Here’s the link to download the manuscript if you are interested:
Author Archives: Jason Snider
About Jason Snider
Daily Encouragement
We were not eyewitnesses to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ but there were eyewitnesses like Peter who beheld his majesty. They heard the Father speak to the Son from heaven. Let me repeat that…they heard God say, “This is my Son with whom I am well pleased.” It seems that one could not get anything better than that.
However, even though we were not eyewitnesses we have something more sure—the written Word of God. Not only are God’s utterances from heaven recorded but we are told what they mean. The details of which the apostles didn’t probably know were given to them by God the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 1:21
[21] For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
The image is that of wind being blown into a sail to carry along a ship. The Holy Spirit (Wind) carried along those eyewitnesses to write the prophetic word and it is more sure!
2 Peter 1:19
[19] And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts
We think that eyewitness accounts can’t get any better or we might even think since I wasn’t there then I’m lacking information and therefore cannot believe. Well the eyewitnesses have given us the Word that is more fully confirmed. It is the trustworthy source by which to know God! Be thankful for the Word and pay close attention to it.
Daily Encouragement
As I begin my yearly trek through the mountainous terrain of the book of Job, I bring with it certain expectations as well as an eagerness to see new things. As I prepare for this week’s sermon from Hebrews 5:11-14, I feel the warning there to be careful not to become dull of hearing. I’ve read the book of Job at least 20 times but like hearing the flight attendant on the plane explain the safety measures that I no longer listen to because I’ve heard them many times, I don’t want to do that with God’s word.
The simple but complex question that comes to mind from Job is that of Satan’s question concerning Job:
Job 1:9-10 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.”
In other words, does Job only trust God for what he can get out of God? If trusting the Lord meant that he got nothing out of it or even worse he suffered because he feared God and turned away from evil would he continue to trust and fear the Lord.
The book of Job answers that question for Job. He passed the tests. It however doesn’t answer that question for us. How are we doing in the daily tests from the Lord? Would we stay with Christ even if we get nothing out of it now but must wait until the end? What if our obedience causes us to suffer? Will we give up?
We ought to continue to grow through the tests. If not we might stumble:
2 Peter 1:8-11 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
Keep trusting the Lord and the fruit of your faith will blossom into gardens of righteousness for the glory God.
Mission Trip Update
Here’s where we stand after a great fundraiser by way of a yard sale. Thanks to all who gave and participated!
https://catalystmissions.gomethod.app/!/34012/cuba-january-2024/participants/365694/donate
The Lord’s Day Sermon Manuscript for October 29, 2023
Here’s the link to download the manuscript if you are interested:
Daily Encouragement
“O my great High Priest,
pour down upon me streams of needful grace,
bless me in all my undertaking,
in every thought of my mind,
every word of my lips,
every step of my feet,
every deed of my hands.”
Valley of Vision, After Prayer [277]
Christ is with us and ministering to us as our great high priest. Pray this for yourself and each other! He will pour down grace upon us.
Daily Encouragement
Lament is a necessary action among God’s people. In a day that we forbid anything that’s not positive we wrongly cut off the means to praise and thanksgiving. Until we have grieved over our sin that has offended the Holy God of the universe we will likely not be moved to repentance and faith.
As I read the book of Lamentations, I’m thinking the glorious verses of chapter 3…
Lamentations 3:22-23 The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
…do not come to mind without a thorough lament. And the book does not begin with the sentiments of 3:22-23, it begins with observing what merely has happened.
Lamentations 1:1-2 How lonely sits the city That was full of people! She has become like a widow Who was once great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces Has become a forced laborer! She weeps bitterly in the night And her tears are on her cheeks; She has none to comfort her Among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies.
There’s no repentance in the beginning chapters BUT it was necessary to weep in the selfish reality of the consequences first. It’s not until verse 8 of chapter one that any mention of sin comes up. And a telling phrase pops up in that acknowledgment in verse 9–She did not consider her future.
When you live merely for the present you cannot live in light of the future. To trade living it up in this short and temporary life for eternal life just doesn’t make sense when you actually think about it. But that’s the problem, we find it hard to consider when sin is so much fun.
I mean the one lamenting doesn’t even mention God’s name until verse 9. And when the writer brings it up they are still not in the right place of repentance—See, O LORD, my affliction.
My question is how does one get from that statement which leads to chapter two’s rightful claim that God is their enemy in 2:5 and then to this posture of chapter 3–Let him give his cheek to the smiter.
The one in exile is now willingly receiving God’s just judgment against them in hope of redemption…in hope of God’s vengeance on the enemy he used to punish them by the end of chapter 3.
My conclusion? Do not bypass lamenting, even selfish lamenting because it is often the process we go through to bring our hearts into glad submission to the Lord and the hope of forgiveness through repentance and faith.
Giving your cheek to the smiter is a clear expression of faith in the Lord. It says I deserve this and more but I will wait upon my Savior because I’m banking my life on the Lord’s steadfast love and mercy.
This language of giving your cheek to the smiter shows up again in Isaiah 50:4-9 which I believe is describing the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. Jesus is the only one who continued to offer his face like a flint in perfect obedience to the Father. He obeyed to the point of death even death on a cross. Therefore this is what that obedience accomplished:
Hebrews 5:9-10 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
You can be made right with God through repentance and faith in Christ alone. Will you have him?
Daily Exhortation
Be careful how you suffer. The reality is suffering will come to all people in some form or fashion throughout our lives. In part because we live in a fallen world and we are fallen people. God created this world and it functions a particular way and when we do not follow his way or someone else doesn’t follow his way then suffering occurs.
In 1 Peter 4, some of that suffering that happens to Christians is a test for us. Fiery trials are meant to reveal where we are and if we are in fact trusting the Lord. Indeed, each test either matures our faith or reveals a lack of faith.
How we understand suffering in our lives matters. Peter describes it as sharing in the sufferings of Christ in 4:13. He goes on to encourage us to rejoice in them because if you are rejoicing in your sufferings now you will rejoice with exultation when Christ returns. Peter even calls those who suffer for the name of Christ blessed. Why? Because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on us.
However, we can suffer wrongly. There are consequences for evil even in this world…even for troublesome meddlers. But if we suffer as a Christian, we are not to be ashamed. If we suffer due to consequences of sin then we ought to be ashamed. May our suffering be for the name and may it glorify the Lord.
How do you do this? Is there a “How to” YouTube video to learn this? Well here’s how it ends:
1 Peter 4:19 Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
Trust the Lord and do what it right according to him. Let us pray for each other to know God’s ways and trust and gladly obey him.
Lord’s Day Sermon Manuscript for October 22, 2023
Here’s the link to download the manuscript if you are interested:
The Word Is Not Imprisoned 