The Spirit and Preaching

Without the eyes of the Spirit, the preacher cannot see the truth of the Word.

Without the heart of the Spirit, the preacher cannot feel the value of the Word.

Without the passion of the Spirit, the preacher cannot long for the impact of the Word.

Without the wisdom of the Spirit the preacher cannot trace the unity of the Word

Without the guidance of the Spirit the preacher cannot summarize the point of the Word.

Without the Spirit—the Word will not be preached, but only a man’s thoughts, worthless as a mist against a mountain.

But When the Spirit moves, the mountains may be throne into the sea.

Hope for Preaching

Hope for a Biblical message does not lie in rhetorical power, or vocabulary, or theological insight, or dramatic delivery, or brilliant illustration, or effective timing, or clear organization, or pastoral experience, or even empathy and discernment in connecting to the listeners, or in the ethos of internalization and the integrity of personal application.  The only hope for the success of a message is the Spirit of God.  Without the Spirit’s work, even the diamonds of preaching will easily be swept off the porch of our listeners’ minds as accumulating verbal dust or bothersome ideological cobwebs.  Worse, the listeners may be impressed only with the preaching.  But when the Spirit moves, our words of dust convey the light of eternal glory, shining undimmed into darkened souls.   The Spirit alone can reveal the diamond treasure of the glory of Christ. 

So, let us denounce false hope or false despair in looking at our words, and cry out with desperate confidence in the Spirit of God.  

Spirit of God, speak the glory of the Word of Christ to us.

Don't Canonize Your Structure

I love strategizing church ministry structures--deciding the most effective way to apply Biblical principles in our current church situation and cultural context.  However, a danger lurks in this expression of Biblical leadership.  Pastors can sometimes decide that their ministry structure--not the goals, the principles, or the practices mandated by the Bible--but their particular church schedule or emphasis, is as Biblical as the Bible itself.  We canonize our structure. 

Here's how it works:
Teaching is crucial to the people of God. People need to hear more of God's Word.  A church that doesn't provide mutliple teaching contexts a week is being unbiblical. 

Christians of every maturity need to evangelize.  Our teenage Christians need to evangelize.  A church that doesn't prioritize evangelism in their youth ministry structure is unbiblical. 

 Christians need to grow in their study of the Word. Non Christians should not be burdened with deep Biblical studies, they need to focus on the simple gospel.  Allowing non-Christians or young Christians to attend a discipleship meetings undermines transparency and sanctification or burdens unbelievers and is therefore unbiblical.  

Christian singles have extra time and energy to focus on discipleship.  Singles should experience the full life of the church.  A singles ministry that does not provide every aspect of the christian life is unbiblical. 

God created families. The gospel is for every generation.  A Church that creates ministries focused on specific seasons of life is unbiblical. 

Of course the examples could be numerous.  The tricky part is that we might never actually verbalize the italicized conclusion, even to ourselves. But functionally, relationally, we hold that conclusion with a grip that should be reserved for the Bible itself.  For a given church, in a given time in its own history and culture, to structure their ministries in accordance with the italicized accent could just be wise, discerning leadership.  But the leaders must carefully inform their own hearts and their people of the difference between a choice of accent and a Biblical structure.  Such as...

Biblical teaching is crucial for God's people. We've chosen to accent that priority by providing multiple teaching contexts in our church schedule.

Christians of every age need to evangelize. To highlight that truth, we've chosen to accent evangelism in our youth ministry.  

Christians need to grow in their study of the Word. Non-Christians should not be burdened with deep Biblical studies, they need to focus on the simple gospel.  We've chosen to provide ministries that focus on rigorous Bible study, better for mature Christians, and others that focus on the basic truths of the faith, better for non-Christians.

Christian singles have extra time and energy to focus on discipleship.  Singles should experience the fullness of the Christian life.  We've chosen to create a singles ministry that provides many of the aspects of church life with a schedule that conforms to Singles' typical availability.

God created families. The gospel is for every generation.  We've chosen to eliminate age-specific ministries to highlight the value of families worshiping and learning together. 

Of course, a wise pastor will recognize that every ministry structure is a choice to emphasize one accent rather than another.  There may come a day when a different accent may be needed in his church and in order to reach his culture. In that moment, the pastor that differentiated between legitimate accents and canonizing his structure will find it easier to lead his church toward a transition.

It's also important to recognize that some practices do receive priority in the Bible. We should make sure that those practices receive priority in our structure.  But we should be honest with ourselves. All of us have particular burdens and gifts and our structures (and Bible references!) normally tend in those directions.  This is part of God's sovereign care for his church.  But in order to serve the next generation and the next leader in his Biblical gifts and burdens, we should distinguish between accents and the Bible. We should not canonize our structure.








 

The Shuttered Window

If only experiencing spiritual joy were as easy as opening the window shutters.

One moment the room is gloomy, the next it is cheerful and bright.  But then again,  window shutters are a good reminder that my experience of gloom is not the same experience I would have if the sun suddenly disappeared. I may feel a certain darkness inside the house of my soul, I may not even have the strength to open the shutters, but the earth is still spinning in its orbit and I have not frozen to death in the darkness of a sunless space.  The Sun is still doing its job even when my soul is shuttered. 

And God is doing his job as well, however I may be feeling today. Shine on, Lord God, and sustain us by your grace, and forgive me for how often I define you by my current feelings.

Content To Be A Brick

Have you looked at a brick wall recently?  Very few individual characteristics stand out about each brick. You tend to notice the wall, the strength, the solidarity, the togetherness, and not each individual brick.

The Bible says that we are like living stones, built into a spiritual house for the Lord.  May we be content to be just one of those bricks, leaving to the Lord our individual reputation or our individual accomplishments, and glad to be a part of the larger whole of his Spirit indwelt church, his holy temple on earth. 

Of course, you would notice a gap, where a brick should be. 

Cain, Abel, Jealousy, and Jesus

The Cain and Abel story reveals the progression of sin in Genesis.  Sin, initiated by Adam and Eve's desire to contend for supremacy with God, progresses outward as human beings contend for supremacy with one another. Cain is angry because God has regard for Abel's offering, but not for his own.  Genesis 4 is a living parable of James' words in James 4:1, " What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder." 


Abel had God's regard, a commendation from the Lord, and Cain wanted it.  Of course to want such a regard was not a bad thing!  (There is even a place in the Bible for a godly jealousy that longs for righteousness and is angered when sin, Satan, or the world, consumes what should bring glory to God.)  But rather than produce humble self-reflection and an active mortification of his own sinful jealousy and hardheartedness,  Cain turned this passion toward his brother in a murderous rage.  The logic of his own heart seemed to be: "unless I can have what you have, I will destroy you."
Countless quarrels and fights in our own lives are reflected in the story of Cain and Abel.

"You took my parking space, so I mutter or scream at you."
"You took away the relaxing evening I wanted, so I withdraw from you in sullen anger."
"You received the recognition that I want, so I internally meditate on all of your failures."

All of our quarrels, internal and external, reveal that we haven't gotten something we desperately wanted--wanted enough to fight for it.   In some of these conflicts,  the other person has simply thwarted our desires.  In other fights, the other person has received (or taken!) the very thing we want so badly, and jealousy arises out of the heart.  "You have what I wanted!"--is the heart cry of the jealous person. Perhaps this is why jealousy conflicts are so full of rage, so emotionally charged, and why jealous people are willing to go to such lengths to punish the person or take back what they demand.

The objects of jealousy are legion--they could be attention, prominence, position, possessions, relationships, recognition, legacy, intimacy, and a host of other desires-become-idols.  In all fights of jealousy, the fundamental craving is the same:  "You have what I should have and I demand to have it back, or, if that is impossible, I demand that you not have it anymore."   The jealous person will fight to have their idol restored, and if denied, will simply begin to fight against the person who has it, looking to destroy anything, including the person, the object of the desire, and anyone else who gets in their way.  This is what happened to Cain.  This is also the story of the two women who came to Solomon for judgment--the jealous woman would rather the surviving baby be destroyed than that the other woman have what she could not have.  This is the story of the high priests and Jesus--they were willing to destroy him, willing for the people be deprived of his ministry, rather than see him have the popularity they wanted.  Jealousy is seen even in the original desire of Satan. Wanting to attain to God's throne,  he would rather destroy God's world and everything in it than that God receive the glory that he wanted.  Lets us be sobered by this: Fighting because of  sinful jealousy is acting just like Cain, just like that murderous mother before Solomon, just like the high priests, just like Satan.

Jealousy is so powerful the Proverbs writer even uses the danger of jealousy as an incentive against sin toward others: For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. He will accept no compensation;he will refuse though you multiply gifts. Proverbs 6:34-35 In other words,  don't be foolish enough to make a person jealous against you because of sinfully wronging them!

Proverbs also says this about the power of jealousy: Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? Proverbs 27:4

Sinful jealousy burns like a fire. We must quench even the smallest flames of it in our heart lest it build into the conflagration that consumes us.  How do we do this?

Let us take our jealousy to the cross of Jesus Christ.  On the cross, Jesus gave up what he rightfully deserved to bear the punishment that we should have received.  Jesus suffered from the jealousy of others in order to pay for the jealousy in our hearts.  Even as he died for the raging, wrath-deserving jealousy of his people, he prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."  The blood of Christ speaks a better word than the blood of Abel: Abel's blood cried condemnation for jealous Cain, but Jesus' blood speaks forgiveness for the jealousy in our hearts.  Our Lord is indeed faithful to forgive us and cleans us of all unrighteousness.  Let us go to Him, and consider his death on our behalf. Views of the cross, with a heart watered by the Spirit, quench the flames of jealousy.

Let us see and tremble at the spirit of Cain within our hearts, and let us return in faith to the blood of Christ that has cleansed us from such sin, and pray continually for His Spirit to produce within us the humble, God-trusting, patient, enduring, servanthood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Tribute to My Love on Our Anniversary

Eleven years ago today,  my wife and I were married.  On that day we celebrated the grace of God in providing us to each other.  Today, after a decade + 1 of marriage, I am even more astounded at God's generosity to me in her.  Here are a few reasons why:

1.  Lory loves the grace of God.  One thing I know for certain about my wife:  she has no confidence in herself, and gladly declares that her salvation and her preservation, and every in between moment of loving her husband and family is a testimony of God's grace. 

2.  Lory is passionate about God's kingdom.  Lory has crossed the country with me three times, from Texas to Maryland to Arizona and back to Texas.  She does not consider this world her home, and she wants to invest our family in eternity.

3.  Lory is committed to building God's church.  She loves Biblical preaching, energetic worship, Biblical community, hospitality, ministry times, and testimonies of God using his people in the lives of one another.

4.  Lory is a conduit of God's Word to me.  She has spent 11 years bringing me Biblical truth--encouraging, challenging,  envisioning, motivating, convicting, reminding truth--in which I hear the echoes of God's Word hidden in her heart and his voice calling me to honor Him with my life.

5. Lory is a fun wife.  The Bible says that its possible for a wife to be like a"constant dripping"--so I am so grateful for how much fun Lory infuses into our marriage! She is funny and laughs hardest at herself; she notices the goofy moments that happen around us every day; she still loves watching Disney cartoons; she loves the childish sayings of our children; she celebrates the joy in the normal memories of being a family and being a couple. 

6.  Lory is a romantic wife.  Lory has never been satisfied with seasons in which we are partnering in our home more than loving each other.  She always notices when our attention has drifted to our responsibilities as parents and away from our affection as husband and wife.  She loves little tokens of affection and big romantic surprises. She would gladly get away together for three days or spend a quiet evening at home when all the kids are asleep. 

7.  Lory is a transparent wife.  She is determined to tell me her hopes and joys and struggles and needs and expects me to provide leadership and care and direction and protection.  She knows that I will need God to be a faithful husband to all that she is, she counts on it, and holds nothing back.

8.  Lory is an interesting wife.  She loves history and horses and food and cinema and travel and exercise and conversation and parties and culture.  My life could never be boring married to her!

9.  Lory is a fantastic mother.  She loves the kids, schedules the kids, reminds them, teaches them, trains them, corrects them, feeds them, cleans them, prays for them, envisions them, encourages them, plans for them, hopes for them, cries for them, warns them, waits for them, surprises them, comforts them, and faithfully releases them to the hand of the Lord. 

10.  Lory is my friend.  In heaven, (don't quite know how to anticipate this yet),  Lory and I will not be married, but she will always be my best friend.  There is no one I would rather walk through this pilgrimage with than you, love. 

11.  Lory is patient with me.  I'm putting this last, because as I look at the years of marriage ahead of us until death do us part, I am deeply aware of my need for God's patience to flow through her to me.  I will sin, forget, be critical, be harsh, fail to love, fail to protect, fail to honor, neglect, again and again, despite my best intentions to do the opposite.  I am so grateful that Lory is patient--that God's love is patient, and that Lory allows the patient love of God to flow from her to me.

To you my love, with all my gratefulness and affection.  I love you. 

God is Patient

What does it mean that God is patient?  It means he waits when he does not have to wait.  It means he postpones what he does not have to postpone.  It means he experiences what he does not have to experience. Of course sometimes we have to wait, postpone, and experience things because of actions outside of our control. Our patience is often more about whether we will respond with joy and peace when our desires are delayed.  I can't change traffic, but I can choose to respond with patience toward my fellow drivers. Sometimes,  we do have the choice to postpone, wait, or endure something or not. I can choose to be patient as my son slowly puts on his shoes or impatiently inform him that he's already taken too long.  Sadly,  we often prefer ease to patience. 

God is under no limitations or restrictions that come to him from the outside.  God never gets stuck in traffic. No force controls him, but himself. He never has to wait for anything.  He chooses patience.  He chooses to wait for our full glorification. He chooses to postpone the full vindication of his glory and power.  He chooses to experience the stumbling and foolishness of his people and the blasphemy of his enemies.  He chooses patience, not because he has to, but because he wants to.  He even chooses to be patient with impatient people. Why does he want to?

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.  1 Timothy 1:16

He chooses to be patient to display his mercy, to reveal his love, to give time for many to turn to him in repentance. He is patient again and again and again, days innumerable, until the end of time.

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty and marvel of your patience toward us.  You patience is truly a wonder to behold. 

Be Like David or Trust in Jesus?

Let us consider the David and Goliath story for a moment.  What is the main point of the story?  Are we to conquer our own Giants of Fear and Doubt just like David did?  Is courageous faith the main point of the story?  Such a summary neglects the main point of the Bible: the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. Therefore,  it must be reformed. 


Ok, so the main point of the story must be: trust in Jesus.  Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed one, and the ultimate New Testament fulfillment of the storyline of 1 Samuel which reveals the value of a righteous, victorious, King-Deliverer.  David was this king temporarily. Jesus is this King permanently. We should identify with the cowering Israelite soldiers in need of an anointed Messiah, someone who could conquer the towering grim reaper of condemnation and death who was facing us.  Jesus is our Savior in an even greater way than David was the savior of Israel. Trust in Jesus.  Yes,  this is certainly the main point of the story. If nothing else is said about David and Goliath, this must be said.  Without this point, the David and Goliath story misses its mark.  Jesus is clearly the ultimate King-Deliverer of whom David was an anticipating shadow.

But then, what do we do with Hebrews chapter 11 verse 32.  And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gidoen, Barak, Samson, Jepthah, of David.....who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises...  

The author is clearly telling us to follow in the footsteps of these men, to imitate their faith.  Oh no!  Doesn't this take us right back to our first point--be like David?  Have faith like David? But isn't this just Old Testament moralism that neglects the primary purpose of the Scriptures of pointing to Jesus?
Here is an attempt at a solution.  The New Testament is very clear on several points that help us in interpreting the Old Testament.

1.  Jesus is the ultimate point of the Bible.  Trusting in Jesus as our Savior must be the ultimate goal of Old Testament interpretation.  David defeated Goliath means trust in Jesus.
2.  There are no works of faith or righteousness that we add to the finished work of Christ.  David defeated Goliath doesn't mean that you and Jesus save you together.  Jesus paid it all.
3.  In union with Christ we should strive to reflect his power over sin and Satan in our daily life. 

David defeated Goliath means that Jesus defeated your greatest enemy on your behalf and in Him you can fight against spiritual enemies in your life.  We do this as he empowers us by his Spirit, as he works in us to will and to work for his glory. In other words, it's not wrong to want to be like David, but a better way of saying it would be--seeing David defeat Goliath should make you Trust in Jesus and trusting in Jesus should make you want to be like Jesus in your daily life.  The "being like" doesn't save you.  The "trusting" doesn't negate the value of "being like."

Another way of describing this interpretation would be the phrase multiple fulfillment.  There are actually a number of examples of this interpretation in the New Testament.

For example:

Jesus is the new temple,  but in Christ we are a temple of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is the final, complete sacrifice, but in Christ we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices of worship to God.
Jesus is the only priest we need, but in Christ we are a priesthood of believers.
Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith, but in Christ we are to have faith until the end.
Jesus bears the only cross of our judgment and condemnation before God, but in Christ we are to take up our crosses and live for his glory.

This does not mean Jesus  +  our righteousness = salvation.   There is a primary and a reflective fulfillment here.  Jesus is the primary fulfillment. He is the main point.  But His glory is extended further as he continues to accomplish His work, through His Spirit, in His bride, the church.  It is no surprise, since we are united to Him,  indwelt by His Spirit, and His witness in the world, that our calling takes its definition in reflecting Him.

In saving us, His person and work are unrepeatable and complete.  In our calling, we reflect Him and in so doing continue to reveal His fulfillment of the Old Testament which anticipated the person and Work, and ongoing work, of the great King-Deliverer, Jesus Christ.

Trying to be like David without trusting in Jesus is legalism, and hopeless.  Trying to trust in Jesus without becoming like Jesus, and therefore like David in his better moments, is impossible, and unbiblical.  Trusting in Jesus for all of salvation, and seeking to be like him in grateful worship, is the right answer to our Bible question.

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Refrigerators are very useful inventions–they’re vastly superior to salting our beef, buying ice in large blocks, and keeping cold cellars full of semi-perishable food stores.  However,  there is one serious downside to the refrigerated box sitting in my kitchen.


Refrigerators deceive me into thinking that I can store up for my needs for the future.  I am under the illusion that I already have enough resources to sustain my life, at least for the next few days.  The reality is very different. My existence is continually dependent on the Lord.  My every breath comes from him as does my daily bread.  Pulling food that I purchased a few days ago out of my fridge might subtly induce me to forget my daily, continual dependance on the Lord.  I’m guessing that the pre-modern cultures were a little more aware of this ongoing need than I am.  They were a little more in touch with the need for daily bread.

This realized dependance is all the more important because Jesus used bread as an illustration for his provision of salvation to his people.  He called himself the Bread of Life.  And my union with Him is not something I need occasionally–I can’t put my union with Christ in the crisper to be pulled out when I want it.  Though his Spirit I am continually relying on my union with him for the existence of my spiritual life, just as I depend on his sustaining power for my physical life.

So, the next time we open the fridge door today–let’s take a moment and declare our joyful trust in our Bread of Life, the one who provides for all our needs, the one by whom and through whom, and to whom are all things.

Give us this day, Lord, our daily bread.

Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament

Our church is preaching through the Old Testament book of Jonah right now.  After Jonah is completed we will begin a series through Genesis.  Based on the teaching of the New Testament, we believe that all of the Old Testament--narratives, poetry, law, wisdom, prophecy--teach us about the person and work of Jesus Christ.  These OT images of Christ are limited.  Not one represents him in his perfection, but they invite us to meditate on the fullness of his glory and to consider his complete fulfillment of God's plan of salvation.  

One way to walk through the Old Testament and see Jesus is to ask how the characters and patterns anticipate Jesus by comparison and how they anticipate him by contrast.  Similar to the negatives-and-pictures of the old film process, sometimes these people and patterns reveal what Jesus will be like and sometimes they reveal what he will not be like or how much better he will be.

Take Adam, for example.   Like Jesus, he is responsible to represent humanity before God. Like Jesus, he is called to  cultivate God's creation and to bring about God's perfect plan for mankind.   Like Jesus, he had to bear the curse of sin and be banished from God's presence. In Adam's call, we see God's call of Jesus.  In Adam's banishment, we see Jesus on the cross and in the grave. This is seeing Jesus in the positive comparison of an old testament character.  The ultimate reason for Adam's role was to anticipate the greater role of Jesus. 

We also see Jesus in contrast to Adam.  Unlike Jesus, Adam surrendered to the lie of Satan and disobeyed and disbelieved God.  Unlike Jesus, Adam sought to transfer responsibility for his role to someone else (Eve) and did not want to shoulder it himself.  Unlike Jesus, Adam was cursed because of his own sin rather than becoming a cursed exile only as a substitute for others. Frequently, when we see a character in the Old Testament showing contrast to Jesus, they are simultaneously revealing the need for Jesus' salvation that anticipates our condition as well. Like Adam, more than that, in Adam, we desperately need a Savior.

In comparison and contrast,  thinking about Adam helps us to see the calling and perfection of Jesus Christ and the prefect Savior he is for us.

A Christian reading Genesis 1-3 should not just be thinking, "What an interesting historical story..." or even "how should I be like or unlike Adam?".  Those thoughts are not wrong--but they should progress to the ultimate meditation:  "How should I respond to the picture of Jesus that I see here?"  

Feeling Emotional?

Americans view emotions as out of our control.  Emotions are like tornadoes--the best you can do is duck and run for cover.  The better your storm cellar of escapism or therapy or friends or accessible distractions, the less emotions will toss you around. But, as the popular assumption goes, no one actually controls their emotions--limiting the damage is the best you can hope for. 


The Biblical view of emotions is quite different.  God commands us to feel certain ways.  We are to "rejoice in the Lord always" for example, to be "content in all circumstances", to "not be anxious about anything."   Certainly these commands aren't a restriction from feeling sad at the prospect or the pain of suffering (consider Jesus in the garden), nor an expectation that feeling joy in the Lord will be a simple act of the will, like flipping an internal switch.  "Don't worry, be happy" may be in line with the Bible's call to those united to Christ, but its triteness guarantees its uselessness in moments of true temptation or trial.

Our own experience, and the Biblical testimony, indicates that our emotions are often more difficult to manage than our physical actions.  After all, the Pharisees were able to conform to a certain type of external discipline, while their love for God was cold.  And many saints in the Bible exerted great spiritual effort before they could force their emotions to line up with their beliefs.  Clearly, aligning our emotions with our beliefs requires extended spiritual exertion and ultimately the power of the Spirit.

However,  and here is the point for the American "we are the helpless victims of our emotions" mentality:  God calls us to command our emotions.  They usually obey slowly, they frequently obey our flesh rather than our new nature in Christ, but we are not free to throw up our hands and surrender to their latest spontaneous mood.  Here are a few questions we can ask of our emotional state to start the process of bringing them under the control of the Spirit.

1. Am I aware of my emotions through the week? When am I angry, happy, sad, joyful, passionate, apathetic--and what is motivating me to feel these ways? (Awareness of my emotions is the first step in bringing them into alignment with Biblical truth.)

2. Do my feelings right now reflect the truths of the Bible?  (In the midst of my sadness over sin or suffering, am I also feeling hope in Christ? Is my anger at God's providence or my joy in sinful pleasures in keeping with my gospel identity?)

3.  Do my feelings right now reflect the values of the Bible? (Intense emotion over the traffic or the line at the grocery store indicates that my value system is out of sync. Apathy at the preaching of God's Word followed by exuberance over a sports game reveals the need for a reversal of passions.)

Identifying emotional variance from our beliefs should lead us to prayer--asking God to change our hearts and make us feel as we should for his glory.  God made us to feel emotional.  God remade us, by his Spirit, to feel emotional in ways that demonstrate the authority of His Spirit and the newness of our life in Christ.

Feeling emotional?  Good--be as emotional as you can be, by the power of the Spirit, in keeping with your calling in Christ, for the glory of God.

Inheritance Day

You have been given an infinite inheritance in Christ, if you belong to him.  In our world, such an inheritance would mean that all of your financial needs are met, that you will never lack for any physical need in your life, that you will have power to accomplish your heart's desire. Of course, our full inheritance awaits the return of Jesus, and our entrance into heaven.  The heavenly inheritance means all this infinite provision and more--it means personal and unrestricted relationship with the infinite God. 



Your needs and wants today will ultimately find fulfillment in perfect, holy enjoyment of the inheritance of permanent relationship with the God of all glory and joy.  God will be the sun that shines away all of your gloom and the treasure that meets all of your needs. He will be the rock beneath your feet that will never shake and the fountain of water that keeps you in perfect health and refreshes your soul.  God will be all if all to you and your inheritance will never diminish, never fade, never be traded away, never be in danger.  The coming of Jesus will be our full inheritance day.  Let us live today in light of that day--letting all of our worries and anxieties fade in the light of his certain return--the Day of days, when the glory of eternity will shine into our hearts forever.

The Rest and Feast of Serving

Serving is a feast.  Serving provides rest.

Jesus said in John 4 “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. He said again in Matthew 11 "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

In the process of serving the Lord restores our souls and gives us strength--he sustains us through the activity of serving.  Of course this doesn't mean that times of inactivity are wrong, or that God never calls us away from labor for a time of workless rest.  However,  for most of our lives, God's life-giving Spirit rejuvinates us while we labor in his service.  This means that one answer to the question "How can I feel more of God's strength in my life, since I feel so weak and needy right now?" is:  Serve.   If you want to rest, serve. If you want to feast, serve.  Again, it's not the only answer, but it certainly is one Biblical venue of God's provision. 

One caveat, from my own experience and I'm sure yours as well.  The kind of servanthood that provides rest and refreshing grace is joyful servanthood, not grudging work or bitter labor.   When we take the yoke of our master with joy, when we do the Father's will with gladness of heart, we find that our souls feast on his grace, and our hearts are lifted up by the rest of His Spirit. 

So...who would like to rest and feast today?

Even If

In the book of Daniel, three young men stand face to face with the emperor and dare him to carry out his threat and throw them into a furnace.   He has said that unless they worship his idol of gold, they will be burned alive.  They declare that God is able to save them from the fire, but even if God chooses to let them die, they will still be faithful to worship God and God alone. 



This strikes to the heart of my feeble faith, and at the core of the American prosperity gospel.  Even if.  Even if He does not save us from physical pain and even death? Even if He does not do what we want Him to do, what seems good for Him to do, what makes sense for Him to do? Even if He doesn't demonstrate His power and His favor over our lives or reward our faith right now?

Of course we will pray for the power and mercy of God to be on display in generous provision and miraculous protection.  We pray that God will reveal himself in keeping us from the fire of trial and suffering.  But...even if he does not, by the power of his grace, we will still worship the Lord and will only bow before Him.

Consider a few "even ifs" that bring the magnitude of this faith home to our ordinary lives.

• Even if my marriage doesn't improve...

• Even if my children do not turn to the Lord...

• Even if my son turns toward sexual sin...

• Even if my daughter won't reconcile with me...

• Even if my boss fires me...

• Even if my car breaks down...

• Even if my pastor lets me down...

• Even if my friend betrays me...

• Even if my health fails...

• Even if I see hypocrisy in Christians...

• Even if my society becomes anti-Christian...

• Even if my enemy prospers...

Dear Lord, please provide and protect and preserve and deliver, as a testimony to your infinite kindness. But even if there is no fruit on the vines, even if there is drought in my soul, even if the way of the cross looms before me, even if wickedness prospers in the land...yet I will hope in you by the power of your Spirit.  Receive the glory as I lay down every "even if..." at the foot of your cross and find that by trusting your goodness and sovereign wisdom I find true peace. 

The Hydration Test

Imagine two different people, both desiring energy.  Energy Ernie drinks exclusively highly caffeinated energy drinks.  Water Wayne drinks exclusively water.  In the first hour of their hydration experiment Energy Ernie would probably have much more energy; he would probably seem more excited, even vigorous, compared to Water Wayne.  How long would it take for this to change?  Two hours? Three hours? A full day?  Certainly by day two or three, probably far sooner, the energy levels would begin to reverse.   Energy Ernie would be anything but--he'd be feeling his lack of sustainable hydration, probably his health would quickly suffer.  Water Wayne, on the other hand, would feel refreshed and hydrated and his consistent water drinking would bring a noticeable benefit to his health.  His dependance on water would increasingly reveal the benefits of water hydration to him.

The Word of God, accompanied by the Spirit of God, is like water to our souls.  The entertainments and pleasures of this world are more like caffeinated energy drinks.  Sometimes we crave the immediate high, the quick emotional impact with little investment, that entertainment and worldly pleasures can bring.  We are disappointed when we don't feel a buzz from our latest 8 ounces of Scripture.   However,  as fun as a movie or a roller coaster might be, they can never attain or sustain the heights of strength and passion provided by a consistent intake of God's Word, energized by His Spirit. In a short time, temporary enjoyments leave us needing another experience.  Pursued exclusively, or for the purpose of providing ultimate spiritual hydration, these enjoyments actually begin to decrease our energy and spiritual passion. Before long, our capacity for energy suffers burn out. Furthermore, we begin to crave and take energy from those around us, who, of course, can never fully satisfy our thirst.

Not so the Word of God.  The more we take in, the more we drink of God's Word, the more our souls are truly refreshed, the more we look forward to more.  And more than the benefit to us, the Word that has refreshed our souls flows out of us to refresh others. We share that Word the way a fountain provides water to those who are thirsty.

Don't look to the pleasures of this world to provide the ultimate hydration for your soul.  Look to the Fountain--the Word that always satisfies, always energizes, always has more to give.

The Shortest Route to a Boring Bible

All of us struggle with ambivalent feelings toward the Bible at some point or another.  The pilgrimage toward heaven has seasons of light and glory and other moments when we feel trapped in doubting castle or wandering after the counsel of Mr. Wordly Wiseman.  However, we would do well to consider some of the easiest ways to make the Bible boring...and strive to avoid them! Here are some that come to mind--consider them as shortcut directions to a boring Bible experience.

1.  Spend more time thinking about how boring the Bible is than reading it.

2.  Consistently disbelieve or disobey what is read.  Irreverence for Biblical authority will lead quickly to Biblical apathy.

3.  Rarely ask a pastor or older Christian about passages that are hard to understand.

4.  Rarely turn Bible reading time into prayer.

5.  Read the Bible as primarily about our actions rather than God's actions.

6.  Rarely ask God to help you love the Bible.

7.  Read the Bible rarely rather than consistently. Expect immediate revelation and joy upon every reading.

8.  Look forward only to other things as refreshing (food, entertainment, friends) and the Bible only as a responsibility.

9.  Assume that current apathy toward the Bible reveals its potential and real value.

Hopefully none of us would celebrate these foolish directions boldly--however they are often the functional practice of our lifestyle and our inner thoughts.    Let's consider their reverse and make it a practice to run toward the value and joy of God's Word.

1. Spend more time reading the Bible than musing about how boring it is right now.

2.  Seek to obey and believe what is read.  Functional authority will lead to an experience of relevance.

3.  Consistently ask a pastor or older Christian to explain difficult passages.

4.  Consistently turn Bible reading time into prayer.

5.  Read the Bible as primarily about God's actions, especially in Christ, and only secondarily about our response.

6.  Always ask God to help you love the Bible.

7.  Read a little of the Bible consistently rather than a lot rarely.  Expect the Bible to become more exciting as you read it over time, rather than expecting an instant adrenaline rush with every verse.

8.  Look forward to God's Word as refreshing, rather than only finding refreshment in other things (food, entertainment, friendships).

9.  Assume that the Bible is truly valuable and exciting and that current apathy toward it is an inaccurate indication of its worth.

Lord, open our eyes to behold marvelous glory in your Word. Show us yourself and speak to us by your Spirit.  Enliven our hearts to love the Words of life you have given to us.

You Disappoint Me

What do you do when someone disappoints you? Do you get mad, shout, withdraw, punish them with silence, gossip, hope for their downfall?  Do you vow to never trust or value someone in the same way again?  All of us will face a moment (or many!) where other people disappoint us--when they don't apply what they believe, or even what they have encouraged others to believe and do in the past.  Here are a few recommendations for the disappointed soul. 

• Meditate on the unchanging love, patience, and grace of God toward you.  Read 1 and 2 Kings, or Hosea, or 1 Corinthians 13 and consider God's character toward his people.  Meditate until you feel your sadness or anger at the person become less apparent then your awe and gratefulness toward God.
• Pray for that person to experience the patience and steadfast love and mercy of God.
• Evaluate your disappointment.  Sometimes disappointment is manufactured by judgement or amplified by self-righteousness or unreasonable expectations.  Sometimes a person has only failed in being the idol that we were worshiping rather than the person they should be.
• Distinguish between weakness--a lack of gifting or experience or discernment--and sin. A person may be less gifted or able than you thought they were. They may disappoint you, but this doesn't mean they've sinned against you.  Both sin and weakness cause disappointment and pain, but calling a weak person out as a sinner can be a particularly crushing blow and reveals more about our heart than theirs.
• Pray and decide whether you have been called to help and serve someone in their weaknesses or confront someone who has sinned.  Help to the weak should be filled with humility and patience and self-sacrifice. Confrontation should be in a spirit of meekness and humility and inquiry, focused on God's Word and not our individual preferences.
• Love them always, internally and externally, with the resources and opportunities God gives you. When they confess their sin, forgive them by the grace of God as evidence of the Holy Spirit's work in your heart.  Don't expect perfect confessions,  celebrate any admission of guilt.
• Don't meditate on their weakness or sins.  Disappointment becomes debilitating when our thoughts linger on the failures or mistakes of others.  Discipline your mind to be full of the grace of God and the growth of your own soul and not your disappointments in others.
• Encourage the smallest evidences of growth in them, no matter how far they have to go.
• Rejoice when God uses them in his kingdom. A sign of deepening bitterness is when we expect God to punish or restrict others because they have disappointed us. Inevitably they will still be imperfect, weak, and sinful when God calls them to some occasion of service again.  Don't demand for them what you would not want God to do to you.
• Beware comparison of circumstances.  We often think those who have disappointed us should suffer more than we do.
• Don't be afraid of new friendships, or of rebuilding old friendships, of emulating the good that you see in others, or of love that "hopes all things."  We cannot truly love others without risking disappointment.  It's one of the signs of true love.

Disappointment is inevitable in a fallen world.  Heroes, spouses,  friends, co-workers, politicians, bosses, church leaders, parents,  children-- all will at some point be less than we want them to be, probably less than they want to be.  They may or may not be aware of it when it happens.   Don't let disappointment wrap a chain around your soul imprisoning you into a helpless sadness, stubborn cynicism, or permanent anger.

Brother or Sister in Christ, when you experience disappointment, may God's steadfast love fill your soul with joy, peace, forgiveness, and love.  May you be used to represent him toward those around you who need to experience his patient grace through you.

Respect the Grey Crown

Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. Proverbs 16:31

The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.  Proverbs 20:29

This year I turn 33--old enough for my children to think I'm ancient and young enough for my living heroes to think I'm still a kid.   I realize that at my age a deadly temptation lurks in how I view those older than me.  Here it is:  those older tried their best, but I know more and see better than they did, and glory is found in boldness and courage more than humility and receptivity toward those who have gone before me.  After all, new commentaries, books, exegetical studies, and research has come out in the last fifteen years, along with the iphone and facebook.  Clearly youth has the edge for usefulness in the kingdom.  After all, I'm not a brand new Christian, and I'm not new in ministry.  I have some experience in church navigation at this point--I've passed through some storms, felt some weakness, endured some temptations.  I'm good to go.   The snare is set and baited, alluring and fatal.  "You have all the wisdom that the church needs. You can improve on the church of the past while avoiding any new mistakes..."

I am not afraid to demonstrate the "glory" of youth--not afraid of showing courage and strength toward godliness and Biblical leadership.  I'm not afraid to fight for the gospel and Biblical truth. I know that God has a specific purpose for me and for my generation. And I pray God grants me and my co-laboring, youthful pastors the grace to serve his church for many decades into the future.  But I pray we will see and avoid, even despise, the snare. 

The greatest danger to my church is my own pride.  One way that pride could manifest itself is in a generational, historical direction.  Here are a few ways it might express itself.  Please pray that if it does, God will bring a wise, older pastor to help me. 

• Do I rarely ask an older pastor for input or advice?
• Do I almost never follow the advice of an older pastor, in the rare occasion I request it?
• Do I assume that access to more Biblical resources is the same as growing in the fear of the Lord?
• Do I assume that vigor and strength are more important than endurance and humility?
• Am I more comfortable being a reformer than a learner?
• Do I forget that the next generation is watching how I talk about those older than me?
• Am I more passionate about new practices than I am about unchanging doctrines?
• Am I honestly more impressed by well known pastors than those that have been faithful over decades?
• Do I assume that any current health in the church was easily accomplished, and any current weaknesses easily avoided?
• Do I forget that Hebrews 11 celebrates the faithfulness of those who were clearly weak?
• Do I forget that I will need others to apply Hebrews 11 to my ministry one day?

Many young pastors today have been given incredible vision and vigor for God in our generation.  I pray God will number me among them.  I pray God will bring new revival to the church and will allow us to be faithful to the gospel entrusted to us.  In order for that to happen, he will have to guard us from the snare of generational pride. I pray we will respect the crown of grey hair, and show honor to those who have that crown who are close to us.

* Originally posted at rhchurch.com

The Difference Between Feeling Loved and Being Loved

Last night I heard my son crying and upset in his room.  He had been asleep for hours and wasn't really awake even as I tried to comfort him.  I thought he might be having a nightmare, facing some pain or difficulty or scary event, unaware that his daddy was close by and that he was perfectly safe and loved.  Our experience in life is often like night troubles; we feel scared and vulnerable and alone. Sometimes we even decide that feeling unloved means we are unloved--just like a nightmare.  But there is a difference.


A Christian may feel unloved, alone, vulnerable, weak, and scared.   Most of the lives of believers recorded in the Bible and in history trace some season of feeling that God was distant and unloving.  In other words, their emotions did not register the strong feeling of peace and joy and happiness and security that comes when you feel loved.   Yet feelings do not describe reality. 

My son was fully loved, protected, even cherished and adored as he cried his way back to sleep last night.  He felt one way, but his objective reality was the opposite.  I was close by, watching, ensuring his safety, comforting him with my voice. 

God's love for Christians never wavers, never wanes.  His watchful gaze never blinks.  He never forgets our needs and is always aware of our vulnerabilities.  He always protects and cares and comforts and his voice is always speaking grace and assurance to us through his Word.  We may feel unloved, but we are always actually loved more than we can imagine. 

So, brother or sister in Christ, the next time you feel unloved, be at peace, and remind your feelings that they cannot dictate reality to God.  Your emotions will one day be forced to comply with reality; the feeling of being loved will return and match the reality of God's steadfast love for us.  You are loved, whatever you are feeling right now.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end.  Lamentations 3:22

Don't Summarize the Bible by your Current Pastoral Burden

I enjoy watching some of the theological dialogues that take place online between different pastors.  I am a pastor and I want to insure that my leadership is Biblical--so I am looking to learn. I also want to know what people in my church might be reading online, so that I can protect them from false teaching and point them toward rich resources.   Here's one pastoral warning I've taken from the discussion:  don't summarize the Bible by your current pastoral burden. 

Every pastor notices dangerous tendencies in his own flock, remembers weaknesses in the churches he grew up around, and watches disturbing trends in his own tribe or church tradition.  Appropriately, he brings God's Word to bear to correct or adjust these dangers and point people in the right and Biblical direction.  However, there is a danger here.  Too often pastors thunder against a current weakness as though nothing else matters. Sometimes our language and vocabulary is not true to the full complexity of Biblical teaching. Sometimes we summarize the Bible in terms of our current burden, rather than allowing the Bible to speak on its own terms.

God's Word is timeless, perfectly addressing every generation and every problem in the church.  If we summarize the Bible inaccurately, in an attempt to add weight to our current burden,  we will only train people to look to us, rather than to the Scriptures as their source of authority.  Here are a few ways we might do this.


1.  Because my church is legalistic I'll say, "The Bible is against law keeping and all about receiving God's grace."  (The Bible is about receiving God's grace and the Bible also calls us to obey God's law in Christ.)

2.  Because my church is worldly I'll say, "The Bible is all about holiness and tells Christians to be separate from this world."  (The Bible is about holiness, but also tells Christians to love unbelievers and to care for them spiritually and practically.)

3.  Because the worship in my church is dry and formal I'll say, "The Bible commands passionate and loud worship and our goal is to have an exciting worship experience."  (The Bible is about passionate worship, but also commands reverence and order and peace in our meetings.)

4.  Because there is a weakness in evangelism in our church I'll say, "The Bible is all about missions and everything we do should focus on reaching the lost with the gospel."  (The Bible is about missions but is ultimately is about God's glory and also commands worship and loving other Christians.)

5. Because there is a weakness in parenting in our culture I'll say, "The Bible is all about family discipleship and our church only exists to serve the ultimate church in each home." (The Bible does command and celebrate family discipleship, but also tells us that our ultimate family is God's church and that Christians in the church are called to disciple one another.)


The greatest danger of these hyperbolic summaries is that they disconnect the church from the actual teaching of Scripture.  The Church is rendered vulnerable to teaching that is unbiblical because they have become used to teaching that is imbalanced.  They are forced to reject contradictory or complimentary verses outright, or they simply get used to only reading the parts of the Bible that agree with their current emphasis.  Both are deadly over multiple generations in the church.

Pastors and Christians must guard against this tendency.  Every generation will need pastors and teachers to highlight specific aspects of God's truth to resist the latest trends of wrong thinking. But all of us should have the next generation in view, and insure that our summaries are fully Biblical, that our accents do not become our authority, and that the Bible is not muted in our church when the weakness swings in the opposite direction.

What if They Don't Want To Obey

How do we help a friend who is a professing Christian but doesn't want to obey God?  A friend who is not just experiencing the normal undercurrent of rebellion and independence that is always present.  The friend who says, "I don't care.  I really don't care. I'm done, I'm through, I'm not trying any more."

1.  Start by praying for them.  I find that I think a lot about the value of prayer...much more than I actually talk to God.

2.  Surprise them them with relationship.  Don't start every conversation with a warning.  Have a conversation with them about their interests and burdens, unrelated to their heart.

3.  Eventually, ask them why they don't want to obey.  Don't cut them off half way through, don't point out all of their inconsistencies.  Just listen.

4.  Repeat steps 1-3.

5.  Initiate a conversation where you can share one poignant Scripture and briefly share why you thought it would be helpful. Why Scripture?  Because God promises to bless his Word. Why brief? Because their capacity to hear is limited.  Which Scripture?  All your minutes of listening should clarify their fundamental doubt in God's character.  Disobedience always flows from doubt.  Find a scripture that describes that aspect of God's character in the most winsome way possible.  Encourage them to consider the truth of these words. Apply this truth with gentleness.

6. Repeat steps 1-5.

7.  If a lengthy period of time elapses or the disobedience escalates quickly to life destroying decisions,  include another mature friend in the conversation, and share tenderly but clearly your concern for the spiritual and practical consequences of this course of action. If the person is a member of your local church and a professing Christian, inform one of your pastors and welcome their counsel about a process of pastoral correction and potential church discipline.

8.  Keep praying, keep relating, keep listening, keep speaking truth with gentle, Biblical, succinct, firmness.

9.  Trust the Lord with your friend's heart and future. 

If at any point in this process your friend indicates 1) some desire to change, 2) an awareness that they are wrong  3) some hope that God may work in the future or 4) a willingness to listen to a Biblical perspective-- then be lavish in your encouragement and celebrate God's grace working in them.  They will still have a long way to go, but only grace can produce such softening in heart.


10.  Express gratefulness to the God who sought us while we were yet sinners.

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  God is not slow, as some count slowness, but is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance.  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. 

The Rock of Ages

I'm sitting in a coffee shop in Round Rock right now, looking at a wall made of stone.  The verses of the hymn Rock of Ages are on my mind.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. 
Let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed 
Be of sin the double cure 
Save from wrath and make me pure. 

I'm thinking of Moses in the wilderness with God's people, striking a rock with a stick, seeing miraculous water gush out to quench the thirst of an undeserving people.

I'm thinking about the crushing blows that descended on Christ, so that out of his death a fountain of forgiveness could be provided for all of God's people. 

While I draw this fleeting breath, when my eyes shall close in death. 
When I sour to world's unknown, see thee on thy judgment throne 
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. 

 

Learning Evangelism

I'm not a "natural" evangelist.  I don't know if anyone really is, but some of my friends are certainly much more godly and gifted in this area than I am. But I want to learn.  I want to grow. 
Perhaps you are like me.  Perhaps you want to learn evangelism as well.  Here are a few steps I believe anyone can take. 

1.  Begin by prayer.  Even the most reticent evangelist can begin to pray for opportunities and boldness.  After a month of praying for opportunities, I trust that God will answer our prayers.

2.  Begin by gracious friendliness.  If a spontaneous, full throttle declaration of the gospel message feels daunting, start by building a habit of gracious friendliness with those around you.  Ask your waiter how his day is going.  Give your neighbor a handshake rather than just a wave.  Ask your co-worker if you can get them a coffee, and then ask them if their family is well. A habit of gracious friendliness can pave the way for a more developed friendship.

3.  Build a friendship out of those friendly interactions.  If one of the spontaneous conversations seems more interactive than others, follow up with a second and third conversation. Then take the step of doing something together with them. A family pizza night, lunch with a co-worker, seeing a movie together, a Saturday morning basketball game--you can pick the activity that you seem to have in common.  You might also invite some of your Christian friends to join you--building a friendship with a non-Christian is less daunting as a group effort. 

4.  Look for an opportunity to ask your friend about his beliefs.  A conversation could begin with "What gets you through your week?" and lead to "I've realized that with all I have to do at work, praying is crucial."  Or you might find that if you ask them, "So, how you are you really doing? Anything you're worried about that I can pray for you about?"--they might open up.  This might be moment to talk about your hope in Jesus and why you trust in Him. 

5. Don't view the friendship as a task to be completed. You're not just their friend until you can share the gospel message once and check "evangelism" off the list.  You are...their friend.  Continue to be their friend.  In one of your (ongoing) conversations, ask them if you can share with them your belief in Jesus and invite them to respond and if they don't...continue to be their friend.  Love them, and serve them, and keep having conversations.  Ask them about their objections to Christianity and try to answer...and keep being their friend.   A quick caveat here, if your friend categorically and emphatically rejects the Christian message and forbids you from speaking about it with them,  you may want to continue as their friend, but also be looking for other opportunities with more receptive listeners.  But, don't give up easily, patient friendship may break down many barriers in the end. 
It is clear in the Scriptures that God has called us to be witnesses to our Savior in this world.  I know I have much to learn about being a witness.  But God is a patient teacher.  I'm trusting Him to lead me one step at a time. 

I pray you will join me as well. 

Must I?

Imagine a scenario where a pastor says to a congregation, "You must be righteous, you must live a holy life, you must obey God's commands."  Probably such a statement would result in some head nodding and some head shaking among the congregation.  The head shakers would proclaim that the pastor has abandoned salvation by grace alone; the head nodders would affirm the importance of obedience in the Christian life.

What are we to make of this word "must"--particularly as it applies to Christians.  Can we say that a Christian must obey, must be righteous?  As it stands, it may be true, or it may be false, depending on how that phrase is understood.  Let's imagine some true and false endings of the phrase.

You must be righteous, in order to earn eternal salvation from God.  FALSE.  Salvation is based on grace, not works.
You must be righteous, or God will stop loving you, or will love you less.  FALSE.  God's love is based on Christ, not us.
You must be righteous, because this is God's calling for you as a Christian.  TRUE.  We have been recreated in Christ, to do good works. 
You must be righteous, because a life of continual disobedience reveals an unsaved heart.  TRUE.  True Christians truly obey.

It is true that Christians must be righteous, but why this is so is crucially important as well.  Let's make a comparison to a much greater "must" in the Bible.

Jesus Christ must return to gather his bride, the church, and make her spotless for eternity.   Now, we can affirm that this future event is a certainty. There is no chance Jesus will fail to return. It is as certain as if it had already happened.  Yet, does this truth mean that Jesus need not actually return for his bride? Since he will return, does that mean any less that he must return?

In a similar way, we can say that truly saved Christians must obey God.  Some Christians and even some teachers are uncomfortable with the word must (or some similar phrase) in talking about the responsibilities of Christians.  They might prefer to say that Christians "may" obey or perhaps even that Christians "will" obey (and therefore discussing it is unnecessary).  But acknowledging that Christians will obey as an increasing pattern in their life, or even that they will disobey in some ways until the final day, does not contradict the truth that they must obey.

Jesus must return, even though we know he will.  Christian must obey, even though we know they will, and that their occasions of disobedience do not cost them salvation or alter God's love.  God has so arranged it that his people must do things that he will not punish them if they don't do.  The consequence of failing the "must" is, for the Christian, failure, but not punishment, sin, but not wrath, disobedience, but not alienation.  For true Christians, this consequence is consequence enough.  In increasing ways, they will do what they must do.

To the Christian who asks, "Must I obey the commands of the Scriptures in the way that they apply to me as a new creation in Christ?"  We must respond:  God will love you no less when you don't, you're not saved by your works when you do, you will increasingly obey through the power of the Spirit, and......yes, you must. 

Praying for the Word

I hope there are many Christians praying for the preaching of God's Word.  I hope that many pastors laboring in their studies are being upheld by faithful Christians laboring in prayer.  I hope that many believers are exhibiting believing prayer about the power of God's Word unleashed on the souls of each congregation.  I hope there are many faithful intercessors asking heaven to convert sinners, comfort the downcast, correct the rebellious, and inspire the discouraged.  I pray that God's people are seeking his face so that they may see him by faith when the Word is proclaimed. 

Be among us as we gather around your Word, God of power and mercy.  Show us your truth and your grace, shine on us with your heavenly light.  Reveal your majestic character and descend upon us in your Spirit.  Magnify the Savior in our eyes of faith and make us long the more to be with you.