Launch Out into the Deep

by: Rev. Leon Aguilera

Peter knelt in the water, intent on washing his nets. Unaware of the crowd of people thronging Jesus, he, along with James and John, continued the task of rinsing grime from the Galilean Sea off their empty nets. The night had been long and fruitless. They had not a single fish to show for their efforts. Suddenly, Peter heard his name. “Simon, may I use your ship?”

Willing to assist Jesus, Peter left his net and resumed his seat in the fishing boat. He nudged it away from the shore and listened as Jesus’ voice now projected across the Galilean Sea to the multitude on the bank.  Jesus finished His message and turned once again to Peter. His request this time was astounding: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a drought” (Luke 5:4).

Why Launch?

It was a well-known fact that in the Sea of Galilee, fishermen caught fish at night in the shallow water—not in full daylight in deep water. Peter could obey Jesus and launch out, or he could follow his senses and decline. Peter didn’t know it, but his choice in that moment would be the pivotal point for the rest of his life.  Peter’s decision and the resulting miracle reveal that a single act of obedience to Christ’s command can change the course of an entire life. When Peter chose to place his faith in the powerful word of God, his life would never be the same.  You and I likewise have the opportunity to experience the miraculous power of God. We serve the same Jesus who spoke to Peter two thousand years ago. We have access to His written Word, and we have the promises of His faithfulness to back us. Why then do we experience a lack of fruit in ministry? Why could we echo Peter’s comment, “Master, we have toiled all the night [by our methods, with the means we know] and have taken nothing”?

Lack of resources is not our problem—we have the boat and net. There is no shortage of souls that need Christ—the sea is wide open and ready. But we sit on the dock attempting to catch fish in shallow waters.  Before anything great will be accomplished for Christ, we must make the decision to “launch out” at His command. Like Peter, our response to God’s Word will either invite His blessing and power, or it will hinder it.  Great things will happen only as we launch forward in our service to Christ. Without Spirit-led, Spirit-filled action, our lives and ministries will become spiritually stagnant. Like Peter’s disappointing night of fishing, our attempts to serve the Lord in our strength will yield empty nets every time. As we heed Christ’s commands, however, we will experience miracles made possible only by the hand of God.  Are you ready to launch out?

Get Out of the Shallows

Perhaps our greatest obstacle in seeing the miraculous power of God is our own apathy. We generally do what we want to do. And most of us don’t want to leave our comfort zone.  In today’s accommodating culture, we are willing to dabble in service for the Lord—we may even wade out a bit further than the Christian next to us—but we insist on staying near the shore. It’s one thing to receive Jesus as your Saviour; it’s another thing to wholeheartedly follow Him as a disciple.

Moving into deep water requires a full commitment. It means you weigh anchor and set your sails to catch the wind. It means you leave the shallows behind— fully surrendered to the directions of the Captain.  In the murky waters of shallow Christianity, we lose focus; we forget the very purpose of ministry is to preach the gospel.  In the shallows, we’re often busy, and we generate a full array of programs. But we don’t catch fish! Our ministries become more about service than about reaching lost men and women with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Content with the status quo, some will sit on the dock and look out over the water, offering only complaints when our nation turns from God.

We can lament the state of our nation and the multitudes of lost people around us, or we can roll up our sleeves, hoist the sails, and launch out into the deep.

Cross the Threshold of Humility

When Christ saw a need, He acted. He was willing not only to condescend to come to Earth, but also to interact with sinful, flawed humanity. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”(John 1:14).

Peter’s boat wasn’t freshly scoured. It was slimy and smelly. Peter himself had been working with filthy fishing equipment all night as well. But Jesus cared about people more than He cared about comfort.  Jesus’ ministry didn’t target the upper class—those who would cause Him the least discomfort. He reached out to the needy. God in the flesh now entered the environment of a common fisherman.  No real ministry will take place in your life or mine, until we, too, are willing to cross the threshold of humility. We must obey the instruction of Philippians 2:3 to “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

The greatest opportunities for ministry often are, humanly speaking, the most distasteful.  Serving in in our cities, seeking out wounded souls, and ministering to shattered lives isn’t always easy, nor is it comfortable. But it is fruitful.  James 4:10 directs us to, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” Jesus condescended to our low estate so every person might have an opportunity to be saved. May gratitude for His unspeakable gift compel us to likewise serve with humility.

Set Aside Human Reasoning

Initially, Peter responded to Jesus’ command like you and I would have done—with logic. “Master, we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing.”  I can imagine Peter’s thoughts behind those words. Jesus, really? You’re great at carpentry, and you’re a marvelous preacher, but how about we leave the fishing decisions to me? This is my specialty.  Peter had already toiled all night. He knew his work—he was a master fisherman. What Jesus had just asked Peter to do was contrary to all of Peter’s training and experience.  Even so, Peter made a watershed decision: “Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”  There is a pattern I see repeated throughout Scripture: God often doesn’t intervene until the task is humanly impossible. God loves impossible odds.

Remember Gideon? “And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me” (Judges 7:2). Gideon experienced the truth that faith does not operate in the realm of the possible.  George Müller said it well: “There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.”

Would you like to launch out? Recognize that what Jesus calls us to do—whether it is in witnessing, giving, serving, forgiving, or emptying self—is usually in exact opposition to human reasoning. Discipleship is not a life of logic or reasoning. It is a life of faith.

When we are willing to follow Christ into deep, unfamiliar waters, we will have closer fellowship with Him. This comes simply out of the complete reliance upon Him to meet our every need and guide us in our way. When the only answer to a problem is dependence on God, we tend to listen to Him more closely and spend time with Him more often. As we launch out in sharing the gospel, giving of our time and resources, and humbling ourselves to serve others, our growth becomes deeper than that of a Christian who insists upon sitting on the dock. Out in the deep water, we learn how to trust and how to pray. Those who launch out learn quickly that God accomplishes great things with a life wholly lived by faith, for “without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6).

The Lord knows our limitations. He knew Peter’s fatigue, his doubt, and his needs. John 2:24–25 tells us: “But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and…he knew what was in man.” Before we argue with Christ, we should try trusting Him! As the omniscient God, He knows us better than we know ourselves.

THE BIBLE, EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT

by: Rev. Leon Aguilera

The Bible is true. We believers know and believe that, but not everybody does. If we were to place it on trial, there are seven witnesses that could step forward to prove the case of the veracity of this Bible, the only book God ever wrote. The first witness we would bring forward is:

1. Declaration The Bible declares itself to be the Word of God. The Bible says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16). The Greek word: transliterated “theopneustos” which we translate “inspired” means “God-breathed” or “breathed-out-by-God.” The Greek word transliterated “pas” which we translate “all” means in the sense of "each (every) part that applies." The emphasis of the total picture then is on "one piece at a time." We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Bible. Plenary means unqualified and absolute, complete and fully. We believe that all parts of the Bible are equally authoritative.

Listen to the way David expressed this truth of his understanding of inspiration: “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue” (II Samuel 23:2). Luke reconfirms this truth in Acts 1:16, “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake….” More than 3,800 times in the Old Testament the claim is made that the Scriptures are the word or words of God.  For instance, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book…” (Exodus17:14). “Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth.  And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth” (Jeremiah1:9).  The Scriptures are exalted as the Word of God some 175 times in Psalm 119 alone! Psalm 119:160 says, “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”  In the New Testament Paul made a most dogmatic stance in declaration of the Word of God when he said, “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of  men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (I Thessalonians 2:13).

 We believe God authored the Bible over a period of 1,500 years using the vocabularies, culture and personalities of 40 different men, choosing not only the thoughts but the very words to be placed into Holy Writ. “The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it” (Psalm 68:11).  “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him” (Proverbs 30:5). 

2. Duration  Our second witness speaks to the fact that the Bible has outlasted its enemies. One preacher likened the Bible to the old massive anvil in the blacksmith shop. The hammers over the decades were worn out on the anvil, but the anvil remained.  The atheists, who have attempted to denounce the Word of God, die and perish, but the Word of God remains. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33). “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8).  This infallible Word of God brings us salvation.  Like the Word of God our salvation is eternal: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (I Peter 1:23). “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).

3. Preservation Just as great as the miracle of biblical inspiration is biblical preservation.  It would be contradictory to believe that since the Bible cannot and will not be destroyed to believe that man could in his puny existence do away with the Word of God. The Bible says, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever” (Psalm 12:6,7). 

God is not only interested in preserving His Word to the Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic and Latin languages of the world, He wants His Word to go with His gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. How thankful I am that for the English speaking peoples of the world we have a perfectly preserved copy of the Word of God in the King James Translation of 1611. 

Satan desires to destroy the Word of God. If he cannot destroy it, he wishes to devalue it.  It is revealed in Genesis; his first attack was the Word of God. We see this in his wording, “…Yea, hath God said…” (Genesis 3:2b).  Here the Devil questions God’s word, then he denies it, saying, “…Ye shall not surely die…” (Genesis 3:4b).  Satan’s methods have not changed. Take for instance the mad rush for new translations of the Scriptures. Do you realize that most all the modern translations of the Scriptures base their reliability on what is called the Critical Text?  The critical text is, in turn, based on impure and flawed manuscripts, whereas the King James Translation is based upon the Textus Receptus or what is called the Received Text.  The Received Text is based upon over 5,000 manuscripts that agree on all major points of translation, whereas the Critical Text is based on a mere handful of manuscripts that don’t even agree within themselves. If you have a copy of the King James Bible, I am safe in saying you have the Word of God as it has been preserved throughout the ages. And Satan has not been able to water it down or take one thing away from it.

4. Information.  Another witness to step forward is the witness of information.  The Bible provides us with information about ourselves that irrefutably tells us of its truth. The Bible tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  It tells us who we are, where we are going and what we can do to live peacefully in this life with heaven at the end of our life.  One Man of God commented, “I know the Bible is the Word of God because man would not say those things about himself.” Although the Bible tells us the truth about ourselves negatively, the Word of God also tells us what we can do about it: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

5. Validation.  The Bible is not a science book as such, but everything it says about science is true. The earth was declared round before man discovered it (Isaiah 40:22.) The Bible is not a history book, but everything it says about history is true.  The Bible prophesied the reign of Cyrus by name over 150 before he was born (Isaiah 44:28).

6. Transformation.  Our sixth witness to come to the stand is the transformed life! I have never heard a testimony of people reading other books and finding deliverance from alcohol, drugs or other addictions. Myriad is the number I have heard testify of the Lord through His word converting and changing people. “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7).

7. Volition. The seventh and final witness I call is our own personal volition.  We have a free choice in this life and I chose to believe the Bible is the Word of God. You may think this is not as good a reason as some of the others I listed, but it is perhaps the one thing that makes the difference.  If you don’t believe, it is because you don’t want to believe.  I want to believe that if I call on the name of the Lord I will be saved (Romans 10:13). I want to believe that God answers my earnest prayer (Matthew 7:7).  I want to believe when this world is over we have a place prepared for us in Heaven by Christ as He promised (John 14:1-3).   This is evidence that demands a verdict; what say you? I say the Bible is the Word of God!

TRUE PEACE

by: Rev. Leon Aguilera

Whether on the television or radio, the talk show host Sean Hannity often partially quotes John 14:27, by saying, “…Let not your heart be troubled!...” The verse of Scripture in its entirety says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Everyone wants peace, but the Giver of peace is often ignored. It is not enough to simply say, “let not your heart be troubled”; one must know the only One Who can still the troubled waters of life. 

When we were in Israel we were greeted by Jew and Gentile alike with these words, “Sholem Aleichem”, meaning “Peace be upon you.” This expression was used as often as we say “hello” in the western world. There is probably not an area of the world where peace is so in jeopardy than the Middle East and yet the one thing they long for is peace. Psalm122:6 teaches us to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem….”

In my youth, the Cold War was looming.  Whereas our previous communist enemies feared reciprocal death and injury should they begin war, the unnerving thing about the world we live in today is there is an enemy dedicated to our demise that does not fear repercussions from free countries. The Islamic jihadists would consider themselves blessed by Allah if they should die in their “unholy” war. Sadly, the confused jihadist would not be in Hell for five seconds before finding out instead of peace and blessing, he shall be consigned to chaos and the curse from God forever. Never has man desired peace, true peace than the people in the world we live in today. “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace…” (I Corinthians 14:33).

1. The unconverted have a longing for peace with God. 

The Bible says, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isaiah 57:21). “The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace” (Isaiah 59:8). Jeremiah lamented, “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:15).

Merely longing for peace will never give peace. Promising peace will never give peace. “Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man” (Psalm 60:11). How true the adage: “No God; no peace. Know God; know peace!” Without Christ, mankind is lost. Isaiah tells us, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way…”(Isaiah 53:6). Yet Solomon reminds us, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 16:25).

2. Only the believer in Christ has peace with God.  

In the previous point I quoted part of Isaiah 53:6; let me give you the whole verse: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Because we have gone astray we find ourselves so lost that we cannot find our way, so Christ took the penalty of our sin and the punishment our sins required on His own person, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:6). 

Paul said in Ephesians 2:12, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” Hopeless and helpless is the description of all of those outside the saving grace of God. The apostle went on to say, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace” (Ephesians 2:14,15). The word “enmity” in the Greek language means actively hostile. Colossians 1:20 states, “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

3. The obedient believer possesses the peace of God.

Every believer has peace with God, for the Bible says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).  However, not every believer is enjoying the peace of God. The Bible says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6,7). The peace of God is sharing the nature of God. God never worries and is never out of control. We too will not worry or be out of control when we trust Him. Years ago a man was carrying a fifty-pound sack of potatoes from the market to his home. His friend was passing by in his wagon and said, “Let me give you a ride!” He gladly climbed aboard and sat next to the driver on the bucket seat, but kept his bag of potatoes draped over his shoulder. His friend said, “Why don’t you drop your potatoes in the back of the wagon?” The man replied, “It is enough that you carry me; I’m not going to let you carry my potatoes also.” How foolish! If the man is in the wagon, the driver is already carrying the potatoes too! Are we not often like this man -- we are full of worry when the Bible tells us to, “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee…” (Psalm 55:22). If Christ can take care of our sins (and He does), He is more than able to take care of our worries (and He will) as well! 

Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” The same verse in the NIV reads, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” This modern attempt at translation of Holy Scripture has missed the whole point; they left out the phrase, “…whose mind is stayed on thee….” Peace does not come simply because you have a steadfast mind, but through a Person and that Person is Jesus! We must stay our minds on Him. The result is peace.

4. The Christian is to propagate this peace.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). The Old Testament tells us, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation…” (Isaiah 52:7). Paul re-affirmed this truth in the New Testament when he said, “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15). Jeremiah said to those in captivity in a heathen land, “And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.” (Jeremiah 29:7). In so many ways, our country has been led into captivity by the rampant sin we have embraced. If our leadership would come to Jesus we would enjoy peace like overflowing and refreshing waters, “O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea” (Isaiah 48:18). It might do all of us well if when we put on our shoes in the morning that we would also pray that God would help us to put on our “evangelism shoes” and look for every opportunity God gives us to be a witness, “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15).

THE “ARC” OF THE COVENANT

by: Rev. Leon Aguilera

God saved the earth in a boat that was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high and divided into three levels.  It was taller than a 3-story building.  It was 90 feet longer than a football field.  It is a true story that is confirmed world-wide. In at least five hundred different ancient cultures, you will find a story of the world destroyed by a deluge of water. The Bible gives us the factual details with the why, the when and the how. 

Our hero is Noah. The Bible says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8). “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7).  The story is epoch.  To say the flood changed the world is not using hyperbole or exaggeration. In Genesis 7: 11b, 12 it says, “…all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.”  From the time that Noah and his family walked into the ark and stepped out on the ground was just over a year.  What can we learn from this ancient story of Noah?

1. When we live any way we want, we never engage in God’s plans and purposes.  Read Genesis 6:1-6. Multiply is what God wants mankind to do. This was the original command given to Adam and Eve, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them,  Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28).  I must note here that God’s intention was not only that mankind should multiply, but he is also to control the environment around him.  He was commanded to take dominion, which means to subjugate and rule.  The problem is, he did not rule himself. “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city” (Proverbs 16:32).

                        In Genesis 6:2, the sons of God were referred to as the righteous generations of Seth; the daughters of men as the unrighteous generations of Cain. The phrase  “…they took them wives of all which they chose,” contrasts with Proverbs 3:5 and 6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”   In all matters, especially those important life-altering decisions, we are to trust God, not our own wisdom. One of the greatest commendations God ever gave a man was when Solomon requested, “Give me now wisdom and knowledge  that I may go out and come in…” (II Chronicles 1:10a).   He phrased it like this in I Kings 3:7, “...I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.” God granted to the man who admitted he did not know how to navigate through life the great gift of His wisdom. We are to bring everything to God and allow Him to direct the paths. We see in Genesis 6:4, these hybrid offspring were called “…Men of renown,” but the Lord said, “…it grieved Him at His heart” (Genesis 6:6). When man runs contrary to God’s plans, his purposes will be thwarted.

2. There comes a time when God’s tolerance comes to an end.  Read Genesis 6:5-7. “And God saw that the wickedness was great in the earth….” Man was doing anything and everything his wild and intemperate mind could imagine and the telling phrase is, “...his heart was only evil continually.”   There was no let-up so God declared, “And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them” (Genesis 6:7).   Psalm 103:8 says,“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” If we continue to shun His mercy and His call to repentance, eventually time runs out: “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh” (Proverbs 1:24-26).  Proverbs 1:28-31 goes on to say that those in rebellion would call on the Lord, but He will not answer and instead He will give them the rewards for their evil deeds.

3. Never underestimate the power of one surrendered individual.  Read Genesis 6:8,9. We see in the midst of this wicked world, one man stood alone, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (verse 8). He walked perfectly with God and pleased His Lord in every way.  We often get discouraged because there appear to be overwhelming odds of wickedness around us.  Oh, how wise it would be if we would be that one man, that one woman who is “...just and perfect in his generations…” (Genesis 6:9). God used one man, Moses to lead the children of Israel out of bondage.  He used one young man named David to defeat the giant Goliath.  He used one boy’s lunch to feed a multitude.

4. God is a Covenant-Making and Covenant-Keeping God.                          Genesis 6:18 tells us, “But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.”  A covenant is not a contract between you and another person; it is a vow between you and God.  It may involve another person such as in marriage, but a covenant is primarily a vow to God that is required to be kept.  God always keeps His word, “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9). Noah built the ark within 120 years. God sent the animals two by two to Noah “…two of every sort shall come unto thee…” (Genesis 6:20c). The Bible said, “And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in” (Genesis 7:16). When the rains fell and the earth opened up her fountains from the deep all the people and animals on the land perished. All died but Noah and his family.

Read Genesis 9:11-16. God declared, “I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth” (Genesis 9:13).  The word for “bow” is the Hebrew word, “qesheth,” which is the same word for “battle bow.” When a warrior pulls his bow, the arc is aimed toward the man with whom he is at war.  Thank God, the arc is not aimed at us as it was in the judgment of the flood. Through His Divine mercy,  Christ took the penalty for our sin. The rainbow ever reminds us of this truth.

Have you ever seen the rainbow from the window of a jet?  When looking down, you will see the full circle of color. Yet when you look at the rainbow from the earth you see the shape of the bow.  What is God saying?  God promised He would not destroy all flesh by water again (Genesis 9:15,16).  Remember God hates sin; He must judge it.  The bow (which is a battle bow) arches upwards toward the heavens. The only way He is able to hold back His judgment upon the wicked world we live in this long is because Jesus took our sins to the cross.  The bow was turned and pointed to Heaven after the flood.  When God looks at us, it is through the multicolored bull’s-eye of His love.  You never see the rainbow on a clear day. You see it in the convergence where the sun and a storm come together. Our stormy sins were conjoined to the Son of God on the cross and a prism of mercy was formed. The rainbow tells us that the Promiser keeps His promises. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (I Timothy 1:15). 

LIVING THE STRESS-FREE LIFE

by: Rev. Leon Aguilera

“To fret” means that you have a worry or feeling of unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. In Hebrew the word  we translate “fret” is charah, which means to glow or grow warm; figuratively (usually) to blaze up, to kindle, be displeased, and grieve. The statement that  someone is “hot and bothered” really defines a fretting person.  Four times in Scripture we find the phrase “fret not.” In the order of their occurrence, we find God is telling us not to worry about people who do wrong. “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity”  (Psalm 37:1).  Then God reminds us not to be bothered when the blessing is on the wicked and not on us. “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass” (Psalm 37:7). God commands us not to try to “even the score” in a fretting, vengeful spirit. “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil” (Psalm 37:8). Biblical wisdom is refusing to be envious toward the life of the unregenerate. “Fret not thyself because of evil men , neither be thou envious at the wicked” (Proverbs 24:19).

One thing for sure, God will even every score and we need to always remember  that much of our reward, if not realized here, will be granted in Heaven. Jesus reminds us when this happens to “Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets” (Luke 6:23).  You’re in good company and our Lord is keeping the record.

To live in a continued state of “fretting” would be living in stress.  Stress is the continuation of pressure or the fretting state of mind. You might say fretting are the steps that lead us into a state of stress. Let’s examine three ways to live stress-free:

1. You can triumph over the waves beneath you.

Psalm 121:3 says, “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved….” When I see this promise, I immediately go to the incident of Peter losing his footing on the waves of the Sea of Galilee.  The Bible records, “But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary” (Matthew 14:24).   After Jesus challenged Peter to walk with him out on those boisterous waves, we see this take place: “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him…” (Matthew 14:30,31a). Without hesitation, our Lord picked up the sinking disciple out of the angry waves, steadied him and led him on to the boat.

Probably the highest and most ferocious swells in the world are found here. Yet in spite of the warnings imminent death awaiting prospective surfers, there are times this beach is crowded with surfers ready to catch the wave.  In the world of sports there is not much greater thrill than surfing. You are not being pulled or yanked by any man- made device; you are riding the waves that our Creator has designed dramatically in His creation. If you are on top of the wave, you are having unceasing fun.  If you are beneath the wave, you may be fighting for your life.

The same stress generated in the wave can either give you a ride or scare of a lifetime...it all depends if you are on top or underneath.   All of life is equipped with stress; our relationship with Jesus and obedience to Him determines if we are on top (emotionally) or beneath. I often claim this promise: “And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them” (Deuteronomy 28:13).

2. You will be shaded from the sun.

Psalm 121:5,6a says, “The LORD is thy keeper the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day....” Under a hot sun, we can be burned and made very uncomfortable.  In the course of a lifetime, even too much exposure to the sun can bring on cancer. In the Middle East, where the Bible was written, the effects of the sun can be brutalizing.  The deserts of this area can soar upwards to 122 degrees. The intense heat can cause heat cramps, exhaustion and stroke, which could lead to unconsciousness or even death.  So, in this area of the world in which the Bible was written, desert heat is nothing to joke about.  God was telling us He will provide shade from all debilitating circumstances, even the effects of the hottest sun.  There is no heat that He cannot cool and no thirst that He cannot quench. Walking in stress is like walking on a continuous desert, whereas walking with the Lord is a walk in a continual oasis.

3. You shall be protected from the moon.

Psalm 121: 5a, 6b says, “The LORD is thy keeper...nor the moon (smite thee) by night.” Now you may wonder what danger awaits us in the moonlight?  A man approached Jesus who had a son that was totally out of control. He said, “Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water” (Matthew 17:15).  The word “lunatic” in Greek is: seleniazomai, which comes to us from a word that means to be moon- struck, i.e. crazy.  In English the word is from late Latin lunaticus,  from Latin luna ‘moon’ (from the belief that changes of the moon caused  intermittent insanity). Philosophers such as Aristotle and Pliny the Elder argued that the full moon induced insane individuals with (what are now diagnosed) bipolar disorders by providing light during nights which would otherwise have been dark, and affecting susceptible individuals with sleep deprivation which would, in turn, trigger dysfunction.  It seems man has been fascinated with moodiness and troubles that seem to be affected by the lunar calendar. Emergency rooms are full when the moon is full.  Now, do not be concerned; no one is going to start howling like a wolf just because of the changing of the moon!  As a matter of fact, I believe a lot of behavior is induced because we believe that a certain change of season will automatically affect our nature and environment. Whether an illness is psychosomatic or real, Jesus is the answer!                                  

Although the disciples were impotent in helping the youngster, Jesus rebuked the demonic influence and the boy was healed from that very hour. What comfort all of us should enjoy, knowing that Jesus can eliminate not only the stress we experience from everyday temptations for anxiety, but for protection on every day in our lunar or calendar year.