Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
For the Lord Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne. (Psalm 47:1, 2, 8 NIV)
Lord I pray you fill me with joy for you are the king of all the earth and you are in control. This world is fleeting and will be gone in the blink of an eye. But your words and promises will last forever! Even in this world though it seems the prince of darkness and simple things of the world like business and politics are in control. But help me to remember the spiritual reality that you gave all kings and even the devil the authority they have. There is no battle. There is no question of who will win God. For you are in control and you will show yourself competent victorious in the end.
For now in the present age of darkness you give us the opportunity to grow and test our faith that we might choose you fully Lord, not because we have to but because we want to even in the challenges of life. Thank you Lord for this life where we may have faith in you and your promises even though they are not visible.
Therefore let us rejoice in our God who is more real than all the world around us. As we worship let us declare the spiritual reality in the face of all the world and those who do not believe that what we see is not lasting and it is small and weak compared to our God! For our God is king over all the earth! And he loves us and has eternity planned for all of his new creation!
Amen
Saturday, June 29, 2013
God: Just and Justifier
It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
(Romans 3:26 ESV)
God is both just in condemning sin and in bringing the due punishment for sin and yet God himself in the person of Jesus stepped down as the judge to also stand in and take the punishment.
Lord Jesus I pray you continue to work in my heart to understand the reality of both. I think it is exciting and powerful for me and other believers. It is exciting to believe this in a room full of Christians. But it becomes harder to believe as I interact with the world. When I see people who are spiritually lost do I have faith and trust in who God is and his plan. When it seems hopeless that some people close to me would come to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior do I believe this same truth. Do I continue to trust God is good and his judgement against sin is just?
Jesus and the Cross is beautiful for those who believe but what to I believe and feel when people seem to totally or just passively reject Christ. What about my friends and family who seem pretty good? - ( maybe I try to squeeze them in to the part in Romans that talks about having the law written on their hearts)
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. (Romans 2:14 ESV)
This brings up and tests my faith that God is in control and entirely good. For Jesus says he will not lose a single one our Father has given him.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. (John 6:39 NIV)
God I pray you give me faith to trust what you say that you are good and that you are in control despite what I see around me in the world that might say otherwise. But help me to pray as those believers who came before me:
You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:"'Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.' (Acts 4:25, 26 NIV) for God you can see all things and work them all for your good plans. Lord I pray for myself and those close to me, for students at CU that all those who would believe that together we would turn repent and believe and be saved!
Then humble us to remember Christ our justifier in his humility that we would live patient, joyful and humble lives of love and truth in the midst of a broken world.
Amen
(Romans 3:26 ESV)
God is both just in condemning sin and in bringing the due punishment for sin and yet God himself in the person of Jesus stepped down as the judge to also stand in and take the punishment.
Lord Jesus I pray you continue to work in my heart to understand the reality of both. I think it is exciting and powerful for me and other believers. It is exciting to believe this in a room full of Christians. But it becomes harder to believe as I interact with the world. When I see people who are spiritually lost do I have faith and trust in who God is and his plan. When it seems hopeless that some people close to me would come to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior do I believe this same truth. Do I continue to trust God is good and his judgement against sin is just?
Jesus and the Cross is beautiful for those who believe but what to I believe and feel when people seem to totally or just passively reject Christ. What about my friends and family who seem pretty good? - ( maybe I try to squeeze them in to the part in Romans that talks about having the law written on their hearts)
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. (Romans 2:14 ESV)
This brings up and tests my faith that God is in control and entirely good. For Jesus says he will not lose a single one our Father has given him.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. (John 6:39 NIV)
God I pray you give me faith to trust what you say that you are good and that you are in control despite what I see around me in the world that might say otherwise. But help me to pray as those believers who came before me:
You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:"'Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.' (Acts 4:25, 26 NIV) for God you can see all things and work them all for your good plans. Lord I pray for myself and those close to me, for students at CU that all those who would believe that together we would turn repent and believe and be saved!
Then humble us to remember Christ our justifier in his humility that we would live patient, joyful and humble lives of love and truth in the midst of a broken world.
Amen
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Psalm 46: be still and know God is God!
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
"Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!"
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah (Psalm 46:1-3, 6, 10, 11 ESV)
I read this psalm this morning and it was on my mind and heart and prayers all day. It is so simple and beautiful and encouraging and easy to forget. But this truth is simple: the world is against us and God and brings harm, but God is for us and he is in control and will be victorious in his plans. Therefore we need not fear, but simply be still and let God be God!
Lord in my life, in my fundraising, in my ministry, in my relationship, in everything I want to trust in you and not fear. I want to give my fear to you my mighty fortress and though the told rage against us and it seems the world is crashing around I want to believe and see the spiritual reality. Which is that God is not weak and he is not losing and God will be exalted in the whole earth! He is in control and these things are so insignificant they don't even rattle him. Glory to you Lord!
Amen
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
"Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!"
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah (Psalm 46:1-3, 6, 10, 11 ESV)
I read this psalm this morning and it was on my mind and heart and prayers all day. It is so simple and beautiful and encouraging and easy to forget. But this truth is simple: the world is against us and God and brings harm, but God is for us and he is in control and will be victorious in his plans. Therefore we need not fear, but simply be still and let God be God!
Lord in my life, in my fundraising, in my ministry, in my relationship, in everything I want to trust in you and not fear. I want to give my fear to you my mighty fortress and though the told rage against us and it seems the world is crashing around I want to believe and see the spiritual reality. Which is that God is not weak and he is not losing and God will be exalted in the whole earth! He is in control and these things are so insignificant they don't even rattle him. Glory to you Lord!
Amen
To understand the Cross we must understand Sin
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
For there is no distinction:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26 ESV)
I think sometime I can too quickly focus on the cross without fully recognizing and understanding the reality if sin. He reality of sin is that myself and every other person has sinned and continues to sin against God. And God who also loves us also hates our acts of sin and our lives in sin.
This is the hardest part:
Sin leads to separation from God
And
We are all therefore already dead in sin now
And eternally:
We deserve eternal punishment and eternal death- separation from God.
Until we fully believe and accept this we cannot fully believe and appreciate the Cross. If we do not accept sin and recognize Gods authority to define sin then we reject the Cross. Event worse we minimize and lie about the cross. In my own heart my failure to believe this reality about sin is a sin in and of itself because of how it affects my understanding and teaching on Jesus on the Cross.
But if we truly understand sin we can fully and joyfully and thankfully from all of our being love and be in complete awe and appreciation of Jesus and the Cross. We can truly sing and say in our hearts: how marvelous and my serious is the Cross.
Lord though it is hard I pray you would reveal and convict us of the reality of sin in our own lives and the world and how sin means we are dead. I pray that would help us to truly understand the significance of what you did for us Jesus in humbling yourself to take on human flesh and die on a cross for us. Lord teach me what it means to be alive by knowing the difference between death in sin and life in the Spirit fighting day by day against sin with victory and hope in you God.
Amen
For there is no distinction:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26 ESV)
I think sometime I can too quickly focus on the cross without fully recognizing and understanding the reality if sin. He reality of sin is that myself and every other person has sinned and continues to sin against God. And God who also loves us also hates our acts of sin and our lives in sin.
This is the hardest part:
Sin leads to separation from God
And
We are all therefore already dead in sin now
And eternally:
We deserve eternal punishment and eternal death- separation from God.
Until we fully believe and accept this we cannot fully believe and appreciate the Cross. If we do not accept sin and recognize Gods authority to define sin then we reject the Cross. Event worse we minimize and lie about the cross. In my own heart my failure to believe this reality about sin is a sin in and of itself because of how it affects my understanding and teaching on Jesus on the Cross.
But if we truly understand sin we can fully and joyfully and thankfully from all of our being love and be in complete awe and appreciation of Jesus and the Cross. We can truly sing and say in our hearts: how marvelous and my serious is the Cross.
Lord though it is hard I pray you would reveal and convict us of the reality of sin in our own lives and the world and how sin means we are dead. I pray that would help us to truly understand the significance of what you did for us Jesus in humbling yourself to take on human flesh and die on a cross for us. Lord teach me what it means to be alive by knowing the difference between death in sin and life in the Spirit fighting day by day against sin with victory and hope in you God.
Amen
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Heart issues: gospel transformation
In the men's small group that I host from my church in Boulder; Calvary Bible group we had a great discussion around heart issues being the real problem of sin in our lives and the root of our exterior behavioral sin. We need to address the heart issues with the truth and hope of the gospel and not just try to manage the behaviors.
And he called the people to him again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him."
(Mark 7:14, 15 ESV)
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
(Luke 6:43-49 ESV)
Analogy: Taping fruit and branches on dead trees. Whitewashed tombs like the pharisees. How can we be like that? How am I like that?
How do we address heart issues? Not just behavior management but heart transformation. Also points to need of savior, we are sinners.
Tangible:
We want something we don't have or can't get.
Get to root by looking at who wants what?
Stop yourself in moment and be self aware and management
Ask lots of questions
Identity issues,
Know triggers.
Expectations are huge, but I am not in control
Pray
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
(James 4:1-4 ESV)
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26, 27 ESV)
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1, 2 ESV)
How do we know if we are real and healthy trees with right hearts.
How do law and gospel fit into this sin and heart issues?
Law sheds light on sin? Convicts us of sin
Personal laws: ex don't be late. Ex drinking less than 3
Law has no power to change us.
How do we change our hearts?
Examples: tax collector and zaccheus
We can't change our hearts. That is only work of Holy Spirit
But also avoiding temptation
How long should it take?
Over time generally should be process of sanctification increasing holiness over time
Trend up but huge fluctuation
Bumps can lead to new growth up
If we ever say we don't struggle or aren't tempted then we have an idol of ourselves: pride
Sanctification?
Romans 6
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
(Romans 6:1-4, 15, 16 ESV)
Suffering draws us near to the cross
What external behaviors are we managing to look good and avoid hard work of heart transformation.
Church
Reward system: ex rosary making up for sin
Evangelism, outreach
2 Peter 1:5-9
How to remember forgiveness and cleansed from past sins
Confess specific sins, repent and believe specific gospel truth in that area
Ex acceptance, identity, status, pleasure,
Things I feel convicted of that I want to work on the heart issues:
My snappy heart attitude and unhealthy emotional management
Being unattached from things. Give up anything offer it when someone likes something I have.
Performance
Lust
Pride
Lord in those areas I pray for your Holy Spirit to be at work convicting and bringing real heart repentance and transformation by believing gospel truth and affirming my identity in Christ.
Amen
And he called the people to him again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him."
(Mark 7:14, 15 ESV)
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
(Luke 6:43-49 ESV)
Analogy: Taping fruit and branches on dead trees. Whitewashed tombs like the pharisees. How can we be like that? How am I like that?
How do we address heart issues? Not just behavior management but heart transformation. Also points to need of savior, we are sinners.
Tangible:
We want something we don't have or can't get.
Get to root by looking at who wants what?
Stop yourself in moment and be self aware and management
Ask lots of questions
Identity issues,
Know triggers.
Expectations are huge, but I am not in control
Pray
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
(James 4:1-4 ESV)
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26, 27 ESV)
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1, 2 ESV)
How do we know if we are real and healthy trees with right hearts.
How do law and gospel fit into this sin and heart issues?
Law sheds light on sin? Convicts us of sin
Personal laws: ex don't be late. Ex drinking less than 3
Law has no power to change us.
How do we change our hearts?
Examples: tax collector and zaccheus
We can't change our hearts. That is only work of Holy Spirit
But also avoiding temptation
How long should it take?
Over time generally should be process of sanctification increasing holiness over time
Trend up but huge fluctuation
Bumps can lead to new growth up
If we ever say we don't struggle or aren't tempted then we have an idol of ourselves: pride
Sanctification?
Romans 6
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
(Romans 6:1-4, 15, 16 ESV)
Suffering draws us near to the cross
What external behaviors are we managing to look good and avoid hard work of heart transformation.
Church
Reward system: ex rosary making up for sin
Evangelism, outreach
2 Peter 1:5-9
How to remember forgiveness and cleansed from past sins
Confess specific sins, repent and believe specific gospel truth in that area
Ex acceptance, identity, status, pleasure,
Things I feel convicted of that I want to work on the heart issues:
My snappy heart attitude and unhealthy emotional management
Being unattached from things. Give up anything offer it when someone likes something I have.
Performance
Lust
Pride
Lord in those areas I pray for your Holy Spirit to be at work convicting and bringing real heart repentance and transformation by believing gospel truth and affirming my identity in Christ.
Amen
Friday, June 14, 2013
Remember The Lord Deuteronomy 8
Devotional June 14: Remember The Lord your God in times of abundance. For it is him who provides not us.
"Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his
commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you
today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good
houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and
your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is
multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your
God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
slavery, Beware lest you say in your heart, "My power and the might of
my hand have gotten me this wealth." You shall remember the Lord your
God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may
confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
(Deuteronomy 8:11-14, 17, 18 ESV)
This is a good reminder especially for us in the U.S. I know even in
my work as a minister I am so tempted to become prideful. Even in
doing God's work I can get discouraged or caught up in what I can and
can't do. I get overwhelmed and often get angry at God because I
foolishly think I am the one working and God isn't. Yet the reality is
God is the only worker and if he was not working nothing would happen.
Instead it is gracious of God to invite me into his work that I can
partner with him and see his power up close and personally.
Beyond that I think there are a few big things we often look to hoping
to find joy and fulfillment outside of The Lord. Work, wealth,
contentment, relationships. And yet we so quickly forget all things
are a gift from God and none of them last. At any moment we could lose
them. And we will certainly lose them because we will all die.
Lord in all things I pray I remember you and in humility you are the
creator and provider and worker in all things. I pray my heart would
turn to gratitude to the Lord instead of pride. Thank you Lord for all
the small things and life and your provision and most of all your Son
Jesus who died for us that we could be reconciled to God and receive
eternity and a heavenly home with you Lord!
Amen
"Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his
commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you
today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good
houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and
your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is
multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your
God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
slavery, Beware lest you say in your heart, "My power and the might of
my hand have gotten me this wealth." You shall remember the Lord your
God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may
confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
(Deuteronomy 8:11-14, 17, 18 ESV)
This is a good reminder especially for us in the U.S. I know even in
my work as a minister I am so tempted to become prideful. Even in
doing God's work I can get discouraged or caught up in what I can and
can't do. I get overwhelmed and often get angry at God because I
foolishly think I am the one working and God isn't. Yet the reality is
God is the only worker and if he was not working nothing would happen.
Instead it is gracious of God to invite me into his work that I can
partner with him and see his power up close and personally.
Beyond that I think there are a few big things we often look to hoping
to find joy and fulfillment outside of The Lord. Work, wealth,
contentment, relationships. And yet we so quickly forget all things
are a gift from God and none of them last. At any moment we could lose
them. And we will certainly lose them because we will all die.
Lord in all things I pray I remember you and in humility you are the
creator and provider and worker in all things. I pray my heart would
turn to gratitude to the Lord instead of pride. Thank you Lord for all
the small things and life and your provision and most of all your Son
Jesus who died for us that we could be reconciled to God and receive
eternity and a heavenly home with you Lord!
Amen
Thursday, June 13, 2013
1 Tim 2 Pray!
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
(1 Timothy 2:1-6 ESV)
(1 Timothy 2:1-6 ESV)
1 Timothy 1 thoughts
The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1:5 ESV)
It is loving to rebuke false teachers
Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. (1 Timothy 1:6, 7 ESV)
Without centering on love through pure heart and good conscience simple sincere faith we cannot understand law or theology or deep mysteries and things of faith.
When I get lost in obligation I can't understand other things about God. I can't fundraise and I can't lead students into faith by the Spirit. God can but it is silly I try to just keep going when I am going without God in me as fully
the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. (1 Timothy 1:10, 11 ESV)
Sound doctrine is in line with gospel
Gospel is the glory of God
To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17 ESV)
This comes right after a whole section on all the amazing things Christ has done
Christ is the glory of God
Amen
It is loving to rebuke false teachers
Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. (1 Timothy 1:6, 7 ESV)
Without centering on love through pure heart and good conscience simple sincere faith we cannot understand law or theology or deep mysteries and things of faith.
When I get lost in obligation I can't understand other things about God. I can't fundraise and I can't lead students into faith by the Spirit. God can but it is silly I try to just keep going when I am going without God in me as fully
the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. (1 Timothy 1:10, 11 ESV)
Sound doctrine is in line with gospel
Gospel is the glory of God
To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17 ESV)
This comes right after a whole section on all the amazing things Christ has done
Christ is the glory of God
Amen
God will wipe away our tears
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day,
"Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation." (Isaiah 25:6-9 ESV)
And again this is promised in the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
(Revelation 7:17 ESV)
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:1-4 ESV)
People often question God and Christianity around this concern of suffering. Really the answer we want is that God will take away our suffering now, which he doesn't always or even often do. The ultimate answer from these scriptures of suffering is that in this life we suffer but in the life to come there will be no suffering and we will be healed as God himself takes the pain of our suffering in this life.
We may still ask why there is suffering and most answers are not satisfying. Sometimes Christians say it is all because of sin and most of it probably is. But I think my answer is we don't know or understand. Like Job found out the hard way God is who he is and he does what he has planned. And we don't always like the plan and that pain God let's us go through.
So he question is:
Do you believe God is good?
If yes then:
Do you trust God to know better than you what is truly good?
I admit I haven't experienced much suffering in my life. Sometimes it makes me mad and sad or try to work harder because it is so unfair.
Yet I think the example in the bible of what to do in suffering is to walk with Jesus in the suffering. Jesus became human and suffered with us. I think if how Jesus suffered as his friend Lazarus died. Jesus knew he could and would raise Lazarus from the dead and yet he mourned. Jesus knew the plan of God through the cross and yet asked that the cup of the wrath of God might be passed from him. Jesus knows suffering.
And that is far more beautiful:
Jesus the Son of God - the Word
Suffered alongside us and suffered for us.
In that I hope!
Because Jesus was also raised up and is seated at the right hand of the father in heaven our future home where he will wipe away every tear.
Praise be to God
Amen
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day,
"Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation." (Isaiah 25:6-9 ESV)
And again this is promised in the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
(Revelation 7:17 ESV)
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:1-4 ESV)
People often question God and Christianity around this concern of suffering. Really the answer we want is that God will take away our suffering now, which he doesn't always or even often do. The ultimate answer from these scriptures of suffering is that in this life we suffer but in the life to come there will be no suffering and we will be healed as God himself takes the pain of our suffering in this life.
We may still ask why there is suffering and most answers are not satisfying. Sometimes Christians say it is all because of sin and most of it probably is. But I think my answer is we don't know or understand. Like Job found out the hard way God is who he is and he does what he has planned. And we don't always like the plan and that pain God let's us go through.
So he question is:
Do you believe God is good?
If yes then:
Do you trust God to know better than you what is truly good?
I admit I haven't experienced much suffering in my life. Sometimes it makes me mad and sad or try to work harder because it is so unfair.
Yet I think the example in the bible of what to do in suffering is to walk with Jesus in the suffering. Jesus became human and suffered with us. I think if how Jesus suffered as his friend Lazarus died. Jesus knew he could and would raise Lazarus from the dead and yet he mourned. Jesus knew the plan of God through the cross and yet asked that the cup of the wrath of God might be passed from him. Jesus knows suffering.
And that is far more beautiful:
Jesus the Son of God - the Word
Suffered alongside us and suffered for us.
In that I hope!
Because Jesus was also raised up and is seated at the right hand of the father in heaven our future home where he will wipe away every tear.
Praise be to God
Amen
Lord strengthen me in compassion today!
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:31, 32 NIV)
As I travel for the 4th day in the last 5 I pray for patience and kindness and compassion and forgiveness to fill me. Not of my strength but of Christ who strengthens me!
Lord help me to be a light for you and your gospel with my friends, girlfriend, parents, airport officials etc.
Thank you Jesus for your great example of servant heart and immense patience!
Amen
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Let the Word be on our heart and lips!
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7 NIV)
I love this picture of the Word of God just being filling and overflowing in our lives and hearts! Lord I am sorry that I make it a chore and obligation without joy sometimes to study your Word and to share your gospel. God I pray you change my heart to love your Word and love sharing your Word!
Amen
I love this picture of the Word of God just being filling and overflowing in our lives and hearts! Lord I am sorry that I make it a chore and obligation without joy sometimes to study your Word and to share your gospel. God I pray you change my heart to love your Word and love sharing your Word!
Amen
Monday, June 3, 2013
Psalm 40: Wait patiently for The Lord
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him. Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods. I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as you know. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly. But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
"The Lord is great!" But as for me, I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
you are my God, do not delay.
(Psalm 40:1-4, 9, 10, 16, 17 NIV)
I read this Psalm last week and just loved it! It is a very powerful message of trusting in The Lord. I think patience for God's timing is perhaps the hardest part of trusting in The Lord. For we live a hectic lifestyle day in and day out. We are constantly on the go and in contact over several different media. And we pray and expect God to be the same. But I think God wants us to realize our hectic lifestyle won't save us.
We can't do enough things or know enough people to be happy or to accomplish enough. God is our only hope and he has already done enough. We don't have to earn it. I think it mush healthier to first center on The Lord and patiently wait for him working and resting hard but letting life go by without worry or being frantic.
I really struggle with trying to do too much, but I think I miss out on so much and don't find any more fulfillment or joy. It is a hard balance to be faithful in doing Gods work but also not finding value or worth in the work.
God I want as David wrote to rejoice and be glad in you. Not your creation or the opportunities or relationships you have given me. I want to rejoice in you and rejoice in you through all that you have given me.
Lord keep me humble to remember I am weak and needy and completely dependent on you. I am tempted to pride and self reliance, but God I want to remember you are the creator and provider.
Lord I want to set my foundation on you in the chaos and rejoice and praise you anew everyday walking in this life to do your work setting my hope on you and eternity with you!
Amen
he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him. Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods. I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as you know. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly. But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
"The Lord is great!" But as for me, I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
you are my God, do not delay.
(Psalm 40:1-4, 9, 10, 16, 17 NIV)
I read this Psalm last week and just loved it! It is a very powerful message of trusting in The Lord. I think patience for God's timing is perhaps the hardest part of trusting in The Lord. For we live a hectic lifestyle day in and day out. We are constantly on the go and in contact over several different media. And we pray and expect God to be the same. But I think God wants us to realize our hectic lifestyle won't save us.
We can't do enough things or know enough people to be happy or to accomplish enough. God is our only hope and he has already done enough. We don't have to earn it. I think it mush healthier to first center on The Lord and patiently wait for him working and resting hard but letting life go by without worry or being frantic.
I really struggle with trying to do too much, but I think I miss out on so much and don't find any more fulfillment or joy. It is a hard balance to be faithful in doing Gods work but also not finding value or worth in the work.
God I want as David wrote to rejoice and be glad in you. Not your creation or the opportunities or relationships you have given me. I want to rejoice in you and rejoice in you through all that you have given me.
Lord keep me humble to remember I am weak and needy and completely dependent on you. I am tempted to pride and self reliance, but God I want to remember you are the creator and provider.
Lord I want to set my foundation on you in the chaos and rejoice and praise you anew everyday walking in this life to do your work setting my hope on you and eternity with you!
Amen
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