements. In the end, they find themselves with an unfilled void. Further, they are left frustrated and, perhaps, even in despair, realizing all their efforts have fallen short of solving the problem of their emptiness.

The author of Ecclesiastes looked for the meaning of life in all the wrong places. His vain pursuits included pursuing knowledge, self-indulgence, pleasure, wisdom for wisdom’s sake, and work. In the end, he concluded that everything comes from the hand of God and attempting to live apart from Him is “vanity and striving after the wind” (Ecc 2:26). Seven times within the book of Ecclesiastes, this image of “striving” or “chasing” after the wind, is offered to us. Although real, the wind cannot be clasped in one’s hands. It’s a fruitless endeavor. It’s as futile as seeking the meaning of life in all the same vain pursuits aforementioned. In fact, he describes it as “meaningless, completely meaningless” (Ecc 1:2).

God created us with an eternal soul meant for far more than we can merely experience in the here and now. In truth, God has placed eternity in our hearts (Ecc 3:11). We all know that there is more to our life than living, dying, and trying. When the Ecclesiastes writer concludes his book, inspired by God, he writes, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecc 12:13). In other words, the meaning of life involves genuine faith in God, and walking with Him, which produces godly fruit that is the inevitable result of true faith.

For all of us, the meaning of life from now into the unforeseen future is found in a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ. When we enter into this relationship, Christ makes us new creations (2 Cor 5:17). The redemption of those now walking with Christ was formed in the mind and heart of God, allowing us by His Spirit’s power to live for His glory by knowing Him and Making Him known. Simply put, the meaning of life is found in Christ, who said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10b). A “full’ life is meaningful and free of aimless wandering.

The meaning of life is found in glorifying God (Isa 43:7). Glorifying God is anything done by a believer, under the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, that gives the world an accurate picture of who God is in righteousness and faithfulness. It reflects the love and Character of Christ while being on mission with Him. We have been made to glorify God by knowing Him and making Him known. Any substitute for Him and living on a mission other than joining Him in His becomes a meaningless pursuit; it’s “striving after the wind.” Simply put, the meaning of life is only found in Jesus Christ. In Him and Him alone, the essential questions of life are answered. We are beloved children of God, created in His image, to reflect His glory by walking in His love, transformed into His character, and reflecting both to others in the hope they, too, will find salvation in Christ. Life in Christ is a journey of becoming more and more like Him until the work in us is done and we spend eternity with Him. This is the meaning of life. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Stewardship is managing what the Lord has given us in use for His good purposes. After all, all we have is actually His (Psa 89:11). As believers, we ought to desire to be good stewards of all the Lord has given us by looking at what it really means to do everything as unto Him (Col 3:23). One such area we have to steward is time. I don’t want to get into the weeds, but I want to lay a solid biblical foundation for our stewardship in general and time specifically by sharing four truths about stewardship and time.

As Bible believing Christians, we believe that all of life is sacred. The term “Imago Dei,” which comes from the Latin version of the Bible, meaning “image of God,” is at the center of this belief. The Bible teaches that human beings are made in the image of God; we are His metaphysical expression. The phrase “Imago Dei” originates in Genesis 1:27, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Therefore, humans reflect God’s divine nature in their ability to achieve the unique characteristics with which they have been endowed. Here’s the first truth. Being image bearers of God is foundational to Christian stewardship.

We read our origin story in Genesis 2:7, “The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” We are told that man did not have life until God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” God takes dust from the ground and forms it into a human being. We can picture Adam (the first man) with hair, skin, organs, and the sort. He had practically all he needed, but he was not yet living. Then, God literally breathed life into him, and he became a living being. Adam was not a living being until God breathed life into him. Here’s the second truth. God breathing life into us is foundational to Christian stewardship.

Ruach is a Hebrew word for breath, which also means Spirit. It’s the breath that moves through everything. Throughout the Old Testament, we read of the distinct and creative agency of the Spirit of God over all things, including humankind. The Ruach was active in the creation of the world (Gen 1:2; Psa 104:29; Job 33:4), along with being the agent of recreation after the flood (Gen 8:1). Further, the Rauch created God’s people of Israel (Exo 14:19-20; 15:10), along with the New Testament account of His creation of the Church (Acts 2:1-4).

It’s the Ruach that gives life. Again, without the divine breath, nothing would exist. The Spirit creates and sustains all things. We are image bearers of God, whom God has breathed life into. We have been created to live in relationship with God. Not only am I a living being through the life-giving breath of God, but as a follower of Christ, I have His very Spirit indwelling me. The Spirit of God sets me free, empowering me to live as an image bearer of the Lord, reflecting His love and character, and being on mission with Him. This leads me to the third truth. God’s life-giving Spirit residing in the believer is foundational to Christian stewardship.

Our origin, created by God, is the same whether we accept it as truth or not. For those who do, the only obvious choice is to receive Christ as Lord and Savior and walk with Him. Knowing where I come from, God presents me with the only right path to understanding why I am here. As His created beloved being, I must listen to Him, my Creator, following the way He has in store for me. This is true for all of us image-bearers of our loving and magnificent Creator. Every day, we determine how to invest our time. Even our best-made plans are speculative. “We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it” (Prov 16:9).

Our plans won’t be fruitful without the life-giving breath of God, His Spirit giving, leading, and empowering us to fulfill them. As Dave Adamson states, “If you want your plans to succeed, you need to ask God to breathe life into them.” Allow the Ruach of God to breathe into you, your plans, and all your doings. Here’s the fourth truth. Since we are image bearers of God, whom God breathed life into and whom, as believers, His Spirit resides, we ought to steward our time directed by Him.

The psalmist proclaims, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). We are to make the most of our days. The “heart of wisdom” enables us to faithfully live by the right priorities. Each day there are 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, and 86,400 seconds-and every one of them is a precious gift from God. Time is something we feel we never have enough of, yet we give it away so easily. It’s been said, “Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” Let’s steward our time wisely for God’s glory. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Where do we come from? We read of our origin story in Genesis 2:7, “The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” All that exists comes from God. He is our Creator. Paul writes in Colossians, “For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him” (Col 1:16). Nothing exists that God has not created.

Further, in Genesis 2:7, we are told that man did not have life until God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” God takes dust from the ground and forms it into a human being. We can picture Adam (the first man) with hair, skin, organs, and the sort. He had practically all he needed, but he was not yet living. Then, God literally breathed life into him, and he became a living being.

When we look back to the first chapter of Genesis, we read, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen 1:27). We human beings have been made in the very image of God. This is why Orthodox Christians understand that all of life is sacred. The term “Imago Dei,” which comes from the Latin version of the Bible, meaning “image of God,” is at the center of this belief. The Bible teaches that human beings are made in the image of God; they are His metaphysical expression. Genesis 1:27 does not imply that God is in human form but that humans are in the image of God in their moral, spiritual, and intellectual essence. Therefore, humans reflect God’s divine nature in their ability to achieve the unique characteristics with which they have been endowed.

Then, where do I come from? I came from God, Who created me in His likeness. This reality leads me to an understanding of why I am here. I have been created to live in relationship with God. Not only am I a living being through the life-giving breath of God, but as a follower of Christ, I have His very Spirit indwelling me. The Spirit of God sets me free, empowering me to live as an image bearer of the Lord, reflecting His love and character, and being on mission with Him. His Spirit identifies me as God’s beloved child (see: Rom 8).

Our origin, created by God, is the same whether we accept it as truth or not. For those who do, the only obvious choice is to receive Christ as Lord and Savior and walk with Him. For those who don’t, they are left attempting to navigate the dark corridors of false assumptions and weak presuppositions, which can never help us answer why we are here. On the contrary, knowing I come from God presents me with the only right path to understanding why I am here. As His created beloved being, I must listen to Him, my Creator, following the way He has in store for me. This is true for all us image-bearers of our loving and magnificent Creator. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Answering the question “Who am I,” is closely connected to “Where do I come from.” We read in Genesis 1:27, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” I want to answer the question, “Who am I,” but I must begin by stating that all people are created in the image of God. This is true of unbelievers estranged from God as well as believers who are in a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I will dig into this truth in greater detail when answering, “Where do I come from,” but for now will note that this is what makes us human beings distinct from the rest of God’s creation. All of us are fashioned in the image of God.

Being made in the image of God is true of unbelievers and believers. But, there are differences in our identity as well. God is everyone’s Creator, but we are born estranged from God. We have been created to reflect God’s love and character and be on mission with Him, but we are not automatically in a relationship with Him that allows this to be a reality in our lives. This is why Jesus came, to die for our sins and be resurrected for our salvation (Rom 4:25). The Bible teaches us that we are born “dead in our sins” and alienated from God (Eph 2:1-3). This is why unbelievers, in Scripture, are referred to as sinners. Their identity is tied to their estrangement from God.

The believer has a different identity from the unbeliever. The believer has been “born again” or spiritually renewed (John 3:3). We find in the Bible that believers walk in new life (Rom 6:4), free of condemnation (Rom 8:1), reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:18), and citizens of heaven (Phil 3:20). The identity of the believer that I find myself often amazed at is that a believer is a child of God (John 1:12). The term used in the New Testament for the believer is saint. A saint is one set apart for Christ. A saint is a disciple of Christ, one who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and committed to the mission of Jesus.

Although the believer, formerly an unbeliever, was estranged from God, they are reconciled to God through receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Since God is the ultimate purpose and reason for our existence, our identity is found in Him and Him alone. Therefore, I am a beloved child of God. This is true of every believer and offered to the unbeliever. In fact, if you have yet to receive Christ as Savior and Lord, I encourage you to do so. God has provided through Christ the way you can be reconciled to Him, granting you the identity you have been created to possess.

So, the answer to the question, “Who am I,” is not defined in terms of who we are in and of ourselves. It’s described in our being image bears of God and in terms of whether or not we have received Jesus as Savior and Lord. In other words, who I am as a believer is wrapped up in the action of God in me, my relationship with Him, and God’s purpose for me. Who we are is not self-focused but God-centered. Ultimately, discovering who I am is not an end in itself but for the sake of walking in a right relationship with Him as His beloved child. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

When you begin to study the book of James, you discover from the beginning (1:2-4) that life’s trials are not unnatural barriers to our walk with God but the appointed way forward to spiritual maturity. He at once calls us to prayer. James ends where he began, calling us to pray before he concludes by addressing care for someone “wandering from the truth.”

In the closing of James (5:13-20), we find five truths about prayer and care James believes are important that we know. First, James looks at the individual at prayer. He writes, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise” (v. 13). Suffering or trouble can lead to a rebellious attitude against God and the abandonment of spiritual practices. Equally, times of ease can lead to complacency, spiritual laziness, and the assertion that we can cope with our lives apart from dependence on God. James encourages us that neither troubles nor ease should find us without a God-honoring response in prayer and song. We have a God for all seasons. Therefore, it’s important to James that we believe prayer and praise are the truest response to all circumstances.

Second, James looks at elders at prayer. We read, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (5:14-15). James conceives a sick person inviting the elders, the leaders of a local church to which this ailing person belongs, to come and minister to him or her. This is the only passage in the New Testament that gives such direct advice concerning the ministry of healing within the church. Much could be written about the teaching of these verses, but what’s important to James is that we believe prayer is the genuine response to the problem of serious illness.

Third, James looks at friends at prayer. He writes, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (5:16a). There is no doubt that Christians who are burdened by some sin often seek the counsel of a close friend and they pray together for deliverance and cleansing healing. But this is not what James is speaking of here, and his chosen wording will not allow this interpretation. James is directly talking about one believer offending another, then going privately to confess what they have done is wrong, asking to be forgiven, and joining in prayer for healing. It’s important to James that we believe that prayer has the power to heal the sin-sick soul and sin-torn fellowship (v. 16a).

Fourth, James looks at the prayer of a righteous person. We read, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months, it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit” (5:16b-18). To drive home the truth of the power of prayer, James illustrates it from the account of Elijah. Prayer is often an untapped resource. The illustration from Elijah’s life shows that prayer carries a mighty punch. He prayed for drought, and there was no rain for three years; then prayed for rain, and it rained. Now that’s power!

What does James mean by “a righteous person?” The word “righteous” has a forbidding ring. It seems to rule out us and our prayers. And, of course, if we are to understand it to mean perfect moral character and integrity, we would be ruled out. But this is not what James means, and it’s for this reason that James introduces this illustration of Elijah, who, he notes, “was a man with a nature like ours.” Elijah was flawed like you and me. Elijah was an ordinary person, but he was right with God – or, to put things in the sort of terminology that we find in James’ letter, his faith was active in his works, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (James 2:22-23). What’s the point? Those who by grace have been given the status of righteousness in God’s sight (believers) have been brought into a realm where effective prayer operates and have been given the right to exercise a ministry of prayer. It’s important to James that we believe prayer is powerful and has supernatural results when engaged by believers (vv. 16b-18).

Fifth and lastly. James looks at how believers ought to care for fellow believers. He concludes, “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (5:19-20). Every Christian Fellowship is a place of truth and holiness. Each of us knows within ourselves how easy it is to slip away from a full commitment to our Lord. Many of us know what a blessing it is to have a brother or sister in Christ run after us, direct us in the right way and bring us back to God. It’s every believer’s responsibility in a local church to watch out for the welfare of other believers. We are called to bring the wanderer within the embrace of the finished work of Christ. When we become aware of someone from our fellowship lapsing from the truth or an error in their life, we don’t sound the trumpet and make it public, but simply out of love, which covers a multitude of sins, we act in love, and shares the truth with that person in the hope they will abide in Christ. It’s important to James that we believe that care for fellow believers is the responsibility of every believer (vv. 19-20).

James wrote this letter bearing his name to instruct believers on how to practically live the Christian life. He started, in chapter 1, by drawing us to prayer and right fellowship with God and fellow believers amid all circumstances and ended with the same. When everything is said and done, James teaches us that the Christian life is not only a matter of belief but practice; we are to live what we believe. This is evidenced, in part, by how we engage in prayer and care for other believers. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!