Good Advice vs. Good News

When I was just a kid, my parents had purchased some property out in the country from where we lived.  We all had dreams as to what life would be like on these overgrown acres of flowing fields...  all of my siblings and my dad.  My mom on the other hand had nightmares about it.

Regardless, we never ended up moving there.  The property was sold at a later date.

Although while we did own it, my dad had some pretty good plans in his head about what to do with it.  Across the back of it ran a creek with overgrown, wild blackberry's.  I guess the word "overgrown" would be an understatement.  We knew that there was a creek because we could hear the water moving through it, but we couldn't see it because of the overgrowth.  My dad's vision was to clear a path from one side of the overgrowth to the other.  This would be done with a machete and clippers and rakes and saws... well, you get the picture.

On one Saturday, he and I went out there to accomplish this task.  

Did I mention that I was seven years old at the time?  

He told me walk around the neighbors property to get to the other side and then we would start cutting the overgrowth, slowly working ourselves closer to the creek, to each other.

Needless to say, I was not doing my part.  I couldn't.  The blackberry bushes were not bushes - they were trees.  I couldn't manage to cut anything down.  Nothing.

My dad, ambitious as he was, was plugging along and doing great.  Cutting through those blackberry's as if they were spiders webs.  Periodically he would try to show me how to cut them down, but it was no use.  I couldn't do it.  I didn't have the strength.  I was only seven years old.  He did it all for me.

Now he could have given me great advice; 

"John, this is how you cut through this.  Use your forearm strength.  Swing harder.  Make sure the blade is in this direction." 

But the truth is, is that any amount of advice would not have gotten me any closer to the creek.

I needed good news. 

I need him to do it.

Friends, this is how it is with our walk with Christ.  

Good advice would say, "Be holy.  Do not sin.  Worship God alone."

Good news says, "Christ has fulfilled the law for you."

There is a difference between good advice and good news. The first can lead to death, the later to eternal LIFE.

Romans 8:3-4

 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.  By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

I AM Is Committed to You

The electronics company, Toshiba, put a statement out recently on it's commitment to social responsibility.  It says

"We believe our Group slogan "Committed to People, Committed to the Future" is an integral part of our corporate ethos & we have designated corporate social responsibility as one of our company initiatives."

Truth be told, Toshiba can't really make a claim to be committed to people, because

1st) they have laid people off.  They aren't committed to their former employees.

2nd) they can't possibly be committed to ALL people ALL over the earth.  That's just impossible.

Now before I get too far, this is NOT a bash Toshiba segment on my blog.  In all honesty, I can only assume that Toshiba is a great company to work for... but their commitment to people can only fall short.

Such is all of our stories. 

The command is there to be committed.

To Christ.

To our spouse.

To our kids.

To our church.

...but we fall short...

In the last few days the following verses have been a comfort to me personally.

Romans 8:35-39

    "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.'

    No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

And here lies the twist.  In all of the areas that we fall short - in our commitments... Christ stands committed.

He is committed to
Us.
Me.
You.

This is a promise that cannot be broken.  His Word is sure and true and right and it cannot be repealed. 

Dear friend, when your world seems to be falling apart, remember that Christ is committed to you.

Everything Falls - Fee

you said
you'd never leave or forsake me
when you said,
this life is gonna shake me
you said
this world is gonna bring trouble on my soul
this i know

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
you're the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on
you keep holding on

when i see
the darkness all around me
when i see
that tragedy has found me
i still believe
your faithful arms will never let me go
and still i know

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
your the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on
you keep holding on

sorrow will last for the night
but hope is rising with the sun
(its rising with the sun)
there will be storms in this life
but i know you will overcome
but i know you will overcome

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
your the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
your the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on
you keep holding on
-Steve Fee

Battling Sin

What are you tempted by?  

Lust

     Anger

               Money

   Power

                    Jealousy

           Success

                              Resentment

Which of these do you bring into your marriage?  Which of these do you bring into your home?  Is your spouse safe?  Are your children safe?

Hebrews 13:4

Let marriage be held in honor among all,

and let the marriage bed be undefiled.

None of us are exempt from sin.  We all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.  It's true.  We just need to look in a mirror and see it for ourselves.

The other side of that coin is just as true.  For those of us who are in Christ, we are new creation, the old has gone away, the new has come.  We have been justified by faith through Christ.  Just as if we never sinned.

So how do we go through this life as a sinner/saint?  How do we walk with Christ, dealing with sin?  Many books have been written on this subject alone.  Seminars, CDs, DVDs, you name it, it's out there.  Below are some steps that I have found to be good in battling sin.  Please when you read this, don't think that I don't struggle with sin. I certainly do struggle with it, but I am learning where the true battle lies.

Regardless, I hope these help.

I know you don't feel like this, but you are a good man.  God has created something in your heart that is good.  He is moving you in a new direction.  The battle is sure (Romans 7 reminds us of that), but the grace of God, through the Spirit, is shaping you to be more like Christ.  That is a promise.

A few things to ponder:

• Recognize what temptation is and how it works.
• The devil will not just tempt us not with sins to just bring us down, but also with sins to help us boast of our self righteousness.  
• Remember not to give into the temptation to boast of your sinlessness.
• We walk by the Spirit - in humbleness, both the good days and the bad days.

Galations 5:25

If we live by the Spirit,

let us also walk by the Spirit.

• Remember not to listen to the devil.
• he is a liar. 
• he is a thief.  
• he wants to destroy you.  
• he would love for you to listen to him tell you how horrible you are.

James 4:7

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal

and kill and destoy

• Remember your depravity. 
  
• As long as we are on this earth, we will never know how deep our sin is.  How horrible our sin is.  How base our sin is.
• Jack Miller used to say "Cheer up.  You are a whole lot worse than you are.  God's grace is a whole lot bigger than you can imagine."  We will never know the depth of our sin, nor the richness of God's mercy.  I praise God for the one and increased knowledge of the other.

Romans 7:24

Wretched man that I am!

Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Revelation 3:17

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered,

and I need nothing,

not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable,

poor, blind and naked.

• Confess your sin.  Repent.
• This is not a little thing.  Confession is good for the soul for a reason - it ushers in a promise, a response from a loving and forgiving Father.
• Repenting from our sin sets us straight again.  It realigns our sanity.  

Psalm 32:5

I acknowledged my sin to You,

and I did not cover my iniquity;

I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,"

and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

• Serve Christ.
• Nothing helps to get your mind of off sin like submitting yourself to the service of Christ.  Commit yourself to get out of your comfort zone.  
• Spend time with someone who does know Christ.
• Serve at a food pantry.
• Give stuff away.
• Give your time away.
• Don't do this out of guilt, do these acts of service as true acts of worship.

2 Corinthians 5:20

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ,

making His appeal through us.

• Worship Christ alone.
• Submit yourself to God and His glory.  Commit yourself to worshipping Him.
• In song
• In reading the Word

Psalm 95:6

Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel before the LORD our Maker!

• Find someone who will disciple you.
• I have had the privilege of having many men speak into my life. 
• Contact your pastor, elder, friend or me.
• Walk with someone else in your journey.

 Hebrews 10:24-25

Let us consider how to stir up

one another to love and good works,

not neglecting to meet together,

as is the habit of some,

but encourage one another,

and all the more as you see

the Day drawing near.

• Put on Christ today.
• The Gospel calls us to war.  War with the devil and war with our sin.  When Paul instructs his followers to put on the armor of God, he is not merely suggesting it to them as a good idea.  This is a command, for we are at war.

Ephesians 6:13

Therefore take up the whole armor of God,

that you may be able to withstand in the evil day,

and having done all,

to stand firm.

• Remember to rest in the active work of Christ.

Ephesians 1:7-8

In Him we have redemption through His blood,

the forgiveness of our trespasses,

according to the riches of His grace,

which He lavished upon us.

Colossians1:13-14

He has delivered us from the

domain of darkness and transferred us to

the Kingdom of His beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption,

the forgiveness of sins.

Forgiveness is found at the cross and empty tomb.

THAT IS GOOD NEWS!

 

I Want to Believe God.

I don’t want to just believe in God anymore.

I want to believe God.

What I mean by that is that I don’t want to be identified with just the same belief that the demons have.  In the book of James we read that the demons believe in God.  I don’t want to settle for the same as that of a demon.

I don’t want to stop at believing in God.  I want to make sure that I am believing God.  Period.

For anyone can believe in God, but not everyone believes God.  Here is a list of promises from God for those who are His:

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  -- Romans 8:38-39

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." -- 1 John 5:4-5

"The Lord remembers us and will bless us... he will bless those who fear the Lord - small and great alike. May the Lord make you increase, both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." -- Psalm 115:12-15

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." -- Psalm 46:1-3

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." -- Psalm 18:2

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me." -- Psalm 138:7

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." -- Isaiah 43:1

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." -- Isaiah 40:29

What other promises are you believing today?

Graduating Up

So here we are in August, more than half-way through the Summer. When I was a kid, I thought that as soon as the last week of July was come and gone, my mind went to regretting the fact that school was so close.

You may say, that I am kind of jumping the gun here, but perhaps I am not alone.

In our small group, we certainly have a lot of young people and to my knowledge all of these kids have graduated from one grade and are moving up to another.

So, with that in mind, I thought that I would give some thought to both young people that are "graduating up" and their parents.

First, the youngsters...

1. To borrow the John Piper line, "don't waste your" grade. Know that the Lord has called you to this time for a purpose of bringing glory to Him first and foremost. School and all that it comes with (drama, grades, fights, dances, new music, new friends, etc) sometimes feels like it is the most important thing in our lives. But that is not the case. School IS important, but know Christ is even more so.

   1 Peter 2:21--"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps."

2. Don't forget the Word. Be in the Word. Stay in the Word. Know the Word. Pray the Word. Hear God speak to you in His Word. We all can be so busy doing "stuff" that we forget to feed on what can truly sustain us. Stay in the Word.

   Psalm 119:105--"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

3. Don't forget the wisdom of your elders. I am not just suggesting myself here. There are a lot of wise men and wise women that are older than you are. Seek them out. Listen to their words. Ask them about their struggles, pain. Seek advise from people who have "been there" before. You may save yourself a lot of pain and heartache.

   Colossians 2:10 & 19, "You have been filled in Him, who is 'the Head of all rule and authority.' Not withholding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God."

4. Don't forget the Church. I know of one of us who will be moving away for college and others of us will be joining the college bound in a year or so. When we move away from home we can easily slip into a routine of not going to church. Not being in fellowship with other believers. I know this to be true - even while I was at Bible college, no less. The saying is true, as a single coal is removed from pile of coals and thus looses it's heat, so the same for an individual when they are not part of church.

   Hebrews 10:24-25, "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

5. Trust the Gospel to be true. Trust in Jesus who has saved you. Whom should you fear, for who can stand against you?

   Romans 1:16a, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes."

Parents...

1. Show your kids that you are proud of them. This is not a time to "boast" about your freedom from your kids. The world does that. This is a time for you to encourage them by telling them how proud you are of them.

   Proverbs 23:24, "The father of the righteous will greatly rejoince; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him."

2. Pray for your kids. As our kids head out into the world, there are a lot of ideals, philosophies, and thoughts that are completely counter to who they are as followers of Christ. Go before the throne of Heaven and plead for their protection.

   Matthew 21:22, "And whatever you ask in prayer you will receive, if you have faith."

3. Trust in our Sovereign God to sanctify them. This is His promise for you, for them. Rest in this. Trust God.

   2 Corinthians 3:18, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this come from the Lord who is the Spirit."

4. Remember that you are your kid's parent for a specific reason. God placed you there. You have a huge responsibility. It's your job to raise your kids for the glory of Christ. Remember you don't do this alone, you do this through the strength of the Spirit of God, who is in you.

   Psalm 127:3, "Behold children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward."

We still have a while before summer is done... So don't panic. Enjoy this time with your kids.

Trials Will Come

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials
1 Peter 1:6

I realize that many of us have sung or at least heard the song “Blessed Be Your Name” by Matt Redman, but I believe the words of it stand true. Please take a few moments now and watch this video. Be encouraged. Move from “shoe-gazing” to Christ praising. Your heart will feel better and it’s what Christ deserves.


For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Romans 8:18

Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings.
Exodus 3:7

Eight Habits of a Christlike Disciple

Some time ago, a friend of mine sent me a link to Faith Church of the Valley in Phoenix. On their web site they had a very strong plan for discipleship of their congregation.  The great thing about this church is that they don't assume that everyone at Faith Church has "arrived" spiritually. The leadership of Faith Church is very proactive in teaching, training and discipling their congregation.

I thought that their "Eight Habits" where really good and challenging. They are listed below:


A Mind Transformed by the Word

We progressively come to view the world as God views it: setting aside the world's values as our minds are continually renewed by God's word.

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,

so that you may prove what the will of God is,

that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Knowing the Scriptures and committing oneself to the Word of God is foundational to our knowledge and growth in Jesus Christ. If we are to conform ourselves more to the Heavenly Man, Jesus, and die to this world, we must be fed by His Word. Peter wrote:

"like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word,

so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,” 1 Peter 2:2

We are to hunger for it as naturally as a baby craves its milk, and we are to be nourished by it, our spiritual food, even as we are nourished by our physical. In the same way we become malnourished if we stop eating our physical food, so we do with our spiritual food.

A voice to speak the good news

We joyfully share Jesus with those who do not know Him: leading them to faith and answering questions. We also provide hope and encouragement for those who already know the truth.

A heart for Christ alone

Jesus, as the one-and-only Son of God, becomes the priority in all of life; as our most precious treasure, we worship Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.

Arms to love

We embrace humanity: coming alongside others in need, extending compassion, welcoming the stranger, and living in a community of mutual care with other disciples.

Hands that give and serve

We live as servants of God and each other: doing good through the gifts the Spirit has given us, living generously and simply, and seeking to bring about the fullest expression of God’s rule in our culture.

Knees for prayer

Our posture before God is one of continual dependence: trusting deeply that God is in charge of everything and conversing always about what we are accomplishing together with Him.

Feet that bring the good news to foreign lands

We fulfill the great commission by establishing church planting movements among the most spiritually unreached people groups of the world.

A body that bears the scars of Jesus

We gladly bear the reproach of Christ: sharing in His suffering and being conformed to His death in order to share in the triumph of His resurrection.

As you read these, what comes to mind?

I don't want to "guilt" you in Godly habits, but how are you doing? Are you seeking Christ today, in all that are?

John, in his gospel, stated, "He must increase and I must decrease." What steps are you taking to do what John did?

Justified Today - C.H. Spurgeon

I received the email below today. What a great statement that we all need to be reminded of daily.

"All that believe are justified."
--Acts 13:39

The believer in Christ receives a present justification. Faith does not produce this fruit by-and-by, but now. So far as justification is the result of faith, it is given to the soul in the moment when it closes with Christ, and accepts Him as its all in all. Are they who stand before the throne of God justified now?--so are we, as truly and as clearly justified as they who walk in white and sing melodious praises to celestial harps.

The thief upon the cross was justified the moment that he turned the eye of faith to Jesus; and Paul, the aged, after years of service, was not more justified than was the thief with no service at all. We are to-day accepted in the Beloved, to-day absolved from sin, to-day acquitted at the bar of God. Oh! soul-transporting thought! There are some clusters of Eshcol's vine which we shall not be able to gather till we enter heaven; but this is a bough which runneth over the wall.

This is not as the corn of the land, which we can never eat till we cross the Jordan; but this is part of the manna in the wilderness, a portion of our daily nutriment with which God supplies us in our journeying to and fro. We are now--even now pardoned; even now are our sins put away; even now we stand in the sight of God accepted, as though we had never been guilty. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." There is not a sin in the Book of God, even now, against one of His people. Who dareth to lay anything to their charge? There is neither speck, nor spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing remaining upon any one believer in the matter of justification in the sight of the Judge of all the earth.

Let present privilege awaken us to present duty, and now, while life lasts, let us spend and be spent for our sweet Lord Jesus.

While We Were Still Sinners

This morning I came across the name Jason Dunham and spent a few minutes reading about his life and death. In 2004, Dunham was a twenty-two year-old Corporal in the United States Marine Corps, serving in Iraq. He became the first Marine since 1970 to earn the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest award for battlefield heroism—for actions in combat.

On April 14, 2004, he was manning a checkpoint near Karabilah when an Iraqi man whose car they were searching, suddenly grabbed his throat. As Dunham wrestled the man to the ground, the Iraqi dropped a grenade with the pin removed. Aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation, Corporal Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast. He saved the lives of several of his fellow soldiers. Dunham died of his wounds just a few days later without ever regaining consciousness.

The official Marine Corps citation says, “By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty, Corporal Dunham gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.”

Such gallantry is amazing, inspiring. It should awe us that a man would so selfishly give all he had for his friends.

And yet what Christ did was greater still. As William Farley says in Outrageous Mercy, “At the cross God threw himself on a grenade to save the enemy soldiers…” We would not wish to downplay the gallantry of Corporal Dunham who made the ultimate sacrifice. But neither can we escape the fact that Jesus Christ died for those who were not his friends, but his enemies. What love this is! Even in the greatest of human sacrifices we see just a pale reflection of the depth, the magnitude, of the sacrifice of the Son of God.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Originally found: Challies.com