John Piper has a book, The Pleasures of God which attempts to enable the child of God to meditate and delight in the delight God has in being God. As I have read this book, which I highly recommend, I have been both encouraged and challenged by the Truth of God's Word.
As believers, we are constantly reminded of the fact that we are solely dependent on the grace of God to enter the kingdom; our salvation rides on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and NOTHING else. We are saved by grace through faith ALONE. But...there is a far greater reality, that those who are truly saved, will produce fruit. The life transforming Gospel does just that, changes your life. Your delight and desire comes in pleasing the One who saved you, who loves you, and who daily works in you. God's delight is found in the obedience of His saints, not that they may earn salvation, but that they bring Him glory through it all. Think about, as Piper says, why God hates disobedience and why He takes pleasure in obedience. For the remainder of the blog, I am going to work with Piper's points to encourage YOU to holy living, simply for the glory of God.
(1) God has pleasure in obedience because disobedience shows a misplacement of fear.
In 1 Samuel 15:24 we read, "Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Saul obeyed the voice of the people rather than the voice of God because He feared the people instead of God. He feared human consequences of obedience more than he feared divine consequences of sin. He feared the displeasure of people more than the displeasure of God. If we allow ourselves to be guided by those fears, of people pleasing rather than God pleasing, we will find ourselves not honoring and revering the holy God.
(2) God has pleasure in obedience because disobedience shows a misplacement of pleasure.
As we saw in the story of Saul and Samuel, Saul tried to persuade Samuel that it was a "noble" intention that led him to disobey God and to keep the best sheep and oxen. However God showed Samuel that their true heart otiaqtion was much different than what Saul shared it was. In 1 Samuel 15:19 we read, Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?" This picture of pouncing implies that the people were driven by an overwhelming desire for pleasure in all of the meats. Their pleasure was misplaced, it should have been in God but they delighted more in the meet of sheep and oxen than they did in the smile of God. This is insulting to the Holy God. Fleeting pleasures became their momentary delight.
(3) God has pleasure in obedience because disobedience shows a misplacement of praise.
When Saul had defeated the Amalekites the first thing he did was build himself a monument. 1 Samuel 15:12 shows us this very thing. Apparently he was more interested in creating a GREAT name for himself than in making a name for the good and holy God through obedience to Him. He wanted his own praise and His own glory, how often is this us? How often do we want the glory, the praise the honor, and sin to get it?
(4) God has pleasure in obedience because disobedience is as the sin of divination!
Check out 1 Samuel 15:22-23 “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
he has rejected you as king.”
How could sin and disobedience be like the sin of divination?? Divination is seeking to know what to do in a way that ignores the Word and counsel of God, it discounts the guidance and revelation. It in essence says, "I will consult another source of wisdom". Disobedience of God's word puts my own wisdom in the place of God's and insults God as the only sure and reliable source of that wisdom.
(5) God has pleasure in obedience because disobedience is idolatry.
As we just read above, in v 23 we see that arrogance is the evil of idolatry. When God says one thing and we consult the wisdom of ourselves and stubbornly choose to go our own way, we are idolaters. We have esteemed our direction of our own mind over God's direction, and committed idolatry.
"You see God WILL be displeased with disobedience because it at EVERY point is an attack on His glory. It puts the fear of man in the place of the fear of God. It elevates pleasure in things aboe pleasure in God. It seeks a name for itself instead a name for God. It seeks out additional guidance beside God', instead of resting in the wisdom of God. And it sets more value on the dictates of self than on the dictates of God and thus attempts to dethrone God by giving allegiance to the idol of the human will." (Piper)
This is serious stuff! But the reality is that obedience brings the EXACT OPPOSITE! It enthrones and honors God and he therefore takes great pleasure in obedience. "Like a father would beam when his children are courageous because they know their daddy's strong arm is behind them, is the same as God, as He takes pleasure in us when our obedience shows that we put our treasure in HIM and not in the enticements of sin.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Amen!
"The resurrection of Christ is the Amen of all His promises." -John Boys
During this passion week, it seems as if the cross is on the forefront of our minds, that the resurrection is providing us excessive joy, and the praises of the glorious Gospel are on our lips. As I meditate on these precious Truths of calvary and thereafter, I can't help but ask myself why Easter brings about such an increase in desire for praise. Should the praise on my lips not be ever present, year round, day in and day out? Is the Gospel message something that should only press heavy on my heart during passion week, or the few weeks leading to it? May it never be!
I came across the quote I started this post with a few days ago and I found such joy and Truth within it. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, everything else is null and void. Every promise of God stands or falls on the reality of whether or not Jesus Christ rose from the grave. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, "And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain." The resurrection is the climax of the redemptive story. The Truth of the resurrection should provide hope and joy for us in ALL God's promises.
Therefore, each time we read a promise of God in Scripture, the Gospel message should come to the forefront of our mind. For it is the Gospel (death and resurrection) which is the AMEN to all His promises. The Gospel should never be far from the front of our minds, from the praise of our lips, from the meditation of our hearts...all day, every day. The resurrection of Christ promises His children life after death, everlasting, with the Father. This precious reality should motivate us to continual praise and glory and thanksgiving day in and day out.
May we never need a "holiday" to remind us of the precious Gospel, let the holiday simply provide us with new and fresh opportunities to share the Gospel with those around us.
During this passion week, it seems as if the cross is on the forefront of our minds, that the resurrection is providing us excessive joy, and the praises of the glorious Gospel are on our lips. As I meditate on these precious Truths of calvary and thereafter, I can't help but ask myself why Easter brings about such an increase in desire for praise. Should the praise on my lips not be ever present, year round, day in and day out? Is the Gospel message something that should only press heavy on my heart during passion week, or the few weeks leading to it? May it never be!
I came across the quote I started this post with a few days ago and I found such joy and Truth within it. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, everything else is null and void. Every promise of God stands or falls on the reality of whether or not Jesus Christ rose from the grave. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, "And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain." The resurrection is the climax of the redemptive story. The Truth of the resurrection should provide hope and joy for us in ALL God's promises.
Therefore, each time we read a promise of God in Scripture, the Gospel message should come to the forefront of our mind. For it is the Gospel (death and resurrection) which is the AMEN to all His promises. The Gospel should never be far from the front of our minds, from the praise of our lips, from the meditation of our hearts...all day, every day. The resurrection of Christ promises His children life after death, everlasting, with the Father. This precious reality should motivate us to continual praise and glory and thanksgiving day in and day out.
May we never need a "holiday" to remind us of the precious Gospel, let the holiday simply provide us with new and fresh opportunities to share the Gospel with those around us.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Pruning
Face down on the floor, head in the pillow, driving to the ocean and burying my face in the sand, running until I can't go on...these are all expressions of brokenness I can recall in my mind, of times when the Lord broke me and reminded me, needfully, of my utter dependence on Him.
Throughout my life I have found myself continually being pruned by the Master Gardener. A necessary weeding. As painful as those times have been,looking back, those moments have been some of the sweetest times of intimate fellowship with my Father in heaven. The reality of my dependence on Him never changes but my awareness of that fluctuates and must be refocused. When i find myself thinking I have it all together on my own is when something terrible has gone awry. Pride comes before the fall.
So in those moments of utter brokenness, contriteness and a longing to be made new again, I have realized the powerful working of the Spirit. "For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver." (Psalm 66:10) For in a moment of total weakness I can hope because I have power from on High dwelling within me. In a moment of discouragement I have perfect encouragement from the indwelling spirit. In that time of despair I have comfort in knowing that the same spirit who lives in me is the same spirit who has given me victory over sin and the ability to say yes to righteousness. What an amazing reality!!! With brokenness comes restoration, renewal and revival.
The pruning I now see is purposeful. John 15:2 says, "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful." The plan is sovereign. The hand gardening is perfect. And from that time of pruning comes a time of fruitfullness. I can now walk more closely with the Father as I put off sin and put on holiness.
Although the pruning, the sanctification, is not an overnight process and the battle may at times feel nearly impossible, I pray that you would see those times of pruning, being broken by the Father, as the treasures they are and in turn worship, and rely on the power within because of the blood of Jesus Christ! And remember Romans 6:6 says "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." And from that comes fruit, abundant fruit.
Throughout my life I have found myself continually being pruned by the Master Gardener. A necessary weeding. As painful as those times have been,looking back, those moments have been some of the sweetest times of intimate fellowship with my Father in heaven. The reality of my dependence on Him never changes but my awareness of that fluctuates and must be refocused. When i find myself thinking I have it all together on my own is when something terrible has gone awry. Pride comes before the fall.
So in those moments of utter brokenness, contriteness and a longing to be made new again, I have realized the powerful working of the Spirit. "For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver." (Psalm 66:10) For in a moment of total weakness I can hope because I have power from on High dwelling within me. In a moment of discouragement I have perfect encouragement from the indwelling spirit. In that time of despair I have comfort in knowing that the same spirit who lives in me is the same spirit who has given me victory over sin and the ability to say yes to righteousness. What an amazing reality!!! With brokenness comes restoration, renewal and revival.
The pruning I now see is purposeful. John 15:2 says, "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful." The plan is sovereign. The hand gardening is perfect. And from that time of pruning comes a time of fruitfullness. I can now walk more closely with the Father as I put off sin and put on holiness.
Although the pruning, the sanctification, is not an overnight process and the battle may at times feel nearly impossible, I pray that you would see those times of pruning, being broken by the Father, as the treasures they are and in turn worship, and rely on the power within because of the blood of Jesus Christ! And remember Romans 6:6 says "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." And from that comes fruit, abundant fruit.
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
A Slave
"To be a Christian is to be a slave of Christ." -John MacArthur
Plain and simple, the call to Christian discipleship, the call to Christ, is much more than a verbal agreement, a walk down an aisle, a hand raised, a sin confessed, or a mental acknowledgement. It is a radical and ALL out commitment, a life changed from the inside out. And even more, a life change from one master to another. Master you might ask? Yes, master. In Romans 6:20 we read, "When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness."That means that we were born enslaved to sin. Our ruler was sin, and we were bound to that sin, chained and shackled, dead, helpless, hopeless.
Despite that reality, the fact that we are born slaves to sin; we being dead in our sins and transgressions have no way of realizing that we are in fact slaves to that very sin. We don't realize we are living for someone other than our true Master, the Creator of all. We don't recognize that we have a master, the prince of this world, Satan. The truth be told, as Jesus Himself said in, Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters." That being said, you are either a slave to sin, or a slave to righteousness, to Christ...period.
Once redeemed, and transformed by the blood of Christ, you automatically are freed from your bondage/slavery to that sin and set free to become a slave to Christ. Wait...what?! Enslaved again?! You may think that doesn't sound so "free", but the truth is, the precious Truth of Scripture teaches, that his yoke is easy. Being freed from the worst master, to come under the most perfect master, brings new hope, peace, and joy like nobody and nothing can. You are now serving the One you were made to worship. There is no more perfect freedom than being HIS precious slave.
Our America doesn't look fondly on the idea of slavery. In fact, many would say that slavery is wrong, and even sinful. Our picture comes from civil war memories and slave ships on the seas. Yet, during the time of the New Testament writing, when slavery is mentioned positively as unto Christ, we see a much different picture. During this time, being a slave could be the most wonderful situation in the world, or the worst. It all depended on the one who owned you. Some slaves were even considered "part of the family" and adopted in, much like we are adopted as sons and co-heirs with Christ. All that to say, being an adopted child of God, and even deeper, a slave of Christ, is the most privileged honorable position. To serve under a perfect, holy, loving Master and Redeemer is a gift. Having a master who loves and cares intimately for you, who made you, who loves you beyond comprehension should leave us speechless, humbled. Being His slave should be a mark we cling tightly to, and proudly display.
John MacArthur puts it well, "I’m a slave but I’ve become a friend and a son and a citizen and a joint heir and I reign with him – this is a new way to understand slavery, not in terms of American abusive African slave trade but in terms of I am owned by a master who loves me and wants to provide everything in his limitless resources out of that love to make my life eternally joyful. That is a concept of slavery that’s easily embraceable."
Plain and simple, the call to Christian discipleship, the call to Christ, is much more than a verbal agreement, a walk down an aisle, a hand raised, a sin confessed, or a mental acknowledgement. It is a radical and ALL out commitment, a life changed from the inside out. And even more, a life change from one master to another. Master you might ask? Yes, master. In Romans 6:20 we read, "When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness."That means that we were born enslaved to sin. Our ruler was sin, and we were bound to that sin, chained and shackled, dead, helpless, hopeless.
Despite that reality, the fact that we are born slaves to sin; we being dead in our sins and transgressions have no way of realizing that we are in fact slaves to that very sin. We don't realize we are living for someone other than our true Master, the Creator of all. We don't recognize that we have a master, the prince of this world, Satan. The truth be told, as Jesus Himself said in, Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters." That being said, you are either a slave to sin, or a slave to righteousness, to Christ...period.
Once redeemed, and transformed by the blood of Christ, you automatically are freed from your bondage/slavery to that sin and set free to become a slave to Christ. Wait...what?! Enslaved again?! You may think that doesn't sound so "free", but the truth is, the precious Truth of Scripture teaches, that his yoke is easy. Being freed from the worst master, to come under the most perfect master, brings new hope, peace, and joy like nobody and nothing can. You are now serving the One you were made to worship. There is no more perfect freedom than being HIS precious slave.
Our America doesn't look fondly on the idea of slavery. In fact, many would say that slavery is wrong, and even sinful. Our picture comes from civil war memories and slave ships on the seas. Yet, during the time of the New Testament writing, when slavery is mentioned positively as unto Christ, we see a much different picture. During this time, being a slave could be the most wonderful situation in the world, or the worst. It all depended on the one who owned you. Some slaves were even considered "part of the family" and adopted in, much like we are adopted as sons and co-heirs with Christ. All that to say, being an adopted child of God, and even deeper, a slave of Christ, is the most privileged honorable position. To serve under a perfect, holy, loving Master and Redeemer is a gift. Having a master who loves and cares intimately for you, who made you, who loves you beyond comprehension should leave us speechless, humbled. Being His slave should be a mark we cling tightly to, and proudly display.
John MacArthur puts it well, "I’m a slave but I’ve become a friend and a son and a citizen and a joint heir and I reign with him – this is a new way to understand slavery, not in terms of American abusive African slave trade but in terms of I am owned by a master who loves me and wants to provide everything in his limitless resources out of that love to make my life eternally joyful. That is a concept of slavery that’s easily embraceable."
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