Isaias Munoz

In God We Trust?

The word of God, the worth of God, and the wisdom of God find their meeting place in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Nothing marks a Christian more than trust, and nothing proves God to be trustworthy more than His Son. In Him, none are disappointed, and all are satisfied.

There is an old story of a father who took his young son out and stood him on the railing of their back porch. He then went down, stood on the lawn, and encouraged the child to jump into his arms. “I’ll catch you,” the father said confidently. After a lot of coaxing, the little boy finally made the leap. When he did, the father stepped back and let the child fall to the ground. He then picked his son up, dusted him off, and dried his tears.
“Let that be a lesson,” he said sternly. “Don’t ever trust anyone.”
That story isn’t from my childhood, and I don’t think it’s from yours either (if it is, let me know). But it would seem that each of us has been through the unfortunate experience of this fooled son. Trust issues run deep in the hearts of men. Promises are easily broken, character is almost always compromised, and the wisdom of our confidants can often prove folly. It seems that the more we live, the less we can trust. From start to finish, life’s journey is met with disappointments, heartaches, injustices, loss, pain, sorrows, trials, and temptations.
The easy answer to our trust problem is to say that we should trust the Lord, and undoubtedly, we should (Ps. 9:18, 28:7, 37:4-6, 112:7; Prov. 3:5; Isa. 26:3; Jn. 14:1; Rom. 8:28). The reality is that we often don’t. What trust seems unimaginable between an earthly son and his father is exactly how we naturally relate to our Heavenly Father.
Humanity’s trust issues with God dates back to the Garden of Eden. And in view of this perfect setting, we want to see that our issues with dependence and confidence in God have never stood to reason because God has never changed. God’s unwavering trustworthiness and our fickle trust are bound to three key things seen in Genesis 3:
God’s Word
Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Very Good.
That is the Sparknotes recap of each day of creation according to Genesis 1 (1:4, 10, 12. 18, 21, 25, 31). The whole of creation summed up in one word. This is not merely how God felt about the world He made; it’s how He saw it. The world was not good simply because God thought it to be so, though that would be sufficient. The world was good because it was perceivably so. “And behold, it was very good” (Gen. 1:31).
God’s goodness in creation was to be sustained by His commands to the creatures of the earth. Mankind, most notably, was given dominion over creation and commanded, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17).
Seems like a fair deal. As a matter of fact, it was a good one. But very quickly, in the temptation that ensues in Genesis 3, we find the root cause of all mistrust in God. A crafty, cunning little serpent hisses a small but lethal question: “Did God actually say…” (Gen. 3:1).
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Know Who You Work For, and Work Like You Know It

Seldom do we think of how our work reflects our submission to Christ as Lord. But here’s the reality: Disgruntled workers have a bigger issue than just a bad attitude. When we serve in such a way, we bring reproach upon the God who called us to do that work. The Christian’s charge is simple: work with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord, and give it your all. Confess that Jesus is Lord, in word and in deed (Col. 3:17).

Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters; not by way of eye-service as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartedly as for the Lord, and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.— Colossians 3:22-24
In the beginning, God created. Put another way, he was at work. In all his creating, orchestrating, and designing, he fashioned man to function much as He does. And so, we work too. We bag groceries, we manage projects, we wash the car, we lead meetings, we build bridges, we change diapers (yes, dad… you can do that too. Stop being a baby). We take out the trash, we fix the showerhead, we balance budgets, we write reports, we do the dishes (…yes). Did I miss anything? Of course. Almost everything.
Work is part of us because we are made in the image of God. And yet, since the fall, work has not necessarily been easy or always satisfying (Gen. 3:17-19). Work is good, but work is hard. Work can reward much, but it also requires much. We are made to work, but work can be altogether frustrating.
Believers that are honest would say that such frustrations don’t go away simply because one believes in Jesus. The State of the Global Workplace 2022 report by Gallup found that only 21% of employees are engaged at work, and 33% consider their well-being to be thriving. What that means? It means 8 out of 10 people aren’t enthusiastic about their work, don’t like to work, and don’t think their work matters. It also means that two-thirds of people are drowning in the frustrations of life’s toils. And my guess, even as Christians, we often fall into those groups.
The antidote to these frustrations isn’t simply to work harder or try more or give up. In Colossians 3:22-24, the apostle Paul would have us see that a change in how we think of work only comes from a submission to the Lordship of Jesus.
In other words, if you claim that Jesus is Lord of your life, your work will look different because of it.
Let’s look at how Paul discusses the topic in these few verses:
Heed Your Master
One big hold up at work might be your boss, your supervisor, or whoever’s in charge and whatever you call them. But that’s not how it should be in God’s economy. You honor Christ as you honor your master. You serve Him well by serving your earthly authorities diligently. This is the principle that Paul gives as it comes to faithful labor. “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters” (Col. 3:22).
I can hear you now. “You just don’t know my boss, though. You don’t know the criticism I get every single day. You don’t understand the lack of appreciation for all that I do. I’m overworked, and severely underpaid.” Is this not the natural mindset? We are inclined to obey insofar as it benefits me or, at the very least, if I feel like it. We will do the job insofar as it pays enough, we are treated well enough, and we recognized enough.
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Three Encouragements for a Courageous Life

Those who fear God have no need to fear anything else. And those who walk in the fear of the Lord walk in the path of God’s favor, one that chiefly promises life everlasting (Prov. 8:32-36). The world can neither tamper nor thwart what God has promised His people. Because eternal life is ours, we can boldly stand in our convictions.

Courageous.
No word better describes the prophet Daniel. Believers have long marveled at his willingness to boldly endure a night in the presence of hungry lions—knowing that death was a likely outcome—because he esteemed God over man.
There is a simple moral in Daniel’s story: stand for God, no matter the consequences.
And the application seems obvious. Have the same courage as the prophet. Don’t compromise your convictions, even if death is the result. Of course, following Daniel’s example isn’t always as simple. That kind of conviction can be costly, and oftentimes dangerous. Daniel-like courage can come at the price of life itself, and who is willing to pay that?
To understand why Daniel had such courage—and how we can as well—we need to understand that the fuel for Daniel’s courage was not his convictions. It was the God he served.
Obviously, Daniel was a man of conviction. However, he didn’t build those convictions himself. Instead, he saw the will and work of God in him and all around him.
True and experiential knowledge of who God is and what He’s doing transformed Daniel.
Our pagan society—our modern-day Babylon—is not all that different than the society of Daniel’s day. Twenty-first century believers have much in common with the people of God in the ancient world. We too are aliens in a foreign, pagan land. We too are asked to compromise our beliefs, pledge allegiance to men over God, and forsake our devotion to our Heavenly King. And if we are to share Daniel’s resolve, we must draw our courage from the same source he did. The stories we tell about this great man of God are less about the man and more about his God. Though the call to be courageous and faithful can be difficult, it is not impossible because it is not dependent on our strength. Our courage can be the same as Daniel’s because our God is his God.
In this article, I will share three encouragements for a courageous life that can anchor our gospel courage not in ourselves, but in the gracious and generous God who grants deep-rooted convictions and life-long faithfulness.
God Establishes Where We are Planted
The book of Daniel begins by describing the tragic fall of the Jewish people into the hands of the Babylonians (606-605 BC). The narrative describes a complete takeover by a king, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who believes he defeated Yahweh Himself when he transported “vessels of the house of God… to the house of his god, and the vessels into the treasury of his god” (Dan. 1:2).
Having seemingly stripped the Jewish people of their God, Nebuchadnezzar then asked and demanded whatever he wanted of them. He drafts the sons of Israel into his personal service (Dan. 1:3-5), and he educates these Hebrew boys in the customs and systems of Babylon. He even administers name changes that disassociate these men from their heritage and instead assimilate them into a new, pagan culture. Given those circumstances, Daniel would have had every reason to be broken, distressed, or indignant. But that is not the case because Daniel recognizes God’s providence in his life. Daniel 1:2 holds the key to Daniel’s courage in a hostile environment. It says the chaos, the loss of a home, the dominance of a foreign power, the need to assimilate to a new culture were ordained by God Himself. “The Lord handed Jehoiakim king of Judah over to him” (Dan. 1:2). What Nebuchadnezzar never imagined was that his conquest of God’s people fit perfectly into the will and purposes designed by God for His people.
The world did not slip out of God’s grasp in Daniel’s day. Neither has it today. In God’s wisdom, he always plants his people in fertile soil where they can live and minster with courage. What good is courage if it is unnecessary?
Read More

Three Encouragements for a Courageous Life

Those who fear God have no need to fear anything else. And those who walk in the fear of the Lord walk in the path of God’s favor, one that chiefly promises life everlasting (Prov. 8:32-36). The world can neither tamper nor thwart what God has promised His people. Because eternal life is ours, we can boldly stand in our convictions.

Courageous.
No word better describes the prophet Daniel. Believers have long marveled at his willingness to boldly endure a night in the presence of hungry lions—knowing that death was a likely outcome—because he esteemed God over man.
There is a simple moral in Daniel’s story: stand for God, no matter the consequences.
And the application seems obvious. Have the same courage as the prophet. Don’t compromise your convictions, even if death is the result. Of course, following Daniel’s example isn’t always as simple. That kind of conviction can be costly, and oftentimes dangerous. Daniel-like courage can come at the price of life itself, and who is willing to pay that?
To understand why Daniel had such courage—and how we can as well—we need to understand that the fuel for Daniel’s courage was not his convictions. It was the God he served.
Obviously, Daniel was a man of conviction. However, he didn’t build those convictions himself. Instead, he saw the will and work of God in him and all around him.
True and experiential knowledge of who God is and what He’s doing transformed Daniel.
Our pagan society—our modern-day Babylon—is not all that different than the society of Daniel’s day. Twenty-first century believers have much in common with the people of God in the ancient world. We too are aliens in a foreign, pagan land. We too are asked to compromise our beliefs, pledge allegiance to men over God, and forsake our devotion to our Heavenly King. And if we are to share Daniel’s resolve, we must draw our courage from the same source he did. The stories we tell about this great man of God are less about the man and more about his God. Though the call to be courageous and faithful can be difficult, it is not impossible because it is not dependent on our strength. Our courage can be the same as Daniel’s because our God is his God.
In this article, I will share three encouragements for a courageous life that can anchor our gospel courage not in ourselves, but in the gracious and generous God who grants deep-rooted convictions and life-long faithfulness.
God Establishes Where We are Planted
The book of Daniel begins by describing the tragic fall of the Jewish people into the hands of the Babylonians (606-605 BC). The narrative describes a complete takeover by a king, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who believes he defeated Yahweh Himself when he transported “vessels of the house of God… to the house of his god, and the vessels into the treasury of his god” (Dan. 1:2).
Having seemingly stripped the Jewish people of their God, Nebuchadnezzar then asked and demanded whatever he wanted of them. He drafts the sons of Israel into his personal service (Dan. 1:3-5), and he educates these Hebrew boys in the customs and systems of Babylon. He even administers name changes that disassociate these men from their heritage and instead assimilate them into a new, pagan culture. Given those circumstances, Daniel would have had every reason to be broken, distressed, or indignant. But that is not the case because Daniel recognizes God’s providence in his life. Daniel 1:2 holds the key to Daniel’s courage in a hostile environment. It says the chaos, the loss of a home, the dominance of a foreign power, the need to assimilate to a new culture were ordained by God Himself. “The Lord handed Jehoiakim king of Judah over to him” (Dan. 1:2). What Nebuchadnezzar never imagined was that his conquest of God’s people fit perfectly into the will and purposes designed by God for His people.
The world did not slip out of God’s grasp in Daniel’s day. Neither has it today. In God’s wisdom, he always plants his people in fertile soil where they can live and minster with courage. What good is courage if it is unnecessary?
Read More

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