“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John14.23
When everything is said and done the Christian life all boils down to obedience. Some may say it all boils down to faith. No argument there. True obedience complies because of faith. We obey God because we believe that what He tells us to do is good and right and true. It is an obedience of faith because trust is fundamental to it. Yet it is possible to believe in God and not do as He commands. It is then not so much that we know God’s will, as it is that we do it. And of course, to do it we must know it and to know it we must listen. The New Testament word for obedience comes from two words joined together and literally translates to “listen under.” Obedience then is when we listen and believe what we have heard and come under or submit to its guidance. True faith obeys, and a true obedience believes. Listen under.
Just me trying to be honest with God.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Listen under
“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John14.23
When everything is said and done the Christian life all boils down to obedience. Some may say it all boils down to faith. No argument there. True obedience complies because of faith. We obey God because we believe that what He tells us to do is good and right and true. It is an obedience of faith because trust is fundamental to it. Yet it is possible to believe in God and not do as He commands. It is then not so much that we know God’s will, as it is that we do it. And of course, to do it we must know it and to know it we must listen. The New Testament word for obedience comes from two words joined together and literally translates to “listen under.” Obedience then is when we listen and believe what we have heard and come under or submit to its guidance. True faith obeys, and a true obedience believes. Listen under.
When everything is said and done the Christian life all boils down to obedience. Some may say it all boils down to faith. No argument there. True obedience complies because of faith. We obey God because we believe that what He tells us to do is good and right and true. It is an obedience of faith because trust is fundamental to it. Yet it is possible to believe in God and not do as He commands. It is then not so much that we know God’s will, as it is that we do it. And of course, to do it we must know it and to know it we must listen. The New Testament word for obedience comes from two words joined together and literally translates to “listen under.” Obedience then is when we listen and believe what we have heard and come under or submit to its guidance. True faith obeys, and a true obedience believes. Listen under.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Pain is good!
"...in faithfulness you have afflicted me." Ps 119.75 ESV
Appropriate that I should be lead to these words this morning. I am presently down in my back and somewhat afflicted. Now am I saying that God has afflicted me? Well, He certainly allowed my injury, watched it happen, could have prevented it, and did not. When we credit God with an injury even if it is through non-interference, we hope not so much to blame Him with some ill will towards us, rather, we trust that by allowing this affliction He is working some greater good in us. In His faithfulness He has afflicted me. We are told to endure hardship as loving discipline and by doing so not only trust that God is sovereign over all things but to be trained by all things. It is not so much, "Why have You allowed this," as it is, "How may I glorify You in this?
A good friend of mine, who happens to be a doctor, loves telling me, that pain is good. What he means of course is that pain tells us when something is wrong, and without it we might burn off our hand. Pain teaches us. In God’s loving hand, and in the humble receptive heart, it certainly can be most instructive. It certainly has my attention.
Appropriate that I should be lead to these words this morning. I am presently down in my back and somewhat afflicted. Now am I saying that God has afflicted me? Well, He certainly allowed my injury, watched it happen, could have prevented it, and did not. When we credit God with an injury even if it is through non-interference, we hope not so much to blame Him with some ill will towards us, rather, we trust that by allowing this affliction He is working some greater good in us. In His faithfulness He has afflicted me. We are told to endure hardship as loving discipline and by doing so not only trust that God is sovereign over all things but to be trained by all things. It is not so much, "Why have You allowed this," as it is, "How may I glorify You in this?
A good friend of mine, who happens to be a doctor, loves telling me, that pain is good. What he means of course is that pain tells us when something is wrong, and without it we might burn off our hand. Pain teaches us. In God’s loving hand, and in the humble receptive heart, it certainly can be most instructive. It certainly has my attention.
Pain is good!
"...in faithfulness you have afflicted me." Ps 119.75 ESV
Appropriate that I should be lead to these words this morning. I am presently down in my back and somewhat afflicted. Now am I saying that God has afflicted me? Well, He certainly allowed my injury, watched it happen, could have prevented it, and did not. When we credit God with an injury even if it is through non-interference, we hope not so much to blame Him with some ill will towards us, rather, we trust that by allowing this affliction He is working some greater good in us. In His faithfulness He has afflicted me. We are told to endure hardship as loving discipline and by doing so not only trust that God is sovereign over all things but to be trained by all things. It is not so much, "Why have You allowed this," as it is, "How may I glorify You in this?
A good friend of mine, who happens to be a doctor, loves telling me, that pain is good. What he means of course is that pain tells us when something is wrong, and without it we might burn off our hand. Pain teaches us. In God’s loving hand, and in the humble receptive heart, it certainly can be most instructive. It certainly has my attention.
Appropriate that I should be lead to these words this morning. I am presently down in my back and somewhat afflicted. Now am I saying that God has afflicted me? Well, He certainly allowed my injury, watched it happen, could have prevented it, and did not. When we credit God with an injury even if it is through non-interference, we hope not so much to blame Him with some ill will towards us, rather, we trust that by allowing this affliction He is working some greater good in us. In His faithfulness He has afflicted me. We are told to endure hardship as loving discipline and by doing so not only trust that God is sovereign over all things but to be trained by all things. It is not so much, "Why have You allowed this," as it is, "How may I glorify You in this?
A good friend of mine, who happens to be a doctor, loves telling me, that pain is good. What he means of course is that pain tells us when something is wrong, and without it we might burn off our hand. Pain teaches us. In God’s loving hand, and in the humble receptive heart, it certainly can be most instructive. It certainly has my attention.
Monday, April 28, 2008
What You did speaks so loud, we hear all you did not say!
"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth..." Is53.7
When I was a boy I used to stare with fascination at a picture of the crucifixion in our family Bible. My fascination continues! I am utterly amazed at the silence of Christ throughout it all. He did not protest His innocence or offer a defense or rightly condemn His accusers. He kept silent and patiently bore the abuse the Father had assigned for our redemption. This humbles me. I am so quick to defend myself, or complain when things do not go, as I would like. I am especially angered by what I consider injustice or unfair treatment and any abuse of power. When I read that Christ opened not His mouth I want to put a hand over my mouth.
C. H. Spurgeon offered one reason perhaps why Jesus did not protest His innocence. He said that Christ was standing in our place and as such, knew we had no innocence to protest and that the condemnation of our sins was just. How powerful His silence! How loud it shouts His submission to His Father and our own need to keep silent before Him. What You did dear Jesus, speaks so loud that we hear all You did not say!
When I was a boy I used to stare with fascination at a picture of the crucifixion in our family Bible. My fascination continues! I am utterly amazed at the silence of Christ throughout it all. He did not protest His innocence or offer a defense or rightly condemn His accusers. He kept silent and patiently bore the abuse the Father had assigned for our redemption. This humbles me. I am so quick to defend myself, or complain when things do not go, as I would like. I am especially angered by what I consider injustice or unfair treatment and any abuse of power. When I read that Christ opened not His mouth I want to put a hand over my mouth.
C. H. Spurgeon offered one reason perhaps why Jesus did not protest His innocence. He said that Christ was standing in our place and as such, knew we had no innocence to protest and that the condemnation of our sins was just. How powerful His silence! How loud it shouts His submission to His Father and our own need to keep silent before Him. What You did dear Jesus, speaks so loud that we hear all You did not say!
What You did speaks so loud, we hear all you did not say!
"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth..." Is53.7
When I was a boy I used to stare with fascination at a picture of the crucifixion in our family Bible. My fascination continues! I am utterly amazed at the silence of Christ throughout it all. He did not protest His innocence or offer a defense or rightly condemn His accusers. He kept silent and patiently bore the abuse the Father had assigned for our redemption. This humbles me. I am so quick to defend myself, or complain when things do not go, as I would like. I am especially angered by what I consider injustice or unfair treatment and any abuse of power. When I read that Christ opened not His mouth I want to put a hand over my mouth.
C. H. Spurgeon offered one reason perhaps why Jesus did not protest His innocence. He said that Christ was standing in our place and as such, knew we had no innocence to protest and that the condemnation of our sins was just. How powerful His silence! How loud it shouts His submission to His Father and our own need to keep silent before Him. What You did dear Jesus, speaks so loud that we hear all You did not say!
When I was a boy I used to stare with fascination at a picture of the crucifixion in our family Bible. My fascination continues! I am utterly amazed at the silence of Christ throughout it all. He did not protest His innocence or offer a defense or rightly condemn His accusers. He kept silent and patiently bore the abuse the Father had assigned for our redemption. This humbles me. I am so quick to defend myself, or complain when things do not go, as I would like. I am especially angered by what I consider injustice or unfair treatment and any abuse of power. When I read that Christ opened not His mouth I want to put a hand over my mouth.
C. H. Spurgeon offered one reason perhaps why Jesus did not protest His innocence. He said that Christ was standing in our place and as such, knew we had no innocence to protest and that the condemnation of our sins was just. How powerful His silence! How loud it shouts His submission to His Father and our own need to keep silent before Him. What You did dear Jesus, speaks so loud that we hear all You did not say!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Close call
...though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds his hand. Ps37.24
Once while rock climbing, my protection broke from the wall and I fell all the way to the ground and landed flat on my back. As God would have it, my belay partner had quickly responded and though I landed on my back, his quick hand broke my fall. I had what we describe as a "close call."
In His gracious wisdom, God has decided to allow many things in the lives of His children, which could properly be described as a fall. It may be a fall from physical even spiritual health or a fall from economic prosperity, or a plunge into emotional upheaval but, and this is an important but, He will not allow these falls to utterly cast us down. He is a Father like no other and nothing can happen to us that is beyond His power to control and thought we might have many "close calls," God will never misjudge and make a mistake in our handling. He will never let go of our hand and will see us through every trial and raise us from every fall. He makes no apology that He sometimes delivers on the other side of the river, that after all, is our intended destination anyway.
Once while rock climbing, my protection broke from the wall and I fell all the way to the ground and landed flat on my back. As God would have it, my belay partner had quickly responded and though I landed on my back, his quick hand broke my fall. I had what we describe as a "close call."
In His gracious wisdom, God has decided to allow many things in the lives of His children, which could properly be described as a fall. It may be a fall from physical even spiritual health or a fall from economic prosperity, or a plunge into emotional upheaval but, and this is an important but, He will not allow these falls to utterly cast us down. He is a Father like no other and nothing can happen to us that is beyond His power to control and thought we might have many "close calls," God will never misjudge and make a mistake in our handling. He will never let go of our hand and will see us through every trial and raise us from every fall. He makes no apology that He sometimes delivers on the other side of the river, that after all, is our intended destination anyway.
Close call
...though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds his hand. Ps37.24
Once while rock climbing, my protection broke from the wall and I fell all the way to the ground and landed flat on my back. As God would have it, my belay partner had quickly responded and though I landed on my back, his quick hand broke my fall. I had what we describe as a "close call."
In His gracious wisdom, God has decided to allow many things in the lives of His children, which could properly be described as a fall. It may be a fall from physical even spiritual health or a fall from economic prosperity, or a plunge into emotional upheaval but, and this is an important but, He will not allow these falls to utterly cast us down. He is a Father like no other and nothing can happen to us that is beyond His power to control and thought we might have many "close calls," God will never misjudge and make a mistake in our handling. He will never let go of our hand and will see us through every trial and raise us from every fall. He makes no apology that He sometimes delivers on the other side of the river, that after all, is our intended destination anyway.
Once while rock climbing, my protection broke from the wall and I fell all the way to the ground and landed flat on my back. As God would have it, my belay partner had quickly responded and though I landed on my back, his quick hand broke my fall. I had what we describe as a "close call."
In His gracious wisdom, God has decided to allow many things in the lives of His children, which could properly be described as a fall. It may be a fall from physical even spiritual health or a fall from economic prosperity, or a plunge into emotional upheaval but, and this is an important but, He will not allow these falls to utterly cast us down. He is a Father like no other and nothing can happen to us that is beyond His power to control and thought we might have many "close calls," God will never misjudge and make a mistake in our handling. He will never let go of our hand and will see us through every trial and raise us from every fall. He makes no apology that He sometimes delivers on the other side of the river, that after all, is our intended destination anyway.
Friday, April 25, 2008
A present tense thing
...through this man forgivness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts13.38 ESV
Jesus taught frequently about forgivness. It is understandable that He would; His very coming was to secure our forgivness with God. He told us to pray for forgivness, to forgive those who sin against us, to even forgive our enemies and do good to them. He told the disciples to proclaim forgivness to the nations in His name.
Just as Jesus taught frequently about forgivness, we should frequently ask for and accept it. This is one of the reasons forgiveness is proclaimed, not was proclaimed. It is proclaimed because our need for it is a present tense thing. We sholud live in a spirit of confession but equally so in a spirit which humbly accepts His gracious forgiveness. This way our focus is on His power to forgive and not just our proclivity to sin.
Jesus taught frequently about forgivness. It is understandable that He would; His very coming was to secure our forgivness with God. He told us to pray for forgivness, to forgive those who sin against us, to even forgive our enemies and do good to them. He told the disciples to proclaim forgivness to the nations in His name.
Just as Jesus taught frequently about forgivness, we should frequently ask for and accept it. This is one of the reasons forgiveness is proclaimed, not was proclaimed. It is proclaimed because our need for it is a present tense thing. We sholud live in a spirit of confession but equally so in a spirit which humbly accepts His gracious forgiveness. This way our focus is on His power to forgive and not just our proclivity to sin.
A present tense thing
...through this man forgivness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts13.38 ESV
Jesus taught frequently about forgivness. It is understandable that He would; His very coming was to secure our forgivness with God. He told us to pray for forgivness, to forgive those who sin against us, to even forgive our enemies and do good to them. He told the disciples to proclaim forgivness to the nations in His name.
Just as Jesus taught frequently about forgivness, we should frequently ask for and accept it. This is one of the reasons forgiveness is proclaimed, not was proclaimed. It is proclaimed because our need for it is a present tense thing. We sholud live in a spirit of confession but equally so in a spirit which humbly accepts His gracious forgiveness. This way our focus is on His power to forgive and not just our proclivity to sin.
Jesus taught frequently about forgivness. It is understandable that He would; His very coming was to secure our forgivness with God. He told us to pray for forgivness, to forgive those who sin against us, to even forgive our enemies and do good to them. He told the disciples to proclaim forgivness to the nations in His name.
Just as Jesus taught frequently about forgivness, we should frequently ask for and accept it. This is one of the reasons forgiveness is proclaimed, not was proclaimed. It is proclaimed because our need for it is a present tense thing. We sholud live in a spirit of confession but equally so in a spirit which humbly accepts His gracious forgiveness. This way our focus is on His power to forgive and not just our proclivity to sin.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Two edged sword
...all came to pass. Josh21.45
Most of us need reassurances from time to time and though there is no reason to doubt anything that God would tell us, He graciously offers us His reassurance. Not one word of all the good promises He has made has failed, all came to pass. Our Father would have each of us review His promises to us. Will God provide, will He protect, will He deliver? The emphatic answer is of course, Yes! Of course each of us should also consider any of our actions which might deprive us of His promised blessings. Failing to do so has caused many to blame God for woes brought on them by their own hand. His word after all is a two edged sword and surely cuts both ways. Consistency is after all part of faithfulness. All will come to pass as He has said.
Most of us need reassurances from time to time and though there is no reason to doubt anything that God would tell us, He graciously offers us His reassurance. Not one word of all the good promises He has made has failed, all came to pass. Our Father would have each of us review His promises to us. Will God provide, will He protect, will He deliver? The emphatic answer is of course, Yes! Of course each of us should also consider any of our actions which might deprive us of His promised blessings. Failing to do so has caused many to blame God for woes brought on them by their own hand. His word after all is a two edged sword and surely cuts both ways. Consistency is after all part of faithfulness. All will come to pass as He has said.
Two edged sword
...all came to pass. Josh21.45
Most of us need reassurances from time to time and though there is no reason to doubt anything that God would tell us, He graciously offers us His reassurance. Not one word of all the good promises He has made has failed, all came to pass. Our Father would have each of us review His promises to us. Will God provide, will He protect, will He deliver? The emphatic answer is of course, Yes! Of course each of us should also consider any of our actions which might deprive us of His promised blessings. Failing to do so has caused many to blame God for woes brought on them by their own hand. His word after all is a two edged sword and surely cuts both ways. Consistency is after all part of faithfulness. All will come to pass as He has said.
Most of us need reassurances from time to time and though there is no reason to doubt anything that God would tell us, He graciously offers us His reassurance. Not one word of all the good promises He has made has failed, all came to pass. Our Father would have each of us review His promises to us. Will God provide, will He protect, will He deliver? The emphatic answer is of course, Yes! Of course each of us should also consider any of our actions which might deprive us of His promised blessings. Failing to do so has caused many to blame God for woes brought on them by their own hand. His word after all is a two edged sword and surely cuts both ways. Consistency is after all part of faithfulness. All will come to pass as He has said.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Leaning to live
The Lord was my support. Ps18.18
What a wonderful legacy it would be to come to the end of your life and be able to say, "The Lord was my support." Someone has said that people have four basic needs in life: To live, to learn, to love and to leave a legacy. I believe this to be a good aliteration, descriptive of life's needs and ambitions. But unless the Lord supports us in these things every accomplishment will be lost in vainty. Without the Lord's support we build our life upon the sand yet those who look to Him build their house upon the Rock of Ages. Didn't Christ tell us that the purpose of His coming was that we might have an abundant life? Didn't He tell us to come learn from His gentle and humble heart? Was not His greatest command that we love? Did He not promise abundant fruitfullness if we abide in Him? How then do we aquire the support of God? The answer is easy: lean on Christ. To acknowledge Him in everything is to know the power of His support.
What a wonderful legacy it would be to come to the end of your life and be able to say, "The Lord was my support." Someone has said that people have four basic needs in life: To live, to learn, to love and to leave a legacy. I believe this to be a good aliteration, descriptive of life's needs and ambitions. But unless the Lord supports us in these things every accomplishment will be lost in vainty. Without the Lord's support we build our life upon the sand yet those who look to Him build their house upon the Rock of Ages. Didn't Christ tell us that the purpose of His coming was that we might have an abundant life? Didn't He tell us to come learn from His gentle and humble heart? Was not His greatest command that we love? Did He not promise abundant fruitfullness if we abide in Him? How then do we aquire the support of God? The answer is easy: lean on Christ. To acknowledge Him in everything is to know the power of His support.
Leaning to live
The Lord was my support. Ps18.18
What a wonderful legacy it would be to come to the end of your life and be able to say, "The Lord was my support." Someone has said that people have four basic needs in life: To live, to learn, to love and to leave a legacy. I believe this to be a good aliteration, descriptive of life's needs and ambitions. But unless the Lord supports us in these things every accomplishment will be lost in vainty. Without the Lord's support we build our life upon the sand yet those who look to Him build their house upon the Rock of Ages. Didn't Christ tell us that the purpose of His coming was that we might have an abundant life? Didn't He tell us to come learn from His gentle and humble heart? Was not His greatest command that we love? Did He not promise abundant fruitfullness if we abide in Him? How then do we aquire the support of God? The answer is easy: lean on Christ. To acknowledge Him in everything is to know the power of His support.
What a wonderful legacy it would be to come to the end of your life and be able to say, "The Lord was my support." Someone has said that people have four basic needs in life: To live, to learn, to love and to leave a legacy. I believe this to be a good aliteration, descriptive of life's needs and ambitions. But unless the Lord supports us in these things every accomplishment will be lost in vainty. Without the Lord's support we build our life upon the sand yet those who look to Him build their house upon the Rock of Ages. Didn't Christ tell us that the purpose of His coming was that we might have an abundant life? Didn't He tell us to come learn from His gentle and humble heart? Was not His greatest command that we love? Did He not promise abundant fruitfullness if we abide in Him? How then do we aquire the support of God? The answer is easy: lean on Christ. To acknowledge Him in everything is to know the power of His support.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Unlearning to learn
No one takes it from me but I lay it down of my own accord. Jo10.18 ESV
If we are to follow You, we too must be willing. No forced compliance. No one made to come. Love must be freely given if it is love at all. But to serve you freely we must be set free, not given the right to do what we want, but the power to do it. And we must surely want You. I am free. You have given us that power. Surely I must unlearn some things if I am to learn this.
If we are to follow You, we too must be willing. No forced compliance. No one made to come. Love must be freely given if it is love at all. But to serve you freely we must be set free, not given the right to do what we want, but the power to do it. And we must surely want You. I am free. You have given us that power. Surely I must unlearn some things if I am to learn this.
Unlearning to learn
No one takes it from me but I lay it down of my own accord. Jo10.18 ESV
If we are to follow You, we too must be willing. No forced compliance. No one made to come. Love must be freely given if it is love at all. But to serve you freely we must be set free, not given the right to do what we want, but the power to do it. And we must surely want You. I am free. You have given us that power. Surely I must unlearn some things if I am to learn this.
If we are to follow You, we too must be willing. No forced compliance. No one made to come. Love must be freely given if it is love at all. But to serve you freely we must be set free, not given the right to do what we want, but the power to do it. And we must surely want You. I am free. You have given us that power. Surely I must unlearn some things if I am to learn this.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Covered in Blood
“…we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus… Heb10.19 ESV
As a diver can plummet ocean depths with an aqua-lung and live so we can enter the presence of a holy God because of the blood of Jesus and also live. Christ is our absolute acceptance. We greatly honor His sacrifice when we enter God’s presence with the same great confidence that Jesus has when He approaches His Father. We can be confident, greatly confident not only of our acceptance but also that God will favorably answer all petitions, which are covered by the blood and honor the purposes for which it stands.
The Holy Spirit has chided me in my prayers, not because of my unworthiness to approach and ask but when I ask with little confidence that God will answer. Can you imagine Jesus ever wondering if the Father will give Him what He is asking? Certainly not! And, nor should we. The blood of God’s Son has paved the way for the very purpose that we might enter and ask. 4/19/2008 ts
As a diver can plummet ocean depths with an aqua-lung and live so we can enter the presence of a holy God because of the blood of Jesus and also live. Christ is our absolute acceptance. We greatly honor His sacrifice when we enter God’s presence with the same great confidence that Jesus has when He approaches His Father. We can be confident, greatly confident not only of our acceptance but also that God will favorably answer all petitions, which are covered by the blood and honor the purposes for which it stands.
The Holy Spirit has chided me in my prayers, not because of my unworthiness to approach and ask but when I ask with little confidence that God will answer. Can you imagine Jesus ever wondering if the Father will give Him what He is asking? Certainly not! And, nor should we. The blood of God’s Son has paved the way for the very purpose that we might enter and ask. 4/19/2008 ts
Covered in Blood
“…we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus… Heb10.19 ESV
As a diver can plummet ocean depths with an aqua-lung and live so we can enter the presence of a holy God because of the blood of Jesus and also live. Christ is our absolute acceptance. We greatly honor His sacrifice when we enter God’s presence with the same great confidence that Jesus has when He approaches His Father. We can be confident, greatly confident not only of our acceptance but also that God will favorably answer all petitions, which are covered by the blood and honor the purposes for which it stands.
The Holy Spirit has chided me in my prayers, not because of my unworthiness to approach and ask but when I ask with little confidence that God will answer. Can you imagine Jesus ever wondering if the Father will give Him what He is asking? Certainly not! And, nor should we. The blood of God’s Son has paved the way for the very purpose that we might enter and ask. 4/19/2008 ts
As a diver can plummet ocean depths with an aqua-lung and live so we can enter the presence of a holy God because of the blood of Jesus and also live. Christ is our absolute acceptance. We greatly honor His sacrifice when we enter God’s presence with the same great confidence that Jesus has when He approaches His Father. We can be confident, greatly confident not only of our acceptance but also that God will favorably answer all petitions, which are covered by the blood and honor the purposes for which it stands.
The Holy Spirit has chided me in my prayers, not because of my unworthiness to approach and ask but when I ask with little confidence that God will answer. Can you imagine Jesus ever wondering if the Father will give Him what He is asking? Certainly not! And, nor should we. The blood of God’s Son has paved the way for the very purpose that we might enter and ask. 4/19/2008 ts
Friday, April 18, 2008
Willing to be Unpopular
There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 2Tim2.5 ESV
One popular talk show host recently disclosed that though she still professes to be a Christian she believes that there is more than one-way to God. Because of her popularity this has caused quite a stir among professing Christians. It is unpopular in our day to say that Jesus is the one mediator between God and men, or to be politically correct, between God, men and women. Yet, what is left to the Christian when Jesus Himself said that no one is able to come to the Father unless they come through Him.
We are told that it is arrogant to tell others that Christ is the one true way to God because this inevitably means that we are saying that the rest of the world is wrong. This doesn’t mean that Christians believe that everyone else is wrong about everything. It does mean that as followers of Christ we accept His view of His own unique role in bringing us back to God.
This might seem arrogant at least from one point of view. But consider how humbling it is to tell a friend the truth because you love them, even when you know your popularity with them will wane. And while we must not confuse our call to love others with our desire to be loved by them, we are told to offer the truth of Christ humbly and meekly not with an in-your-face arrogance. 4/18/2008 ts
One popular talk show host recently disclosed that though she still professes to be a Christian she believes that there is more than one-way to God. Because of her popularity this has caused quite a stir among professing Christians. It is unpopular in our day to say that Jesus is the one mediator between God and men, or to be politically correct, between God, men and women. Yet, what is left to the Christian when Jesus Himself said that no one is able to come to the Father unless they come through Him.
We are told that it is arrogant to tell others that Christ is the one true way to God because this inevitably means that we are saying that the rest of the world is wrong. This doesn’t mean that Christians believe that everyone else is wrong about everything. It does mean that as followers of Christ we accept His view of His own unique role in bringing us back to God.
This might seem arrogant at least from one point of view. But consider how humbling it is to tell a friend the truth because you love them, even when you know your popularity with them will wane. And while we must not confuse our call to love others with our desire to be loved by them, we are told to offer the truth of Christ humbly and meekly not with an in-your-face arrogance. 4/18/2008 ts
Willing to be Unpopular
There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 2Tim2.5 ESV
One popular talk show host recently disclosed that though she still professes to be a Christian she believes that there is more than one-way to God. Because of her popularity this has caused quite a stir among professing Christians. It is unpopular in our day to say that Jesus is the one mediator between God and men, or to be politically correct, between God, men and women. Yet, what is left to the Christian when Jesus Himself said that no one is able to come to the Father unless they come through Him.
We are told that it is arrogant to tell others that Christ is the one true way to God because this inevitably means that we are saying that the rest of the world is wrong. This doesn’t mean that Christians believe that everyone else is wrong about everything. It does mean that as followers of Christ we accept His view of His own unique role in bringing us back to God.
This might seem arrogant at least from one point of view. But consider how humbling it is to tell a friend the truth because you love them, even when you know your popularity with them will wane. And while we must not confuse our call to love others with our desire to be loved by them, we are told to offer the truth of Christ humbly and meekly not with an in-your-face arrogance. 4/18/2008 ts
One popular talk show host recently disclosed that though she still professes to be a Christian she believes that there is more than one-way to God. Because of her popularity this has caused quite a stir among professing Christians. It is unpopular in our day to say that Jesus is the one mediator between God and men, or to be politically correct, between God, men and women. Yet, what is left to the Christian when Jesus Himself said that no one is able to come to the Father unless they come through Him.
We are told that it is arrogant to tell others that Christ is the one true way to God because this inevitably means that we are saying that the rest of the world is wrong. This doesn’t mean that Christians believe that everyone else is wrong about everything. It does mean that as followers of Christ we accept His view of His own unique role in bringing us back to God.
This might seem arrogant at least from one point of view. But consider how humbling it is to tell a friend the truth because you love them, even when you know your popularity with them will wane. And while we must not confuse our call to love others with our desire to be loved by them, we are told to offer the truth of Christ humbly and meekly not with an in-your-face arrogance. 4/18/2008 ts
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Enter His Gates!
“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me.” Ps50.23 ESV
I was surfing random journals the other day on the net and came upon one that made an impact. It was the personal journal of a wife and mother and after reading a few paragraphs, I began to realize that this woman was simply making a list of things for which she was thankful. She was grateful for the privilege of being a mom, grateful for her children and husband; the list went on and on. I was moved! What a wonderful exercise! I decided to borrow her idea and created my own journal of thanksgiving and titled it “Enter His Gates!” I purpose to visit it daily and write down something as an offering of thanks to God.
There is little room for weeds of pessimism if our garden abounds with flowers of praise.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Be thankful unto Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.4/17/2008 ts
I was surfing random journals the other day on the net and came upon one that made an impact. It was the personal journal of a wife and mother and after reading a few paragraphs, I began to realize that this woman was simply making a list of things for which she was thankful. She was grateful for the privilege of being a mom, grateful for her children and husband; the list went on and on. I was moved! What a wonderful exercise! I decided to borrow her idea and created my own journal of thanksgiving and titled it “Enter His Gates!” I purpose to visit it daily and write down something as an offering of thanks to God.
There is little room for weeds of pessimism if our garden abounds with flowers of praise.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Be thankful unto Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.4/17/2008 ts
Enter His Gates!
“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me.” Ps50.23 ESV
I was surfing random journals the other day on the net and came upon one that made an impact. It was the personal journal of a wife and mother and after reading a few paragraphs, I began to realize that this woman was simply making a list of things for which she was thankful. She was grateful for the privilege of being a mom, grateful for her children and husband; the list went on and on. I was moved! What a wonderful exercise! I decided to borrow her idea and created my own journal of thanksgiving and titled it “Enter His Gates!” I purpose to visit it daily and write down something as an offering of thanks to God.
There is little room for weeds of pessimism if our garden abounds with flowers of praise.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Be thankful unto Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.4/17/2008 ts
I was surfing random journals the other day on the net and came upon one that made an impact. It was the personal journal of a wife and mother and after reading a few paragraphs, I began to realize that this woman was simply making a list of things for which she was thankful. She was grateful for the privilege of being a mom, grateful for her children and husband; the list went on and on. I was moved! What a wonderful exercise! I decided to borrow her idea and created my own journal of thanksgiving and titled it “Enter His Gates!” I purpose to visit it daily and write down something as an offering of thanks to God.
There is little room for weeds of pessimism if our garden abounds with flowers of praise.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Be thankful unto Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.4/17/2008 ts
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Rash words
“I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from your sight.”” Ps31.22 ESV
I have had more than my share of rash words, many of them directed at the Lord. I favor belief in the absolute sovereignty of God and so I give Him credit for many things throughout the day. This means that if I am having a good day I generally thank Him. If I am not having a good day, I tend to blame Him. The other day it took me an hour to secure a board with two simple screws. Nothing was going my way. The battery of one drill died, and the other drill (the one with the loose wire) would only work when I held it up not down. I of course needed to hold it down to secure the screw, which for some reason kept dropping out of my hand just as I would get it in place. Exasperated, I finally said aloud, “I hope your enjoying this.” I of course was blaming God for my difficulties.
Now I do not believe that I am mistaken about God’s rule over the smallest details of life but I am seriously wrong with my rash thoughts and words in response to them. Looking back, my Friend was not resisting me, but teaching me patience. Hasty words come from the hasty heart and I believe that Father wants to remove the hurry and impatience in me. We may feel that God has abandoned us, cut us off, or done us a bad turn, but He of course is as consistent in His expressions of love and goodness as He is calculated in changing us to be like Christ. There is nothing rash about His dealings with us. 4/16/2008 ts
I have had more than my share of rash words, many of them directed at the Lord. I favor belief in the absolute sovereignty of God and so I give Him credit for many things throughout the day. This means that if I am having a good day I generally thank Him. If I am not having a good day, I tend to blame Him. The other day it took me an hour to secure a board with two simple screws. Nothing was going my way. The battery of one drill died, and the other drill (the one with the loose wire) would only work when I held it up not down. I of course needed to hold it down to secure the screw, which for some reason kept dropping out of my hand just as I would get it in place. Exasperated, I finally said aloud, “I hope your enjoying this.” I of course was blaming God for my difficulties.
Now I do not believe that I am mistaken about God’s rule over the smallest details of life but I am seriously wrong with my rash thoughts and words in response to them. Looking back, my Friend was not resisting me, but teaching me patience. Hasty words come from the hasty heart and I believe that Father wants to remove the hurry and impatience in me. We may feel that God has abandoned us, cut us off, or done us a bad turn, but He of course is as consistent in His expressions of love and goodness as He is calculated in changing us to be like Christ. There is nothing rash about His dealings with us. 4/16/2008 ts
Rash words
“I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from your sight.”” Ps31.22 ESV
I have had more than my share of rash words, many of them directed at the Lord. I favor belief in the absolute sovereignty of God and so I give Him credit for many things throughout the day. This means that if I am having a good day I generally thank Him. If I am not having a good day, I tend to blame Him. The other day it took me an hour to secure a board with two simple screws. Nothing was going my way. The battery of one drill died, and the other drill (the one with the loose wire) would only work when I held it up not down. I of course needed to hold it down to secure the screw, which for some reason kept dropping out of my hand just as I would get it in place. Exasperated, I finally said aloud, “I hope your enjoying this.” I of course was blaming God for my difficulties.
Now I do not believe that I am mistaken about God’s rule over the smallest details of life but I am seriously wrong with my rash thoughts and words in response to them. Looking back, my Friend was not resisting me, but teaching me patience. Hasty words come from the hasty heart and I believe that Father wants to remove the hurry and impatience in me. We may feel that God has abandoned us, cut us off, or done us a bad turn, but He of course is as consistent in His expressions of love and goodness as He is calculated in changing us to be like Christ. There is nothing rash about His dealings with us. 4/16/2008 ts
I have had more than my share of rash words, many of them directed at the Lord. I favor belief in the absolute sovereignty of God and so I give Him credit for many things throughout the day. This means that if I am having a good day I generally thank Him. If I am not having a good day, I tend to blame Him. The other day it took me an hour to secure a board with two simple screws. Nothing was going my way. The battery of one drill died, and the other drill (the one with the loose wire) would only work when I held it up not down. I of course needed to hold it down to secure the screw, which for some reason kept dropping out of my hand just as I would get it in place. Exasperated, I finally said aloud, “I hope your enjoying this.” I of course was blaming God for my difficulties.
Now I do not believe that I am mistaken about God’s rule over the smallest details of life but I am seriously wrong with my rash thoughts and words in response to them. Looking back, my Friend was not resisting me, but teaching me patience. Hasty words come from the hasty heart and I believe that Father wants to remove the hurry and impatience in me. We may feel that God has abandoned us, cut us off, or done us a bad turn, but He of course is as consistent in His expressions of love and goodness as He is calculated in changing us to be like Christ. There is nothing rash about His dealings with us. 4/16/2008 ts
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Perfect love
For I am sure that neither death nor life… will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom.8.39 ESV
There are times when I am more certain of this promise than others. Of course even those moments when I wonder about God’s love I am not separated from it. Nothing in death, nothing in life can stay His loving hand. God’s love for us is not fragmented or limited in scope as ours may be. His love is perfect in knowledge, wisdom, action and feeling. I must tell myself that His wisdom has decided to allow my present circumstances if only because He is seeking my good in ways above my understanding. This may mean that the floodwaters may rise around me, and whether they rise because of my own foolishness, or not, He will not abandon me even to me. Nothing can separate us from His love and in the end this may mean, at least for some of us, that He will ultimately have to save us even from ourselves.
There are times when I am more certain of this promise than others. Of course even those moments when I wonder about God’s love I am not separated from it. Nothing in death, nothing in life can stay His loving hand. God’s love for us is not fragmented or limited in scope as ours may be. His love is perfect in knowledge, wisdom, action and feeling. I must tell myself that His wisdom has decided to allow my present circumstances if only because He is seeking my good in ways above my understanding. This may mean that the floodwaters may rise around me, and whether they rise because of my own foolishness, or not, He will not abandon me even to me. Nothing can separate us from His love and in the end this may mean, at least for some of us, that He will ultimately have to save us even from ourselves.
Perfect love
For I am sure that neither death nor life… will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom.8.39 ESV
There are times when I am more certain of this promise than others. Of course even those moments when I wonder about God’s love I am not separated from it. Nothing in death, nothing in life can stay His loving hand. God’s love for us is not fragmented or limited in scope as ours may be. His love is perfect in knowledge, wisdom, action and feeling. I must tell myself that His wisdom has decided to allow my present circumstances if only because He is seeking my good in ways above my understanding. This may mean that the floodwaters may rise around me, and whether they rise because of my own foolishness, or not, He will not abandon me even to me. Nothing can separate us from His love and in the end this may mean, at least for some of us, that He will ultimately have to save us even from ourselves.
There are times when I am more certain of this promise than others. Of course even those moments when I wonder about God’s love I am not separated from it. Nothing in death, nothing in life can stay His loving hand. God’s love for us is not fragmented or limited in scope as ours may be. His love is perfect in knowledge, wisdom, action and feeling. I must tell myself that His wisdom has decided to allow my present circumstances if only because He is seeking my good in ways above my understanding. This may mean that the floodwaters may rise around me, and whether they rise because of my own foolishness, or not, He will not abandon me even to me. Nothing can separate us from His love and in the end this may mean, at least for some of us, that He will ultimately have to save us even from ourselves.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Up all night!
“…I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night.” Ps139.18 ESV
Most of us have known nights when we were unable to sleep. Maybe we were worried about something or congested by a cold. I have lost a number of nights over such things. But the wakefulness that David speaks of here in this psalm is not stress related. He is like the child waiting Christmas morn. He is unable to sleep because the excitement of God's presence is keeping Him awake. He is too energized to sleep the company is just too good. He writes, “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed.” He lies awake in bed counting blessings instead of sheep.
My youngest daughter has a plaque she painted hanging in her bedroom. “If you can’t sleep, don’t count sheep, talk to the Shepherd.” Good advice for one of those nights when stress is keeping you awake, but I don’t think any of us would mind losing a night’s sleep over too many blessings. Or better yet, losing track of the time, sitting up all night talking to your best friend. 4/14/2008 ts
Most of us have known nights when we were unable to sleep. Maybe we were worried about something or congested by a cold. I have lost a number of nights over such things. But the wakefulness that David speaks of here in this psalm is not stress related. He is like the child waiting Christmas morn. He is unable to sleep because the excitement of God's presence is keeping Him awake. He is too energized to sleep the company is just too good. He writes, “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed.” He lies awake in bed counting blessings instead of sheep.
My youngest daughter has a plaque she painted hanging in her bedroom. “If you can’t sleep, don’t count sheep, talk to the Shepherd.” Good advice for one of those nights when stress is keeping you awake, but I don’t think any of us would mind losing a night’s sleep over too many blessings. Or better yet, losing track of the time, sitting up all night talking to your best friend. 4/14/2008 ts
Up all night!
“…I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night.” Ps139.18 ESV
Most of us have known nights when we were unable to sleep. Maybe we were worried about something or congested by a cold. I have lost a number of nights over such things. But the wakefulness that David speaks of here in this psalm is not stress related. He is like the child waiting Christmas morn. He is unable to sleep because the excitement of God's presence is keeping Him awake. He is too energized to sleep the company is just too good. He writes, “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed.” He lies awake in bed counting blessings instead of sheep.
My youngest daughter has a plaque she painted hanging in her bedroom. “If you can’t sleep, don’t count sheep, talk to the Shepherd.” Good advice for one of those nights when stress is keeping you awake, but I don’t think any of us would mind losing a night’s sleep over too many blessings. Or better yet, losing track of the time, sitting up all night talking to your best friend. 4/14/2008 ts
Most of us have known nights when we were unable to sleep. Maybe we were worried about something or congested by a cold. I have lost a number of nights over such things. But the wakefulness that David speaks of here in this psalm is not stress related. He is like the child waiting Christmas morn. He is unable to sleep because the excitement of God's presence is keeping Him awake. He is too energized to sleep the company is just too good. He writes, “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed.” He lies awake in bed counting blessings instead of sheep.
My youngest daughter has a plaque she painted hanging in her bedroom. “If you can’t sleep, don’t count sheep, talk to the Shepherd.” Good advice for one of those nights when stress is keeping you awake, but I don’t think any of us would mind losing a night’s sleep over too many blessings. Or better yet, losing track of the time, sitting up all night talking to your best friend. 4/14/2008 ts
Friday, April 11, 2008
Nudge me!
When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. Pro10.19 ESV
Teachers love to talk but as with most things we can talk too much. Brenda and I have an agreed upon signal whenever she feels I am monopolizing a conversation. She will nudge me under the table, or walk up and gently put her hand on my arm. It is a kindness she does for me. The Holy Spirit also does this for me. The other day I was having a conversation with two other friends. One of them said something that reminded me of a story. As I started to relate it the Holy Spirit inwardly asked me to consider the value of telling it. It was one of those rare moments when I held my tongue. Yet, only a few minutes later I figured out another story I could tell and quickly did so before the Holy Spirit could ask me to consider it as well. Nudge me Lord, nudge me. “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak.” 4/11/2008 ts
Teachers love to talk but as with most things we can talk too much. Brenda and I have an agreed upon signal whenever she feels I am monopolizing a conversation. She will nudge me under the table, or walk up and gently put her hand on my arm. It is a kindness she does for me. The Holy Spirit also does this for me. The other day I was having a conversation with two other friends. One of them said something that reminded me of a story. As I started to relate it the Holy Spirit inwardly asked me to consider the value of telling it. It was one of those rare moments when I held my tongue. Yet, only a few minutes later I figured out another story I could tell and quickly did so before the Holy Spirit could ask me to consider it as well. Nudge me Lord, nudge me. “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak.” 4/11/2008 ts
Nudge me!
When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. Pro10.19 ESV
Teachers love to talk but as with most things we can talk too much. Brenda and I have an agreed upon signal whenever she feels I am monopolizing a conversation. She will nudge me under the table, or walk up and gently put her hand on my arm. It is a kindness she does for me. The Holy Spirit also does this for me. The other day I was having a conversation with two other friends. One of them said something that reminded me of a story. As I started to relate it the Holy Spirit inwardly asked me to consider the value of telling it. It was one of those rare moments when I held my tongue. Yet, only a few minutes later I figured out another story I could tell and quickly did so before the Holy Spirit could ask me to consider it as well. Nudge me Lord, nudge me. “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak.” 4/11/2008 ts
Teachers love to talk but as with most things we can talk too much. Brenda and I have an agreed upon signal whenever she feels I am monopolizing a conversation. She will nudge me under the table, or walk up and gently put her hand on my arm. It is a kindness she does for me. The Holy Spirit also does this for me. The other day I was having a conversation with two other friends. One of them said something that reminded me of a story. As I started to relate it the Holy Spirit inwardly asked me to consider the value of telling it. It was one of those rare moments when I held my tongue. Yet, only a few minutes later I figured out another story I could tell and quickly did so before the Holy Spirit could ask me to consider it as well. Nudge me Lord, nudge me. “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak.” 4/11/2008 ts
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Happy are the unhappy.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Mt5.4 ESV
Yesterday I wrote a friend and said that happiness is a real treasure, and contentment seems one path to it. After all, what more could anyone want than lasting joy except maybe that those you love have it as well. But the reason contentment is only one path to happiness, is that discontentment with ones spiritual poverty is another. And, it is a path that will lead us to lasting joy. Christ tells us that those who are unhappy, who mourn the bankruptcy of their soul before God will find lasting happiness in His eternal comfort.
What this tells me is that happiness is more a state than an emotion. It is a state of blessedness, of being made right with God. And, as I live in this blessed state I will sometimes know sorrow and joy in the same moment. I will know moments of unhappiness with myself so that He may give me a deeper happiness as I grow to be more like Christ.
The person who runs from one feel good moment to the next, may know a kind of happiness, just as a stolen apple is sweet to a thief yet, not in the same way as to the one who did not steal it. The thief’s happiness does not negate its wrongness or the bitter end assigned to it by a just and good God. To be truly happy is to be blessed by Him and to know His favor. And, to be blessed by Him, we must first be unhappy with our own spiritual poverty. It is here in this mourning that we look to Christ and find eternal comfort and joy. This of course runs contrary to modern notions that we must love and accept ourselves in order to be happy. Such is the happiness of a thief and will be short lived. 4/10/2008 ts
Yesterday I wrote a friend and said that happiness is a real treasure, and contentment seems one path to it. After all, what more could anyone want than lasting joy except maybe that those you love have it as well. But the reason contentment is only one path to happiness, is that discontentment with ones spiritual poverty is another. And, it is a path that will lead us to lasting joy. Christ tells us that those who are unhappy, who mourn the bankruptcy of their soul before God will find lasting happiness in His eternal comfort.
What this tells me is that happiness is more a state than an emotion. It is a state of blessedness, of being made right with God. And, as I live in this blessed state I will sometimes know sorrow and joy in the same moment. I will know moments of unhappiness with myself so that He may give me a deeper happiness as I grow to be more like Christ.
The person who runs from one feel good moment to the next, may know a kind of happiness, just as a stolen apple is sweet to a thief yet, not in the same way as to the one who did not steal it. The thief’s happiness does not negate its wrongness or the bitter end assigned to it by a just and good God. To be truly happy is to be blessed by Him and to know His favor. And, to be blessed by Him, we must first be unhappy with our own spiritual poverty. It is here in this mourning that we look to Christ and find eternal comfort and joy. This of course runs contrary to modern notions that we must love and accept ourselves in order to be happy. Such is the happiness of a thief and will be short lived. 4/10/2008 ts
Happy are the unhappy.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Mt5.4 ESV
Yesterday I wrote a friend and said that happiness is a real treasure, and contentment seems one path to it. After all, what more could anyone want than lasting joy except maybe that those you love have it as well. But the reason contentment is only one path to happiness, is that discontentment with ones spiritual poverty is another. And, it is a path that will lead us to lasting joy. Christ tells us that those who are unhappy, who mourn the bankruptcy of their soul before God will find lasting happiness in His eternal comfort.
What this tells me is that happiness is more a state than an emotion. It is a state of blessedness, of being made right with God. And, as I live in this blessed state I will sometimes know sorrow and joy in the same moment. I will know moments of unhappiness with myself so that He may give me a deeper happiness as I grow to be more like Christ.
The person who runs from one feel good moment to the next, may know a kind of happiness, just as a stolen apple is sweet to a thief yet, not in the same way as to the one who did not steal it. The thief’s happiness does not negate its wrongness or the bitter end assigned to it by a just and good God. To be truly happy is to be blessed by Him and to know His favor. And, to be blessed by Him, we must first be unhappy with our own spiritual poverty. It is here in this mourning that we look to Christ and find eternal comfort and joy. This of course runs contrary to modern notions that we must love and accept ourselves in order to be happy. Such is the happiness of a thief and will be short lived. 4/10/2008 ts
Yesterday I wrote a friend and said that happiness is a real treasure, and contentment seems one path to it. After all, what more could anyone want than lasting joy except maybe that those you love have it as well. But the reason contentment is only one path to happiness, is that discontentment with ones spiritual poverty is another. And, it is a path that will lead us to lasting joy. Christ tells us that those who are unhappy, who mourn the bankruptcy of their soul before God will find lasting happiness in His eternal comfort.
What this tells me is that happiness is more a state than an emotion. It is a state of blessedness, of being made right with God. And, as I live in this blessed state I will sometimes know sorrow and joy in the same moment. I will know moments of unhappiness with myself so that He may give me a deeper happiness as I grow to be more like Christ.
The person who runs from one feel good moment to the next, may know a kind of happiness, just as a stolen apple is sweet to a thief yet, not in the same way as to the one who did not steal it. The thief’s happiness does not negate its wrongness or the bitter end assigned to it by a just and good God. To be truly happy is to be blessed by Him and to know His favor. And, to be blessed by Him, we must first be unhappy with our own spiritual poverty. It is here in this mourning that we look to Christ and find eternal comfort and joy. This of course runs contrary to modern notions that we must love and accept ourselves in order to be happy. Such is the happiness of a thief and will be short lived. 4/10/2008 ts
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
When we question God’s power to forgive.
“I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist…” Is44.22 ESV
I have known seasons of utter defeat where my personal sins have gotten the best of me. I still know them. Even when I consider areas where I have experienced some measure of victory, battles must be waged daily, yes, even hourly. Yet, Christians know that our struggle against these things is not to earn Heaven. Heaven is the free gift of God. We struggle because the Prince of Heaven lives in us and though He loves us as we are, He will not leave us this way. To give us this gift of Heaven He has blotted out our transgressions, and this, through Christ Jesus. He now fits us to live there and we surely must be refitted if we are to enjoy the joys of Heaven.
We can also know days of defeat just pondering past sins. We do this when we question God’s power to forgive and allow our shame to cripple us. Doing so is a complete waste of time. When we are tempted to do this, these words offer help. “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth…the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.” 4/9/2008 ts
I have known seasons of utter defeat where my personal sins have gotten the best of me. I still know them. Even when I consider areas where I have experienced some measure of victory, battles must be waged daily, yes, even hourly. Yet, Christians know that our struggle against these things is not to earn Heaven. Heaven is the free gift of God. We struggle because the Prince of Heaven lives in us and though He loves us as we are, He will not leave us this way. To give us this gift of Heaven He has blotted out our transgressions, and this, through Christ Jesus. He now fits us to live there and we surely must be refitted if we are to enjoy the joys of Heaven.
We can also know days of defeat just pondering past sins. We do this when we question God’s power to forgive and allow our shame to cripple us. Doing so is a complete waste of time. When we are tempted to do this, these words offer help. “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth…the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.” 4/9/2008 ts
When we question God’s power to forgive.
“I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist…” Is44.22 ESV
I have known seasons of utter defeat where my personal sins have gotten the best of me. I still know them. Even when I consider areas where I have experienced some measure of victory, battles must be waged daily, yes, even hourly. Yet, Christians know that our struggle against these things is not to earn Heaven. Heaven is the free gift of God. We struggle because the Prince of Heaven lives in us and though He loves us as we are, He will not leave us this way. To give us this gift of Heaven He has blotted out our transgressions, and this, through Christ Jesus. He now fits us to live there and we surely must be refitted if we are to enjoy the joys of Heaven.
We can also know days of defeat just pondering past sins. We do this when we question God’s power to forgive and allow our shame to cripple us. Doing so is a complete waste of time. When we are tempted to do this, these words offer help. “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth…the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.” 4/9/2008 ts
I have known seasons of utter defeat where my personal sins have gotten the best of me. I still know them. Even when I consider areas where I have experienced some measure of victory, battles must be waged daily, yes, even hourly. Yet, Christians know that our struggle against these things is not to earn Heaven. Heaven is the free gift of God. We struggle because the Prince of Heaven lives in us and though He loves us as we are, He will not leave us this way. To give us this gift of Heaven He has blotted out our transgressions, and this, through Christ Jesus. He now fits us to live there and we surely must be refitted if we are to enjoy the joys of Heaven.
We can also know days of defeat just pondering past sins. We do this when we question God’s power to forgive and allow our shame to cripple us. Doing so is a complete waste of time. When we are tempted to do this, these words offer help. “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth…the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.” 4/9/2008 ts
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Is it too good to be true?
In every way you were enriched in him. 1Co1.5 ESV
Do I really believe that Christ has joined Himself to me? Has He really entered my very soul and taken up residence in me? Is the everlasting God not only with me but also in me? Every promise of the gospel says that these things are true and they are true for anyone who looks in faith to Christ. He is ever blessing us and Christ Himself is our greatest blessing. To possess Him is to possess every good thing. “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”
We have all heard the expression “this is just too good to be true.” Well, His life in us for sure is a good beyond our imagination and it is as true as His expressed love at the cross. Perhaps doubting that this is true is the reason behind our many failures. Christ patiently waits for this revelation to sink in, and all that it means to dawn in our hearts. He is like the young man eagerly watching his young woman as she looks with unbelief at the ring he has just slipped on her finger. He waits for her unbelief to turn into joy and her amazement into tears of realization. 4/8/2008 ts
Do I really believe that Christ has joined Himself to me? Has He really entered my very soul and taken up residence in me? Is the everlasting God not only with me but also in me? Every promise of the gospel says that these things are true and they are true for anyone who looks in faith to Christ. He is ever blessing us and Christ Himself is our greatest blessing. To possess Him is to possess every good thing. “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”
We have all heard the expression “this is just too good to be true.” Well, His life in us for sure is a good beyond our imagination and it is as true as His expressed love at the cross. Perhaps doubting that this is true is the reason behind our many failures. Christ patiently waits for this revelation to sink in, and all that it means to dawn in our hearts. He is like the young man eagerly watching his young woman as she looks with unbelief at the ring he has just slipped on her finger. He waits for her unbelief to turn into joy and her amazement into tears of realization. 4/8/2008 ts
Is it too good to be true?
In every way you were enriched in him. 1Co1.5 ESV
Do I really believe that Christ has joined Himself to me? Has He really entered my very soul and taken up residence in me? Is the everlasting God not only with me but also in me? Every promise of the gospel says that these things are true and they are true for anyone who looks in faith to Christ. He is ever blessing us and Christ Himself is our greatest blessing. To possess Him is to possess every good thing. “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”
We have all heard the expression “this is just too good to be true.” Well, His life in us for sure is a good beyond our imagination and it is as true as His expressed love at the cross. Perhaps doubting that this is true is the reason behind our many failures. Christ patiently waits for this revelation to sink in, and all that it means to dawn in our hearts. He is like the young man eagerly watching his young woman as she looks with unbelief at the ring he has just slipped on her finger. He waits for her unbelief to turn into joy and her amazement into tears of realization. 4/8/2008 ts
Do I really believe that Christ has joined Himself to me? Has He really entered my very soul and taken up residence in me? Is the everlasting God not only with me but also in me? Every promise of the gospel says that these things are true and they are true for anyone who looks in faith to Christ. He is ever blessing us and Christ Himself is our greatest blessing. To possess Him is to possess every good thing. “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”
We have all heard the expression “this is just too good to be true.” Well, His life in us for sure is a good beyond our imagination and it is as true as His expressed love at the cross. Perhaps doubting that this is true is the reason behind our many failures. Christ patiently waits for this revelation to sink in, and all that it means to dawn in our hearts. He is like the young man eagerly watching his young woman as she looks with unbelief at the ring he has just slipped on her finger. He waits for her unbelief to turn into joy and her amazement into tears of realization. 4/8/2008 ts
Monday, April 7, 2008
Unsearchable
…to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph3.8 ESV
There is a story about President Theodore Roosevelt that is oft repeated. He occasionally would stand outside under the canopy of heaven with a friend, and after finding one spot among the vast constellations he would say, “That is the Spiral Galaxy in the Constellation of Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is formed from hundreds of millions of suns, each larger than our sun.” Then Roosevelt would grin and say ‘Now I think we are small enough! Let's go to bed.”
The Scriptures tell us that God has numbered the stars and given each of them a name. The universe may be unsearchable to us but Christ knows every rock and canyon in a hundred million galaxies and better than we know our own dresser drawer. It is humbling to consider the unsearchable character of the Almighty; He does great things unsearchable, marvelous things without number. What do we know of the worlds He has made? The number of his years is unsearchable. How do you calculate the age of an eternal God. How do we measure His greatness, knowledge, understanding and wisdom. That God is unsearchable is but one measure of the unsearchable riches of Christ. And, it is unsearchable that Christ has poured out this wealth upon us.
“Who am I? That the Lord of all the earth, Would care to know my name, Would care to feel my hurt.” Casting Crowns
There is a story about President Theodore Roosevelt that is oft repeated. He occasionally would stand outside under the canopy of heaven with a friend, and after finding one spot among the vast constellations he would say, “That is the Spiral Galaxy in the Constellation of Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is formed from hundreds of millions of suns, each larger than our sun.” Then Roosevelt would grin and say ‘Now I think we are small enough! Let's go to bed.”
The Scriptures tell us that God has numbered the stars and given each of them a name. The universe may be unsearchable to us but Christ knows every rock and canyon in a hundred million galaxies and better than we know our own dresser drawer. It is humbling to consider the unsearchable character of the Almighty; He does great things unsearchable, marvelous things without number. What do we know of the worlds He has made? The number of his years is unsearchable. How do you calculate the age of an eternal God. How do we measure His greatness, knowledge, understanding and wisdom. That God is unsearchable is but one measure of the unsearchable riches of Christ. And, it is unsearchable that Christ has poured out this wealth upon us.
“Who am I? That the Lord of all the earth, Would care to know my name, Would care to feel my hurt.” Casting Crowns
Unsearchable
…to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph3.8 ESV
There is a story about President Theodore Roosevelt that is oft repeated. He occasionally would stand outside under the canopy of heaven with a friend, and after finding one spot among the vast constellations he would say, “That is the Spiral Galaxy in the Constellation of Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is formed from hundreds of millions of suns, each larger than our sun.” Then Roosevelt would grin and say ‘Now I think we are small enough! Let's go to bed.”
The Scriptures tell us that God has numbered the stars and given each of them a name. The universe may be unsearchable to us but Christ knows every rock and canyon in a hundred million galaxies and better than we know our own dresser drawer. It is humbling to consider the unsearchable character of the Almighty; He does great things unsearchable, marvelous things without number. What do we know of the worlds He has made? The number of his years is unsearchable. How do you calculate the age of an eternal God. How do we measure His greatness, knowledge, understanding and wisdom. That God is unsearchable is but one measure of the unsearchable riches of Christ. And, it is unsearchable that Christ has poured out this wealth upon us.
“Who am I? That the Lord of all the earth, Would care to know my name, Would care to feel my hurt.” Casting Crowns
There is a story about President Theodore Roosevelt that is oft repeated. He occasionally would stand outside under the canopy of heaven with a friend, and after finding one spot among the vast constellations he would say, “That is the Spiral Galaxy in the Constellation of Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is formed from hundreds of millions of suns, each larger than our sun.” Then Roosevelt would grin and say ‘Now I think we are small enough! Let's go to bed.”
The Scriptures tell us that God has numbered the stars and given each of them a name. The universe may be unsearchable to us but Christ knows every rock and canyon in a hundred million galaxies and better than we know our own dresser drawer. It is humbling to consider the unsearchable character of the Almighty; He does great things unsearchable, marvelous things without number. What do we know of the worlds He has made? The number of his years is unsearchable. How do you calculate the age of an eternal God. How do we measure His greatness, knowledge, understanding and wisdom. That God is unsearchable is but one measure of the unsearchable riches of Christ. And, it is unsearchable that Christ has poured out this wealth upon us.
“Who am I? That the Lord of all the earth, Would care to know my name, Would care to feel my hurt.” Casting Crowns
Sunday, April 6, 2008
The Eternal Flame
He always lives to make intercession for them. Heb7.25 ESV
Many towns throughout the United States have memorials honoring those who died in our various wars. The one here in Selma has a feature common to many memorials. It is often referred to as “the eternal flame.” An uninterrupted supply of natural gas makes the flame possible and it continually burns as if to say, “We will never forget you.”
Christ ever lives to make intercession for us. His prayers supply the flame of our faith, love and devotion to God. His intercessions are an uninterrupted flow of divine grace. The fires of our devotion are promised to be an eternal flame, sustained by the prayers of Jesus, and neither the trials nor cares of this world, no matter how severe, are able to extinguish them. Our faithfulness to Him streams from His faithfulness to us. We shall never forget Him because He never forgets us. We shall forever offer the sacrifices of praise, ours hearts burning with an eternal flame, kindled and kept by the perpetual prayers of Jesus. 4/6/2008 ts
Many towns throughout the United States have memorials honoring those who died in our various wars. The one here in Selma has a feature common to many memorials. It is often referred to as “the eternal flame.” An uninterrupted supply of natural gas makes the flame possible and it continually burns as if to say, “We will never forget you.”
Christ ever lives to make intercession for us. His prayers supply the flame of our faith, love and devotion to God. His intercessions are an uninterrupted flow of divine grace. The fires of our devotion are promised to be an eternal flame, sustained by the prayers of Jesus, and neither the trials nor cares of this world, no matter how severe, are able to extinguish them. Our faithfulness to Him streams from His faithfulness to us. We shall never forget Him because He never forgets us. We shall forever offer the sacrifices of praise, ours hearts burning with an eternal flame, kindled and kept by the perpetual prayers of Jesus. 4/6/2008 ts
The Eternal Flame
He always lives to make intercession for them. Heb7.25 ESV
Many towns throughout the United States have memorials honoring those who died in our various wars. The one here in Selma has a feature common to many memorials. It is often referred to as “the eternal flame.” An uninterrupted supply of natural gas makes the flame possible and it continually burns as if to say, “We will never forget you.”
Christ ever lives to make intercession for us. His prayers supply the flame of our faith, love and devotion to God. His intercessions are an uninterrupted flow of divine grace. The fires of our devotion are promised to be an eternal flame, sustained by the prayers of Jesus, and neither the trials nor cares of this world, no matter how severe, are able to extinguish them. Our faithfulness to Him streams from His faithfulness to us. We shall never forget Him because He never forgets us. We shall forever offer the sacrifices of praise, ours hearts burning with an eternal flame, kindled and kept by the perpetual prayers of Jesus. 4/6/2008 ts
Many towns throughout the United States have memorials honoring those who died in our various wars. The one here in Selma has a feature common to many memorials. It is often referred to as “the eternal flame.” An uninterrupted supply of natural gas makes the flame possible and it continually burns as if to say, “We will never forget you.”
Christ ever lives to make intercession for us. His prayers supply the flame of our faith, love and devotion to God. His intercessions are an uninterrupted flow of divine grace. The fires of our devotion are promised to be an eternal flame, sustained by the prayers of Jesus, and neither the trials nor cares of this world, no matter how severe, are able to extinguish them. Our faithfulness to Him streams from His faithfulness to us. We shall never forget Him because He never forgets us. We shall forever offer the sacrifices of praise, ours hearts burning with an eternal flame, kindled and kept by the perpetual prayers of Jesus. 4/6/2008 ts
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Items of interest
“I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Gen32.26 ESV
Jesus told us to ask, seek, knock, and to persistently do so until we have been answered. I think the reason why He wants us to do this has nothing to do with God reluctance to bless us but because it is in the very act of asking that we receive. What I mean is that the asking itself expresses the proper relationship of creature to creator and of sons and daughters to their Father and that in itself is receiving something good. Asking also exercises spiritual muscles, which will atrophy without use and so God makes us ask if for no other reason than to strengthen those means of interacting and knowing Him.
A parent will put an item of interest just outside the reach of an infant to entice it to crawl. God does no less in our spiritual development. Of course the “items of interest” used to entice us will mature as we crawl, then walk, then run. Our asking may begin with daily bread, and end with raising the dead so to speak. But I have my suspicions that maturity will completely reshape our “items of interest” as we come to understand what asking and receiving is all about. 4/5/2008 ts
Jesus told us to ask, seek, knock, and to persistently do so until we have been answered. I think the reason why He wants us to do this has nothing to do with God reluctance to bless us but because it is in the very act of asking that we receive. What I mean is that the asking itself expresses the proper relationship of creature to creator and of sons and daughters to their Father and that in itself is receiving something good. Asking also exercises spiritual muscles, which will atrophy without use and so God makes us ask if for no other reason than to strengthen those means of interacting and knowing Him.
A parent will put an item of interest just outside the reach of an infant to entice it to crawl. God does no less in our spiritual development. Of course the “items of interest” used to entice us will mature as we crawl, then walk, then run. Our asking may begin with daily bread, and end with raising the dead so to speak. But I have my suspicions that maturity will completely reshape our “items of interest” as we come to understand what asking and receiving is all about. 4/5/2008 ts
Items of interest
“I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Gen32.26 ESV
Jesus told us to ask, seek, knock, and to persistently do so until we have been answered. I think the reason why He wants us to do this has nothing to do with God reluctance to bless us but because it is in the very act of asking that we receive. What I mean is that the asking itself expresses the proper relationship of creature to creator and of sons and daughters to their Father and that in itself is receiving something good. Asking also exercises spiritual muscles, which will atrophy without use and so God makes us ask if for no other reason than to strengthen those means of interacting and knowing Him.
A parent will put an item of interest just outside the reach of an infant to entice it to crawl. God does no less in our spiritual development. Of course the “items of interest” used to entice us will mature as we crawl, then walk, then run. Our asking may begin with daily bread, and end with raising the dead so to speak. But I have my suspicions that maturity will completely reshape our “items of interest” as we come to understand what asking and receiving is all about. 4/5/2008 ts
Jesus told us to ask, seek, knock, and to persistently do so until we have been answered. I think the reason why He wants us to do this has nothing to do with God reluctance to bless us but because it is in the very act of asking that we receive. What I mean is that the asking itself expresses the proper relationship of creature to creator and of sons and daughters to their Father and that in itself is receiving something good. Asking also exercises spiritual muscles, which will atrophy without use and so God makes us ask if for no other reason than to strengthen those means of interacting and knowing Him.
A parent will put an item of interest just outside the reach of an infant to entice it to crawl. God does no less in our spiritual development. Of course the “items of interest” used to entice us will mature as we crawl, then walk, then run. Our asking may begin with daily bread, and end with raising the dead so to speak. But I have my suspicions that maturity will completely reshape our “items of interest” as we come to understand what asking and receiving is all about. 4/5/2008 ts
Friday, April 4, 2008
G-R-A-C-E
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb4.16 ESV
I once read the difference between mercy and grace and of all places, on the backside of a Garth Brookes’ CD cover. “Mercy is when God doesn't give us what we do deserve. Grace is when God gives us what we don't deserve.”
It is the "throne of grace" that we approach. We come with confidence expecting to receive goodness we do not deserve. A part of that goodness is simply being able to come expecting something good at all. Another part of the goodness we receive is of course mercy. Yet another is His perfect assistance, His timely support. It is all of grace.
We may want to walk in a manner worthy of God’s blessings and this is OK in itself, as long as we do not try and stand on our own works. Jesus is our only acceptance before the Father and in Him everything that we receive of God is of grace- or as the popular acrostic puts it, God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
4/4/2008 ts
I once read the difference between mercy and grace and of all places, on the backside of a Garth Brookes’ CD cover. “Mercy is when God doesn't give us what we do deserve. Grace is when God gives us what we don't deserve.”
It is the "throne of grace" that we approach. We come with confidence expecting to receive goodness we do not deserve. A part of that goodness is simply being able to come expecting something good at all. Another part of the goodness we receive is of course mercy. Yet another is His perfect assistance, His timely support. It is all of grace.
We may want to walk in a manner worthy of God’s blessings and this is OK in itself, as long as we do not try and stand on our own works. Jesus is our only acceptance before the Father and in Him everything that we receive of God is of grace- or as the popular acrostic puts it, God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
4/4/2008 ts
G-R-A-C-E
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb4.16 ESV
I once read the difference between mercy and grace and of all places, on the backside of a Garth Brookes’ CD cover. “Mercy is when God doesn't give us what we do deserve. Grace is when God gives us what we don't deserve.”
It is the "throne of grace" that we approach. We come with confidence expecting to receive goodness we do not deserve. A part of that goodness is simply being able to come expecting something good at all. Another part of the goodness we receive is of course mercy. Yet another is His perfect assistance, His timely support. It is all of grace.
We may want to walk in a manner worthy of God’s blessings and this is OK in itself, as long as we do not try and stand on our own works. Jesus is our only acceptance before the Father and in Him everything that we receive of God is of grace- or as the popular acrostic puts it, God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
4/4/2008 ts
I once read the difference between mercy and grace and of all places, on the backside of a Garth Brookes’ CD cover. “Mercy is when God doesn't give us what we do deserve. Grace is when God gives us what we don't deserve.”
It is the "throne of grace" that we approach. We come with confidence expecting to receive goodness we do not deserve. A part of that goodness is simply being able to come expecting something good at all. Another part of the goodness we receive is of course mercy. Yet another is His perfect assistance, His timely support. It is all of grace.
We may want to walk in a manner worthy of God’s blessings and this is OK in itself, as long as we do not try and stand on our own works. Jesus is our only acceptance before the Father and in Him everything that we receive of God is of grace- or as the popular acrostic puts it, God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
4/4/2008 ts
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Coca-Cola and the Second coming of Christ
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise… not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2Pet3.9 ESV
Someone asked me the other day if I thought Christ was returning in our lifetime. Jesus told us the He would not return until every ethnic group in the world hears the offer of forgiveness that He secured for us by His death on the cross. There are over six thousand un-reached people groups in the world. Many of these have no Christian witness what so ever. The way I see it, is that Christ is probably more interested in our witness to the nations than He is in our fascination with the details of His second coming. Many of the world’s un-reached people have certainly heard about Coca-Cola, but have never been told about God’s love in Christ. It seems that Coke has done a better job promoting its product in the last hundred years than the Church has with the gospel in the last two thousand. When General MacArthur was assigned the task of re-building Japan after the Second World War, he said, “Send me a thousand missionaries.” Japan remains one of the largest un-reached nations with a population of less than one percent who know God’s love in Christ.
Any delay in Christ’s return is probably due to fact that we are not doing our job and He is patiently waiting for us to finish the task He has assigned. He is not willing that any perish but that all should reach repentance.
4/3/2008 ts
Someone asked me the other day if I thought Christ was returning in our lifetime. Jesus told us the He would not return until every ethnic group in the world hears the offer of forgiveness that He secured for us by His death on the cross. There are over six thousand un-reached people groups in the world. Many of these have no Christian witness what so ever. The way I see it, is that Christ is probably more interested in our witness to the nations than He is in our fascination with the details of His second coming. Many of the world’s un-reached people have certainly heard about Coca-Cola, but have never been told about God’s love in Christ. It seems that Coke has done a better job promoting its product in the last hundred years than the Church has with the gospel in the last two thousand. When General MacArthur was assigned the task of re-building Japan after the Second World War, he said, “Send me a thousand missionaries.” Japan remains one of the largest un-reached nations with a population of less than one percent who know God’s love in Christ.
Any delay in Christ’s return is probably due to fact that we are not doing our job and He is patiently waiting for us to finish the task He has assigned. He is not willing that any perish but that all should reach repentance.
4/3/2008 ts
Coca-Cola and the Second coming of Christ
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise… not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2Pet3.9 ESV
Someone asked me the other day if I thought Christ was returning in our lifetime. Jesus told us the He would not return until every ethnic group in the world hears the offer of forgiveness that He secured for us by His death on the cross. There are over six thousand un-reached people groups in the world. Many of these have no Christian witness what so ever. The way I see it, is that Christ is probably more interested in our witness to the nations than He is in our fascination with the details of His second coming. Many of the world’s un-reached people have certainly heard about Coca-Cola, but have never been told about God’s love in Christ. It seems that Coke has done a better job promoting its product in the last hundred years than the Church has with the gospel in the last two thousand. When General MacArthur was assigned the task of re-building Japan after the Second World War, he said, “Send me a thousand missionaries.” Japan remains one of the largest un-reached nations with a population of less than one percent who know God’s love in Christ.
Any delay in Christ’s return is probably due to fact that we are not doing our job and He is patiently waiting for us to finish the task He has assigned. He is not willing that any perish but that all should reach repentance.
4/3/2008 ts
Someone asked me the other day if I thought Christ was returning in our lifetime. Jesus told us the He would not return until every ethnic group in the world hears the offer of forgiveness that He secured for us by His death on the cross. There are over six thousand un-reached people groups in the world. Many of these have no Christian witness what so ever. The way I see it, is that Christ is probably more interested in our witness to the nations than He is in our fascination with the details of His second coming. Many of the world’s un-reached people have certainly heard about Coca-Cola, but have never been told about God’s love in Christ. It seems that Coke has done a better job promoting its product in the last hundred years than the Church has with the gospel in the last two thousand. When General MacArthur was assigned the task of re-building Japan after the Second World War, he said, “Send me a thousand missionaries.” Japan remains one of the largest un-reached nations with a population of less than one percent who know God’s love in Christ.
Any delay in Christ’s return is probably due to fact that we are not doing our job and He is patiently waiting for us to finish the task He has assigned. He is not willing that any perish but that all should reach repentance.
4/3/2008 ts
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Mealy-mouthed
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God. 1Jo3.21 ESV
I am one of those people who is always questioning myself. And, while I think it is good to examine ourselves, sometimes our enemy would capture us in a circle of self-condemnation and guilt. Satan is after all called the accuser of the brethren.
If there is some sin in our life that we know about, it is best to confess and forsake it, not sit around mealy-mouthed picking at it. The Holy Spirit does not want us to feel guilty; He wants us to repent. I know I must apologize to the Lord many times in a day for wayward thoughts. Sometimes this is expressed in nothing more than a knowing grunt. And while we are encouraged to take captive every thought, surely this means that once we have confessed our sins, we graciously accept His forgiveness and move on.
I think it is possible to be overly critical of oneself, especially if I find my prayers being hindered by it. There is nothing our enemy fears more than confident prayers of faith and he will do anything to disrupt them. This is probably one way to tell if conviction about something is coming from the enemy or from the Holy Spirit. Are my prayers being hindered or helped by it? God desires that we approach Him boldly, in confident faith, never mealy-mouthed because of some notion of unworthiness, even a true notion. The reason is that we approach God only in the blessing of Christ, and never on our own merits. 4/2/2008 ts
I am one of those people who is always questioning myself. And, while I think it is good to examine ourselves, sometimes our enemy would capture us in a circle of self-condemnation and guilt. Satan is after all called the accuser of the brethren.
If there is some sin in our life that we know about, it is best to confess and forsake it, not sit around mealy-mouthed picking at it. The Holy Spirit does not want us to feel guilty; He wants us to repent. I know I must apologize to the Lord many times in a day for wayward thoughts. Sometimes this is expressed in nothing more than a knowing grunt. And while we are encouraged to take captive every thought, surely this means that once we have confessed our sins, we graciously accept His forgiveness and move on.
I think it is possible to be overly critical of oneself, especially if I find my prayers being hindered by it. There is nothing our enemy fears more than confident prayers of faith and he will do anything to disrupt them. This is probably one way to tell if conviction about something is coming from the enemy or from the Holy Spirit. Are my prayers being hindered or helped by it? God desires that we approach Him boldly, in confident faith, never mealy-mouthed because of some notion of unworthiness, even a true notion. The reason is that we approach God only in the blessing of Christ, and never on our own merits. 4/2/2008 ts
Mealy-mouthed
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God. 1Jo3.21 ESV
I am one of those people who is always questioning myself. And, while I think it is good to examine ourselves, sometimes our enemy would capture us in a circle of self-condemnation and guilt. Satan is after all called the accuser of the brethren.
If there is some sin in our life that we know about, it is best to confess and forsake it, not sit around mealy-mouthed picking at it. The Holy Spirit does not want us to feel guilty; He wants us to repent. I know I must apologize to the Lord many times in a day for wayward thoughts. Sometimes this is expressed in nothing more than a knowing grunt. And while we are encouraged to take captive every thought, surely this means that once we have confessed our sins, we graciously accept His forgiveness and move on.
I think it is possible to be overly critical of oneself, especially if I find my prayers being hindered by it. There is nothing our enemy fears more than confident prayers of faith and he will do anything to disrupt them. This is probably one way to tell if conviction about something is coming from the enemy or from the Holy Spirit. Are my prayers being hindered or helped by it? God desires that we approach Him boldly, in confident faith, never mealy-mouthed because of some notion of unworthiness, even a true notion. The reason is that we approach God only in the blessing of Christ, and never on our own merits. 4/2/2008 ts
I am one of those people who is always questioning myself. And, while I think it is good to examine ourselves, sometimes our enemy would capture us in a circle of self-condemnation and guilt. Satan is after all called the accuser of the brethren.
If there is some sin in our life that we know about, it is best to confess and forsake it, not sit around mealy-mouthed picking at it. The Holy Spirit does not want us to feel guilty; He wants us to repent. I know I must apologize to the Lord many times in a day for wayward thoughts. Sometimes this is expressed in nothing more than a knowing grunt. And while we are encouraged to take captive every thought, surely this means that once we have confessed our sins, we graciously accept His forgiveness and move on.
I think it is possible to be overly critical of oneself, especially if I find my prayers being hindered by it. There is nothing our enemy fears more than confident prayers of faith and he will do anything to disrupt them. This is probably one way to tell if conviction about something is coming from the enemy or from the Holy Spirit. Are my prayers being hindered or helped by it? God desires that we approach Him boldly, in confident faith, never mealy-mouthed because of some notion of unworthiness, even a true notion. The reason is that we approach God only in the blessing of Christ, and never on our own merits. 4/2/2008 ts
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
If you want to be healthy, then be happy.
If you want to be healthy, then be happy.
“…the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh8.10 ESV
Wisdom affirms the value of a merry heart for good health. Actually the word merry is often used in Scripture of celebrating, so we might say that there are health benefits when one knows how to party. God is of course not approving riotous revelry but He is certainly encouraging us to celebrate life. “Don’t worry, be happy,” was certainly one of Jesus’ favorite topics and I am sure He would agree that if you want to be healthy, then be happy.
Now, some have sought to draw a distinction between happiness and joy. It is said that happiness comes from what is going on around us while joy comes from what is going on in us. This may be splitting hairs, so to speak, but I think this distinction might help us fine-tune the reasons behind our joy and happiness. What makes me happy is a healthy question to consider.
There are many encouragements in Scripture to rejoice and I should think that since we are told to do this, being happy and joyous must be a choice. We rejoice when we fine our joy in something. I don’t mean serendipitously find joy in it, but deliberately and consciously find joy in whatever God is providing. When we know how to celebrate God’s blessings, even when His blessings are disguised in trials and tribulations, we will know the richest expression of the words, “the joy of the Lord is my strength. This is to say, I am happy in whatever make Him happy. 4/1/2008 ts
“…the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh8.10 ESV
Wisdom affirms the value of a merry heart for good health. Actually the word merry is often used in Scripture of celebrating, so we might say that there are health benefits when one knows how to party. God is of course not approving riotous revelry but He is certainly encouraging us to celebrate life. “Don’t worry, be happy,” was certainly one of Jesus’ favorite topics and I am sure He would agree that if you want to be healthy, then be happy.
Now, some have sought to draw a distinction between happiness and joy. It is said that happiness comes from what is going on around us while joy comes from what is going on in us. This may be splitting hairs, so to speak, but I think this distinction might help us fine-tune the reasons behind our joy and happiness. What makes me happy is a healthy question to consider.
There are many encouragements in Scripture to rejoice and I should think that since we are told to do this, being happy and joyous must be a choice. We rejoice when we fine our joy in something. I don’t mean serendipitously find joy in it, but deliberately and consciously find joy in whatever God is providing. When we know how to celebrate God’s blessings, even when His blessings are disguised in trials and tribulations, we will know the richest expression of the words, “the joy of the Lord is my strength. This is to say, I am happy in whatever make Him happy. 4/1/2008 ts
If you want to be healthy, then be happy.
If you want to be healthy, then be happy.
“…the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh8.10 ESV
Wisdom affirms the value of a merry heart for good health. Actually the word merry is often used in Scripture of celebrating, so we might say that there are health benefits when one knows how to party. God is of course not approving riotous revelry but He is certainly encouraging us to celebrate life. “Don’t worry, be happy,” was certainly one of Jesus’ favorite topics and I am sure He would agree that if you want to be healthy, then be happy.
Now, some have sought to draw a distinction between happiness and joy. It is said that happiness comes from what is going on around us while joy comes from what is going on in us. This may be splitting hairs, so to speak, but I think this distinction might help us fine-tune the reasons behind our joy and happiness. What makes me happy is a healthy question to consider.
There are many encouragements in Scripture to rejoice and I should think that since we are told to do this, being happy and joyous must be a choice. We rejoice when we fine our joy in something. I don’t mean serendipitously find joy in it, but deliberately and consciously find joy in whatever God is providing. When we know how to celebrate God’s blessings, even when His blessings are disguised in trials and tribulations, we will know the richest expression of the words, “the joy of the Lord is my strength. This is to say, I am happy in whatever make Him happy. 4/1/2008 ts
“…the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh8.10 ESV
Wisdom affirms the value of a merry heart for good health. Actually the word merry is often used in Scripture of celebrating, so we might say that there are health benefits when one knows how to party. God is of course not approving riotous revelry but He is certainly encouraging us to celebrate life. “Don’t worry, be happy,” was certainly one of Jesus’ favorite topics and I am sure He would agree that if you want to be healthy, then be happy.
Now, some have sought to draw a distinction between happiness and joy. It is said that happiness comes from what is going on around us while joy comes from what is going on in us. This may be splitting hairs, so to speak, but I think this distinction might help us fine-tune the reasons behind our joy and happiness. What makes me happy is a healthy question to consider.
There are many encouragements in Scripture to rejoice and I should think that since we are told to do this, being happy and joyous must be a choice. We rejoice when we fine our joy in something. I don’t mean serendipitously find joy in it, but deliberately and consciously find joy in whatever God is providing. When we know how to celebrate God’s blessings, even when His blessings are disguised in trials and tribulations, we will know the richest expression of the words, “the joy of the Lord is my strength. This is to say, I am happy in whatever make Him happy. 4/1/2008 ts
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