Do You Have High Standards?

This weekend at true north we addressed a serious issue of how we live our Christian faith out in our daily lives. How we think and act in ALL we do...

Philippians 4:8-9 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

To think literally means to calculate or to put through an equation. That means in everything we do we should be looking at the Lord's standards and putting it through the wringer so to speak to see if it is edifying and beneficial.

1. Have HIGH standards about what you think about (v 8)
-True: correspond with reality/fact
-Noble: respectable, others see or find quality in it
-Right: according to God's standard is it appropriate or righteous?
-Pure: clean, not immoral
-Lovely: pleasing, nice, not dark
-Admirable: or good reputation, something you wouldn't mind others knowing or seeing you doing or thinking about
-Excellent/Praiseworthy:Quality, of some value, not worthless

2. Live up to your Christian Examples (v 9)
-Who is it in your life that you look up to and are trying to be like?
-These Christian examples should be in your lives regularly and you should seek to study their lives and imitate them. Like Paul and Timothy.
-In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul says "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."

3. Don't Fall Into Worldly Influences (v 4:18-19)
-The world will take you down!
-Don't fall into temptation
-Guard yourself from yourself!

What are these worldly influences?
-Don't be conformed to the evil patterns of thinking- Romans 12:2
-Don't be corrupted by bad company- 1 Corinthians 15:33

We as Christians need to be DIFFERENT then the world. Our standards need to be the LORD and not our fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord or even worse the world!! Do we live differently? How high are our standards. Let us put everything we do whether it be the movies and TV shows we watch or the music we listen through through God's filter and glorify Him in everything.

Are You ALL In It?

In the United States especially the Gospel, the TRUE Biblical Gospel has been terribly watered down. Although I do not believe you can lose your salvation I know there are many in the "church" who claim to be true disciples of the Lord but who are unfortunately not. In Matthew 13 (1-23) Jesus preaches an extremely vital parable explaining exactly this, verses 18-23
"18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

There are what seems to be four types of people, three who are not genuinely saved and then one (with three manifestations) who are. Pastor Mike at Compass Bible Church today explained in detail each of these in a way that hopefully helps all of us search our hearts and evaluate where we stand.

SEED 1 (v 19)- The Pew Warmers?
Their Spiritual Response to God's Word and the Gospel: "I don't get it!" Although it may logically make sense, there is no lasting effect that transforms their weekly lives. This seed is so dangerous because most of these people are faithful church attenders and even involved in ministry. But look at Christ's stern warning in Matthew 7: 21-23 "21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" This is not what you want to hear when you stand before the King of the universe. These people are spiritually blind. 2 Corinthians 4 explains this blinding. Satan even deceives many into believing that they are saved, what a scary strategy he uses. If the Holy Spirit begins working on the hearts of these they need to pray for light, for God to renew them and to be made alive in Christ!

SEED 2 (v20-21) The Temperamental Learners?
These are those who filter in and out of the church. While involved in the church they seem to be genuinely on fire and passionate about the truths of God but they soon leave. Their response to the life of a disciple could be summed up in "I'm in this as long as it makes me happy or feel good". For these, once it gets tough being a follower of Christ they are out! 1 John 2 verse 19 says "hey went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." Obviously these people did not embrace the word fully. Because they are in it for the wrong reasons, only wanting the blessings of the Christian life their attitude could look like a "Christ is the means to an end". Some passages that describe this are John 6:26, Romans 16:18, and Philippians 3:18. These people need to look and count the cost of discipleship and then take up their cross and follow Christ!

SEED 3 (v 22) The Chronically Conflicted?
These are the bitter people within the church who look at God's truth and say "Yeah but...what about...?". They look at the here and now and not what God has promised for the future. They have a foot in both worlds. They can't fully put behind them the concerns of the world but want a taste of the truth as well. They are idolaters. Christ is an addition to their life and not a replacement as He must be! These people need to look at the reality and serve ONE master! Joshua reminds us to choose today whom you will serve!

SEED 4 (v 23) The All in Appliers?
In Matthew 12 we read of the follower of Christ as the one who is willing to do the will of God. These are TRUE disciples. They have counted the cost and taken up their cross. They are here to do HIS will no matter what! They will give up anything and everything for Christ. Look at Paul's example in Acts 20:22-24 and Acts 21:12-14, "12When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 14When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done." Jesus Christ is their LORD! He gives the commands, He rules. There are three types however described in the passage, there is the one who bears 30x, 60x, and 100x. If this is you? How much fruit do you bear? One day we will be rewarded for the life we lived for the glory and honor of Christ. Bear more fruit! Be productive and fruitful for Christ.

Reading this passage in Matthew allows us as believers to refocus our minds on our goal and keep focused on the prize! Are we all in it?

Counting the Cost

Today as I was reading in Matthew I was reminded of what we have been called to as disciples in Christ Jesus. So often in our modern minds I think even we as Christians forget the high price yet the great reward that comes with following the King of the Universe. Here in Matthew we read the following:

Matthew 16:24-28 "24Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever wants to save his life[h] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 28I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

There are countless churches preaching a Gospel of comfort and wealth and countless Christians who think that their prosperity or blessings are a result of a life lacking sin. Many believe that in their own strength they have come to where they stand today and pride is rampant. Look at verse 24, Christ plainly states that if you want to follow Him...be His disciple, you must "DENY YOURSELF". I looked up the word deny and found this definition "to restrain from gratification or desires". Do we do that as believers? Are we more concerned about pleasing the Lord than gratifying our flesh? This is an active decision that we have to make on a daily basis. In our own strength it is impossible, our fleshly desires so often win. Yes we will have blessings from the Lord in this life and we must give Him the glory for those, but we must remember that the Christian life is not a life of worldly gain but of self denial.

Jesus goes on in verses 25-26 to remind us that although this life denying our flesh may be a difficult one as we go against the grain it will be one of eternal blessings. Those living in the world live to gain as much as they can now because this is the closest to heaven so to speak they will ever get. For the Christian this is the closest to hell we will ever get. Praise God for that! We must lose our lives in a figurative sense, lose our fleshly old selves in order that we might be new creations in Christ, renewed by eternal hope.

Jesus ends this passage with a great promise for the disciple. He reminds us of the fact that He will return soon and will reward us for the good works that He planned for us to do that we accomplished through His strength. We will one day get to stand before the King of the universe and may we hear well done good and faithful servant.

There is a cost in following Christ...we will have to give things up that we "want", we will have to go against the grain of society and culture, we will have to deny ourselves on a daily basis, we may be persecuted emotionally and or physically, we will go through trials and tribulations but it is nothing in comparison to what we have gained in Christ! Think of the eternal glory that awaits! What an amazing gift we have been given, something we do not deserve at all but that Christ has graciously provided a way for us to gain. May we live lives that count the cost and think oh how it is well-worth it and then move forward in bringing Him glory day by day.

DEPENDENT!

In today's "individualistic" society we are quick to forget the reality of life. Everything is "me, me, me" and "pull yourself up by your boot straps", but is that how God looks at it? Does He create us and then hands off? Is our Christian walk determined by the effort and strength we ALONE put in it? No, absolutely not and I believe that we forget that way too often. If we are to realize first and foremost that God is Creator than we must immediately remember that the fact that we even woke up this morning is because of Him alone. He is the one who in essence allows you "to be". Do you realize that? Life in and of itself is a blessing.

This weekend at Compass Bible Church, Pastor Mike wrapped up Hebrews with a great and encouraging yet very convicting message from Hebrews 13: 20-25
"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

22Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter.

23I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.

24Greet all your leaders and all God's people. Those from Italy send you their greetings.

25Grace be with you all."
In this ending of the book we find three key principles that Paul reminds us of in order that we might realize what I would say to be reality.

First off, we must recognize our dependence on God! Do we do that often enough? When we wake up in the morning do we give God thanks for who HE is and ask Him for strength for this very day for everything that we do? Do we understand that walking this Christian life is impossible without Him? Philippians 4:13 reminds us that we can do all things through HIM, it doesn't say we can do all things through ourselves. If you are walking in the power of the Lord your life will be radically different! He will use you for His glory and the furthering of His kingdom. But the moment that you try and do that in your own strength you will be utterly incapable.

Second we need to demonstrate a dependence on God's Word! We have the WORDS of God in our very hands...do we realize that?? Often people ask, what does God want me to do, why won't He just speak to me....HE IS! HE speaks to us through His Word. We must take advantage of the opportunity we have before us, to gain wisdom and knowledge from the Word of God and to hide that in our hearts so that when trial and temptation or opportunity to share the Gospel come our way we will stand firm! We must be in the Word daily and meditate upon it. Often times Christians look at "quiet times" as a burden or a must, but turn the perspective around for a minute and look at the reality of what it really is and quickly you find that it is a privilege and a blessing and should be a "want".

Lastly as Christians we must also realize, as Paul did, that we are dependent in a sense on God's people. We need each other! We need each other for encouragement, for spurring each other on and sharpening one another. We need to realize that we have a common bond that unifies us, grace...we have both been plucked from eternal despair into a life of eternal hope. And in that as we seek to serve the King and do ministry etc. we need to come together and glorify God working alongside one another. As it talks about in 1 Corinthians 12 we are all part of the Body of Christ, given different strengths and weaknesses, and we need one another. The problem? We are sinful beings and therefore people always fail us and always let us down. It is easy to trust and depend on the two perfect things above (God and the Word of God), but when we are to depend on imperfect things it is much more difficult. But we must not forget that God is working in and through believers to will and to work for His good pleasure. He is equipping each of us for His purpose and He uses us as believers in the lives of one another.

Thinking about all of this really puts into perspective "reality". We aren't independent. We don't get to do things on our own, we don't "arrive" so to speak on our own, we don't come about on our own, we can't grow on our own, we can't succeed on our own, and we can't even BE on our own...we are dependent on ultimately God for it all! Can we recognize that today and everyday? Can we remind ourselves daily of this to thank God for who HE is and for who HE has made us? Can we affirm our dependence on Him? May we NEVER find ourselves depending on ourselves because in the end we will find it is impossible to do anything apart from Him because we are DEPENDENT!

All Good Things Come From Above

In today's "Christian" world it is easy to say the right things but not mean them from within...it is easy to play the part, but not be transformed; we see this especially evident among those who grew up in "Christian" homes. Somewhere down the line we begin to believe that somehow we have earned or 'merited' God's favor because of the Christianese that we speak, the service that we do, the ministry we are involved in, or the knowledge that we hold. This reality is a slippery and dangerous slope that the disciple of Christ must be careful not to fall down.

In the Gospel of Matthew we read a profound peace of Scripture in 7:11 "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

conversely in Isaiah 64:6 we read, "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."

How have Christians fallen plague to this idea that somehow we are earning God's favor or that the so-called "righteous deeds" that we perform are earning us blessing from a Holy God? It is false and very dangerous thinking that could lead us to even believing that our salvation was in some way an act of our doing in which we earned the favor of God in order to spend eternity with Him. Many of the seeker-sensitive and other churches today are playing very dangerously with doctrine and Scriptural truth in presenting this idea that there is some good in mankind. But in Scripture we are clearly taught as in Romans 3:10, "There is no one righteous, not even one..." There is no room for interpreting anything other then the fact that there is none, not one person on the face of this planet today or in eternity past or present or future that will be able to earn the favor of God. We have all fallen short!

Many of us would say that we completely agree with the above statements, that our salvation was absolutely an act of God's drawing us and that we would never dream of thinking we could earn or merit God's favor. But do we really believe that? Are we doing things that we might be more holy in order to bring glory to a Heavenly Holy Father or are we doing things to make us feel good or to somehow earn earthly blessings from God?

God blesses many of us, especially in the United States, tremendously. Most of us do not know what starvation looks like, what it truly means to be homeless, what it is like to loose a spouse or a child, or what persecution for faith feels like. We are privileged beyond which we can really comprehend. So often the good things that we have begin becoming expectations instead of blessings. We expect that because of the way we live, "oh-so-righteously" we deserve God's blessings and favor on our lives. Somehow that if we read our Bibles enough, go to church on a regular basis, and lets say tithe to the church then we are going to have a "good" Christian life. When we sit down to pray before a meal it is as I heard, "like singing the national anthem before a baseball game"...just something that must be done. Are we really taking the time to thank God for all that He has given us? For the good things that have as He said in scripture, come from above? Have we taken the time on a daily basis to evaluate the reality that even the fact that we are breathing at this very moment is an act of His loving grace and mercy? Anything good that you or receive is an act of God and not of yourself. Do not let your hearts deceive you and your pride boost your confidence. Apart from Christ you would not be who you are today and would not have the husband/wife, children, career, church, ministry etc. that you have today...is that a reality to us as Christians?

Yes God blesses us here on earth as well as in eternity. But may we remember that in those blessings we see the Giver of the gifts and not just the gifts. May we thank Him for not only the big things He has given us (salvation, a spouse or children), but also the things that might seem minor (food, clothing, home etc.). It is only by His grace that we are here and it is only by His grace that we will spend eternity with Him. Remembering daily that all good things come from above allows us to refocus our minds and give thanks to the one who deserves never-ending praise, glory, and honor...Jesus Christ the Lord of ALL the Universe.

Knowledge of The Holy by A.W. Tozer

“…The gravest question before the Church is always God Himself… –Tozer
“A person’s view of God defines them”. We were created as beings made to worship something. Whether a person chooses to worship the one true and living God or a god made of money or false religions, each one pursues something with passion. As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ we must strive hard to worship God with the glory due His name. Our view of our King is determined by our knowledge of the Holy One.
Gaining an adequate perspective and grasping the nature of who God is required of the Christian passionately pursuing the Lord. In our fleshly nature we tend to mentally draw up an image of a god whom we have created from our own perceptions. Often times our ideas of God are drawn from the beliefs of church leaders, authors, or those we respect. “Without doubt, the mightiest thought the mind can entertain is the thought of God, and the weightiest word in any language is its word for God” (Tozer2). It is crucial that our idea or view of God correspond as closely to reality and truth derived from Scripture as possible. As we continue on in sanctification our view of God will determine much of our growth. Once one establishes a right view of God he or she is able to fully depend on and trust the sovereign God of the universe and live a life that glorifies Him alone.
Triune, divine, omnipresent, self-existent, self-sufficient, eternal, immutable, omniscient, wise, omnipotent, transcendent, faithful, good, just, merciful, grace giving, loving, holy, and sovereign; some of the attributes of the Almighty God we serve. A lifetime could go by and one would never be able to fully take hold and truly comprehend who God is. Yet in our continual growth as believers our study of His character enables us to fall more in love with Him, depend more greatly on Him, and gain the right view of ourselves in regards to who He is. Tozer brilliantly describes each of these attributes in concise yet adequate and scripturally based language that convict and encourages the heart of the believer. “When we say that God is infinite we mean that He knows no bounds. Whatever God is and all that God is, He is without limit” (Tozer 70). In order for us to view God as GOD we must begin our faithful journey of study in regards to the character of who He is, the more you know the more in love with Him you fall.
“To our questions God has provided answers; not all the answers, certainly, but enough to satisfy our intellects and ravish our hearts. These answers He has provided in nature, in Scriptures, and in the person of His Son” (Tozer 22). Studying God is delightful for the one who is thirsty for Him, the believer. As we think more accurately about who God is we come to a realization that we cannot describe this being. It is only by His transformation and grace that we even desire this pursuit. Christians must realize that “an attribute is not a part of God, it is how God is” (Tozer 25). God is who He claims to be throughout Scripture. His character never changes; He never does something to contradict His character or His promises. The sovereign Lord of the universe has always been, continues to be, and will always be; what a comforting thought. We as believers have been given a gift to share…God, “we are left for a season among men; let us faithfully represent Him here” (Tozer 184).

It is Well..It is Well With My Soul

I remember being ten or eleven and hearing hymns and thinking "how boring". These songs were usually accompanied by very little music and seemed to me to have no beat or rhythm. Looking back on that I realize what naivety I showed. The hymns are chalk full with Scriptural truths and the words pierce the heart. About a year and a half ago I went through a very difficult time in my life in which God taught me more than ever of His faithfulness to those whom He has saved. During that time an old hymn became a prayer of mine on almost a daily basis. The hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" is full of God's promises and humbles the heart as I am reminded of the attitude I should have in all circumstances.


verse 1 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
There will be times in our lives that are full of abundant blessing and good things and times when we are in the pits of despair. But as you fall more in love with your Father in heaven you come to realize that no matter what the circumstance we can find hope and comfort in the God who knows the beginning and the end and who is in control of ALL things.


verse 2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
Until we enter into eternity we will be tempted and tried by the enemy. Trials will come and go, but we can rest assure that if we have been saved by the blood of Christ we can look forward to eternal glory and reward and a time when one day Satan can no longer invade our lives.


verse 3 My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
Think about that for a moment! Wow! The love of Christ, that He would die for a wretched sinner like me. Every sin was nailed to that cross...PRAISE THE LORD PRAISE THE LORD O MY SOUL!


verse 4 For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
Paul reminds us in Philippians that living and dying means Christ. So no matter what we are with the Lord of Heaven and Earth.

verse 6 But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!
Looking forward to that blessing coming that we believers so anxiously await...the second coming of Jesus Christ! That should bring rest to our weary hearts and should be the hope that sustains us.


verse 7 And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
This verse is probably my favorite. I cannot wait for this moment. No matter how hard I try to visualize this I will never be able to grasp the grandeur of what it will be like when I get to see my Lord! Oh what a glorious and amazing day that will truly be!!!!

It was through that trial in my life that God taught me that no matter what, good or bad, I can always say it is well with my soul because the King of the Universe has saved me from all that could have destroyed me forever!!! Cling tightly to the eternal hope you have for it is what sustains us through His Word.

Finding Joy in God Through Prayer

I am currently reading a book by John Piper titled When I Don't Desire God, How to Fight for Joy. Upon starting the book I was a bit hesitant as I assumed that I found much joy in Christ and didn't need to fight to find it, however as I have come to learn finding joy in Christ is a daily learning process and a battle until the day we die.

Something God has been teaching me lately is the importance of prayer. Throughout my life, pre-salvation and during I have grown in the way I pray but many times my prayers have been repetitive demands with an ungrateful heart. As I continue to study the character of our amazing and awesome God I have begun yearning for constant commune in prayer or talk with Him. Piper dedicates a couple chapters in his book to the power of prayer and some great tips in how to pray. But before we can truly pray we need to understand what prayer is. The Westminster Catechism defines prayer as, "an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies"...or simply put, "an offering up of our desires to God". Prayer therefore reveals the heart. And even deeper what we are praying for reveals our spiritual condition. The desires of our heart reveal what our treasure is and our treasure must be Christ! "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him!"

We must learn to pray for joy and satisfaction in the Lord because we can not get that ourselves. John 14:13 says, "Whatever you ask in my name...this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." The early church knew the vitality of prayer but do we? We must learn as disciples how to truly pray and we will soon find how much joy is found in our fellowship with the God of the universe.

Piper examines the early church and comes up with great tips on how to radically change your prayer life:

1. The early Christians called on God to exalt his name in the world (Matt 6:9)
2. The early Christians called on God to extend his kingdom in the world (Matt 6:10)
3. The early Christians called on God for the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13)
4. The early Christians called on God to save unbelievers (Romans 10:1)
5. The early Christians called on God for healing (Acts 8:7)
6. The early Christians called on God for strategic wisdom (Col 1:9)
7. The early Christians called on God for unity and harmony in the ranks (John 17:20-21)
8. The early Christians called on God to help them know him better (Ephesians 1:17)
9. The early Christians called on God to help them comprehend the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:14,18)
10. The early Christians called on God for a deeper sense of assured hope (Romans 5:2)
11. The early Christians called on God for strength and endurance (Ephesians 3:16)
12. The early Christians called on God for their faith to be preserved (Luke 22:32)
13. The early Christians called on God that they might not fall into temptation (Matt 6:13)
14. The early Christians called on God to complete their resolves and enable them to do good works (2 Thess. 1:11)
15. The early Christians called on God for forgiveness of their sins (Matt 6:12)
16. The early Christians called on God for protection from the evil one (Matt 6:13)

Meditate on God's Word, pray over it in your fight for joy! Incline your ear to wisdom, pray for that desire. Ask the Lord to open the eyes of your heart to His truth. Ask for unity within your heart and mind as you find joy in some areas and lack of trust or sorrow in others. And ask the Lord to satisfy you fully in Him.

May these lines from the hymn of praise by Robinson "Come Thou Fount" be our prayer as well...

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Find joy in God through your time spent with Him!!