What He Did

God alone

Sits on the throne

To Him alone we kneel,

Despite our sin

He enters in

To make the shadows real.

Our weakened flesh

This tattered mesh

This ever sinking ship,

Is raised from waters

Dark and deep,

Pried from death's iron grip.

Despite our crime

Yes, yours and mine

He came to pay the price,

Leaving Heaven

Leaving all

To be the sacrifice.

The blood of Jesus

Works to free us

From the weight of sin,

His life now ours

No prison bars

A new story to begin.

By. Jonathan Schaefer

Men and Nations

     So I want to ask you all a question. It's kind of personal and I hope you don't mind but I want to ask it nonetheless. Well actually, I want you to ask it of yourself. Just take a moment, quiet your mind, and look deep inside yourself. Ready? Okay. Ask yourself, “am I a jerk?” Do I come across as arrogant, pushy, self-righteous? Do I lord my faith over all the poor “non-believers” around me and complain loudly about every little misstep the world makes in my presence? Do I? If the answer to that is even maybe than you may need to take some time to reevaluate your behavior.

     Let me start by nipping a possible complaint in the bud. I'm not asking you to start accepting sin or to stop proclaiming man's need for salvation. We must never compromise in our lives and it is to God's law not man's that we are ultimately responsible. One of the most compelling ways we can reach others is by a radically different life, one lived honorably and morally in whatever the circumstance. That being said, people won't be able to see the good in your life if you carry it around like a trophy and tell everyone how awesome you are or refuse to shut up about how horrible the world is.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

(Matthew 28:19)

     When I look in the scriptures I see a call to bring fallen men to God so that He can make them righteous. I see a command to go forth and make disciples, to teach others, and to continue in the faith. I don't see an order to change governments. God doesn't care about nations in the sense of political bodies. He doesn't really want us to care overmuch about what laws are passed, or what the culture supports; all He cares about is the salvation of people. People. Individual souls that are each going to end up in an eternity of punishment if they fail to turn to Him. These people are all around us and do we really care that they are damned?

     I understand, that we don't like the way the world is going. I get that our own culture and even world-wide norms are moving further and further from God's decree. I see all of it but I want you to understand that its a symptom of a greater disease! People are falling away from God because they are already apart from Him. If we want to change the laws, if we want to have a voice in the public square, if we want to see nations founded on the principles of God's Holy Word than we need to get people saved! Those people will then change the laws and the governments and the nations. This idea that we can change a country from the top down is the same fault we keep blaming on “liberal” politicians; morality cannot be legislated and you cannot simply mandate belief.

“As far as it is possible for you be at peace with all men.”

(Romans 12:18)

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

(Hebrews 12:14)

     Moreover, we as Christians are given two equally valid commands: to go forth and preach, and to live at peace. We are not to be the agents of strife! I know that Christ said the He came to bring a sword (Matthew 10:34) but we are not Christ and we are to be hated for our stand with God not for our nasty behavior (1 Peter 4). I'm not saying that we need to wrap Christ up in an appealing package for the masses to seek after. I'm just saying that social improvement and activism should not be our primary objective. We seek the salvation of the lost and if we change our little part of the world along the way, then great.

     As citizens we do have a responsibility to be involved with our government (especially my fellow Americans) however, we do ourselves a great disservice if we get caught up in trying to defend the law and the country for God. This is not “God's country.” This is not a special, unique, city on a hill. God has blessed this country but only because we used to honor Him. Ancient Israel suffered the same fate as they fell into decline. So go out and vote on things as you would believe God leads you but don't spend all your time harping on a fallen culture acting like a fallen culture. Care about people and society will take care of itself.

Contentment

     We all like to be entertained, and theirs nothing wrong with that. Enjoying your favorite book or TV show or video game is a great way to unwind and relax after a long day. Unfortunately we've made relaxation and entertainment a life's pursuit these days and that perspective has affected the rest of our experience.

     This thought came to me when I was listening to some old songs I hadn't heard for a long time and I picked up on a line that said “I'm alone and the world is having more fun than me.” I thought about how odd that line is and then it hit me. So many of us spend our lives in the dread fear that someone, somewhere, somehow is having more fun that we are. That we are missing out on enjoyment that we should be rightfully experiencing! It occurred to me that not only is this a terrible waste of our time, to be worrying about missed fun, but its also a sneaky way to let covetousness and discontent into our lives and our thoughts.

     Covetousness is a similar to greed in that we want something we don't have but it says more than I want. It says I want what you have and possibly that I should have it -instead- of you. I think it's a huge problem in our modern world, we can't just be happy for the things others have. It seems like more and more the first reaction to seeing that others have more than we do is to ask why do they have that and I don't? We mask it as dreaming for the future or in terms of Capitalism or whatever but its really nothing more than selfishness and wanting what other people have. Really that's what it all comes down to, selfishness and pride. As I've said before, the ultimate fountainhead of sin is pride. God would have us live our lives for others but our pride wants to make us the center of thought and attention.

     Similar to Covetousness is discontent. Actually the two are inseparable and serve to fuel the fire that burns in them both. To be discontent is, obviously, to not be happy with what you have. This can be a good thing when striving to do your best but the real essence of the term is to be almost angry about what you think you deserve but don't have. The Christian needs to understand that everything they have from first breath to that new job is a gift from God. Furthermore, every decision God makes is for the absolute best so if we don't have something there's a good reason for it! When we allow ourselves to wallow in discontent we are really challenging God's decisions for our lives and of course this just serves to encourage our covetousness. If we're not happy and thankful for the things we have we will turn desiring eyes onto the things of others.

     What we have on this earth is temporary whether its objects or relationships or employment. We need to ask God to give us a contented spirit that will remain thankful for even the little things. Only then will be on the right path to avoiding greed and covetousness and discontent. These things can rot your life and your relationships. Take care today to thank God for what you have and learn to be happy with what you have. You may just find that being thankful for a little will lead you to a lot more.

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

(Hebrews 13:5)

Real Life

Not a terribly deep thought today but an important one.  I often wonder about those of us who call ourselves “Christians,” how many of us really believe?  I don't even really mean that in the sense of how many of us are truly saved (although that's connected to it); I mean do you treat your faith as a real thing.  When I say that I'm a Christian what I 'mean' is that I believe in a God who really exists and with whom I have a relationship.  I believe in God who exists in one essence but in three persons whom we know as the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.  I believe in angels and demons and the souls of men.  I believe that beyond this physical reality is a whole spiritual realm that goes unseen by us but is in reality far more important than what we do see.  I believe that reality as we know it was created in a specific moment not too long ago and will cease to be, replaced by something far better, at a predetermined time in the near (according to God's reckoning) future.  I believe all of this and more.

This is important to point out because there are quite a few people who also claim to be Christians and by extension claim to believe all these things but who don't live as though they do.  You say that you believe in God but you don't work toward aligning your life with Him.  You say that you believe in His moral law but continue to fudge the rules and step close to and over the line.  We all do so much that is really quite contradictory to our “belief.”  What I'm really asking is do you just say that you believe, or do you believe but don't think about it much, or do you not really believe but you find your life more fulfilled when it has a lovely spiritual wrapping on it?  In the words of the The Truth Project (which I highly recommend), “Do you believe that what you believe is really real?”

If you do, then that has consequences.  You cannot live as the world would say, with a private spiritual life that doesn't effect your public actions.  God is real and He is watching!  I cannot pray at home but not in the square, I cannot make decisions in a moral vacuum, I cannot go against the Word that He has given to me, I CANNOT!  These are not fairy tales we were told as children, nor stories we use to comfort us in our older days; we carry in our hearts and in our heads and in the pages of sacred Scripture the very words of God!  We must not place them to the side and deal with them as a trivial thing.  We must be affected by them, we must be wholly transformed by them!

I have heard it said that it is not that Christianity has been tried and found wanting, but that Christianity has been found difficult and left untried.  God does not propose to us an easy life, He requires of us a hard life of struggle followed by an eternity of reward!  Some will have a harder time of it than others but we will all face problems.  In the light of eternity however, all our troubles will seem like such a minor thing.  Don't be fooled or mislead into an “easy believe-ism” mentality.  Let God's Word guide you and change you.  What can we do but listen, when we hear the truth?

Sick Blarg.....

Sorry, no post today everyone.  I've been, well, rather sick the last few days and writing took a backseat to things like breathing properly and coughing/sneezing a lot.  I'll be back Friday though, thanks!

Learning and Teaching

     I feel like we've lost something in the modern church, or maybe just misplaced it. Really it's a collection of things but they all interrelate. Let's start with a question, who does the teaching in your church and in what context? I'm willing to bet that most of you answered “the Pastor” and “on Sundays from the pulpit.” While that answer is a correct one it's not the entire answer. Nearly adult in the church should be teaching somebody something although the settings may vary as much as the content.

     I love a line I once heard from John MacArthur; in response to someone theoretically saying “but I don't know much of anything,” he says to then find someone who knows less than you and teach them what you do know! It's not just the “teaching staff” of your church or the Pastor that has instruction to teach. Teaching is a part of the great commission, we are all commanded to go forth and make disciples. Fathers should be teaching their children for instance, and so should the mothers. It's not the church's responsibility to instruct your children, it's yours! Now that isn't a blast against Sunday school or children's church but it is meant to point out that those institutions are supplemental. An hour or two on Sunday is not enough exposure to overwrite or out-balance the days that your kids spend with you. Volunteer for Sunday school or weekday bible studies, ask God to show you His truth so that you can be equipped to teach others. You don't have to be eloquent or well spoken, you only need to know God's word to pass it along.

     I think we've also undervalued the importance of having strong older Christians around us. The Bible is clear that the older should teach the younger and that the younger should respect the older. We have in these men and women valuable treasures of truth and experience that we should be tapping into and seeking after.

“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.”

(Titus 2:1-8)

     There is a separation of generations today that I don't see in the Bible. Kids grouped with kids, teens with teens, young adults with young adults and so on; why do we do that? I don't really know and I'm not about to speculate. My thoughts are along this line though, fifty years may seem like a big age gap now but how important will that time difference be when we've been in heaven for a million years? Will not those fifty years seem like the blink of an eye? We have all of eternity to live with God and each other, the tiny bit of time we have right now should hardly make a difference on those uncountable ages. I highly recommend getting out of your group, make a friend who graduated college before you were born or even one who's just a few years older than you. Don't waste the resources that God has put in front of you.

     Don't be afraid to teach and don't be scared to learn. We all see God from a slightly different angle, and while our perspectives must be measured first against the rule of God's word, those various points of view can help us see things in a different way. Study by yourself and you'll only ever see things one way or a handful of ways. It's very likely, and I'd nearly say certain, that God has someone prepared to show you something about Himself that you never would have found on your own and vice-verse.  

Soft Spoken

(Sorry for posting late in the day, various things filling up my time!)

     Lately I've been wondering, do we make as much of an impact on this world as we could? More accurately, do represent something different enough to be noticed? There are plenty of factors to this puzzle, many possible variables to consider but today I'd like to discuss one you may not have thought of; how you talk about sin. I don't mean laughing at off-color jokes or even what words you use to describe certain things, I mean much of your hatred for sin is reflected in your words?

     It seems to me that we used to be better at this. In days long past men and women of God didn't mince words or speak softly when referring to sin. It was recognized and spoken openly that things like adultery and pornography were satanic and evil, a damnable plague on this world. More often these days we hear about how “immoral” they are or how “wrong” they are. Other religions in the world weren't “cultural holdings” or “regional beliefs” they were idolatry and webs of lies!

“If any man thinks that the gospel is only one of many religions, let him candidly compare the Scripture of God with other pretended revelations. Have you ever done so? I have made it a College exercise with our brethren. I have said—We will read a chapter of the Koran. This is the Muslim’s holy book. A man must have a strange mind who should mistake that rubbish for the utterances of inspiration. If he is at all familiar with the Old and New Testaments, when he hears an extract from the Koran, he feels that he has met with a foreign author: the God who gave us the Pentateuch could have had no hand in many portions of the Koran. One of the most modern pretenders to inspiration is the Book of Mormon. I could not blame you should you laugh outright while I read aloud a page from that farrago. Perhaps you know the Protevangelion, and other apocryphal New Testament books. It would be an insult to the judgment of the least in the kingdom of heaven to suppose that he could mistake the language of these forgeries for the language of the Holy Ghost.”

-Charles Spurgeon

     I understand that we don't want to push people away by insulting them. I understand that to blast someone in the face and attack them is no way to win their heart to Christ. I understand all that but we used to know the difference between attacking a person and attacking an idea. Ideas don't have rights. Personal preferences and even deeply held cultural convictions only have any merit so far as they are true! Remember we were not given clever arguments to convince the masses (2 Peter 1:16) nor were we given emotional music to sway the heart. What we have are weapons powerful enough to destroy cities!

“For, although we are in the flesh, we do not battle according to the flesh, for the weapons of our battle are not of flesh but are enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses. We destroy arguments and every pretension raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ...”

(2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

     There should be no quarter given to the enemies lies and our heart for the lost should not tempt us to soften the blow. We do not hate the Muslim but we do hate Islam, we don't hate the Hindu but we do hate Hinduism, we do not hate the Pagan but we do hate Witchcraft and Paganism. Anger can be righteous and hatred can be just when the object of our ire is evil in truth. Whatever stands itself against the true God of the universe is a lie and a deception and has no right to exist or be respected. If we muddle on truth and falsehood than to what salvation are we drawing those around us? If we don't stand firm on the law of God then what right do we have to show others how they have transgressed it?

“The law serves a most necessary purpose.

They [unbelievers] will never accept grace

until they tremble before a just and holy Law.”

-Charles Spurgeon

     Sadly I feel that our softness on this point is a sign of our selfishness. I know that I have held my tongue at times because my mind has been filled with worry. What will they think of me? Will a stand here make working with this person awkward? We must stop worrying about whether others view us favorably and spend our time ensuring that they see God truthfully! Will you find any comfort in your reputation when those who thought so highly of you are burning for eternity? They will curse you either now as a troublemaker and prude or later as the one who knew the way to salvation and did not show them.

     Now remember, this is not a call against the people lost in sin and idolatry. These people are lost and misled and need God's help and we must bring them the truth as we have been commanded. This is not done by force or by coercion, not by strength of arms or battle, but by preaching the truth. We do no one any good by playing nice, a man who does not differentiate friend from foe will not last long in war. Let your speech be laced with love, these people are lost and in desperate need. We need not be seen accepting or open minded but let us be known as righteous and moral and firm. God will save all that are His own, let us not sully that work by blurring the lines.

Say What You May.

You may not believe

But the story we're telling,

You have to admit,

Is rather compelling.

It may not seem real,

That God truly exists,

Or that He cares so darn much

For this group of misfits.

You may reject out of hand,

Or just spit in my face,

Or just tell me I'm crazy,

Or from outer space.

That you might need a savior,

You may never admit,

Why should you need forgiving?

It all looks great from where you sit.

But your heart truly knows,

What's real and what's what.

Are you truly so perfect?

Your heart says: anything but.

You can mask and keep covered,

Your myriad faults.

You can bury and lock them,

In myriad vaults.

Though the story of Jesus

Seems silly to you,

After all, why should you honor,

Some ancient dead Jew?

Because, I will tell you,

This man is alive!

Still around and still breathing,

Despite being crucified!

And this man you malign,

This figure you mock,

He's the Lord, the Redeemer,

The Lamb and the Rock!

For God looked upon man,

In it's pitiable state.

And He came in the flesh,

To redeem and relate.

This God,

to whom all of the Universe bows,

This God,

Who has kept every one of His vows.

This God,

Who you laugh at, you slander, malign,

Came down to the earth,

To trade His life for mine.

This God became man,

To make renegades whole,

For the God of creation,

Loves humanity's soul.

Now you may not believe,

And you may not give heed,

But you cannot deny,

Humanity's need.

We are all far from perfect,

Every one of us dark,

So beyond what we were,

So far gone past the mark.

I know where I stand,

I know that I'm free,

Thanks to God, my Redeemer,

and the Lamb on the tree.

By. Jonathan E. Schaefer

To Want to Want What You Ought to Want to Want

     We know that as Christians, there is a lot that is required of us. We know that we are to love God, love others, give generously, be caring, be kind, and on and on and on. There is a long and beautiful list of character traits and behavioral markers that are supposed to accompany the Christian life. Maybe you know one of those great older men and women of God, the ones who you see in church every Sunday and who just seem to ooze godliness? How do those people get that way? Were they just born perfect? Obviously not. We know that no human has ever been born perfect (aside from Christ) but it can be hard to imagine one of these older saints as ever having been like, well, the rest of us.

     I know in my own life I'm burdened by a few things that are hard for me to get past. I did not have many friends growing up and some of the few that I had left me in rather unkind ways. I've developed a very insular personality that tends to exclude others and not rely on people. This extends to the level of not caring much for other people and finding it difficult to care much at all for people who aren't in my immediate circles. I'm sure many of you have similar issues. Maybe you have a rough manner of speech or are overly cynical or perhaps you're naturally lazy; all of these and more are things that we know we should work on, but how do we do that?

     Let's go even farther. We are commanded to love God and love others, right? How does that work? Does God expect us to just summon up some lovin' and spread it around? I've known people who have a hard time loving their family members let alone total strangers! And loving God? Now that's a hard concept! I mean sure, it's easy to be grateful to God or even to fear God, but how do you 'love' someone who is so different than you and is in fact the all powerful creator and sustainer of all existence?

     The answer lies in understanding that God is not just the prescriber of our laws but their fulfillment as well. He not only gives us commands but empowers us to obey those commands. If we know that we are not naturally loving or careful or kind, then we have to ask God for that change. You will find -I promise- that as you pray and seek God in His word and ask for His help, you will notice change in your life! Oddly enough the same goes for loving God. The Bible tells us that we are all naturally “God-haters”, lovers of self, and rebellious. If we want to truly love God and others, we need to ask God for that love that we can then give away. It may seem weird or even insulting to ask God for help in loving Him but how else do we get anything that we need if not by His providence? God wants us to ask for His help in the things He has commanded us to do; He loves to show us that He is who He says He is!

     We can get pretty upset when we don't measure up to the Bible (which, may I remind you, is always.) It can seem self defeating and hopeless, an impossible pursuit. As long as we live it will be difficult and I will be the first to say that there will be hard times, but how could we expect to fulfill His commands on our own when we can't even breathe without God's intervention? Go to God in prayer and ask for Him to give you love for Himself. Ask for a love for others or for a cleaner mouth or a softer heart or a more dedicated spirit. Ask Him for the things that you need for you will find them no where else.

“And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.”

(1 John 3:22-23)

The Power and Presence of Sin

     We've all been through times when we struggle with sin. Some of us go through years of failure and rallying and failure again; an ongoing battle that saps our strength and weakens our resolve. We start questioning our faith, our salvation, and some even question God. Others spend their lives concerned and worried because of a misunderstanding of what sin is. Distracted and mislead by poor theology and faulty understanding, they fail to find either true victory or substantial progress in sanctification.

     First of all, it's vital that we understand what sin is exactly. Sin is not a foreboding sense of evil or a curse upon mankind. The curse we are under is the result of sin, not sin itself; if anything you might call it “natural sin” but I think a more accurate term is “natural evil.” Sin isn't a cursed object or an unhealthy social connection, it's not about your choice of vocabulary or clothes, it's not about what days you venerate or what days you don't venerate. Sin is choice and will. The reason that objects and things can't be “evil” is because they have no will, no power to choose or take action. This destroys so many popular and illusory myths regarding evil numbers or things or places. Only mankind is capable of sin because only we are capable of choice (and angels too really, but that's another post). We are not made evil by evil falling down upon us but by what we are and what we do.

“When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."

(Matthew 15:10-11)

     Knowing this is helpful in our day to day but it's not the end of the story. From what I just said you may be lead to believe that actions -alone- are sin. You would be wrong. Actions are the visible manifestation of sin but they do not have a monopoly on it. As Jesus said our sin was sin long before it came out into the world.

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.... You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

(Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28)

So we see that the thoughts of our minds and the movements of our hearts are sin first and the actions that may or not follow them are only a further accusation against us. We must seek to give our thoughts and feelings over to God and then our actions will follow them.

     This brings us to an important question and an important point: why then, as a Christian, do I continue to sin? If I am made new by the blood of the Christ how can sin still have power over me? This is because we have been freed from sin's authority and sin's result but not its presence. We still linger in this fallen flesh and in this cursed world. God is not capable of being tempted, not because Satan can't walk up to Him (so to speak) and try and egg Him on. Satan is of course welcome to waste his time but since there is no inclination within God toward sin, He will never sin! We however, continue with our new life in our old bodies. The hand is washed, you could say, but the puppet is still dirty and broken. Here then is the wonder of the end of days, of our glorification: we will be free not only from the power and the penalty of sin but also from its presence; both without and within. We still sin now not because the world continues to tempt us (which it does) but because there still exists within this fallen flesh the desire to rebel. When history is finally at its end and God brings about the final glorification of His people, we will be like Him in the sense that that leaning toward evil will be gone from us!

“Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For that which is corruptible must clothe itself with incorruptibility, and that which is mortal must clothe itself with immortality. And when this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about: "Death is swallowed up in victory.”

(1 Corinthians 15:51-54)

     I cannot wait for that day. When I no longer have to fight myself for control, when I need not fear disappointing my Lord and my God. This world is a struggle, a battle for control and for purity, but its a battle already won. We may see losses and failed fights as we go through our lives but just check the back of the Book, we win! Remember then, that sin is a force that destroys from within and that God is the one who cleanses and redeems, strengthens and saves.

Strength for the Moment

     Your average human is not particularly powerful. Oh sure, some of us are stronger than others, and still others are stronger still. We have body builders and weight lifters with rippling muscles and taught skin. Ultimately though, that strength is lacking. We all grow old and frail or come upon a task that is just too much for our limited muscles. And what about strength beyond the physical? How do we deal with pain, overcome hardship, or endure struggle? How do you measure that strength or how do you increase it? How do you work out a muscle that does not exist?

     The Christian understands that our true strength is not of ourselves. We can go only so far and so long on our own steam and that power we do have is pretty limited. However, we are not alone. God promises to provide us the strength to carry on, to continue, to conquer. It is in Him that we find true strength and the power to persevere. Though we are called to be meek we are not called to be weak. Meekness is strength under control, power properly guided. This world and all of its issues haven't got a thing that can threaten us as we lie in the hands of God. We needn't be afraid.

“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.”

(2 Timothy 1:7-8)

     Whatever we do over the course of our lives, God is right there with us. Now if we are doing wrong that should frighten you since your actions sure aren't hidden. If your life is guided by His will however, His presence with you is a source of confidence! Our decisions can be made boldly when we understand that God is there in the details. God's plan for our lives is all inclusive and totally encompassing but it is also not for us to know. He has told us what He wants in His word, namely to love Him with all that we have. Every other choice is up to us to make and weigh against scripture. And I know that He does know those choices and has already incorporated them into the grand design but I'm talking about things from our perspective. So don't fear! Pray, read, consult those close to you and then take that first step!

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

(Philippians 4:13)

     Furthermore, our enemies may be powerful but only when compared to ourselves. When measured against the might of God all their vaunted power is nothing at all. The world, the flesh, and the devil; these things need not be a source of worry or of fear. God fights for you! Really I suppose a more accurate way to understand it is that all sources of evil and pain our on a leash, going no further than their line allows. Look at ancient Israel, when they stood with God and obeyed they were unstoppable. Their comparably tiny army of normal men destroyed the military might of vastly superior forces. The size of the army and the skill of the warrior means little when backed by the power of God.

“Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace.”

(Ephesians 6:10-15)

“...God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken and mountains quake to the depths of the sea, Though its waters rage and foam and mountains totter at its surging. The LORD of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob..”

(Psalms 46:1-3)

     Finally we know that God is with us in our tomorrows. Despite all the reassurance, despite all the calming truth, life can get really hard. We do have to encounter sorrow, deal with pain, battle adversity, and resist death. These are real issues and real problems that we face every day. God isn't leaving us here though, not alone, and not forever. The church has a hope that no one else can claim, a future free of despair. After the long years of our lives are spent we will find the gates to heaven open and eternity waiting for us full of joy and peace. We can make through today because tomorrow will come, a new day will dawn, and the Son has already risen.

“On you I depend since birth; from my mother's womb you are my strength; my hope in you never wavers.”

(Psalms 71:6)

All Things New

'Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new...”'

(Revelation 21:5)

     Hello again! Happy new year to you all and I hope it was a blessed time of celebration for everyone. Coming into 2015 got me to think about the new year and newness in general. We serve a God who is not only the eternal unchanging God but one who delights in the “new.” From His perspective of course nothing is 'new' but we really mean new from our perspective. He will not leave things as they are but will, in His time, remake them so they shine anew.

     The world is old, very old, not nearly as old as some people think but compared to the average human lifespan it's darn old! The earth was formed many years ago and like your dad's old Buick, time has not been kind to it. Everything we see is in a gradual state of decline and breakdown that if given enough time would lead to nothing more than a cloud of disparate particles floating through space. The curse of sin has brought death to more than man. God however, sees a work unfinished, a canvas with only a few rough sketches and brushstrokes just waiting to be completed.

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”

(Romans 8:20-22)

At the end of days when the sons of God are glorified we won't be living on this same old dusty ball. The whole of reality will be renewed right along with us into a glorious new future that we can't even imagine! How lovely is nature now while burdened by sin, how beautiful will it be when freed from those bonds and renewed by the master artist of creation?

“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

(Revelation 21:1-2)

     We as well will find ourselves remade in God's final design; still ourselves and still human but glorified into a form that will last for eternity. The life of a Christian now is a struggle, a battle against the ongoing sin the beguiles and attacks us. We are freed from sin's price and it's power but in those moment we will be freed from it's presence as well! The church will never sin again and never fail their King, from that moment to eternity the relationship between God and man will never be hindered again.

“So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.”

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

“For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.”

(Romans 8:29-30)

     All of this newness is yet to come but now, at this very time, we have access to another new thing, the new covenant between God and man. The covenants of the Old Testament were primarily between God and the nation of Israel. The prescribed how man could be obedient to God and thus demonstrate their faith. Unfortunately they did nothing for the state of man's soul. That all changed when Christ came to earth. He first showed us how the old law was meant to show us our need for God. The rules seen as impossible to follow really were impossible and that was the point! We could never measure up to the perfection of God and are thus in desperate need of Him and of the grace and mercy only He can give. When Christ died on our behalf and rose again a new covenant was made; Christ had paid a price so much greater than the cost of our sins that His one sacrifice was enough for all time!

“When he speaks of a 'new' covenant, he declares the first one obsolete. And what has become obsolete and has grown old is close to disappearing.”

(Hebrews 8:13)

“For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer's ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God. For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance”

(Hebrews 9:13-15)

“Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather, our qualification comes from God, who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.”

(2 Corinthians 3:4-6)

     We look forward to a day when all thins are new, when the sins of old and the crimes of the past are no longer even a distant memory. We eagerly await that coming dawn when the glory of God lights our day and we need never fear the darkness. God is from forever and will never change nor come to His end but still He brings the joy of newness into the lives of His creations. How I long for the time when the new sun rises and we find ourselves in the never ending peace and joy of a glorious new day.