Philippians 3:12-14 " Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Why is it that as Christians we often times are expected to be "perfect", "unstruggling", and "never sinning"? Is this the reality that the Bible speaks about or is this something that Christians have been pegged with by an unbelieving world? Unfortunately the term "hypocrite" is always tagged to the Christian faith because of the blatant hypocrisy within our churches today. However, there must be a realization among believers and non-believers alike that until we reach heaven and are glorified we have not achieved some form of perfection or are now not struggling with sin and this world. In fact our lives as Christians have now become even more complicated because we have a fleshly nature wanting and desiring to do what the flesh wants and the Holy Spirit indwelling us convicting us to abide by God's truth.
Throughout Paul's writings he often uses the analogy of a race in which runners are running to win a prize. As Christians we are on a race with a course marked out for us and it is the Lord who enables us to have the endurance and the perseverance to run that race, but it is a race and we have not finished quite yet. Paul himself admits here in Philippians earlier on that he wants to somehow be found with Christ in his death and attain to the resurrection of the dead...but immediately after he admits that he has not achieved this yet, he has not reached that point yet.
Paul in fact explains in 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 that he is in training, " Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." We see here that even Paul had to discipline his own body and make it a slave so that he would be faithful in fulfilling what Christ commanded. It didn't come natural to him despite the fact that he had been redeemed.
What we as believers need to realize is that our lives as "Christians" are not now perfect since we have been made new creations but they are now "purposeful". What I mean is that as believers we are still going to struggle with sin such as fear, worry, doubt and the list goes on but now we have the ability through Christ's conquering on the cross to overcome those sins. Our lives will still be marked by tragedy yet our response goes from a depressed mourning and sorrow and despair to finding hope in light of sadness knowing that our good God works all things together for His glory and our good because we are His kids. Our hearts will still be burdened at times through trial and yet we can now find joy as it says in James because we know that that trial is conforming us more into the image of Christ and preparing us for the good works that God has set forth for us to complete through Him. As Christians our lives are not perfect this side of heaven but purposeful because we are running a race marked out by a sovereign good God who is enabling our every move for His glory and our good and making us more like him so as Paul said in verse 14, we too can "...press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
(On a sidenote, as Christians we cannot use the excuse that we are not yet perfect to enable us to live lives that are not striving for holiness as God has commanded. We cannot use grace as a license to sin. Although we have not been made perfect we still have been called to live holy lives through His strength.)
In Acts 20:24 we read, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."
GOD HAS GIVEN EACH OF US THE TASK OF SPREADING HIS TRUTH TO THIS LOST AND UNBELIEVING WORLD AND WE ARE TO BE FAITHFUL THROUGH HIS STRENGTH THAT ENABLES US TO DO THAT.
1 Corinthians 9:24 says, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."
DO WE RUN THIS WAY? DO WE RUN TO WIN CHRIST?
2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
MAY WE TOO BE ABLE TO SAY THIS
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Who is The Master of My Fate??
Who is the master of my fate? That is a question that I think I would never utter because I "know" the truth, but often times I do not live like I "know" the truth.
Early a few mornings ago I was sitting on the edge of a cliff overlooking beautiful Lake Isabella admiring God's glory and thinking on many things I had been wrestling with in my own mind when the providence of God entered my mind and brought me much encouragement...it was almost like a light bulb going off in my head. As I was praying about some things going on in my life; for wisdom and discernment and direction and that God's will would be done and not my own God brought Proverbs 16:33 to the forefront of my mind, " The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD." All the worrying, all the questioning and all the uncertainity stopped at that very moment and I was able to rest in the comfort of knowing that my sovereign God had everything under control, had every step planned out and was going to prove Himself faithful forever.
Ironically or should I say providentially God spoke again to me on this very issue this weekend at church as Phil Johnson (Grace to You Ministries) brought a message from James. James, a book of wisdom in many ways tackles one of what can be the most depressing or encouraging topics in Christianity...God's sovereignty and providence.
James 4:13-17 "Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."
Any truth from a human perspective seems bleak but from God's, the divine we see glory and goodness of our mighty King and can find great encouragement.
Verse 14a "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow..
From a human perspective, the future is not certain. The only things that are certain are things that are specifically spelled out in Scripture as promises that have been revealed. Although you may offer that the sun will rise tomorrow at a certain time, it is not certain and we cannot be certain that even if it does rise tomorrow that we will be there to view it. Mark 13:32 says "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." We do not know the hour that He will return. Deut 29:29 says, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." Here we see again that we really do not have any certainity about the future.
v14 "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."
Secondly, our lives are not constant. Life itself is a variable, it is brief and fragile. Throughout Scripture we find countless warnings and exhortations from many different books explaining this very idea...that life is a vapor. Psalm 39:5, Psalm 89:47, Psalm 90:5, Isaiah 40:6-7 says, "A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass."
, 1 Peter 1:24, Job 7:6-7, 9:25-26 and 14:1-2. We are insignificant in the eternal scope of things.
v15-16 "Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil."
Lastly, we are not sovereign. The rebuke we read in Scripture about planning here in James is not referring to planning but to leaving God out of your planning not planning relying on God's will or desiring that His will be done. There is no dependence shown towards God in this aspect. YOU CANNOT LEAVE HIM OUT OF IT!!! In our own pride there is often a tendency to think we know better or for us to plan things without seeking Him in prayer and with a desire that He will work it out. You can make all the plans you want but rarely does it, if ever, work out the way you think or want it to. The parables in the end of Matthew 24 and beginning of 25 show us that you must plan for life's uncertainities (from our perspective). We cannot control the future, even if we knew it we couldn't.
From the human perspective what we may be very discouraged. But take a look at it from the divine side of things and may you be encouraged. A simple definition of the providence of God is as follows, according to Phil Johnson " God's sovereign working in every detail of whatever happens to assure everything He created acheives the puprose He made it for!" What an encouragement in knowing that God is ultimately and intimately involved in every aspect of our lives.
v15 "Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
The future is absolutely certain! God knows the future, He has planned it and He will carry it out! Everything that happens is God's will, Ephesians 1:11 "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will..." In Isaiah 46:9-10 we read about God decreeing everything. In this we must also realize that evil is a part of God's plan although He is not the effectual cause of it, He planned for it. God was not surprised by it. He didn't create the world and stand back amazed that the fall occurred but instead He planned for it for His own glory and his wise and holy purposes.
v14"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."
God is perfectly constant. Everytime I think about this attribute of God I find great comfort. Everything in life is changing constantly but we can find hope in the fact that He is the only being that never changes! He is always faithful, always true to His Word, and the same yesterday today and forevermore! James 1:17 and 1 Timothy 6:16
v15-16 "Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil."
God is utterly sovereign. Do you realize that to think of God as anything other than being sovereign is not ok, in fact it is a sin! We wouldn't pray to an unsovereign God...think about that, it wouldn't make sense. Do not rob God of His glory in thinking that somehow we have some control over our lives. Colossians 1:16-17 says this so clearly when we read
"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." There are no what we would call "random" happenings, everything happens for a specific purpose. Romans 8:28 wouldn't make sense otherwise. Proverbs 16:33 reminds us that it is God who directs our pathhs. James 1:19 and Romans 8:29-20 clearly states that it is even God who is sovereign over our salvation in every aspect! Genesis 45:5 teaches us that God is even sovereign over evil acts (Job gives us a clear picture of this as well). Think about that for a second, it was the most evil act in the world that God used to bring him the most glory and for the greatest good...the cross of Christ!
So who is the master of our fate? Who gets to make the shots, who gets to decide? Who makes the decisions? Who works things out for good in the lives of those who love him and who brings glory to His name? Who works EVERY DETAIL in order to acheive a specific end? GOD!! God is the master of our fate, He is the one who has it all under control. Remembering this such bring us great encouragement, joy and hope!!!
As Oswald Chambers has said "Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading."
Early a few mornings ago I was sitting on the edge of a cliff overlooking beautiful Lake Isabella admiring God's glory and thinking on many things I had been wrestling with in my own mind when the providence of God entered my mind and brought me much encouragement...it was almost like a light bulb going off in my head. As I was praying about some things going on in my life; for wisdom and discernment and direction and that God's will would be done and not my own God brought Proverbs 16:33 to the forefront of my mind, " The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD." All the worrying, all the questioning and all the uncertainity stopped at that very moment and I was able to rest in the comfort of knowing that my sovereign God had everything under control, had every step planned out and was going to prove Himself faithful forever.
Ironically or should I say providentially God spoke again to me on this very issue this weekend at church as Phil Johnson (Grace to You Ministries) brought a message from James. James, a book of wisdom in many ways tackles one of what can be the most depressing or encouraging topics in Christianity...God's sovereignty and providence.
James 4:13-17 "Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."
Any truth from a human perspective seems bleak but from God's, the divine we see glory and goodness of our mighty King and can find great encouragement.
Verse 14a "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow..
From a human perspective, the future is not certain. The only things that are certain are things that are specifically spelled out in Scripture as promises that have been revealed. Although you may offer that the sun will rise tomorrow at a certain time, it is not certain and we cannot be certain that even if it does rise tomorrow that we will be there to view it. Mark 13:32 says "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." We do not know the hour that He will return. Deut 29:29 says, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." Here we see again that we really do not have any certainity about the future.
v14 "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."
Secondly, our lives are not constant. Life itself is a variable, it is brief and fragile. Throughout Scripture we find countless warnings and exhortations from many different books explaining this very idea...that life is a vapor. Psalm 39:5, Psalm 89:47, Psalm 90:5, Isaiah 40:6-7 says, "A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass."
, 1 Peter 1:24, Job 7:6-7, 9:25-26 and 14:1-2. We are insignificant in the eternal scope of things.
v15-16 "Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil."
Lastly, we are not sovereign. The rebuke we read in Scripture about planning here in James is not referring to planning but to leaving God out of your planning not planning relying on God's will or desiring that His will be done. There is no dependence shown towards God in this aspect. YOU CANNOT LEAVE HIM OUT OF IT!!! In our own pride there is often a tendency to think we know better or for us to plan things without seeking Him in prayer and with a desire that He will work it out. You can make all the plans you want but rarely does it, if ever, work out the way you think or want it to. The parables in the end of Matthew 24 and beginning of 25 show us that you must plan for life's uncertainities (from our perspective). We cannot control the future, even if we knew it we couldn't.
From the human perspective what we may be very discouraged. But take a look at it from the divine side of things and may you be encouraged. A simple definition of the providence of God is as follows, according to Phil Johnson " God's sovereign working in every detail of whatever happens to assure everything He created acheives the puprose He made it for!" What an encouragement in knowing that God is ultimately and intimately involved in every aspect of our lives.
v15 "Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
The future is absolutely certain! God knows the future, He has planned it and He will carry it out! Everything that happens is God's will, Ephesians 1:11 "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will..." In Isaiah 46:9-10 we read about God decreeing everything. In this we must also realize that evil is a part of God's plan although He is not the effectual cause of it, He planned for it. God was not surprised by it. He didn't create the world and stand back amazed that the fall occurred but instead He planned for it for His own glory and his wise and holy purposes.
v14"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."
God is perfectly constant. Everytime I think about this attribute of God I find great comfort. Everything in life is changing constantly but we can find hope in the fact that He is the only being that never changes! He is always faithful, always true to His Word, and the same yesterday today and forevermore! James 1:17 and 1 Timothy 6:16
v15-16 "Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil."
God is utterly sovereign. Do you realize that to think of God as anything other than being sovereign is not ok, in fact it is a sin! We wouldn't pray to an unsovereign God...think about that, it wouldn't make sense. Do not rob God of His glory in thinking that somehow we have some control over our lives. Colossians 1:16-17 says this so clearly when we read
"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." There are no what we would call "random" happenings, everything happens for a specific purpose. Romans 8:28 wouldn't make sense otherwise. Proverbs 16:33 reminds us that it is God who directs our pathhs. James 1:19 and Romans 8:29-20 clearly states that it is even God who is sovereign over our salvation in every aspect! Genesis 45:5 teaches us that God is even sovereign over evil acts (Job gives us a clear picture of this as well). Think about that for a second, it was the most evil act in the world that God used to bring him the most glory and for the greatest good...the cross of Christ!
So who is the master of our fate? Who gets to make the shots, who gets to decide? Who makes the decisions? Who works things out for good in the lives of those who love him and who brings glory to His name? Who works EVERY DETAIL in order to acheive a specific end? GOD!! God is the master of our fate, He is the one who has it all under control. Remembering this such bring us great encouragement, joy and hope!!!
As Oswald Chambers has said "Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading."
Friday, July 25, 2008
Do We Know Him?
Philippians 3:7-9 "7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
As I sat pondering these words for some time I began to realize a disheartening truth in Christianity today...Christians today are not like the disciple Paul describes of himself above. In fact many so-called Christians today have missed something, they aren't getting it, they have missed the mark and it is time to re-focus and re-train our thinking.
The term "Christian" is thrown around lightly especially in the United States. In fact it is almost cultural to be called a Christian. If you don't have a religious affiliation you are a "Christian", if you believe there is a greater power...God maybe, you are a "Christian", if you do good things for others, you are a "Christian"...and the list goes on. But what on earth are we thinking? How has American Christianity become so fruitless, so mediocre, and worse so wrong? Why do people no longer even know what a "Christian" is?
When I hear the word Christian I immediately think a disciple of Christ. I think of someone who is sold out for Him, who is passionately pursuing Him, who has their goal in mind and is striving whole-heartedly to gain the prize. I think of someone who is saturated in the truth of God's Word, who is actively serving the Lord and others, who is burdened with the desire for God's name to be glorified and who is living a life that is radically and when I say radically I mean RADICALLY different then those around them. But lets be honest here, is this what we see in modern Christianity? Does this even describe some of us...any of us who are claiming to know Him?
Something has gone terribly awry in this "Christian" culture and we as genuine disciples should be burdened with a desire to set it straight. In the beginning of this post I posted Philippians 3:7-9. This is a challenging set of Scripture where we find that Christians are to have counted everything...EVERYTHING a loss compared to knowing Christ!! What does that even mean? To know Christ...does it mean to know a lot about him? Well yes that is part of it but it means so much more...
1 John 2:3 says, "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands." But wait a second, if we are to obey His commands we are going to have to know them and the only way to know them is to be in His manual for life...the Word and in it daily and as often daily as we can be. Do we claim to know him but fail to read fellowship with Him in His Word and in prayer? Is there even a desire for you as a "Christian" to be in the Word? I would beg to say that if there is no desire there is something radically wrong with your thinking.
1 John 2:15 says, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." What does it mean to love the world? Idols of the heart are ANYTHING that takes precedent over Christ. Anything we love more, we value more, are unwilling to sacrifice etc. for Christ. How often do we place things in front of Christ...He MUST be number one in all things...number one in your school work or your job, number one in your relationships, number one in your daily chores, number one in your worship...etc. If you love the world, if it is so appetizing to you and you love saturating yourself in it how can you claim to know Him? How can you claim that as Paul writes in Philippians 3 that you have considered all those things rubbish? Bottom line...YOU CANNOT!
1 John 2:29 says, "If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him." The child of God desires to please His father...desires to do what is right. Do you? Do you desire to live a life that mirrors Him and reflects Him in all His glory? If you are living a life that is not marked by righteousness there is something wrong.
I could go on and on about what it means to know Christ, what it means to be His true disciple and so forth but it all comes down to do you really know Christ? Does He know you? Have you picked up your cross and followed Him? Are you living a life that is radically and i mean RADICALLY different then those around you...even those who claim to be "Christians". Are you seeking Him with your whole heart? Is your desire, your passion and your goal to see His name glorified? Are you in love with the Savior and in awe of His mercy and lovingkindness? Have you been transformed by the Work of His Son on the cross?
The church has fallen prey to watering down the truth and even the Gospel. There is no longer a passion for truth and what a sadness that brings to my heart. Many are blinded by the men standing behind pulpits who are preaching something that is far from what the Word teaches. As true believers we should seek not only in our own lives to live by truth and proclaim it but to seek to share that truth with all those around us. "Christians" are not necessarily "Christians"...in fact I would argue that many are not.
May the reminder found in 1 John 3:1 (" How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! ")inspire us, encourage us, and motivate us to take heed and be like Paul and like the disciple he describes in Philippians 3...a man or woman who has counted everything a loss compared to Christ who is the beginning the middle and the end of life, all satisfaction and joy!!!
As I sat pondering these words for some time I began to realize a disheartening truth in Christianity today...Christians today are not like the disciple Paul describes of himself above. In fact many so-called Christians today have missed something, they aren't getting it, they have missed the mark and it is time to re-focus and re-train our thinking.
The term "Christian" is thrown around lightly especially in the United States. In fact it is almost cultural to be called a Christian. If you don't have a religious affiliation you are a "Christian", if you believe there is a greater power...God maybe, you are a "Christian", if you do good things for others, you are a "Christian"...and the list goes on. But what on earth are we thinking? How has American Christianity become so fruitless, so mediocre, and worse so wrong? Why do people no longer even know what a "Christian" is?
When I hear the word Christian I immediately think a disciple of Christ. I think of someone who is sold out for Him, who is passionately pursuing Him, who has their goal in mind and is striving whole-heartedly to gain the prize. I think of someone who is saturated in the truth of God's Word, who is actively serving the Lord and others, who is burdened with the desire for God's name to be glorified and who is living a life that is radically and when I say radically I mean RADICALLY different then those around them. But lets be honest here, is this what we see in modern Christianity? Does this even describe some of us...any of us who are claiming to know Him?
Something has gone terribly awry in this "Christian" culture and we as genuine disciples should be burdened with a desire to set it straight. In the beginning of this post I posted Philippians 3:7-9. This is a challenging set of Scripture where we find that Christians are to have counted everything...EVERYTHING a loss compared to knowing Christ!! What does that even mean? To know Christ...does it mean to know a lot about him? Well yes that is part of it but it means so much more...
1 John 2:3 says, "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands." But wait a second, if we are to obey His commands we are going to have to know them and the only way to know them is to be in His manual for life...the Word and in it daily and as often daily as we can be. Do we claim to know him but fail to read fellowship with Him in His Word and in prayer? Is there even a desire for you as a "Christian" to be in the Word? I would beg to say that if there is no desire there is something radically wrong with your thinking.
1 John 2:15 says, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." What does it mean to love the world? Idols of the heart are ANYTHING that takes precedent over Christ. Anything we love more, we value more, are unwilling to sacrifice etc. for Christ. How often do we place things in front of Christ...He MUST be number one in all things...number one in your school work or your job, number one in your relationships, number one in your daily chores, number one in your worship...etc. If you love the world, if it is so appetizing to you and you love saturating yourself in it how can you claim to know Him? How can you claim that as Paul writes in Philippians 3 that you have considered all those things rubbish? Bottom line...YOU CANNOT!
1 John 2:29 says, "If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him." The child of God desires to please His father...desires to do what is right. Do you? Do you desire to live a life that mirrors Him and reflects Him in all His glory? If you are living a life that is not marked by righteousness there is something wrong.
I could go on and on about what it means to know Christ, what it means to be His true disciple and so forth but it all comes down to do you really know Christ? Does He know you? Have you picked up your cross and followed Him? Are you living a life that is radically and i mean RADICALLY different then those around you...even those who claim to be "Christians". Are you seeking Him with your whole heart? Is your desire, your passion and your goal to see His name glorified? Are you in love with the Savior and in awe of His mercy and lovingkindness? Have you been transformed by the Work of His Son on the cross?
The church has fallen prey to watering down the truth and even the Gospel. There is no longer a passion for truth and what a sadness that brings to my heart. Many are blinded by the men standing behind pulpits who are preaching something that is far from what the Word teaches. As true believers we should seek not only in our own lives to live by truth and proclaim it but to seek to share that truth with all those around us. "Christians" are not necessarily "Christians"...in fact I would argue that many are not.
May the reminder found in 1 John 3:1 (" How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! ")inspire us, encourage us, and motivate us to take heed and be like Paul and like the disciple he describes in Philippians 3...a man or woman who has counted everything a loss compared to Christ who is the beginning the middle and the end of life, all satisfaction and joy!!!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Learning from Job
This past weekend I had the privilege of going up to the Women discipling women conference at Grace Community Church. It was a great time of teaching and instruction from the Word of God on various issues in regards to biblical counseling. One specific message that resounded deep within was on the book of Job and how to counsel someone when the whole world seems to be caving in.
When we read the book of Job we quickly realize that God himself esteemed Job by calling him "blameless" and "upright"...in fact it is God who brings Job to the attention of Satan. We all know the story and how God grants Satan permission to try Job's faith in a sense. You see Satan's ideal is for us to be so stripped that we are doubting God's goodness and grace and curse his name. Then come the three friends and boy can we learn from them and the counsel they offer their dear hurting friend.
MISTAKES IN COUNSELING THE SUFFERING:
1. We miss the depth of God's wisdom and His counsel. We assume that God has the same plan for everyone and that is not true! All of us are legalists at heart and this is why we need the Gospel everyday. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT GOD IS DOING!!!
2. We assume that there is a direct one-on-one correlation between suffering and righteousness. We soon see Job wonder why God is not working the way he always did in his life as his mentality was that if he lived an upright life he would have a blessed life.
3.We can assume wrongly that suffering is punitive rather then redemptive...in fact it is done in love.
4. We don't realize that God's perspective on justice differs from ours. If we are saved our suffering is not the wrath of God on our sins as that has been poured out on Christ and paid for. In adversity we learn "Here I am, see how wonderful I am" from the Lord.
5. We can fail to listen (Proverbs 18:2)
6. We can fail to love and thereby fail to believe the best (1 Cor 13:7)
7. We can fall into self-righteousness and pride (Job 15:9)...always comparing
8. We can assume that we know everything about God's providence (1 Cor 13:4-5a)
HOW TO AVOID THESE MISTAKES:
- We need to listen and learn (Job 19:21)
- We need to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15)
-If one part of the body suffers we all do (1 Cor 12:26)
-We need to bear each others burdens (Galatians 6:2)
-We must treat all with kindness (2 Tim 2:24)
-We must be ready to bow in humility..God is not obligated to tell us why something is happening, he is not obligated to vindicate
REMEMBER GOD IS NOT YOUR ENEMY BECAUSE HE MADE HIS SON HIS ENEMY (Zeph 3)
HOW DOES JOB GAIN VICTORY?
1. Finds solid and firm ground...HIS REDEEMER LIVES (Job 19:25-27)
2. He realizes God is not punishing him but teaching him about who He is
3. His faith has been approved!
GOD'S GOAL IN AFFLICTION:
1. HIS GLORY
2. Our Good (Romans 8:28)
3. Our affliction is always redemptive since judgment has been poured on Christ, His son
HOW TO COUNSEL THE SUFFERING:
1. No complaining against one another
2. Realize God uses certain people to set examples for His glory
3. Help one endure by serving in practical ways, reassuring one of God's character
4. All the Lord's dealings are full of compassion and mercy
AND REMEMBER SOMETIMES GOD'S PROVIDENCE IS MORE COMPLEX THEN WE THINK (1 Thess 5:14)
When we read the book of Job we quickly realize that God himself esteemed Job by calling him "blameless" and "upright"...in fact it is God who brings Job to the attention of Satan. We all know the story and how God grants Satan permission to try Job's faith in a sense. You see Satan's ideal is for us to be so stripped that we are doubting God's goodness and grace and curse his name. Then come the three friends and boy can we learn from them and the counsel they offer their dear hurting friend.
MISTAKES IN COUNSELING THE SUFFERING:
1. We miss the depth of God's wisdom and His counsel. We assume that God has the same plan for everyone and that is not true! All of us are legalists at heart and this is why we need the Gospel everyday. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT GOD IS DOING!!!
2. We assume that there is a direct one-on-one correlation between suffering and righteousness. We soon see Job wonder why God is not working the way he always did in his life as his mentality was that if he lived an upright life he would have a blessed life.
3.We can assume wrongly that suffering is punitive rather then redemptive...in fact it is done in love.
4. We don't realize that God's perspective on justice differs from ours. If we are saved our suffering is not the wrath of God on our sins as that has been poured out on Christ and paid for. In adversity we learn "Here I am, see how wonderful I am" from the Lord.
5. We can fail to listen (Proverbs 18:2)
6. We can fail to love and thereby fail to believe the best (1 Cor 13:7)
7. We can fall into self-righteousness and pride (Job 15:9)...always comparing
8. We can assume that we know everything about God's providence (1 Cor 13:4-5a)
HOW TO AVOID THESE MISTAKES:
- We need to listen and learn (Job 19:21)
- We need to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15)
-If one part of the body suffers we all do (1 Cor 12:26)
-We need to bear each others burdens (Galatians 6:2)
-We must treat all with kindness (2 Tim 2:24)
-We must be ready to bow in humility..God is not obligated to tell us why something is happening, he is not obligated to vindicate
REMEMBER GOD IS NOT YOUR ENEMY BECAUSE HE MADE HIS SON HIS ENEMY (Zeph 3)
HOW DOES JOB GAIN VICTORY?
1. Finds solid and firm ground...HIS REDEEMER LIVES (Job 19:25-27)
2. He realizes God is not punishing him but teaching him about who He is
3. His faith has been approved!
GOD'S GOAL IN AFFLICTION:
1. HIS GLORY
2. Our Good (Romans 8:28)
3. Our affliction is always redemptive since judgment has been poured on Christ, His son
HOW TO COUNSEL THE SUFFERING:
1. No complaining against one another
2. Realize God uses certain people to set examples for His glory
3. Help one endure by serving in practical ways, reassuring one of God's character
4. All the Lord's dealings are full of compassion and mercy
AND REMEMBER SOMETIMES GOD'S PROVIDENCE IS MORE COMPLEX THEN WE THINK (1 Thess 5:14)
Monday, July 14, 2008
Five Truths of Heaven
Summary of Resolved Message by Steve Lawson
Do we desire to go to heaven? Is it some mystical aloof place in our mind or is the truth of its reality ever-present in our hearts and minds making us long to be where we belong? We must have a God-centered view of heaven in order to understand its reality. Often times we are quick to want to go to heaven to "get away from the sin of this world" or to "have a better life"...yes all of that is part of its beauty and glory but our main reason should be to see and worship our Maker!
Revelation 4 gives us a glimpse and perfect picture of heaven. Jonathan Edwards once said that he had one eye on heaven while he lived here. Do we?
REVELATION 4:9-11
" 1After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." 9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."
Heaven is the theater in which the glory of God is on display! Here are 5 truths of heaven in hopes that learning these you will long more for this wonderful place!!
1. SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD (v 1-3a)
- First thing that struck John was the throne and the one sitting on it...GOD
- The throne represents authority ove all
- Even in the darkest hours of human history there remains an authority that is immutable and unswayed
- He has, will and always REIGNS
- Psalm 115:3 He does what he pleases
- God always is working for His glory and our good as He builds His church
2. SPLENDOR OF GOD (v3b-4)
- A reign of regal majesty and splendor
- Jasper stone- diamond, sardius- ruby, rainbow- emerald
- Revelation 21- God, the sun will be His glory
- Revelation 24- The thrones share reign with those who have been faithful with Him
- In White- pure because washed with blood of the Lamb
- One day we will one day take ou place in this scene and given a white robe and to the degree we have been faithful we will be given a crown to cast at His feet
3. SEVERITY OF GOD (v 5)
- A storm in heaven around God which is the divine wrath of God upon a Christ rejecting world
- A holy God is angry with the wicked
- Romans 1:18- the present tense
- Mercy of God is holding back His wrath
- Righteous anger of a Holy God
- Lamps- these are war torches not night lights
- Revelation 6-7 are the sealed judgements
- Revelation 8-9 are the the trumpet judgements
- Revelation 16-17 are the bowl judgements and the Great Earthquake
- Every sin is going to be directly and personally punished by a Holy God
- Every sin pardoned in Christ or punished in hell
- God's wrath and our escape from it in Christ should give the believer immense joy for every believer!
- Revelation 19- AND HE SHALL REIGN FOREVER
4. SINFULNESS OF GOD (v6-8)
- There is a separation of God from His creatures
- Even when we are glorified He remains above us
- Fall on your face before Him
- 4 cheribum (Ezekiel 10, Genesis 3) are guarding the glory of God
- A lion- strong
- A calf- sacrifice
- Man- smart
- Eagle- swift
- Isaiah 6- seraphim that cover themselves to show their unworthiness
- Holiness is summation of all God is
- God is separated from His creation because He is holy and sinless, pure and separated from ALL sin
- Find joy in our God because He is the God who is, was and is to come
5. SUPREMACY OF GOD (v9-11)
- Everyone focused on the supremacy of God in heaven
- Give glory, honor, and thanks
- The elders set off everyone
- Intense in our worship? we lift others up and it becomes contagious
- We need to be zealous and fervent in praise for He is worthy!
- Triumphant procession magnified as the redeemed march to the throne of God and we say worthy and cast our crowns
- Present yourselves as a living and holy sacrifice
- Serve Him with the entirety of life
ARE YOU WILLING TO SAY, I WILL GO ANYWHERE, DO ANYTHING, PAY ANY PRICE, and DO IT WITH ANYONE...SPEAK LORD!
Be excited about our future home, always be thinking upon it, but as God has left us here be encouraged that He will use you for His glory and to build His kingdom! And as Pastor Mike always says, lets get our job done and go home!!!
Do we desire to go to heaven? Is it some mystical aloof place in our mind or is the truth of its reality ever-present in our hearts and minds making us long to be where we belong? We must have a God-centered view of heaven in order to understand its reality. Often times we are quick to want to go to heaven to "get away from the sin of this world" or to "have a better life"...yes all of that is part of its beauty and glory but our main reason should be to see and worship our Maker!
Revelation 4 gives us a glimpse and perfect picture of heaven. Jonathan Edwards once said that he had one eye on heaven while he lived here. Do we?
REVELATION 4:9-11
" 1After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." 9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."
Heaven is the theater in which the glory of God is on display! Here are 5 truths of heaven in hopes that learning these you will long more for this wonderful place!!
1. SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD (v 1-3a)
- First thing that struck John was the throne and the one sitting on it...GOD
- The throne represents authority ove all
- Even in the darkest hours of human history there remains an authority that is immutable and unswayed
- He has, will and always REIGNS
- Psalm 115:3 He does what he pleases
- God always is working for His glory and our good as He builds His church
2. SPLENDOR OF GOD (v3b-4)
- A reign of regal majesty and splendor
- Jasper stone- diamond, sardius- ruby, rainbow- emerald
- Revelation 21- God, the sun will be His glory
- Revelation 24- The thrones share reign with those who have been faithful with Him
- In White- pure because washed with blood of the Lamb
- One day we will one day take ou place in this scene and given a white robe and to the degree we have been faithful we will be given a crown to cast at His feet
3. SEVERITY OF GOD (v 5)
- A storm in heaven around God which is the divine wrath of God upon a Christ rejecting world
- A holy God is angry with the wicked
- Romans 1:18- the present tense
- Mercy of God is holding back His wrath
- Righteous anger of a Holy God
- Lamps- these are war torches not night lights
- Revelation 6-7 are the sealed judgements
- Revelation 8-9 are the the trumpet judgements
- Revelation 16-17 are the bowl judgements and the Great Earthquake
- Every sin is going to be directly and personally punished by a Holy God
- Every sin pardoned in Christ or punished in hell
- God's wrath and our escape from it in Christ should give the believer immense joy for every believer!
- Revelation 19- AND HE SHALL REIGN FOREVER
4. SINFULNESS OF GOD (v6-8)
- There is a separation of God from His creatures
- Even when we are glorified He remains above us
- Fall on your face before Him
- 4 cheribum (Ezekiel 10, Genesis 3) are guarding the glory of God
- A lion- strong
- A calf- sacrifice
- Man- smart
- Eagle- swift
- Isaiah 6- seraphim that cover themselves to show their unworthiness
- Holiness is summation of all God is
- God is separated from His creation because He is holy and sinless, pure and separated from ALL sin
- Find joy in our God because He is the God who is, was and is to come
5. SUPREMACY OF GOD (v9-11)
- Everyone focused on the supremacy of God in heaven
- Give glory, honor, and thanks
- The elders set off everyone
- Intense in our worship? we lift others up and it becomes contagious
- We need to be zealous and fervent in praise for He is worthy!
- Triumphant procession magnified as the redeemed march to the throne of God and we say worthy and cast our crowns
- Present yourselves as a living and holy sacrifice
- Serve Him with the entirety of life
ARE YOU WILLING TO SAY, I WILL GO ANYWHERE, DO ANYTHING, PAY ANY PRICE, and DO IT WITH ANYONE...SPEAK LORD!
Be excited about our future home, always be thinking upon it, but as God has left us here be encouraged that He will use you for His glory and to build His kingdom! And as Pastor Mike always says, lets get our job done and go home!!!
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