Accepted in the Beloved

"Then Job answered the Lord and said: [2] "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. [3] You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?'  Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. [4] Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, 'I will question you, and you shall answer Me.' [5] "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. [6] Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

Job 42:1-6

 

Once a man sees God in truth, his condition becomes a brutal reality.  Job justified himself until God spoke.  When God began to speak, Job had nothing to say.  And after Job heard God and saw Him in His majestic glory, he humbled himself:  "Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."  It was only after Isaiah saw the LORD high and lifted up that he said, "Woe is me!  I am undone, a man of unclean lips among a people of unclean lips!"  God's purity and holiness shine with such radiance that our greatest works in contrast are as greasy soot smeared upon the whitest linen.  Though Job was wrong for justifying Himself, God accepted Job as His servant because he repented.  Verses 8 and 9 of this chapter emphasize the fact that God had accepted Job.  It was not by works Job had done, but according to God's mercy he was restored and accepted.  This is God's grace preserved forever in history, and the promise of His grace extends for eternity to all who will repent and trust in Him.

 

I read a disturbing article the other day.  The author presented many different "philosophical" problems concerning the existence of hell, a place where God's wrath is poured out in eternal fury upon those who practice sin.  In short, the author did not see sin as sinful.  God's wrath only seems excessive to those who see sin as very small and insignificant.  There is no greater evil than sin, for it was for sin that Christ died!  To atone for a single eternity-damning sin the precious blood of Christ was shed once for all.  There is no forgiveness without repentance, and there is no repentance without conviction, and there is no conviction without the commandment as the last part of Romans 7:13 says: "...so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful."

 

The Holy Spirit was sent by God to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.  Though we live in an age of the Gospel of grace, grace has not trumped the necessity of repentance.  God has always been gracious and we are deceived to think we outgrow repentance with age.  It was Jesus who taught His disciples this doctrine after His resurrection.  Luke 24:46-47 reads:  "Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, [47] and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."  If sin was not sinful, the righteous Messiah would not have suffered and died at the hands of man.  The crucifixion is a tangible scene of the horror and death sin breeds without atonement in a soul.

People have always longed for acceptance.  When Cain's offering was rejected and Abel's accepted by God, Cain was upset.  Genesis 4:7 reveals God's perspective:  "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."  Like Cain, we have all sinned.  We have not done well, and for this we have been denied heaven and a relationship with God.  Yet wonder of wonders! God has extended His grace and acceptance to all through Jesus Christ.  Though we were sinners, Christ died for us!  Ephesians 1:3-6 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, [4] just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, [5] having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, [6] to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved."  Though we are feeble and flawed, according to God's will those who are born again through the Holy Spirit by grace through faith are accepted in the Beloved.  We have been accepted in Christ:  us in Him, and He in us.   

May sin be more and more sinful in our eyes as we follow Christ in faith.  Instead of trampling His sacrifice and favor under our feet, let us be examples of holiness, humility, and meekness.  Acceptance is often gained in human circles through conformity, but with God it is not so:  the only way to acceptance with God is transformation!  Repentance paves the way for becoming born again, and only those who are born again will see the kingdom of God.  To be eternally accepted by our Creator is not just a dream, but both a daily and eternal reality to all who humble themselves and trust in Him.

The Tree Story

There is an interesting story behind this tree growing behind our church building.  Near the walls of the structure of Calvary Chapel El Cajon there are many potted trees, and this used to be one of them.  It was over a year ago when this particular tree fell over in the pot due to saturation from rain.  The concrete pot remained firm on the ground, but the weight of the tree caused it to tip.  For about a week it lay horizontal, the root-ball partially exposed.

The falling of the tree coincided with my very first trip to Australia in April of 2009.  Since the tree didn't die immediately, the church staff figured we would try to save the tree.  The assistant pastor and I began a morning hacking the tree from the pot.  At most we were able to salvage half of the root system.  We dug a hole, planted the tree, lashed it to the fence, and waited to see if our efforts would be rewarded.  We had concluded an early morning prayer meeting when a brother in Christ remarked how this was similar to the transplant which God would do with me and my family.  He said something like, "We'll keep an eye on that tree," as if it was an indication of whether this transplanting of our family in the spiritually barren land of Australia could happen.  The tree went into shock, almost all the leaves fell off, and it seemed doubtful the tree could even take root in that barren soil.  I cut off all the dead wood and kept on watering and feeding.  Nearly every day I would go out and soak the tree before starting work in the church office.  I wondered if that tree would ever grow.

I resigned from my paid position as youth pastor in September '09, and I didn't give the tree any thought.  I went to Australia for two months immediately thereafter, and went again with Laura for two weeks this March.  Today when I went into church early with the ushering team, one of my Christian brothers came up at random and said, "Have you seen that tree you transplanted outside?  It's really going off - it's almost too big for the spot it is planted in."  My mind went back instantly to what the man of prayer to God had said.  I went outside and looked at the tree and took the above picture.  There was no dead wood, no bare spots.  The tree appeared healthy and flourishing.  I smiled as I thought about the implications, the LORD speaking encouragement to my heart:  "If I can make a tree grow in soil like this, can't I make you take root and flourish where I plant you?"

At the time I thought my friend could have read a little far into the tree being transplanted, comparing the tree to me and my family.  Today before the service (without my foreknowledge) it was announced that I would be soon moving to Australia with my family to minister at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  No matter what the future holds we serve a God who will supply us with exactly the strength and fortitude we need to glorify Him.  A story from the book His Part and Ours illustrates the point well:

Divine grace is infinite and exhaustless, but it is never dispensed superfluously.  We must not expect that grace will be given for the doing of the needless.  There are some Christians who stir up needless opposition to themselves and then think they are the Lord's special heroes because they have to suffer.  We should guard against this.  Grace is only promised for real need.  God does not give grace for the spectacular heroism of public martyrdom to one who is called to keep an office ledger.  He gives grace to that one to keep patient and gracious amid the tediousness of the office routine.  Somebody once asked D.L. Moody, "Have you grace enough to be burned at the stake?"  Mr. Moody replied, "No."  The questioner pressed him further, "Do you not wish you had?"  "No," replied Moody again, "for I do not need it.  What I need just now is grace to live in Milwaukee three days and hold a mission."  (J. Sidlow Baxter, pg. 15)

God knows how to make trees grow, for He created and designed them to do just that.  He knows they need sunlight, water, and nutrients.  God also understands  what a family needs to grow, what marriages need, what children need to thrive, what a church fellowship needs to flourish, and what every person needs individually to mature into fruitful Christians.  I am not able, but God is able!  God knows all things, and I know Him!  As it says in Philip. 4:19, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  We serve a God whom through His power has given us ALL things which pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).  Praise God for His great and precious promises.  May we lay hold of every one with unwavering faith by the grace only He supplies.  Won't you trust Him too?

Exerpt from "His Part and Ours"

We all deal with trying circumstances, and this is no accident.  God allows us to face trials and difficulties which are a means to mold our character and build faith in Him.  In reading "His Part and Ours" by J. Sidlow Baxter I have been very blessed by his clear insight.  Because of the trials I have faced and the certain struggles which lie ahead, here is a part I especially enjoyed: 

"His grace is sufficient for thee!  For thee - not just for this present trial of yours, but for you yourself, making you equal to all the trials that come.  See here the Divine method with us.  God does not pledge Himself to be ever altering our circumstances and removing our burdens in answer to our prayers.  Our truest blessings often come through the things that seem most grievous to us.  If God were always leveling down our circumstances to our spiritual condition we should waste away with spiritual dry-rot.  It would be with us as it was with the old-time Hebrews:  'He gave them their request but sent leanness into their soul.'  Christ's way is to make us equal to our circumstances rather than reduce our circumstances to what we short-sightedly think they ought to be.  Dr. Phillips Brooks has a forceful word to this effect:  'Do not pray for easy lives!  Pray to be stronger men.  Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers.  Pray for powers equal to your tasks.  Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle.  But you shall be a miracle.  Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God.'"

- J. Sidlow Baxter, quoted from "His Part and Ours," pages 16-17

Another step in the journey...

When I first visited Calvary Chapel Sydney in November of 2009, I never for a moment entertained the idea that I would be someday invited to serve as pastor there.  It would have been presumptuous, to say the least.  Most people don't take unemployed youth pastors very seriously!  I had resigned from my position as youth pastor in September to pursue the call of God to preach and pastor in Australia and left for a two-month stint.  Of all the places I visited, Sydney seemed the least likely.  I remember going to bed the first night and praying, "LORD, I'm really not comfortable here.  I don't know why.  The people are hospitable, friendly, and welcoming...I can't explain it."  There was oppression from the start.  But God lifted the dread which lay heavy upon me and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay.

Laura and I took a 10 day trip to Sydney and a few days in Brisbane in March of 2010.  This time I had been encouraged to come from a friend at Calvary Chapel Sydney and was offered an opportunity to preach for two Sunday services.  It seemed to be a great opportunity to introduce Laura to the country and friends I had met previously.  This time we would be formally interviewed for the pastoral vacancy.  Things seemed to go swimmingly, and there would be more potential candidates for consideration.  We were told that a decision would be made by the pastoral search team in a couple months if all went according to plan.

In keeping with how this wonderfully tumultuous process of walking by faith in Christ can be, our family remained without a plan.  I kept on working, Laura and the boys kept on with swim lessons, and spending time with their cousins and friends.  During silent days and weeks, our minds wondered and wandered.  To stay sane I would try to not entertain thoughts of Australia, but to no avail.  Prayers for people and hopes concerning to the pastoral position continually washed over my mind in waves.  Then about a month ago we were told the position would be offered to another and scenarios were laid out how we could possibly serve in a interim basis, but without a concrete plan.  Weeks passed as the prospective pastor considered the decision which lay before him.  The warfare must have been strong because there were days when I would be so close to saying, "That's it!  Take my name out of the running - we can't keep going on without knowing.  We've been YEARS without knowing!"  It was only God who kept us going and continually reminded us of the call and burden to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Australia.

When we were reaching the breaking point, the light of God's faithfulness, love, grace, and compassion shone through.  We received an e-mail:  the prospective pastor respectfully had declined and we were back in the running.  But here again we were left without knowing where we stood.  Our hopes were revived yet again that Sydney may indeed be the place God would open a door to serve Him.  Then we received a real, tangible invitation that made us want to jump up and shout:  "We are very glad to call you and your family to our church and to the position of pastor."  YES, without reservation!  God was in no hurry, and I praise Him for His wisdom in how all was orchestrated according to His plan.  He taught us that we MUST look to Him alone for all things.  If our strength or peace rests in anyone or anything but Him, it is a breeding ground of false hope and spiritual shipwreck.  Man does not learn his lessons easily, and therefore the path God chooses to lead us down will be hard and sometimes miserable.  But when the grace of God breaks through we are as the woman who has screamed through hard, painful labor and childbirth.  Yet when that newborn baby is placed in her arms she manages to smile and caress her living treasure borne out of pain and difficulty, and would choose to endure it all over again for the blessing of this little new life she has been given by God.  Yeah, kind of like that.

I never thought I would be a pastor, but God has seen fit to call me.  My wife and I never thought we would be someday moving our family to Australia to minister for His glory.  Who could have known?  Only God.  I thank God for receiving this unprofitable servant into His family and my heart is filled with joy at the thought of being welcomed into Calvary Chapel Sydney in a pastoral role.  I would say that it's been a long strange trip, but that misses the mark:  it has been a long, amazing walk following Jesus - but I believe it is only the beginning of a new stage of growth and maturity that will bring God glory in ways we never dreamed possible.  With God, all things are possible!