Life in Jesus Archives - Valley Bible Church

“Genuine Labor Rewarded”

“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”—1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV84

At first glance, one would suspect this verse is only for ministers and missionaries, and those in “full-time” ministry. ‘Cuz they have the “time” to “always give [them]selves fully to the work of the Lord (emphasis added).”

And this may be a more reasonable understanding if this were to Titus, or Philemon, or Timothy…. But it is “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:2 NIV84), which seems to me to be a much broader audience than just those “in full-time ministry.”

So, if it is for all of us, what can we all harvest from this?

We are all not to be moved from our faith in, focus on and Love for the Lord Jesus.
We are all to “always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,” no matter what we are doing; we are doing it all for His glory (see 1 Cor. 13:31).
We are all to “labor in the Lord” and not in our own strength. “Lord Jesus Christ, do “this” in me” and then—Go do it!
We are all to “remember” our “Labor in the Lord is not in vain” or empty. We will receive our reward, the fruit of our labors.

Much can be said on each of these four points, but I want to encourage all to make sure we labor in the Lord and not for the Lord. And, I want us to not give up…. But keep on in true genuine Hope of genuine fruit from our genuine Labor in the Lord…. It. Is. Not. In. Vain!

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” —Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV84)

Shalom,

Pastor Mike

“Dealing with Grief Makes us More Genuine”

In light of the recent flooding tragedy and loss of young life in Texas, and even now as our hearts are still aching, I thought I would very brief address grief.

First, we must engage the grief. The sense of loss be is great or small must be “felt”. The Lord knows our frame and knows how much grief we can handle, but nevertheless running from in, denying it, or refusing to deal with it not only “hurt” ourselves, it also “hurts” all around us. We start to shut down our emotions and, in essence, become inauthentic because we are not being real with ourselves, let alone others.

The Word says, “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope” (1 Thes. 4:13 NIV84). Notice it does not say: “Do not grieve.” But it does say, “grieve with hope.” Too many times Believers think that if they grieve—have any intense emotional response to a loss, that they are not “good” Christians, but this isn’t so. Our Lord Jesus grieved on several occasions: (1) at Lazarus’s’ tomb (John 11:35); (2) on the Road into Jerusalem (Luke 19:41 ); (3) in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:36-42) just to capture three moments. It is okay to grieve, but with HOPE!

In traveling through the various loops of the Grief process, we become more empathetic, (Heb. 4:15) we become more genuine (2 Cor. 1:12), and, frankly, we become more like Jesus (Isa. 53:3). In short, not going through the grief process is not only being disingenuous, it is also failing to be more like Jesus.

And if I know you all well enough: You do sincerely want to be more like Lord Jesus. Let us journey together through our grief as we help carry each other’s crosses.

Shalom,

Pastor Mike

Sunday Bible Study

We are looking through the Letters the Apostle Paul wrote to the church to discover what a Safe-Place Person is and how we can be more like Jesus, the Safe-Place Person. Ages 7th grade to Adult are welcomed.

6th graders and younger are welcomed to join Harvest View’s Children’s program during this time.

Sunday Bible Study

6th graders and younger are welcomed to join Harvest View’s Children’s program during this time.

Sunday Bible Study

6th graders and younger are welcomed to join Harvest View’s Children’s program during this time.

Sunday Bible Study

6th graders and younger are welcomed to join Harvest View’s Children’s program during this time.

“Of Droughts & Wildernesses”

As with physical droughts and wildernesses, there are spiritual ones, too….

We can wander into a wilderness or be sent. Likewise, we can choose to enter into a drought period of our lives or the Lord will send us into one. Whether these are self-inflicted or divine appointments, know this: The Lord has a purpose for these times in our lives.

Self-inflicted droughts & wildernesses are used as discipline. The Lord is denying us what is important in life to remind us to “go and sin no more” (see John 8:11 & 5:15), thus showing us what is important in Life—His Life….

But what of those divine appointed droughts and wildernesses? David went into one; Moses did, too. And even our Lord Jesus was sent into the wilderness. All these, and more, are showing us that the Lord is using these thirsty and wandering times to purify us and protect us. While in the wilderness, often we are being hidden from those that would do us harm—even ourselves. While experiencing severe thirst, He shows us what water really satisfies.

So, are you in a drought? Do you feel like the Lord has abandoned you in a wilderness? Join me: Cease our striving. Quit trying to figure it out or even “get out”. Simple rest in Him. Pause, reflect, collect. Pause: Intentionally take time to be with Him—Alone. Reflect: During this Pause reflect on what the Lord has done, and is doing. Collect: As you intentionally pause and reflect, begin to collect all the little nuggets the Lord is uncovering, both in you, through others and in His Word.

And through all this rest…, knowing that only in His time will the drought end and the wilderness give way to a land of milk and honey.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Ps. 42:1–2 NIV84.)

O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Ps 63:1NIV84)

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. (Isa. 55:12 NIV84)

In Faith Thirsting & Wandering together,

Pastor Mike

“Your Sorrow Shall Turn to Joy—At the Appointed Time”

It has been almost a year since Robert and Amy moved to the East Coast, and now our dear sister, aunt, mother, Vivian, has moved to the Eastern Slope. We all grief; each in our own way—and in varying degrees, but nonetheless we grieve. She was like an aunt to me. She even looked like my Aunt who had passed shortly before Vivian first arrived at VBC in 2006. It created an immediate bond. We grew close even in there departure. And the blessing of her returning a few years ago has spread to many, if not all….

So, in light of her departure, our grieving, and a follow up to my last blog, “Two Ways to Step out in Faith,” I’m sharing a devotion from Streams in the Desert, July 4th’s entry (p. 199).

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time … though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” (Hab. 2:3.)

“IN the charming little booklet, Expectation Corner, Adam Slowman was led into the Lord’s treasure houses, and among many other wonders there revealed to him was the “Delayed Blessings Office,” where God kept certain things, prayed for, until the wise time came to send them.

“It takes a long time for some pensioners to learn that delays are not denials. Ah, there are secrets of love and wisdom in the “Delayed Blessings Department,” which are little dreamt of! Men would pluck their mercies green when the Lord would have them ripe. “Therefore will the Lord WAIT, that He may be gracious unto you” (Isa. 30:18). He is watching in the hard places and will not allow one trial too many; He will let the dross be consumed, and then He will come gloriously to your help.

“Do not grieve Him by doubting His love. Nay, lift up your head, and begin to praise Him even now for the deliverance which is on the way to you, and you will be abundantly rewarded for the delay which has tried your faith.”

So, Dear Saints of Valley Bible, know that though there is waiting, there is an appointed time where our grief shall turn to joy. And this, too, is by faith.

Join me in …

Walking in Faith together,

Pastor Mike

“Living the Resurrection Power Life”

As the tulips blossom, the roses bloom and plants reveal the beauty and life they have in them, so ought we. The Beauty of the Lord Jesus seen in our lives as His Resurrection Power is manifested when we bloom and blossom and reveal His Life in us.

[All kinds of trials] have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. —1 Peter 1:7 (NIV84)

Yes! The blossoms of His glory are revealed in us; the blooms of His honor are seen by all—even ourselves—through all sorts of difficulties and challenges….

But how do we “live” this Life? How do we appropriate this empowerment? By faith. We confess the Lord Jesus Christ, asking Him to empower us to do the task or be the person we need to be, and then step out in faith walking in the power of His Spirit. It is then the blossoms’ beauty is revealed; the blooms’ fragrance is sensed….

This confessing may be a morning experience or throughout the day, as we walk with Him: “Lord Jesus Christ, be the person in my life You need right now,” or “Lord Jesus Christ, by Your Spirit empower me to accomplish this task.” Then we take that step of faith and “Go do it”—whatever He has prompted us to do or empowered us to be.

Let the beauty of our Lord Jesus’ resurrection be seen in and through your life,

Living in the Hope of the Resurrection,

Pastor Mike

“Spring into Life”

Of course, April showers bring May flowers. They bring life. Of course, when there is a drought, the showers are less plenteous. There results a desert. And, of course, this is a parable for our spiritual lives. …

As you are fully aware, the Lord Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, but sadly many stop with Him as the Way and the Truth; then they try to live the Christian Life in their own strength: They gut it out becoming legalists.

Or they try to pretend they are living the life Jesus wants: They fake it out, becoming hypocrites. But if you have integrity, you will neither gut it out because deep down you know you cannot do it; and you will not fake it out because you know you need to be true to yourself as well as the Lord Jesus, Who is the Truth. So, there you dangle being caught between the “is” and the “ought”: Between what is and what ought to be, thus you become a Dangler!

But my prayer for you and for me is that instead of being a Hypocrite, Legalist or Dangler, we spring into Life, the Life the Lord Jesus Christ is in us. Again, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. As we spring into Life, we become Lifers, those who yield to the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Power to live the Life.

Join me in living this Resurrected Life: “Lord Jesus Christ, be in me what You need me to be today. May I hear Your voice and obey Your promptings. In Your Name, Amen.”

Peace,

Pastor Mike