To be Christ-like one must develop patience. Patience is the ability to
accept people where God has them for the moment. It's the faith to
allow God to take all the time He wants to change them--or you. To lack
patience is to become a stumbling block to spiritual growth. God
clearly tells us in Scripture that it is the patience of God that brings
men to repentance--to a change of heart and behavior that pleases Him.
We must love others--no matter how much they are irritating us at the
moment--right where they are, patiently, trusting God to do what is
necessary to change and mature them. We are not the transformers. God
alone is. We are the instruments--the lights--He uses to bring others
His love in order that they might seek Him and find Him.
Saturday, December 12, 2015
For You
I often wonder what conversations, what activity, or even what the
Shepherds were thinking as they sat that evening, under those stars,
before the angels appeared with their message of hope. Was there a
David among them, softly playing his lyre, singing a psalm, quieting the
sheep--and his own heart? If so, I think I know what psalm was his
favorite: "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to
lie down in green pastures." Perhaps the star that alerted the magi
to the coming of the King, and then led them to Bethlehem, was visible
in their night sky? Did they discuss among themselves its significance?
Or maybe they talked of Abraham and resting in the vista of that
starry night, they reflected on the promises: "Your seed will be as
numerous as the stars." "In you all the nations of the earth will be
blessed." And can you even imagine the magnificence of the starry sky
that they could see in the dark heavens of a world without lights? Must
have been like a twinkling blanket of white. Or perhaps they talked
about family and home, spouses and children, or maybe, just sat in
silence alert to any dangers to their flock of sheep. Hey, maybe they
were complaining about having to work the "night shift"? Personally,
though, I think that's the shift I would have loved to work.
They, obviously, were men of simple, and thus, profound faith. The angels' appearence to these men--and boys, I assume; shepherds in training--was not a random act. God doesn't do random. They went from feeling petrified to being overcome with ecstatic joy. The message must have seemed improbable--the Savior has come; He has been born in Bethlehem; you'll find Him wrapped in rags--a baby, and in a manger. Oh, Bethlehem, was not improbable--the city of David, but a baby, poor like them, clothed humbly like them? But yes, "for you, has been born this day in the city of David, a Savior." Yes, "for you." And so they ran, "made haste"--whatever that may have looked like--joyous wonder and expectation in motion, a flock of men seeking their Shepherd. And they had no doubts. They didn't go to see if it was true--they went to see. And having seen, they went joyously to tell--"the Savior is here. Angels told us where to find Him." And then they returned to the darkness on the hillside, and, I imagine, looking up at those innumerable stars, just like Father Abraham, believed. And it was imputed to their account as righteousness. A Savior. Born for us. The Savior through whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
They, obviously, were men of simple, and thus, profound faith. The angels' appearence to these men--and boys, I assume; shepherds in training--was not a random act. God doesn't do random. They went from feeling petrified to being overcome with ecstatic joy. The message must have seemed improbable--the Savior has come; He has been born in Bethlehem; you'll find Him wrapped in rags--a baby, and in a manger. Oh, Bethlehem, was not improbable--the city of David, but a baby, poor like them, clothed humbly like them? But yes, "for you, has been born this day in the city of David, a Savior." Yes, "for you." And so they ran, "made haste"--whatever that may have looked like--joyous wonder and expectation in motion, a flock of men seeking their Shepherd. And they had no doubts. They didn't go to see if it was true--they went to see. And having seen, they went joyously to tell--"the Savior is here. Angels told us where to find Him." And then they returned to the darkness on the hillside, and, I imagine, looking up at those innumerable stars, just like Father Abraham, believed. And it was imputed to their account as righteousness. A Savior. Born for us. The Savior through whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
Yes, for you, was born that day, a Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord. Yes,
for you. And the message is the same: "Seek, and you will find."
Believe. Rejoice. Tell.
Believe. Rejoice. Tell.
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
The Message of Hope
The message of Christianity is a message of hope not despair. For the
sorrowful and broken-hearted their is an inexhaustible well-spring of
comfort to be found in a loving relationship with Jesus Christ who
promises to work all things for the good of His children and promises to
in all things make the radiant majesty of His person--the weighty
importance of His presence in the world--known. His followers
spontaneously weep with those who weep. His followers respond to the
agony inflicted by evil-doers, "Father, forgive them for they know not
what they do." Yes, genuine faith in Him forgives, and thus, trusts in
His sovereignty, His wisdom, and His love, and makes no room in the
heart--not an inch--for fear and hatred.
Heresy 101
Heresy 101
Could it be that since it is so incredibly difficult to take the gospel into Muslim countries that the God of all grace--who is not willing that any should perish--has decided to send them to us? You know, a new evangelistic "strategy" in these modern times. So that now we are being given the incredible opportunity to demonstrate to them the love and grace of God. So, perhaps, some will come to know the real Jesus, the One who willingly went to the cross to bring them eternal salvation and redemption--the One who died on that cross to pay for their sins--and ours.
And how many Muslim immigrants coming to know the Savior would make it all worthwhile? Personally, I'm guessing one maybe?
Could it be that since it is so incredibly difficult to take the gospel into Muslim countries that the God of all grace--who is not willing that any should perish--has decided to send them to us? You know, a new evangelistic "strategy" in these modern times. So that now we are being given the incredible opportunity to demonstrate to them the love and grace of God. So, perhaps, some will come to know the real Jesus, the One who willingly went to the cross to bring them eternal salvation and redemption--the One who died on that cross to pay for their sins--and ours.
And how many Muslim immigrants coming to know the Savior would make it all worthwhile? Personally, I'm guessing one maybe?
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Attitude
My attitude toward God's Word--and for the person God has placed in
my life to instruct me in God's Word--is truly my attitude toward God
and toward obedience to His Word. We shake our heads at the attitude of
the Jewish people toward God's prophets and their "Thus says the Lord,"
but are we any different? Am I any different? May my heart sing with
David, "I love Thy law, O Lord." Why do we call Him, "Lord, Lord," and
then sit under the teaching of His Word with apathetic hearts?
Friday, December 4, 2015
Loved
As I reminded my students this week: (Yep, I claim them all)
When your circumstances make you question God's love for you--
First. Stand for a moment at the foot of the cross. He died for you. The longer I live the more I am moved in my soul by that truth. I have lived with myself for a long time, and I can't imagine anyone willingly dying for me. But the perfect, sinless Son of God died for me. And I didn't ask Him to--He willingly volunteered.
Second. Remember that positionally--this very moment--you are perfect. All your sins have been forgiven. All of them. You can never be condemned. You have been justified. He has taken away your sin and robed you in His righteousness. As Paul says in Colossians--your life is hid in Christ. When God looks at you, He sees His Son.
Third. Daily, because though you are positionally perfect but not yet perfected, He intercedes on your behalf. He ever lives to make intercession for you. Even when you deliberately sin, He stands before the Father and says, "I paid for that sin." And if that love doesn't motivate you to loving obedience, I don't know what will.
Fourth. One day, when He is revealed, when you see Him as He is, you will be eternally made perfect. You will be like Him. You will be forever freed from even the desire to sin.
Fifth. He will never leave you nor forsake you. You will never experience what He experienced on the cross--being forsaken by God. Even when you are faithless, He will be faithful. Ascend up into the heavens--He is there. Descend into the deepest part of the ocean--He is there. Go so far East you're West. He is there. Go to the grave. He is there. "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are WITH me. Nothing in life, not even death can separate you from His love. No amount of space or time can separate you from His love. No power natural or supernatural can separate you from His love. As you weep over your circumstances, guess where He is? Yes. There with you--weeping.
Sixth. When you are flat on your face, defeated, strengthless, not being able to imagine going on, He comes to you and promises: "When you are weak, then I can empower you with My strength. Yes, now, I can use you to do all things. Now I can transform you into My likeness. Now you can be the personification of My love and My grace to all with whom you interact."
You are deeply loved! And the key to understanding more fully the depth of His love, the key to being filled with the fullness of God exceedingly above all that you could ask or imagine is His prayer in the Garden. When in your Gethsemane, you cry out to the Father, "Isn't there another way for me to accomplish Your will?" and the Father, Who is Love, says, "No, this is the only way." Then, you must pray, "Then not my will, Lord, but Yours. Whatever it takes for me to glorify You--and to sense experientially the great heighth, and width, and depth of your love for me--that's what I desire--I want Your will above all else.
Yes, when the worst imaginable thing is happening to you, you are incomprehensibly loved.
When your circumstances make you question God's love for you--
First. Stand for a moment at the foot of the cross. He died for you. The longer I live the more I am moved in my soul by that truth. I have lived with myself for a long time, and I can't imagine anyone willingly dying for me. But the perfect, sinless Son of God died for me. And I didn't ask Him to--He willingly volunteered.
Second. Remember that positionally--this very moment--you are perfect. All your sins have been forgiven. All of them. You can never be condemned. You have been justified. He has taken away your sin and robed you in His righteousness. As Paul says in Colossians--your life is hid in Christ. When God looks at you, He sees His Son.
Third. Daily, because though you are positionally perfect but not yet perfected, He intercedes on your behalf. He ever lives to make intercession for you. Even when you deliberately sin, He stands before the Father and says, "I paid for that sin." And if that love doesn't motivate you to loving obedience, I don't know what will.
Fourth. One day, when He is revealed, when you see Him as He is, you will be eternally made perfect. You will be like Him. You will be forever freed from even the desire to sin.
Fifth. He will never leave you nor forsake you. You will never experience what He experienced on the cross--being forsaken by God. Even when you are faithless, He will be faithful. Ascend up into the heavens--He is there. Descend into the deepest part of the ocean--He is there. Go so far East you're West. He is there. Go to the grave. He is there. "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are WITH me. Nothing in life, not even death can separate you from His love. No amount of space or time can separate you from His love. No power natural or supernatural can separate you from His love. As you weep over your circumstances, guess where He is? Yes. There with you--weeping.
Sixth. When you are flat on your face, defeated, strengthless, not being able to imagine going on, He comes to you and promises: "When you are weak, then I can empower you with My strength. Yes, now, I can use you to do all things. Now I can transform you into My likeness. Now you can be the personification of My love and My grace to all with whom you interact."
You are deeply loved! And the key to understanding more fully the depth of His love, the key to being filled with the fullness of God exceedingly above all that you could ask or imagine is His prayer in the Garden. When in your Gethsemane, you cry out to the Father, "Isn't there another way for me to accomplish Your will?" and the Father, Who is Love, says, "No, this is the only way." Then, you must pray, "Then not my will, Lord, but Yours. Whatever it takes for me to glorify You--and to sense experientially the great heighth, and width, and depth of your love for me--that's what I desire--I want Your will above all else.
Yes, when the worst imaginable thing is happening to you, you are incomprehensibly loved.
Goals of Discipleship
The goals of discipleship :
To strengthen the inner man
To deepen one's faith in the reality that the Spirit lives within each of us to empower us to live lives of obedience by submission to His complete control over our every decision.
To make the unfathomable, inescapable love of God more of a reality in one's daily experience than the mere knowledge of that love in one's theology.
To encourage someone along the journey to becoming filled with the fullness of God--to becoming Christ in the room wherever they are.
To strengthen the inner man
To deepen one's faith in the reality that the Spirit lives within each of us to empower us to live lives of obedience by submission to His complete control over our every decision.
To make the unfathomable, inescapable love of God more of a reality in one's daily experience than the mere knowledge of that love in one's theology.
To encourage someone along the journey to becoming filled with the fullness of God--to becoming Christ in the room wherever they are.
And such a work is impossible without a total dependence on God. And
total dependence on God is impossible without a reliance on intercessory
prayer for those we have been called to disciple. Not by human
strength nor by human power but by the Spirit only can discipleship be
effectual.
And without discipleship the church is totally incapable of impacting the world. Simply because it is off mission. Whatever work it claims to be doing, is not God's work. It's the work of human strength and human power.
And without discipleship the church is totally incapable of impacting the world. Simply because it is off mission. Whatever work it claims to be doing, is not God's work. It's the work of human strength and human power.
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