Welcome

Welcome to Barnabas Notes. The title of this site comes from the Biblical character of that name who was a companion of the apostle Paul on his first missionary journey and whose name was actually Joseph. He was called "Barnabas," which means "son of encouragement," because of his ability to bless the lives of others. We hope that this blog will be such a blessing in your life!

A peaceful spring on the Macedonian side of Lake Ochrid in the Balkan Mountains

Monday, December 28, 2009

"If You Only Knew..."

First of all, I want to thank Tim Lewis for giving me the idea for this post. As is often the case when one is preaching the Message of God's Word to an audience, a grain of truth finds its way into a heart in a way that the messenger may not be aware of or even intended. In pointing out the sad truth that some have a hard time believing that God could love them because their sin is so grievous, I was encouraged to think of my own life and admit what I knew to be true, but, like everyone else, sometimes have a hard time remembering. God loves me! Thanks, Tim.

Guilt is a good thing...with some qualifications. This is such a radical idea in this day and age, that some may actually stop reading right here. Please do not!! Some have the idea that guilt is the greatest of evils. The television is full of preachers who preach that guilt should be the furthest thing from your mind; that Jesus died to absolve you of all guilt. Well, that is only part of the story.

Yes, Jesus did come into this world bringing salvation to all men (Titus 2:11); however, that salvation is offered conditionally (i.e. on the condition that we respond to that offer in faithful obedience and faithful obedience as God has defined it in His Word). What does that have to do with guilt? Guilt is built into us by God and is a good thing when allowed to function as He intended. And that function is to help us humble ourselves before God. Guilt reminds me that I am a sinner and that when I approach the throne of God, "I am a man of unclean lips" (Isaiah 6:5). I do not deserve to be in His presence; I do not deserve His grace. Thanks be to God, however, that He does not act on my behalf based on what I deserve, but on His own love toward me!

Here is the message I want to leave you with today. You may very well think that your sin is so bad that God could not possibly forgive you, never mind love you, but you are wrong. You may think it bold of me to say that, but it's true. Do you find yourself in a cycle of sin that has you feeling guilty, sincerely repenting and then, after a period of time, returning to the same sin? I do! When I consider my life, I remember that Jesus promised to "vomit out" of His mouth the lukewarm Christian (Revelation 3:16 NKJV). My guilt sometimes makes me think He must surely have me in mind because that is what I think of myself.

It is somewhat like the husband that gets angry and beats his wife. We have all seen this guy on television (sometimes reality TV). We do not have much pity for someone who would do that, and we really don't understand why his wife will defend him and then forgive him and take him back when he comes in tears and apologizes and promises to never do it again. Please do not misunderstand me to be defending such behavior!! If you are like me, when you see that guy on TV, you think to yourself when he apologizes, or she defends him, "Yeah, right!" We know he will do it again, don't we? When I sin, I feel like I'm that guy!

We think we have people figured out...that we know someone (e.g. like the wife-beater who will do it again). We don't buy their apologies or penitence one little bit!! And I have committed certain sins so many times that God must surely think the very same thing of me. If I am so disgusted with myself, He must be, too. The fact of the matter is, God does know me. He knows the sincerity of my heart, the self-loathing I feel when I come to Him in penitent prayer, asking - no begging - for His forgiveness. When I have Godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10), He knows the truth about whether there is "longing" in my heart to be right with Him, or if there is really is a "zeal" about my desire to be right with Him (2 Corinthians 7:11).

Well, it makes me feel a little better to know that I do not have to worry that I was not convincing enough to God when I repented. I am left with the acknowledgement of my weakness and a need for His strength to keep fighting to overcome the temptation to commit that certain sin.

I truly love the people in my life who say nice things about me; who tell me they admire this or that thing about me. However, every time I hear a compliment, a part of my mind thinks, "If you only knew..." and the self-loathing is there, always there, ready to bind that heavy ball and chain of guilt to my ankle. I feel its weight and I feel its threat to overwhelm me. Another preacher many years ago reminded me of something that I have tried to repeat as often as I can. We all realize the most difficult person to forgive is...yourself. The fact of the matter is: forgiveness is not my job! Forgiveness of me is God's job; my job is repentance and faithful obedience to His will. So, I must do my job and let God do His!!

Friend, do not give up in despair and hopelessness when you find yourself in that cycle of sin. God knows you and your heart and He knew it before the foundations of the earth; Jesus knew it when He submitted Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:5ff). A word of caution: He does not forgive sins when we do not repent, but if you will submit yourself to His will as He has instructed in His Word, you do not have to worry about convincing Him of your sincerity. If you are sincere, He knows!!

I hope that gives you some encouragement this morning. The weight you carry is not one that is heavier than anyone else's. We have all been there and many of us are still there (1 Corinthians 10:13a). I hope you can begin the new year with the realization that God loves you and I really want you to know that I love you, too. God bless you!

Donnie Bates

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Happy Holidays?

As I told you in my last post, this is my favorite time of the year, and that is true for several reasons. However, I must number myself among those who grows tired of the commercialization of Christmas (along with a growing number of other holidays, it seems). Still, I look forward to the time I get to spend with family and just the general atmosphere of good will.

There are many people, however, who do not view the holiday season with the same attitude. Statistics tell us that a great many people dread this time of year. Some experts say that depression tends to increase around the holidays for some people, due to a variety of factors. The loss of a loved one, the lack of family to spend time with, or the stress of interacting with family can all exacerbate a feeling of depression specifically at this time of year. I know this problem is real. My family lost a loved one at Christmas time a few years ago and, while I believe we have coped with that loss, I'm not sure we have completely recovered, or are supposed to. So, I do not mean any of this to sound patronizing.

Wait a minute! I thought this was supposed to be a note of encouragement!! So far, it's been a little on the discouraging side.

How can we encourage those who find themselves discouraged during this "most wonderful time of the year"? (I love that song, by the way). Dealing with any of these stressors is difficult enough without the whole world (it seems) ramping up the cheer and happiness around us. The common denominator in this list seems to be loneliness. Every time anyone talks about what Christmas means to them, at some point they are going to say that they love the time spent with family. I said that myself just a minute ago. So, if I'm the one who doesn't have anyone to spend time with, my load just got a lot heavier to carry.

This is not the end of the post, but I'm going to jump in here with a "God loves you" to help take some of the weight off your shoulders. When Jesus said, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden..." (Matthew 11:28ff) there is a very definite application to the religious leaders who "bind heavy burdens that are hard to bear and lay them on men's shoulders" (Matthew 23:4). However, it seems to me that the burden carried by those discouraged in life and which tempts them to give up on life itself, or to allow their discouragement to overcome them and cause them to sink further into depression, is a burden that can be lifted with the help of Jesus. When the apostle Paul said that God is faithful and will provide a way of escape from every temptation, so that we need not be overcome by it (1 Corinthians 10:13), would that not include the temptation to allow the burden of loneliness to overcome us? Of course it would!!

One stressor we left out of our list is that of guilt. You see, many of those who suffer at this time of year are Christians. The fact that they are people means they are susceptible to the same kinds of temptations, pressures and discouragement that everyone else is. However, along with that, there is sometimes the feeling that since they are Christians, they're not supposed to be down or depressed. And when they are, they feel guilty. Let me encourage you not to let guilt overcome you. Look for that way of escape that Paul promised would be there. Find some way to minister to someone else. That is God's design to help the new creature be healed when he is hurt spiritually. Time and time again Jesus was wounded in spirit by the pressure of this life and every time, He looked on a multitude and felt compassion on them and ministered to them. Look through the archives of this blog to find a post entitled "The Healing Power of Ministry."

Whether I know you personally or not, I know that God loves you; He loves you enough that He sent His only begotten Son to die so that you can have eternal life where there will be no more suffering of any kind, if you will accept His offer on His terms (John 3:16; Revelation 21:4; John 14:15). And even if I do not know you, I love you enough to want to tell you that. I hope that this note will help ease your pain in some way. I know that I am strengthened and encouraged in the attempt. Find someone you can do the same with today. Make this holiday season the beginning of a new life for yourself. Don't focus on yourself, but on others, and don't stop when the trees and lights come down. Once again, God loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates

Thursday, December 17, 2009

'Tis [Always] the Season

I have to admit, this is just about my favorite time of year. I love the cooler [cold] weather; even though I'm cold-natured, I still like it cold outside. I love the atmosphere of Christmas, from the music on the radio to the decorations. I just love it!

There are a lot of people talking about Jesus being reason for the season and I am glad that people's minds turn to thoughts of Jesus this time of year, but that always makes me wonder why those same people do not talk about Him the other eleven months out of the year. It may come as a surprise to some, but Jesus did not come into this world to give us a holiday. He came to seek and to save that which was lost, at least, that's what He told a little fellow by the name of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:10).

Most people who celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday believe that this is the day of Jesus' birth. My purpose here is not to argue about that point. In this note from friend Barnabas I would like to use one of the songs we sing this time of year as a springboard to find some words of encouragement. Christmas or not, there are some pretty scary things going on in the world today. A lot of the uncertainty we are dealing with is because of politics, both national and international. What's going to happen in the next decade, next year, next month? We have never known the answer to that question in the past, but at least the future seemed a little more secure not so very long ago; now, however, it's a whole different story, isn't it?

On the night of Jesus' birth, an angel stood before a group of shepherds in the fields and announced good tidings of great joy to them. A great thing had happened...in the city of David a Savior was born, Who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10, 11). That announcement was immediately followed by the appearance of a heavenly host with the angel who said, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:13, 14). People are singing those words right now, during these days leading up to Christmas.

Here is the encouraging part...the reason this was a "great thing" that had happened: The grace of God had appeared, bringing salvation to all men (Titus 2:11). We echo the words of the heavenly host and say, "Glory to God in the highest!" We, too, pray for peace on earth, but not peace between nations. We mean peace between God and man (Romans 5:1). Of course we want there to be peace between nations, but whether that happens or not, our prayer is that those who have no relationship with God, will submit to Him in humble, obedient faith. That is our "goodwill toward men," that men, all men...all people everywhere will repent of their sins (Acts 17:30) and take advantage of the incredible grace that appeared in the person of Jesus.

God sent His Son into this world as a human baby Who would grow into a man and die on a cross to give us the opportunity to be saved from our sins if we obey in faith the conditions of that offer. Yes, I think we can say that a great thing has happened! And with that realization we understand that it is ('tis) always the season to rejoice (be jolly). I hope you enjoy this holiday season and determine that you will live for Him everyday of the coming year. He loves you, you know, and so do I.

Donnie Bates

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The More Things Change...

It has been more than five years since I stopped writing Barnabas Notes on a regular, weekly basis. A lot has happened and changed in my life in those five years. For one thing, I now publish the notes in this blog rather than sending them out via email. Hopefully, an even larger number of people will be able to read them.

Several things have not changed, however. Pain and suffering are still here, aren't they? People still need encouragement...and to tell the truth, I still need to be offering it. In this format (the blog), it will not be as necessary to publish a note of encouragement once a week. In fact, it will be easier to publish them even more often on occasion. So, here is the first of a new round of encouraging notes from friend Barnabas.

One undeniable truth is that while the ultimate source of our suffering and discouragement is our enemy, that serpent of old, Satan himself, it is also true that suffering and discouragement very often manifest themselves in our lives through the actions of other people. It doesn't matter if we refer to the guy who cuts us off in traffic, or someone with whom we have close relationship who betrays, attacks, or in some other way causes us suffering and pain. I am sorry to say and ashamed to admit that I have been on both sides of that coin; both victim and perpetrator of such pain and suffering.

What do we do in those situations? Well, if you are the perpetrator the answer is a very easy one--repent of your sins and ask both God and your victim to forgive you. Until you do, you are in violation of God's will and stand outside of His grace (Ephesians 4:30 and Galatians 6:10 are just two examples of Scripture which we need to remember at this point).

If you are the victim, the answer becomes a little more difficult. Depending on the level of pain and suffering it will be hard to respond in the right way, but not impossible. God's Word tells us to respond in love. When all the passages concerning love for our fellowman are put together, there is no one left out...no one we do not have to love, and that includes our enemies (Matthew 5:44). And if you love your enemies you will not take into account a wrong suffered (1 Corinthians 13:5). What!?? That's right! I told you it becomes more difficult to respond in the right way, didn't I?

It is true that sometimes other actions are required that may not be perceived to be loving. Those Christians who continue to live a sinful life are to be shamed by the church's refusal to keep company with them (2 Thessalonians 3:14). The apostle Paul used very strong language in a letter to the Corinthian church that he knew would cause some pain, but was necessary (2 Corinthians 11:4). This same apostle told Titus to "rebuke...sharply" those who were causing problems in the church (Titus 1:13). And yet, all of these actions (which some consider exceedingly negative) were (and are) to be done in love.

So, when those around you (stranger or loved one) act in such a way as to cause you pain and suffering, remember the pain and suffering each of us caused our God and which resulted in His dying on the cross. Then, remember that you must stand before Him and answer for your deeds done in the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:10). I will not have to stand before God and answer for what someone did to me, but I will have to answer for how I responded to it. That fact helps me try to respond the way Jesus did.

The more things change the more they stay the same, someone once said. The pain and suffering today is not a different pain and suffering of five years ago, or 5,000 years ago. There is still a place for the encouraging words of Barnabas. I hope these words will help you to make yourself right with God no matter what your enemy hurls your way. Remember, just like always, God loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates

Sunday, December 6, 2009

He Heard My Cry

Well, we have reached the two year mark. I want to say first of all that I appreciate more than you can ever know the encouragement you have given me over the last two years. Your words have been touching. It means so much to know that so many have been touched by the words found in these notes.

I want to share with you today some thoughts that struck me as I read through Psalm 40 not long ago. I was especially moved by the first verse: I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. How comforting to know that God hears our cry! Did you ever get to the point in your suffering that you just felt like screaming but did not think anyone would hear? Well, Someone does!

Look at verses 2 and 3: He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord. I must say, it is hard to be down and depressed after reading something like that, isn’t it? A lot of us feel like we have been in the pit of destruction, in the miry clay. It is good to have our feet set upon a rock and our footsteps made firm. God does that for us when we cry out to Him because He hears our cry. Hallelujah!! Let me ask you this: do you have a new song in your mouth? Do you make it a point to share with others what the Lord has done for you?

I want to encourage you to wait patiently for the Lord. When you suffer, and I’m sorry to say that you will suffer, know that the Lord will incline His ear to you and hear your cry. He will bring you up out of that pit of destruction and miry clay and set your feet upon that rock. He has a new song for your mouth if you will sing it. Do not give up on God because He has not given up on you. He loves you and so do I. I have tried to include that statement in every note, but I want you to know that I never meant it as just a closing. God really and truly does love you more than you can know (John 3:16). And I really and truly love you more than you can know. Even if I do not know you personally, I can still love you because God loves you. I can love your spirit and your desire to receive encouragement from God. If in some small way the words I have written have brought you some encouragement, please know that it was God Who was the Source of that encouragement and I love being a part of it. Many of you I do know personally and some of the things I wrote were specifically designed for afflictions you were having that I was aware of. I hope they helped. Let me say once again...God loves you and so do I.

Considering Our Ways

There is a lot of suffering in the world these days, isn’t there? Sometimes it just breaks your heart. There are some people who must wonder why everything seems to go so wrong in their life.

I know that from time to time different people who receive these notes have suffered greatly. The suffering varies from person to person, but over the last two years many have suffered many things including even the loss of loved ones. The pain is real and severe.

Sometimes when people suffer so much, in their cry to express their pain, there may be a temptation to blame God or, at least, to question why we should have to suffer so. In our last chapter, in Lamentations 3:1-22, we noted that Jeremiah felt like he was a special target for God’s afflictions on His people, but even so he refused to give up his trust in Jehovah. A few verses later in that same chapter, the weeping prophet makes a statement that all of us would do well to consider.

Why should any living mortal, or any man, offer complaint in view of his sins? Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord (Lamentations 3:39, 40). We really do not have any cause for complaint. I don’t mean that we should just grin and bear it when we suffer such terrible afflictions. We can cry out to God and we can take great comfort in the fact that He has promised to hear our cry and deliver us. However, we have to stop short of blaming God for the things we suffer.

We suffer in this life simply because we are still in this life and not in heaven where there will be no more tears (Revelation 21:4). As long as we remain here there will be pain. What we need to concentrate on is returning to the Lord.

In Lamentation 3, for several verses Jeremiah continues his “lament” that he suffers at the hand of God and as a result of his own sins, but a subtle shift takes place along about verse 50. There is no hope until the Lord looks down and sees from heaven. From there Jeremiah describes the deliverance by the hand of God. When Jeremiah “returned to the Lord” and cried out from the lowest pit (verse 55), God heard and said, “Do not fear!” (verse 57). Verse 58 says, "O Lord, You have pleaded my soul’s cause; You have redeemed my life."

The point of today’s lesson is not that you deserve what you get in this life. It is not to say that God is just paying us back what we have earned. Nor do we mean to say that all you have to do is cry out to the Lord and there will be no more pain in this life. What this passage of Scripture, these “lamentations” of the prophet Jeremiah, seems to be saying is that if we concentrate on what is most important (returning to the Lord), we can look forward to salvation in the end. That is because God loves us enough to make this possible. I am so glad to tell you today that God loves you and so do I.

I Am the Man

I am the man who has seen affliction because of the rod of His wrath (Lamentations 3:1).
For 18 verses Jeremiah “laments” the problems in his life, describing them figuratively in terms like “He has driven me and made me walk in darkness and not in light. Surely against me He has turned His hand repeatedly all the day” (Lamentations 3:2, 3). The “He” under discussion is God. In other words, Jeremiah is saying that God is the Source of all his suffering.

I know there are times it feels like God has abandoned us to the cruelties of life or even that God Himself is purposely causing all these problems in our lives. Maybe you have had these thoughts go through your mind: He has besieged and encompassed me with bitterness and hardship (Lamentations 3:5), or He has walled me in so that I cannot go out; He has made my chain heavy. (Lamentations 3:7); Even when I cry out and call for help, He shuts out my prayer (Lamentations 3:8).

You should know by now that in this column I am going to give you a reason not to give up and “curse God and die” as Job's wife encouraged him to do (Job 2:9). The reason not to give up is demonstrated by Jeremiah himself. Jeremiah was a man of God; there is no question of that.
He is called by Bible students today “the weeping prophet.” His book of Lamentations is one reason for that title, although the book of Jeremiah is also full of reasons for Jeremiah to weep for his people and his God (because of the way they treated Him). Jeremiah and his contemporary prophets in the land of Judah (such as Habakkuk) had much to lament. They were about to be invaded by the world’s most powerful army--Babylon. No one could stand against the might of Babylon and God told the Jews, through Jeremiah and the other prophets, that the only way they could survive was to surrender. God was sending Babylon to punish Judah and no alliance with Egypt or anyone else would deliver them. Things were about to get very bad in Judah. It is for this reason that men like Jeremiah and Habakkuk could write about times being so hard.

In other posts I have referred you to Habakkuk 3:16-19 (and I encourage you to read it again and again). However, this passage in Lamentations 3 has a similar sentiment. After 18 verses of all that God has done to Jeremiah, listen to his conclusion: Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail (Lamentations 3:19-22).

Let me ask you this: When was the last time you felt like God was the reason for all your ills and your response was to hit your knees asking Him for deliverance? Jeremiah shows us that such is the right way to handle problems in our lives. It may be that God has allowed you to suffer for the simple reason that He wants to bring to your mind (remind you of) the same fact that Jeremiah realized: The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease! Do not ever forget this little fact: God’s steadfast love and mercy will always be available to anyone who will humbly come to Him on His terms. Start your week today with the thought that He loves you and so do I.

Our Vindication

The nation that God raised to bring Judah down and destroy Jerusalem, taking the populace into captivity, was Babylon. During the time of Jeremiah the prophet, Judah was facing the worst suffering in its history. Captivity and judgment had been threatened before, but the people had always repented and the Lord had relented. Now, judgment was coming and it could not be avoided. The only way anyone was going to be able to survive was to surrender to the invader...a hard message for patriots to swallow and one that got Jeremiah into lots of trouble.

Jeremiah’s prophecy, however, was not just about the judgment of Jerusalem. He also included, at the direction of the Lord, of course, news about the future of Babylon. Even though Babylon was to be used as God’s instrument of judgment (and King Nebuchadnezzar understood his role in that, probably from 20 years or so of exposure to a young man taken captive early in this drama...Daniel), they were not to escape judgment themselves.

Jeremiah tells his people: Flee from the midst of Babylon, and each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, for this is the Lord's time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her (Jeremiah 51:6). Later kings of Babylon would forget that God was the One Who gave them Judah and would think too much of themselves. God was going to destroy Babylon. Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it; for it is the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance for His temple (Jeremiah 51:11).

As we said in a previous post, sometimes we suffer as a direct consequence of the things we have done ourselves. We have no one to blame but ourselves. Still, it is not pleasant. In fact, sometimes the consequences of my actions are downright painful, embarrassing, dreadful, or any number of other descriptions we could all probably add. The worst consequence of all, of course, is sin, which separates us from the love and grace of God (Isaiah 59:1, 2). We could be looking at eternity away from the presence of God and, in fact, that's what we deserve. Aren’t you glad that God has provided a way for us to deal with that sin and avoid that worst of consequences?

Notice how Jeremiah puts it: The Lord has brought about our vindication; come and let us recount in Zion the work of the Lord our God! (Jeremiah 51:10). I am so thankful that God has brought about our vindication! The apostle Paul said that such vindication is associated with our godly sorrow which brings about a repentance without regret (2 Corinthians 7:10, 11). That’s the key! Whether your suffering comes from the consequences of your own actions or just the sinful actions of others, the Lord will bring your vindication if you will submit yourself to Him! Let me encourage you to come and recount the work of the Lord our God! Tell somebody this week about what the Lord has done for you. Tell them that He loves you (and them) and so do I.

The Portion of Jacob

Jeremiah 51:19 says: The portion of Jacob is not like these; for the Maker of all is He, and of the tribe of His inheritance; the Lord of hosts is His name. What is “the portion of Jacob”?
The short answer is...God! God is the Portion of Jacob. He is the God of Jacob. Jeremiah is in the midst of a context which compares the idols that men make and the One, True God, Jehovah.

The difference between Jehovah and the other so called gods is that Jehovah is real. He is the Creator of all things. He is the God of His people and they are the people of their God. His Name is “the Lord of Hosts.”

This whole section of Scripture has to do with the judgment that God would bring on Babylon. At the time of Jeremiah’s prophecy, Babylon was invading Judah. In Jeremiah 51:20-23, the prophet points out that Babylon is God’s tool for bringing judgment on His people, the Jews. However, Babylon’s judgment would not be long in coming. Verses 34,35 show what the Jewish people will say with regard to Babylon: “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured me and crushed me, he has set me down like an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster, he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has washed me away. May the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,” The inhabitant of Zion will say; and, “May my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” Jerusalem will say. Well, verse 36 says that God will plead the case of His people and will exact full vengeance for them.

What does that mean for us? We have pointed out before that sometimes we suffer the things we suffer as a direct result of our own mistakes. There are consequences to our actions that we have to live with. That is the way God designed the world in which we live. At the same time, what I want you to remember is that God will still be on your side if you will be on His. You may be able to cry out with Judah that your enemies have swallowed you up. However, when you cry out such a cry with the attitude of owning up to your own guilt, God will plead your case and will exact full vengeance for you. No enemy of yours (whether we are talking about individual people or just circumstances) can overcome you completely if you will remain faithful to God. He loves you enough to make such hope possible and I love you enough to want you to know about it.

The Love of God

From the first, I have ended these notes by pointing out that God loves you. For a note of encouragement, that has to rank pretty high, doesn’t it? Knowing that God loves me makes all the things I have to endure in this life a little easier to endure. The trick is remembering that He loves me. I want to use this space this week to remind you that He does love you.

Jesus told Nicodemus: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). That is a pretty important fact in the Bible anyway, but when we start talking about encouragement, it has to rank at the top of the list.

There are a lot of people in this world that I love very much, but there is no one that I love enough to give the life of my child (or another loved one) for. Giving my own life would be easier, but God loved you enough to give His Only Begotten Son for you, so that you do not have to be lost.

Now, how do you respond to that kind of love? If your son or daughter gave himself or herself to die for someone else, you would not appreciate it very much if that person then acted like they did not care about the sacrifice, would you? There are sons and daughters of Americans dying right now to insure our freedom. Those moms and dads do not appreciate it when people say cruel things about them and do not appreciate their sacrifice. Imagine how our heavenly Father feels when we do not appreciate His sacrifice.

The apostle John wrote these words that we would do well to take to heart: By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 John 4:9-11). If God loved us, we ought to love one another. What a concept! And we ought to love God, too!! Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). And that, by the way, is how we may know that we are in Christ; by keeping the commandments of the Lord (1 John 2:3-5).

So, I hope it brings you some measure of comfort this week to know that God loves you; that He loved you enough to make a sacrifice you may not even be able to comprehend. He does, you know...love you that much. And I love you, too!

The Lord Set Me in a Large Place

In Psalm 118:5 we read the words: From my distress I called upon the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a large place. I wonder what the psalmist meant by “a large place.”
Why would that give him comfort? I suppose that at least part of the answer is that it is a place where one does not feel enclosed, especially by one’s enemies. When our enemies start to close in on us, whether they be people we encounter in this life, or just the circumstances of life, it would be good to be in a “large place,” wouldn’t it?

The psalmist makes it very clear that he understands the importance of Jehovah when it comes to his troubles. He says, It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes (Psalm 118:8, 9). Others we might turn to for help will not ever be able to help like Jehovah can. He can put us in a large place, even better than princes can. Sometimes those in authority can help us and sometimes they can’t, but God can always get us through.

Notice also, that the psalmist was not just going through some minor inconveniences, but was threatened by major enemies. They surrounded me like bees; they were extinguished as a fire of thorns; in the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off. You pushed me violently so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me (Psalm 118:12, 13). His enemies were substantial enough that they caused his fall, or they would have had Jehovah not helped him. Sometimes our afflictions are like a swarm of bees in that they come from every direction and there is no getting rid of them. This passage lets us know that God is able to get us through even something as hopeless as that.

It may be that we do not see any way out of the problems we are suffering right now. Notice that even though he had suffered severely, the psalmist had not given up hope. The Lord has disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death (Psalm 118:18).

I do not want to make the things you suffer right now trivial because I know they are not. They are important to you. The pain is real and your suffering is real. Nevertheless, they are not bigger than God! It may be that He has disciplined you severely, but He has not given you over to death. And we should understand death here to mean being overcome instead of overcoming. In the New Testament we read that the Lord chastens those whom He loves (Hebrews 12:6). God is not going to give up on you. Do not give up on Him! He will always be there for you if you will remain faithful to Him. And that is because He loves you and I wanted you to know that this week, because I love you, too.

Sons of Encouragement

Not long after this newsletter began, I wrote why I chose the name “Barnabas Notes” for its title. Barnabas, of course, was a companion and fellow evangelist with the apostle Paul from the book of Acts. His name was actually Joseph, but the apostles had taken to calling him “Barnabas” because he was so full of encouragement, apparently. “Barnabas” means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). Since this newsletter was for the purpose of giving a little encouragement each week to those who need it, it seemed an appropriate name.

This week, I want you to consider being a son or daughter of encouragement yourself, rather than receiving the encouragement. I have told you before how much I have been encouraged while trying to encourage other people. It is a great design that our God has used in us, that we would so often find what we need in what we provide for others. For that reason, I want you to have that same blessing.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that one of the reasons we must assemble with the saints for worship is to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). We do not assemble to be entertained; we are not the audience in the worship service, God is. We assemble to worship Him and to encourage one another. Now, if everyone assembles for worship with that thought in mind, everyone is stimulated, are they not?

What about outside the worship service? The apostle Paul wrote that we should consider each other as more important than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). That is a hard command to obey, especially when some of the people around us (those people we should consider as more important than ourselves) act so mean and ugly to us. Still, Paul does not qualify his command and say we should treat people the right way if they treat us that way first.

Jesus said that He did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28) and the example He gave to illustrate that point was His own sacrifice and death on the cross. You remember how He was treated by those people who put Him up on that cross, don’t you? Still, He willingly gave Himself, serving those very people, in that through the blood of Jesus that they shed, those same men had the hope of having their sins washed away. Now, that’s service!

Here is how I want you to be encouraged this week. As you begin your day, I want you to thank God for the life of hope that you have and thank Him for all those blessings you have, including people in your life who love you and treat you the way you should be treated. Then, I want you to consider those people around you who do not treat you as well as they should...and thank God for them, too. What!!?? That’s right. I want you to thank God for the blessing that such challenges in your life really are (see James 1:2, 3). Then, I want you to try and find a way to encourage them or help them in some way. In doing that, you will not only possibly lose an enemy and gain a friend, but even if they do not appreciate your efforts, you will be blessed and encouraged in your own good deeds.

Praise God for His design of us that allows for this kind of blessing. Our enemy really has no way to defend against this kind of offense by the soldiers of the cross. God made you that way because He loves you and I wanted to share this with you today because I do to.

Only an Arm of Flesh

“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah (2 Chronicles 32:7, 8). Assyria was not a country to take lightly. They were the most powerful kingdom in the world at that time and no one was able to stand before them. As I understand it, the Assyrians were a powerful military nation who ruthlessly conquered and administered other nations.
They had a weakness when it came to administration, but they were so ruthless that few dared to try and point that out. Their weakness was that they only knew how to rule with terror. They were bullies and thugs, and any system based on those tactics will not last long. I call your attention to some regimes in our own recent history which have proven this theory.

Still, when the bullies and thugs of this world are powerful, it is hard not to be cowed, intimidated and overcome by them. No one wants to be the one person to die proving the point that they can be resisted successfully.

Hezekiah and the Jews had a lot of evidence of the “invincibility” of the Assyrians. Many other nations had already fallen to them. Even the northern kingdom of Israel had been captured and taken back to Assyria. The great city of Lachish (no small city in Judea) was in the process of being taken by the Assyrians. The Assyrian king was sending his emissaries to try and talk Jerusalem and her king (Hezekiah) into surrendering. His point was the same as so many overly self-confident despots that we still see. He told Jerusalem, “You might as well give up now. No other city’s god has been able to resist Sennacherib (the Assyrian king) and neither can Jehovah!” Well, you can imagine how that little contest ended. And do you know why Assyria was defeated so soundly? Because they only fought with “an arm of flesh.” How was a huge army going to stand against an angel that could kill 185,000 of their soldiers in one night while they slept? That’s what happened and that’s how the war ended!

I hope it gives you strength and encouragement this week to know that the same Jehovah is watching out for you and standing against your enemies if you have faithfully given yourself to Him. If you are like a lot of people, there are some pretty impressive and scary people opposing you this week. Don’t worry! They fight only with an arm of flesh. Your God is stronger than they are. He loves you and so do I.

The Battle is God's

This is a subject we have talked about before, but since the Holy Spirit saw fit to teach this lesson, using similar words, many times in Scripture, I don’t suppose it will hurt us to revisit the subject again here. In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat and the kingdom of Judah are faced with a serious threat. The Moabites, the Ammonites and some of the Meunites (these might have been Edomites) formed an alliance and came up to make war against Jehoshaphat. When word was brought to the Hebrew king, he was afraid. I love his response to fear, though. Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:3).

Sometimes I’m afraid. Sometimes I’m terribly afraid, and I know that you are, too. It is the nature of humanity, I suppose. There are things we face in life that scare us to death. We “encounter various trials” (James 1:2) and it is hard to endure. Well, the reaction of Jehoshaphat is the same reaction that you and I should have. When we encounter those trials we need to turn our attention to seek the Lord.

2 Chronicles 20:5-12 tells us the prayer that Jehoshaphat said to God. I want you to see God’s answer and take these words to heart in your battles this week. Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; and he said, “Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.”

The battle is not yours; it is God’s. We have heard those words before and they are true!! Oh yes, I've got a battle to fight. It is not that I can just lounge around and do nothing and God will take care of all my worries while I take a nap. No, I have to fight, but the fight I am fighting is His as much as it is mine! When I fight to put myself at His side, then I can “stand and see the salvation of the Lord” on my behalf.

Let us not leave this story without seeing how it ended. It was not enough for Jehoshaphat to seek the Lord, to pray, or even to hear the prophet give the answer to his prayer. He still had to obey what God told him to do. Look at verses 20-23: They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

God came through, didn’t He? And He will come through for you. All you have to do is start by seeking God when you are afraid. Pray to God and ask Him to help you. Then, you have to listen to His answer, which you will find in the pages of Scripture. And finally, you must obey what is written in those pages. If you will do all of that, the battle is God’s and He will fight it and win it for you. You cannot lose! And that is all because He loves you and I love you, too.

Let Us Play The Man

In 1 Chronicles 19, Joab, King David’s favorite general, was facing battle. Hanun, the new king of Ammon, had put together a coalition to fight against Israel. He hired 32,000 chariots and the kingdom of Maacah (Syria, also know as Aram) to go into battle. When they all drew up for battle, they had the Israelites surrounded. This was not shaping up to be a good day!

Do you have days like that? I do. It seems that every enemy I have ever had, or was afraid I had, is drawn up against me and I am surrounded. What am I going to do now? Is there anything in the story of Joab from 1 Chronicles 19 that can help us go out and fight this week’s battles? Well...let’s see.

Joab was a very capable general. It did not take him long to figure out that they were in trouble. So, he divided his forces and, basically, stood them back to back. He took the choicest men to fight what seemed to him to be the most ominous threat...the mercenaries from Syria (the Arameans, 19:10). The remainder of his forces he put under the command of his brother, another capable soldier named Abshai. Abshai and the Israelites under his command faced the Ammonites. Joab’s words to Abshai, I find very encouraging and what I want to leave you with this week: “Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight” (1 Chronicles 19:13).
Joab had a great attitude. He was willing to let the Lord do what was good in His sight. At the same time, he prepared to win the battle.

Joab encouraged his brother to “be strong.” We need to be strong in the face of the enemies we face, don’t we? He also said, ...let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people... I chose the title of this article from the way the American Standard Version (1901) puts that phrase. It says, “...let us play the man…” It is something a man might say to his brother, but its message is not lost on us.

Sometimes we need to say to each other, “Let us play the man!” We need to stand up, sometimes, and fight for what is right. And when our enemy (the devil) surrounds us with the afflictions of this life, we need to have Joab’s attitude of being satisfied with whatever the Lord wills, but then to fight courageously and “play the man!”

Do not give up the fight! It may be a hard fight, but with the Lord on your side, you will win...if you fight. Joab’s fight was over before it started. For all the threat they could see before them, when Israel showed they were ready to fight, the surrounding armies quit the field of battle (fled) without a fight. There were other battles, though. It may be that your enemies flee at your willingness to fight. It may also be that they stand and fight. Either way, your attitude must be one of faithfulness to God. If it is, you do not have to worry. God will take care of you. And that is because He loves you and so do I.

Jesus Knows

I know that a lot of people feel all alone in life, especially when they begin to suffer through some of what life has in store for them. We have spoken in many of these words of encouragement the truth that we are not alone; that if we are faithful to God, He is watching and will take care of us, even if we lose our lives in faithfulness.

In every one of the letters to the churches of Asia, Jesus wanted Christians to know that He knew what is going on in their lives. He knew when they did a good work. He knew when they sinned. And He knew when they suffered.

To the church in Pergamum He said, “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells” (Revelation 2:13). Now, the book of Revelation is primarily a book of encouragement to suffering saints. These were Christians who were suffering terrible persecution and Jesus wanted them to know that He was with them and that they would eventually overcome if they remained faithful (see Revelation 2:10). But where was Jesus when Antipas died? Was He not able to deliver Antipas? Did He let Antipas down?

No! He did NOT let Antipas down!! He knew what was happening and Antipas was by no means the only faithful witness of Jesus Christ who died in that 200 years of persecution. Yes, He knew! When you read the rest of Revelation and realize that those who gave their lives in that persecution are right now reigning with Jesus (Revelation 20:4-6), you see that Jesus did indeed take care of them. Dying is not the worst that can happen to a Christian. Being unfaithful is far worse.

I know that some of you are suffering right now. I know that a few of you may feel like no one knows or cares that you are suffering so severely. I want you to know that Jesus knows. And He cares. I may not know the details, but I care, too. And so do your faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. None of us is in this alone, praise God. As you start another week, trying your best to serve God faithfully even though you have many enemies on every side, please know that God loves you and so do I.

All You Need

I find the thought that God would leave us here without telling us what He expected of us to be a very discouraging thought. What I mean is, if I understood that God expected me to be faithful to Him, to please Him with my life, but He did not tell me how to do that, I would find little reason to hope. I am sure that there are a lot of people who feel that religion is just that hopeless. Boy, am I glad it’s not!

By the time the apostle Peter had written his second letter to the church, he says that God had already given us everything that pertains to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). That means that we do not need anything else. We have all we need.

I know that there are many people who struggle in life and are searching for meaning in their lives. They want to know the answers to a lot of questions. They want to know that their lives can have purpose. They look around at “life” and think there must be more than this. Well, there is...much more.

When many people turn to religion, they look at a religious world that is fractured and divided. There are hundreds, even thousands, of different religions. Even among those who call themselves Christians there are many hundreds of different groups, each with its own set of rules and doctrine. How is the seeker of truth to find the answers?

That is a difficult question, to be sure, but only if you are trying to find the answer from a human point of view. Let us look again at 2 Peter 1:3: seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. So, we do not have to answer this question from a human point of view. The apostle Paul wrote: All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). So, what we have is this: God expects us to live a faithful life, obedient to all His will, and He has told us what that will is. I do not have to go through life wondering what God wants me to do. He has given me everything I need.

What a comforting thought! I do not have to decide what I should do. Now, all I have to do is decide if I will do what He commands. As you head out the door to whatever life holds for you, what will you decide? Will you live your life like God wants you to? If you do, your life may still be tough, but it will not be as tough as life without God in the long run. And that is because He loves you and I want you to know this because I love you, too.