Currently I am reading through the book of Proverbs with the high school ministry at Compass. Something that has seemed to prevail and many would even call it the theme of the book is "wisdom". Not necessarily intellectual wisdom but rather Godly wisdom which comes from the Word and Godly counsel. As I have been reading the book I have consistently been reminded of the fact that as I seek the Lord for wisdom He is going to direct my footsteps and that that direction might be a little or a lot different then I had "planned" in my own heart or mind.
This past weekend we had a guest speaker at church who made a comment that I could relate so well to, he said "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans". Isn't that the truth?! I think that God laughs at me all the time. I have the type of personality where I like to plan plan and plan some more, I like to keep my bases covered etc. But from the moment I was saved it was almost as if God took a giant eraser and erased "my" plans and began directing me in the way He wanted me to go. If you would have asked me three years ago when I graduated high school where I would be in four years after graduating college and almost everything would have been different. But what has proved to be true time and time again is that God's faithfulness in directing me towards His purpose and end has been such a blessing and so much better then I could have planned for myself.
Two verses in Proverbs really stick out to me in regards to this idea:
Proverbs 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”
Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails."
This is the truth! God has a purpose and a plan for His glory and future kingdom and He will fulfill that purpose and plan. We cannot thwart anything about it. In fact he uses even the things in our life to fulfill that plan. God has a purpose and plan for our life as well and that is to bring glory to Himself and to further His kingdom. He is going to use us in whatever ways He wants. What a privilege to be used by the King. We need to be willing to go anywhere, do anything, at anytime for Him. We need to be flexible with whatever it is that God plans for us. We don't see the whole picture, in fact we only see the next step but God sees the beginning and the end and every step in between and we can trust that His plan is much better than our own.
All of this said I have been recently reminded of how important it is to first and foremost seek Him and His kingdom and although I may have "plans" or ideas of what it is that I will do with the remainder of my life, I must in humility be willing to change those to plan B, C, D, or even E in a moment as the Lord leads and have hope that the Lord will fulfill all His purposes and His ultimate plan.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Holiness is Not an Option
Currently I am reading the acclaimed book The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges. It is both convicting and encouraging as Bridges attempts to motivate believers to live a life set apart for Christ. When I opened up to the third chapter and read the title I was excited to see what was in store as I am so passionate about the fact that someone cannot claim to follow Christ and look like the world...they must be holy!
Hebrews 12:14 says, "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."
Jerry opens with this line, "Just what do these words, "without holiness no one will see the Lord" actually mean? Christians cannot earn their salvation. They cannot somehow live some type of life that would enable them to gain their entrance into eternal life with God. In fact our own works that we would consider honorable and right are called "filthy rags" in Scripture. Throughout Scripture we read about how Christ's perfect life of obedience and righteousness is viewed in lieu of the believer's marred sinful nature in God's eyes. Christ lived a perfect life and for those who trust in Him they too are viewed as having lived a perfect life.
(Side bar...think about that for a second. We are viewed, well those of us who have genuinely repented and put our faith in Christ, as perfect like Christ is perfect in the eyes of a Holy God. The magnitude of that should make us want to fall to our knees and worship and glory our King forever! Neverending thanks and praise are due His name.)
Now although all just said is very true the holiness talked about in the passage in Hebrews above is not referring to that holiness found in Christ. Scripture talks about that holiness but also talks about the holiness we are to pursue and strive hard after. "We are through Christ made holy in our standing in God and called to be holy in our daily lives before God!" Do you have a desire to live a holy life pleasing to God? If not there needs to be some serious questions asked. Since we have been saved God has saved us from the dominion of sin and the ability to seek after holiness is opened up. That desire should be a ever burning flame that never burns out.
" The whole purpose of our salvation is that we be holy and blameless in His sight. To continue to live in sin as a Christian is to go contrary to God's very purpose for our salvation." As one trusts in Christ for salvation the Holy Spirit enters and enables and kindles a desire for holiness in the believer's heart. "God's nature demands holiness...". God doesn't desire us to be perfect but He does desire us to strive towards holiness in our daily lives.
Holiness is necessary for the following things:
-Fellowship with God- Psalm 15:1 "When we are holding onto some sin we are not pursuing holiness and we cannot have fellowship with God."
-Our Well-Being- Hebrews 12:6 Have you ever experienced discipline from the hand of God? We all have. God disciplines those whom He loves. Yet if we would heed the wisdom He offers and live lives consistent with His character...or strive to do that we wouldn't experience the discipline as often...we wouldn't need to.
-Effective Service to God- 2 Timothy 2:21 "Holiness and usefulness are linked. We can't bring our service to God in an unclean vessel."
-Assurance of Salvation- 2 Corinthians 5:17 "True faith will always show itself by its fruits.
"The only safe evidence that we are in Christ is a holy life." We must remember Matthew 7:21-23, not all who claim to know the Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven. Holiness is not an option it is the life of the Christian!
Hebrews 12:14 says, "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."
Jerry opens with this line, "Just what do these words, "without holiness no one will see the Lord" actually mean? Christians cannot earn their salvation. They cannot somehow live some type of life that would enable them to gain their entrance into eternal life with God. In fact our own works that we would consider honorable and right are called "filthy rags" in Scripture. Throughout Scripture we read about how Christ's perfect life of obedience and righteousness is viewed in lieu of the believer's marred sinful nature in God's eyes. Christ lived a perfect life and for those who trust in Him they too are viewed as having lived a perfect life.
(Side bar...think about that for a second. We are viewed, well those of us who have genuinely repented and put our faith in Christ, as perfect like Christ is perfect in the eyes of a Holy God. The magnitude of that should make us want to fall to our knees and worship and glory our King forever! Neverending thanks and praise are due His name.)
Now although all just said is very true the holiness talked about in the passage in Hebrews above is not referring to that holiness found in Christ. Scripture talks about that holiness but also talks about the holiness we are to pursue and strive hard after. "We are through Christ made holy in our standing in God and called to be holy in our daily lives before God!" Do you have a desire to live a holy life pleasing to God? If not there needs to be some serious questions asked. Since we have been saved God has saved us from the dominion of sin and the ability to seek after holiness is opened up. That desire should be a ever burning flame that never burns out.
" The whole purpose of our salvation is that we be holy and blameless in His sight. To continue to live in sin as a Christian is to go contrary to God's very purpose for our salvation." As one trusts in Christ for salvation the Holy Spirit enters and enables and kindles a desire for holiness in the believer's heart. "God's nature demands holiness...". God doesn't desire us to be perfect but He does desire us to strive towards holiness in our daily lives.
Holiness is necessary for the following things:
-Fellowship with God- Psalm 15:1 "When we are holding onto some sin we are not pursuing holiness and we cannot have fellowship with God."
-Our Well-Being- Hebrews 12:6 Have you ever experienced discipline from the hand of God? We all have. God disciplines those whom He loves. Yet if we would heed the wisdom He offers and live lives consistent with His character...or strive to do that we wouldn't experience the discipline as often...we wouldn't need to.
-Effective Service to God- 2 Timothy 2:21 "Holiness and usefulness are linked. We can't bring our service to God in an unclean vessel."
-Assurance of Salvation- 2 Corinthians 5:17 "True faith will always show itself by its fruits.
"The only safe evidence that we are in Christ is a holy life." We must remember Matthew 7:21-23, not all who claim to know the Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven. Holiness is not an option it is the life of the Christian!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Happily Ever After?
Today at True North was a bitter sweet day...it was our high school seniors final day as high school students in the ministry. What has been so neat is watching many of these young people be transformed radically from the inside out by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is sad to see them go but at the same time exciting to anticipate all God is going to do in and through them in the years to come. Bobby gave a great message that I think powerfully resonated within everyone's hearts and minds.
In today's culture, especially American culture, we have this idea or notion that each of us will live happily ever after...or at least that is the goal. But for the Christian is that a reality? Is that what the Bible teaches? No, not at all. In fact the Bible teaches almost something exactly opposite...but although we may not have a happily ever after here on this earth...we will live happily ever after with our Maker for eternity in the kingdom of Heaven one day.
Peace...was Jesus the archetypal figure of the modern peace movement? Absolutely not. Jesus did not preach a national or relational human peace but rather a peace between a Holy God and unholy man. Jesus wants us to have a peace with God because we are naturally enemies of God. John 14:27 says that the peace we have is a different kind of peace from that of the world, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Humanity wants peace and unity, but in a fallen world the only possible peace is found through the blood of Christ toward God!
Our text, John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Jesus preached these precious words to His closest followers, the disciples the night he was to be taken from the Garden and crucified. A message of exhortation, warning and a promise that applies to each of us today. What can we take away from these words?
We need to be established in our relationship with Christ! We must make sure first and foremost we are right with God...that we have established peace with Him in our hearts. The only way to do this is through repentance and faith in Christ's provisionary work on the cross of calvary. If God has really saved you you will have a REAL peace. In the book of Jeremiah we see how false peace is often promised to people yet God explains they have no peace with them because they have not established peace with Him. Jeremiah 6:14-15 "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.'Peace, peace,' they say,when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all;they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen;they will be brought down when I punish them," says the LORD. " We must make sure that the peace we have claimed to have obtained is genuine and real and the peace we proclaim is the peace of the Gospel.
Right after Jesus explains how to obtain peace He is quick to prepare the disciples for the life they are about to live. The happily ever after life? Not quite. More of a life full of hardship, trials, and persecution. People will hate you and turn on you because of the peace you have. John 15:18 says, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." There is a promise of persecution here...it is part of the package of Christianity. The world didn't like Jesus so why would it like you, someone who follows Him? Why is Jesus telling us and the disciples this? John 16:1 answers our question, "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray." Much of the persecution is going to come from within the "church" or from people who claim to be "Christians". We must prepare ourselves....here are some great encouraging verses on how to do this:
-1 John 13:13-14 "Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. " ---> Knowing this reminds us that if the world hates us we are followers of Him whom they hated first.
-2 Timothy 3:12 "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..."---> This leads us to know that if we are being persecuted we are living the life we have been called to.
-1 Peter 4:12-13 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." ---> What a promise we have to look forward to!!
Jesus doesn't leave us here in discouragement but rather strengthens and encourages us with the ending of the verse in John 16:33. "...But take heart! I have overcome the world." We must be victorious in the love of Jesus. The more we stick up for Christ the more we will be squeezed/persecuted by the world but we can have confidence that Jesus Christ has already overcome the world on a cross over 2000 years ago. And we can know that if we are Christians with His strength we too will overcome the world.
-Psalm 23:4-6 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil,for you are with me;your rod and your staff,they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil;my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
-Psalm 27:13-14 "I am still confident of this:I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD;be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."
-Romans 8:28-35---> Everything works for good...not everything will be good but everything works for good for those in Christ and if He is for us nobody can be against us in fact NOTHING can separate us from His love.
So although we may not have a happily ever after here on this earth...we will live happily ever after with our Maker for eternity in the kingdom of Heaven one day.
In today's culture, especially American culture, we have this idea or notion that each of us will live happily ever after...or at least that is the goal. But for the Christian is that a reality? Is that what the Bible teaches? No, not at all. In fact the Bible teaches almost something exactly opposite...but although we may not have a happily ever after here on this earth...we will live happily ever after with our Maker for eternity in the kingdom of Heaven one day.
Peace...was Jesus the archetypal figure of the modern peace movement? Absolutely not. Jesus did not preach a national or relational human peace but rather a peace between a Holy God and unholy man. Jesus wants us to have a peace with God because we are naturally enemies of God. John 14:27 says that the peace we have is a different kind of peace from that of the world, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Humanity wants peace and unity, but in a fallen world the only possible peace is found through the blood of Christ toward God!
Our text, John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Jesus preached these precious words to His closest followers, the disciples the night he was to be taken from the Garden and crucified. A message of exhortation, warning and a promise that applies to each of us today. What can we take away from these words?
We need to be established in our relationship with Christ! We must make sure first and foremost we are right with God...that we have established peace with Him in our hearts. The only way to do this is through repentance and faith in Christ's provisionary work on the cross of calvary. If God has really saved you you will have a REAL peace. In the book of Jeremiah we see how false peace is often promised to people yet God explains they have no peace with them because they have not established peace with Him. Jeremiah 6:14-15 "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.'Peace, peace,' they say,when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all;they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen;they will be brought down when I punish them," says the LORD. " We must make sure that the peace we have claimed to have obtained is genuine and real and the peace we proclaim is the peace of the Gospel.
Right after Jesus explains how to obtain peace He is quick to prepare the disciples for the life they are about to live. The happily ever after life? Not quite. More of a life full of hardship, trials, and persecution. People will hate you and turn on you because of the peace you have. John 15:18 says, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." There is a promise of persecution here...it is part of the package of Christianity. The world didn't like Jesus so why would it like you, someone who follows Him? Why is Jesus telling us and the disciples this? John 16:1 answers our question, "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray." Much of the persecution is going to come from within the "church" or from people who claim to be "Christians". We must prepare ourselves....here are some great encouraging verses on how to do this:
-1 John 13:13-14 "Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. " ---> Knowing this reminds us that if the world hates us we are followers of Him whom they hated first.
-2 Timothy 3:12 "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..."---> This leads us to know that if we are being persecuted we are living the life we have been called to.
-1 Peter 4:12-13 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." ---> What a promise we have to look forward to!!
Jesus doesn't leave us here in discouragement but rather strengthens and encourages us with the ending of the verse in John 16:33. "...But take heart! I have overcome the world." We must be victorious in the love of Jesus. The more we stick up for Christ the more we will be squeezed/persecuted by the world but we can have confidence that Jesus Christ has already overcome the world on a cross over 2000 years ago. And we can know that if we are Christians with His strength we too will overcome the world.
-Psalm 23:4-6 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil,for you are with me;your rod and your staff,they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil;my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
-Psalm 27:13-14 "I am still confident of this:I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD;be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."
-Romans 8:28-35---> Everything works for good...not everything will be good but everything works for good for those in Christ and if He is for us nobody can be against us in fact NOTHING can separate us from His love.
So although we may not have a happily ever after here on this earth...we will live happily ever after with our Maker for eternity in the kingdom of Heaven one day.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Why Do We Forget???
I just recently started reading Revival by Martyn Lloyd-Jones and have been immensely encouraged and convicted by the truths proclaimed in this book. Jones begins talking about the fact that Christians today are not convinced of the REALTY of a revival...they don't think it can happen and therefore don't expect it or pray for it. They have forgotten of the Revivals that have happened in the past.
Looking back through Biblical history we see the evidences of God's faithfulness time and time again. Throughout the years that God dealt with the nation of Israel they went through cycles that showed God's goodness and grace. It is interesting to find that often times God would have the children set up a tangible reminder (like the stones near the Jordan in the book of Joshua) so that they wouldn't forget what God had done for them! "God gave the commandment because He knows human nature so well, and what he knows about us is that it is simply astonishing to notice how easily we can forget" (94). If we are completely honest with ourselves we can humbly admit that we too forget...all the time. We forget "even the greatest and most wonderful things" (95).
Why do we forget? SIN! "One of the most devastating effects of sin is the way in which it puts paralysis upon the mind and even upon the memory" (95). But really what in sin is it that causes this forgetfulness?
1. Absorption with ourselves- We are obsessed with ourselves, our age, our generation, and our activities. We are self-centered and so consumed with what "we" are doing. "People's lives are bound entirely by their own circle, and how infrequently do they look out from inside it" (95).
2.The past can't help us- We live in a new day and age, things are different, what can the past teach us...these are all common excuses even in the Christian community.
3. Subjectivism of Ours- This filters into our studying of the Bible even. "We are all so morbidly concerned with ourselves and our own problems that we even go to the Bible as a book which is going to help us with our problems. Our very approach to the Bible is so subjective instead of being objective. But, the Bible is not just a book that answers my little questions and tells me various things that I may want to know; the Bible is the record of the activity of God, the manifestations of God, God's might acts and deeds" (96).
The principle of forgetting can be found throughout the entirety of Scripture. "We are so dull and so stupid as the result of sin, that we might even forget this, the death of the Son of God for us and his agony and his shame and all that he endured on the cross. And His eternal love for us, we could even forget that" (96-97).
If we know we forget we must somehow discipline ourselves to remember. But how? Being in the Word consistently and reading the truths of what God has done throughout history will refresh our memories and command worship and praise. Reflecting on our precious gift of salvation daily will jog our minds to bring Him the glory. We must not forget what the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE has done for us, what He has done in the past and we must look forward with expectation and anticipation of what is yet to come!!
Looking back through Biblical history we see the evidences of God's faithfulness time and time again. Throughout the years that God dealt with the nation of Israel they went through cycles that showed God's goodness and grace. It is interesting to find that often times God would have the children set up a tangible reminder (like the stones near the Jordan in the book of Joshua) so that they wouldn't forget what God had done for them! "God gave the commandment because He knows human nature so well, and what he knows about us is that it is simply astonishing to notice how easily we can forget" (94). If we are completely honest with ourselves we can humbly admit that we too forget...all the time. We forget "even the greatest and most wonderful things" (95).
Why do we forget? SIN! "One of the most devastating effects of sin is the way in which it puts paralysis upon the mind and even upon the memory" (95). But really what in sin is it that causes this forgetfulness?
1. Absorption with ourselves- We are obsessed with ourselves, our age, our generation, and our activities. We are self-centered and so consumed with what "we" are doing. "People's lives are bound entirely by their own circle, and how infrequently do they look out from inside it" (95).
2.The past can't help us- We live in a new day and age, things are different, what can the past teach us...these are all common excuses even in the Christian community.
3. Subjectivism of Ours- This filters into our studying of the Bible even. "We are all so morbidly concerned with ourselves and our own problems that we even go to the Bible as a book which is going to help us with our problems. Our very approach to the Bible is so subjective instead of being objective. But, the Bible is not just a book that answers my little questions and tells me various things that I may want to know; the Bible is the record of the activity of God, the manifestations of God, God's might acts and deeds" (96).
The principle of forgetting can be found throughout the entirety of Scripture. "We are so dull and so stupid as the result of sin, that we might even forget this, the death of the Son of God for us and his agony and his shame and all that he endured on the cross. And His eternal love for us, we could even forget that" (96-97).
If we know we forget we must somehow discipline ourselves to remember. But how? Being in the Word consistently and reading the truths of what God has done throughout history will refresh our memories and command worship and praise. Reflecting on our precious gift of salvation daily will jog our minds to bring Him the glory. We must not forget what the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE has done for us, what He has done in the past and we must look forward with expectation and anticipation of what is yet to come!!
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me!
I am currently reading a book by John Piper called What Jesus Demands From the World. This book has short chapters covering a variety of commands of Christianity from the Lord Jesus Christ from taking up your cross and following Him to making disciples and everything in between. I wanted to share briefly about one of the chapters I read that really struck me...The title: "DEMAND 8: Take Up Your Cross and Follow ME!"
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." -Matthew 16:24-25
"Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." -Mark 1:17
"I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." -John 8:12
"If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." -Matthew 19:21
The Christian life in today's society can often times be portrayed as being "cool", "easy", "glamorous", or the answer to all of your problems. Problem is this isn't what the Bible teaches. There is not a promise that once you repent and put your trust in Christ that somehow your life is going to be daisies and roses...it in fact promises the exact opposite. Once you become a Christian and are transformed from the inside out you are now going to be going upstream in a world thats flowing rapidly in the opposite direction. When Jesus was here on earth He had actual followers, His disciples who went with Him wherever He went. When Jesus approached them and commanded them to follow Him they didn't ask any questions and were not hesitant...they immediately dropped what they were doing, left everything and followed Him. What an example to us. Although Jesus is not physically here commanding us to follow Him in a physical sense the command still holds true to those of us who are going to claim to be Christians.
What does following Jesus entail? Piper explains that following Jesus first and foremost means that you are "joining Him in what He was sent to do". What is that? He came to give life...everlasting life. That means that if we are going to follow Him we are continuing the work He came to do. We are gathering those left to follow Him too and bring glory and honor to His name...SPREAD THE GOSPEL! With this there is going to be suffering. Jesus teaches that if He suffered how much more and we who follow Him going to suffer as well. We are blessed to live in a day and age where our suffering is minimal compared to those in the past but are we willing to loose our reputation, our friends, our families, and even our lives to follow Christ? We might say we are but are we living lives that reflect that?
You see following Christ is going to create problems with everything in this world. It is going to create problems in your relationships with people. It is going to create problems in your relationships with possessions. It is going to create problems in your relationships with vocation and so forth...but then comes the question is it worth it? Is following Christ worth the cost? There is a cost.
"Jesus has no desire to trick you into following Him with a kind of bait and switch. He is utterly up front about the cost. In fact he urges you to count the cost...Let the call to follow Jesus be clear and honest. "in the world you will have tribulation, but take heart I have overcome the world!" (John 16:33)" " (74). Is it costly? Absolutely, but is it worth it? OH YES INDEED!
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." -Matthew 16:24-25
"Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." -Mark 1:17
"I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." -John 8:12
"If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." -Matthew 19:21
The Christian life in today's society can often times be portrayed as being "cool", "easy", "glamorous", or the answer to all of your problems. Problem is this isn't what the Bible teaches. There is not a promise that once you repent and put your trust in Christ that somehow your life is going to be daisies and roses...it in fact promises the exact opposite. Once you become a Christian and are transformed from the inside out you are now going to be going upstream in a world thats flowing rapidly in the opposite direction. When Jesus was here on earth He had actual followers, His disciples who went with Him wherever He went. When Jesus approached them and commanded them to follow Him they didn't ask any questions and were not hesitant...they immediately dropped what they were doing, left everything and followed Him. What an example to us. Although Jesus is not physically here commanding us to follow Him in a physical sense the command still holds true to those of us who are going to claim to be Christians.
What does following Jesus entail? Piper explains that following Jesus first and foremost means that you are "joining Him in what He was sent to do". What is that? He came to give life...everlasting life. That means that if we are going to follow Him we are continuing the work He came to do. We are gathering those left to follow Him too and bring glory and honor to His name...SPREAD THE GOSPEL! With this there is going to be suffering. Jesus teaches that if He suffered how much more and we who follow Him going to suffer as well. We are blessed to live in a day and age where our suffering is minimal compared to those in the past but are we willing to loose our reputation, our friends, our families, and even our lives to follow Christ? We might say we are but are we living lives that reflect that?
You see following Christ is going to create problems with everything in this world. It is going to create problems in your relationships with people. It is going to create problems in your relationships with possessions. It is going to create problems in your relationships with vocation and so forth...but then comes the question is it worth it? Is following Christ worth the cost? There is a cost.
"Jesus has no desire to trick you into following Him with a kind of bait and switch. He is utterly up front about the cost. In fact he urges you to count the cost...Let the call to follow Jesus be clear and honest. "in the world you will have tribulation, but take heart I have overcome the world!" (John 16:33)" " (74). Is it costly? Absolutely, but is it worth it? OH YES INDEED!
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Emergen-C?
Recently I was in a bit of a debate with some friends about whether the popular "emergen-c" works to prevent sickness or quicken healing once you've already come down with something. Emergen-C promises to boost your immune system with vitamin C and other vitamins simply by taking it once daily. Some think it is a hoax but some say it works. I thought it was funny that the friends who had never tried it were the ones opposed to it and the ones who had were in favor of it. I realized that you really can't make a decision as to whether it works or not unless you've given it a try...that is see if the promises really are true.
Much like a physical ailment, we as Christians are going to go through times of spiritual "ailments" so to speak as well. What I mean is there are going to be times throughout the Christian life when we go through hard times, trials, or suffering in order that we might be refined as 1 Peter 1:7 says, "These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
We have "emergen-c"s in our Christian lives throughout our walk. Often times in our innate selves we are quick to run to the phone to call a friend, cry on the shoulder of a family member, or even mask the pain within ourselves. Sometimes we don't think that God's promises are for sure going to hold firm when we are in the depths of despair. We fail to realize that we have the source of all joy at our fingertips...the Living God is our Father, our friend, our Savior and He is living, real, and tangible. We have his Word to dig deep into and be encouraged, we have His Spirit indwelling within us enabling us to find strength in the weakness, and we have the ability to cry out to Him in prayer through the cross of Christ.
The Psalms are an amazing collection of encouragement. It is during times of suffering or despair that I have found myself deep within their truths and holding firm to the promises God lays so clearly out within this powerful book. When we are in despair we can find joy, when we are hurting we can find comfort, and when we are confused we can find peace through the Word of God. Just like the common cold has its remedies, God has given us the perfect tools to live a life where we can as Psalm 35:9 says "Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation." If we come to Christ in our emergen-cs we can be confident that His promises are true and He is faithful!! For those of you who have never experienced this be encouraged by someone who has run to the foot of the cross and found help in the emergencies of life...in fact in every day of life and run to Him in your emergen-c!
Much like a physical ailment, we as Christians are going to go through times of spiritual "ailments" so to speak as well. What I mean is there are going to be times throughout the Christian life when we go through hard times, trials, or suffering in order that we might be refined as 1 Peter 1:7 says, "These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
We have "emergen-c"s in our Christian lives throughout our walk. Often times in our innate selves we are quick to run to the phone to call a friend, cry on the shoulder of a family member, or even mask the pain within ourselves. Sometimes we don't think that God's promises are for sure going to hold firm when we are in the depths of despair. We fail to realize that we have the source of all joy at our fingertips...the Living God is our Father, our friend, our Savior and He is living, real, and tangible. We have his Word to dig deep into and be encouraged, we have His Spirit indwelling within us enabling us to find strength in the weakness, and we have the ability to cry out to Him in prayer through the cross of Christ.
The Psalms are an amazing collection of encouragement. It is during times of suffering or despair that I have found myself deep within their truths and holding firm to the promises God lays so clearly out within this powerful book. When we are in despair we can find joy, when we are hurting we can find comfort, and when we are confused we can find peace through the Word of God. Just like the common cold has its remedies, God has given us the perfect tools to live a life where we can as Psalm 35:9 says "Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation." If we come to Christ in our emergen-cs we can be confident that His promises are true and He is faithful!! For those of you who have never experienced this be encouraged by someone who has run to the foot of the cross and found help in the emergencies of life...in fact in every day of life and run to Him in your emergen-c!
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