This article from Reuters was on Yahoo this morning...
U.S. says lacks intelligence to fight pirates in Somalia
MANAMA (Reuters) – The United States lacks the intelligence needed to pursue the fight against pirates on Somali soil, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Saturday.
I just had to laugh.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Friday, November 07, 2008
The real Obama?
Honestly, I am not really political at all. However, the lies and deception that were so much a part of this entire political season have drawn me in. I will pray for our new president, but at this point I am not sure I can trust him. We will see....
From the Associated Press
CHICAGO – Barack Obama is signaling a shift in tactics and temperament as he moves from candidate to president-elect, picking sharp-elbowed Washington insiders for top posts. His choice Thursday for White House chief of staff — Rahm Emanuel, a fiery partisan who doesn't mind breaking glass and hurting feelings — is a significant departure from the soft-spoken, low-key aides that "No-Drama Obama" has surrounded himself with during his campaign.
And transition chief John Podesta, like Emanuel, is a former top aide to Bill Clinton and a tough partisan infighter, though less bombastic than the new chief of staff.
The selections are telling for Obama, who campaigned as a nontraditional, almost "post-partisan" newcomer. People close to him say the selections show that Obama is aware of his weaknesses as well as his strengths and knows what he needs to be successful as he shifts from campaigning to governing.
"No one I know is better at getting things done than Rahm Emanuel," Obama said in a statement announcing the selection."
Hmmm... the gentle leader's first selection for his staff is a pit bull.
I may soon find myself fighting the temptation to say, "I told you so...."
But I won't. I won't have to. We all know that this is how socialism works. Utopia by force. The kingdom at gunpoint. Selfishness is the defining principle in a fallen world. Love is the work of the Spirit in our hearts, not the government forcing us to share our toys whether we want to or not. The ideals of socialism are beautiful. But it will never work until Jesus returns to rule on the earth. Then, I believe we will see the Book of Acts on a grand scale. This is what our new president doesn't seem to understand.
And this acknowledgment of a "shift in tactics and temperment" didn't come from some right wing blog. Its the AP. These are folks who worked very hard to get him elected.
The Lord is King, and that's all that really matters. But, it will be very interesting to watch this whole thing play out.
And Jesus will be working every step of the way to win the hearts of people into His magnificent kingdom.
Ezekial 34
For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. ... I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
Psalm 46
Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
From the Associated Press
CHICAGO – Barack Obama is signaling a shift in tactics and temperament as he moves from candidate to president-elect, picking sharp-elbowed Washington insiders for top posts. His choice Thursday for White House chief of staff — Rahm Emanuel, a fiery partisan who doesn't mind breaking glass and hurting feelings — is a significant departure from the soft-spoken, low-key aides that "No-Drama Obama" has surrounded himself with during his campaign.
And transition chief John Podesta, like Emanuel, is a former top aide to Bill Clinton and a tough partisan infighter, though less bombastic than the new chief of staff.
The selections are telling for Obama, who campaigned as a nontraditional, almost "post-partisan" newcomer. People close to him say the selections show that Obama is aware of his weaknesses as well as his strengths and knows what he needs to be successful as he shifts from campaigning to governing.
"No one I know is better at getting things done than Rahm Emanuel," Obama said in a statement announcing the selection."
Hmmm... the gentle leader's first selection for his staff is a pit bull.
I may soon find myself fighting the temptation to say, "I told you so...."
But I won't. I won't have to. We all know that this is how socialism works. Utopia by force. The kingdom at gunpoint. Selfishness is the defining principle in a fallen world. Love is the work of the Spirit in our hearts, not the government forcing us to share our toys whether we want to or not. The ideals of socialism are beautiful. But it will never work until Jesus returns to rule on the earth. Then, I believe we will see the Book of Acts on a grand scale. This is what our new president doesn't seem to understand.
And this acknowledgment of a "shift in tactics and temperment" didn't come from some right wing blog. Its the AP. These are folks who worked very hard to get him elected.
The Lord is King, and that's all that really matters. But, it will be very interesting to watch this whole thing play out.
And Jesus will be working every step of the way to win the hearts of people into His magnificent kingdom.
Ezekial 34
For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. ... I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
Psalm 46
Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
But Jesus hung out with sinners...
Luke 5
And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
I was reading this morning, and came to this passage. It is often abused by the perversions of grace so commonly found in western "Christianity". People love to point out that Jesus hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes. That idea, pulled out of context, is used to justify a lifestyle of worldliness and carnality. We generally try to clean things up a bit, but we don't live all that much differently than "the world". We spend our time and money just like the kingdom of darkness. We watch the same movies and television that glorify sin without even a twinge of conviction. We pursue personal affluence in the name of God's blessing. We party with the best of them. And we ignore the last half of the passage. He hung out with "sinners" in order to show them the truth of His love, and call them to repentance. He was consumed with a purpose, "to seek and save that which was lost." He wasn't just "hangin' with his boys", having a beer and talking about the local football team. He was calling people out of the kingdom of this world and into the kingdom of God.
Let me be clear. There is a legitimate time for rest and relaxation, but we don't step out of the kingdom and back into the world to get "refreshed". What a deception! The gospels seem to indicate that when Jesus needed to re-charge his batteries, He would go off to spend time alone with His Father. How much better off would we be if our tiredness or "burnout" moved us to seek the Lord rather than plopping down in front of the television? We are in a war every moment of every day. Why do we feed ourselves at the table of our enemy when we are weary and hungry? Doesn't make much sense.
Jesus told his disciples, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." We know about it. Sometimes, though, our flesh hungers for the food of this world. What are we going to feed ourselves on? You are what you eat.
A couple of more passages...
James 4
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (If this is true, we seriously need to find out what it means!) Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
1Peter 1
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
2Peter 1
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Speaking of the heroes of faith, the writer of Hebrews tells us,
Hebrews 11
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
Lord, give us a heart that longs for "a better country". Give us that deep revelation of your amazing love that will enable us to discern the defilement of this present age. Deliver us from the christian religion that promises heaven but leaves us unchanged. Give us a heart that longs for your appearing, and for the fulfillment of the prayer for your kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.
Help, Lord.
And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
I was reading this morning, and came to this passage. It is often abused by the perversions of grace so commonly found in western "Christianity". People love to point out that Jesus hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes. That idea, pulled out of context, is used to justify a lifestyle of worldliness and carnality. We generally try to clean things up a bit, but we don't live all that much differently than "the world". We spend our time and money just like the kingdom of darkness. We watch the same movies and television that glorify sin without even a twinge of conviction. We pursue personal affluence in the name of God's blessing. We party with the best of them. And we ignore the last half of the passage. He hung out with "sinners" in order to show them the truth of His love, and call them to repentance. He was consumed with a purpose, "to seek and save that which was lost." He wasn't just "hangin' with his boys", having a beer and talking about the local football team. He was calling people out of the kingdom of this world and into the kingdom of God.
Let me be clear. There is a legitimate time for rest and relaxation, but we don't step out of the kingdom and back into the world to get "refreshed". What a deception! The gospels seem to indicate that when Jesus needed to re-charge his batteries, He would go off to spend time alone with His Father. How much better off would we be if our tiredness or "burnout" moved us to seek the Lord rather than plopping down in front of the television? We are in a war every moment of every day. Why do we feed ourselves at the table of our enemy when we are weary and hungry? Doesn't make much sense.
Jesus told his disciples, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." We know about it. Sometimes, though, our flesh hungers for the food of this world. What are we going to feed ourselves on? You are what you eat.
A couple of more passages...
James 4
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (If this is true, we seriously need to find out what it means!) Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
1Peter 1
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
2Peter 1
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Speaking of the heroes of faith, the writer of Hebrews tells us,
Hebrews 11
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
Lord, give us a heart that longs for "a better country". Give us that deep revelation of your amazing love that will enable us to discern the defilement of this present age. Deliver us from the christian religion that promises heaven but leaves us unchanged. Give us a heart that longs for your appearing, and for the fulfillment of the prayer for your kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.
Help, Lord.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
thoughts from Jeremiah
I was reading in Jeremiah this morning...
Jeremiah 32:16-19
"After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, then I prayed to the Lord, saying, 'Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The Lord of hosts is His name; great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds;"
Jeremiah 32:16-19
"After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, then I prayed to the Lord, saying, 'Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The Lord of hosts is His name; great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds;"
Jeremiah had been prophesying judgment to the God's people. They were not walking in His ways, and they were going to be evicted from their land by the Babylonians. Then the Lord told Jeremiah to buy a piece of the land, as a sign that God would bring them to repentance, and return them to their land once again. In this prayer, Jeremiah was declaring his faith that God was able to do what He promised. He knew God would indeed empower Babylon to destroy their cities and carry them off into captivity. He also knew that when the time was right, the Lord was fully capable of restoring them to the land. He knew this judgment was not unto death, but unto life. God's intention was to humble them, and restore a heart of devotion, and dependence on the One who brought them up out of Egypt. His discipline was a manifestation of His love. It was severe, but we can know with certainty that His perfect wisdom determined it to be necessary in accomplishing His good purpose.
God's response to Jeremiah's prayer is interesting,
"Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?"
He then goes on to detail the sin of Israel. Idolatry, rebellion..."They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction..."
His judgment was clearly justified.
But, He then immediately declares the true desire of His heart.
"Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. "They shall be My people, and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. "I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. "I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul. "For thus says the Lord, 'Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them."
Our God will never tempt us, but He will test us and discipline us as He sees fit. We must have confidence that it is always done out of His Father heart of love. Ultimately, our cooperation in faith will bring us into greater intimacy with Him, and fuller experience of His incredible purposes for our lives.
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has preparedfor those who love him."
He is good, and worthy of our faith and love!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
sober times
As I sit here reading, thinking, and praying, my heart is sobered. For many years I have carried a sense of the spiritual desperation of our times in western culture. I sometimes get accused of being a "gloom and doom" type, but I can only repeat what both Billy Graham and Leonard Ravenhill have said. "If God doesn't judge America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah."
Its not about divine anger, but divine, holy love.
In our society's lust for pleasure, comfort, and ease, we have turned further and further from His ways. Covetousness and greed are destroying our economy. Sexual immorality is destroying our families and our youth. A loving Father cannot just sit back and let that go on forever without stepping in to intervene. Is His divine discipline coming upon us now? I don't know. I am not a prophet, and would not dare to speak as one. But deep inside, I am struck by the fear of the Lord. A part of me cries out, "Lord, have mercy!" Another part of me prays with sober resolution, "Thy will be done." Whatever He does, we know its done with a desire for our deliverance and salvation. In His letters to the seven churches, Jesus continually called them to fresh repentance. In their failings, He called them back to Himself. He is faithful and true. He takes no delight in the death of the wicked. His desire is always for redemption, but He will not look the other way if we walk in willful disobedience to the ways of His kingdom.
"If you love Me you will keep my commandments."
'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline;"
I was struck by several of His warnings to the churches.
Chap. 2, verse 4 "I have this against you, that you have left your first love."
Chap. 3, verses 1-3 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 'Remember therefore what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent."
Chap. 3, verses 15-16 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
Familiar passages, for sure. I just want to know that I have not left my first love, and that I am neither spiritually asleep or lukewarm. He is calling us to faith that produces faithfulness. He is calling us to be a peculiar people, set apart unto Him. He desires us to be like David who said, "One thing I have desired, that I will seek after..." And like Paul, whose heart cried out, "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ," I want that heart to burn within me. The stuff of this world wants to quench that fire.
Whether we avert national financial ruin in this moment in time or not, we live every day before our Lord Jesus. Let us allow Him to lead us to that place where at the end of our earthly life, we can say with Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."
Its not about divine anger, but divine, holy love.
In our society's lust for pleasure, comfort, and ease, we have turned further and further from His ways. Covetousness and greed are destroying our economy. Sexual immorality is destroying our families and our youth. A loving Father cannot just sit back and let that go on forever without stepping in to intervene. Is His divine discipline coming upon us now? I don't know. I am not a prophet, and would not dare to speak as one. But deep inside, I am struck by the fear of the Lord. A part of me cries out, "Lord, have mercy!" Another part of me prays with sober resolution, "Thy will be done." Whatever He does, we know its done with a desire for our deliverance and salvation. In His letters to the seven churches, Jesus continually called them to fresh repentance. In their failings, He called them back to Himself. He is faithful and true. He takes no delight in the death of the wicked. His desire is always for redemption, but He will not look the other way if we walk in willful disobedience to the ways of His kingdom.
"If you love Me you will keep my commandments."
'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline;"
I was struck by several of His warnings to the churches.
Chap. 2, verse 4 "I have this against you, that you have left your first love."
Chap. 3, verses 1-3 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 'Remember therefore what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent."
Chap. 3, verses 15-16 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
Familiar passages, for sure. I just want to know that I have not left my first love, and that I am neither spiritually asleep or lukewarm. He is calling us to faith that produces faithfulness. He is calling us to be a peculiar people, set apart unto Him. He desires us to be like David who said, "One thing I have desired, that I will seek after..." And like Paul, whose heart cried out, "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ," I want that heart to burn within me. The stuff of this world wants to quench that fire.
Whether we avert national financial ruin in this moment in time or not, we live every day before our Lord Jesus. Let us allow Him to lead us to that place where at the end of our earthly life, we can say with Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Meditation in Leviticus
Hey... I was reading in Leviticus this morning (when was the last time you started an email with that??? ha), and I got to chapter 9, and read this...
Lev 9:1 On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel,
Lev 9:2 and he said to Aaron, "Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.
Lev 9:3 And say to the people of Israel, 'Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old without blemish, for a burnt offering,
Lev 9:4 and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD, and a grain offering mixed with oil, for today the LORD will appear to you.'"
Lev 9:5 And they brought what Moses commanded in front of the tent of meeting, and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.
Lev 9:6 And Moses said, "This is the thing that the LORD commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you." ….
Lev 9:22 Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings.
Lev 9:23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.
Lev 9:24 And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
I left out the middle, because it was detail specific to that time and place, and covenant. We would tend to sort of cruise right by this as irrelevant to our lives today, but I was wondering, is there a principle here for us? We could see this as simply old covenant law of offerings, or we could see this as an example of faith-filled obedience. Moses told them that the Lord wanted to show them His glory. We are all up for that. They believed in this promise, evidenced by their full obedience to what He told them to do to prepare for that event. And He showed up in a pretty awesome manner. It wasn't legalistic works. They didn't "earn" His appearance by doing what He commanded. They prepared themselves in faith, believing that He would do what He said.
On the other hand, you dont see them trying to turn it into a formula, either. I haven't found the chapter where Moses says, "Hey, we're gonna have another one of those glory meetings this weekend. Everybody get your stuff ready for the big sacrifice." The Lord told Moses that He wanted to show His glory to the people, and they all responded. But they didn't come to the conclusion that if they did the same thing again, that He would show up on demand. He is faithful to keep His promises, but He is also the sovereign Lord and King.
What do you think?
Lev 9:1 On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel,
Lev 9:2 and he said to Aaron, "Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.
Lev 9:3 And say to the people of Israel, 'Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old without blemish, for a burnt offering,
Lev 9:4 and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD, and a grain offering mixed with oil, for today the LORD will appear to you.'"
Lev 9:5 And they brought what Moses commanded in front of the tent of meeting, and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.
Lev 9:6 And Moses said, "This is the thing that the LORD commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you." ….
Lev 9:22 Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings.
Lev 9:23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.
Lev 9:24 And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
I left out the middle, because it was detail specific to that time and place, and covenant. We would tend to sort of cruise right by this as irrelevant to our lives today, but I was wondering, is there a principle here for us? We could see this as simply old covenant law of offerings, or we could see this as an example of faith-filled obedience. Moses told them that the Lord wanted to show them His glory. We are all up for that. They believed in this promise, evidenced by their full obedience to what He told them to do to prepare for that event. And He showed up in a pretty awesome manner. It wasn't legalistic works. They didn't "earn" His appearance by doing what He commanded. They prepared themselves in faith, believing that He would do what He said.
On the other hand, you dont see them trying to turn it into a formula, either. I haven't found the chapter where Moses says, "Hey, we're gonna have another one of those glory meetings this weekend. Everybody get your stuff ready for the big sacrifice." The Lord told Moses that He wanted to show His glory to the people, and they all responded. But they didn't come to the conclusion that if they did the same thing again, that He would show up on demand. He is faithful to keep His promises, but He is also the sovereign Lord and King.
What do you think?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Others may, you cannot
I read this a long time ago...
If God has called you to be really like Christ in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility and put on you such demands of obedience, that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.
Others can brag on themselves, and their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all you good works.
The Lord will let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hid away in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His glory, which can be produced only in the shade.
Others will be allowed to succeed in making money, but it is likely God will keep you poor because he wants you to have something far better than gold and that is a helpless dependence on Him; that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day - out of an unseen treasury.
God will let others be great, but He will keep you small. He will let others do a great work for Him and get credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work you have done, and this will make your reward ten times greater when He comes.
The Holy Spirit will put strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.
So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do what He pleases with His own, and He will not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealing with you. He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and let other people say and do many things that you cannot do or say.
Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that others are not dealt with.
Now, when you are so possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this particular personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.
–G. D. Watson
Challenging. I want to walk with Him in this way.
If God has called you to be really like Christ in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility and put on you such demands of obedience, that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.
Others can brag on themselves, and their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all you good works.
The Lord will let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hid away in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His glory, which can be produced only in the shade.
Others will be allowed to succeed in making money, but it is likely God will keep you poor because he wants you to have something far better than gold and that is a helpless dependence on Him; that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day - out of an unseen treasury.
God will let others be great, but He will keep you small. He will let others do a great work for Him and get credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work you have done, and this will make your reward ten times greater when He comes.
The Holy Spirit will put strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.
So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do what He pleases with His own, and He will not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealing with you. He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and let other people say and do many things that you cannot do or say.
Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that others are not dealt with.
Now, when you are so possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this particular personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.
–G. D. Watson
Challenging. I want to walk with Him in this way.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
He loves me
I have been returning to the Song of Solomon lately. Been away too long. Listen to what the Bridegroom says to His Bride.
"Behold, you are beautiful, my love; Behold, you are beautiful..."
God says that to you, and to me. The uncreated Creator of the universe tells me I am beautiful to Him.
And He knows all about me.
Amazing... absolutely amazing.
"Behold, you are beautiful, my love; Behold, you are beautiful..."
God says that to you, and to me. The uncreated Creator of the universe tells me I am beautiful to Him.
And He knows all about me.
Amazing... absolutely amazing.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Are you listening?
I have been spending a lot of time in Hebrews the past few days. What an incredible book. It is at once deeply encouraging, and deeply challenging. This faith of ours is not to be taken lightly.
Hebrews 1:1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
God has spoken..
God has spoken to us.
God has spoken to us by His Son.
Lord, give us a heart to listen.
Hebrews 1:1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
God has spoken..
God has spoken to us.
God has spoken to us by His Son.
Lord, give us a heart to listen.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
God's chosen
From the AP
JERUSALEM - Vice President Dick Cheney said Saturday the U.S. has an "enduring and unshakable" commitment to Israel's security and its right to defend itself against those bent on destroying the Jewish state... "America's commitment to Israel's security is enduring and unshakable, as is our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself always against terrorism, rocket attacks and other threats from forces dedicated to Israel's destruction," Cheney told reporters before an evening meeting with Israel's prime minister, Ehud Olmert.
Lord, give us the grace and wisdom to remain faithful.
JERUSALEM - Vice President Dick Cheney said Saturday the U.S. has an "enduring and unshakable" commitment to Israel's security and its right to defend itself against those bent on destroying the Jewish state... "America's commitment to Israel's security is enduring and unshakable, as is our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself always against terrorism, rocket attacks and other threats from forces dedicated to Israel's destruction," Cheney told reporters before an evening meeting with Israel's prime minister, Ehud Olmert.
Lord, give us the grace and wisdom to remain faithful.
Friday, March 21, 2008
The violence of God
Below is an email I wrote to a pastor I know who has been blogging about the difficulty of reconciling Jesus and His message with the violence of God in the Old Testament. You can read his thoughts at:
http://gregboyd.blogspot.com/2008/03/divinely-inspired-infanticide-and.html
and
http://gregboyd.blogspot.com/2008/03/whats-at-stake-in-trying-to-explain.html
And here are my "two bits"...
Greg,
Its been a few months since I have written. We last talked about God’s purposes for ethnic Israel, and my daughter was getting ready to get married. I appreciated and enjoyed our exchange, and the wedding was absolutely awesome. The Lord blessed it in every way.
I have had some things in my heart to write to you for a couple of months, and your most recent blog posts have motivated me to take the time to put my thoughts together. As I have told you before, I listen to your messages every week. (Scorpions, Eggs, and Prayer was incredible) I was one of the original "podrishioners". Along the way though, one of the things I have felt like I sensed operating in the background was a difficulty reconciling the love of God with His role as our Judge. I understand that. Your thoughts on Psalm 137 make the difficulty pretty clear. Our human understanding of love and goodness doesn’t often include raining down fire from heaven to destroy whole cities. I don’t claim to fully understand how it all works, but I have a few thoughts I would invite you to consider. Some will sound familiar, as I learned them from you.
Let me start with a quick story. A true one. My dad worked for the power company, climbing poles and making sure we all got light when we flipped the switch on the wall. He used to work with a guy who would read his bible in the truck at lunch. To my knowledge, my dad is not a believer, and has his own struggles with the Christian faith, but he made an observation about his co-worker at dinner one night that I will never forget. It seems that this guy had an unusual highlighting system for his bible. He would be reading along quietly, and then he would say out loud, "No... I can't agree with that." And he would pull out a magic marker and black out the part he didn't like. When he told the story, my dad looked across the table at me and said, "That just doesn't seem right." I had to agree. Martin Luther wanted the book of James removed from the canon. It seemed to conflict with his understanding of the kingdom. And now you seem to be suggesting something similar to accommodate your own struggles with passages of scripture that don't fit with your understanding of God and His ways. I respect your struggle, but if you start down that road, I don't think you will be able to stop with the OT. Let me explain why.
First, I want to address an idea you repeat frequently. In establishing the basis for our understanding of what God is like, you often refer to the passages from Hebrews, and Colossians to say that God always looks like Jesus dying on the cross for His enemies.
He is the image of the invisible God,
and
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature
This is a beautiful truth, but you seem to define what it means a bit narrowly. Truly, Jesus is just what these verses say. "In Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell." But… that doesn’t necessarily mean that God always looks like Jesus dying on the cross. Jesus doesn't even always look like Jesus dying on the cross. The NT scriptures describe several other aspects of what He is like, and therefore what God is like.
Here are a few examples:
When Peter was describing his commission from Jesus, he said this in Acts 10:42,
"And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he (Jesus) is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. "
Later in Acts 17 Paul also describes Jesus as judge,
"Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."
And again, in chapter 24, when Paul was sharing his faith with Felix, it says he, "reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment." Its says that "Felix was alarmed," and he sent him away.
In I Thessalonians Paul tells the church about a time "when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus."
When you look at the Revelation of Jesus, He is pictured as the one who breaks the seals that release terrible judgments on the earth.
Rev 5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, ...
The next few chapters describe what happens as he opens one seal after another. It isn’t pretty. The slain Lamb is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and the righteous judge of all the earth. I would guess that you probably go with a symbolic interpretation of Revelation, but that doesn't really matter in this discussion. Symbolic or not, God inspired John to describe Jesus as the one releasing these judgments on the earth.
And my point is this. The judgments described in Jesus’ teaching, Paul’s letters, and the Revelation are every bit as horrific as anything you see in the Old Testament. I am including with this email a list of about fifty passages from across the New Testament that talk about judgment. The gospels, epistles, and Revelation; Jesus, Matthew, Luke, Peter, Paul, John, and Jude… they all talk unashamedly about the judgment of God. Jesus was not embarrassed to talk about what He did to Sodom and Gomorrah. In fact, the judgment of Sodom is referred to nine times in the NT. The apostles were not the least bit uncomfortable with their understanding of God and Jesus as Judge. If we believe that God is love, and we both do, then I think we have to somehow make peace with the idea that His judgments are an expression of His love.
What are some of the ideas we have to deal with?
First, regarding the scriptures, Paul wrote to Timothy,
"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."
Paul encourages Timothy to continue in his studies in the "Old Testament" in order to be equipped for the ministry he was called to. He doesn't warn him to skip over the parts that make God look mean or unloving. In fact, the phrase "all scripture" makes it pretty clear that he views the "bad parts" as significant to understanding the big picture.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding..."
Solomon seems to understand the pitfalls of reliance on our own reasonings to figure out what life is all about. In Repenting of Religion, there was one main point that really impacted my thinking about our judging one another. It wasn't a completely new thought, but you brought it forth in a way that permanently changed my understanding. Basically, its the idea, no, the truth, that I don't really know very much. I can only observe the behavior of the person next to me. I can't see into his heart. I can't know all the things he has experienced in life to make him the person he is today. Only God knows those things, therefore only God is qualified to judge him. Before I read that book, I always interpreted the statement, "Judge not, lest you be judged" as a thinly veiled disguise for compromise and worldliness. Now I see that I am simply not equipped for the job of judging.
I think this is a great opportunity for the application of those same principles. We can't see things as God sees them. Not completely, anyway. When He destroys a city, we naturally recoil in fear, and possibly in some level of revulsion. "What the heck was THAT all about???" From our limited human point of view, it doesn't really look much like love. But we don't have all the information and understanding that God has. Its the whole Job principle. I truly believe that our "judgments" toward God regarding those "behaviors" we find troubling would fall away if we knew what He knows.
If we can't comprehend the reason for the 8 second delay between us and the car ahead of us, how can we possibly understand all of God's dealings with His universe?
We would both agree that the overwhelming evidence of both scripture and life gives us a picture of a God of incomprehensible love. There are arguments against that idea that can be raised by those who are unwilling to put their trust in Him. Birth defects, the emergence of HIV, philosophical questions that don't lend themselves to easy answers; all of these things can create a roadblock of sorts for some people. We need something that goes beyond our best answers to intellectual questions. We need the truth of His absolute goodness revealed by the Spirit to our heart in a way that gives us an unshakable foundation to stand on. That will never come through human reasoning. I believe the truths of God are reasonable and coherent, but only when you have the foundation of that spiritual revelation of His goodness and love. That comes when we are truly "born again" of the Spirit. Paul prayed for the Ephesians, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened." We need that desperately.
I am like you. I like answers to my questions. I can sometimes struggle when I encounter ideas that create "cognitive dissonance." But then I remember what you taught in Repenting of Religion, and I seek to return my heart to a position of humble, child-like faith, acknowledging my own limited understanding.
"God, I don't really know what you are doing here, but I trust in your goodness. I know it would all make sense if I could see things as you see them. Until I can, I will simply trust in you, and not in my own understanding."
I love you my brother. You have been a great blessing to me, and many of my friends. I have great faith in the significance of your calling in our generation. I am thankful for your life.
grace and peace,
Brian
http://gregboyd.blogspot.com/2008/03/divinely-inspired-infanticide-and.html
and
http://gregboyd.blogspot.com/2008/03/whats-at-stake-in-trying-to-explain.html
And here are my "two bits"...
Greg,
Its been a few months since I have written. We last talked about God’s purposes for ethnic Israel, and my daughter was getting ready to get married. I appreciated and enjoyed our exchange, and the wedding was absolutely awesome. The Lord blessed it in every way.
I have had some things in my heart to write to you for a couple of months, and your most recent blog posts have motivated me to take the time to put my thoughts together. As I have told you before, I listen to your messages every week. (Scorpions, Eggs, and Prayer was incredible) I was one of the original "podrishioners". Along the way though, one of the things I have felt like I sensed operating in the background was a difficulty reconciling the love of God with His role as our Judge. I understand that. Your thoughts on Psalm 137 make the difficulty pretty clear. Our human understanding of love and goodness doesn’t often include raining down fire from heaven to destroy whole cities. I don’t claim to fully understand how it all works, but I have a few thoughts I would invite you to consider. Some will sound familiar, as I learned them from you.
Let me start with a quick story. A true one. My dad worked for the power company, climbing poles and making sure we all got light when we flipped the switch on the wall. He used to work with a guy who would read his bible in the truck at lunch. To my knowledge, my dad is not a believer, and has his own struggles with the Christian faith, but he made an observation about his co-worker at dinner one night that I will never forget. It seems that this guy had an unusual highlighting system for his bible. He would be reading along quietly, and then he would say out loud, "No... I can't agree with that." And he would pull out a magic marker and black out the part he didn't like. When he told the story, my dad looked across the table at me and said, "That just doesn't seem right." I had to agree. Martin Luther wanted the book of James removed from the canon. It seemed to conflict with his understanding of the kingdom. And now you seem to be suggesting something similar to accommodate your own struggles with passages of scripture that don't fit with your understanding of God and His ways. I respect your struggle, but if you start down that road, I don't think you will be able to stop with the OT. Let me explain why.
First, I want to address an idea you repeat frequently. In establishing the basis for our understanding of what God is like, you often refer to the passages from Hebrews, and Colossians to say that God always looks like Jesus dying on the cross for His enemies.
He is the image of the invisible God,
and
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature
This is a beautiful truth, but you seem to define what it means a bit narrowly. Truly, Jesus is just what these verses say. "In Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell." But… that doesn’t necessarily mean that God always looks like Jesus dying on the cross. Jesus doesn't even always look like Jesus dying on the cross. The NT scriptures describe several other aspects of what He is like, and therefore what God is like.
Here are a few examples:
When Peter was describing his commission from Jesus, he said this in Acts 10:42,
"And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he (Jesus) is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. "
Later in Acts 17 Paul also describes Jesus as judge,
"Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."
And again, in chapter 24, when Paul was sharing his faith with Felix, it says he, "reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment." Its says that "Felix was alarmed," and he sent him away.
In I Thessalonians Paul tells the church about a time "when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus."
When you look at the Revelation of Jesus, He is pictured as the one who breaks the seals that release terrible judgments on the earth.
Rev 5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, ...
The next few chapters describe what happens as he opens one seal after another. It isn’t pretty. The slain Lamb is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and the righteous judge of all the earth. I would guess that you probably go with a symbolic interpretation of Revelation, but that doesn't really matter in this discussion. Symbolic or not, God inspired John to describe Jesus as the one releasing these judgments on the earth.
And my point is this. The judgments described in Jesus’ teaching, Paul’s letters, and the Revelation are every bit as horrific as anything you see in the Old Testament. I am including with this email a list of about fifty passages from across the New Testament that talk about judgment. The gospels, epistles, and Revelation; Jesus, Matthew, Luke, Peter, Paul, John, and Jude… they all talk unashamedly about the judgment of God. Jesus was not embarrassed to talk about what He did to Sodom and Gomorrah. In fact, the judgment of Sodom is referred to nine times in the NT. The apostles were not the least bit uncomfortable with their understanding of God and Jesus as Judge. If we believe that God is love, and we both do, then I think we have to somehow make peace with the idea that His judgments are an expression of His love.
What are some of the ideas we have to deal with?
First, regarding the scriptures, Paul wrote to Timothy,
"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."
Paul encourages Timothy to continue in his studies in the "Old Testament" in order to be equipped for the ministry he was called to. He doesn't warn him to skip over the parts that make God look mean or unloving. In fact, the phrase "all scripture" makes it pretty clear that he views the "bad parts" as significant to understanding the big picture.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding..."
Solomon seems to understand the pitfalls of reliance on our own reasonings to figure out what life is all about. In Repenting of Religion, there was one main point that really impacted my thinking about our judging one another. It wasn't a completely new thought, but you brought it forth in a way that permanently changed my understanding. Basically, its the idea, no, the truth, that I don't really know very much. I can only observe the behavior of the person next to me. I can't see into his heart. I can't know all the things he has experienced in life to make him the person he is today. Only God knows those things, therefore only God is qualified to judge him. Before I read that book, I always interpreted the statement, "Judge not, lest you be judged" as a thinly veiled disguise for compromise and worldliness. Now I see that I am simply not equipped for the job of judging.
I think this is a great opportunity for the application of those same principles. We can't see things as God sees them. Not completely, anyway. When He destroys a city, we naturally recoil in fear, and possibly in some level of revulsion. "What the heck was THAT all about???" From our limited human point of view, it doesn't really look much like love. But we don't have all the information and understanding that God has. Its the whole Job principle. I truly believe that our "judgments" toward God regarding those "behaviors" we find troubling would fall away if we knew what He knows.
If we can't comprehend the reason for the 8 second delay between us and the car ahead of us, how can we possibly understand all of God's dealings with His universe?
We would both agree that the overwhelming evidence of both scripture and life gives us a picture of a God of incomprehensible love. There are arguments against that idea that can be raised by those who are unwilling to put their trust in Him. Birth defects, the emergence of HIV, philosophical questions that don't lend themselves to easy answers; all of these things can create a roadblock of sorts for some people. We need something that goes beyond our best answers to intellectual questions. We need the truth of His absolute goodness revealed by the Spirit to our heart in a way that gives us an unshakable foundation to stand on. That will never come through human reasoning. I believe the truths of God are reasonable and coherent, but only when you have the foundation of that spiritual revelation of His goodness and love. That comes when we are truly "born again" of the Spirit. Paul prayed for the Ephesians, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened." We need that desperately.
I am like you. I like answers to my questions. I can sometimes struggle when I encounter ideas that create "cognitive dissonance." But then I remember what you taught in Repenting of Religion, and I seek to return my heart to a position of humble, child-like faith, acknowledging my own limited understanding.
"God, I don't really know what you are doing here, but I trust in your goodness. I know it would all make sense if I could see things as you see them. Until I can, I will simply trust in you, and not in my own understanding."
I love you my brother. You have been a great blessing to me, and many of my friends. I have great faith in the significance of your calling in our generation. I am thankful for your life.
grace and peace,
Brian
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Thank you MSNBC !!!
Interesting story about yet another way to escape from reality. It's about an hallucinogenic drug taken from a plant originally grown in Mexico.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23573004/?GT1=43001
Here is a quote from near the end of the story,
It's hard to say how widespread the use of salvia is. National and state surveys on drug use don't include salvia, and because it is legal in most states, law enforcement officials don't compile statistics, either.
Congratulations MSNBC!
You probably just increased the use of this legal drug by a factor of ten.
Well done!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23573004/?GT1=43001
Here is a quote from near the end of the story,
It's hard to say how widespread the use of salvia is. National and state surveys on drug use don't include salvia, and because it is legal in most states, law enforcement officials don't compile statistics, either.
Congratulations MSNBC!
You probably just increased the use of this legal drug by a factor of ten.
Well done!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Itching ears
I had a thought today. I think it sums up much of American Christianity. It was a simple statement.
"Many church leaders are teaching people to live for themselves in Jesus' name."
Religious humanism. Its not a new phenomenon. The prophets talked about it, and what God had to say wasn't very positive.
Jeremiah said, "An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes? "
And Paul warned, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. "
Lord, open our eyes to see Your purpose and calling for our lives.
"Many church leaders are teaching people to live for themselves in Jesus' name."
Religious humanism. Its not a new phenomenon. The prophets talked about it, and what God had to say wasn't very positive.
Jeremiah said, "An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes? "
And Paul warned, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. "
Lord, open our eyes to see Your purpose and calling for our lives.
Monday, February 25, 2008
an understanding of grace Pt. 11
Back to my story. Now where was I?
Oh yes... doing this dance. The grace works two-step. But I had realized that I needed to learn a new dance.
Maybe it could be called the glory to glory waltz.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
I had received new life the only way you can, by grace. But I almost automatically reverted to my own strength and efforts when it came to living the Christian life. I had to break the cycle. I had to learn to dance the grace step every day. I wish I could say I had a magic formula that would guarantee freedom from the "works" thing in four easy steps. I have no formula. Not really. The scriptures do instruct us in “means of grace” by which we lay hold of the good things He has for us. Prayer, fasting, worship, meditation in His word, and others. But again, we have to be careful. These activities position us to receive from the Lord, but they don't earn us anything. God doesn't owe us a certain amount of revelation after so many hours of prayer and study. He simply promises to reveal Himself to the seeking heart, and His word teaches us how to seek after Him. As we spend time before Him, our minds are “renewed” and we gradually learn to live in grace. In His presence, we see things the way He sees things. And as we see things as He does, we will learn to live in dependence on His grace in a continual way. No more religious two-step. We dance with God from grace to grace. We will still slip into the "strength" of our own works now and then, but as we refocus the eyes of our heart on Him, our hearts are freshly humbled in thankfulness, and we settle back into rest. The rest of faith. The life of grace.
I remember that simple sentence the Spirit whispered in my heart a few weeks ago.
Grace is for every moment of every day, forever and ever.
Lord, help me learn to walk with you in that way.
Oh yes... doing this dance. The grace works two-step. But I had realized that I needed to learn a new dance.
Maybe it could be called the glory to glory waltz.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
I had received new life the only way you can, by grace. But I almost automatically reverted to my own strength and efforts when it came to living the Christian life. I had to break the cycle. I had to learn to dance the grace step every day. I wish I could say I had a magic formula that would guarantee freedom from the "works" thing in four easy steps. I have no formula. Not really. The scriptures do instruct us in “means of grace” by which we lay hold of the good things He has for us. Prayer, fasting, worship, meditation in His word, and others. But again, we have to be careful. These activities position us to receive from the Lord, but they don't earn us anything. God doesn't owe us a certain amount of revelation after so many hours of prayer and study. He simply promises to reveal Himself to the seeking heart, and His word teaches us how to seek after Him. As we spend time before Him, our minds are “renewed” and we gradually learn to live in grace. In His presence, we see things the way He sees things. And as we see things as He does, we will learn to live in dependence on His grace in a continual way. No more religious two-step. We dance with God from grace to grace. We will still slip into the "strength" of our own works now and then, but as we refocus the eyes of our heart on Him, our hearts are freshly humbled in thankfulness, and we settle back into rest. The rest of faith. The life of grace.
I remember that simple sentence the Spirit whispered in my heart a few weeks ago.
Grace is for every moment of every day, forever and ever.
Lord, help me learn to walk with you in that way.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
an understanding of grace Pt. 10
So... anything goes huh?
Paul made it clear that self-righteousness is absolutely “no bueno.” Well then, the obvious question is,
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
Seems like a pretty logical question. A teacher I really respect said that this question will always come up when grace is taught accurately. Seems pretty reasonable if Paul himself was asking it, even if it was rhetorical. He is the one who forcefully told us to put no confidence in the flesh. Our righteous works are useless in dealing with our guilt before God's judgment seat. The only thing that will save our necks is the gift of righteousness. The only hope we have is in the cross. If that is true, well, we might as well just sin our brains out. More sin, more grace. Yee haw! You could almost say that every new sin we commit adds to the value of Jesus work on the cross. But Paul continues,
By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
He didn't let that idea go very far.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
That we too might walk in newness of life.
Not in heaven some day.
Now, today.
The sixth chapter of Romans is... wow. What can you say. We died with Him, and are raised with Him. That's an amazing idea.
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
For one who has died has been set free from sin.
Free from sin? No longer enslaved?
For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.
Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
What was that question he started with? Something about continuing in sin so that grace could abound? In Paul's mind, that might be a logical question to the novice, but once you begin to understand what Jesus was doing on the cross, it becomes nonsense. But today there are still many who “turn the grace of God into licentiousness.” To them, grace means you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, and its all forgiven, even if your heart is unrepentant. Many have no intention of every willfully giving up their favorite sin. And they can find plenty of teachers who will twist the scriptures to make them comfortable in their deception.
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
In Paul's understanding, being under grace was the key to being free from the power of sin. Grace enables us to "present... your members to God as instruments for righteousness." The gift of righteousness is what enables us to walk in righteousness. We're not talking about sinless perfection. We are in a life-long process where the Holy Spirit within is transforming us day by day. But the child of God will have a sincere desire to experience the righteousness that has been declared over us. If a person doesn't have a genuine desire to actually walk in the ways of God, there is a real danger that they haven't had a genuine encounter with Jesus. The difference between self-righteousness and kingdom righteousness is motivation. The legalist is selfishly motivated to earn God's favor and acceptance. True kingdom righteousness is an expression of love and gratitude to the One who loves us so much that He took the penalty of our sin upon Himself. We walk uprightly because we know that it brings joy to His heart. Its a life set apart as an offering of thankful worship.
Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!"
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!"
We pursue a life of righteousness because He is worthy that we would love Him with all of our heart and seek to bring joy to Him in all of our ways.
Paul made it clear that self-righteousness is absolutely “no bueno.” Well then, the obvious question is,
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
Seems like a pretty logical question. A teacher I really respect said that this question will always come up when grace is taught accurately. Seems pretty reasonable if Paul himself was asking it, even if it was rhetorical. He is the one who forcefully told us to put no confidence in the flesh. Our righteous works are useless in dealing with our guilt before God's judgment seat. The only thing that will save our necks is the gift of righteousness. The only hope we have is in the cross. If that is true, well, we might as well just sin our brains out. More sin, more grace. Yee haw! You could almost say that every new sin we commit adds to the value of Jesus work on the cross. But Paul continues,
By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
He didn't let that idea go very far.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
That we too might walk in newness of life.
Not in heaven some day.
Now, today.
The sixth chapter of Romans is... wow. What can you say. We died with Him, and are raised with Him. That's an amazing idea.
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
For one who has died has been set free from sin.
Free from sin? No longer enslaved?
For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.
Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
What was that question he started with? Something about continuing in sin so that grace could abound? In Paul's mind, that might be a logical question to the novice, but once you begin to understand what Jesus was doing on the cross, it becomes nonsense. But today there are still many who “turn the grace of God into licentiousness.” To them, grace means you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, and its all forgiven, even if your heart is unrepentant. Many have no intention of every willfully giving up their favorite sin. And they can find plenty of teachers who will twist the scriptures to make them comfortable in their deception.
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
In Paul's understanding, being under grace was the key to being free from the power of sin. Grace enables us to "present... your members to God as instruments for righteousness." The gift of righteousness is what enables us to walk in righteousness. We're not talking about sinless perfection. We are in a life-long process where the Holy Spirit within is transforming us day by day. But the child of God will have a sincere desire to experience the righteousness that has been declared over us. If a person doesn't have a genuine desire to actually walk in the ways of God, there is a real danger that they haven't had a genuine encounter with Jesus. The difference between self-righteousness and kingdom righteousness is motivation. The legalist is selfishly motivated to earn God's favor and acceptance. True kingdom righteousness is an expression of love and gratitude to the One who loves us so much that He took the penalty of our sin upon Himself. We walk uprightly because we know that it brings joy to His heart. Its a life set apart as an offering of thankful worship.
Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!"
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!"
We pursue a life of righteousness because He is worthy that we would love Him with all of our heart and seek to bring joy to Him in all of our ways.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Are we a little obsessed?
Okay, just this week I ran across these two articles.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23227651/from/ET/
and
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18975616
And then there was this one back in December.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13834042/
Now, I fully realize that sex is God's idea. I understand that the intimate relationship between a man and his wife is both beautiful and holy. And extremely pleasurable by His design. But I think we have possibly crossed a line somewhere. Perhaps, in our desire to remove the religious stigma from sex, we have bought into the world's approach to the matter.
Perhaps...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23227651/from/ET/
and
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18975616
And then there was this one back in December.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13834042/
Now, I fully realize that sex is God's idea. I understand that the intimate relationship between a man and his wife is both beautiful and holy. And extremely pleasurable by His design. But I think we have possibly crossed a line somewhere. Perhaps, in our desire to remove the religious stigma from sex, we have bought into the world's approach to the matter.
Perhaps...
an understanding of grace Pt. 9
A little bunny trail...
So who gets in on this grace thing?
We know that Jesus died “for the sins of the whole world.” The scriptures tells us in at least two places that God desires all people to come to repentance and the knowledge of the truth. It also tells us clearly that all do not do so. Righteousness is a gift. Its free, and cannot be earned, and yet, not everyone recieves it. What's the deal?
Repentance and faith. This was the message of all the New Testament preachers. Jesus, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul... they all declare this to be the invitation.
Mat 3:1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."... Bear fruit in keeping with repentance... "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, ... He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Mar 1:14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
Act 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.
Act 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."
Act 26:19 "Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
Today, we emphasize faith, with very little talk of repentance, but the New Testament pattern is really the opposite. The first step was always repentance. There are one or two passages that mention faith without mentioning repentance, but if you look at those passages, a repentant heart is usually apparent. Most of the time the message begins with a call to repentance. Why?
I think the answer is really pretty simple.
God is into reality. Sin really is evil and destructive. It is the source of all suffering and pain and darkness in the world. Sin is not just bad because God says so. He says so because He knows that it is bad. His perfect wisdom and love cannot allow it in the world where He has fellowship with His creation. His plan of redemption doesn't just deal with the penalty of sin. It deals with the sin itself. We repent and believe on His atonement on the cross. We are born again. We are “raised” with Him from spiritual death to new life with His Spirit within. And that Holy Spirit that comes to dwell within us begins a process of revealing the very person of God to us and setting us free from our sin at the deepest level of who we are. That selfishness is replaced by His perfect love poured out in our hearts.
American christianity reduces the salvation message to a plan for getting people into heaven in spite of the fact that they are living in rebellion against God's ways. The angel told Mary and Joseph, “you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Today we tell people that He saves them IN their sins. Repentance is made to be an option for the radicals, the ones who are the “super-Christians.” Many will call repentance “works” if you make it part of the gospel message. This is totally contrary to a straightforward, honest reading of the New Testament. Paul described our calling as a “ministry of reconcialiation.”
Reconciliation takes place when two people actually resolve their differences. If I have done something to offend you and caused a break in our relationship, I cannot expect you to forgive me and be restored in our friendship if I fully intend to continue doing the behaviour that offended you in the first place. If I have been having an affair with your wife, and ask you to forgive me, but have no intention of discontinuing the relationship with her, should I expect you to want to be friends again? On a human level, we would consider that ludicrous. Somehow, though, we think that God will forgive us and accept us back as His children and friends when He knows we have no intention of turning our hearts from the sin that separated us from Him in the first place. I think this is infinitely more ridiculous than the same idea on a mere human level.
Repentance is not religious works of righteousness. Repentance does not earn us God's forgivness and acceptance. Repentance and faith position us to receive the gift of salvation. If we will turn in our hearts from the life of selfishness, (sin), and trust in Jesus death on the cross to satisfy the just penalty of God's law, then He will forgive our sins, declare us righteous, and restore us to a real relationship with Him. We will be reconciled to God. Think about what I just said, and read what Paul wrote to the Corinthinans.
2Co 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.... For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.... Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
God's plan is not about getting sinners into heaven after they die. Its about reconciling them to Himself. Its about restoring them to the relationship they were created for. Getting into heaven is a by-product of that process. Forgiveness is not the main goal. Its one of the early steps in the reconciliation process. It is essential, but its not God's primary purpose. Forgiveness of our sins is merely the beginning of an eternal journey of fellowship with our Bridegroom and King. I don't mean to diminish the awesomeness of being forgiven, but its not the main thing. Walking with God is the main thing. Knowing Him, and experiencing life as He intended it for us is the main thing.
Jesus prayed it in John 17, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Its all about knowing Him. So who is this grace for? Its not just a free pass out of hell. Its for those who truly desire to turn from their life of selfishness to know and love and serve Him.
Its for those who sincerely want to be reconciled to God.
Its for those who, like Abraham, want to be a friend of God.
So who gets in on this grace thing?
We know that Jesus died “for the sins of the whole world.” The scriptures tells us in at least two places that God desires all people to come to repentance and the knowledge of the truth. It also tells us clearly that all do not do so. Righteousness is a gift. Its free, and cannot be earned, and yet, not everyone recieves it. What's the deal?
Repentance and faith. This was the message of all the New Testament preachers. Jesus, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul... they all declare this to be the invitation.
Mat 3:1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."... Bear fruit in keeping with repentance... "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, ... He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Mar 1:14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
Act 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.
Act 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."
Act 26:19 "Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
Today, we emphasize faith, with very little talk of repentance, but the New Testament pattern is really the opposite. The first step was always repentance. There are one or two passages that mention faith without mentioning repentance, but if you look at those passages, a repentant heart is usually apparent. Most of the time the message begins with a call to repentance. Why?
I think the answer is really pretty simple.
God is into reality. Sin really is evil and destructive. It is the source of all suffering and pain and darkness in the world. Sin is not just bad because God says so. He says so because He knows that it is bad. His perfect wisdom and love cannot allow it in the world where He has fellowship with His creation. His plan of redemption doesn't just deal with the penalty of sin. It deals with the sin itself. We repent and believe on His atonement on the cross. We are born again. We are “raised” with Him from spiritual death to new life with His Spirit within. And that Holy Spirit that comes to dwell within us begins a process of revealing the very person of God to us and setting us free from our sin at the deepest level of who we are. That selfishness is replaced by His perfect love poured out in our hearts.
American christianity reduces the salvation message to a plan for getting people into heaven in spite of the fact that they are living in rebellion against God's ways. The angel told Mary and Joseph, “you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Today we tell people that He saves them IN their sins. Repentance is made to be an option for the radicals, the ones who are the “super-Christians.” Many will call repentance “works” if you make it part of the gospel message. This is totally contrary to a straightforward, honest reading of the New Testament. Paul described our calling as a “ministry of reconcialiation.”
Reconciliation takes place when two people actually resolve their differences. If I have done something to offend you and caused a break in our relationship, I cannot expect you to forgive me and be restored in our friendship if I fully intend to continue doing the behaviour that offended you in the first place. If I have been having an affair with your wife, and ask you to forgive me, but have no intention of discontinuing the relationship with her, should I expect you to want to be friends again? On a human level, we would consider that ludicrous. Somehow, though, we think that God will forgive us and accept us back as His children and friends when He knows we have no intention of turning our hearts from the sin that separated us from Him in the first place. I think this is infinitely more ridiculous than the same idea on a mere human level.
Repentance is not religious works of righteousness. Repentance does not earn us God's forgivness and acceptance. Repentance and faith position us to receive the gift of salvation. If we will turn in our hearts from the life of selfishness, (sin), and trust in Jesus death on the cross to satisfy the just penalty of God's law, then He will forgive our sins, declare us righteous, and restore us to a real relationship with Him. We will be reconciled to God. Think about what I just said, and read what Paul wrote to the Corinthinans.
2Co 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.... For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.... Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
God's plan is not about getting sinners into heaven after they die. Its about reconciling them to Himself. Its about restoring them to the relationship they were created for. Getting into heaven is a by-product of that process. Forgiveness is not the main goal. Its one of the early steps in the reconciliation process. It is essential, but its not God's primary purpose. Forgiveness of our sins is merely the beginning of an eternal journey of fellowship with our Bridegroom and King. I don't mean to diminish the awesomeness of being forgiven, but its not the main thing. Walking with God is the main thing. Knowing Him, and experiencing life as He intended it for us is the main thing.
Jesus prayed it in John 17, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Its all about knowing Him. So who is this grace for? Its not just a free pass out of hell. Its for those who truly desire to turn from their life of selfishness to know and love and serve Him.
Its for those who sincerely want to be reconciled to God.
Its for those who, like Abraham, want to be a friend of God.
Friday, February 01, 2008
an understanding of grace Pt. 8
The Cross
The cross has always been a stumbling block. Paul wrote of the offense of the cross. This is God's solution to the problem of man's sin and rebellion??? God in the flesh, dying a gruesome death at the hands of those He came to save? Without the help of the Spirit's revelation, that could be a pretty tough idea to swallow. But... with His help, we see the awesome wonder of God's wisdom.
God had a problem. Yea... that's right. He was in a quandary.
(Okay... He was never wringing His hands in worry, but there was a difficulty to be resolved.)
His mercy moved Him to forgive us and restore us to the relationship He created us for, but His justice had to be satisfied for the good of all creation. If He just forgave us without regard for the consequences of violating His ways, He would undermine the integrity of His own word and of the very concept of justice. The revelation of the absolute evil of sin would be greatly diminished. If God could just shrug His shoulders and “Aw shucks” at our selfishness and rebellion, well then it must not have been that big of a deal in the first place. No... the seriousness of the crime required that the righteous punishment must follow. God had a plan that not only satisfied the righteous requirement of truth, it underscored it. It magnified it. Justice would have been met if we simply had spent eternity separated from the One who loves us, but His mercy and compassion would have been dishonored. The cross satisfies both.
When Jesus became a man, and lived a perfect, sinless life, and then voluntarily allowed Himself to be tortured and finally crucified, He made the boldest of statements that will echo throughout eternity. He showed us how deadly serious sin is, and how absolutely committed He is to upholding righteousness and justice. He will not simply “look the other way.” And He showed the height and width and breadth and depth of His love for us. He satisfied justice and opened the way for a mercy that is beyond comprehension. Every dimension of His love was demonstrated for all to see. Our appreciation for what He did will grow for all of eternity. A billion years from now we will be more thankful than we are today. And a billion years later we will be more thankful still. It's amazing. Amazing grace. If we will turn from our selfishness and believe that the sacrifice of His life on the cross satisfies the justice of God, He will forgive us of all our sin, declare us to be righteous, and restore us to full relationship with Himself. We are reconciled to Him. We receive the gift of eternal life. We become children of God. We experience “unmerited favor.”
It's called the grace of God.
The cross has always been a stumbling block. Paul wrote of the offense of the cross. This is God's solution to the problem of man's sin and rebellion??? God in the flesh, dying a gruesome death at the hands of those He came to save? Without the help of the Spirit's revelation, that could be a pretty tough idea to swallow. But... with His help, we see the awesome wonder of God's wisdom.
God had a problem. Yea... that's right. He was in a quandary.
(Okay... He was never wringing His hands in worry, but there was a difficulty to be resolved.)
His mercy moved Him to forgive us and restore us to the relationship He created us for, but His justice had to be satisfied for the good of all creation. If He just forgave us without regard for the consequences of violating His ways, He would undermine the integrity of His own word and of the very concept of justice. The revelation of the absolute evil of sin would be greatly diminished. If God could just shrug His shoulders and “Aw shucks” at our selfishness and rebellion, well then it must not have been that big of a deal in the first place. No... the seriousness of the crime required that the righteous punishment must follow. God had a plan that not only satisfied the righteous requirement of truth, it underscored it. It magnified it. Justice would have been met if we simply had spent eternity separated from the One who loves us, but His mercy and compassion would have been dishonored. The cross satisfies both.
When Jesus became a man, and lived a perfect, sinless life, and then voluntarily allowed Himself to be tortured and finally crucified, He made the boldest of statements that will echo throughout eternity. He showed us how deadly serious sin is, and how absolutely committed He is to upholding righteousness and justice. He will not simply “look the other way.” And He showed the height and width and breadth and depth of His love for us. He satisfied justice and opened the way for a mercy that is beyond comprehension. Every dimension of His love was demonstrated for all to see. Our appreciation for what He did will grow for all of eternity. A billion years from now we will be more thankful than we are today. And a billion years later we will be more thankful still. It's amazing. Amazing grace. If we will turn from our selfishness and believe that the sacrifice of His life on the cross satisfies the justice of God, He will forgive us of all our sin, declare us to be righteous, and restore us to full relationship with Himself. We are reconciled to Him. We receive the gift of eternal life. We become children of God. We experience “unmerited favor.”
It's called the grace of God.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
an understanding of grace Pt. 7
How does grace work?
I want to take a few minutes to explain my understanding of how grace works. I am not going to expound on the dozens of scripture passages that God has given us to enable that understanding. I trust that my ideas are rooted in biblical thought, but for the moment I just want to lay out what I believe.
God created mankind to live in a real and intimate relationship with Himself. When man rebelled against God in the garden of Eden, there was a break in that relationship. Adam and Eve were now separated from God, spiritually and legally. They had violated the one rule or law He had given them. They had sinned. And that sin has spread like cancer to all of mankind. God is love, and love has many attributes that are described throughout the Bible. One of those is His justice. He is the righteous Judge over all of creation. His desire from the beginning was to forgive and restore man's fellowship with Himself, but He had to do it in a way that also upheld the integrity of His justice. If He were to simply forgive us without the just penalty of our sin being paid, it would undermine that integrity. It would violate the absolute truth and wisdom of His ways. But God had a strategy to provide a way where He can forgive our rebellion and satisfy the just requirement of His truth about what is right and good for mankind.
God's teachings for our lives are not arbitrary. They are not some good ideas He came up with one morning over coffee. They are His perfect wisdom and understanding of the way man should live. The Lord knows that violation of these truths will result in pain and suffering and destruction. And seven thousand years of life on planet earth have proven that conclusively. In His righteousness and justice, He had to set a penalty for violating those laws that would reflect the absolute evil and danger that is set in motion when they are broken. In this penalty, all of creation, both now and throughout eternity, would have to understand the seriousness of sin and rebellion against His ways. In true justice, the penalty has to fit the crime. In His perfect wisdom, that penalty is spiritual death, separation from the One who created us. As the King of the universe, He cannot allow sin to go unpunished. It would be unrighteous. It would violate the perfection of love that is His heart. So, from before the foundation of the world, He had a plan. He had a plan that would allow Him to justly forgive our sin, while upholding the integrity of His justice.
It was the cross.
I want to take a few minutes to explain my understanding of how grace works. I am not going to expound on the dozens of scripture passages that God has given us to enable that understanding. I trust that my ideas are rooted in biblical thought, but for the moment I just want to lay out what I believe.
God created mankind to live in a real and intimate relationship with Himself. When man rebelled against God in the garden of Eden, there was a break in that relationship. Adam and Eve were now separated from God, spiritually and legally. They had violated the one rule or law He had given them. They had sinned. And that sin has spread like cancer to all of mankind. God is love, and love has many attributes that are described throughout the Bible. One of those is His justice. He is the righteous Judge over all of creation. His desire from the beginning was to forgive and restore man's fellowship with Himself, but He had to do it in a way that also upheld the integrity of His justice. If He were to simply forgive us without the just penalty of our sin being paid, it would undermine that integrity. It would violate the absolute truth and wisdom of His ways. But God had a strategy to provide a way where He can forgive our rebellion and satisfy the just requirement of His truth about what is right and good for mankind.
God's teachings for our lives are not arbitrary. They are not some good ideas He came up with one morning over coffee. They are His perfect wisdom and understanding of the way man should live. The Lord knows that violation of these truths will result in pain and suffering and destruction. And seven thousand years of life on planet earth have proven that conclusively. In His righteousness and justice, He had to set a penalty for violating those laws that would reflect the absolute evil and danger that is set in motion when they are broken. In this penalty, all of creation, both now and throughout eternity, would have to understand the seriousness of sin and rebellion against His ways. In true justice, the penalty has to fit the crime. In His perfect wisdom, that penalty is spiritual death, separation from the One who created us. As the King of the universe, He cannot allow sin to go unpunished. It would be unrighteous. It would violate the perfection of love that is His heart. So, from before the foundation of the world, He had a plan. He had a plan that would allow Him to justly forgive our sin, while upholding the integrity of His justice.
It was the cross.
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