It has been a very busy August for our household. Our daughter's trip to Greece, the fair, family camp with our church, salmon fishing in the Columbia and painting the house. Sometimes it seems that there are not enough hours in the day.
I wanted to post a quick note to let you know, that although I have not been writing, I have been pondering. My next article will be called something like "Lessons From Lives of Faith" and will find it's origin in Hebrews 11. The writer to the Hebrews begins the chapter with that great definition of faith; "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval." I hope to have this article finished by the end of the month.
God bless.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
My Daughter's Trip to Greece
Here are some pictures of my daughter's trip to Greece. If only stones and rocks could talk!
Here is her first sight of the Acropolis:
Here is the Parthenon:
Here is her first sight of the Acropolis:
Here is the Parthenon:
There is Mars Hill with Athens in the background. 
Justina taking a break while sitting on Mar's Hill:
Paul's message to the "Men of Athens" posted at Mar's Hill in Greek: 
Behind Justina and one of the professors is the "judgement seat" in Corinth spoken of in Acts 18 where Paul was brought before Gallio:
The last couple of pictures are of a convent the group visited:
Saturday, July 26, 2008
In the Steps of an "Idle Babbler"
I'm in the process of writing an article that has gotten a little longer than I anticipated it would be. But this morning (up at 2:00 a.m.) my wife and I took our daughter to the airport for her College trip to Greece. She will be there until next Saturday and will be doing both classroom work and seeing some historical sights. She will be in Athens, where she will visit the Acropolis, and will also go to Corinth and Andros Island while she is there. There is so much Church history from this part of the world. Her trip has reminded me of one of my favorite portions of scripture; the Apostle Paul's coming to Athens from Berea.
In the 17th Chapter of the Book of Acts, in response to his preaching of the gospel, we find the apostle Paul leaving Thessalonica after the Jews had become jealous and enlisted the help of some "wicked men from the marketplace" to form a mob and cause a riot in the city. Paul and Silas were sent off to Berea where they also proclaimed the word of God. We are told that when the Jews in Thessalonica heard that Paul was in Berea preaching the word, they came there also, agitating and stirring up the people as they had in Thessalonica. Paul was then escorted away to Athens while Silas and Timothy remained behind. Paul had sent word back with those who had escorted him, for Timothy and Silas to come to Athens as soon as possible.
But for a time, Paul had found himself alone in Athens. In verse 16 we are told that Paul's "spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols". In the following verses we find Paul preaching Christ to the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles in the synagogue and every day with whoever happened to be present in the market place. When some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him, some were reported as saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" In verse 20 we are given some insight into the Athenians and the people who visited there. We are told that they used to spend their time in nothing other than telling and hearing something new. They considered the things that Paul was saying to be strange to their ears and they asked to hear more of what it meant. What was "strange", was that Paul spoke with power as he proclaimed the truth of Jesus and the resurrection. In verses 22-31 we see Paul delivering his famous message from the midst of the Areopagus.
"Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' "Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
This "idle babbler" wished to tell them about the "UNKNOWN GOD", to call them to repentance and share with them the truth of God's only begotten Son, Jesus. No different than today, some sneered at his message and some believed.
I know that it has been many years since Paul walked in the land of Athens and Corinth. But I pray that my daughter might be blessed in her relationship with the Savior as God uses this place of great Church history to deepen each student's understanding and appreciation for those who served the Lord there. God was working in and through them in a mighty way. In serving Christ, they served all who have come after them. I would ask that you pray for her safety and for the safety of the other students and professors. May they each grow closer to the Savior through this learning experience.
Father, I thank You for those who have served before us. For Paul, Timothy, Silas and so many others, whose lives were instrumental as You established Your Church. As we speak the truth and proclaim the Gospel of Your Son and the truth of the resurrection, help us not to be intimidated or discouraged if others may consider us or even call us "idle babblers".
In the 17th Chapter of the Book of Acts, in response to his preaching of the gospel, we find the apostle Paul leaving Thessalonica after the Jews had become jealous and enlisted the help of some "wicked men from the marketplace" to form a mob and cause a riot in the city. Paul and Silas were sent off to Berea where they also proclaimed the word of God. We are told that when the Jews in Thessalonica heard that Paul was in Berea preaching the word, they came there also, agitating and stirring up the people as they had in Thessalonica. Paul was then escorted away to Athens while Silas and Timothy remained behind. Paul had sent word back with those who had escorted him, for Timothy and Silas to come to Athens as soon as possible.
But for a time, Paul had found himself alone in Athens. In verse 16 we are told that Paul's "spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols". In the following verses we find Paul preaching Christ to the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles in the synagogue and every day with whoever happened to be present in the market place. When some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him, some were reported as saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" In verse 20 we are given some insight into the Athenians and the people who visited there. We are told that they used to spend their time in nothing other than telling and hearing something new. They considered the things that Paul was saying to be strange to their ears and they asked to hear more of what it meant. What was "strange", was that Paul spoke with power as he proclaimed the truth of Jesus and the resurrection. In verses 22-31 we see Paul delivering his famous message from the midst of the Areopagus.
"Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' "Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
This "idle babbler" wished to tell them about the "UNKNOWN GOD", to call them to repentance and share with them the truth of God's only begotten Son, Jesus. No different than today, some sneered at his message and some believed.
I know that it has been many years since Paul walked in the land of Athens and Corinth. But I pray that my daughter might be blessed in her relationship with the Savior as God uses this place of great Church history to deepen each student's understanding and appreciation for those who served the Lord there. God was working in and through them in a mighty way. In serving Christ, they served all who have come after them. I would ask that you pray for her safety and for the safety of the other students and professors. May they each grow closer to the Savior through this learning experience.
Father, I thank You for those who have served before us. For Paul, Timothy, Silas and so many others, whose lives were instrumental as You established Your Church. As we speak the truth and proclaim the Gospel of Your Son and the truth of the resurrection, help us not to be intimidated or discouraged if others may consider us or even call us "idle babblers".
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
A GUIDE
Approximately two years ago my pastor preached a message during the morning worship service that focused on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. When we met together later that day for the evening worship service, I told him that the message he had preached that morning had been one of the best I had ever heard. The power of the message was itself evidence of the truth of the Spirit’s work in the life of the believer. The Helper was clearly seen as He worked through the vessel of my pastor to convey truths about Himself, the Father and the Son.
The scripture we find in John 16:13 was used in the message. The verse states, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” In Psalm 23:3, in reference to God, the psalmist wrote “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His names sake.” Although certainly not limited to these, we see that God would guide us "into all the truth" and "in the paths of righteousness".
Two particular thoughts come to my mind as I hear those words; truth and righteousness. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” And in Acts 7:52, as he addressed the Jewish leaders before he was martyred, Stephen is recorded as saying, “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have become.” The scripture clearly teaches us that Jesus is truth and Jesus is righteousness. The Holy Spirit, the promised Helper, the Third Person of the Godhead, God Himself, would guide us into all that we could take in about Jesus.
As I began to ponder this, I started to have ideas in my mind about guides and guiding. Being someone who enjoys fishing and the outdoors in general, I was quite familiar with the concept of guiding. There are fishing guides, hunting guides, mountaineering guides, whitewater rafting guides, travel guides and the list goes on. One of the things that all of these guides have in common is that they are sought out and paid to help people pursue their passions. The amount of money that someone will pay to pursue a passion that they have for a particular activity will range from less than a hundred dollars to several thousands of dollars. The Holy Spirit guides for free but this ministry that He longs to impart is seldom sought after as we often lack the passion for where or Who He guides to. This is said with much personal conviction.
In Philippians 3:10, the apostle Paul gives us a glimpse into the kind of passion I am referring to. Regarding Jesus, Paul wrote that his desire was “to know Him and the power of His resurrection.” This is the power by which Jesus was declared to be the Son of God. Romans 1:4 states that He was “declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.” Oh, how we could know Him and the power of His resurrection if we only had the passion to do so and earnestly sought the guidance of the Helper.
As believers in Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, we need to understand where the Holy Spirit desires to guide us and the privilege and opportunity we have to be led in such a way. Yes, one day we will know Him perfectly for we will be like Him when we see Him face to face. However, part of the abundant life that we can have now is to be guided into Truth and Righteousness, knowing intimately the person of Jesus Christ. Do you have the passion to go there? Do you have the passion to know Him better and partake of His holiness through closer intimacy with Him? Many can quote the Philippians 3:10 verse referred to above but few find the passion to pursue it. Or maybe more accurately, our lives are simply too cluttered with the things of this world to have our eyes fixed on Him.
Although this Guide’s services are free, they will cost you your thoughts, your ways and your heart. As Paul wrote in Philippians 3:7-8, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, 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.” The Holy Spirit bids us come; to follow Him as He guides us to Christ.
Father, we need the Helper to prepare us to go where He would lead us; intimacy with your Son Jesus. We understand that you long to guide us into truth and righteousness. Prepare our hearts and renew our minds that we might have a right relationship with you; that like the beloved apostle, we might have a desire to "know Him and the power of His resurrection" . Your magnificent creation has provided us with many wonderful things to enjoy but the greatest pursuit that any of us could ever partake in during this life is knowing Him. "Knowing you Jesus, knowing you; There is no greater thing". Thank you for your desire for intimacy with us and for making provision that it might be so.
The scripture we find in John 16:13 was used in the message. The verse states, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” In Psalm 23:3, in reference to God, the psalmist wrote “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His names sake.” Although certainly not limited to these, we see that God would guide us "into all the truth" and "in the paths of righteousness".
Two particular thoughts come to my mind as I hear those words; truth and righteousness. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” And in Acts 7:52, as he addressed the Jewish leaders before he was martyred, Stephen is recorded as saying, “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have become.” The scripture clearly teaches us that Jesus is truth and Jesus is righteousness. The Holy Spirit, the promised Helper, the Third Person of the Godhead, God Himself, would guide us into all that we could take in about Jesus.
As I began to ponder this, I started to have ideas in my mind about guides and guiding. Being someone who enjoys fishing and the outdoors in general, I was quite familiar with the concept of guiding. There are fishing guides, hunting guides, mountaineering guides, whitewater rafting guides, travel guides and the list goes on. One of the things that all of these guides have in common is that they are sought out and paid to help people pursue their passions. The amount of money that someone will pay to pursue a passion that they have for a particular activity will range from less than a hundred dollars to several thousands of dollars. The Holy Spirit guides for free but this ministry that He longs to impart is seldom sought after as we often lack the passion for where or Who He guides to. This is said with much personal conviction.
In Philippians 3:10, the apostle Paul gives us a glimpse into the kind of passion I am referring to. Regarding Jesus, Paul wrote that his desire was “to know Him and the power of His resurrection.” This is the power by which Jesus was declared to be the Son of God. Romans 1:4 states that He was “declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.” Oh, how we could know Him and the power of His resurrection if we only had the passion to do so and earnestly sought the guidance of the Helper.
As believers in Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, we need to understand where the Holy Spirit desires to guide us and the privilege and opportunity we have to be led in such a way. Yes, one day we will know Him perfectly for we will be like Him when we see Him face to face. However, part of the abundant life that we can have now is to be guided into Truth and Righteousness, knowing intimately the person of Jesus Christ. Do you have the passion to go there? Do you have the passion to know Him better and partake of His holiness through closer intimacy with Him? Many can quote the Philippians 3:10 verse referred to above but few find the passion to pursue it. Or maybe more accurately, our lives are simply too cluttered with the things of this world to have our eyes fixed on Him.
Although this Guide’s services are free, they will cost you your thoughts, your ways and your heart. As Paul wrote in Philippians 3:7-8, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, 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.” The Holy Spirit bids us come; to follow Him as He guides us to Christ.
Father, we need the Helper to prepare us to go where He would lead us; intimacy with your Son Jesus. We understand that you long to guide us into truth and righteousness. Prepare our hearts and renew our minds that we might have a right relationship with you; that like the beloved apostle, we might have a desire to "know Him and the power of His resurrection" . Your magnificent creation has provided us with many wonderful things to enjoy but the greatest pursuit that any of us could ever partake in during this life is knowing Him. "Knowing you Jesus, knowing you; There is no greater thing". Thank you for your desire for intimacy with us and for making provision that it might be so.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
REALLY?
It started off like any other Sunday morning. A 15-20 minute drive to our church. A cup of coffee and a short time of fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ before Sunday school began. Then a good time in the word of God during our Sunday school time. After Sunday school was over, we had our normal time of fellowship before the morning service began. This included a time of prayer with my pastor and the other elders as we asked the Lord for guidance, and prayed for His will to be done as we met together as a body. The morning service then began with some announcements and some congregational singing.
Over the years, the Lord has moved in the hearts of some of His children who have written the great hymns of our faith. Many of these songs have long been the favorites of believers through the ages. It was while we were singing one of these great hymns of the faith that it happened. I will explain what "it" was in a moment, but first, the song. The song was the famous hymn, Living for Jesus. It was written in 1917 by Thomas Obadiah Chisolm, who also wrote one of the most beloved Christian hymns, Great is Thy Faithfulness. The chorus for Living for Jesus goes like this; "O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give my self to Thee, for Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me. I own no other master, my heart shall be Thy throne. My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone." Mr. Chisolm passed away in 1960 when I was only a few months old. It has been over 90 years since he wrote the words to this hymn and over 47 years since he passed into glory. As we can see time and time again, the Lord's work in peoples' lives often continues to bear fruit long after the person has gone home to glory. So it is with Mr. Chisolm.
As I sang Living for Jesus, and as we sang it together as a family of believers, I had to pause for a moment because I felt as if the Lord was asking a question of me. Perhaps He was asking it of all of us. In fact, it is possible that He was asking the question of other believers around the world who were singing the same song that particular Sunday morning. The question seemed quite simple but it was a difficult one to consider. Although the question went beyond one word, it found it's arresting power in a single word. That word was spoken in the form of a question, "Really?".
I/We sang "O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee" and He asked, "Really?, I have looked for you, but found you too busy to pay attention to me. It seems that while you sing of giving yourself to me, you have actually given yourself to many other interests and endeavors that often don't include me."
I/We sang, "I own no other Master" and He asked, "Really?, I have looked at your life and it seems quite apparent to me that you have allowed several masters in your life. You cannot rightfully serve multiple masters, as each will want you wholly."
I/We sang, "My heart shall be Thy throne" and He asked, "Really? I have been looking for a welcome place in your heart and see that it is cluttered with so many different things, leaving little room for me."
I/We sang, "My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone"; He asked, "Really? I would like this to be true, but when will henceforth begin? It seems that you have given your life to many other pursuits and passions and henceforth has not yet arrived."
Yes, there are those times when God has used them to bring conviction into my life, but I love the old hymns. I fear that the Church is losing sight of the role they have played in the lives of God's people and just how much He has used them to encourage, convict, restore and comfort His children. Or the great message of salvation that is proclaimed in some. I fear thy are being slowly cast aside for the more modern choruses and the growing desire for more contemporary music. I believe the Church should take measures to keep the old hymns as an important part of our gathering together and preserve their place for those who will meet together long after we are gone.
If I had a "big enough voice", I would challenge and encourage church leaders and congregations across the country to take steps to keep the great hymns as an integral part of our worship and fellowship times. Perhaps a "Great Hymns of the Faith" Sunday, where we could not only sing them, but take a moment to learn something of their writers. I pray that we might take this matter seriously and realize that over a period of time the great hymns could be gone from the Church, and with them, the ministry God has carried out through them. Some of you may think that I am exaggerating and think that such a thing would be impossible. The Church without the great hymns of our faith? Mr. Chisolm, and other men and women of God from his day, would have probably thought it impossible to believe that there would be a day where churches would have no pulpits, no crosses, no mention of sin, no mention of His word, and even no mention of His Son. But those churches exist today in growing numbers.
Father, thank you for the men and women of faith who have written the words and composed the music for the great hymns of our faith. You have clearly used them in a mighty way for many generations. They have great value to the Body of Christ. Like so many things that have true value to the Church, we often take them for granted and sit by as they are put aside or even put out of the Church. Surely, you have moved in the hearts of men and women to write and compose some of the more modern choruses and songs that are sang in our churches today, but help us not forget the great hymns of the faith and the men and women who wrote them out of their love and adoration of you. May the words of Thomas Obadiah Chisolm be true one day in my life; "O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give my self to Thee, for Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me. I own no other master, my heart shall be Thy throne. My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone."
Over the years, the Lord has moved in the hearts of some of His children who have written the great hymns of our faith. Many of these songs have long been the favorites of believers through the ages. It was while we were singing one of these great hymns of the faith that it happened. I will explain what "it" was in a moment, but first, the song. The song was the famous hymn, Living for Jesus. It was written in 1917 by Thomas Obadiah Chisolm, who also wrote one of the most beloved Christian hymns, Great is Thy Faithfulness. The chorus for Living for Jesus goes like this; "O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give my self to Thee, for Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me. I own no other master, my heart shall be Thy throne. My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone." Mr. Chisolm passed away in 1960 when I was only a few months old. It has been over 90 years since he wrote the words to this hymn and over 47 years since he passed into glory. As we can see time and time again, the Lord's work in peoples' lives often continues to bear fruit long after the person has gone home to glory. So it is with Mr. Chisolm.
As I sang Living for Jesus, and as we sang it together as a family of believers, I had to pause for a moment because I felt as if the Lord was asking a question of me. Perhaps He was asking it of all of us. In fact, it is possible that He was asking the question of other believers around the world who were singing the same song that particular Sunday morning. The question seemed quite simple but it was a difficult one to consider. Although the question went beyond one word, it found it's arresting power in a single word. That word was spoken in the form of a question, "Really?".
I/We sang "O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee" and He asked, "Really?, I have looked for you, but found you too busy to pay attention to me. It seems that while you sing of giving yourself to me, you have actually given yourself to many other interests and endeavors that often don't include me."
I/We sang, "I own no other Master" and He asked, "Really?, I have looked at your life and it seems quite apparent to me that you have allowed several masters in your life. You cannot rightfully serve multiple masters, as each will want you wholly."
I/We sang, "My heart shall be Thy throne" and He asked, "Really? I have been looking for a welcome place in your heart and see that it is cluttered with so many different things, leaving little room for me."
I/We sang, "My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone"; He asked, "Really? I would like this to be true, but when will henceforth begin? It seems that you have given your life to many other pursuits and passions and henceforth has not yet arrived."
Yes, there are those times when God has used them to bring conviction into my life, but I love the old hymns. I fear that the Church is losing sight of the role they have played in the lives of God's people and just how much He has used them to encourage, convict, restore and comfort His children. Or the great message of salvation that is proclaimed in some. I fear thy are being slowly cast aside for the more modern choruses and the growing desire for more contemporary music. I believe the Church should take measures to keep the old hymns as an important part of our gathering together and preserve their place for those who will meet together long after we are gone.
If I had a "big enough voice", I would challenge and encourage church leaders and congregations across the country to take steps to keep the great hymns as an integral part of our worship and fellowship times. Perhaps a "Great Hymns of the Faith" Sunday, where we could not only sing them, but take a moment to learn something of their writers. I pray that we might take this matter seriously and realize that over a period of time the great hymns could be gone from the Church, and with them, the ministry God has carried out through them. Some of you may think that I am exaggerating and think that such a thing would be impossible. The Church without the great hymns of our faith? Mr. Chisolm, and other men and women of God from his day, would have probably thought it impossible to believe that there would be a day where churches would have no pulpits, no crosses, no mention of sin, no mention of His word, and even no mention of His Son. But those churches exist today in growing numbers.
Father, thank you for the men and women of faith who have written the words and composed the music for the great hymns of our faith. You have clearly used them in a mighty way for many generations. They have great value to the Body of Christ. Like so many things that have true value to the Church, we often take them for granted and sit by as they are put aside or even put out of the Church. Surely, you have moved in the hearts of men and women to write and compose some of the more modern choruses and songs that are sang in our churches today, but help us not forget the great hymns of the faith and the men and women who wrote them out of their love and adoration of you. May the words of Thomas Obadiah Chisolm be true one day in my life; "O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give my self to Thee, for Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me. I own no other master, my heart shall be Thy throne. My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone."
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
One Tenth of One Percent
Due to a tragic incident that involved a member of my family, I was not able to compose an article these past two weeks as I had hoped. I have been working on several ideas and pray that I will be able to post those articles as the Lord leads.
Instead, I would like to make some observations regarding our church service this past Sunday. We had a guest speaker and some guest visitors. I won't be long, but just wanted to share a few thoughts about these two.
First, the speaker. He sat in his wheel chair with his disfigured appearance, blind, limbs missing; all evidence of the horrific 3rd degree burns he suffered approximately 10 years ago. The speaker, Brian, a man in his late 20's, had been involved in an accident that resulted in more than 90 percent of his body being burned. Why was he sitting there with a microphone positioned in front of him to amplify the words he would speak? When he was finished, there was no doubt that he was being obedient to what the Lord had spoken through the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 3:15, where Peter wrote, "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;" For approximately 45 minutes, Brian praised the Father and attributed all glory and honor to His Son, Jesus, as he spoke with power from the Holy Spirit. Truly, with gentleness and reverence, he had made his defense as he gave an account of the hope that was in him!
The visiting guests. They sat in their chairs listening intently. Hearts heavy with a burden they had been bearing for more than a week; a burden like none they had ever experienced before. Their fallen countenance and their red and swollen eyes were evidence of the cares that needed to be cast at the feet of One who could bear them. Why were they there? Sure, they had been invited, but why were they there? It became clear that the reason was simply that they needed to hear Brian's defense and his account of the hope that is in him. They needed to hear about the Lord Jesus Christ, the source of this hope. They had heard it from others but they needed to hear it from Brian as the Lord spoke to their hearts through him.
In John 16:7, Jesus said, "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." The Helper had spoken through Brian and I believe He had not only brought the visiting guests to hear him, but that He was working in the hearts and minds of the visiting guests as well. The Helper had brought together one who was ready to give an account of the hope (Jesus) that was in him with those who were desperately needing to hear about the surpassing hope that is found in Christ. The meeting of these two could not have been better scripted by a master choreographer. A man could have studied and prepared for months to preach to this group of guests and never have spoken the message that the Helper used Brian to speak.
Why was I there? I know I am there each Sunday, but why was I there that Sunday? I also needed to hear Brian's defense and the account of the hope that is in him. I needed to see God using His people to speak and minister to others.
When Brian spoke of the great scripture verse regarding God causing all things to work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose; this truth was sitting before us in a wheel chair. The great truth that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly, beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, was seen in this child of His as he ministered to us.
If you haven't forgotten it, you may be wondering about the title of this post. One of things that Brian shared, was that when he was taken to the hospital after being burnt and after assessing the severity of his burns, his doctors had given him a one tenth of one percent chance of survival. Praise God that the Lord Jesus Christ was that one tenth of one percent!
Father, I thank you for your servant Brian. I thank you that you intervened against all human odds and not only kept him alive but you gave him abundant life where it shouldn't have been. Thank you for the Helper. Help each of us to be reminded of the hope of our faith, and with gentleness and reverence, be ready to give an account of that hope to others who need it. Continue to work in the lives of my family members who so desperately need you and in the lives of those who may already know you but need to get right with you. Thank you for how you work in people's lives.
Instead, I would like to make some observations regarding our church service this past Sunday. We had a guest speaker and some guest visitors. I won't be long, but just wanted to share a few thoughts about these two.
First, the speaker. He sat in his wheel chair with his disfigured appearance, blind, limbs missing; all evidence of the horrific 3rd degree burns he suffered approximately 10 years ago. The speaker, Brian, a man in his late 20's, had been involved in an accident that resulted in more than 90 percent of his body being burned. Why was he sitting there with a microphone positioned in front of him to amplify the words he would speak? When he was finished, there was no doubt that he was being obedient to what the Lord had spoken through the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 3:15, where Peter wrote, "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;" For approximately 45 minutes, Brian praised the Father and attributed all glory and honor to His Son, Jesus, as he spoke with power from the Holy Spirit. Truly, with gentleness and reverence, he had made his defense as he gave an account of the hope that was in him!
The visiting guests. They sat in their chairs listening intently. Hearts heavy with a burden they had been bearing for more than a week; a burden like none they had ever experienced before. Their fallen countenance and their red and swollen eyes were evidence of the cares that needed to be cast at the feet of One who could bear them. Why were they there? Sure, they had been invited, but why were they there? It became clear that the reason was simply that they needed to hear Brian's defense and his account of the hope that is in him. They needed to hear about the Lord Jesus Christ, the source of this hope. They had heard it from others but they needed to hear it from Brian as the Lord spoke to their hearts through him.
In John 16:7, Jesus said, "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." The Helper had spoken through Brian and I believe He had not only brought the visiting guests to hear him, but that He was working in the hearts and minds of the visiting guests as well. The Helper had brought together one who was ready to give an account of the hope (Jesus) that was in him with those who were desperately needing to hear about the surpassing hope that is found in Christ. The meeting of these two could not have been better scripted by a master choreographer. A man could have studied and prepared for months to preach to this group of guests and never have spoken the message that the Helper used Brian to speak.
Why was I there? I know I am there each Sunday, but why was I there that Sunday? I also needed to hear Brian's defense and the account of the hope that is in him. I needed to see God using His people to speak and minister to others.
When Brian spoke of the great scripture verse regarding God causing all things to work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose; this truth was sitting before us in a wheel chair. The great truth that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly, beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, was seen in this child of His as he ministered to us.
If you haven't forgotten it, you may be wondering about the title of this post. One of things that Brian shared, was that when he was taken to the hospital after being burnt and after assessing the severity of his burns, his doctors had given him a one tenth of one percent chance of survival. Praise God that the Lord Jesus Christ was that one tenth of one percent!
Father, I thank you for your servant Brian. I thank you that you intervened against all human odds and not only kept him alive but you gave him abundant life where it shouldn't have been. Thank you for the Helper. Help each of us to be reminded of the hope of our faith, and with gentleness and reverence, be ready to give an account of that hope to others who need it. Continue to work in the lives of my family members who so desperately need you and in the lives of those who may already know you but need to get right with you. Thank you for how you work in people's lives.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
What Should I Wear Today?
It is appropriate that I post this article on a Sunday morning. Christians all over the world have considered or are considering what they should wear today. If you are a lover of sovereignty and grace, I hope this article will bless you. If you are one who struggles with the matters of sovereignty and grace, I hope this article will bless you as well.
Perhaps it is the question that has been ask more times than any other. All over the world, people ask it every day. What should I wear today? To be sure, some of us spend more time and energy answering this question than others, but to some degree, each of us ask it every day of our lives. Imagine, if you will, that there was a time when two people never asked this question or even had the thought to ask it. Adam and Eve spent their days enjoying fellowship with God, His creation and one another. And before "the fall", they had no concern or awareness of nakedness and had no reason to feel a need or desire to cover themselves.
But there came a day, a day marked by deception for Eve and wilful disobedience for Adam, that they found themselves aware of their nakedness and concerned about covering themselves. They were new to this "clothes shopping" thing and one can only imagine the limits to what they would have considered regarding this matter. As indicated, they had never done this sort of thing before because there had never been the occasion or need to do so. But sin had entered their world through their actions and they found themselves with a new awareness of their nakedness and a desire to cover themselves. This was the means by which God had chosen to allow man to have a consciousness of his sin. Maybe they had considered other options for clothing themselves, but all we are told is that they knew they were naked and sewed fig leaves together to make for themselves loin coverings.
Several years ago, it seemed to become clear to me, that although this "fig leaf theology" began in The Garden, it was only the beginning of man's pursuit to deal with the sin problem in his own way and according to his own efforts. And so we have a historical record of the endless attempts by men to address their "nakedness" through the many forms of religion, including all forms of humanism and the attempt by man to deny his sins or the remedy they demand.
We find both a very serious problem and a very glorious truth in "the rest of the story". The very serious problem is with the inadequacy of the fig leaf. It was inadequate and insufficient then and it is still so today. However, as noted, there is also a very glorious truth found in this account. In Genesis 3:21 we find perhaps one of the greatest verses of scripture in the pages of our Bibles. It states "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them." Although I fear I cannot do them justice, I will attempt to convey the significance of these few words. If it makes any sense, the Lord has often lead me to consider what He didn't do in order to appreciate what He did or what didn't happen to see the importance of what did happen. I would like to consider a few of the things God didn't do and a few of the things that didn't happen related to this matter. The following points are not necessarily in order of importance.
Adam and Eve did not go to God for help in this matter and in fact, they hid from Him when they heard Him in the Garden.
God did not even acknowledge Adam and Eve's attempt to cover themselves. Their efforts were not worthy of His acknowledgement. He is not in competition with anyone, including us, regarding redemption and the atoning of sin. One could argue that what God did do, by clothing them Himself, was the strongest of all statements that their efforts were futile.
God did not offer them, that which He clothed them with. As indicated, He did not acknowledge their covering and then offer them a choice between their own and His. He simply clothed them. He was saving His creation and He needed to carry out this task Himself. He could not depend on Adam and Eve to make the right decision. The stakes were too high!
God showed no partiality between the one He had created and the one He had fashioned from a rib; between the one who had been deceived and the one who had wilfully disobeyed.
The Deceiver offered no help to Adam and Eve. Sure, he is there to deceive and entice, but when the damage is done he is only looking for further opportunities for destruction. And he still does so today.
Creation itself did not come to their aide. I'm reminded of the indictment found in Romans Chapter 1:25 where it says of fallen man, "they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." The mighty wolf, the strong ox, the largest of elephants or the powerful bear could not come to their rescue. The majestic eagle or the hawk were powerless to perform such a task. All of the creatures of the sea could only remain in the sea. The sun and the moon and the stars could only do that which they had been created to do and nothing more.
What God did do should cause us to weep with joy and thanksgiving. Maybe there are not enough words in the verse for us to give it the attention it demands. The Creator clothed Adam and Eve according to His own purpose. He who is the only Sovereign, mercifully and lovingly, because of the One who was slain before the foundation of the world, with Calvary looming in the forefront, graciously clothed them. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!
We are each born spiritually dead; without anything to "wear" to adequately and sufficiently address our sin problem. We try to do good works and endeavor to engage in all forms of religious practices to deal with this matter of sin or attempt to deny that it exists. But the "fig leaves" of our day are no better than the fig leaves of Adam's day. They are inadequate and insufficient. But praise God that He is still in the business of clothing men, women and children all around the world with the righteousness of His Son, Jesus. I am confident that He did so today and that He will do so tomorrow.
When it comes to addressing this matter of sin, maybe you are unclothed. If that is the case, you need nothing less and can find nothing more, than to be clothed with the righteousness that is found in Christ. Romans 3:22 says "even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;" or Philippians 3:9 which speaks of the necessity to "be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith".
And maybe you already find yourself washed in the blood of the Lamb; clothed in His righteousness. 1st Corinthians 1:30 says that "by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption". We find that the Lord has continued to caution believers on how they should adorn themselves. We are to clothe ourselves with humility and to put on the full armour of God. We are called to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh. We are directed to put on love. He has told us to put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Women are called to adorn themselves modesty and discretely. We are told of the beauty of being adorned with the hidden person of the heart, clothed with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit.
And one day the believer in Christ will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye and we will be raised from the dead, putting on the imperishable and putting on immortality. What a day that will be!
Father, we thank you for clothing Adam and Eve and we are thankful that you have clothed us with the righteousness of your Son, Jesus. Help us to be thoughtful and careful in how we adorn ourselves. Oh, as we start are days, considering what we will wear, help us to put on Jesus and make no provision for the flesh.
Perhaps it is the question that has been ask more times than any other. All over the world, people ask it every day. What should I wear today? To be sure, some of us spend more time and energy answering this question than others, but to some degree, each of us ask it every day of our lives. Imagine, if you will, that there was a time when two people never asked this question or even had the thought to ask it. Adam and Eve spent their days enjoying fellowship with God, His creation and one another. And before "the fall", they had no concern or awareness of nakedness and had no reason to feel a need or desire to cover themselves.
But there came a day, a day marked by deception for Eve and wilful disobedience for Adam, that they found themselves aware of their nakedness and concerned about covering themselves. They were new to this "clothes shopping" thing and one can only imagine the limits to what they would have considered regarding this matter. As indicated, they had never done this sort of thing before because there had never been the occasion or need to do so. But sin had entered their world through their actions and they found themselves with a new awareness of their nakedness and a desire to cover themselves. This was the means by which God had chosen to allow man to have a consciousness of his sin. Maybe they had considered other options for clothing themselves, but all we are told is that they knew they were naked and sewed fig leaves together to make for themselves loin coverings.
Several years ago, it seemed to become clear to me, that although this "fig leaf theology" began in The Garden, it was only the beginning of man's pursuit to deal with the sin problem in his own way and according to his own efforts. And so we have a historical record of the endless attempts by men to address their "nakedness" through the many forms of religion, including all forms of humanism and the attempt by man to deny his sins or the remedy they demand.
We find both a very serious problem and a very glorious truth in "the rest of the story". The very serious problem is with the inadequacy of the fig leaf. It was inadequate and insufficient then and it is still so today. However, as noted, there is also a very glorious truth found in this account. In Genesis 3:21 we find perhaps one of the greatest verses of scripture in the pages of our Bibles. It states "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them." Although I fear I cannot do them justice, I will attempt to convey the significance of these few words. If it makes any sense, the Lord has often lead me to consider what He didn't do in order to appreciate what He did or what didn't happen to see the importance of what did happen. I would like to consider a few of the things God didn't do and a few of the things that didn't happen related to this matter. The following points are not necessarily in order of importance.
Adam and Eve did not go to God for help in this matter and in fact, they hid from Him when they heard Him in the Garden.
God did not even acknowledge Adam and Eve's attempt to cover themselves. Their efforts were not worthy of His acknowledgement. He is not in competition with anyone, including us, regarding redemption and the atoning of sin. One could argue that what God did do, by clothing them Himself, was the strongest of all statements that their efforts were futile.
God did not offer them, that which He clothed them with. As indicated, He did not acknowledge their covering and then offer them a choice between their own and His. He simply clothed them. He was saving His creation and He needed to carry out this task Himself. He could not depend on Adam and Eve to make the right decision. The stakes were too high!
God showed no partiality between the one He had created and the one He had fashioned from a rib; between the one who had been deceived and the one who had wilfully disobeyed.
The Deceiver offered no help to Adam and Eve. Sure, he is there to deceive and entice, but when the damage is done he is only looking for further opportunities for destruction. And he still does so today.
Creation itself did not come to their aide. I'm reminded of the indictment found in Romans Chapter 1:25 where it says of fallen man, "they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." The mighty wolf, the strong ox, the largest of elephants or the powerful bear could not come to their rescue. The majestic eagle or the hawk were powerless to perform such a task. All of the creatures of the sea could only remain in the sea. The sun and the moon and the stars could only do that which they had been created to do and nothing more.
What God did do should cause us to weep with joy and thanksgiving. Maybe there are not enough words in the verse for us to give it the attention it demands. The Creator clothed Adam and Eve according to His own purpose. He who is the only Sovereign, mercifully and lovingly, because of the One who was slain before the foundation of the world, with Calvary looming in the forefront, graciously clothed them. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!
We are each born spiritually dead; without anything to "wear" to adequately and sufficiently address our sin problem. We try to do good works and endeavor to engage in all forms of religious practices to deal with this matter of sin or attempt to deny that it exists. But the "fig leaves" of our day are no better than the fig leaves of Adam's day. They are inadequate and insufficient. But praise God that He is still in the business of clothing men, women and children all around the world with the righteousness of His Son, Jesus. I am confident that He did so today and that He will do so tomorrow.
When it comes to addressing this matter of sin, maybe you are unclothed. If that is the case, you need nothing less and can find nothing more, than to be clothed with the righteousness that is found in Christ. Romans 3:22 says "even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;" or Philippians 3:9 which speaks of the necessity to "be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith".
And maybe you already find yourself washed in the blood of the Lamb; clothed in His righteousness. 1st Corinthians 1:30 says that "by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption". We find that the Lord has continued to caution believers on how they should adorn themselves. We are to clothe ourselves with humility and to put on the full armour of God. We are called to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh. We are directed to put on love. He has told us to put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Women are called to adorn themselves modesty and discretely. We are told of the beauty of being adorned with the hidden person of the heart, clothed with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit.
And one day the believer in Christ will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye and we will be raised from the dead, putting on the imperishable and putting on immortality. What a day that will be!
Father, we thank you for clothing Adam and Eve and we are thankful that you have clothed us with the righteousness of your Son, Jesus. Help us to be thoughtful and careful in how we adorn ourselves. Oh, as we start are days, considering what we will wear, help us to put on Jesus and make no provision for the flesh.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)