Repentance, Part 2

peace spoken to the wind

healed broken by my sin

found sinner saved

wayward returned again

love comes in waves to win



peace flies with olive branch

dry land is found tonight

lost at home now

pilgrim on solid ground

Love's Champion is crowned

Victory Bought

Uneven
irregular heart
beating for You
broken by me
overcome by worry
needing sincerity

In Your arms
all alarms cease
no harm to me
Your presence settling
like a calming voice
guiding my choice

grace envelopes
measures my own voice
steadies my gait
readies, I await
realizes purpose known
lost now found

cleanses my error
renews forever
changes the pace
blesses by grace
the hidden manna
the revealed mystery

The Glory of Christ: The Aftermath

Christians are not exempt from forgetting to acknowledge Jesus at Christmas. We are prone to wander, and if we are not reminded often, we can drift from life-sustaining truth and swerve into oncoming strength-draining error. We must, as 2 Tim. 2:8 tells us, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead”. He came to die; that’s why He was born.

In the midst of the hurried post-Christmas let-down I want to call attention on what happened soon after Jesus’ birth in Luke 2:21-40. The Story begun earlier continues. Jesus was named according to the Word of God. His parents presented Him to God 40 days after His birth. The birth of Christ was acknowledged by 2 prophets: Simeon and Anna. The Holy Spirit led Simeon to the temple at the exact time Joseph and Mary were bringing Jesus. He was “in the Spirit”, under the influence of, directed and guided by the Spirit of God. When Simeon took the Child in his arms and God’s Word was fulfilled to him right then and there. The Holy Spirit revealed that to him.

Simeon says Jesus will bring many in Israel to the point of moral decision; some to destruction, collapse, they will fall, disbelieving, stumble on Jesus (to those who reject He is as 1 Pet. 2:8 says “a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense”); others will be exalted, resurrected, they will rise, due to faith in Christ as the only way to salvation. Mary will deal with the sword of personal grief watching her Son die. The divisions caused by people’s sin and rejection of Jesus would deeply affect Mary. How could they not.

And there was Anna who rejoiced in Jesus. A prophetess, we do not have a direct quote from her but she spoke of God accurately & praised Him. Hers is an example of continual worship & service. Godly Anna, 84 years old, continually served God; a humble servant who lived in God’s presence. If you think you don’t have much to offer God, take heart, He accepts whatever is brought with a willing heart. Anna offered fasting and prayers. Nothing is too little; everything counts in God’s economy.

I see this pattern in Luke 2:21-40 that is seen elsewhere in Scripture. Promise, fulfillment and praise. God making a promise, keeping it, and the resulting worship people give Him. You can see it on a micro level, in what Simeon and Anna said and did; and on a macro level…in what God did throughout history.

1st there is God’s Promise. God is faithful to all His promises. His promises are rooted in His eternal purposes; He doesn’t have plan B’s. Christmas wasn’t God’s second plan. It didn’t start in Bethlehem or Jerusalem, but before the foundation of the world. He purposed to save a people for His glory before the world was. And He always acts for our good and His glory.

2nd there is Fulfillment. Simeon holding the Child. God brings His plans to fruition exactly how and when He has planned; no plan of God can be thwarted. Waiting for God’s fulfillment calls for expectancy, patience, endurance. Ps. 37:7 rest in the Lord; wait patiently for Him. Ps. 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. His timing is perfect.

3rd there is Praise for what God has done. He instigates, enables and sustains it by the Holy Spirit. Worship & service are sometimes seen as separate; but Biblically speaking they are very connected. The Greek word Latreuo, means to serve God, to worship God; means to serve or worship voluntarily, with gladness, not under compulsion or forced. Refers to the Levites service; their service was worship; their worship was service; one and the same. Responding in praise, calls for service flowing from a worshipping heart (Ps. 100:2; Col. 3:23-24; 1 Pet. 4:11).

We are waiting for God to act. We wonder what to do in life. We wonder where God is leading us. We need to follow the example of Simeon and Anna. They acted on the promises of God. We are called to do the same. We must love Jesus, stay connected to His Word, and trust the Spirit to lead and guide us into all truth.

REPENTANCE

Friend lost
great cost

Rend me
bend knee

Mend heart
new start

Friend found
Solid ground

The Aftermath

After all
The arrival was
Obscure
Non-descript
Unnoticed by the important
Valued by the poor

Royalty
Righteousness
And pain
Was His goal
To fulfill
To make whole

But He was seen
As dated
Shallow
Narrow
Accused of many things
That did not stick

Arms length perspective
Upends the ruse
Reveals shallowness
Betrays false confidence in man
Simple truth prevailed
God’s timeless wisdom won

Hollow the wisdom of the world
To be abandoned
The Cornerstone is settled
Of great worth
Jesus is forever
True wisdom, strength and depth

What happens after Christmas?

We know what happens after Christmas in our culture: return shopping, sale shopping, ‘going to get what you really wanted but didn’t get’ shopping; football games, decorations taken down, and just a general letdown after such a big buildup. We take a breath for a few days and then dive in for more after New Years. Oh, and exercise equipment sales balloon after everyone’s waistlines grow from eating so many goodies.

And all of this can and does often take place without any thought or mention or acknowledgement of Jesus Christ being born in Bethlehem so long ago to ultimately die in Jerusalem some thirty years later. People just live for themselves with no thought of God. Many who read these words today once lived like that. But now, by grace through faith in Christ you have been reoriented. Your life has been changed by Jesus, who came to earth and became one of us, to die for sinners.

The incarnation, God becoming man in the person of Jesus Christ is the single most important event in history. And so many live without thought of the One who lived and died so people made in His image might have life. Today I want us to focus our attention on what happened soon after Jesus’ birth. In the story I hope you will see as 2 Cor. 5:15 says, that "the love of Christ controls us, having concluded that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died and rise on their behalf". We who live can live life to the fullest because God has gone to the fullest extent to give us life. That the reason we have reason for living is because God is faithful – He has made a way possible for us to be made new and in faithfulness He sustains us. Because God is always faithful we can live fruitful lives for His glory.

In Luke 2:21-40 you see what happened soon after Jesus Christ was born. What happened after Christmas. How a man and a woman responded to God in the flesh. It shows that men and women responded to Jesus, the rich, the poor, the old, the young, whosoever will come to Him, God accepts those who choose to respond in trust and obedience as He enables and directs. All He expects of us is trust, obedience and action; He provides the necessary tools, all the gifts, abilities, heart and desire required.

But we must act. Some friends of ours were on that Northwest flight that was interrupted by a would-be terrorist on Christmas day - a passenger ignited something that would have caused much harm if someone had not acted and acted quickly. Someone acted to apprehend the perpetrator before something terrible happened. It was his time to act and he did. The old saying that the only thing it takes for evil to spread is for good men to do nothing held true in that situation.

It reminds me of Daniel 11:32 “the people who know their God will display strength and take action”. Like God said to Joshua as He was commissioning him to replace Moses: “Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous…only be strong and very courageous, be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart form your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success (act wisely). Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:5-9)

Time is not waiting for us. Time doesn’t wait, it keeps going. The time is now to act, the time is now but we are always waiting for ‘someday’ aren’t we? Danger is in waiting for someday and it never comes, because today was our someday.

If you know Jesus, God is with you, He has given you His promises, and He has either fulfilled them, is fulfilling them, or will fulfill them; so you can move confidently, dependent on Him for strength and wisdom, to do what is good, right and true. Take a step of faith. And see what God will do.

The Glory of Christ: The Arrival

The actual arrival of the baby born in Bethlehem – seen in Luke 2:1-20 - can seem so everyday, so obscure, so quiet. It was on many levels. What God did in sending His Son, God in the flesh, was genius in its simplicity. Too much fanfare would have called too much attention. God invaded time and space and showered His amazing grace on humankind, in a universe-exploding way; sending His Son behind enemy lines; so stealth, so perfect, only God could pull it off.

How do we respond to such understated glory? How do we grip its significance? By going to the actual story & seeing what we can see in its plain and straightforward words. Lead off is that Caesar called for a head count, a census. By AD 6 wide-scale censuses were taken every 14 years. Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, probably on foot or borrowed animal; 80 miles or so over rough territory. While there Jesus was born. Nothing in the text indicates they showed up late at night with Mary about to burst. They may have been there for weeks. The way the story is commonly told conjures up pictures of going to a local motel and being turned away, with a rude innkeeper to boot. But inns in those days were dangerous places to stay; robberies were common. God was protecting and providing for His Son. He led them to a quiet, warm, safe place away from crowds. Bethlehem, which means house of bread, was the birthplace of the Bread of life.

God announced Christ’s birth to lowly shepherds who were watching flocks, probably those raised for temple sacrifice, since they were nearby Jerusalem. Despised shepherds, whose work kept them from participating in the temple activities, were pasturing the flocks at night, suggesting that is was probably summer not winter. The angel told the shepherds “I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord”. The gospel is always good news! Great joy is the result of a true understanding of Jesus. It is about all people; the message is all inclusive of races, cultures, languages, people groups. It is a message of urgency: now is the day of salvation. It is about a Savior who is needed because sinners need to be rescued. Christ means anointed one; the Messiah; the promised deliverer; Lord means master; one to be followed & obeyed; worthy of allegiance.

The Shepherds went to see Jesus. Amazed, they came and saw. And after that they shared the news. They followed Is. 60:1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come; the glory of God has risen upon you”. They told Joseph & Mary what they’d heard about Jesus! What confirmation of what His parents had been told!

In the Arrival story we see God’s greatness. Caesar Augustus (Octavian) was ruler of the entire Roman world; all the inhabited earth. The great-nephew of Julius Caesar; he fought his way to power by defeating Antony and Cleopatra. The 1st to be called “Augustus”, which means “holy” or “revered”. The Roman senate voted to give him the title and he did not refuse it. Up to that point the title was reserved only for the gods. While he ruled people started thinking of Caesars as gods. At the time Luke wrote some Greek cities in Asia minor had adopted Caesar’s birthday, Sept. 23, as new year’s day, calling him their “savior”. Some called him “savior of the whole world”. Rome and Augustus had beaten every opponent into submission. At the controls of the known world was a self-proclaimed, universally accepted lord and savior. Luke shows the contrast, the real Savior had finally come, all imposters were to be rejected. This passage is all about Christ v. Caesar; He who was humble and gentle in heart v. he who was pompous and arrogant of heart. God the Son who allowed Himself to be made lower v. man who allowed himself to be worshipped as a god. Luke is showing how great Jesus is compared to Caesar. Kent Hughes said The baby Mary carried was not a Caesar, a man who would become a god, but a far greater wonder – the true God who had become a man!

We also come face to face with God’s presence. Whenever an angel brought good news he would say do not fear, assurance that God was with the person, on their side for blessing. God with us. Emmanuel. Don't miss the reality of what God did because it is so commonplace to us now; the incarnation, God in the flesh; unfathomable (See John 1:1-14). God Almighty became one of us to do what we could never do. Sinless, perfect, Spirit-led Jesus became sin for us so we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

A growing awareness of God’s greatness and presence leads to Great Joy. We look desperately for things to save us from pain, loneliness, despair – we make them our functional saviors, our “Caesars” - when there is only one true Savior who brings true joy. Joy is not found in all the things we try and find it in, but in God Himself, specifically in a relationship with Jesus Christ, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Because of our sin our joy is often negated, replaced by sorrow and misery. But God is great, and He is present and He gives great joy. Give glory to God.

We celebrate the day of Christ’s birth. One day some 30 years later Christ died for sin. When Caesar Augustus died some comforted themselves with the thought that he really didn’t die because gods don’t die. Futile. Because Jesus died for us we are comforted with the truth that if we believe we will never die. Christ was born to die. When Christ was born God was saying This is War. He was declaring war on sin and death. The battle had been ongoing. This was God sending troops; actually His troop, to deliver the final blow. One man, on one mission, settled forever, soon to be accomplished. All for God’s glory, so that He who is truly magnificent, Jesus Christ, would be praised forever.

Soli Deo Gloria

The Arrival

Ransom of a thousand words
Spoken before faith gave sight
no crown or swords
to rescue those who had no right

He went in behind the lines
For haters and talkers, for liars and thieves
His arrival perfectly timed
For better and worse, for you and me

Counted along with the lowest rung
This One to Whom millions had sung
Praises and blessing and hallelujahs
Even before He ever was born

Sent, protected and assured
slandered, accused yet completely pure
Dead, buried and Risen, salvation secured
Incomparable love found the cure

This One, my Savior
This One, Forever
This One, no other
Jesus Christ

Glory to God.

Christmas Words Highjacked!

The world, the flesh and the devil have hijacked several deep and meaningful Christmas words and turned them into shadows of their true meaning. We're stealing them back!

Love, peace, hope, joy have been stolen from their Biblical context and turned into farces – humanistic emblems unworthy to be called by their true name.

Love. The world says it is merely an emotion, a feeling based on how others make you feel; therefore treat others how they treat you, so love to the world is a reciprocal thing – more like like, dependent on how you are treated. The biblical meaning of love soars, towers, skies over the worldly one: God says love is a choice based on His eternal, unending commitment, not something that depends of people’s feelings 1 John 4:7-8.

Peace. The world says it is the absence of opposition from others; everyone going along with whatever you want to say or do. Peace on earth to the world means tolerance for anything and everything. God says peace is the absence of strife based on what He has accomplished.

Hope. The world says it is wishful thinking based on chance; God says hope is future certainty based on God’s promised. We hope for what we do not yet see, because God has promised and He is faithful to all His promises. There is 100% certainty to our hope. No wishful thinking here.

Joy. The world says it is short-lived euphoria based on circumstances going our way; God’s says joy is abiding well-being due to God’s doing independent of circumstances. When the angel appeared to the shepherds (Luke 1:10) he said he brought them "good news of great joy which shall be for all the people". God gives joy. It is not found in all the things we try and find it in, but in God Himself, specifically in a relationship with Jesus Christ, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

To "rejoice" means to have a deep, abiding sense of well-being because God is with us. It operates independent of circumstances. Rejoice means to remember the joy, to remind yourself of the joy you have in Jesus. Joy flows from peace (Like in Is. 26:3-4; when our minds are fixed on Jesus we have peace, which enables joy to freely flow.). As Michael W. Smith sang “when I walk with God His joy will always come”.

The Story, The Glory, the Arrival

I have been thinking a lot about the story of the birth of Christ and the glory of God (His greatness, His magnificence) that it reveals.

When you come to the actual arrival of the baby born in Bethlehem, after all the build-up, it can seem so normal, so everyday, so obscure, so quiet. But it was so glorious! God had invaded time and space and showered His amazing grace on humankind, once again, but in such a universe-exploding way. So stealth, so perfect, such a wonderful plan. Only God could have pulled it off.

How do we respond to such understated glory? How do we grip it's true significance? By going once again to the actual story and seeing what we can see in it's plain and straightforward words.

In the Arrival story in Luke 2:1-20 we see the time fulfilled, the baby born, the announcement to shepherds and much celebrating. Shepherds and angels responding to the glorious news. In this story, the details of which are great and the facts contained within are so important, we see three noteworthy things in particular that cannot be missed:

1. Glory. Three times we see the word used. First, in God's announcement to the shepherds, Luke 2:9 says the glory of God shone around them. When God is near, glory is present. Jesus is the glory of God. Second, in Luke 2:14, the heavenly host said "Glory to God in the highest". They knew where the credit was due for what God had done and was doing. Third, when the shepherds left (Luke 1:20), they were "glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen".

2. Joy. When the angel appeared to the shepherds (Luke 1:10) he said he brought them "good news of great joy which shall be for all the people". God gives joy. It is not found in all the things we try and find it in, but in God Himself, specifically in a relationship with Jesus Christ, by grace alone,through faith alone, in Christ alone.

3. God with us. Emmanuel. Amazing. Earth-shattering. Don't ever miss this most important of points. Don't reach for something 'different' only to miss the reality of what God did because it is so commonplace to us now. Plain, simple and unfathomable, incomprehensible. God Almighty became one of us to do what we could never do. Sinless, perfect, Spirit-led Jesus Christ became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Oh my, what glory.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Glory to God.

Getting a Grip on Glory

[Some concepts are hard to explain and tough to comprehend. At least they are for me. In the interest of grasping the idea more clearly, this is a condensed version of a previous post]

When I was a kid we’d go to my grandma’s and grandpa’s home in Joshua Tree for Grubstake Days, where there would always be a greased pig contest, they’d grease up a pig and people would try to capture it. In the world of words Glory is like a greased pig; hard to get a handle on.

We use the word glory a lot in Christian circles. It’s sounds spiritual but what does it mean? If you can’t grasp it it means nothing to you; which would be tragic because it is an important Biblical word filled with meaning. In the OT glory comes from the Hebrew word kabod meaning weighty or heavy; related to a word meaning beautify; signifies how worthy God is of our praise. In the NT the Greek word for glory is doxa. When applied to people it focuses on the value people put on others based on accomplishments. The Greeks highest goal was to be honored and praised by others. In the Bible, glory based on human opinion was radically transformed into glory as the majesty associated with God’s revelation of Himself to mankind.

God's glory is not rooted in our evaluation of Him but in His very nature. By the Glory of Christ we mean His reputation, high position, excellence, greatness and the resulting praise, honor, glory that is due Him. Heb. 1:3 "He is the radiance of His glory, the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power".

The Glory of Christ: The Acceptance

On Sunday mornings at Grace we’ve been focusing on the birth of Jesus in Luke’s gospel: the Announcement, the Acceptance, the Arrival and the Aftermath. We want to see & celebrate His greatness & goodness in sending a Savior daily (not just once a year at Christmas) as we focus on the glory of Christ in the story of Christ.

In Luke 1:39-56 we see the Acceptance by Mary (& Elizabeth) of the purposes and plans of God. The news they received didn’t fit with what they were planning for at that point (Elizabeth had resigned herself to having no children, Mary was planning to marry Joseph). In the Announcement story we saw the glory of Christ theologically in the VB; so important the Christian faith hinges on it. It links Jesus to God organically, points to His position as God; and His sinless Perfection. It inspires our trust, as recipients of God’s grace, to know God is in control. Luke 1:37 says Nothing will be impossible with God. God had invaded time and space and Mary was the chosen recipient of wonderful grace. And as there is in any endeavor where Almighty God enters into human affairs, some will worship and some will scorn and at the hands of the unknowing there will be a human price to pay. For her there would surely be questions, whispering, disbelief, scorn, contempt. Such would be the case for Mary, and she bore it beautifully.

Mary visits Elizabeth; goes from Nazareth to the hill country of Judah (100 miles south, a 3-5 day journey). When she arrives it was John who first communicated by leaping in Elizabeth’s womb. Pre-birth John testifies to the baby Jesus! His ministry begins 3 months before his birth (it was lived out some 30 years later, see John 3:29). Elizabeth responds with a prophetic double blessing: “blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb”. She recognized Jesus as the Messiah. Mary sings a song of praise; really a declaration of faith on her part. It includes praise for God’s work for Mary, praise for God’s acts to all, and for His acts for Israel. And God directed the whole process; orchestrated things, cared for His own. Gifted Mary with Elizabeth for 3 months.

The Glory is seen in God’s Action. Acting unilaterally, He promises Jesus, chooses Mary, fulfills His Word and fills people with the Holy Spirit. Our Response is important. Mary believed God, cooperated with Him, worshipped Him, and walked in the Spirit. Filled with God’s Spirit she lived accordingly. The question for us is: How do we cooperate with God, how do we accept His will and plans when it doesn’t fit where we were thinking things should go?

1. We must acknowledge God’s direction and involvement. Acknowledge His sovereignty, Lordship, greatness, because yours or His will be functionally acknowledged. Be dependent on Him and confident in His abilities not your own.

2. Ask God to change our perspective. Ask God to give you wisdom to know where you are off track. Ask Him to show you the truth. Perspective matters.

3. Choose to think and act differently. Choose to praise v. complain, cooperate v. rebel. You are not a victim; it is not by chance it happened, it was allowed by God for some higher reason. Mary didn’t choose to be the mother of Jesus; she chose to cooperate with God. God prepares the hearts of those He’s chosen so they’d be able to respond appropriately to His leadership. He is sovereign and we are responsible for our actions.

4. Live in humble obedience. This is the follow-through step. Continue to take action based on your belief, trust & acknowledgement of Christ’s love and Lordship. 2 Cor. 6:1 says “working together with Him, we urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain”. Read Phil. 2:12-13; Prov. 16:9. The high road of humble obedience is better than low road of arrogant rebellion.

The Result? Blessing and peace. Elizabeth said 1:42 Blessed (Eulogeo) speak well of among women are you, and blessed (Eulogeo) is the fruit of your womb; and blessed (makairos) is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord. Makairas means indwelt by God and therefore fully satisfied. Mary said all generations will count me blessed (Makarizo). Makairas is often translated happy, which sells it short. We say we are happy when we get what we want. Read the Beatitudes; they weren’t ‘happy’, they were mourning over sin, persecuted, hungering, thirsting for righteousness. They were indwelt by God therefore fully satisfied in Him in the midst of hardship. When we seek God’s blessing we are asking Him to invade our plans & show us His own. Mary was a ‘living beatitude’; she was filled with God and therefore fully satisfied and at peace.

Peace is harmony with God that results in contentment. Rom. 5:1 “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. Ps. 119:165 “Great peace have those who love Your law and nothing causes them to stumble”. Is. 26:3-4 “the steadfast of mind You will keep imperfect peace, trust in the Lord forever for in God the Lord we have an everlasting Rock”.

The Acceptance

[Bringing news is one thing
Accepting it is quite another
And what others do not have to bear
They cannot comprehend]
---
Glory untold
Was beginning to unfold
And dishonor unknown
Became her own

And she accepted it
She embraced it
She resembled it
In godliness and wonder

Still no one could imagine
What dread filled her soul
As misunderstanding took its toll
Save God alone

She was not alone
She had family and friends
And a kindred spirit
With which to share

But still the thought of such sacrifice
To be made
And now unfolding
Surely overwhelmed her

And yet what Grace
What undeserved favor
What composure
Held her to her Lord

Accepting the Will of God

In Luke 1:38, Mary expresses wonder and desire for the will of God. He had invaded time and space and she was the chosen recipient of wonderful grace. And as there is in any endeavor where Almighty God enters into human affairs, some will worship and some will scorn and at the hands of the unknowing there will be a human price to pay. Such would be the case for Mary, and she bore it beautifully. For her there would surely be questions, whispering, disbelief, scorn, contempt.

Mary's response to God? She worships Him. In Luke 1:46-47 she says "My soul exalts (magnifies) the Lord…my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." She accepts and cooperates with His plan and finds true peace and contentment.

Amy Carmichael wrote a poem entitled “In Acceptance Lieth Peace”. It begins like this: He said, "I will forget the dying faces; The empty places; They shall be filled again; O voices mourning deep within me, cease." Vain, vain the word; vain, vain: Not in forgetting lieth peace. It goes on to say that we cannot find peace in ignoring, forgetting, busyness, withdrawal…and closes with these words…He said, "I will accept the breaking sorrow Which God to-morrow Will to His son explain." Then did the turmoil deep within him cease. Not vain the word, not vain; For in acceptance lieth peace.

It kind of mirrors Mary’s response doesn’t it. I am Your servant Lord, Your will be done…be it done as you have said. Our response must be similar if we are going to make progress in Christ likeness. We aren’t initiators with God, but we are responders. We need to respond like the character in Carmichael’s poem as well as Mary in Luke chapter 1; accepting humbly what God lovingly brings, no matter what the personal cost, no matter the discomfort, no matter the short-term outcome because we know it is working for the glory to be revealed that is far superior to anything we know here on earth. To the praise of the glory of His grace.

What does "Glory" mean when referring to God?

When I was a kid we’d go to my grandma’s and grandpa’s home in Joshua Tree for Grubstake Days – and they would always have a greased pig contest, where they’d grease up a pig and then people would try to capture it. It was messy and tough. Glory is one of those words that is like a greased pig; hard to get a handle on.

We throw the word "glory" around a lot in Christian circles – Glory to God, we want to glorify God, the glory of Christ – sounds great – but what does it mean? What is it? Glory is not a word we use in everyday speech, but in the Bible it is an important word with lots of meaning. Glory in the Biblical sense gives perspective to our values. It calls us to deeply worship God. When we talk about the Glory of Christ we mean His reputation, His high position His excellence, His greatness. 2 Cor. 4:3-4 says "and even if our gospel is veiled it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God".

Glory is who and what Jesus is as the image of God, God Himself. God dwells in glory. That’s what we see in phrases like in Hebrews 1:3 "He is the radiance of His glory, the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power". In the Old Testament glory comes from the Hebrew word kabod meaning weighty or heavy; points to how impressive and worthy God is of our praise. It is also related to a word meaning to beautify. The glory of humans is subjective; the glory of God is objective. Human glory is rooted in the evaluation of others; God's glory is not rooted in evaluation by others but in His very nature. So when we speak of the Glory of Christ we mean who He is in and of Himself as God. When God’s glory is recognized by humans, all the things we take pride in humanly fade to nothingness.

In the New Testament the Greek word for glory is doxa, which when applied to people is focused on the opinions of others; expresses the value people put on others based on their accomplishments. The Greeks highest goal was to be honored and praised by others. This meaning is completely transformed in the Bible. When the translators of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek chose doxa to translate the Hebrew word kabod; glory as mere human opinion was radically transformed into glory as the majesty associated with God’s revelation of Himself to mankind. What we consider great and famous pales in comparison to the glory of God.

What we mean by the Glory of Christ is: who He is, what He does, His magnificence, His greatness, His majesty, His fame, independent of all. His is self-contained glory, dependent on no one. The world is impressed by appearances – wealth and position are equated with glory and fame; and people desperately seek the admiration and approval of others trying to get it. Christians have a much different view; a different set of values. True glory is found only in the splendor and magnificence of God. We recognize it as we recognize His greatness as shown in His actions.

Our response? We offer Him praise. We give Him glory. We recognize and acknowledge who He is in and of Himself and we give Him the appropriate response: Worship.

God's Sovereignty and Man's Reponsibility

For those who say that man has the final say in everything, for those who champion human autonomy apart from God’s sovereignty – and even for Christians who seem to major on human responsibility over against God’s sovereignty; I want to take a good look at things Biblically. It seems to me, and this is my opinion, that the Bible teaches that God's sovereignty, Him being in control; expects or requires man's responsibility. That God’s sovereignty without man’s responsibility is monopoly and man’s responsibility without God’s sovereignty is anarchy.

What are we responsible for and what is God responsible for? 1st there is God – He is responsible for salvation, sanctification and glorification – all the God-stuff. Then there is man - we are responsible for responding appropriately to God in His strength – all the mankind-stuff. God’s sovereignty anticipates or expects man’s responsibility for his own actions. God is in control. Man has responsibility to respond appropriately to God. We are held responsible for our own sin – can’t blame God or any human for it. We must own it. If we are saved it is because salvation is a sovereign act of God, not a choice of man. Man chooses to respond to God who has worked previously in his heart to give him the ability to respond by faith. Faith and grace are gifts of God Eph. 2:8-9.

Think about the Biblical Christmas story. Did Mary choose to be the mother of Jesus? Did she choose to be chosen? Or did she choose to cooperate? Choose to praise? Choose to go in God’s way and therefore be blessed and experience His peace? I firmly believe it is the most Biblical position to say the latter, not the former. The former puts her in the driver’s seat, where she could drive the plan, and even foil the plan. God is always previous. His grace is prevenient, going before to prepare the hearts of those He has chosen so that they would be able to respond appropriately to His leadership. We are not puppets, nor are we independent contractors. The answer, as is almost always the case, lies somewhere in between, in a quandary of how to humanly explain the unexplainable. God is so high above us, higher than anyone, and His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts (Is. 55) – of course we cannot adequately explain it. But God is good and He is over all and He will one day explain all things to us.

The Announcement Revisited

Luke 1:26-38 should come with a warning:

Warning: this is familiar territory, don’t miss the scenery and especially don’t miss the main attraction. The details point to the Glory of Christ.

The Announcement Story basically goes like this: God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a small agricultural town, obscure and unimportant in that day, but in God’s plan destined for significance; to give special news to Mary, a virgin engaged to Joseph. What Gabriel tells Mary marks the end of all she knew as normal from that moment on. He tells her she will soon be the mother of the Savior of the world; amazing, frightening, incomprehensible news; glorious, but definitely unsettling. God promises Jesus. You will conceive…bear a son…you shall name Him Jesus.

In the story we see the Glory of Christ; His majesty, favored position, His reputation and the resulting praise, honor, glory that is due Him. When Jesus was only 40 days old a man in Jerusalem named Simeon called Him “the glory of Israel”. When he saw Jesus he praised God 2:29-32 & gave a word of prophetic blessing to Mary 2:34-35. [Is. 60:1-3] In Jesus, Simeon saw the fulfillment of the hopes and dreams of the Jewish people across the centuries. After all those years, God's promises were coming true.

There are implications in this for our beliefs as well as our behavior.

We see the glory of Christ theologically; Jesus was born of a virgin. Linked Him to God; He is God. Why is the Virgin Birth so important? Only because the Christian faith hinges on it! There are specific truths fundamental to Christianity: The virgin birth; the perfect life and deity of Christ; the substitutionary death; the bodily resurrection; the physical return. All things we’d die for. So far reaching, remove one and we fall; essential because it is what our holy, loving, perfect God says in His inerrant, infallible Word.

It highlights Christ’s glory seen in His position and perfection. The One who always existed has come in the flesh. He will in sovereignty rule and reign over the house of Jacob. He will have the throne of David, His kingdom will not end. He is the highest, the Greatest, the Best. He is above all, over all, greater than all. He is God. The virgin birth highlights His sinless nature, what is called the doctrine of Christ’s impeccability (unable to sin), His sinless perfection as a virgin born Son of God, God in the flesh. 100% human, 100% God, He didn’t inherit s sinful nature & disposition from Adam because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Totally depraved humans need a sinless Savior.

We see the glory of Christ in our relationship with God; as we trust Him, receive His grace and rest in His sovereignty. Mary trusted God in real time, without knowing the whole story. All Mary and Joseph had to go on was God’s promises. People waited with untold anticipation for the first arrival of the promised Messiah - relying solely on the Word of God. We too need to rely fully on God's Word as we wait for Christ's second coming.

Gabriel called Mary “favored one”; said she had “found favor” with God. The Greek word favor is charis, grace. Mary had found grace with God. Some misunderstand God’s Word and venerate Mary; lift her to a higher place in their hearts than Jesus Himself. She was the recipient not the giver of grace. God showered His unmerited favor on her. It was God's choice of grace, not Mary's piety that was the factor in her being chosen. God picked a virtuous woman, but her virtue did not earn her that favor. It was all of grace, just as it is when we come to faith - by grace alone, through faith in Jesus Christ alone - not by any merit on our part. Chosen by God, selected undeserving, overwhelmed by God's grace.

God is sovereign, not man. God is in control. Gabriel said, in light of Jesus' impending miraculous birth (and with John the Baptist's coming birth to her who was called barren), “Nothing will be impossible with God”. Sweet comfort to all who realize they cannot live without Him who was promised that day in Nazareth, born one day in Bethlehem, died one day in Jerusalem, rose one day from the grave; and has promised one day to return. Nothing is impossible with God.

Christ’s glory is revealed in the lengths God went to save lost sinners without hope in the world. The Highest became the lowest. The Sinless One became sin for us. The Holy One took all our unholy acts and nailed them to a cross where He disarmed rulers and authorities; cancelling decrees of debt against us having triumphed over them by the cross (Col. 2:13-15). He did all that when we were dead in sin, unable to do anything to help ourselves. By faith He made believers alive with Him. We then are able to daily celebrate the love of God in promising and sending a Savior while we await His return.

Taking Another Look

I encourage you to take another look at the Biblical Christmas story this year. Focus on the story of Christ: its basics, its intricacies, its wonder, and focus on the glory of Christ in the story of Christ. See and celebrate His greatness and goodness.

Why take the time to do this? Christmas in our culture gets overly familiar, like a ride at an amusement park you’ve ridden since you were younger. You stand in line waiting, you get on, you ride to the end and you’re done until next time you go through the process all over again. We are surrounded right now with lots of Christmassy things; happens like clockwork; the day after Thanksgiving: stores selling, songs playing, decorations hanging; we are busy with list making, party going, food eating. These are all things that are not bad in and of themselves; but can tend to cloud the real significance of Christmas that by the way nowhere is commanded to be observed only once a year but meant to shape the entire life of those who believe. Its like in Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" where the white witch made it always winter and never Christmas; it’s meant to be Christmas always and never business as usual.

Why look closely at the Biblical account of Christ's birth? So we’d be impacted, changed, strengthened in our thinking and our living. That we would see, know and comprehend that there are significant implications in to our belief as well as our behavior. It is meant for our up-building, our transformation; our growth in salvation and sanctification. Being transformed by the Holy Spirit of God through the Word of God; and therefore daily celebrating God’s love in sending a Savior.

It is why Luke wrote; Luke 1:1-4. He maintains that Jesus’ life and ministry fulfills or completes what OT prophets foretold. Eyewitnesses had passed the truth on from the start. Luke investigated everything carefully; took time to study the facts; wrote so Theophilus (prob a non-Jew who had come to faith in Christ but didn’t feel connected to the family of God) would know the certainty of what he’d been taught; so the familiar isn’t neglected. God wants you to know and live the truth daily that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises and therefore can be trusted, even in the midst of persecution from those outside the faith or lack of connection with those in it.

So take another look at a familiar story. Read what God says in His Word and be changed.

The Announcement

Announcing news
No one had heard
No one had dreamt
No one had found

Revealing the Answer
The mystery hidden
Planned before time began
To benefit the sons of man

People thought they had unlocked the code
Thought they had opened the safe
Wondered what the plan might be
Watched for perfect time

Until at last the lock was sprung
The case opened, the door ajar
Mystery unleashed
Far as the curse be found

Forevermore to help the lonely
The awkward, the diseased soul
The wandering spirit
Far will the promised One go

No more to be silent
Unleashed in obscurity
Riding in victory
For what will be never impossible

To the Praise of the Glory of His Grace

Ephesians 1:3-6 says that God has "blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ", that He "chose is in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him", that He "predestined us to adoption as sons according to the kind intention of His will", and that this was all to happen "to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved."

What amazing, glorious news! What life-transforming truth! That I was known by God, chosen by Him, to be blessed so greatly and to turn and praise His glorious grace as a result. It matches John Piper's assertion that God's love for sinners does not lead Him to make much of them, but that it leads Him to free them and empower them to make much of Him. Everything exists and finds its ultimate purpose in praising the glory of God's grace.

The birth narratives of Jesus Christ's first advent to earth show these truths. What God had planned long ages before the world began; promised (since Genesis 3:15) and repeated so many times by His prophets through the years, was also perfectly timed for man's good and God's glory. Galatians 4:4-5 tells s that when the "fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."

So when we read the accounts of Christ's birth while knowing the rest of the story up to His impending second advent to earth, we must remember that they who first heard and experienced it did so in real time, without knowing the rest of the picture. And the answers God gave within the story are the same answers we need to walk through life embracing, really clinging to. "Do not fear, God is with you". "You have found grace with God". "Nothing will be impossible with God".

God sympathizes with us in our weakness - when we are misunderstood as Mary surely was, when we are lonely, wounded, hurting; because we know that things aren't always what they seem. The news announced to Mary was cosmically glorious and humanly shocking at the same time, open to much misunderstanding on many levels - Mary and Joseph's honesty, integrity and purity were questioned - though they were intact and blameless - only they and God knew.

We rejoice in the good news that God in Christ brings hope to hurting sinners. We bask in God's grace. Even in the midst of heart-wrenching illness, relational challenges, vocational struggles and economic woes. We rest content knowing that everything is in the hands of Him who purposed such miraculous wonderful things; and that even in the midst of misunderstanding, and doubt, God's glory still shines through in redemptive connections seen all throughout life. We see how He has worked "all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). How good is God!

We desire not to be made much of, not to be the center of attention; but to make much of God, to make Him the center of all our attention and adoration.

The Glory of Christ: The Announcement

The story is familiar. God sends the angel Gabriel to Nazareth to a virgin named Mary. He tells her that she will soon be the mother of the Savior of the world. Amazing, frightening, incomprehensible news. Glorious, but unsettling.

The story (Luke 1:26-38) is so familiar it's theological and relational clarity is often overlooked or missed. God unveils some significant truths in Gabriel's announcement to Mary: regarding the perfection and position of Jesus Christ. It highlights His impeccability, His sinless perfection as a virgin born Son of God, God in the flesh. It also points to His sovereign rule and reign.

There are deep implications for our beliefs as well as our behavior. Mary trusted God in real time, without knowing the whole story like we do on this side of the timeline. People waited with untold anticipation for the first arrival of the promised Messiah - relying solely on the Word of God. It reminds us that we too need to rely fully on God's Word as we wait for Christ's second coming.

Another implication has to do with the grace God showered on Mary. Gabriel's first word to Mary was "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." (Luke 1:28) What loving comfort in such a terrifying situation! He went on to say "Do not be afraid Mary; for you have found favor with God" (Luke 1:30). He called her by name, signifying that she was known and special to God, and he reassured her. The Greek word "favor" is charis, grace. Mary had found grace with God. It was God's choice of grace, not Mary's piety, that was the determining factor in her being chosen. Yes, God picked a virtuous woman, but no, her virtue did not earn her that favor. It was all of grace, just as it is when we come to faith in Christ - by grace alone, through faith in Christ alone - not by any merit on our part. We are chosen by God, selected, unmerited, overwhelmed by God's love, grace and mercy.

Finally, the power and glory of Christ is seen in the fact that Gabriel also said, in light of Jesus' impending miraculous birth (and with John the Baptist's coming birth by her who was called barren), "Nothing will be impossible with God". It is God who is sovereign, not man. God holds the keys to life and death. Our times are in His hands.

My Preaching Prayers

I often find myself praying these words (or something similar) before I go up to preach on Sundays (they are also written in the front of my Bible):

"Lord, Your will be done; Your strength and power be evident; Your Name be praised; Your people be blessed; Your Word go forth; all for Your glory. Amen."

"Lord, I pray that the words You give me for others will be words that create in them a hunger for You and Your Word. That they would be consumed with thoughts of You! For Your glory, for Your kingdom, for Jesus' sake, in Jesus' Name, Amen."

"Do a miracle Lord."

"Lord, what do You want to say to Your people today?"

"Lord, thank You for giving me work that I love and is a passion for me. May only helpful words flow from my mouth and only helpful actions from my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

"Lord, help me go beyond the obvious."

"Lord, I am nothing and can do nothing without You!!!"

"Lord, use me for Your glory!"

"Lord, use me however You want. Let me be transparent, nothing hindering Your work. Available. Ready. Trusting. Your will be done. All praise and honor to You!"

Come to think of it, these are good things to pray every day!

On Preaching

Contrary to popular opinion, preaching is good. As long as you are preaching the inerrant, infallable, perfect Word of the Living God that is.

I am a preacher. I am called by God to preach the Word of God; to preach the gospel of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. The idea of "preaching" means many things to many people. What does it mean to me? Let me tell you. It means a lot. But before I tell you, let me share with you some of the things I remember often (these are all written in the front of my Bible) regarding preaching:

*"Do you have something significant to say? Can you say it in such a way that I want to listen?" (Gary Stubblefield, my former pastor at Voyagers Bible Church said that)

*"Be yourself and preach the Word" (What Gary Neilan, one of my mentors and former College pastor, told me when I began to pastor Grace Church)

*"Only bring to the people what God gives you. Anything else will rot. Trust Him one sermon at a time" (Gene Binder, former colleague at Voyagers Bible Church said that)

*"Think yourself empty, read yourself full, write yourself clear, pray yourself clean, let yourself go" (Allistair Begg said that)

*"To love to preach is one thing; to love those to whom you preach is another thing. Love them all. Compassion. Those who hurt you most need you most." (Alex Montoya said that)

*"Preaching must be Bold/Authoritative (Acts 2:14-15); Text-driven (Acts 2:16ff); Christ-centered (Acts 2:22ff); Heart-piercing (Acts 2:37ff). Read it (God's Word); explain it (what it meant to them and means to us); support it (cross-reference); synthesize it ("therefore"); apply it (to sinner and saint - "you") (Steve Lawson said all that)

*Exegetical understanding (what does it mean?); Experiential understanding (How does it affect and change my life?); Expositional understanding (How to explain and apply it?) (I think Alex Montoya also said that)

*"3 ingredients to a good message: 1) Meat (logos, God's Word); 2) Milk (simple gospel message); 3) Manna (Rema, specific word for the specific audience. Fresh.)" (Bob Botsford said that)

Now back to my original question: what does preaching mean to me?

It means that I must be open and honest before God and do the hard work of digging and studying and digesting the Word of God, so that I have something to say that is not from me but from God. I must hear from God and be faithful to what His Word actually says, not just what I think it says or want it to say. My task is, as a fallen, sinful human being, to bring a word from God Almighty to the congregation each Sunday. It is a humbling, terrifying, amazing thing to get to do. It is something I love, embrace and desire to do to the best of my God-given ability. I trust God to do in and through me what only He can do.

As I think about preaching, I am well aware that it is often misunderstood, taken for something that is not Biblical. It is good to know what it isn't. Preaching isn't counseling. I am not a therapist, helping people to process their issues and cope with life and 'get through the week'; but God may use me to bring a word of hope and healing to hurting, hungry people.

Preaching isn't about gathering a following. I am not a guru, getting people to focus on me and my way of seeing things; but God may grant someone His wisdom and clarity after being directed to Jesus by me.

Preaching is not for those with a "messiah" complex, thinking they can solve everyone's issues. I am not God; I am not all-knowing, ever-present, sovereign - obviously; but I can be used as an instrument of God to communicate His message to others.

Preaching is not merely motivating others. I am not a motivational speaker who pumps people up to go do something. But God can use me to inspire someone to think great thoughts of Him (God wants us to be Christian thinkers) and yield to Him in such a way that He uses them for His good purposes, so they accompish great things by God's strength, for God's glory.

Preaching involves handling accurately the Word of Truth; giving God's message to spiritually hungry people. What am I? I am a proclaimer and explainer of truth. I am "a voice" of one crying in the wilderness "make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight". I am simply a servant of the One True God, Who alone is Awesome and awe-inspiring, that desires to fulfil His calling on my life and glorify Him.

I am a God-called and chosen communicator of Biblical truth, whose feeble efforts God can maximize and use to reach others with His life-transforming truth. So that people might know the truth and live accordingly in God's strength.

May Jesus Christ be praised.

Living Full of God

When I was a kid I was pretty small, but boy could I eat a lot. Thanksgiving was one meal where I would have to unbutton the top button of my pants to make room for more.

This gets me to thinking about being full. Many were full yesterday after huge meals consisting of way more than is necessary of many good things. Many did without and it is so easy to forget them, the hungry, the cold, the abandoned. Some are empty, some are full. We fill ourselves with lots of things - our minds with thoughts, our bellys with food, our homes with stuff; but what about being full of God?

Ephesians 5:18 says "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit."

To live full of God is a special gift from God. Filled with the Spirit of God who wants to lead us and guide us in God's Ways rather than us being filled with substances that often control us. Oh to be full of God and basking in the Spirit-empowered life that can withstand any storm. That leads us to give thanks to God and engage in Spirit-led activities with others that lead others to put their trust in God as well.

2 Ways

So you think you know which way to go
the way you've always wanted to

So you steal away before its light
to walk the road that looks so good

The comfort you seek is just not there
all you're finding is empty fare

So you walk and walk and walk some more
not knowing what's around the bend

You think it leads to a better shore
You really don't know what's in store

It hits you somehow that you are wrong
Something happens and you recall

The truth floods in and softens your heart
The Word you tried hard to ignore

You've followed false gods through the wide gate
You realize it's almost too late

So you turn around and bend the knee
to Him who knows you, humbly

Jesus is the Gate, the only Way
the only choice at end of Day

Give Thanks to the Lord for He is Good

Psalm 136:1 begins, "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His loving kindness is everlasting." That last part about His loving kindness being everlasting is repeated 26 times in this psalm, an amazing reminder of just how good and faithful God is. He can be trusted and followed fully.

It is good to take time to thank God; to remember, to reflect, to regain equilibrium in a world that is so un-God-focused that it consistently knocks us off balance.

So today I say "Thank you Jesus" for how good You are! Thank you Jesus for saving my soul! Thank you Jesus for substituting yourself for me! Thank you Jesus."

It is good to give thanks to God. He "inhabits the praises of His people". He is pleased with pure praise, pleased with our offering of thanks.

In the long walk of faith, as we trust God to bring fruit from our lives, trusting in Jesus as our solid foundation in a shaky world, we live with the reality that everything we see here is not all there is. There are future realities in play - heaven awaits. "Thank you Jesus"

Life at the Crossroads

It has been said that "All life concentrates on man at the crossroads". What does that mean? Life is full of choices. Daily, hourly, moment by moment. In every situation we have a choice to make.

Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount with amazing tenderness,embracing with His blessings those who felt least embraceable. In matthew 7:13-14 He balances it with tough realities. God's Word not only comforts but challenges and corrects as well. Jesus puts clear choices before us: two gates (Jesus or self), two roads (suffering in Christ, or self-focused life), two crowds (the many wayward or focused few), and two destinations (heaven or hell, life or death).

Our choices are based on certain assumptions about God, others and ourselves as well as commitments God has made to keep His promises. Ultimately, we cannot really make any choice without God, who gives and sustains life. We are to choose, remembering that God is sovereign over all and He is in control, that His choices drive ours. That "it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs but on God who has mercy" (Rom. 9:14-19). And at the same time God wants us to choose daily, hour by hour, moment by moment. I rest content unknowing what only the all-knowing One knows fully. Hard to figure out but He is big enough to handle that quandary. We choose and God is sovereign. Our choices never trump His. His choice comes first.

Going in God's way necessitates a desire to go the way God directs. Like Abram being called by God to leave his homeland and go to the land God would show him (Genesis 12:1-4). Abram got up and went at God's call. He was called by God and he decided to follow. His desire drove His direction. God in grace called him and enabled him and he followed by faith. The choices we make reveal our desire and determine our direction. We are to "ask for the ancient paths" (Jer. 6:16); to "ask and it shall be given" (Matt. 7:7). The "path of the upright leads to life" (Prov. 15:19); the "path of life" (Ps. 16:11); is lighted by God's Word, "a light to our path" (Ps. 119:105). God desires movement on our part, in His direction.

Sticking to the narrow way means standing firm in the midst of suffering. The road marked by suffering is one that Job experienced, and in all of it he did not sin with his lips or deny God, he was tried and tested and came forth as gold refined by fire. God's ways are best; they are from of old - they are proven, they are tested, they have proved to be good. Everyone who has ever followed has done so in His strength, by His enabling, for His glory.

All who come to faith in Christ have "passed out of death into life" (John 5:24; 1 John 3:14); to be nourished by the "Bread of Life" (John 6:35); "called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9-10); called to "walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4); in "Christ who is our life" (Col. 3:4); to persevere and one day receive the "crown of life" (James 1:12). Jesus tasted death for us that we might have life (Heb. 2:9). Therefore the second death has no power over us (Rev. 20:6). We who have fled for refuge to Jesus, who on the cross paid our penalty, substituting Himself in or place, are now and will forever be, living in the reality of life in Christ because of Christ. Our names were written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb slain (Rev. 13:8-10).

Jesus' Gate and Road are two saving realities that we must focus our attention on. The Gate is His gracious substitutionary death and resurrection, in which we believe and are saved. His Road is the way of His gracious commands to follow Him in rugged daily discipleship. It's a once-for-all decision and a long walk at the same time. Because of Christ's power we can remain steadfast in the midst of difficult life, making moment by moment decisions; staying and kept on the road that leads to life by Him who is the Life.

The Surprising Narrowness of Jesus

The Sermon on the Mount is wide on mercy, so Jesus talking of narrow roads can seem surprising.

Jesus is the only Gate that leads to life. We must go through the salvation gate; God giving us the ability to decide to follow, based ultimately upon His choice of us before the foundation of the world, but explained by us as a moment in time or process choice that we make. We do not choose Him, Jesus chooses us. We cooperate by faith.

The salvation gate gets us on the sanctification road of discipleship. Not an easy way but a rough way, a way marked by suffering and persecution. It is the way Jesus calls us to and the way that leads to life. It is counter-intuitive to us, we think the easy way would lead to life.

The pattern of salvation then sanctification is seen in the New Testament. Matthew 16:13-28 follows the pattern: Peter confesses Christ and then is called to self-denying discipleship. In Matthew, Jesus' call to the fishermen (4:7) comes before His long call to discipleship in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7).

Jesus is the Author and Perfector of faith (Hebrews 12:3) and so He calls us to faith and then develops that same faith. He takes us from start to finish. And all the while, we make choices along the way, enveloped in His sovereign hand.

The Choices Jesus Lays Before Us

Life is filled with many decisions. In Matthew 7:13-14 we come face to face with choices Jesus lays before us. We must choose between a life lived for God or a life lived for self.

To those who have chosen the wide gate, the broad way, the many who have chosen the way that leads to destruction I would just ask: how's that going for you? You may answer that all is well, you do not have a problem in the world. The sky may look clear right now, but according to Jesus the end will not reward you with life, but death, for that choice.

Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount with untold tenderness, embracing in His blessings those who felt least embraceable. To them He says with Isaiah (49:16) "I have engraved you on the palms of My hands." They are special and unique in God's eyes, beloved. Now He concludes the sermon with tough realities. The Sermon the Mount is not an intellectual option, a set of suggestions we can take or leave, one philosophy among many. No, Jesus makes it clear there is an exclusive way to live.

Life outside of loyalty to Christ is full of plenty of room (the broad way) for any moral permission - giving way to tempting things that seem to make life more free but really enslaves. The wide way says "do whatever pleases you", the rough way of discipleship says "do whatever pleases God". People, sadly even Christians, love to say "God is all about unconditional love - which means God wants us to be happy and we can do whatever we want whenever we want." That leads to people thinking "everything is the same" and "everything is relative" and "do whatever you want because all roads lead to God". Jesus says differently - He says there is a way that leads to life and a way that leads to death.

The Jesus way leads to life. Are you on that road right now?

Life is Full of Choices We Cannot Make Without God

Our choices are based on certain assumptions. Assumptions about God, ourselves, others, how things work, what is necessary and required in life to function appropriately.

We need to make sure that these assumptions line up with God's Word rightly handled. Not following a system of thought based upon man's ideas about the Bible, but on what God's Word clearly and plainly says.

That takes hard work and diligent study. It takes deep thought and pure motives. It takes a Spirit-in-dwelt person wielding the Sword of the Spirit in God's strength. It takes humility, recognizing that we are not over the Bible but under its authority.

Making choices based on God's counsel takes a recognition that we really cannot make any choice without God who gives us life and breath. Of course we make plenty of choices without acknowledging God; and the unregenerate live without thought for God; but humankind cannot do anything without Him in Whom we live and move and have our being. He holds everything together by His Word. He is sovereign over all.

In the Christian context, those on the Jesus Way, who are born again by the Spirit of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, are unable to believe, or do anything in life, without God's work - His prevenient working in grace to animate their souls and give them the ability to choose what is good, right, true and God-honoring.

This is both comforting and challenging news. Comforting in that we are often faithless but God remains faithful to who He is and all His promises. Challenging because we are called by Him who is the Way (John 14:6) to choose the narrow way,the way of suffering, the way that leads to life on a daily basis. May you choose wisely, in God's strength.

Choices Everywhere amidst Sovereignty

Life is one long continuous choice. You cannot live without choosing. Jesus spoke of the choices we make so often - in the form of questions, commands, corrections and comfort. Do you want to get well? Do you wish to follow? Is anyone thirsty? Have I been so long with you...? No one can serve two masters. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord...and I will say I never knew you. Enter by the narrow gate. Do not work for food that perishes. Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden.

The words are familiar and so are the choices they imply and invite. Choices we make reveal our desires and determine our direction. To the few Jesus offers the small gate, the road marked with suffering, the heavenly destination. We choose which way we will go, and all the while a silent, sovereign hand is guiding our path, leading us, guiding us, animating us, inspiring us. We choose, but God first moves.

Blessed assurance, God is in control. And we make choices all day long. God uses totally depraved sinners turned saints; who are unconditioanlly elected to receive unmerited favor; who believe that Christ lovingly atoned for their sins; who are captured by irresistable grace; and empowered to persevere. Can we adequately explain it? We live with daily with the challenge. I for one rest content unknowing what only the all-knowing One knows fully.

One Way to Life

2 Gates
Entry given to the longing
no access to masses thronging
sent to get a another pass
kept from being just a number

anticipating future
of life spent in control
knowing many fail to measure
still there is no easy way

The lock is open, latch undone
friend of saint
and brother sinner
finishing the setting sun

2 Roads
The high way, very long
Many take the short-cut found
upon the way when no one's looking
they miss the sentry on the tower

Power stays where cost is none
weakness follows seeking men
no one knows the full disclosure
only God can get that done

Never ending isn't accurate
marathon is better pace
hit the wall and finish course
right away we see the race

2 Crowds
Many are the streets of danger
many are the costs of gold
living in the chosen city
are the people to behold

From the center we adore Him
from a distance mockers mock
there is not a moment longer
where they cannot see the clock

Crowds can be so very fickle
turning on the tide come in
so we wait for better weather
so we wait for welcomed Friend

2 Destinations
The hill is steep
fraught with danger
of sideswipes and frightening figures
swoop down upon the chosen ones

They do not care to settle in
upon the sound of muffled voices
hushed to silence with one word
the name of Jesus stills all vices

Precious few find golden home
many seek a stronghold shelter
remnant chooses still small voice
a dwelling that is far far better

Whiners Beware, Jesus Sees You

Isaiah 26:3-4 "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace; because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord we have an everlasting Rock."

Sure, there are plenty of people for whom worry and anxiety over necessities in life are a daily struggle. But there are also those who take for granted God's provision because it just is always there and they do not worry about it. Trust is an issue for them as well. They take unbelief a step further - they don't just question God's provision; they complain about it. "I don't like that kind of food"; "I have nothing to wear"; "That tastes terrible"; "You don't have my brand of soft drink?"

Fear gives way to discontent, revealing a heart that is full of itself and ignorant to the fact that many go without. Theirs (or should I say ours, or mine) is the too-easy life of getting whatever they want, whenever they want it. And if you don't have the cash, it's not a problem, you can just swipe the card.

That kind of living is not the kind Jesus is talking about when He said "Do not be anxious for your life". He was referring to those who were doing, or about to do, without. He was dealing with needs, not wants; daily necessities, not luxuries. So what do Jesus' words in Matthew 6:25-34 have to say to us who seldom if ever have to wonder where our next meal comes from? To those whose biggest worry is not whether we'll have clothes to wear but more about getting the newest line of clothes or new cell phone on the first day they are out.

Maybe if we felt the need for the necessities of life a bit more we would get what Jesus is getting at. Maybe if we needed Him more we would want Him more. Maybe if we were seeking His rule in our lives more fully we wouldn't get ourselves into such messes. Maybe if we were wrapped up in Jesus' rulership and righteousness we'd appreciate the simple things in life - like playing with our kids and talking with a friend or helping someone who really needs our help. Maybe we'd want to pray and read God's Word so much nothing could keep us from it. Maybe if we didn't have so many diversions and distractions we'd cling to Jesus for dear life because we'd realize He is our life.

I need to remember this the next time I am tempted to whine about things not being how I like them or going the way I want. Jesus sees everything and everyone - and that is a sobering, and comforting, thought.

The Golden Rule: What Jesus Really Wants From You

In Jesus' economy there is what is known as the "Golden Rule" (Matt. 7:12). It is the epitome of rules, the "gold standard" of ways to live and relate to others. People have wrestled with it for centuries. Philosophers and students of ethics have torn it apart, dismantled it and tried to put it back together in a more pragmatic, easier, less demanding form. But Jesus standard is perfect.

In the Olympics they give gold, silver and bronze medals. Everyone remembers who won gold, not silver or bronze. They are inferior prizes, relatively speaking. With regard to the Golden Rule, some say they live by it but what they really live by is an inferior version. There's the Silver Rule that says "Do not do to others what you do not want done to you", which is easy to follow, just do nothing. Or the Bronze Rule which says, "Do to others before they do to you". There's also the Rusty Metal Rule, "do anything you want to others with no regard for anyone, then run fast!".

Matt. 7:12 has been misused and twisted by many; my prayer is that true followers of Christ would know and live it's true meaning.

The 1st step in understanding Matt. 7:12 is to figure out what "therefore" relates to. Could be 7:7-11; because God gives good gifts Jesus’ disciples should live by this rule out of gratitude. Or 7:1-6; instead of judging others, we should treat them as we want to be treated. Most likely it refers to everything so far in the Sermon on the Mount: Jesus is saying, "therefore, in light of everything I have said about the true direction God's Word points, obey the Golden Rule". It gives a short summary of the Kingdom righteousness Jesus requires and brings about in His people.

This verse, in context, shows what God expects of Christians. If you claim to be a "follower of Jesus" you cannot escape several things that God expects of you with regard to Matt. 7:12.

1. God wants you to know Him and His love. Seeing 7:12 as just one moral option among many will lead you away from Jesus; to think you are able to live without God. Mankind either tries to be God or deny Him. Ps. 14:1 says "the fool has said in his heart there is no God". 7:12 assumes a higher authority than self: God Himself. There is no golden rule without God. He wants you to know His love for you, which is immeasurable and incomprehensible, knowable only through Jesus Christ. (John 17:3; 1 John 5:11-12).

2. God wants you to choose wisely for His glory and other's good. Jesus calls us to action. Jesus' words in 7:12 require active obedience and active engagement for the good of others. Do unto others. As Gal. 6:10 says "Do good to all, especially those of the household of faith". With no guarantee of similar treatment. That's tough. Think about how you have been sinned against: the hurt, the anger, the pain. You want justice don’t you? Now think about how you have sinned. You want mercy don’t you? Let your desire for mercy give you perspective; the other person is just like you: guilty before a holy God; wanting mercy. You could have done the same or worse.

3. God wants you to share His love for the sake of the Gospel. Active engagement for the glory of God and good of others holds far more possibility of the lost becoming found, and the wayward getting on track than any man-made substitute ever could. Matt. 7:12 encapsulates the Gospel: that our holy God took upon Himself human flesh and became one of us to do unto us what we were incapable of doing for ourselves. The Gospel standard is that we acknowledge God, and His right to rule in our lives, and then act accordingly. God has done everything for us; we ought to do everything for others. Jesus died for those who killed Him. He has treated us infinitely better than our sins deserved. Treat people the same way.

Praise God that for the humble and repentant there is full forgiveness and freedom from the power and penalty of sin. There is life where death reigned; joy where despair settled in; love where hate attacked. Praise God mercy flows because Christ's blood was spilled. The blood of Christ cleanses.

Whole in Him

Full of...

love
regret
praise
uneasiness
wonder
worry
faith
fear

I am a mess, alone.
I am whole, in Him.

Jesus is the Restorer.

Cleansed

Hurt friend
didn't send the message on
didn't see the Hand moving
didn't recognize Who was
so high above us
Higher than anything.

But He did.

So we respond
so we bring
so we reach
so we sing

Praise like never before
Depth that never was there
Life where death reigned
Blood where sin claimed

Cleansed.

Dwelling

My sincere try fell way to short
filled with jealousy
and none too little of self
it left me dry and wanting more

I couldn't dream
what God had planned
His wonder grace that captured me
that felled me at His word and voice

His choice became my heart's desire
His love became my victory
His mercy showered over me
Now I dwell in Immanuel's hand

Resolved

I wouldn't stop for anything
I wouldn't smile on any crown
I wouldn't bow to any king
Not for gold or world renown

I wouldn't bend just any knee
I wouldn't send my favored pen
I wouldn't act for all to see
not for the world or praise of men

I wouldn't go to seek or kill
I wouldn't read just any story
I wouldn't settle for any thrill
not for fame or untold glory

I would that He receive my praise
I would that He become my prize
I would my King to guide my days
by grace He's where my focus lies

Perfect Word

Ages past unlocked the scene
forever pictured in a dream
clouded for the least of men
veiled for all the least of these

When the sentry opens gates
when the lock undone will wait
for every heartache every thrill
He comes to seek and not to kill

He settles every unearned score
He riddles every liars bell
He rides the wind to bring it home
We will fall before His throne

Perfect Word says "I Am He
I have heard His mystery
"Your Kingdom come,
Your will be done"

Empty Page...Full Heart...Many Promises

Empty page before me lies
a whisper of eternity
a hope, a sentence to unveil
a part of what He gave to me

I write aware and unaware
of forces beckoning me home
I hear the sweet still voice of God
who inspiration will come from

And still I walk and travel on
Until that day My Savior calls me
Still I labor at the gate
until that day He comes to free

That day will launch a thousand tongues
to sing the praise of God's own hand
to see what He has promised
to set my eyes upon the Lamb

The Jesus Way to Healthy Prayer and Relationships

Relationships are sometimes the most difficult things in our lives. As always, people are the problem. Jesus has a solution. In Matthew chapter 7 He puts the focus on relationships. Jesus shows us that relationships don’t have to be as hard as we make them, that the way to love others appropriately is to seek God continually. This is the idea behind Matt. 7:7-11; and it relates in some way to almost everything we do in life. It is not about getting whatever we want when we want it, it’s about wanting whatever will most glorify God.

Jesus is speaking of prayer in the context of healthy relationships with God and others. It is tied closely to what Jesus has already said about prayer (6:5-13); His instructions to not judging wrongly (7:1-5a) but exercise wise discernment and evaluation (7:5b-6); and the Golden Rule(7:12), doing to others what you want done to you.

There are three simple truths we see in this passage of Scripture.

God wants us to ask.
Ask means come to God humbly conscious of your need; to pray. 1 Thess. 5:17 Pray without ceasing. Living in an attitude of prayer. Seek means come to God responsibly pursuing His sovereign, gracious will; asking with sincerity. Wanting whatever He wants. Knock means come to God confidently persistent, trusting Him to provide; active, diligent pursuit of God’s ways. These are present active imperatives, stressing continual action, persistence.

In the context of not judging wrongly and knowing how to wisely evaluate people’s actions, we are to ask for wisdom to deal appropriately with people – not judging them wrongly; but being wise and discerning.

God promises to answer.
“It” is whatever God knows is best for you. We ask, He gives what is needed. This is not name it and claim it. We must careful to ask for the right things for the right reasons. God is not a vending machine; there to just give us what we want. Solomon is a good example (1 Chron. 28:9-10, 20; 2 Chron. 1:8-13); God asked Him to ask for whatever he wanted and he asked God for a wise and discerning heart.

God gives good gifts.
Jesus gives an example from everyday life showing blessings a parent gives to their children. Parents, who are imperfect and sinful, want to bless their kids and give them good gifts. They don’t purposefully give them harmful things. God, who is perfect and holy, always gives what is good. You may not always get the thing you want, but He always provides what you really need. In the midst of joy and pain He provides. No matter what He is sovereign and He is working all things together for good for you; using His good gifts in your life, household and community in the process of making you more Christ-like.

Jesus’ way to healthy prayer and relationships is best: the way to love others appropriately is to seek God continually; because when we seek God continually we love others appropriately, and we receive God’s blessings thankfully.

Living with Sinful People

So far, in the best sermon ever by the best preacher ever, Jesus has described in ch. 5 a Christian’s character (the beatitudes), influence (salt and light), righteousness (comes from faith in Him, not works), in ch. 6 devotion and ambition and now in ch. 7 He puts the focus on relationships. The counter-culture that Jesus develops in His followers is not individualistic, but a community thing and relationships within the community and with others are of utmost importance to God. We have a relationship with God Himself, through faith in Christ; as well as to our brothers and sisters in Christ, members of God’s family; and to everyone in general.

Jesus words near the end of the sermon, give us another glimpse into the way God does things and the way He wants them done. He shows us that relationships don’t have to be as hard as we make them, that: The way to love others appropriately is to seek God continually. Or, stated another way, when we seek God continually we love others appropriately, and receive God’s blessings thankfully. This is the idea behind Matt. 7:7-11 and it is one that relates in some way to almost everything we do in life.

But one important fact must not be ignored: We are living with sinful people. Basically, people are sinful & it affects things! You must take that into consideration. We must deal with the “Depravity Quotient” on a daily basis. People have to deal with ours!

It is a relational truth that anyone with whom we must associate closely will need to be handled carefully, because people are fragile and temperamental and dangerous to deal with. They are depraved. Not as bad as they could be, but bad enough. We must continually engage in a process of depravity adjustment on an ongoing basis. Giving room to others, as we expect from them, for our depravity. Not explaining it away, or downplaying, & being understanding with one another as we follow Jesus. Understanding that the only goodness inus is the goodness of God in Christ.

Some of you feel like you are professional apologizers; with your family, associates, classmates, friends, relatives, brothers and sisters in Christ. They are tainted by sin too – so their response to you, which can become controlling, also needs to be tempered. Relationships are a two-way street. With God, no such issues. God never says I have heard that far too often lately and I am losing my patience with you. Why don’t you just leave, it is easier that way for me. People say that but God never does.

Wouldn’t life be easy if everyone would get their act together? We should pray: Help people see You through me and not me through me. It is so easy to get frustrated with people, and subsequently harsh with them. It is so easy to live always looking at other's sins and faults rather than our own. It is so easy to be self-focused rather than God-focused.

Isaiah said it rightly, Is. 6:5, "Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." It is a good thing to get a realistic glimpse of God because it puts things in life in perspective doesn't it?

Be Generous with Acceptance, Stingy with Judgment

Being judged wrongly feels horrible doesn't it? You know the truth (at least your view of it) and then someone comes along and says you’re all wrong. Common responses are anger, indignation, resentment, shock, tears & denial. But isn't it interesting that we forget how it feels to be judged when we choose to judge others? We play god with abandon; living a double standard - we judge others freely but think it strange when it happens to us.

Why is it wrong to judge? According to Jesus in Matthew 7:1-6...
1. God says it’s wrong. Realize you’ll be judged by others and God Himself. Sometimes we judge people most harshly in areas we are weakest, or where we’ve fallen or experienced most pain. It happens in families, churches, workplaces, schools; basically, people competing for supremacy.

2. It is rooted in sin. Some say Matt. 7 is a jumble of odds and ends disconnected to the previous section. I disagree. Understanding 6:34 and the word "trouble" is a key to understanding 7:1-6. Each day has enough trouble, evil, depravity of its own. The temptation to do evil on our part and the evil actions of others. Like judging others wrongly.

3. It reveals a lack of perspective, the self-awareness that's needed to live appropriately. In Matthew 7:3-4 Jesus uses humorous exaggeration to point us back to 6:22-23 and the kind of "eye" or focus you have in life. We need to have a perspective that is willing to admit we aren’t good enough to judge & we can’t be impartial. We have enough problems of our own.

4. It is hypocrisy. Jesus uses fightin' words! 7:5 begins, "You hypocrite". The proper procedure before dealing with someone’s else’s faults is 1st to judge yourself. Other people’s faults are nothing compared to our own. Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. A 'hypocrite' was an actor, someone who impersonated another; Jesus is referring to the worst kind of impersonation, people trying to be God in other's lives by judging them.

5. Only God knows the rest of the story. Only God is qualified to judge. There is always back story. There is always back-story, stuff that if we knew would give us the perspective to be generous with acceptance and stingy with judgment. It would make us discerning, not condemning. We would cooperate with them rather than competing for first place. We'd be more interested in Christ's supremacy.

Is it ever right to judge? Yes. In Matt. 7:5b-6 the idea of seeing clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye is clear. Wrong judging is always wrong; but sometimes judging is needed, especially with those who don’t know any better (unbelievers) and those who should know better (believers). We should not expect the lost to act like Christians, but we have every right to expect Christians to! Jesus is saying, "Don't be so critical in a bad way; but be a little critical in a good way when necessary." Apply sparingly.

What can we do about both wrong judging and the challenge appropriately judging rightly? The 1st thing has to do with the heart: Remember what you have done and remember where you came from. But don't wallow in your sins, remember what Jesus has done (Rom. 5:6-8). Remember how Jesus has forgiven you. Trust God; allow Him to fill your heart with good things; blessing and acceptance instead of judgment and condemnation. The 2nd thing has to do with the mouth: Restrain your words Ps. 141:3. Exercise self-control. Speak the truth in love. Follow Matthew 7:12, do to others as you would have them do to you. It will help all your relationships if you can learn to live in the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God. But for that to happen most of us need to abandon our deeply rooted practice of condemning and blaming.

There is hope in Jesus Christ. Jesus says you can become a person who does not condemn or blame. Guard your heart (from it flow the issues of life) and your mouth (the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart). As you do the power of God's kingdom will flow through you, becoming more freely available to bless and guide others in God's ways.

Rom. 8:1. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. People may condemn you but God never will; He condemned sin in the flesh through Jesus Christ; if you are a believer your sins are covered. Someday we will know the rest of the story. Until then, rest in God’s sovereignty.

1 Cor. 4:5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

Live For God's Fame, Because He is Good

God spoke through the psalmist to say in Psalm 147:10-11 "He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord favors those who fear Him, those who wait for His loving kindness."

That tells me that we can try as hard as we can in our own power to earn God's favor and we might never be able to enter into it, because we are just spinning our wheels running around in a frenzy not acknowledging who God really is.

The only way to life in is Jesus Christ. No one else can make sense out of life and no one else is good enough to follow. God is so good, He provides for our every need (not all our wants, our needs) and He shows Himself faithful to all of His promises.

He has promised that the one who comes to Hm in faith He will never cast away. He will keep you forever in His care. God, being rich in mercy, when we were dead in sin, sent Jesus to pay the penalty our sins deserved All who believe go free because Jesus was judged in our place.

So do whatever you do for God's glory, honor and fame. He is worthy of it. The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. That is found in Psalm 145:17.

Beautiful Judging

Can judging be beautiful? Yes, if it is done in a Christ-honoring way.

Sadly, it is often done in harmful, ugly, non God-honoring ways. That can, and should, change according to Jesus.

In Matthew 7:1-6 Jesus gives us ample advice to navigate the tricky waters of human relationships. He says in effect, "don't be hyper-critical, be just critical enough to not be led astray by those who don't know any better and those with evil motives who do know better." If you want to "straighten them out", be silent. If you want them to be restored, speak out gently in love. Look to yourself, you could fall as well (Gal. 6:1).

It would help our family life, church life, community life and all our other human relationships if we would learn to live together with people, in the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God. But for it to happen we must abandon or deeply rooted practice of condemning and blaming.

Jesus is saying that you should, and you can, become the kind of person who does not condemn or blame others. Make sure you guard your heart (for from it flow the issues of life) and your mouth (for the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart). As you do that the power of God's kingdom will flow through you, becoming more freely available to bless and guide others in God's ways.

On Judging and Being Judged

"Judge not, that you be not judged" - Jesus Christ, Matthew 7:1

It is a harsh reality of life that due to the pain of personal injury in the form of unjust judging sustained often, we become wary and gun-shy to engage too much with some people. It keeps us standing at a distance in relationships when God wants us to know and be known. It results in many people living in a relational desert rather than a lush landscape of friendships; a dead-end of isolation rather than a network of connectedness.

Being judged wrongly feels horrible doesn't it? You know the truth about yourself (or at least your view of it) and then someone comes along and knocks down your house of cards. Pain, anger, indignation, hot resentment, shock and tears and denial are all common responses. All human. All understandable.

Isn't it interesting that we can't remember how it feels to be judged wrongly when we inflict our judgment on others? Immune to the previous pain, we go forward with abandon, measuring out infinite verdicts unrestrained; spraying to all fields, we rush headlong into the error of our ways.

Why do we live with a double standard - allowing ourselves to judge freely but thinking it strange and out of place when it happens to us?

There is a truth that ought to keep us from ever judging anybody wrongly: the truth about ourselves; where we have come from, the grace and mercy we have received in Christ that covers all our sins. It works perfectly with God, but with us who don't see the whole picture, things are different. It's actually a good thing we aren't all-knowing. Basically, if you knew me like I truly am you would judge me more harshly than you already do. If I knew you the same way I would think worse of you too.

There is always back-story, stuff that only God knows that if we knew would give us the perspective necessary to be generous with acceptance and stingy with judgment. It would make us discerning, not condemning.

Mankind seems to be on a continuous quest to prove to himself that he is able, self-sufficient, self-reliant. Whether survival shows or cooking competitions, we want to prove that we can do it - all by our self. But the truth is that we are deficient, we are not adequate, we cannot be God. God alone is God and we need Him desperately. The human spirit is strong, yes, but it is a reflection of the glory and image of God, not something that we generate; merely a reflection of the God who made us.

If we could simply grasp the immensity of God's grace and the enormity of our sinfulness; that Jesus was judged for our sin and that we go free due to His condemnation, we could live with so much more grace towards others. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Rom. 8:1). May we live in that truth and show it to others.

Standing on the Promises

Ten Reasons Not to Be Anxious According to Jesus:
God is in control (6:26).
God gives and sustains life (6:27)
God cares for His own (6:28-30)
You are valuable to God (6:26)
It doesn’t accomplish anything (6:27).
It hinders you rather than helping you.
You are eternal (6:28-30)
Anxiety is fear based in unbelief (6:31-32)
God knows what you need (6:32)
God gives everything you need to do His will (6:33)
God doesn’t give you more than you can handle (6:34).

In the ESV Matthew 6:34 ends with the word "Trouble", Greek word is kakia, evil. Freedom from anxiety does not come from a guarantee of no trouble; but a guarantee that trouble will be used by God for good. God has promised to work all things together for good for those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).

Paul in Phil. 4:6 he says just like Jesus, "Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God." In 4:19 he gives a promise like Jesus, "My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Worry is a waste of time and effort. Redeem the time; resolve to trust God.

You can battle the unbelief of anxiety with the promises of God.

When you are anxious about a new venture, battle unbelief with the promise: "Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God; I will help you, I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my Righteous right hand" (Is. 41:10).

When you are anxious about being weak battle unbelief with the promise of Christ, "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9).

When you are anxious about the future, battle unbelief with the promise, "I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you" (Ps. 32:8). When anxious about opponents, battle unbelief with the promise, "If God is for us who can be against us!" (Rom. 8:31).

When you are anxious about getting old, battle unbelief with the promise, "Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save" (Is. 46:4).

When you are anxious about dying, battle unbelief with the promise "none of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself; if we live we live to the Lord and if we die we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and rose again: that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living" (Rom. 14:9–11).

God wants to be trusted one day at a time. He cares for you; enough to make the ultimate sacrifice for His glory and your eternal good. God the Son trusted God the Father. When Jesus went to the cross, substituting Himself in our place, He cried out to the Father before He died Luke 23:46 Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit. Another way to say trust. When you trust God you put your life in God’s hands, where it already is.