There is only one road to a victorious Christian walk--complete surrender of your will to His will.
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There is only one road to a life characterized by the dynamic power of God--the road of utter weakness.
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There is only way to run and not be weary and to walk and not faint--the "walk" that waits on God in fervent prayer.
-----
There
is only one way to protect your heart from the deceivers that have gone
from the church and over to the world--saturate yourself with the Word;
the whole counsel of God.
------
There is only one way for God to answer your prayers according to His will--praying.
------
There is only one way to lead someone to the Savior--tell them about Him; "faith comes by hearing."
Sunday, June 29, 2014
The Heart of Worship
Remember
as you sit under God's Word today--and if the pastor doesn't use God's
Word, go somewhere else--that the deciding factor in the impact of the
message is not the eloquence or delivery of the one sowing the seed, but
the condition of the heart of the listener--that's you. What kind of
heart will you take to church today? Stoney? Shallow--not willing to pay
the cost of obedience? Distracted--too in love with the world and the
worries it puts on your mind? Soft, open, desirous of being a fruitful
follower of Him? I ask again: What kind of heart will you take to church
today? "Don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together!"
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Reliance
One
of the great lessons illustrated for us in the Old Testament is the need
to rely on God for deliverance from our difficulties. (By the way, God
is the God of examples. The Old Testament gives us more than enough of
them to learn how to do things God's way instead of man's way.) God
portrays that truth about reliance numerous times; it must be one of
those truths we have a difficult time learning.
But every king or saint who tried to rely on others or himself for
deliverance found himself creating more trouble, even if his plan
worked. Yes, sometimes they relied on worldly schemes and human wisdom,
and they appeared to succeed. The world's ways "work" in the world's
system. But "success" is not a measure of success as God defines it. His
question is always the same: "Did you do it by relying on Me or on
others or on yourself?" Only the first choice glorifies Him and earns
His "well-done." "Without faith it is impossible to please God."
What are the negatives of relying on others or worldly techniques to do God's work or to find deliverance from trials? There are two obvious ones. First, those plans often fail, drastically. And the ones that appear to work are often the greatest failures in the long term. And the consequences of the failure are often felt for years to come. Sometimes, in fact, the consequences go on for generations.
The other negative is that the person or strategy used to try to achieve success or escape trials is invariably the very person or thing that results in the undermining of God's child. For example, whoever a king relied on to deliver him other than God was the very person or nation who defeated him or his sons later. Or when things got even worse, and they called out to that "ally" for help, it was never given.
The same is true today. Do you have a work God has called you to do? Spend time on your knees asking God to bless His work and empower your service. Don't resort to human techniques and strategies in order to get results. Even if you get "results," it will not please Him--and the consequences will be devastating down the line. Facing difficult circumstances? Spend time on you knees asking God to strengthen you in the midst of the trial and to open your eyes to the lesson He wants to teach you--to the deeper understanding of Who He is that He wants you to
experience. Don't use human mechanisms to escape: trust and grow. Wait on Him to deliver you at the right time. Total reliance on Him is the key to godly faithfulness.
What are the negatives of relying on others or worldly techniques to do God's work or to find deliverance from trials? There are two obvious ones. First, those plans often fail, drastically. And the ones that appear to work are often the greatest failures in the long term. And the consequences of the failure are often felt for years to come. Sometimes, in fact, the consequences go on for generations.
The other negative is that the person or strategy used to try to achieve success or escape trials is invariably the very person or thing that results in the undermining of God's child. For example, whoever a king relied on to deliver him other than God was the very person or nation who defeated him or his sons later. Or when things got even worse, and they called out to that "ally" for help, it was never given.
The same is true today. Do you have a work God has called you to do? Spend time on your knees asking God to bless His work and empower your service. Don't resort to human techniques and strategies in order to get results. Even if you get "results," it will not please Him--and the consequences will be devastating down the line. Facing difficult circumstances? Spend time on you knees asking God to strengthen you in the midst of the trial and to open your eyes to the lesson He wants to teach you--to the deeper understanding of Who He is that He wants you to
experience. Don't use human mechanisms to escape: trust and grow. Wait on Him to deliver you at the right time. Total reliance on Him is the key to godly faithfulness.
Friday, June 27, 2014
Quotes
I
have encountered three quotes this week in my reading--The Death of Adam
by Marilynne Robinson--that I think I'll pass on to you today. (If you
haven't read her two latest novels, Gilead and Home--the summer is still
young. Read them in that order as well. And then read The Death of
Adam; it will actually require you to think critically.)
First Quote: From The New England Primer
Defraud not him who hired is,
Your labor to sustain;
And pay him still without delay,
His wages for his pain.
And as you would another man
Against you should proceed,
Do you the same to them again,
If they should stand in need.
Impart your portion to the Poor
In money and in Meat
And send the feeble, fainting Soul
Of that which you do eat.
------------------
Quote Number Two:
"For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore, I command thee, saying, 'Thou shalt open thy hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy in thy land.'"
:God gives us direction how we are to give in such a case, bountifully and willingly, . . . We may also observe how peremptorily this duty is here enjoined, and how much it is insisted on. It is repeated over and over again, and enjoined in the strongest terms . . . The warning is very strict. God doth not only say, Beware that thou do not actually refuse to give him, but, Beware that thou have not one objecting thought against it, arising from a backwardness to liberality. God warns against the beginnings of uncharitableness in the heart . . . We are particularly required to be kind to the unthankful and the evil, and therein to follow the example of our heavenly Father, who causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Jonathan Edwards)
----------
Third Quote:
"Here therefore, let us stand fast: our life shall best conform to God's will and the prescriptions of the law when it is in every respect most fruitful for our brethren . . . It is very clear that we keep the commandments not by loving ourselves but by loving God and neighbor; that he lives the best and holiest life who lives and strives for himself as little as he can, and that no one lives in a worse or more evil manner than he who lives and strives for himself alone, and thinks about and seeks only his own advantage. . .
"It is the common habit of mankind that the more closely men are bound together by the ties of kinship, of acquaintance, or of neighborhood, the more responsibilities for one another they share. This does not offend God; for His providence, as it were, leads us to it. But I say, we ought to embrace the whole human race without exception by a single feeling of love; here there is no distinction between barbarian and Greek, worthy and unworthy, friend and enemy, since all are to be contemplated in God, not in themselves. When we turn aside from such contemplation, it is no wonder we become entangled in many errors. Therefore, if we rightly direct our love, we must first turn our eyes not to the man, the sight of whom would more often engender hate than love, but to God who bids us extend to all men the love we bear to him, that this may be an unchanging principle: Whatever the character of the man, we must yet love him because we love God."
John Calvin
"Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth."
----------
I post these quotes to be sure we understand that the so-called Protestant Work Ethic is rooted in the biblical admonition to "work at" joyfully giving abundantly to those around us in need and those throughout the world in need whether we deem them worthy of help or not. They certainly are more worthy of help to meet their physical needs than we are of the unmerited grace He has lavished on us to the eternal redemption of our souls. He commands us to love our neighbor as He loves us. And He identifies our neighbor as anyone who has a need. If we truly love Him, we will keep His commandments.
First Quote: From The New England Primer
Defraud not him who hired is,
Your labor to sustain;
And pay him still without delay,
His wages for his pain.
And as you would another man
Against you should proceed,
Do you the same to them again,
If they should stand in need.
Impart your portion to the Poor
In money and in Meat
And send the feeble, fainting Soul
Of that which you do eat.
------------------
Quote Number Two:
"For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore, I command thee, saying, 'Thou shalt open thy hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy in thy land.'"
:God gives us direction how we are to give in such a case, bountifully and willingly, . . . We may also observe how peremptorily this duty is here enjoined, and how much it is insisted on. It is repeated over and over again, and enjoined in the strongest terms . . . The warning is very strict. God doth not only say, Beware that thou do not actually refuse to give him, but, Beware that thou have not one objecting thought against it, arising from a backwardness to liberality. God warns against the beginnings of uncharitableness in the heart . . . We are particularly required to be kind to the unthankful and the evil, and therein to follow the example of our heavenly Father, who causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Jonathan Edwards)
----------
Third Quote:
"Here therefore, let us stand fast: our life shall best conform to God's will and the prescriptions of the law when it is in every respect most fruitful for our brethren . . . It is very clear that we keep the commandments not by loving ourselves but by loving God and neighbor; that he lives the best and holiest life who lives and strives for himself as little as he can, and that no one lives in a worse or more evil manner than he who lives and strives for himself alone, and thinks about and seeks only his own advantage. . .
"It is the common habit of mankind that the more closely men are bound together by the ties of kinship, of acquaintance, or of neighborhood, the more responsibilities for one another they share. This does not offend God; for His providence, as it were, leads us to it. But I say, we ought to embrace the whole human race without exception by a single feeling of love; here there is no distinction between barbarian and Greek, worthy and unworthy, friend and enemy, since all are to be contemplated in God, not in themselves. When we turn aside from such contemplation, it is no wonder we become entangled in many errors. Therefore, if we rightly direct our love, we must first turn our eyes not to the man, the sight of whom would more often engender hate than love, but to God who bids us extend to all men the love we bear to him, that this may be an unchanging principle: Whatever the character of the man, we must yet love him because we love God."
John Calvin
"Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth."
----------
I post these quotes to be sure we understand that the so-called Protestant Work Ethic is rooted in the biblical admonition to "work at" joyfully giving abundantly to those around us in need and those throughout the world in need whether we deem them worthy of help or not. They certainly are more worthy of help to meet their physical needs than we are of the unmerited grace He has lavished on us to the eternal redemption of our souls. He commands us to love our neighbor as He loves us. And He identifies our neighbor as anyone who has a need. If we truly love Him, we will keep His commandments.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Freedom
Freedom
is mine when I totally submit my will to the indwelling, empowering
presence of the Holy Spirit. He then enables me "to deny myself"--to put
to death self-interest--to "pour myself out," to be a genuine
servant, and to be found faithful until my home-going. And it is a
freeing that must be embraced each and every day--His mercies are "new
every morning." I live a life of freedom only through the faithfulness
of the Son of God who died and gave Himself for me. "To live is Christ,
and to die is gain." All other kinds of freedom are illusions--chains to
selfishness, sin, and the Devil--a murderer and a liar from the
beginning whose single=minded focus is to destroy.
Reflections on Behavior
A
truth I have been reminded of this week in my reading (Robinson): Integrity, graciousness,
humility, hospitality, generosity, love, mercy, sacrifice, purity,
discipleship are behaviors, not ideas.
-------
The one commandment given the most often in the Old and New Testaments--in my opinion--is the instruction to care for the needy and poor, to help the widow and orphan, to treat the alien--the immigrant--the same way you would want to be treated, to take up offerings for poorer churches in need, to give of your "extra" to help those in need, to "lay down your life for a brother" by meeting their physical need, to ensure fair wages for the laborer--it's expressed in a variety of ways. And to ignore these instructions comes with dangerous consequences--spiritual elitism, spiritual apathy, immorality in the church, and eventually God's judgment--on God's people. Indifference to sin among God's people, by the way, is highly contagious. Yes, our number one priority is to give people the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but the second priority of the early church was to give to the poor. Not one or the other--both. Meet spiritual needs with spiritual "stuff." Meet physical needs with physical "stuff."
"The first commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength--with all your being. And the second is similar: to love your neighbor as yourself. That sums up the biblical message from beginning to end."
Could it be that the immorality in the culture today and the increasing antagonism toward the Gospel of God's love demonstrated through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is because we have a church that loves in word but not deed? Could it be that we have a loveless church?
------
There isn't anyone God is more able, willing, and dare I say "excited" to use to further the kingdom, then the disciple who has failed and humbly admitted that the one person responsible for his failure was himself.
------
We spend a lot of time debating moral issues when we should, I believe, be spending our time defending the only reliable source for morality--the Word given us by the immutable God. I can think of nothing more frightening on a societal basis than a system of right and wrong based on consensus.
-----
As I reminded the seniors at graduation, the Christian life is either being in a storm or a storm is coming. And the most critical time in our walk is between the storms. It is then that I need to be saturating myself with the truths that God is bringing to my attention through His Word and the teaching of others. Is it not strange, but edifying, to realize that in those times when I think that "nothing is going on in my life," that actually, the most important thing is going on. He is teaching me the truths I need to be living in the "drudgery" of every day--because a storm is coming. Being "wise" does not make us storm-proof, but storm-ready. And wisdom is not head knowledge but experiential knowledge that can only be learned through obedience to what I know in my head.
-------
The one commandment given the most often in the Old and New Testaments--in my opinion--is the instruction to care for the needy and poor, to help the widow and orphan, to treat the alien--the immigrant--the same way you would want to be treated, to take up offerings for poorer churches in need, to give of your "extra" to help those in need, to "lay down your life for a brother" by meeting their physical need, to ensure fair wages for the laborer--it's expressed in a variety of ways. And to ignore these instructions comes with dangerous consequences--spiritual elitism, spiritual apathy, immorality in the church, and eventually God's judgment--on God's people. Indifference to sin among God's people, by the way, is highly contagious. Yes, our number one priority is to give people the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but the second priority of the early church was to give to the poor. Not one or the other--both. Meet spiritual needs with spiritual "stuff." Meet physical needs with physical "stuff."
"The first commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength--with all your being. And the second is similar: to love your neighbor as yourself. That sums up the biblical message from beginning to end."
Could it be that the immorality in the culture today and the increasing antagonism toward the Gospel of God's love demonstrated through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is because we have a church that loves in word but not deed? Could it be that we have a loveless church?
------
There isn't anyone God is more able, willing, and dare I say "excited" to use to further the kingdom, then the disciple who has failed and humbly admitted that the one person responsible for his failure was himself.
------
We spend a lot of time debating moral issues when we should, I believe, be spending our time defending the only reliable source for morality--the Word given us by the immutable God. I can think of nothing more frightening on a societal basis than a system of right and wrong based on consensus.
-----
As I reminded the seniors at graduation, the Christian life is either being in a storm or a storm is coming. And the most critical time in our walk is between the storms. It is then that I need to be saturating myself with the truths that God is bringing to my attention through His Word and the teaching of others. Is it not strange, but edifying, to realize that in those times when I think that "nothing is going on in my life," that actually, the most important thing is going on. He is teaching me the truths I need to be living in the "drudgery" of every day--because a storm is coming. Being "wise" does not make us storm-proof, but storm-ready. And wisdom is not head knowledge but experiential knowledge that can only be learned through obedience to what I know in my head.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Security
"Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today, and forever."
Do you understand that the God who loved you so much that He willingly died to pay your sin debt two thousand years ago, loves you just as deeply today as He did then, and that He will love you just as deeply for all of eternity as He did on that day two thousand years ago?
Eternal security. Rest and rejoice in such infinite, eternal love. Takes my breath away.
Do you understand that the God who loved you so much that He willingly died to pay your sin debt two thousand years ago, loves you just as deeply today as He did then, and that He will love you just as deeply for all of eternity as He did on that day two thousand years ago?
Eternal security. Rest and rejoice in such infinite, eternal love. Takes my breath away.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Reflections on His Coming Again
The
reason people scoff at the reality of the Second Coming--when Christ
comes as King of Kings to judge the world--is because they reject the
truth of His first coming--we are sinners unable to save ourselves and
in desperate need of the Savior.
The Christian who is living in genuine expectation of His coming is increasing in moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.These qualities the Holy Spirit is producing in their lives so that they will not be complacent and unfruitful. To strive to lay up treasures in this life is to be spiritually short-sighted, blind.
Spiritually healthy? How spiritually hungry are you?
Like-minded with God? "You shall be holy, for I am holy." Only through loving obedience can we reflect His presence in our lives.
"Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who impelled by His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living, energizing hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
The Christian who is living in genuine expectation of His coming is increasing in moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.These qualities the Holy Spirit is producing in their lives so that they will not be complacent and unfruitful. To strive to lay up treasures in this life is to be spiritually short-sighted, blind.
Spiritually healthy? How spiritually hungry are you?
Like-minded with God? "You shall be holy, for I am holy." Only through loving obedience can we reflect His presence in our lives.
"Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who impelled by His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living, energizing hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
Friday, June 20, 2014
Peace
When
by grace through faith we are born again by the Spirit of God, we become
reconciled to God. We are transferred from the camp of His enemies and
eternally encamped in the Kingdom of His Beloved Son. We have peace with
God.
But God also wants us to have His peace in our daily walk--the peace of God. "My peace I give to you." Paul talks about that transition in Philippians four. It begins with our cultivation of a joyful heart--a constant rejoicing in the Lord, resting in His moment by moment presence in our lives. Our unbreakable relationship, sustained by His promise and the sealing by His Spirit should be a constant source of joy in our lives regardless of our circumstances. Whatever loss or hardship we may encounter, to know that He is there with us and that His love and His wisdom are constantly at work should daily fill our hearts with rejoicing in our Lord. We can never lose Him.
We must also be focused on the needs of others. And our focus must be immersed in the gentleness of the Shepherd--stooping down to lift up all those around us who are in need of encouragement and a shoulder to lean on. We must be like Titus was to the Apostle Paul. Just his presence lifted Paul's spirit when he was feeling overwhelmed and depressed. He just had to walk into the same room. (Yes, Paul needed encouragement! Don't be so arrogant as to try to hide your need at times of a shepherd's gentleness.) The key is that when I take the focus off myself--see self-pity in the dictionary--and focus on the needs of those around me, it lifts my spirit as well as theirs. It is an ingredient of God's peace--servanthood. It can transform you into someone who when you just walk into the room, your friends are encouraged.
And then, if I want God's peace in my heart, I must replace my worry and anxiety with prayer. Prayer for my needs, for the needs of those I love, prayers bathed in a thankful heart knowing that He is the God who covets our prayers, who rejoices in them, and who willingly answers them in goodness and love. He always gives good gifts wrapped in the infinite love and wisdom of a merciful, gracious, caring Father. Always.
If I will focus my heart on Him, the joy will flow. If I will focus my heart on the needs of those around me, I will sense His presence in the midst. If I will replace my worry with prayer, I will be strengthened with a thankful heart. "And the peace of God which is beyond human comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." That's a promise from the Everlasting, Omnipotent, God of love who cannot lie.
Peace with God! Yes, forever a child and friend of the Almighty One! Forever!
The peace of God! Yes, mine on a daily basis no matter the circumstances and struggles of my life! And as His peace erects a fortress around my heart and mind, I can continue to day by day love right and think right as a child of the King. His peace! Think of it! Every day! Lord help my focus to be on You, on those around me with needs, and on the power available to me at Your throne of grace.
But God also wants us to have His peace in our daily walk--the peace of God. "My peace I give to you." Paul talks about that transition in Philippians four. It begins with our cultivation of a joyful heart--a constant rejoicing in the Lord, resting in His moment by moment presence in our lives. Our unbreakable relationship, sustained by His promise and the sealing by His Spirit should be a constant source of joy in our lives regardless of our circumstances. Whatever loss or hardship we may encounter, to know that He is there with us and that His love and His wisdom are constantly at work should daily fill our hearts with rejoicing in our Lord. We can never lose Him.
We must also be focused on the needs of others. And our focus must be immersed in the gentleness of the Shepherd--stooping down to lift up all those around us who are in need of encouragement and a shoulder to lean on. We must be like Titus was to the Apostle Paul. Just his presence lifted Paul's spirit when he was feeling overwhelmed and depressed. He just had to walk into the same room. (Yes, Paul needed encouragement! Don't be so arrogant as to try to hide your need at times of a shepherd's gentleness.) The key is that when I take the focus off myself--see self-pity in the dictionary--and focus on the needs of those around me, it lifts my spirit as well as theirs. It is an ingredient of God's peace--servanthood. It can transform you into someone who when you just walk into the room, your friends are encouraged.
And then, if I want God's peace in my heart, I must replace my worry and anxiety with prayer. Prayer for my needs, for the needs of those I love, prayers bathed in a thankful heart knowing that He is the God who covets our prayers, who rejoices in them, and who willingly answers them in goodness and love. He always gives good gifts wrapped in the infinite love and wisdom of a merciful, gracious, caring Father. Always.
If I will focus my heart on Him, the joy will flow. If I will focus my heart on the needs of those around me, I will sense His presence in the midst. If I will replace my worry with prayer, I will be strengthened with a thankful heart. "And the peace of God which is beyond human comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." That's a promise from the Everlasting, Omnipotent, God of love who cannot lie.
Peace with God! Yes, forever a child and friend of the Almighty One! Forever!
The peace of God! Yes, mine on a daily basis no matter the circumstances and struggles of my life! And as His peace erects a fortress around my heart and mind, I can continue to day by day love right and think right as a child of the King. His peace! Think of it! Every day! Lord help my focus to be on You, on those around me with needs, and on the power available to me at Your throne of grace.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Fulfillment
Fulfillment
is a quality of life that few men attain. As always, God's conditions
for fulfillment are far different from the world's. The first condition
is to be poor in spirit. God loves those who have a contrite spirit and a
broken heart. He loves those who have the humility to give Him the
credit for all they have in life and all that they are as a person.They
seek first His kingdom and righteousness,
spiritual wealth and holiness. Anything God gives them of earthly value
they thank Him for and then look for opportunities to pass on the extra
to others who are in need. They are rich in faith, hope, and love.
Having Jesus, they need nothing else. They are
fulfilled--content--because He lives and reigns in their hearts.
Forever.
The fulfilled man takes no thought for material things. He is careful about one thing only--His relationship with His Savior. He trusts God to take care of His needs. He trusts God to put him where he is needed and to use him there to show the love of God to others. He is delighted that God knows more about tomorrow than he does. He knows that God gives so much more than a man needs.
The fulfilled man knows that he is--right now--a member of the Kingdom of God. And he knows that no one can take that from him. He knows that God has chosen "the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to them that love Him."
The fulfilled man takes no thought for material things. He is careful about one thing only--His relationship with His Savior. He trusts God to take care of His needs. He trusts God to put him where he is needed and to use him there to show the love of God to others. He is delighted that God knows more about tomorrow than he does. He knows that God gives so much more than a man needs.
The fulfilled man knows that he is--right now--a member of the Kingdom of God. And he knows that no one can take that from him. He knows that God has chosen "the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to them that love Him."
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
The Necessity of Suffering
I was
reminded lately of one of the great truths of Scripture that we need to
focus on more often in our lives. It is seen, for example, in the life
of Joseph. The truth: God often allows--ordains--great suffering in our
lives--physically, emotionally, spiritually--because He is going to use
that temporary suffering to accomplish a far greater earthly and eternal
good. And the truth that enabled Joseph
to endure--and endurance always involves continuing to live an obedient
life--"The Lord was with Joseph." Even when he couldn't see His hand at
work.
And what is the ultimate expression of that great truth about suffering? Our Savior's cross. Such indescribable suffering! Such immeasurable, eternal good! And without the suffering there could have been no good.
"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we also may be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
All the suffering in our life has a purpose: God will use it to produce infinite good that will glorify His love and His Name.
"For you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but to suffer for His sake."
"Consider life all joy my fellow children of God when you encounter any and all trials, knowing (yes, knowing!) that the testing of your faith produces in your daily walk endurance."
Endurance = a joy-filled life of loving obedience.
Remember His promise backed by His omnipotent power: "Lo, I am with you each and every day even to the end of the age."
And what is the ultimate expression of that great truth about suffering? Our Savior's cross. Such indescribable suffering! Such immeasurable, eternal good! And without the suffering there could have been no good.
"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we also may be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
All the suffering in our life has a purpose: God will use it to produce infinite good that will glorify His love and His Name.
"For you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but to suffer for His sake."
"Consider life all joy my fellow children of God when you encounter any and all trials, knowing (yes, knowing!) that the testing of your faith produces in your daily walk endurance."
Endurance = a joy-filled life of loving obedience.
Remember His promise backed by His omnipotent power: "Lo, I am with you each and every day even to the end of the age."
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Omnipotence
The omnipotence of God:
He spoke and the universe came into being. All creation came into existence through Him. Not one thing came into existence apart from Him. "It was through Him that everything was made, whether spiritual or material, seen or unseen . . . In fact, every single thing was created through, and for Him."
He, now and every moment, holds all things together. His power sustains everything. "In Him all things endure." He is the Alpha and the Omega.
All the nations of the earth are like a drop in a bucket. A very small drop in a very large bucket. The United States is one of those very small drops. "All the nations are as nothing before Him, they are regarded by Him as less than nothing and void."
The wicked do not prosper. When they gain everything they want through their mechanization and "power," they will have nothing of permanence--except their dissatisfaction and emptiness. And He will make certain that they will reap what they sow. And each "seed" has a great "harvest."
The rulers of this world are under His control. Their hearts are in His hands to do as He wills.
He makes promises not plans.
He put death to death.
The gospel is "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." "Who shall separate us from the love of God?"
He spoke and the universe came into being. All creation came into existence through Him. Not one thing came into existence apart from Him. "It was through Him that everything was made, whether spiritual or material, seen or unseen . . . In fact, every single thing was created through, and for Him."
He, now and every moment, holds all things together. His power sustains everything. "In Him all things endure." He is the Alpha and the Omega.
All the nations of the earth are like a drop in a bucket. A very small drop in a very large bucket. The United States is one of those very small drops. "All the nations are as nothing before Him, they are regarded by Him as less than nothing and void."
The wicked do not prosper. When they gain everything they want through their mechanization and "power," they will have nothing of permanence--except their dissatisfaction and emptiness. And He will make certain that they will reap what they sow. And each "seed" has a great "harvest."
The rulers of this world are under His control. Their hearts are in His hands to do as He wills.
He makes promises not plans.
He put death to death.
The gospel is "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." "Who shall separate us from the love of God?"
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the refuge of my life; whom shall I dread?"
"Those who hope in the Lord will gain new strength; they will sprout wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."
"I can do all things through Christ who is my strength."
"Those who hope in the Lord will gain new strength; they will sprout wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."
"I can do all things through Christ who is my strength."
Monday, June 16, 2014
Imagination: Soldiers
I wonder at times about the soldiers who arrested Jesus in the garden.
What did they think when He spoke, and they found themselves flat on the
ground, temporarily helpless. And then to hear Him say to Peter, "Put
up your sword, if I asked the Father, He would send twelve legions of
angels to rescue me." (And don't think those angels weren't eager to
come.) Think there may have been some nervous soldiers as they tied Him
up? And some looking over their shoulders--and maybe even
up at the sky--on the trek back to the city? I'll bet it felt like a
trek too--"are we there yet?" I also imagine that they may have been a
little jumpy as they walked in the darkness. And I wonder if any of
those same soldiers were on tomb duty? Quite a weekend, eh? Excuse my
imagination but I wouldn't be surprised to find out that at least one of
them believed the message on Pentecost or in the weeks that followed.
The power of God's loving grace is always at work in
the hearts of men. Always. And often where we least expect it.
the hearts of men. Always. And often where we least expect it.
Strife
The
world is full of strife. And it is never comfortable to, at times, be
one of its catalyst. God, of course, does not want strife in His church;
yet, Paul and others have felt the need to confront difficulties in
certain churches and have, thereby, caused strife. Our Lord Himself told
His disciples that He came into the world to wield a sword--even in
families in which some were Christians and some were not.
Strife in the church is usually over doctrine or practice. Such was the case with Paul's letters to the Corinthians and the Galatians. One group was engaged in spiritual pride and its ramifications. Their church was loveless, carnal, and indifferent to sin and its impact on the holiness of God's people. One group was being misled in the very nature of the Gospel of grace. They were teaching a false gospel, a gospel of works that could redeem no one. Paul in those cases did not put unity above truth. Yet the truths he taught were presented in love with the goal of restoring true unity, though, at times those truths were presented quite bluntly. Paul admonished from a broken heart, but he did admonish nonetheless. Paul was just imitating His Savior who could be quite blunt at times Himself when confronting error.
Sometimes, though, our strife is over non-issues. We argue with each other over things that are not biblically wrong or right, just our preference or just related to the "speed" at which someone is growing in his or her walk with Him. And, of course, such strife is really then just spiritual arrogance on both sides. We have canonized our ideas, our experiences, our fears, our hopes, and our opinions instead of embracing the freedom that God has given to the church in areas of preference. Such self-righteousness causes us to substitute fear, control, and self-pity for genuine love and concern. Instead of falling on our knees and seeking God's leading and instruction in our own fallible hearts, we criticize, falsely judge, and become angry at those who have chosen a path or embraced an idea that we are in disagreement with, and yet, God is completely silent on the matter. It is always dangerous to speak for God when God has nothing to say on the matter. Because someone disagrees with me in areas of freedom that does not mean that they are in rebellion, let alone that they don't love me, let alone that they are somehow in the "wrong," let alone that there is a "wrong" in that area to begin with. There's nothing wrong with sharing my opinions--but as opinions, not truth. When I try to claim that His will is my will, I can only cause alienation, perhaps even undermine the other person's ability to trust in God's leading in his or her life. I can become a stumbling block in their path toward spiritual maturity. Nothing is more dangerous than to try to control other people's lives instead of trusting God to do so. We always make a poor substitute for Him.
Strife in the church is usually over doctrine or practice. Such was the case with Paul's letters to the Corinthians and the Galatians. One group was engaged in spiritual pride and its ramifications. Their church was loveless, carnal, and indifferent to sin and its impact on the holiness of God's people. One group was being misled in the very nature of the Gospel of grace. They were teaching a false gospel, a gospel of works that could redeem no one. Paul in those cases did not put unity above truth. Yet the truths he taught were presented in love with the goal of restoring true unity, though, at times those truths were presented quite bluntly. Paul admonished from a broken heart, but he did admonish nonetheless. Paul was just imitating His Savior who could be quite blunt at times Himself when confronting error.
Sometimes, though, our strife is over non-issues. We argue with each other over things that are not biblically wrong or right, just our preference or just related to the "speed" at which someone is growing in his or her walk with Him. And, of course, such strife is really then just spiritual arrogance on both sides. We have canonized our ideas, our experiences, our fears, our hopes, and our opinions instead of embracing the freedom that God has given to the church in areas of preference. Such self-righteousness causes us to substitute fear, control, and self-pity for genuine love and concern. Instead of falling on our knees and seeking God's leading and instruction in our own fallible hearts, we criticize, falsely judge, and become angry at those who have chosen a path or embraced an idea that we are in disagreement with, and yet, God is completely silent on the matter. It is always dangerous to speak for God when God has nothing to say on the matter. Because someone disagrees with me in areas of freedom that does not mean that they are in rebellion, let alone that they don't love me, let alone that they are somehow in the "wrong," let alone that there is a "wrong" in that area to begin with. There's nothing wrong with sharing my opinions--but as opinions, not truth. When I try to claim that His will is my will, I can only cause alienation, perhaps even undermine the other person's ability to trust in God's leading in his or her life. I can become a stumbling block in their path toward spiritual maturity. Nothing is more dangerous than to try to control other people's lives instead of trusting God to do so. We always make a poor substitute for Him.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Do and Wait
Do
everything with a heart of gratitude. And then wait for God to
bless--just when you need it the most. And beyond what you ask or
imagine. He is the God of the present tense.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Intercession
"And
this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real
knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that
are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of
Christ, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes
through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Paul's intercessory prayers for others always get right "to the bottom line." He prays that those he loves will have an always increasing--"abounding"--love that is always consistent with the guidelines of God's truth. What will be the impact on their lives if they are growing in love and truth? First, they will "approve the things that are excellent." Each day they will make choices that are not just good choices, but excellent choices. They will recognize and choose the absolute best way, the way filled with love and reflecting God's truth. Making those "excellent" choices will enable them to live lives of sincerity--lives of integrity not hypocrisy, and lives that are blameless. Who they are on the inside--a love-filled child of God committed to obedience--will be exactly who they are on the outside. They will daily reflect the transformation--the Christ-likeness--that the Spirit is working out in their lives--they will be "filled with the fruit of righteousness"--"love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." (By the way, is that your definition of righteousness?) What is the outcome of such a transformation--the right one--the excellent one--the "glory and praise of God." The fragrance of His presence will be evident in their lives, and God alone will get the praise He alone deserves for the beauty of their lives.
Is there ever a day when such intercession for those I love is not vital? Have you prayed that prayer today? And what about tomorrow? And the next day? And the next? And . . .
Paul's intercessory prayers for others always get right "to the bottom line." He prays that those he loves will have an always increasing--"abounding"--love that is always consistent with the guidelines of God's truth. What will be the impact on their lives if they are growing in love and truth? First, they will "approve the things that are excellent." Each day they will make choices that are not just good choices, but excellent choices. They will recognize and choose the absolute best way, the way filled with love and reflecting God's truth. Making those "excellent" choices will enable them to live lives of sincerity--lives of integrity not hypocrisy, and lives that are blameless. Who they are on the inside--a love-filled child of God committed to obedience--will be exactly who they are on the outside. They will daily reflect the transformation--the Christ-likeness--that the Spirit is working out in their lives--they will be "filled with the fruit of righteousness"--"love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." (By the way, is that your definition of righteousness?) What is the outcome of such a transformation--the right one--the excellent one--the "glory and praise of God." The fragrance of His presence will be evident in their lives, and God alone will get the praise He alone deserves for the beauty of their lives.
Is there ever a day when such intercession for those I love is not vital? Have you prayed that prayer today? And what about tomorrow? And the next day? And the next? And . . .
Loving Someone
Loving
someone--spouse, child, sibling, peer, pastor, friend, enemy--is never
an easy thing to do. And, of course, the reason it is so difficult is
that we are so deeply in love with ourselves. We are looking for people
who will love us. If the way they treat us doesn't measure up to our
expectations, the relationship suffers. If they are not doing what we
think they should be doing, the relationship suffers. Whenever self-interest enters the relationship, love leaves.
Genuine--spontaneous--love is based on how I can love them, not how they should love me. I am not concerned with how good of a spouse he or she is, how good of a child he or she is, how good of a friend he or she is, but rather I am concerned with how loving of a spouse, father, friend I am.
God says that genuine love is constructive, edifying, it builds up; it does not tear down. Genuine love believes the one loved, expects the best, and consistently defends the one loved. Genuine love can't be turned off, isn't spasmodic, never runs out of patience. Genuine love has no limits on its endurance or its trust. Genuine love sees the differences between himself and the other person as a way for them to complement each other, as a way to increase the effectiveness of the two, as a way of providing balance in the relationship. Genuine love does not assume the worst in someone else's behavior or draw conclusions as to the motives of their heart. Genuine love is not possessive, nor does it manipulate or use guilt as a weapon. Genuine love is not jealous, is not in competition with others, does not try to impress others. Genuine love does not keep a record of other people's failures or shortcomings and hold them over their heads. Genuine love gives the benefit of the doubt. Genuine love does not play favorites; it abhors bigotry. Genuine love cherishes all opportunities to forgive.
Such love is only possible as I submit to the Spirit of God who enables me to love others as He loves me, who empowers me to submit myself to the good of the other person. If my love is not in keeping with God's description of love, it is not love at all. It is sin. It is destructive in the lives of others. It blasphemes the character of God. It reveals that our claim to be His disciple is fraudulent, hypocritical, a lie. We have no intention of denying ourselves.
May His Spirit make us living examples of genuine love in all our relationships. Until we allow Him to so transform us, we will be discontent, afraid of forming relationships that have any depth, and wondering why people find it so difficult to love us. No one is more miserable than the believer who is full of himself instead of full of Christ. Their lives will always be incomplete. They will always be immature, babes in Christ, devoid of a deeper understanding of Him, the One who is love.
Genuine--spontaneous--love is based on how I can love them, not how they should love me. I am not concerned with how good of a spouse he or she is, how good of a child he or she is, how good of a friend he or she is, but rather I am concerned with how loving of a spouse, father, friend I am.
God says that genuine love is constructive, edifying, it builds up; it does not tear down. Genuine love believes the one loved, expects the best, and consistently defends the one loved. Genuine love can't be turned off, isn't spasmodic, never runs out of patience. Genuine love has no limits on its endurance or its trust. Genuine love sees the differences between himself and the other person as a way for them to complement each other, as a way to increase the effectiveness of the two, as a way of providing balance in the relationship. Genuine love does not assume the worst in someone else's behavior or draw conclusions as to the motives of their heart. Genuine love is not possessive, nor does it manipulate or use guilt as a weapon. Genuine love is not jealous, is not in competition with others, does not try to impress others. Genuine love does not keep a record of other people's failures or shortcomings and hold them over their heads. Genuine love gives the benefit of the doubt. Genuine love does not play favorites; it abhors bigotry. Genuine love cherishes all opportunities to forgive.
Such love is only possible as I submit to the Spirit of God who enables me to love others as He loves me, who empowers me to submit myself to the good of the other person. If my love is not in keeping with God's description of love, it is not love at all. It is sin. It is destructive in the lives of others. It blasphemes the character of God. It reveals that our claim to be His disciple is fraudulent, hypocritical, a lie. We have no intention of denying ourselves.
May His Spirit make us living examples of genuine love in all our relationships. Until we allow Him to so transform us, we will be discontent, afraid of forming relationships that have any depth, and wondering why people find it so difficult to love us. No one is more miserable than the believer who is full of himself instead of full of Christ. Their lives will always be incomplete. They will always be immature, babes in Christ, devoid of a deeper understanding of Him, the One who is love.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
The Lord
"The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven--it's never hopeless.
"Preserve me, O Adonai, for I take refuge in Thee. I said to the Lord, 'Thou art my Lord; I have no good besides Thee."--As I hide in Him, cling to Him, the Sovereign Master, I rest in His goodness. God is so good. "Thou will make known to me the path of life; in Thy presence is fullness of joy."
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?"--It is not that He gives us light and salvation; He is our light and salvation. "Do not fear, for I am with you."
"When Thou didst say, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to Thee, 'Thy face, O Lord, will I seek.' "--Seek and you will find.
"I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord." Release your fears to the loving heart of the Living God. Take courage. Stand firm.
He is in control--the Lord of Lords. He is your Sovereign Master--your refuge. He is your light and your salvation. He longs for intimacy with you--face to face. He lives--to show you His goodness right now, in this life. He can be trusted with your cares. Cast them on Him. "Only be strong, and very courageous."
"Preserve me, O Adonai, for I take refuge in Thee. I said to the Lord, 'Thou art my Lord; I have no good besides Thee."--As I hide in Him, cling to Him, the Sovereign Master, I rest in His goodness. God is so good. "Thou will make known to me the path of life; in Thy presence is fullness of joy."
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?"--It is not that He gives us light and salvation; He is our light and salvation. "Do not fear, for I am with you."
"When Thou didst say, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to Thee, 'Thy face, O Lord, will I seek.' "--Seek and you will find.
"I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord." Release your fears to the loving heart of the Living God. Take courage. Stand firm.
He is in control--the Lord of Lords. He is your Sovereign Master--your refuge. He is your light and your salvation. He longs for intimacy with you--face to face. He lives--to show you His goodness right now, in this life. He can be trusted with your cares. Cast them on Him. "Only be strong, and very courageous."
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
The Comfort of His Omniscience
The
omniscience of God: He knows my actions--"the eyes of the Lord are in
everyplace beholding the evil and the good." He knows my thoughts--my
motivations--how deeply I long to please Him. He knows my
conversation--even when I'm talking to myself. He knows my faults and my
gifts. He knows my fears, struggles, and my deepest prayers. He knows
my past and my present. He knows my heart, my anxious thoughts.
He knows my daily journey from when I rise in the morning until I fall
asleep at night. He is "intimately acquainted with all my ways." He
knows me infinitely better than I know myself. Nothing of who I am is
hidden from Him.
And He loves me. He has willingly adopted me into His family that He might be my Father. He desires for me to know Him as intimately as He knows me. He desires to show me to myself so that by submitting to His Spirit I can be transformed more and more into His likeness.His plan for my journey is to work all things for good.
He has hidden me in His Son. He has removed my condemnation.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any way of pain in me, and lead me in the everlasting way."
What comfort to be fully known and to be eternally loved by God, our Abba.
And He loves me. He has willingly adopted me into His family that He might be my Father. He desires for me to know Him as intimately as He knows me. He desires to show me to myself so that by submitting to His Spirit I can be transformed more and more into His likeness.His plan for my journey is to work all things for good.
He has hidden me in His Son. He has removed my condemnation.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any way of pain in me, and lead me in the everlasting way."
What comfort to be fully known and to be eternally loved by God, our Abba.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Light
"Even
there Thy hand will lead me, and Thy right hand will lay hold of me. If
I say, 'Surely the darkness will bruise me, and the light around me
will be night.' Even the darkness is not dark to Thee, and the night is
as bright as day. Darkness and light are alike to Thee."
In the darkness--in the days when the dark is so overwhelming, it bruises my soul, I am being led by the gentle hand of my loving God. He is my Light, He gives victory in the darkness. His word is "a lamp to my feet, a light to my path." In my desert wanderings He is my pillar of fire that leads me on toward the place of promised rest. He makes me a light to the dark world in which I live so that I might--even in my darkest hours--glorify Him. His bright presence with me in the valley turns death into a powerless shadow. His Spirit uses the magnitude of the light of His Word and exposes the lies and duplicity of the one that comes pretending to be an angel of light whose message would deceive me into thinking that the dark is light.
"The Light of the world is Jesus." The Light of my world is Jesus. "Shine, Jesus, shine!"
In the darkness--in the days when the dark is so overwhelming, it bruises my soul, I am being led by the gentle hand of my loving God. He is my Light, He gives victory in the darkness. His word is "a lamp to my feet, a light to my path." In my desert wanderings He is my pillar of fire that leads me on toward the place of promised rest. He makes me a light to the dark world in which I live so that I might--even in my darkest hours--glorify Him. His bright presence with me in the valley turns death into a powerless shadow. His Spirit uses the magnitude of the light of His Word and exposes the lies and duplicity of the one that comes pretending to be an angel of light whose message would deceive me into thinking that the dark is light.
"The Light of the world is Jesus." The Light of my world is Jesus. "Shine, Jesus, shine!"
Saturday, June 7, 2014
The Power of a Singing Heart
The Power of a singing heart:
Moses seeing the defeat of the Egyptian army burst into song.
David, a man after God's on heart, wrote song after song after song. God gave a song for his triumphs, a song for his sadness and depression, a song for his joy at observing God's creation, a song for his nights in the fields with the sheep, even a song of repentance when he was flat on his face as a failure.
Habakkuk at the end of his book after he has given one of the most dynamic testimonies in Scripture: "If I lose absolutely everything, I will still rejoice in the God of my salvation--the God of my deliverance," penned these words: "to the choir director on my stringed instruments."
Those who are filled with--under the control of the Spirit--are described as "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with their hearts to the Lord."
And in Heaven, around the throne, at the crucial moment of eternity when "the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David"; "the Lamb standing, as if slain" reaches out and takes the scroll from the Father, the air filled with the incense "which are the prayers of the saints," all Heaven will respond: "And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy art Thou to take the scroll, and to break the seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth. . . Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. . . To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
"Through Him, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips that confess thanks to His name."
"Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture."
No matter the circumstances--be an off key choir of one if you must--but a song in your heart is the key to triumphant living.
Moses seeing the defeat of the Egyptian army burst into song.
David, a man after God's on heart, wrote song after song after song. God gave a song for his triumphs, a song for his sadness and depression, a song for his joy at observing God's creation, a song for his nights in the fields with the sheep, even a song of repentance when he was flat on his face as a failure.
Habakkuk at the end of his book after he has given one of the most dynamic testimonies in Scripture: "If I lose absolutely everything, I will still rejoice in the God of my salvation--the God of my deliverance," penned these words: "to the choir director on my stringed instruments."
Those who are filled with--under the control of the Spirit--are described as "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with their hearts to the Lord."
And in Heaven, around the throne, at the crucial moment of eternity when "the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David"; "the Lamb standing, as if slain" reaches out and takes the scroll from the Father, the air filled with the incense "which are the prayers of the saints," all Heaven will respond: "And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy art Thou to take the scroll, and to break the seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth. . . Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. . . To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
"Through Him, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips that confess thanks to His name."
"Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture."
No matter the circumstances--be an off key choir of one if you must--but a song in your heart is the key to triumphant living.
Home
How often this week did you think about Home?
No, I don't mean home as in my house in Cardington, Ohio. I love the place, but it's just a stop on the journey. It comes with great joys and constant struggles: flooding in the library, falling trees, frozen pipes in the winter, damaged wells, weeds, ticks, mosquitoes--even a psycho cat. That's not the home I'm talking about.
For the Christian, right now, Home is spelled H-O-P-E. And meditating on it is a catalyst for a victorious Christian life. Think about it. Hope under girds endurance and perseverance. Hope makes us not ashamed because God's love is settled in our hearts. John says that anyone who has this Hope fixed in his or her mind daily purifies their lives. Abraham's great faith was based on his looking for the city whose builder and creator was his God. Without contemplating Home, without a real and living Hope, our lives lack the proper focus and motivation. "Christ in you, the hope of glory.":
What does Home mean for us? One of the most amazing truths: When we see Him, we shall be like Him. No more struggles with disappointment, strained relationships, sickness, loss. No more struggle with sin! Impossible truth to understand. Joyous truth to embrace.
In addition, Home means that we are His. He rejoices that He can call us part of His family. We are the "riches" of His glory. Incredible! If you asked Jesus what makes Him rich, He would proclaim that His wealth is getting to spend eternity with us. An amazing, humbling truth.
Meditate on Home today. Rest in Hope. "With a love that cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine."
No, I don't mean home as in my house in Cardington, Ohio. I love the place, but it's just a stop on the journey. It comes with great joys and constant struggles: flooding in the library, falling trees, frozen pipes in the winter, damaged wells, weeds, ticks, mosquitoes--even a psycho cat. That's not the home I'm talking about.
For the Christian, right now, Home is spelled H-O-P-E. And meditating on it is a catalyst for a victorious Christian life. Think about it. Hope under girds endurance and perseverance. Hope makes us not ashamed because God's love is settled in our hearts. John says that anyone who has this Hope fixed in his or her mind daily purifies their lives. Abraham's great faith was based on his looking for the city whose builder and creator was his God. Without contemplating Home, without a real and living Hope, our lives lack the proper focus and motivation. "Christ in you, the hope of glory.":
What does Home mean for us? One of the most amazing truths: When we see Him, we shall be like Him. No more struggles with disappointment, strained relationships, sickness, loss. No more struggle with sin! Impossible truth to understand. Joyous truth to embrace.
In addition, Home means that we are His. He rejoices that He can call us part of His family. We are the "riches" of His glory. Incredible! If you asked Jesus what makes Him rich, He would proclaim that His wealth is getting to spend eternity with us. An amazing, humbling truth.
Meditate on Home today. Rest in Hope. "With a love that cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine."
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Evangelism Handbook
The Apostle Paul's Evangelism Handbook:
The Message: Simplicity: "Nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
The Method: Humility: "In weakness and fear and trembling, not in persuasive words of wisdom
The Necessity: "Faith must not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God."
Only through the power of God's Spirit can a man or woman come to Christ.
The Message: Simplicity: "Nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
The Method: Humility: "In weakness and fear and trembling, not in persuasive words of wisdom
The Necessity: "Faith must not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God."
Only through the power of God's Spirit can a man or woman come to Christ.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Reflections on Faithfulness
It is
not a sin to accept the praise of men. The sin is making the praise of
men the motivation for using the gifts and talents God has graciously
given to you. That's idolatry.
The faithful disciple realizes that his walk is totally dependent on the faithfulness of God.
The deepest love is demonstrated in the simplest ways.
The earth is the Lord's and He has put His people in charge of taking care of it.
The faithful disciple saturates himself with the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, the whole counsel of God. Consequently, the Spirit has the full arsenal of the Sword to perform the necessary pruning in his life. And that's a "full-time job!" A lifetime "job"--a continual work of love.
The faithful disciple realizes that his walk is totally dependent on the faithfulness of God.
The deepest love is demonstrated in the simplest ways.
The earth is the Lord's and He has put His people in charge of taking care of it.
The faithful disciple saturates himself with the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, the whole counsel of God. Consequently, the Spirit has the full arsenal of the Sword to perform the necessary pruning in his life. And that's a "full-time job!" A lifetime "job"--a continual work of love.
Consumer
I was
reflecting today on that verse that says something about our not having
because we want it to consume it on our own lusts. I kept thinking:
what does that mean? And then, the Spirit reminded me of those times
when God has in His grace provided me with a "windfall." Then, a few
days later, I encounter an unexpected financial need--yep, just about
the same amount as the "windfall" of the week before. Do I thank Him for
providing for my need before it even arose? No, I gripe because the
"windfall" can't be used on something I want.
We have not because we would use it on our own lusts. Guilty.
Oh, Lord, give me a thankful heart of gratitude!
We have not because we would use it on our own lusts. Guilty.
Oh, Lord, give me a thankful heart of gratitude!
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