Created for Good Works

We are acceptable to God because of what Jesus has done through the cross. The death and resurrection of Jesus has provided our salvation and every provision for the freedom from sin! It is true (and awesomely fantastic).

However, we must also remind ourselves that we are not simply saved to "sit" in church or to "wait" on God. Throughout Scripture, we see that God is a moving God. The Holy Spirit is God in power and in action today! Today is the day of salvation! (2 Corinthians 6:2) In fact, "today" may be the only day on God's calendar. It is the only day in which we have to work by faith.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10

Doing "good works" are not separate from faith. They are an essential part of faith. Good works are the response of men and women who believe God. Are you involved with good works? What are they?

Consider yourself reminded: People of faith are people of action; moving with a God-in-action. We enjoy God when we move by faith and believe what he has spoken. We dare not "sit and wait" while others slide off into hell. These are the days of faith and action.

It is going to be a great 2012!

Getting "Schooled" on Beauty

I would like to share something personal that God used to stir me recently. It happened through a conversation with my daughter on the way to her school.

Me and my Princess :-)Wearing her school uniform, with Dad (me) carrying her backpack, my daughter and I headed out of our home. As we were talking, she started talking about her friend. "My friend says she wants to be the most beautiful girl in school." She became visibly bothered by the thought and continued, "but she's not! She can't say that, Daddy." Always wanting to encourage my little girl, I was quick to reply. "Of course not, Sweetie. She can't be the prettiest girl in school, because you are!" "No!" she retorted. "I want everyone in school to be the most beautiful and handsome." It prompted me to giggle to myself, but on the other hand, she was serious and that was a profound statement. I could not argue with her wisdom. She was right.

Why does anyone have to desire to be "the most beautiful?" What would it prove if they were? Why do they have to "win?" Of course I realize much of this is very childlike, but many "grown-ups" never seem to outgrow the need to lord over others and that makes them childish. And on this day, my daughter also caught me looking through the wrong lens. In my effort to build her up, I was also suggesting that she should or could be greater than others.

After considering her statement for a minute or two, I was became curious to find out if she really meant it. "Who taught you that?" I asked. And after a short pause.. "Do you know how I teached myself that, Dad?" "No. How?" "Because I saw a lot of people."

Pardon the simplicity of my story, but that really stirred me!

Do you see "a lot of people?" Or do you only see yourself? Are people beautiful to you? If not, then it is difficult to share and even enjoy the love God has for each one of us.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment..." (1John 4:18) Why do we torment ourselves with fear of not being the best; not being the "winner?" Jesus never conquers people. He did not come as a man to conquer man. "And being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:8) Jesus did not come to be the ultimate beauty queen. He came as a servant and is our highest example of servanthood. He is the example for our lives.

Jesus did not come to promote you over others. Your career is not what matters most. (That may be a revelation to some.) Celebrity status does not make any person more beautiful or valuable than persons who are not celebrities. Jesus did not come so you could win and others lose. It is carnal thinking to pride ourselves on success and in our hearts feel great satisfaction over the failures of other people who have also tried and failed. Jesus does not endorse this kind of thinking. 

We love what is beautiful. If we do not look through the cross, we will not find people beautiful. Additionally, we will not even see ourselves as beautiful! The ladies especially will pick up every magazine, tip and trick in an effort to become what they believe they are not.

Now look through the lens of the cross. Why do we think Jesus would die for ugly people like you and me? He didn't. Although we have sinned and done some terrible, rotten and ugly things, Jesus still sees beauty. He loves us because the image of God is still a part of us. (Genesis 1:26; Luke 20:22-25) There was still something redeemable. He loves what He thinks is beautiful and the most beautiful thing to God is people like you and me being together with Him. (Romans 9:25-26)

Do you see "a lot of people?" God does. Every one of them are the most beautiful thing He ever saw, and they belong to Him.  A little girl showed me that. ;-)

Back to Blogging

My son, Jeremiah Betler. Isn't he cute!?I am re-entering the world of blogging! It has been quite a while since I have done so regularly, but here we go!

Keep checking back often or subscribe to this RSS feed OR just watch my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/jasonbetler for updates, and share it with your friends! (The facebook page needs to grow!)

Maybe I will let my one-year-old son make another appearance someday soon. (He has been spending a lot of time with me in the office. Cute and constant entertainment!)

Lastly, I like to hear from you. Let me know if there is something particular you want to know or you have been wondering about regarding evangelism, the Holy Spirit, etc. Maybe there is something you were afraid to ask openly. ...just email me at info@nationshope.org and we will see what we can do.

Blessings to all! - Jason Betler

Bold and Believing

Chinese believers receive the baptism of the Holy SpiritWhat kind of faith do you have?

Many believers speak of having “big faith.” In our human thinking, our problems can appear to be larger than life so we look to something bigger; something supernatural to make ourselves feel big again and the problems small.

“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’”(Luke 17:5) Jesus then sized them up just right by saying that “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Luke 17:6) My friend, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke speaks on this verse quite often, pointing to the fact that Jesus did not say “if you have faith the size of a pumpkin!” And I also suspect that Jesus may have even been making a bit of a joke. A mustard seed is small; “super” small. Size of faith is not the issue, you either have it or you don’t.

The disciples somehow lost all faith even while Jesus was in their boat. Frightened by the surmounting storm around them, they were questioned by Jesus; “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40) For sure, fear cancels out all faith. But where there is Jesus, we can have “great faith.” What are the keys?

Remember Jesus complimented a Gentile centurion on having “great faith.” (Matt 8:10) That man understood the role of authority and knew that if Jesus wanted to heal his servant, then that servant would be healed. He did not care “how” the servant would be healed by Jesus. He only trusted Jesus; the person having the authority to speak the orders and administer healing. His faith was great because that man understood Jesus’ authority. With Jesus, all fear and uncertainty dissolve into faith.  It is not a matter of size. 

So what kind of faith does the Bible describe? What type of faith is a believer to have?

The best reference for us follows the flames of Pentecost. Following Pentecost, we see the fiery faith of believers that is described by others as “bold.”

When the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they realized that Jesus had indeed arrived at the right hand of God. He was alive, on their side and fulfilling His promise. He had sent them the Promise of the Holy Spirit!(Acts 1:4) God, the Holy spirit himself partnering with the human flesh of the believer! Could there be anything greater?! No. Certainly not. Instantly, their faith became “bold!” Indeed, Jesus had the authority and He had sent them “power.” (Acts 1:8) There was no more any reason to fear. There is every reason for faith.

The world “saw the boldness of Peter and John.” (Acts 4:13) They sought that “with all boldness they may speak” God’s word. (Acts 4:29) They were focused. Unashamed. Full of the Holy Spirit and love for Jesus. Failure or stature was not even considered among them. What mattered was the word of god going forward. They had touched the heart of God when they gained the Spirit of God and it drove them forward with the boldness of a bulldozer. They could not be stopped.

“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”(Acts 4:31)

The Apostle Paul told how he “preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 9:27) “He spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists” while they attempted to kill him. (Acts 9:29)

This was not a passing emotional state. In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas faced many unbelievers in the synagogue. Their leaders had poisoned the minds of the people against them. So what did they do? “They stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” (Acts 14:3)

“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2) “They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. (Acts 19:5-6) “And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly.” (Acts 19:8)

Filled with the Holy Spirit; bold and believing. That is the faith of the Bible.

The "Pure" in Heart

Matthew 5:8 says "Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God." It has often been used to make people mind their manners in church. Many people repeat it in other ways. "Be holy so you can see God" they say. "Let's become holy so God will come to visit us" others say. It sounds wonderful but will have little effect on the heart. Attempts to become holy will always fail and make people feel like a failure. ...Why? ..because no one is holy! (Romans 3:10, 23) Jeremiah reminds us that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)

God can do a holy work in you, not because of how wonderfully pure and holy you are but because of His holy work in you! The apostle Paul never promoted himself as "holy" even though God used him mightily. Paul tells us that even when the church honored him, instead "they glorified God in me."  (Gal. 1:24) The holiness in us is not us, It is God in us!

Jesus has done His holy work on the cross; outside of us. The Holy Spirit has come to accomplish God's holy work inside us and through us! Without Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5) 

We do not see God because of our holiness, but because of His!

The angelic beings described in Isaiah 6 saw God and cried out "holy, holy, holy!" They could see God and so could Isaiah. And what was his reaction? He realized he had "unclean lips." I think maybe even his own unspoken thoughts made his lips feel unclean. This is not at all unusual. It always stands that the more mature a believer in Christ becomes, the more they are aware of their own sinfulness. Not their holiness. Their growth into purity is a submission to honesty and truth. As a result, a growing believer is humbled and increasingly reliant upon God's reputation in place of their own.

Again, the more we know God, the more we are aware of our own sinfulness. God is holy and we are not. Yet in light of our shortcomings we find that "His mercies are new every morning." Gratitude overflows at this work of His faithfulness. We become increasingly quick to ask for His forgiveness and do it more often. And the more He continues to forgive sin, the more freedom and liberty we find in life! It is easier to forgive ourselves and move forward in life because we see that God is always ready to forgive (no matter what others may think).

Believers must never take God's mercies for granted. A believer in Christ should hate sin. God's forgiveness does not give license to sin. On the contrary. Loving the Savior causes us to hate what He hates. To sin is an absolute offense to God. It was because of sin that Jesus died and so we honor God by living a life without sin. 

When a person sins, a child of God never smiles. Friend or enemy, it does not matter. Sin is never a joking matter. A believer does not dance over a sinner. Instead, they reach out to show the way out of it. And all the while the believer  in Christ says "I had better be on guard. ...If it happens to them today, it could happen to me tomorrow!" There is no glory in sin. It causes us to be watchful of our own lives. 

Thank God for the cross of Christ. Thank him for His holy work. Thank Him for the gift of the Holy Spirit to accomplish his holy will in us. Yes, what God wants to do through us is holy and holiness should be the desire of every child of God. No one who loves God should ever be comfortable or accepting of sin. But let us look at the cross instead of ourselves. 

We end once again with this great verse. "Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8) The "pure" heart is the honest and truthful heart. It knows what it is not because He is Holy.