Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." When we surrender our lives to God's control He guides us in conduct and thought. The Christian walk is not the avoidance of sin but the active doing of good. When we are doing good we will not be sinning. There is no neutral position.
One of the things God emphatically showed me during my trip to Australia was the need to have my family established. To do that I personally must be established by Christ upon His Word and walk in accordance to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. It is God's work, but I must be willing to allow God to work in me before He can work through me. For a ministry to be successful in your home country or the foreign mission field, the family structure must not only be intact, but established.
Before I left for OZ, a large potted tree at Calvary Chapel El Cajon tipped over. The pot stayed firm to the ground but the tree fell over, lifting the muddy root ball out of the pot. Because there was a lot of dirt in the roots it did not immediately go into shock and it was decided we would attempt to transplant the tree. One of the brothers remarked that the tree was possibly a picture of me and my family, being transplanted from one location to another. The tree lives to this day and has fresh green leaves, though it hasn't grown much new wood.
It occurred to me that when a tree is transplanted, it will droop a little bit and go into shock. You would not expect a transplanted tree to instantly start producing fruit or growing new boughs. It should be expected that leaves would fall, a few branches would die and need to be pruned, and it would need to be staked to keep winds from knocking it over. It is a similar picture to a family moving to minister in a foreign country. It would be unrealistic to expect immediate fruit from such a venture, and there would need to be a support system in place to enable the tree to stand firm.
I am so blessed to have a supportive home church and care team with loving people who are enthusiastic in their prayers and encouragemnent. This support system will be crucial in America but also in Australia. It is the LORD who will establish us. Life is more than food, clothing, and houses: life is found only in Jesus Christ. Without Him providing the life, all I could provide is religion powered by the flesh. Less than one horsepower won't move you fast or far, and a work of the flesh is abominable in God's sight - as if we could do HIS work on our own!
Remember to commit your works to the LORD and your thoughts will be established. Should cares and worry crowd out praise and worship of our Savior? The church in Australia is largely like that fallen tree still in the pot. It is not standing upright and is not established wholly upon the Word of God. The condition of the church is Christ's responsibility and every Christian has a work to do in the church to edify, exhort, and strengthen that Body with the strength every joint supplies. Do you realize God has a great work for you to do? This work will take many forms. Stay faithful and be content where you are. Right where God has you is the place He will receive the most glory. It is not reserved for some distant place or some other season or time: it is right now because today is the day of salvation.
16 December 2009
14 December 2009
Father Appreciation
This Sunday I caught some of the Broncos/Colts football game. The game was played in Indianapolis and the dome stadium was packed with fans wearing blue and white. In a losing effort, Brandon Marshall had a record-setting game during which he caught 21 passes and scored two touchdowns. After his first touchdown, Brandon gave the touchdown ball to a Bronco fan in the stands wearing a bright orange #15 Marshall jersey. It was moving to see the appreciation of the woman who received the prize ball, clearly overcome with emotion. I am no Bronco fan but I thought it was a classy and gracious thing to do.
The thought struck me: see how excited people can be over a piece of inflated leather with letters stamped on it. Am I as outwardly thankful and appreciative as the fan who received the touchdown ball with the gifts my Heavenly Father has given to me? Am I overcome with emotion as I consider eternal salvation, joy, love, and forgiveness freely given by my flawless Savior to a flawed man like me? That football will catch fire when a flame is put to it. It can be lost, stolen, deflated, cut, cracked, scuffed, and scratched. But what our great God and Savior has given us by His grace cannot be compared with a football.
Brandon Marshall singled out a fan wearing his team jersey, but Jesus singled me out and offered me the gift of salvation when I was an enemy of His. God does not want fans but friends. He wants people who receive His gifts as a little child on Christmas or like a grown woman on the sidelines whose dream of somehow owning a Brandon Marshall touchdown ball has just come true. My appreciation of God ought to be great and obvious to all. I ought to be moved with emotion when I consider what my Savior has done for me, and God forgive these often dry eyes!
The word "appreciation" is interesting because it speaks not only of gratitude and thankfulness. It also entails the "act of estimating the quality and value of things." Another meaning of appreciation is "an increase in the value of something." Is your appreciation of God appreciating? May we value the love, grace, and mercy of God and appreciate who God is and the wonderful things He has done.
The thought struck me: see how excited people can be over a piece of inflated leather with letters stamped on it. Am I as outwardly thankful and appreciative as the fan who received the touchdown ball with the gifts my Heavenly Father has given to me? Am I overcome with emotion as I consider eternal salvation, joy, love, and forgiveness freely given by my flawless Savior to a flawed man like me? That football will catch fire when a flame is put to it. It can be lost, stolen, deflated, cut, cracked, scuffed, and scratched. But what our great God and Savior has given us by His grace cannot be compared with a football.
Brandon Marshall singled out a fan wearing his team jersey, but Jesus singled me out and offered me the gift of salvation when I was an enemy of His. God does not want fans but friends. He wants people who receive His gifts as a little child on Christmas or like a grown woman on the sidelines whose dream of somehow owning a Brandon Marshall touchdown ball has just come true. My appreciation of God ought to be great and obvious to all. I ought to be moved with emotion when I consider what my Savior has done for me, and God forgive these often dry eyes!
The word "appreciation" is interesting because it speaks not only of gratitude and thankfulness. It also entails the "act of estimating the quality and value of things." Another meaning of appreciation is "an increase in the value of something." Is your appreciation of God appreciating? May we value the love, grace, and mercy of God and appreciate who God is and the wonderful things He has done.
12 December 2009
To be Constrained
I went out this evening to a neighborhood church to hear a man who has been faithful for many years in God's service, Bill Wilson. He has been in full-time ministry for 42 years, 30 of which in a rough area in New York city. He runs the largest Sunday School in the world and is still going strong. With 160 full-time staff and many volunteers, his ministry not only buses in thousands of children every week to Sunday School, but visits the 22,000 kids who attend Metro Ministries every week outside of church. This post really isn't about Bill at all but something that he said.
He preached out of 2 Cor. 5:14 tonight: "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead..." Most of the message centered out of the word "constraineth," which has three meanings of equal relevance and strength: 1) to be forced to do something, 2) to be kept away from something, 3) and to be kept in something. Unlike words which predominately mean one thing, all three of these definitions apply with equality.
It is the love of Christ that constrains us to do good, for He has paid a debt for us that He did not owe and we could not pay. Now our lives are to be lived for Him, seeing as we will eternally owe Christ for what He has done for us. Because of Christ's love, He was constrained to obey His Father and go to the cross, willingly laying down His life for ours. His great love forced Him to do what willpower alone could not. Because of Christ's love He kept Himself from sin. He did not seek to do evil and never entertained wicked thoughts. As a husband remains pure for his bride, so Christ kept Himself pure from all evil. Finally, Jesus remained in His love. It did not ebb and flow on the tides of emotion or based upon the merits of people. He was constrained to remain faithful, righteous, just, gracious, merciful, forgiving, and true.
Scripture is clear that the life of a Christian should stand in stark contrast to those in the world who have not the Spirit of the Living God within them. If anyone should ask you why you forgive when wronged, it ought to be the love of Christ that constrains you. The love of Christ keeps us from seeking after sin. It is the love of Jesus that forces us to do what is right with His gentle still small voice, for we have been given all things according to His grace and mercy. Does God "force" us to do anything? No: but He constrains us. How could we with a clear conscience refuse to forgive when Christ has forgiven us? How can we withhold good from whom it is due when we have been unjustly saved by the sacrifice of God's only Son for us wretched sinners? If guilt or church peer-pressure constrains you, then perhaps you don't know Jesus at all as you should. We abide in Christ because of His love for us. It is Christ's love that constrains us. Do you know that kind of love? You can - only through Jesus!
He preached out of 2 Cor. 5:14 tonight: "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead..." Most of the message centered out of the word "constraineth," which has three meanings of equal relevance and strength: 1) to be forced to do something, 2) to be kept away from something, 3) and to be kept in something. Unlike words which predominately mean one thing, all three of these definitions apply with equality.
It is the love of Christ that constrains us to do good, for He has paid a debt for us that He did not owe and we could not pay. Now our lives are to be lived for Him, seeing as we will eternally owe Christ for what He has done for us. Because of Christ's love, He was constrained to obey His Father and go to the cross, willingly laying down His life for ours. His great love forced Him to do what willpower alone could not. Because of Christ's love He kept Himself from sin. He did not seek to do evil and never entertained wicked thoughts. As a husband remains pure for his bride, so Christ kept Himself pure from all evil. Finally, Jesus remained in His love. It did not ebb and flow on the tides of emotion or based upon the merits of people. He was constrained to remain faithful, righteous, just, gracious, merciful, forgiving, and true.
Scripture is clear that the life of a Christian should stand in stark contrast to those in the world who have not the Spirit of the Living God within them. If anyone should ask you why you forgive when wronged, it ought to be the love of Christ that constrains you. The love of Christ keeps us from seeking after sin. It is the love of Jesus that forces us to do what is right with His gentle still small voice, for we have been given all things according to His grace and mercy. Does God "force" us to do anything? No: but He constrains us. How could we with a clear conscience refuse to forgive when Christ has forgiven us? How can we withhold good from whom it is due when we have been unjustly saved by the sacrifice of God's only Son for us wretched sinners? If guilt or church peer-pressure constrains you, then perhaps you don't know Jesus at all as you should. We abide in Christ because of His love for us. It is Christ's love that constrains us. Do you know that kind of love? You can - only through Jesus!
11 December 2009
The First Noel
The old saying goes, "You learn something new every day." I suppose there is the potential that you could learn something new on a daily basis, but it is likely we learn many new things every day. Yesterday the song "The First Noel" was stuck in my head and I wondered: what does Noel mean? I looked it up and found out that "Noel" means "Christmas." Maybe you didn't know that either. Now there's one new thing you've learned today. Congradulations!
There's a part in the song which speaks about the wise men bringing gifts and says they "offered there in His presence their gold and myrrh and frankincense." A thought sprung to my mind as I sang: if I had gold, would I give it to Jesus? Would I travel far to give what is precious to me? Jesus never asked for gold. Seated now at the right hand of the Father Jesus has no physical needs or financial shortfalls. He says in His Word, "If you love me, keep my commandments." Jesus desires that all people would trust in Him and obey His Word. If we obey Him it is evidence that we love Him. It is written in 1 John 2:5: "But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him."
In a day when preaching of grace seems to trump obedience (though they are not in contrast or conflict with one another), let us not neglect to do good and give. We are justified by grace through faith, but this is not where the road of sanctification ends: it is the beginning of new life! It is by God's grace that we can be obedient to God's Word, having long been alienated from God by our sin. Now that we have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus we have peace with God and can follow Christ in obedience. We have been created by God unto good works, that people may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven. We do not do good to receive recognition or accolades from men or even God, but joyfully out of the perfect love God has placed in our hearts.
May this Noel be a continuation of the First Noel. May we give ourselves fully to our Savior. It is not gold or precious spices that He desires: it is me and you and all who have been created in the image of God. Let us give ourselves, for there is nothing else only we can give.
There's a part in the song which speaks about the wise men bringing gifts and says they "offered there in His presence their gold and myrrh and frankincense." A thought sprung to my mind as I sang: if I had gold, would I give it to Jesus? Would I travel far to give what is precious to me? Jesus never asked for gold. Seated now at the right hand of the Father Jesus has no physical needs or financial shortfalls. He says in His Word, "If you love me, keep my commandments." Jesus desires that all people would trust in Him and obey His Word. If we obey Him it is evidence that we love Him. It is written in 1 John 2:5: "But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him."
In a day when preaching of grace seems to trump obedience (though they are not in contrast or conflict with one another), let us not neglect to do good and give. We are justified by grace through faith, but this is not where the road of sanctification ends: it is the beginning of new life! It is by God's grace that we can be obedient to God's Word, having long been alienated from God by our sin. Now that we have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus we have peace with God and can follow Christ in obedience. We have been created by God unto good works, that people may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven. We do not do good to receive recognition or accolades from men or even God, but joyfully out of the perfect love God has placed in our hearts.
May this Noel be a continuation of the First Noel. May we give ourselves fully to our Savior. It is not gold or precious spices that He desires: it is me and you and all who have been created in the image of God. Let us give ourselves, for there is nothing else only we can give.
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