Press On!

If I had to summarize a New Year's thought or admonition in two words, I would say, "press on!" As you look to a new year in Christ, as given to you by His grace, "press on!" As you contemplate your relationships with your spouse, your children, your family and your friends, "press on!" As you consider your involvement in you local church, your ministry, your brothers and sisters in Christ, your neighbors, your employment, your employees, "press on!"

We find the Apostle Paul using these words twice in Philippians 3:12-14, where he is inspired to write, "Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." As we look to a new year; as we are challenged to "press on" in our faith, to know Him better, to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, let us not miss this important point presented in this passage of scripture.

As Paul wrote of pressing on he noted that a condition of doing so was "forgetting what lies behind". I think God intentionally left out a list of "what lies behind" but I believe Paul was referring to those things that cause us to stumble in our walk with the Lord. The list would be quite long and each of us could find those things that have or perhaps are hindering our walk in Christ. What lies behind for you may not be that which lies behind for your brother or sister in Christ. But they are the things that can upset one's faith. The things that will cause difficulties in our relationships with those around us. Our family, our friends, our employers, our employees, our co-workers, our neighbors, our church families.

This "forgetting" can be difficult and I will say that it cannot be accomplished in the flesh. This is not the sort of forgetfulness that some find quite easy to come by in their lives. Forgetting your car keys. Forgetting to take the trash out. Forgetting something at the store. Forgetting someone's name. We all know this sort of forgetfulness and how prone we can be to practice it.

But the "forgetting" referred to here by Paul is active, determined and purposeful, and can only be accomplished as we walk in the Spirit. It is the spiritual warfare that we are engaged in that makes this sort of forgetting difficult. The enemy will be quick to bring that which "lies behind" to your mind and will do so frequently in hopes of causing you to stumble. The scripture speaks of this striving, this incompatibility, this opposition. Believers and unbelievers. Righteousness and lawlessness. Light and darkness. Christ and Belial. Spirit and flesh. Our gracious and merciful God so works in our lives that we might "share His holiness". But our enemy's hope is to distract us from a devotion to the Lord; to lead us "astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ". 

Our enemy is intent on destroying all that is good and all that brings glory to the Lord Jesus. Our marriages. Our families. Our friendships. Our local congregations. The body of Christ. The enemy is well pleased with divorce, broken family relationships, broken friendships, lost reputations, discouragement and disharmony in the body of Christ. There may be something that you are not free to forget. Let me explain. It may be that the Helper desires to bring you to remembrance of something that you need to confess before Him. Perhaps He is bringing you to a place of Godly sorrow as He graciously leads you to repentance. Perhaps an apology is in order, I do not know. But after a wrong has been righted, press on and "do not give the devil an opportunity". 

Through prayer, His word, His grace and His power we can forget those things that wage war against our soul and hinder our walk with the Savior. Know for certain that our enemy will use our rememberance of these things against us and against those we care for. Our family. Our friends. Our neighbors. Our church. The body of Christ. As we consider "forgetting what lies behind", may we seek help from the One who remembers no more our sins and lawless deeds. And in Christ, press on!

Merry Christmas!

I recently read a news story where government officials in Sonoma County, California had ordered that stars and other religious emblems be removed from Christmas trees in all government buildings within the county. They took this action following the complaint of a citizen that an angel atop a Christmas tree in the lobby of a county office was "extremely offensive" and part of the "cult" of Christianity. These sorts of stories are not new and seem to make the headlines more and more each year.

Public displays of manger scenes and other "Christmas symbols" may be forbidden and even private displays of the same may be frowned upon. Our government may offer a variety of "holiday stamps" to choose from as you send your "holiday greetings and gifts". In the religion of political correctness, many will wish you a "happy holidays" as they determine to not use that word, "Christmas" or that name, "Jesus".

But rejoice brothers and sisters in Christ! Try as some might, as the waters cannot be removed from the oceans, Christ can never be removed from Christmas! He is Christmas. The angelic announcement, Mary and Joseph, the virgin birth, the shepherds in the field, the manger scene, the wise men; these are forever truths of human history. Questioning or mocking these cannot detract from their truthfulness. Political correctness may rule the day but all men and governments are still subject to His rule. He is forever sovereign over the affairs of men.

Although futile in their efforts, these attempts to remove Christ from Christmas have their origin in the very purpose of His birth that we celebrate at Christmas. Sin. As recorded in Matthew 1:21, "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins". Salvation from sin was the purpose of His birth. There was and is, a necessity to be saved from sin. Sin is all around us. Sin is on every side. Look to the right or to the left and it will be there. It matters not if you look forwards or backwards, sin will be there. It is within and without. It may be subtle and overt, hidden or exposed.

But the story of Christmas is a story of salvation. It is the story of Emmanuel; God with us. God in a manger. In Luke's Gospel we read, "for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord". Salvation from sin. In Acts 4:12 Luke was also inspired to write, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.". The significance of the Christ of Christmas is seen here. 

The story of Christmas will be told this year and next. It will be told worldwide and it will be told year round. This One who laid in a manger is the One through whom "all things came into being"; the One who holds together all things. He was "God with us". The baby, whose birth we celebrate, grew to become the man we are called to imitate. He is the "only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth".

As we observe a lost world continue to proclaim that there is "no room" for Him in their hearts, may this final thought cause us to pray and perhaps weep for them. The world can never remove Christ from Christmas but one day Christmas will be removed from the world. May we continue to boldly proclaim the Christmas story! "For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord". Merry Christmas! Yes, Merry Christmas.

Short Thoughts for Today

Today's short thoughts are from Hebrews 10:3-4 where the author is inspired to write, "But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."

The first thought that comes to my mind is that under the Law, there was a "reminder of sins" and in Christ there is the "remission of sins". The contrast is in the sacrifices that were offered "year by year" and the sacrifice that was offered "once for all". It was simply impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. But we must not miss the truth implied here. In light of the holiness of God, the need for something to "take away sin" was paramount.

Do not mistakenly think that God intended for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin. We must remember that the Law was a tutor, or a school master to lead us to Christ. As the Apostle John was inspired to write of concerning Jesus; the Lamb of God appeared to take away sin. In Christ alone is there remission of sins and not the reminder of sins.

Short Thoughts for Today

As I continue my attempt to "blog" my short thoughts through the Book of Hebrews, I begin the 10th chapter today, and its first two verses. In Hebrews 10:1-2 we read, "For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never by the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have consciousness of sins?"

This is not a new truth being spoken of by the Hebrew author in this 10th chapter. He has written of it already in the preceding chapters. But it seems clear that God has inspired him to write of this truth in different ways, with each proclaiming the supremacy of Christ. The contrast is evident. The Law, though ordained by God to be a "school master", could never bring about perfection for the person or the people through the observance of its sacrifices. The continuance of the "same sacrifices year by year" was itself a testimony to this truth. It was "only a shadow of the good things to come" and these would be found in Christ.

The question posed in the second verse makes the point again. If the sacrifices which had been offered under the Law could make the worshiper "perfect", no longer with "consciousness of sins", they simply would have ceased to be offered. They would have accomplished their purpose. But again, this was not their purpose. Their purpose was to point to a day in which the One who knew no sin would become sin for us. The day in which He would die once for all. Oh, to be thankful for the Lord Jesus!

Short Thoughts for Today

Today's short thoughts come from the final two verses of Hebrews chapter nine. Here, in verses 27 and 28 we read, "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."

Perhaps to all, these are sobering words. Perhaps to some, they are words that promote fear and uncertainty. "It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment". But within the verse the Gospel rings out! Christ was "offered once to bear the sins of many" and in Him we find hope. Because He bore my sins on Calvary's cross I need not bear my own.

And what now awaits those who "eagerly await Him", those who find themselves "hidden with Christ in God"? When He appears again, and He will, our salvation will take that final step beyond positional truth and be realized in its fullest sense when we see Him, "face to face". "When this perishable will have put on the imperishable and this mortal will have put on immortality", then we will know fully our victory in Jesus!

Short Thoughts for Today

Today's short thoughts find there source in Hebrews 9:25-26 where we read, "nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

No, He would not offer Himself often but only once. Sufficient! Satisfied! Finished! The degree that He suffered when He "became sin" and the sufficiency of His sacrifice would negate forever any further suffering for Him to endure. And He would not enter the holy place with "blood not his own". The high priests who entered the holy place year after year served as a copy, or shadow of what He would do one day. Their sacrifices could not "put away sin" but they did look forward to the one that would. The sacrifice of Himself.  "Oh, precious is the flow. That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus."

Short Thoughts for Today

Today's short thoughts come from the passage of scripture found in Hebrews 9:23-24 where the author writes, "Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us."

Again, the Hebrew author is inspired to write of that which is better in Christ. In these verses we see an emphasis on the origin of the "holy place" in which Christ entered and the better sacrifice that He offered. The earthly tabernacle is described as a "mere copy of the true one". Without a doubt this "holy place made with hands" had great significance and was ordained by God. But its significance was based on what it represented, what it was a copy of; heaven itself.

Where no other high priest could have ever entered, Jesus entered the very throne room of God to offer a better sacrifice. Into heaven itself, Jesus appeared in the very presence of God with an all sufficient sacrifice. And how can we not marvel at the last words seen in today's passage? "For us" the writer declares under divine inspiration. Yes, for you and for me. Praise God! 

Short Thoughts for Today

As I continue to "blog through Hebrews", several verses in chapter nine will serve as the source for today's short thoughts. In Hebrews 9: 16-22 we read, "For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, "THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU." And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."

If I had to summarize my short thoughts regarding this portion of scripture with a single word, I would choose the word necessity. It speaks to the necessity of a new covenant. The necessity of validity. The necessity of a death. The necesesity of shed blood. The necessity of forgiveness. The necessity of cleansing. Yes, it speaks to the necessity of Christ!

Short Thoughts for Today

The passage of scripture for today's short thoughts is found in Hebrews 9:15. Here the author writes, "And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance."

This is one of those "gold mine" passages of scripture. It is a Bible verse that you could spend days or months or even years exploring its depths. Without a doubt, much has been written about the many truths that it speaks of. A sound preacher of the Gospel would find sufficient material to preach sermon upon sermon. In keeping with my desire to share only "short thoughts" in this forum, I will simply touch a few of the topics on which one might ponder the wonders of our Lord.

"This reason": The efficacious blood of Christ.

"The mediator": "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

"A death": A most unique death. "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

"The redemption": Redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.

"Transgressions": Our sins.

"Those who have been called": Sovereign election. Lavished grace. The kind intention of His will. Predestined.

"The promise of eternal inheritance": His promise. His children. His presence.

Praise the wonderful and gracious word of God!