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!
12 December 2009
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.
09 December 2009
The "Waiting Game" isn't a Game
This evening I was blessed to share with those in attendance at Calvary Chapel El Cajon about my recent trip to Australia. The hardest part was trying to compact two months to a manageable size and convey a little of the culture and spiritual make-up of Australia. Towards the end of sharing time I spoke about waiting for God to reveal the next step. For a lot of us, waiting is synonymous with inaction or boredom. If we are waiting in a grocery store line we feel hindered from our purpose of buying items. A line at Disneyland prevents us from enjoying the ride immediately. Whenever Laura and I would take the high school group to Six-Flags Magic Mountain, we would often come up with games to play to pass the time. Most of those games were more annoying than just standing silently for hours!
We often see waiting on the LORD at the same way: annoying and bothersome, our goals and plans remaining incomplete until God moves. This is not what God desires! Like in most instances, we have it all wrong. Waiting upon God does not mean doing nothing. God has given us talents He desires we invest for His glory right here, right now. I am convinced God has called me to Australia yet I do not have a visa to permanently reside there or work. That does not mean that I should be idle until that time! If my Savior should return and I have to settle my debts with Him, what could I say about burying my talent in the ground? My dad always says, "Make hay when the sun shines." When we have opportunity, we should fully use each opportunity for God's glory according to His will. Jesus said it this way in John 9:4: "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work." Waiting isn't a game or an excuse for sloth. We are to be focused on our Savior as He leads the way. Who can say which day will be your last?
Waiting upon the LORD is a privilege. He graciously gives us wisdom, guidance, and strength for the day. Remember, the night is coming when no one can work - those are the words of Jesus. A day was coming when He would no longer walk the earth because of His bodily ascension into heaven. Jesus had a limited time of physical ministry on the earth (though we are empowered by Christ through the Holy Spirit) and the same goes for us. I knew that I had a limited amount of time in Australia because I had a round-trip ticket. We are all born into sin with a one way ticket to hell and we don't know the date or time it must be used. But when we are born again through faith in Christ, Jesus rips up that ticket to hell and grants us a ticket to heaven - again, we don't know the day or the hour when it will be required at our hands.
Whatever you do, do it heartily as unto the LORD. Let us be active in our reliance and waiting upon God. There can be no such thing as a bored Christian. It is not burdensome to wait for Him, for all He does is perfect in His time.
We often see waiting on the LORD at the same way: annoying and bothersome, our goals and plans remaining incomplete until God moves. This is not what God desires! Like in most instances, we have it all wrong. Waiting upon God does not mean doing nothing. God has given us talents He desires we invest for His glory right here, right now. I am convinced God has called me to Australia yet I do not have a visa to permanently reside there or work. That does not mean that I should be idle until that time! If my Savior should return and I have to settle my debts with Him, what could I say about burying my talent in the ground? My dad always says, "Make hay when the sun shines." When we have opportunity, we should fully use each opportunity for God's glory according to His will. Jesus said it this way in John 9:4: "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work." Waiting isn't a game or an excuse for sloth. We are to be focused on our Savior as He leads the way. Who can say which day will be your last?
Waiting upon the LORD is a privilege. He graciously gives us wisdom, guidance, and strength for the day. Remember, the night is coming when no one can work - those are the words of Jesus. A day was coming when He would no longer walk the earth because of His bodily ascension into heaven. Jesus had a limited time of physical ministry on the earth (though we are empowered by Christ through the Holy Spirit) and the same goes for us. I knew that I had a limited amount of time in Australia because I had a round-trip ticket. We are all born into sin with a one way ticket to hell and we don't know the date or time it must be used. But when we are born again through faith in Christ, Jesus rips up that ticket to hell and grants us a ticket to heaven - again, we don't know the day or the hour when it will be required at our hands.
Whatever you do, do it heartily as unto the LORD. Let us be active in our reliance and waiting upon God. There can be no such thing as a bored Christian. It is not burdensome to wait for Him, for all He does is perfect in His time.
07 December 2009
Near Miss?
I do not believe there is such a thing as a near miss with God. From our vantage point things may appear to be close calls, but nothing sneaks past the God of heaven. Have you ever lost your grip on something breakable but caught it before it hit the ground? Perhaps your eyes grew big as you breathed a sight of relief, knowing that irreversible damage would have been done. God's grip never slips. Nothing outsmarts Him, overpowers Him, or catches Him off guard.
Southern California is in the middle of the first winter storm of the season. Rain has been falling lightly but steadily all day, and the wind has been blowing strong from the west. As we sat in the house, above the sound of raindrops there was a sudden crash that seemed to hit the house. Running to see what happened, to my surprise I saw my parent's 90 foot pine tree lying across the back yard. It had been uprooted by the strong winds, and crushed a wooden gate and wheelbarrow flat. The tree wrenched some of the handrail off the balcony and splintered wood on the corner. But that's not even bad news considering what could have happened. God's good whether He allows a tree to hit the house or miss the house completely, but we praised God for His grace and protection.
God allows the rain to fall on the just and unjust, and He allows trees to fall onto houses and next to them! "Absolutely amazing," my dad said with a wide grin. "To fall into an area that size, what a small window. Phenomenal!" We are counting our blessings and thank God for not only protecting the people, but the property. But was this a close call? I think not. That tree laid down exactly where it was supposed to.
In life we face greater disasters than falling trees or rainy weather. The wreckage caused by sin is greater than the heaps of twisted metal on Southern California freeways during a rain storm. Divorce, abuse, violence toward children born and unborn, drunkenness, addictions, hatred, pride, greed, and selfishness have done catastrophic damage. Precious people created in God's image are doomed to hell by their own rebellion and disobedience, ignorant of the price owed for their transgressions. Jesus died for the sins of the world that we might have life through faith in Him. All have sinned. We are not at risk, but await certain destruction apart from God, adding daily to our guilt.
But praise be to God, who has averted the disastrous end that certainly awaits all who have sinned through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Death no longer looms over the heads of Christians because Christ has paid the penalty we owe. We need not try to cheat death or "thank our lucky stars" over near misses because we are free from fear, dread, destruction, and death.
I cannot say it better than Psalm 91:1-7: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. [2] I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust." [3] Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. [4] He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. [5] You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, [6] nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. [7] A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you."
This is the heritage of the saints. God takes no chances with the souls entrusted to Him. Rejoice in your Redeemer and Savior!
Southern California is in the middle of the first winter storm of the season. Rain has been falling lightly but steadily all day, and the wind has been blowing strong from the west. As we sat in the house, above the sound of raindrops there was a sudden crash that seemed to hit the house. Running to see what happened, to my surprise I saw my parent's 90 foot pine tree lying across the back yard. It had been uprooted by the strong winds, and crushed a wooden gate and wheelbarrow flat. The tree wrenched some of the handrail off the balcony and splintered wood on the corner. But that's not even bad news considering what could have happened. God's good whether He allows a tree to hit the house or miss the house completely, but we praised God for His grace and protection.
God allows the rain to fall on the just and unjust, and He allows trees to fall onto houses and next to them! "Absolutely amazing," my dad said with a wide grin. "To fall into an area that size, what a small window. Phenomenal!" We are counting our blessings and thank God for not only protecting the people, but the property. But was this a close call? I think not. That tree laid down exactly where it was supposed to.
In life we face greater disasters than falling trees or rainy weather. The wreckage caused by sin is greater than the heaps of twisted metal on Southern California freeways during a rain storm. Divorce, abuse, violence toward children born and unborn, drunkenness, addictions, hatred, pride, greed, and selfishness have done catastrophic damage. Precious people created in God's image are doomed to hell by their own rebellion and disobedience, ignorant of the price owed for their transgressions. Jesus died for the sins of the world that we might have life through faith in Him. All have sinned. We are not at risk, but await certain destruction apart from God, adding daily to our guilt.
I cannot say it better than Psalm 91:1-7: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. [2] I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust." [3] Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. [4] He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. [5] You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, [6] nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. [7] A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you."
This is the heritage of the saints. God takes no chances with the souls entrusted to Him. Rejoice in your Redeemer and Savior!
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