A few weeks ago when severe weather warnings were out, we had the TV on with Wayne Hart providing the play-by-play coverage. Our boys know that if a tornado warning directly affects us, then they are to go into the bathroom for shelter. It did not appear that we were in imminent danger, but that didn’t stop our boys from doing something about it. As the wind continued howling outside as we tried to get them into bed, Toby came up with an idea. He said, “I’m gonna go get my sword and fight the tornado.” Actually, he called it a “tormado,” which is probably due to too much exposure to Bob the Tomato, and it’s easy for a three-year-old to get mixed up.
Well, they got their plastic swords out and ran throughout the house swinging and fighting the evil tornado. I’m not sure how much good they would have done in the event of an actual emergency situation, but it did help them feel like they were doing something about it. And, yes, bedtime was much later than usual that night.
There were several damaging storms were to our south, where tornados did strike and leave dozens dead and many more injured. You know about the destruction at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. Union is an excellent Southern Baptist, four-year liberal arts university. If you’ve seen pictures of the campus in the aftermath of the storms, you can’t help but believe that it was literally a miracle that, despite injuries, not a single student on campus was killed.
It makes you think that maybe they got their swords out. Not the plastic kind, but the one sharper than any doubled-edged sword. I’m referring to the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17). What power and protection and provision there is for the one whose trust is the Lord!
For God’s purpose and for His glory, He chose to spare the lives of the students at Union University. As Christians we are not promised a life of ease and comfort, a trouble-free or pain-free life, but we are promised the victory in Jesus. In fact, Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
God would not be any less God if there were students at Union who died in that storm. He would not be any less loving, any less caring, or any less concerned about the sufferings of His people. No matter what the circumstances of life around us, “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). And furthermore, “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 that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
So, when the storm threatens and the sea rages and the earth quakes around your feet, you need not fear, dear friend, if your trust is in the Lord. Get your Sword out and discover for yourself the power of the Lord Almighty. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).
Get your Sword out and find in His Word the wonder of His presence. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).
Get your Sword out and examine and see that the Lord our God is mighty to save. “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).
God is boundless in His love for you, dear friend. His love for you was expressed in ultimate measure by giving His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for your sins, to save you from the dangers of hell and offer you everlasting life with Him in heaven. There’s a day coming that will be infinitely much worse for unbelievers than any storm on earth. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses (and some in plastic swords), but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm” (Psalm 20:7-8). The battle is real and the storms will come. What, or rather, Whom, are you trusting in?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
If Only
"If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains; their name would never be cut off nor destroyed from before me." - Isaiah 48:18-19
Why do we as believers in Christ Jesus not wholly and gladly yield ourselves in obedience to the Word of God? Just look at the peace that would be ours. Look at the many gracious promises God gives to those who follow His ways. Look at how strong and wise and able our Lord is to make good on His Word.
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." - Psalm 81:10
God reminds His people of how mighty He is to save, to deliver and to provide us with His richest blessings. He reminds us of how sure He is to answer in our distresses and bring us to the place of abundance and rest. Yet, Israel was so quick to chase after other things and ignore the clear warnings given them through the prophets.
"But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices." - Psalm 81:11-12
Those who stubbornly continue to refuse the Lord will suffer in themselves the due penalty for their sin (cf. Rom. 1:18-31). God is indeed patient with us and gives man numerous opportunities to turn from sin and trust in Him, but He will not coddle us forever. Sometimes the very worst punishment He can inflict on a man is simply to let him follow his own ways, forfeiting the protection and provision God offers.
One of our deacons came early Sunday morning to shovel the sidewalks at the church. We had just enough snow and plenty of ice this past week to make the conditions dangerous for many people. He cleared the walkways and entrances to the building so that no one would get hurt. He didn't want anyone to fall.
Anyone who pulled into the parking lot could see clearly that the sidewalks were safe to walk on. Imagine then, if someone intentionally chose to avoid the cleared walkways and tried to skate in some other way. There would be a good chance that they would slip and fall and get hurt.
God has plainly shown the way that we should walk. His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light for our path (Ps. 119:105). How foolish it is for us to attempt to walk a different path! If we avoid following the commands of His Word we're missing out on the protection and provision He lovingly offers to us in this world. He longs to keep us safe from the dangers and entanglements of sin. He does not want us to stumble and fall. But if we stubbornly refuse to take His instruction, then we will suffer the inevitable consequences.
"If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!" - Psalm 81:13-14
Don't you see how the heart of God yearns to display His power and His might among His people? Why would we choose to spurn God's commands which are for our good, when He promises us such blessings?
"Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you." - Psalm 81:15-16
If only we will follow the commands of the Lord. We would not only avoid so much turmoil and grief and worry and fear, but we will receive in great confidence the promises of God's protection and provision and peace. We will be fully satisfied in Him.
Why do we as believers in Christ Jesus not wholly and gladly yield ourselves in obedience to the Word of God? Just look at the peace that would be ours. Look at the many gracious promises God gives to those who follow His ways. Look at how strong and wise and able our Lord is to make good on His Word.
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." - Psalm 81:10
God reminds His people of how mighty He is to save, to deliver and to provide us with His richest blessings. He reminds us of how sure He is to answer in our distresses and bring us to the place of abundance and rest. Yet, Israel was so quick to chase after other things and ignore the clear warnings given them through the prophets.
"But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices." - Psalm 81:11-12
Those who stubbornly continue to refuse the Lord will suffer in themselves the due penalty for their sin (cf. Rom. 1:18-31). God is indeed patient with us and gives man numerous opportunities to turn from sin and trust in Him, but He will not coddle us forever. Sometimes the very worst punishment He can inflict on a man is simply to let him follow his own ways, forfeiting the protection and provision God offers.
One of our deacons came early Sunday morning to shovel the sidewalks at the church. We had just enough snow and plenty of ice this past week to make the conditions dangerous for many people. He cleared the walkways and entrances to the building so that no one would get hurt. He didn't want anyone to fall.
Anyone who pulled into the parking lot could see clearly that the sidewalks were safe to walk on. Imagine then, if someone intentionally chose to avoid the cleared walkways and tried to skate in some other way. There would be a good chance that they would slip and fall and get hurt.
God has plainly shown the way that we should walk. His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light for our path (Ps. 119:105). How foolish it is for us to attempt to walk a different path! If we avoid following the commands of His Word we're missing out on the protection and provision He lovingly offers to us in this world. He longs to keep us safe from the dangers and entanglements of sin. He does not want us to stumble and fall. But if we stubbornly refuse to take His instruction, then we will suffer the inevitable consequences.
"If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!" - Psalm 81:13-14
Don't you see how the heart of God yearns to display His power and His might among His people? Why would we choose to spurn God's commands which are for our good, when He promises us such blessings?
"Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you." - Psalm 81:15-16
If only we will follow the commands of the Lord. We would not only avoid so much turmoil and grief and worry and fear, but we will receive in great confidence the promises of God's protection and provision and peace. We will be fully satisfied in Him.
Monday, February 4, 2008
This Is the Day
I suppose today is an ordinary Monday, sandwiched between Super Sunday and Super Duper Tuesday. Of course, if you are a fan of the New York Giants there's nothing ordinary about it. You're telling everyone who will listen about how your team slayed the mighty dragon. For Patriots fans, well, remember, it is just a game.
Either way, "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Ps. 118:24). We can rejoice in each day, not necessarily because of the circumstances around us, but because of who Jesus is and who we are in Christ Jesus.
We can even "consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds" (James 1:2). How?
Either way, "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Ps. 118:24). We can rejoice in each day, not necessarily because of the circumstances around us, but because of who Jesus is and who we are in Christ Jesus.
We can even "consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds" (James 1:2). How?
- "Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance" (James 1:3).
- Because "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28).
- Because "these [trials] have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:7).
God often shapes and refines us for His purposes and glory through the hardships we face. What better way to examine the depths of our faith in Christ than in the fire?
Last week I was out of commission for a couple of days due to illness. Every one of my family has been sick with something in the past two weeks. We've not been feeling well, we've been couped up together more than usual, our schedules and plans have been changed, put on hold or canceled altogether...and frankly we've been going a little stir crazy.
Not a major fire, but enough to test my faith. There were some things about mine I didn't like. The fruits of the Spirit (especially the patience thing) weren't very pleasing to taste. Counting it all joy wasn't exactly what I had in mind. And how God worked any good from it I can't tell you.
Oh, to have the faith of men like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! To say to the king while the furnace blazes: "Bring it on! We'll face the fire if that's what you want. There's nothing you or anyone else can do us to us from which the Lord our God will not save us. He will rescue us from your hand without working up a sweat. And we'll tell you this - even if He chooses not to, we're still not going to deny our faith by serving your gods."
So, face the fire with faith, dear friend! Rejoice in this day - whatever may come. God's got in all under control. "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" the king wanted to know. "But, look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods" (Daniel 3).
Christian, you're going to have trouble in the world. Jesus never promised it would be easy. But He promises you peace in Him, saying "Take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
Whatever hardships, sufferings, pain or trouble this day brings, rejoice in the Lord! I will say it again: Rejoice! "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:4-7).
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Choose Life
This week we have witnessed the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision which legalized the killing of unborn babies. Nearly 50 million babies have been killed since 1973. What a shameful smear on the legacy of this country. I believe the history books will one day record what a disgrace this has been upon the land, a disgrace which may well contribute significantly to our nation’s undoing.
Beyond that, how the taking of each life must absolutely grieve and anger the heart of God. The Bible declares that the Lord God creates life in the womb, from the moment of conception, knitting us together being fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:13-14). We must love what the Lord loves and hate what He hates. We must value every life in every womb in every circumstance – the way Jesus valued your life and mine. The sin of taking away the life of an unborn child in the “best interests” of the mother or the child or society, for the sake of convenience or financial concerns or selfishness or whatever, will not be dealt with lightly.
However, forgiveness is available in Christ Jesus. If you’ve ever had an abortion or encouraged and supported it, I’m not here to beat you up over it. You already know the pain and grief of that experience. I want to tell you that through Jesus you will be forgiven of this – or any sin – by humbly admitting your sin before Holy God, repenting, and believing in Jesus as Savior and Lord. He can and will heal you.
Jesus suffered and bled and died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin, so that you can go free. He will cleanse you and make you new. He will save you. But anyone who chooses to reject His Word, His Truth, the Life that He alone gives, stands condemned already. “Now choose life, so that you and your children may live” (Deut. 30:19).
Beyond that, how the taking of each life must absolutely grieve and anger the heart of God. The Bible declares that the Lord God creates life in the womb, from the moment of conception, knitting us together being fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:13-14). We must love what the Lord loves and hate what He hates. We must value every life in every womb in every circumstance – the way Jesus valued your life and mine. The sin of taking away the life of an unborn child in the “best interests” of the mother or the child or society, for the sake of convenience or financial concerns or selfishness or whatever, will not be dealt with lightly.
However, forgiveness is available in Christ Jesus. If you’ve ever had an abortion or encouraged and supported it, I’m not here to beat you up over it. You already know the pain and grief of that experience. I want to tell you that through Jesus you will be forgiven of this – or any sin – by humbly admitting your sin before Holy God, repenting, and believing in Jesus as Savior and Lord. He can and will heal you.
Jesus suffered and bled and died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin, so that you can go free. He will cleanse you and make you new. He will save you. But anyone who chooses to reject His Word, His Truth, the Life that He alone gives, stands condemned already. “Now choose life, so that you and your children may live” (Deut. 30:19).
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Gracious and Compassionate God
Have you ever tried to run away from God? You know the Lord has a message or a mission for you, but for your own reasons you have not embraced that call, either conveniently ignoring Him or defiantly rebelling.
Have you ever wished for God to just punish the wicked and be done with them? Maybe you have felt that certain groups of people such as child abusers, drug addicts, liars, murderers or jerks at work simply do not deserve God's compassion, and there's no way in the world you would ever give them the chance to receive salvation.
That's why so many people throughout the ages have identified so closely with Jonah.
You know the story. God called His prophet, Jonah, to go to Nineveh and preach against it. Why? Because the wickedness and violence of that city was flying up in God’s face. A holy, righteous God displayed the greatness of His patience toward this city by sending His messenger to give them a chance to repent. He could have simply wiped them out like an exterminator getting rid of nasty bugs you don’t want crawling around your house. That’s what Jonah thought He should do. And He would have been justified in doing it.
God was justified in sending the flood in the days of Noah. The Bible records for us that “the Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain” (Gen. 6:6) because He saw how great man’s wickedness had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil all the time. The world was filled with corruption and violence, and it broke God’s heart with great anguish.
God was justified in raining down burning sulfur to destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. You can read the graphic details of their wickedness in Genesis 19 if you’d like.
The truth is that God’s judgment is always right. He is just in all His ways. And on the day when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven, “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power” (2 Thess. 1:8-9).
But with an unfathomable compassion for mankind, God, who is also gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, gives men everywhere a chance to turn from their wicked ways and trust in Him for salvation from hell. That’s why He sent Jonah to the Ninevites. That’s why He called Noah to be a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5) in his generation. That’s why He spared Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Bible says of the Lord, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Jonah did not understand God’s compassion. He couldn’t comprehend why God would give such wicked and sinful people a chance to receive His favor. “They don’t deserve Your mercy!” Jonah protested. “Look at how evil they are! Don’t you see how defiant and rebellious and violent these people are? They deserve Your wrath, not compassion!” In putting it bluntly, Jonah's attitude was: "They can just go to hell."
And so Jonah tried to escape this call by taking a cruise to the other side of the sea. But God would not be denied. On this cruise Jonah found himself immersed in a life lesson concerning the preaching of God’s Word. Jonah learned first hand the awesome power and sovereignty of God as the wind and waves rocked the ship. He discovered the challenge to obey as God kept him alive inside the belly of a great fish. And when God gave him a second chance Jonah set his sights on carrying out his mission, reluctantly though it was.
The day of the Lord’s judgment will come. But He is giving you this moment the chance to receive His salvation. That’s why God displayed His compassion in the ultimate measure by sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross in the place of every sinner. There He took the full weight of God’s wrath for us. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
The truth is, none of us deserve His compassion any more than the Ninevites. But, oh, the mercy and grace of Christ Jesus! When warned, the Ninevites believed God. They turned from their wicked ways and God had compassion on them and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.
What about you? Confess your sin before the Lord today. Turn away from wickedness and trust in Jesus Christ for your forgiveness. Believe that He died on the cross for your sins and that He rose from the grave. Come in faith to Jesus, for "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13). You will experience that truly our God is a gracious and compassionate God!
Have you ever wished for God to just punish the wicked and be done with them? Maybe you have felt that certain groups of people such as child abusers, drug addicts, liars, murderers or jerks at work simply do not deserve God's compassion, and there's no way in the world you would ever give them the chance to receive salvation.
That's why so many people throughout the ages have identified so closely with Jonah.
You know the story. God called His prophet, Jonah, to go to Nineveh and preach against it. Why? Because the wickedness and violence of that city was flying up in God’s face. A holy, righteous God displayed the greatness of His patience toward this city by sending His messenger to give them a chance to repent. He could have simply wiped them out like an exterminator getting rid of nasty bugs you don’t want crawling around your house. That’s what Jonah thought He should do. And He would have been justified in doing it.
God was justified in sending the flood in the days of Noah. The Bible records for us that “the Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain” (Gen. 6:6) because He saw how great man’s wickedness had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil all the time. The world was filled with corruption and violence, and it broke God’s heart with great anguish.
God was justified in raining down burning sulfur to destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. You can read the graphic details of their wickedness in Genesis 19 if you’d like.
The truth is that God’s judgment is always right. He is just in all His ways. And on the day when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven, “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power” (2 Thess. 1:8-9).
But with an unfathomable compassion for mankind, God, who is also gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, gives men everywhere a chance to turn from their wicked ways and trust in Him for salvation from hell. That’s why He sent Jonah to the Ninevites. That’s why He called Noah to be a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5) in his generation. That’s why He spared Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Bible says of the Lord, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Jonah did not understand God’s compassion. He couldn’t comprehend why God would give such wicked and sinful people a chance to receive His favor. “They don’t deserve Your mercy!” Jonah protested. “Look at how evil they are! Don’t you see how defiant and rebellious and violent these people are? They deserve Your wrath, not compassion!” In putting it bluntly, Jonah's attitude was: "They can just go to hell."
And so Jonah tried to escape this call by taking a cruise to the other side of the sea. But God would not be denied. On this cruise Jonah found himself immersed in a life lesson concerning the preaching of God’s Word. Jonah learned first hand the awesome power and sovereignty of God as the wind and waves rocked the ship. He discovered the challenge to obey as God kept him alive inside the belly of a great fish. And when God gave him a second chance Jonah set his sights on carrying out his mission, reluctantly though it was.
The day of the Lord’s judgment will come. But He is giving you this moment the chance to receive His salvation. That’s why God displayed His compassion in the ultimate measure by sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross in the place of every sinner. There He took the full weight of God’s wrath for us. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
The truth is, none of us deserve His compassion any more than the Ninevites. But, oh, the mercy and grace of Christ Jesus! When warned, the Ninevites believed God. They turned from their wicked ways and God had compassion on them and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.
What about you? Confess your sin before the Lord today. Turn away from wickedness and trust in Jesus Christ for your forgiveness. Believe that He died on the cross for your sins and that He rose from the grave. Come in faith to Jesus, for "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13). You will experience that truly our God is a gracious and compassionate God!
Friday, January 11, 2008
What We Cannot Do
Some things I can do well; I can re-fold a road map. Some things I’m okay at; I’m about a 70% free-throw shooter. Some things I cannot do at all – like earn my way to heaven.
Do you realize that there is nothing you can do to save yourself? Save from what, you may ask? From the wages of sin, the Bible answers, which is death. Not annihilation, as some false teachers claim, but an eternal state of anguish and torment in hell. You might think your life is a living hell right now, and to some degree it may be.
In hell you are separated forever from the presence of God. Right now you may have distanced yourself from the presence of God by rejecting Him, rejecting Jesus as Savior and Lord, or by simply ignoring the reality of who He truly is and denying His activity in the world all around you. If hell is the absence of God, then maybe you are living in a sort of hell today.
But I’ll be honest with you from God’s own word – you ain’t seen nothing yet. “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matt. 25:41). “These,” says the King, the Son of Man to those do not respond in faith to the gospel of Christ Jesus, “will go away into eternal punishment” (Matt. 25:46). If you think you have it bad now, just wait until the Lord unleashes the fury of His holy wrath against sin.
Whether you realize it or not, God is pouring out His unfathomable compassion and mercy upon you even as you breathe. If He even began to take away His hand from this world for one moment, this universe as we know it would crumble into ruin. No, contrary to what evolution and big bang theorists would have us believe, “by Him (Jesus, the image of the invisible God) all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible…all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:16-17).
And so God, in displaying His glory in His creation, in providing you air to breathe and a heart to beat and ears to hear and a mind to receive His message, gives you this moment the opportunity to be saved from death and hell. The Bible says even though God will certainly bring judgment and destruction upon the ungodly, that He is also demonstrating His patience toward us now, “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).
The message is this: Repent from sin and believe in Jesus! Turn to Jesus and be saved! God loves you so much that He willingly gave His one and only Son to die on the cross for your sins. He doesn’t want you to die. He came to bring you life – eternal life! The Bible says that “whosoever” believes in Jesus will not perish, but have everlasting life. God demonstrated His wondrous love for you in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you (Rom. 5:8). You can be saved right now by confessing your sin before God and believing in Jesus as your Savior and Lord.
"Yeah, but you don’t know what I’ve done,” you may say. “You don’t know how many terrible things I’ve said, how many people I’ve hurt, how much hatred is in my heart and the anger in my soul. I could never be good enough to be saved.”
If that’s what you’re thinking, then I say to you that you are on the right track. You can never, ever, be good enough to be saved. There is no amount of good deeds that can possibly earn salvation. In fact the Bible declares that there is “no one righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve gone to church, how many religious deeds you have done, how good a worker you are, how good a parent you’ve been or how much money you’ve donated to charity. You can do absolutely nothing to save yourself.
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Eph. 2:4-5). Friend, the only way to be saved is on the basis of God’s grace, which we receive through faith. Come to Jesus today – He’s the only Way to heaven.
Do you realize that there is nothing you can do to save yourself? Save from what, you may ask? From the wages of sin, the Bible answers, which is death. Not annihilation, as some false teachers claim, but an eternal state of anguish and torment in hell. You might think your life is a living hell right now, and to some degree it may be.
In hell you are separated forever from the presence of God. Right now you may have distanced yourself from the presence of God by rejecting Him, rejecting Jesus as Savior and Lord, or by simply ignoring the reality of who He truly is and denying His activity in the world all around you. If hell is the absence of God, then maybe you are living in a sort of hell today.
But I’ll be honest with you from God’s own word – you ain’t seen nothing yet. “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matt. 25:41). “These,” says the King, the Son of Man to those do not respond in faith to the gospel of Christ Jesus, “will go away into eternal punishment” (Matt. 25:46). If you think you have it bad now, just wait until the Lord unleashes the fury of His holy wrath against sin.
Whether you realize it or not, God is pouring out His unfathomable compassion and mercy upon you even as you breathe. If He even began to take away His hand from this world for one moment, this universe as we know it would crumble into ruin. No, contrary to what evolution and big bang theorists would have us believe, “by Him (Jesus, the image of the invisible God) all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible…all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:16-17).
And so God, in displaying His glory in His creation, in providing you air to breathe and a heart to beat and ears to hear and a mind to receive His message, gives you this moment the opportunity to be saved from death and hell. The Bible says even though God will certainly bring judgment and destruction upon the ungodly, that He is also demonstrating His patience toward us now, “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).
The message is this: Repent from sin and believe in Jesus! Turn to Jesus and be saved! God loves you so much that He willingly gave His one and only Son to die on the cross for your sins. He doesn’t want you to die. He came to bring you life – eternal life! The Bible says that “whosoever” believes in Jesus will not perish, but have everlasting life. God demonstrated His wondrous love for you in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you (Rom. 5:8). You can be saved right now by confessing your sin before God and believing in Jesus as your Savior and Lord.
"Yeah, but you don’t know what I’ve done,” you may say. “You don’t know how many terrible things I’ve said, how many people I’ve hurt, how much hatred is in my heart and the anger in my soul. I could never be good enough to be saved.”
If that’s what you’re thinking, then I say to you that you are on the right track. You can never, ever, be good enough to be saved. There is no amount of good deeds that can possibly earn salvation. In fact the Bible declares that there is “no one righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve gone to church, how many religious deeds you have done, how good a worker you are, how good a parent you’ve been or how much money you’ve donated to charity. You can do absolutely nothing to save yourself.
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Eph. 2:4-5). Friend, the only way to be saved is on the basis of God’s grace, which we receive through faith. Come to Jesus today – He’s the only Way to heaven.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Daily Devotions for 2008
This past year I had the opportunity to contribute eight writings in the Illinois Good News Daily Devotion Guide. It was a wonderful opportunity to participate in a work I pray will encourage and strengthen your faith. I want to thank Ed and Donna Handkins for their diligence in compiling this book and allowing this pastor to contribute.
These devotions are now available online at http://www.goodnewsddg.com/. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the book, you may do so at www.lulu.com/edhandkins7.
It's my hope that God will stir your heart to a greater desire to know Him through His word and through the experience of obedience in 2008.
These devotions are now available online at http://www.goodnewsddg.com/. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the book, you may do so at www.lulu.com/edhandkins7.
It's my hope that God will stir your heart to a greater desire to know Him through His word and through the experience of obedience in 2008.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
New Year's Revolution
I want to be part of a New Year’s Revolution. Resolutions come and go too easily. Even though they’re made they’re seldom kept for more than a few weeks, or maybe only days. If I had a dime for every good intention I’ve had that never amounted to anything, I could almost afford to fill up my car with gas. I really don’t need to make any more resolutions. I need a revolution.
I want to be a part of a spiritual revolution – a movement of God’s church being the body of Christ in spirit and in action. Not just for a season, but for a lifetime. I want to be a part of the next great spiritual awakening in our land.
I want to see God’s Spirit working in the lives of unbelievers to convict them of sin and to convince them of their need for a Savior. I want to see people from all walks of life, from all sorts of checkered pasts and troubled homes find the sweet forgiveness that Christ Jesus offers. I want to see hard-hearted old men and bitter old women find freedom from sin’s bondage. I want to see single moms who struggle to make ends meet discover that God is a gracious provider. I want to see the affluent couple who thinks they have it all realize that the riches of God’s grace in Christ Jesus far surpass the wealth of this world. I want to see the coolest kid on campus get saved and become a fool for the sake of Christ. I want to see the outcast and the nobodies and the lonely and the hurting experience the security of belonging to the family of God. I want to see the girl who for all of her life has been told how ugly and unwanted she is to know that Jesus cares for her and loves her with an unconditional, unfailing love, a love that He demonstrated for her when He died on the cross for her sins.
I want to be a part of a revolution in 2008.
I want to see the Holy Spirit raise up stagnate Christians from their slumber and fill them up with a fresh fire for the Kingdom of God. I want to see the church of Christ being transformed daily into more and more of the image of the Savior. I want to see her growing in the Word of God, being strengthened in the fellowship and unity of the Spirit, and striving toward obedience to the commands of God. I want to see the church caring unselfishly for the needs of one another. I want to see the church giving generously to the work of advancing the gospel. I want to see God’s people using their spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ so that Jesus may be glorified in her in every way.
I want to see her get sick of being lukewarm. I want to see her truly repent from her apathy and indifference toward her calling. I want to see her get serious about taking the message of the gospel unashamedly into her community. I want to see the light of Christ shine so brilliantly and unmistakably through her that everyone even to the uttermost parts of the world will see the glory of Jesus in her.
I want her to start loving the things that please the Father and hating the things that He hates. I want her to take a stand for righteousness and truth in a culture awash in immorality and godlessness. I want her to be bold in the power of the Holy Spirit and proclaim the truth of the gospel no matter what the risks or consequences may be. I want her to quit worrying about what people think and start caring about what God thinks.
I want to see the church calling passionately and purposefully upon the name of the Lord in 2008. I want to see her on her knees in prayer for the lost. I want to see her pleading daily with God to send out more workers into His harvest fields. I want to see her interceding continually for missionaries both at home and overseas. I want to see her praying for her pastors, Sunday School teachers and other leaders who have been entrusted with great responsibilities in the work of the gospel.
I want to see her standing in the gap for the oppressed, the underprivileged and the unborn. I want to see her ministering in the name of Christ to those who need the touch of the Master’s hand. I want to see her loving like Jesus in word and deed, action and truth. I want to see her laying down her life for her friends. I want to see her demonstrate the mercy and compassion and grace and forgiveness of Christ to the least of these. I want to be part of a revolution in 2008.
Lord, let it begin in Ridgway, IL. Glorify Your name, O Lord, and may Your Kingdom come and Your will be done here in our very midst.
Do you want to be a part of it? Come on!
I want to be a part of a spiritual revolution – a movement of God’s church being the body of Christ in spirit and in action. Not just for a season, but for a lifetime. I want to be a part of the next great spiritual awakening in our land.
I want to see God’s Spirit working in the lives of unbelievers to convict them of sin and to convince them of their need for a Savior. I want to see people from all walks of life, from all sorts of checkered pasts and troubled homes find the sweet forgiveness that Christ Jesus offers. I want to see hard-hearted old men and bitter old women find freedom from sin’s bondage. I want to see single moms who struggle to make ends meet discover that God is a gracious provider. I want to see the affluent couple who thinks they have it all realize that the riches of God’s grace in Christ Jesus far surpass the wealth of this world. I want to see the coolest kid on campus get saved and become a fool for the sake of Christ. I want to see the outcast and the nobodies and the lonely and the hurting experience the security of belonging to the family of God. I want to see the girl who for all of her life has been told how ugly and unwanted she is to know that Jesus cares for her and loves her with an unconditional, unfailing love, a love that He demonstrated for her when He died on the cross for her sins.
I want to be a part of a revolution in 2008.
I want to see the Holy Spirit raise up stagnate Christians from their slumber and fill them up with a fresh fire for the Kingdom of God. I want to see the church of Christ being transformed daily into more and more of the image of the Savior. I want to see her growing in the Word of God, being strengthened in the fellowship and unity of the Spirit, and striving toward obedience to the commands of God. I want to see the church caring unselfishly for the needs of one another. I want to see the church giving generously to the work of advancing the gospel. I want to see God’s people using their spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ so that Jesus may be glorified in her in every way.
I want to see her get sick of being lukewarm. I want to see her truly repent from her apathy and indifference toward her calling. I want to see her get serious about taking the message of the gospel unashamedly into her community. I want to see the light of Christ shine so brilliantly and unmistakably through her that everyone even to the uttermost parts of the world will see the glory of Jesus in her.
I want her to start loving the things that please the Father and hating the things that He hates. I want her to take a stand for righteousness and truth in a culture awash in immorality and godlessness. I want her to be bold in the power of the Holy Spirit and proclaim the truth of the gospel no matter what the risks or consequences may be. I want her to quit worrying about what people think and start caring about what God thinks.
I want to see the church calling passionately and purposefully upon the name of the Lord in 2008. I want to see her on her knees in prayer for the lost. I want to see her pleading daily with God to send out more workers into His harvest fields. I want to see her interceding continually for missionaries both at home and overseas. I want to see her praying for her pastors, Sunday School teachers and other leaders who have been entrusted with great responsibilities in the work of the gospel.
I want to see her standing in the gap for the oppressed, the underprivileged and the unborn. I want to see her ministering in the name of Christ to those who need the touch of the Master’s hand. I want to see her loving like Jesus in word and deed, action and truth. I want to see her laying down her life for her friends. I want to see her demonstrate the mercy and compassion and grace and forgiveness of Christ to the least of these. I want to be part of a revolution in 2008.
Lord, let it begin in Ridgway, IL. Glorify Your name, O Lord, and may Your Kingdom come and Your will be done here in our very midst.
Do you want to be a part of it? Come on!
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Sense of Adventure
“Where’s your sense of adventure?” After three smacks on the snooze button, a reluctant climb out of bed, a shaving nick on my chin and an extra-long soaking in the shower one recent morning, my wife had the nerve to ask me, “Where’s your sense of adventure?” This was after we had stayed up well past normal sleeping hours wrapping Christmas gifts, writing notes, copying tapes of the church Christmas services, doing dishes and folding laundry. I wasn’t really up for much more adventure.
We’d already wrestled with the boys to get them to sleep which was challenging enough because Tyler’s Sunday School teacher sugared him up at a Christmas party before bringing him home, and Toby was still on a cookie high from the night before at a church fellowship. The goal of finishing our Christmas cards and cleaning house would not be fully accomplished this night. I’d had all the adventure I could take!
Maybe I’m getting old. The adventure of late night movie dates and going out or staying up with each other into the wee hours of the morning just don’t happen as often anymore as they did in the B.C. years (Before Children). Even pulling the occasional all-nighter in seminary seems distant past adventure. And when was the last time I went up on the mountainside and spent the night praying to God?
Yeah, she asked a pretty good question, “Where’s your sense of adventure?” Maybe it’s not in the context of household chores and gift-wrapping, but I don’t ever want to lose the sense of adventure in this life!
Living the Christian faith according to the Word of God is the most challenging and thrilling adventure anyone could ever embark upon. When you’re abiding in the Lord Jesus and growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ, and He’s revealing more of Himself, more of His heart, more of His will – there’s nothing more satisfying and sweet! When you’re bowing down in worship, yielding your life in obedience as a living sacrifice and communing with the Almighty Maker of the heavens and the earth in purposeful, passionate prayer – you’re never more fully alive. When His Word becomes the lamp unto your feet and the light unto your path, and when the Holy Spirit of God fills you and teaches you and guides you on the way – you’re never more at peace or so full of joy.
If you think the Bible is boring or the Christian life is dull, then you’re missing out on the adventure of a lifetime.
The Bible tells of adventure from the words “God created in Genesis 1:1 to the promise of Christ’s soon return in Revelation 22. Just look at what adventurous lives the heroes of the faith led! Look at Noah, who sailed on a high seas adventure for over a year riding out the greatest storm in history. Look at Abraham, who left his home when God called him to go to a land He would later give to his descendents, promising to make him into a great nation and blessing all the peoples on earth through him. Look at Moses, whose young life led him in a papyrus basket down the banks of the Nile and who later stretched out his hand over the Red Sea as God parted the waters to save the His people. Every story reverberates with action and adventure, drama and tragedy, revelation and salvation as God makes Himself known to those who open their hearts to receive Him.
One of the greatest accounts of adventure in the Christmas narratives involves some unnamed “Magi” from the east who came searching for the newborn King. Somehow God revealed the truth of His Son to them and gave them a burning desire to follow the star in order to find the baby Jesus. Just try using your holy imagination to recreate the scene in which these wise men decided this journey was one they knew they had to make. “Dude, where are we going?” “I don’t know – just follow that star!” Just imagine the stories they told when they came home. There’s the encounter with Herod in Jerusalem, the dream warning them to return by another route, and then, there’s the object and delight of their adventure – the child, Jesus, whom they came to worship. The Bible says they were “overjoyed” when God led them to Jesus, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with the best gifts they had to offer.
Where’s your sense of adventure? Follow the star that leads to Jesus and bow down to worship Him as Savior and Lord. Then give Him your life in faith and obedience, and you’ll be living the most thrilling adventure known to man.
We’d already wrestled with the boys to get them to sleep which was challenging enough because Tyler’s Sunday School teacher sugared him up at a Christmas party before bringing him home, and Toby was still on a cookie high from the night before at a church fellowship. The goal of finishing our Christmas cards and cleaning house would not be fully accomplished this night. I’d had all the adventure I could take!
Maybe I’m getting old. The adventure of late night movie dates and going out or staying up with each other into the wee hours of the morning just don’t happen as often anymore as they did in the B.C. years (Before Children). Even pulling the occasional all-nighter in seminary seems distant past adventure. And when was the last time I went up on the mountainside and spent the night praying to God?
Yeah, she asked a pretty good question, “Where’s your sense of adventure?” Maybe it’s not in the context of household chores and gift-wrapping, but I don’t ever want to lose the sense of adventure in this life!
Living the Christian faith according to the Word of God is the most challenging and thrilling adventure anyone could ever embark upon. When you’re abiding in the Lord Jesus and growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ, and He’s revealing more of Himself, more of His heart, more of His will – there’s nothing more satisfying and sweet! When you’re bowing down in worship, yielding your life in obedience as a living sacrifice and communing with the Almighty Maker of the heavens and the earth in purposeful, passionate prayer – you’re never more fully alive. When His Word becomes the lamp unto your feet and the light unto your path, and when the Holy Spirit of God fills you and teaches you and guides you on the way – you’re never more at peace or so full of joy.
If you think the Bible is boring or the Christian life is dull, then you’re missing out on the adventure of a lifetime.
The Bible tells of adventure from the words “God created in Genesis 1:1 to the promise of Christ’s soon return in Revelation 22. Just look at what adventurous lives the heroes of the faith led! Look at Noah, who sailed on a high seas adventure for over a year riding out the greatest storm in history. Look at Abraham, who left his home when God called him to go to a land He would later give to his descendents, promising to make him into a great nation and blessing all the peoples on earth through him. Look at Moses, whose young life led him in a papyrus basket down the banks of the Nile and who later stretched out his hand over the Red Sea as God parted the waters to save the His people. Every story reverberates with action and adventure, drama and tragedy, revelation and salvation as God makes Himself known to those who open their hearts to receive Him.
One of the greatest accounts of adventure in the Christmas narratives involves some unnamed “Magi” from the east who came searching for the newborn King. Somehow God revealed the truth of His Son to them and gave them a burning desire to follow the star in order to find the baby Jesus. Just try using your holy imagination to recreate the scene in which these wise men decided this journey was one they knew they had to make. “Dude, where are we going?” “I don’t know – just follow that star!” Just imagine the stories they told when they came home. There’s the encounter with Herod in Jerusalem, the dream warning them to return by another route, and then, there’s the object and delight of their adventure – the child, Jesus, whom they came to worship. The Bible says they were “overjoyed” when God led them to Jesus, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with the best gifts they had to offer.
Where’s your sense of adventure? Follow the star that leads to Jesus and bow down to worship Him as Savior and Lord. Then give Him your life in faith and obedience, and you’ll be living the most thrilling adventure known to man.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Gabriel and Mary
“Mary, you have a valid question there, young lady,” smiled the angel Gabriel. “Naturally, since you are a virgin this would seem a very impossible thing. Indeed, how on earth could you possibly be expecting a child now – and the Son of the Most High, at that!
“Oh, Mary, if only you knew the overwhelming measure of God’s grace and unending love toward you! If you only knew the indescribable power of His very presence with you! You, my dear Mary, have found favor with God! You have been uniquely chosen as the recipient of the sweetest of heaven’s joys, the richest of delights, the greatest of honors among women!
“Mary, God is fulfilling His plan for the salvation of mankind – and He’s giving you a special role. The time has come for the Messiah to reign upon the throne of David, and over the house of Jacob forever, with His kingdom which will never end. This is the moment all Israel has been waiting for! As the Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah long ago: ‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing it and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.’
“Your Deliverer is coming to your rescue! Your Savior comes bringing the hope of salvation! Do you see it, Mary? You will call Him Immanuel – God with us – Jesus!
“‘Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.’
“So, uh-hum, back to your question at hand. I guess I was getting a little excited there. Here’s what’s going to happen. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.
“And I have some more good news for you, Mary. Even Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a child in her old age! No one ever thought Elizabeth and Zechariah would have a child. You know how old they are – Elizabeth is well past child-bearing years. Yet, God has answered Zechariah’s prayer, and Elizabeth is already in her sixth month, expecting a boy!
“I want to tell you something, Mary. You may not understand it all, and I can’t even explain the mechanics well. But I do know this, and I don’t want you to ever forget or ever doubt this one thing: Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing! What He wants to do, He will do. What’s impossible with man is possible with God. He is the Sovereign Lord who made the heavens and the earth by His great power and outstretched arm. He is the One who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. He is the One who parted the Red Sea to rescue His people and rained manna down from heaven to feed them. He is the One who delivered Daniel from the mouth of the lions and walked in the fire to save the three Hebrew boys. Nothing is too difficult for God. What God is doing in you is nothing short of amazing, spectacular and miraculous. But nothing is impossible with God. Nothing!”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary replied with the kind of humble faith and willing obedience that comes from a heart joyfully delighting in the grace of God. “May it be done to me according to your word.”
May the joy of Christmas be yours as you worship the Savior, Christ Jesus – the One for whom nothing is impossible.
“Oh, Mary, if only you knew the overwhelming measure of God’s grace and unending love toward you! If you only knew the indescribable power of His very presence with you! You, my dear Mary, have found favor with God! You have been uniquely chosen as the recipient of the sweetest of heaven’s joys, the richest of delights, the greatest of honors among women!
“Mary, God is fulfilling His plan for the salvation of mankind – and He’s giving you a special role. The time has come for the Messiah to reign upon the throne of David, and over the house of Jacob forever, with His kingdom which will never end. This is the moment all Israel has been waiting for! As the Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah long ago: ‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing it and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.’
“Your Deliverer is coming to your rescue! Your Savior comes bringing the hope of salvation! Do you see it, Mary? You will call Him Immanuel – God with us – Jesus!
“‘Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.’
“So, uh-hum, back to your question at hand. I guess I was getting a little excited there. Here’s what’s going to happen. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.
“And I have some more good news for you, Mary. Even Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a child in her old age! No one ever thought Elizabeth and Zechariah would have a child. You know how old they are – Elizabeth is well past child-bearing years. Yet, God has answered Zechariah’s prayer, and Elizabeth is already in her sixth month, expecting a boy!
“I want to tell you something, Mary. You may not understand it all, and I can’t even explain the mechanics well. But I do know this, and I don’t want you to ever forget or ever doubt this one thing: Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing! What He wants to do, He will do. What’s impossible with man is possible with God. He is the Sovereign Lord who made the heavens and the earth by His great power and outstretched arm. He is the One who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. He is the One who parted the Red Sea to rescue His people and rained manna down from heaven to feed them. He is the One who delivered Daniel from the mouth of the lions and walked in the fire to save the three Hebrew boys. Nothing is too difficult for God. What God is doing in you is nothing short of amazing, spectacular and miraculous. But nothing is impossible with God. Nothing!”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary replied with the kind of humble faith and willing obedience that comes from a heart joyfully delighting in the grace of God. “May it be done to me according to your word.”
May the joy of Christmas be yours as you worship the Savior, Christ Jesus – the One for whom nothing is impossible.
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