"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:39
This is such a shocking command. The only way God knew how to even explain how we are to love others is by appealing to our natural tendency to love self, preserve self, justify self. We naturally only think about how to please self. That means that in order to obey this command, we must never think about how to please ourselves. Because the second we start thinking about gratifying self, we automatically fail to love our neighbor as ourself. Instead, in that moment we are placing our good over that of our neighbor's! Staggering! O what a Perfect Savior we need and what Perfect Savior we have! Not one that rescues us from the consequences so we can continue living in the pig pen of self love, but so that we can progressively become more like him in dying to ourselves!
Monday, May 02, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Psalm 15, Part 4
Thus far David has given us two characteristics, holy living and holy speech. David is now going to narrow the focus of his description, which leads to the third characteristic, holy behavior. In verse 3 it says, he does no wrong to his neighbor nor takes up a reproach against his friend. This man does no wrong to anyone. It would have been amazing enough if he had said, does no wrong to his family and friends. But he says neighbor, which has everyone in view! I think Paul Tripp captures the wonder of this when he says, “Love my enemies? I don’t think I love the people I say I love. I don’t have time to, I’m too busy loving me.” Who of us can’t identify with that? And yet the man who will dwell in the LORD’s presence can’t.
Not only does this man do no wrong to anyone, more specifically he is extremely loyal to his friends. He doesn’t take up a reproach against them. This has in mind the receiving end of conversations. He refuses to willingly be a part of conversations about his friends that are going to result in their reputation being harmed. Spurgeon said it well: “He is a fool if not a knave who picks up stolen goods and harbors them; in slander as well as robbery, the receiver is as bad as the thief. If there were not gratified hearers of ill reports, there would be an end of the trade of spreading them.” Knowing this and desiring only to please the LORD, the man who will dwell in his presence doesn’t participate in these types of conversations. What about you? Are you quick to turn people away when they come with the latest gossip? Even if it is guised as a prayer request?
Not only does this man do no wrong to anyone, more specifically he is extremely loyal to his friends. He doesn’t take up a reproach against them. This has in mind the receiving end of conversations. He refuses to willingly be a part of conversations about his friends that are going to result in their reputation being harmed. Spurgeon said it well: “He is a fool if not a knave who picks up stolen goods and harbors them; in slander as well as robbery, the receiver is as bad as the thief. If there were not gratified hearers of ill reports, there would be an end of the trade of spreading them.” Knowing this and desiring only to please the LORD, the man who will dwell in his presence doesn’t participate in these types of conversations. What about you? Are you quick to turn people away when they come with the latest gossip? Even if it is guised as a prayer request?
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Psalm 15, Part 3
The second characteristic is holy speech. The holy speech that God requires has a positive and negative aspect to it as seen here. Positively, this man speaks the truth in his heart. Negatively, he does not slander. Let’s look at the positive aspect first. The idea here seems to be that the man’s heart is so saturated with truth that all his words come out drenched with it. What he says is not swayed by a fear of man, fearing he will displease one man or the other. Why is that? Because to the degree that you fear man you will twist your words in order to conform them to what you think people want to hear. For this man, truth is what dictates what he says.
Now let’s look at the negative aspect, 'he does not slander'. The meaning behind this word is very interesting, because it has connections with spying. The idea David seems to have in mind here is one of being so intent on criticizing someone you are like a spy looking for one mess up, one blemish that you can pounce on and tell others about in order to ruin their reputation. The man who will abide with God however is far removed from that. His speech isn’t clouded with the pollution of slander. He doesn’t tear others down in order to build himself up. He doesn’t use others’ failures as a stepping stone to his own exaltation.
The reason this man speaks the truth and does not slander actually has nothing to do with his lips. We learn this from Jesus in Matthew 12:34 where he says, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” This necessarily means that this man’s heart is pure and undefiled, for that is what his speech demonstrates. What does that say about my heart and yours? Is it a pure fountain from which words of truth spring and where there is no trace of slander to be found?
Now let’s look at the negative aspect, 'he does not slander'. The meaning behind this word is very interesting, because it has connections with spying. The idea David seems to have in mind here is one of being so intent on criticizing someone you are like a spy looking for one mess up, one blemish that you can pounce on and tell others about in order to ruin their reputation. The man who will abide with God however is far removed from that. His speech isn’t clouded with the pollution of slander. He doesn’t tear others down in order to build himself up. He doesn’t use others’ failures as a stepping stone to his own exaltation.
The reason this man speaks the truth and does not slander actually has nothing to do with his lips. We learn this from Jesus in Matthew 12:34 where he says, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” This necessarily means that this man’s heart is pure and undefiled, for that is what his speech demonstrates. What does that say about my heart and yours? Is it a pure fountain from which words of truth spring and where there is no trace of slander to be found?
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Psalm 15, Part 2
The first characteristic, holy living, is in verse 2: he who walks blamelessly and does what is right. In the Bible, a person’s walk is idiomatic for the normal pattern of one’s life. We see other examples of this all throughout the Psalms. In Psalm 1, it says “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,” and in Psalm 119:1, “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the way of the LORD.” So a person’s walk is what characterizes him. One who has a blameless walk is one who has a life of integrity. In the original we see that blamelessness isn’t conveying perfection, it’s conveying the idea of wholeness or completeness. This man doesn’t compartmentalize. He has nothing to hide from anyone. He doesn’t act any different on Sunday than he does during the rest of the week. He doesn’t have two sets of vocabulary: one to use with his Christian friends and one to use with his other friends. He wouldn’t be ashamed if his pastor unexpectedly showed up at his door. And because he is whole and complete in every area of his life, he does what is right. He obeys the Word of God. Obedience is a delight to him and is not burdensome. Obedience is reflexive to this man. I must ask you as I’ve asked myself, are you this man of integrity? Are you this man who is righteous in all his deeds? Or do you find that you try to compartmentalize life? Do you try to push sins that others don’t seem to see to the side in your pursuit of holiness figuring, killing them can wait. Holiness doesn’t work that way. One area of life that has undealt with sin will affect all of life. Sin is deadly! No one hangs around deadly viruses thinking, "oh its ok if I just get a few of these germs." No, they flee from it!
What undergirds this holy life - this life of integrity and righteous living? Or to say it another way, what things have to be in place for a man to live this way? For one, the man who wants to live a holy life must have a proper view of the Word of God. We can see this in Psalm 19. In verses 7-10, David gives a beautiful description of the Word of God, calling it perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, more to be desired than gold and sweeter than honey. And then look what he says in verse 13, “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.” What was the means to this blameless life? Not sinning. And how would he know what not sinning means if he didn’t have this magnificent view of God’s Word in mind? It would do him no good to ask the Lord to keep him from sin if he didn’t love the Word and know the Word so that he could recognize sin before he committed it! So a proper view of the Word of God is absolutely necessary in order to live a holy life. In conjunction with that, a Fear of God is indispensable to living a holy life. We can see a connection between fearing God and a life of integrity in Job 4:6 where they are looked at as being virtually synonymous: “Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?” To live a life fearing God is to have a life of integrity. Having a proper view of the Word and fearing God will inevitably lead to living a holy life.
What undergirds this holy life - this life of integrity and righteous living? Or to say it another way, what things have to be in place for a man to live this way? For one, the man who wants to live a holy life must have a proper view of the Word of God. We can see this in Psalm 19. In verses 7-10, David gives a beautiful description of the Word of God, calling it perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, more to be desired than gold and sweeter than honey. And then look what he says in verse 13, “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.” What was the means to this blameless life? Not sinning. And how would he know what not sinning means if he didn’t have this magnificent view of God’s Word in mind? It would do him no good to ask the Lord to keep him from sin if he didn’t love the Word and know the Word so that he could recognize sin before he committed it! So a proper view of the Word of God is absolutely necessary in order to live a holy life. In conjunction with that, a Fear of God is indispensable to living a holy life. We can see a connection between fearing God and a life of integrity in Job 4:6 where they are looked at as being virtually synonymous: “Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?” To live a life fearing God is to have a life of integrity. Having a proper view of the Word and fearing God will inevitably lead to living a holy life.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Psalm 15, Part 1
I preached Psalm 15 in my preaching lab class a few weeks ago. I thought it might be helpful to post it in segments for anyone that reads this blog - not because I wrote it, but because it's an explanation of God's Word, which is of infinite worth.
Psalm 15 has aptly been coined the ultimate Q and A because in it, David asks a question of utmost importance, one that we can’t afford to miss the answer to. Doing so would have eternal consequences. The question he asks is found in verse 1, “O Lord, who can sojourn in your tent, who can dwell on your holy hill?” While it would be of value in another sermon to study the deeper meanings of the tent and holy hill to which David refers, for the purposes of this sermon it is enough for us to know that ultimately what David wants to know is who can dwell in the Lord’s presence.
Before looking at the answer to this question, it's imperative that we first have an understanding of who this God is with whom David inquires. This is the God of Isaiah 6 where we find angels declaring, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” The God whose appearance caused Isaiah to declare, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” He is the God of whom John wrote, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” He is the God of whom David wrote earlier in the Psalms, “evil may not dwell with you.” He is God the righteous judge, who feels indignation every day and is whetting his sword for unrepentant sinners. David is asking the perfect and holy Creator of the Universe who created all that is by the word of his mouth, who is all powerful, all sovereign, and all knowing who can be in his presence.
Failing to understand the magnitude of who David wishes to dwell with may make the requirement seem to be over the top. And yet understanding the magnitude makes David’s request almost seem foolish. Why should the perfectly holy and good God allow any of his rebel subjects into his presence? In fact, with this vision of God in our minds it seems as if the response to this question should be fairly succinct: no one. To our surprise though, that’s not the answer David gets. God actually gives him a way in! But lest we breathe a sigh of relief too quickly, the question we have to ask ourselves is even if there is a way in, can I possibly meet it? I’ll tell you before we even get to the end, no, we can’t possibly meet this standard. It’s one of perfection! And we all know that even if we started abiding by these characteristics from now until the day we die, our perfect record has already been blemished. So how do we approach this Psalm? What I don’t want to do is take the weight away from what God is demanding here. God really is saying we must meet this standard. He doesn’t say, the man who is progressively becoming more and more like this can dwell in my presence. He says the man who meets this standard can dwell in His presence. So right away, we are undone. And this is what leads us to Christ who did meet this standard perfectly and died for our failure to meet the standard perfectly so that when we embrace Him we are credited with his perfect righteousness.
But is that all that this Psalm is for? Is it only to show us a standard that we can’t meet so that we will then flee to Christ? No, because while it is true that God demands perfection and we can’t meet it, it’s also true that those who have trusted in Christ will live life differently than they used to. Their lives won’t be perfect, but they will progressively look more and more like the man described here. So this Psalm can serve as a test for those that have already recognized they are desperate and in need of Savior. A test to determine if they truly know him. Because the Bible is crystal clear that merely professing with your lips that Christ is your Savior means nothing in and of itself as Titus 1:16 attests to, “they profess to know God, but deny him by their works.” So that is the way we will approach this Psalm. We will look at 6 characteristics of the man that will dwell in God’s presence.
Psalm 15 has aptly been coined the ultimate Q and A because in it, David asks a question of utmost importance, one that we can’t afford to miss the answer to. Doing so would have eternal consequences. The question he asks is found in verse 1, “O Lord, who can sojourn in your tent, who can dwell on your holy hill?” While it would be of value in another sermon to study the deeper meanings of the tent and holy hill to which David refers, for the purposes of this sermon it is enough for us to know that ultimately what David wants to know is who can dwell in the Lord’s presence.
Before looking at the answer to this question, it's imperative that we first have an understanding of who this God is with whom David inquires. This is the God of Isaiah 6 where we find angels declaring, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” The God whose appearance caused Isaiah to declare, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” He is the God of whom John wrote, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” He is the God of whom David wrote earlier in the Psalms, “evil may not dwell with you.” He is God the righteous judge, who feels indignation every day and is whetting his sword for unrepentant sinners. David is asking the perfect and holy Creator of the Universe who created all that is by the word of his mouth, who is all powerful, all sovereign, and all knowing who can be in his presence.
Failing to understand the magnitude of who David wishes to dwell with may make the requirement seem to be over the top. And yet understanding the magnitude makes David’s request almost seem foolish. Why should the perfectly holy and good God allow any of his rebel subjects into his presence? In fact, with this vision of God in our minds it seems as if the response to this question should be fairly succinct: no one. To our surprise though, that’s not the answer David gets. God actually gives him a way in! But lest we breathe a sigh of relief too quickly, the question we have to ask ourselves is even if there is a way in, can I possibly meet it? I’ll tell you before we even get to the end, no, we can’t possibly meet this standard. It’s one of perfection! And we all know that even if we started abiding by these characteristics from now until the day we die, our perfect record has already been blemished. So how do we approach this Psalm? What I don’t want to do is take the weight away from what God is demanding here. God really is saying we must meet this standard. He doesn’t say, the man who is progressively becoming more and more like this can dwell in my presence. He says the man who meets this standard can dwell in His presence. So right away, we are undone. And this is what leads us to Christ who did meet this standard perfectly and died for our failure to meet the standard perfectly so that when we embrace Him we are credited with his perfect righteousness.
But is that all that this Psalm is for? Is it only to show us a standard that we can’t meet so that we will then flee to Christ? No, because while it is true that God demands perfection and we can’t meet it, it’s also true that those who have trusted in Christ will live life differently than they used to. Their lives won’t be perfect, but they will progressively look more and more like the man described here. So this Psalm can serve as a test for those that have already recognized they are desperate and in need of Savior. A test to determine if they truly know him. Because the Bible is crystal clear that merely professing with your lips that Christ is your Savior means nothing in and of itself as Titus 1:16 attests to, “they profess to know God, but deny him by their works.” So that is the way we will approach this Psalm. We will look at 6 characteristics of the man that will dwell in God’s presence.
Friday, March 11, 2011
A Better Question
Actually, in regards to that last post, which was a quote taken from John MacArthur's latest book, Slave, a better question is who's slave are you? Because in John 8:34, Jesus tells us that "everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin". It's amazing that everyone in the world is a slave of someone. Some to sin, some to Christ. There are no independents. The difference between the two is that sin is a cruel master, always promising, but never fulfilling and ultimately costing you your soul. Jesus on the other hand, is a tender master, one who dies for his slaves and then gives them his precious Word and presence and keeps every promise. However, it is true that if he really is your master, you will obey Him. That's how we know who our master truly is: if we keep his commandments. Luke 6:46, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' and do not do what I say?"
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Are you a Slave?
"Contemporary Christianity...is about success, health, wealth, prosperity and the pursuit of happiness. We often hear that God loves people unconditionally and wants them to be all they want to be. He wants to fulfill every desire, hope and dream. Personal ambition, personal fulfillment, personal gratification - these have all become part of the language of evangelical Christianity - and part of what it means to have a 'personal relationship with Jesus Christ.' Instead of teaching the New Testament gospel - where sinners are called to submit to Christ - the contemporary message is exactly the opposite: Jesus is here to fulfill all your wishes. Likening Him to a personal assistant or a personal trainer, many churchgoers speak of a personal Savior who is eager to do their bidding and help them in their quest for self-satisfaction or individual accomplishment. (This is my own thought: Basically taking Jesus because of what He can do for you, not because you hate your sin and are desperate for His grace.)
The New Testament understanding of the believer's relationship to Christ could not be more opposite. He is the Master and Owner. We are His possession. He is the King, the Lord and the Son of God. We are His subjects and His subordinates.
In a word, we are His slaves." (John MacArthur, Slave, 14-15)
The New Testament understanding of the believer's relationship to Christ could not be more opposite. He is the Master and Owner. We are His possession. He is the King, the Lord and the Son of God. We are His subjects and His subordinates.
In a word, we are His slaves." (John MacArthur, Slave, 14-15)
Monday, January 17, 2011
"The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply...The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot."
Psalm 16:4a, 5
"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." C.S. Lewis
Psalm 16:4a, 5
"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." C.S. Lewis
Monday, January 10, 2011
Help with Resolving Conflict
"We must learn the disciplines necessary for resolving conflict in a manner that pleases Christ, even when our personal preferences get trampled upon." Jerry Wragg, Exemplary Spiritual Leadership, page 104.
The head pastor of my church, Jerry Wragg, wrote a book on leadership that I've been going through. The chapter I'm on is about conflict and I thought this was extremely helpful in thinking through resolving even daily conflicts. It reminded me of some notes that I took in one of his classes too:
Why are you worried about how others sin affects you? You get eternity with Christ. You should only be worried when the truth has been attacked (namely God and His Word - and then things the Word says we should be jealous for - His church, which He purchased with his own blood). You must detach yourself from personal offense (Romans 12:19-21).
If you are easily offended, you have a sense of entitlement; meaning you think your life is about you and what you deserve, not Christ and his honor.
Inform your conscience biblically and be willing to defer in areas of preference.
If we try to avoid conflict at all costs, we can’t grow. God is using it to crucify us, to bring us to the end of ourselves. We need to foster a James 1 perspective of conflict.
The head pastor of my church, Jerry Wragg, wrote a book on leadership that I've been going through. The chapter I'm on is about conflict and I thought this was extremely helpful in thinking through resolving even daily conflicts. It reminded me of some notes that I took in one of his classes too:
Why are you worried about how others sin affects you? You get eternity with Christ. You should only be worried when the truth has been attacked (namely God and His Word - and then things the Word says we should be jealous for - His church, which He purchased with his own blood). You must detach yourself from personal offense (Romans 12:19-21).
If you are easily offended, you have a sense of entitlement; meaning you think your life is about you and what you deserve, not Christ and his honor.
Inform your conscience biblically and be willing to defer in areas of preference.
If we try to avoid conflict at all costs, we can’t grow. God is using it to crucify us, to bring us to the end of ourselves. We need to foster a James 1 perspective of conflict.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
What I forget
What am I forgetting when I worry, fear, dwell in self-pity, am discontent or complain? I'm...
Forgetting where true happiness springs forth from
“The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.” Psalm 16:5
“I cry to you, O LORD; I say, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’” Psalm 142:5
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26
“The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words.” Psalm 119:57
“‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’” Lamentations 3:24
Forgetting God’s loving care
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose...He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:28, 32
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32
“Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” Psalm 34:9-10
Forgetting God’s sovereign control
“The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.” Psalm 33:11
“...for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” Dan 4:34-35
“...for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” Acts 4:27-28
Forgetting my role as slave
“Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” John 13:16
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. Matthew 10:24-25
Forgetting his supreme wisdom
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?’ ‘Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’” Romans 11:34-35
Forgetting my riches in Christ
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” Ephesians 1:3
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”
Forgetting all that I deserve
“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,” II Thessalonians 1:9
“And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth...and these will go away into eternal punishment” Matthew 25:30, 46
Forgetting trials are God’s means for growing me
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word...It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes...I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.” Psalm 119:67, 71, 75
“Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” II Corinthians 1:9
Forgetting anxiety and fear are deceitful forms of pride
“I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretches out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth...? Isaiah 51:12-13
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:6-7
Forgetting where true happiness springs forth from
“The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.” Psalm 16:5
“I cry to you, O LORD; I say, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’” Psalm 142:5
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26
“The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words.” Psalm 119:57
“‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’” Lamentations 3:24
Forgetting God’s loving care
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose...He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:28, 32
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32
“Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” Psalm 34:9-10
Forgetting God’s sovereign control
“The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.” Psalm 33:11
“...for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” Dan 4:34-35
“...for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” Acts 4:27-28
Forgetting my role as slave
“Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” John 13:16
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. Matthew 10:24-25
Forgetting his supreme wisdom
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?’ ‘Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’” Romans 11:34-35
Forgetting my riches in Christ
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” Ephesians 1:3
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”
Forgetting all that I deserve
“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,” II Thessalonians 1:9
“And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth...and these will go away into eternal punishment” Matthew 25:30, 46
Forgetting trials are God’s means for growing me
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word...It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes...I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.” Psalm 119:67, 71, 75
“Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” II Corinthians 1:9
Forgetting anxiety and fear are deceitful forms of pride
“I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretches out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth...? Isaiah 51:12-13
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:6-7
Saturday, January 01, 2011
A Grateful Heart
My mom wrote this to me a few weeks back and I found it especially meaningful today:
"Thou that hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more - a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me -
As if Thy blessing had spare days -
But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise"
~ George Herbert
He must have meditated on I Thessalonians 5:18, "give thanks in all circumstances". We really have no circumstance in which we can be disgruntled, especially not if we are saved and have every promise in the Bible as ours! And yet, the beauty of this poem is that he isn't pulling himself up by his bootstraps and trying hard to be thankful. He knows he is dependent on Christ to make him what he should be.
"Thou that hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more - a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me -
As if Thy blessing had spare days -
But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise"
~ George Herbert
He must have meditated on I Thessalonians 5:18, "give thanks in all circumstances". We really have no circumstance in which we can be disgruntled, especially not if we are saved and have every promise in the Bible as ours! And yet, the beauty of this poem is that he isn't pulling himself up by his bootstraps and trying hard to be thankful. He knows he is dependent on Christ to make him what he should be.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
I'm reading a book for one of my preaching classes (I don't like the title, The Passion Driven Sermon, but the content is super). Here's some of the spillover of what's being poured into me.
"the testimony of God was given primarily to exalt the Divine, not to resource mankind." It may not sound that profound, but I love it nonetheless. We find our significance in being lost in him, not in trying to steal the spotlight.
"the testimony of God was given primarily to exalt the Divine, not to resource mankind." It may not sound that profound, but I love it nonetheless. We find our significance in being lost in him, not in trying to steal the spotlight.
Friday, October 08, 2010
Testing Your Heart
"Don't ask me to lay this_______ down at your feet that I'm unsure I'll be able to have and thus won't be happy...I'll come and sing your songs, I'll teach your class, I'll grab someone's hand and pray with them, but don't ask me to come in faith like that." Jerry Wragg
This is a quote from my pastor. There are so many things that could be filled into that blank. Whatever it is, if we aren't willing to give it up, pollutes our worship. There's nothing much more terrifying than the thought of standing in church singing praises to God with our lips while cherishing an idol in our hands.
This is a quote from my pastor. There are so many things that could be filled into that blank. Whatever it is, if we aren't willing to give it up, pollutes our worship. There's nothing much more terrifying than the thought of standing in church singing praises to God with our lips while cherishing an idol in our hands.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
I Asked the Lord that I Might Grow
I asked the Lord that I might grow,
In faith and love and every grace,
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.
It was He who taught me thus to pray,
And He I trust has answered prayer.
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.
I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He'd answer my request.
And by His love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins and give me rest.
Instead of this, He made me feel,
The hidden evils of my heart.
And let the angry powers of hell,
Assault my soul in every part.
Yes, more with His own hand, He seemed,
Intent to aggravate my woe.
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.
"Lord, why is this?" I trembling cried.
Will You pursue Your worm to death?"
"This is the way" the Lord replied,
"I answer prayer for grace and strength."
"These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set you free;
And break your schemes of earthly joy,
That you may find thy all in Me."
—John Newton
What a song. It's hard to pull one verse out to highlight without feeling like I'm neglecting the others, but I especially like the 3rd verse - "I hoped that in some favored hour, At once He'd answer my request. And by His love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins and give me rest." The process of changing is hard and we'd all like it to be easy, but it's not going to be. We have his promises as we go through it, but his grace isn't cheap. Yes, we're forgiven fully and freely by the blood of Jesus, but that doesn't mean getting rid of engrained, sinful patterns of life will happen overnight. What a mercy that he points out our sins so that we can change and then is with us through the process. I'm continually blown away at the mercy God has had on me in bringing me to a church like I'm at now where I am learning these things.
In faith and love and every grace,
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.
It was He who taught me thus to pray,
And He I trust has answered prayer.
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.
I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He'd answer my request.
And by His love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins and give me rest.
Instead of this, He made me feel,
The hidden evils of my heart.
And let the angry powers of hell,
Assault my soul in every part.
Yes, more with His own hand, He seemed,
Intent to aggravate my woe.
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.
"Lord, why is this?" I trembling cried.
Will You pursue Your worm to death?"
"This is the way" the Lord replied,
"I answer prayer for grace and strength."
"These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set you free;
And break your schemes of earthly joy,
That you may find thy all in Me."
—John Newton
What a song. It's hard to pull one verse out to highlight without feeling like I'm neglecting the others, but I especially like the 3rd verse - "I hoped that in some favored hour, At once He'd answer my request. And by His love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins and give me rest." The process of changing is hard and we'd all like it to be easy, but it's not going to be. We have his promises as we go through it, but his grace isn't cheap. Yes, we're forgiven fully and freely by the blood of Jesus, but that doesn't mean getting rid of engrained, sinful patterns of life will happen overnight. What a mercy that he points out our sins so that we can change and then is with us through the process. I'm continually blown away at the mercy God has had on me in bringing me to a church like I'm at now where I am learning these things.
Monday, October 04, 2010
A Valuable Lesson Learned
I learned a valuable lesson today by reading all the lyrics to a song that I have in the past thought was kind of catchy when I'd occasionally heard it on the radio. I'd only paid any attention to the chorus and had wondered if he was talking about God in it. Turns out he was, but in a much different manner than I had suspected. The only part of the chorus I knew was "Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me. Lying on the floor, surrounded, surrounded." Sounds fine until you read the verses and the rest of the chorus. According to the first verse he finds God standing on a street corner "smoking his last cigarette" The man asks God "Where you been?" to which God replies, "Ask anything". Then the rest of the song is basically him blasting God for ignoring him, taking too long to "find him" ("Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? Just a little late, you found me, you found me.") and for having "some kind of nerve taking all I want" - which was a girl.
That song was the overflow of an idolator's heart. He treasured a girl far and above the God of the Universe who keeps his heart beating each and every moment. He thinks God owes him something. He's actually right about that. But he definitely doesn't want what God owes him, because if he did get it, he'd experience the full furry of God's wrath against him for his sin. God doesn't owe us anything good though, which is what he thinks he deserves. His only hope is that God will awaken his eyes to see that he is a debtor to God because of his sin and that Jesus took that debt and paid it with his blood. How do I know? Because I'm an idolator too and I've found in the Word of God, promises that all idolators and rebels like this man and ME can be forgiven freely if we will turn from our sin and to Christ.
Makes me think twice before singing along with a catchy tune.
That song was the overflow of an idolator's heart. He treasured a girl far and above the God of the Universe who keeps his heart beating each and every moment. He thinks God owes him something. He's actually right about that. But he definitely doesn't want what God owes him, because if he did get it, he'd experience the full furry of God's wrath against him for his sin. God doesn't owe us anything good though, which is what he thinks he deserves. His only hope is that God will awaken his eyes to see that he is a debtor to God because of his sin and that Jesus took that debt and paid it with his blood. How do I know? Because I'm an idolator too and I've found in the Word of God, promises that all idolators and rebels like this man and ME can be forgiven freely if we will turn from our sin and to Christ.
Makes me think twice before singing along with a catchy tune.
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Practical Help in Sanctification
Some quotes I've come across in different books I'm reading:
"So the more Christ’s Word dwells in us "richly" (Col. 3: 16), the less room will there be for the exercise of sin in our hearts and lives." A.W. Pink, Profiting from Scripture
"Fill your affections with the cross of Christ and you will find no room for sin.” John Owen, quoted by C. J. Mahaney in Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World
"So the more Christ’s Word dwells in us "richly" (Col. 3: 16), the less room will there be for the exercise of sin in our hearts and lives." A.W. Pink, Profiting from Scripture
"Fill your affections with the cross of Christ and you will find no room for sin.” John Owen, quoted by C. J. Mahaney in Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World
Friday, September 03, 2010
Just So You Know
I don't want to make a big deal of it, but also don't want to needlessly cause any confusion. So, just so you know, if you happen to notice I'm no longer your facebook friend, it's not because I dropped you, its because I dropped facebook. I wrote a little poem about it.
If once you saw my face in your book
and now its not there when you look
its not 'cause you I forsook
I just decided to leave.
Poetry never really has been my forte.
If once you saw my face in your book
and now its not there when you look
its not 'cause you I forsook
I just decided to leave.
Poetry never really has been my forte.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The King of kings
I wrote this several weeks ago but never posted it:
I just finished reading through II Chronicles. That ends a 260 page, 6 book trek through a mostly horrific history of the kings of Israel (and of Judah after the kingdom split). Thankfully, there were some good kings along the way, most notably David. But even this, the greatest of Israel's kings was a murderer and adulterer. And his poor judgment and disobedience in demanding that a census be taken in Israel led to the death of 70,000 men of Israel as punishment.
Solomon, David's son, began his reign well, following after the Lord. But he "clung...in love" (I Kings 11:2) to foreign women that God had specifically commanded the Israelites not to intermarry with and they "turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God." (11:4)
What about king Asa? He "did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God." But, by the end of his life, he has drifted away from the Lord. After relying on the king of Syria instead of the Lord in a battle, the Lord sent a prophet to confront him about his sin. Rather than repenting he put the prophet in prison and "inflicted cruelties upon some of the pople at the same time". He was struck with a foot disease and yet still "did not seek the LORD."
King Jehoshaphat was also a king committed to the Lord. He "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord." He saw some amazing things happen during his reign because of his trust in the one true God. He sought the Lord's face when two great armies, the Moabites and Ammonites, sought to destroy Judah. He uttered one of my favorite prayers, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you" (II Chron 20:12). What was the Lord's response? "Do not be afraid...for the battle is not yours but God's...You will not need to fight in this battle" (20:15-17). And just as he promised, "the Lord set an ambush" against their enemies! Without them ever lifting a finger, "there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped". Quite an ambush! But even Jehoshaphat had his flaws. For, during his reign, for all the good things he did, "The high places, were not taken away". He had allowed idol worship to continue, despite the prohibition against that in the law.
Same story with Joash. He also "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD" but only during "all the days of Jehoiada the priest." After his mentor and friend died, he listened to unwise counsel and ended up allowing idol worship and then killed Zechariah, Jehoiada's son, for speaking the truth to him!
There's Amaziah who "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart"; Uzziah who began well, but was still "unfaithful to the LORD his God" by the end; Hezekiah who wonderfully turned Judah back to seeking the LORD, restored the temple, and celebrated the Passover for the first time in a long time and yet still had traces of pride that surfaced near the end of his reign.
Then finally, as far as righteous kings go, there was Josiah. He majorly reformed Judah, sought to live according to the Word of God, celebrated the Passover meticulously and yet still came up short. He died in a battle that he never should have been involved in, but he didn't listen to the word of the Lord.
These were the righteous kings and yet they all came up so far short. I was always hoping to get to the end of one of the stories without their being a "but..." about his faithfulness to the Lord. But it never came (at least among those described in detail). And I think part of the point of spending such a large portion of Scripture to describe kings that never completely measured up is to provide a backdrop for the King of kings, Jesus Christ who DID completely measure up. We never get let down by one of his failures like every other king. An all too common theme among the kings was that often their major flaws were exposed near the end of their lives. This King's obedience shined most brightly at the end of his life as he suffered and died, in obedience, for his enemies. His obedience unto death covers all of those sins and failures of OURS that we see every day if we have taken refuge in him (which will be evidenced by our obedience to his commands. Not perfect obedience, but the direction of our life is towards honoring and obeying him).
All of that to say, yes, there are good things we can glean from the righteous kings of Judah and Israel. But let their failures remind us to gaze more at our truly Perfect King Jesus and to submit ourselves under him.
I just finished reading through II Chronicles. That ends a 260 page, 6 book trek through a mostly horrific history of the kings of Israel (and of Judah after the kingdom split). Thankfully, there were some good kings along the way, most notably David. But even this, the greatest of Israel's kings was a murderer and adulterer. And his poor judgment and disobedience in demanding that a census be taken in Israel led to the death of 70,000 men of Israel as punishment.
Solomon, David's son, began his reign well, following after the Lord. But he "clung...in love" (I Kings 11:2) to foreign women that God had specifically commanded the Israelites not to intermarry with and they "turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God." (11:4)
What about king Asa? He "did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God." But, by the end of his life, he has drifted away from the Lord. After relying on the king of Syria instead of the Lord in a battle, the Lord sent a prophet to confront him about his sin. Rather than repenting he put the prophet in prison and "inflicted cruelties upon some of the pople at the same time". He was struck with a foot disease and yet still "did not seek the LORD."
King Jehoshaphat was also a king committed to the Lord. He "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord." He saw some amazing things happen during his reign because of his trust in the one true God. He sought the Lord's face when two great armies, the Moabites and Ammonites, sought to destroy Judah. He uttered one of my favorite prayers, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you" (II Chron 20:12). What was the Lord's response? "Do not be afraid...for the battle is not yours but God's...You will not need to fight in this battle" (20:15-17). And just as he promised, "the Lord set an ambush" against their enemies! Without them ever lifting a finger, "there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped". Quite an ambush! But even Jehoshaphat had his flaws. For, during his reign, for all the good things he did, "The high places, were not taken away". He had allowed idol worship to continue, despite the prohibition against that in the law.
Same story with Joash. He also "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD" but only during "all the days of Jehoiada the priest." After his mentor and friend died, he listened to unwise counsel and ended up allowing idol worship and then killed Zechariah, Jehoiada's son, for speaking the truth to him!
There's Amaziah who "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart"; Uzziah who began well, but was still "unfaithful to the LORD his God" by the end; Hezekiah who wonderfully turned Judah back to seeking the LORD, restored the temple, and celebrated the Passover for the first time in a long time and yet still had traces of pride that surfaced near the end of his reign.
Then finally, as far as righteous kings go, there was Josiah. He majorly reformed Judah, sought to live according to the Word of God, celebrated the Passover meticulously and yet still came up short. He died in a battle that he never should have been involved in, but he didn't listen to the word of the Lord.
These were the righteous kings and yet they all came up so far short. I was always hoping to get to the end of one of the stories without their being a "but..." about his faithfulness to the Lord. But it never came (at least among those described in detail). And I think part of the point of spending such a large portion of Scripture to describe kings that never completely measured up is to provide a backdrop for the King of kings, Jesus Christ who DID completely measure up. We never get let down by one of his failures like every other king. An all too common theme among the kings was that often their major flaws were exposed near the end of their lives. This King's obedience shined most brightly at the end of his life as he suffered and died, in obedience, for his enemies. His obedience unto death covers all of those sins and failures of OURS that we see every day if we have taken refuge in him (which will be evidenced by our obedience to his commands. Not perfect obedience, but the direction of our life is towards honoring and obeying him).
All of that to say, yes, there are good things we can glean from the righteous kings of Judah and Israel. But let their failures remind us to gaze more at our truly Perfect King Jesus and to submit ourselves under him.
Monday, August 23, 2010
I have grown to really appreciate this song. My favorite line right now: "Words of pow'r that can never fail - Let their truth prevail over unbelief."
Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of Your Holy Word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness,
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory.
Teach us, Lord, full obedience,
Holy reverence, true humility;
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise; cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority.
Words of pow'r that can never fail—
Let their truth prevail over unbelief.
Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us—
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time
That will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we'll stand on Your promises,
And by faith we'll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
AMOS
"God is not impressed with your Christianity" is how one of my pastors, Jon Anderson, sums up the book of Amos. I listened to an old sermon he preached on the book and providentially, that's where I ended up in my recent endeavor to read through the Old Testament in a more historically chronological fashion (thanks to the help of a Bible reading plan I came across). So, this will be a mixture of thoughts, most of which I got from Jon.
Amos begins the book pronouncing judgment on 7 of Israel and Judah's neighboring enemies. You can just hear the claps of applause coming from the Jewish listeners as they anticipate this destruction of their hated enemies. And then...Amos' approval rating takes a big dip. Amos, speaking for the Lord, did not stop with prophecies of destruction on their enemies. He continued on to condemn Judah and Israel themselves - and Israel at great length.
Why would God bring destruction on Israel, his chosen people? Was it because they weren't sacrificing and tithing like good Jews should do? No. "'Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifice every morning, your tithes every three days; offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!' declares the Lord God" (4:4-5). No, the external actions were not the problem, per se. The problem was that although they did all these religious things - in our day and age, things like going to church, praying, giving, helping at VBS, faithfully reading your Bible every day - their hearts were far from God. How do we know that? They "oppress the poor" and "crush the needy" (4:1). They "trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and turn aside the way of the afflicted" (2:7). "'They do not know how to do right,' declares the LORD" (3:10). It's like Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." And they weren't keeping them. They were willing to do some external deeds of righteousness in order to salve their guilty conscience, but when it came to actually changing their lifestyle for the sake of obedience to the Lord? Forget about it. Their religion was just a venire to cover their wicked hearts.
It's not that God didn't try to warn them before this. In 4:6-11, the Lord tells all the things he did in order to get their attention and draw them back to himself; things like withholding rain, sending famine, striking them with blight and mildew, sending locusts to devour their produce. Yet, "'you did not return to me,' declares the LORD". He warned and they ignored, "'Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!'" How do we interpret our hardships? Do we turn to God in them? God designs them to warn and woo us to himself (Luke 13:1-5; II Corinthians 1:9).
Chapter 5 ends with sobering words. Words that we should take to heart: "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" (5:21-24).
God is not impressed with our Christianity. He knows if our religious actions are just meant to gain the approval of man, or to salve our consciences, or to earn favor with him - or are an overflow of love to him. He is only impressed with Christ and we must be found in him. Our actions will prove over time whether our obedience is prompted by love for the Savior and a desire to please the one who died for us, or if they are prompted by self-seeking interests. It's not that our actions could ever merit salvation. They are just evidence of whether we are truly saved or not.
Amos begins the book pronouncing judgment on 7 of Israel and Judah's neighboring enemies. You can just hear the claps of applause coming from the Jewish listeners as they anticipate this destruction of their hated enemies. And then...Amos' approval rating takes a big dip. Amos, speaking for the Lord, did not stop with prophecies of destruction on their enemies. He continued on to condemn Judah and Israel themselves - and Israel at great length.
Why would God bring destruction on Israel, his chosen people? Was it because they weren't sacrificing and tithing like good Jews should do? No. "'Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifice every morning, your tithes every three days; offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!' declares the Lord God" (4:4-5). No, the external actions were not the problem, per se. The problem was that although they did all these religious things - in our day and age, things like going to church, praying, giving, helping at VBS, faithfully reading your Bible every day - their hearts were far from God. How do we know that? They "oppress the poor" and "crush the needy" (4:1). They "trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and turn aside the way of the afflicted" (2:7). "'They do not know how to do right,' declares the LORD" (3:10). It's like Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." And they weren't keeping them. They were willing to do some external deeds of righteousness in order to salve their guilty conscience, but when it came to actually changing their lifestyle for the sake of obedience to the Lord? Forget about it. Their religion was just a venire to cover their wicked hearts.
It's not that God didn't try to warn them before this. In 4:6-11, the Lord tells all the things he did in order to get their attention and draw them back to himself; things like withholding rain, sending famine, striking them with blight and mildew, sending locusts to devour their produce. Yet, "'you did not return to me,' declares the LORD". He warned and they ignored, "'Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!'" How do we interpret our hardships? Do we turn to God in them? God designs them to warn and woo us to himself (Luke 13:1-5; II Corinthians 1:9).
Chapter 5 ends with sobering words. Words that we should take to heart: "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" (5:21-24).
God is not impressed with our Christianity. He knows if our religious actions are just meant to gain the approval of man, or to salve our consciences, or to earn favor with him - or are an overflow of love to him. He is only impressed with Christ and we must be found in him. Our actions will prove over time whether our obedience is prompted by love for the Savior and a desire to please the one who died for us, or if they are prompted by self-seeking interests. It's not that our actions could ever merit salvation. They are just evidence of whether we are truly saved or not.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Happy Birthday, Beth!
I love you and am thankful that God gave me a gift 3 years, 3 months and 6 days before I was even born!
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