Category Archives: Encouragement

Mar
13
2015

Because He Lives

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My new favorite song is by an artist I had never heard of before this. Matt Maher sings “Because He Lives (Amen)”, a song from his forthcoming album, due out next week (March 17th). I know nothing of Matt (if I may call him that) except that this song powerfully expresses that our salvation is wholly from God. Matt has mixed in the words from the chorus of “Because He Lives” by the Gaithers, with two verses speaking of our sin and shame now taken away by the mercy of God. Each time I hear this song, I am uplifted and more eager to meet my savior. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

I believe in the Son
I believe in the risen One
I believe I overcome
By the power of His blood

I was dead in the grave
I was covered in sin and shame
I heard mercy call my name
He rolled the stone away

Amen, Amen
I’m alive, I’m alive
Because He lives
Amen, Amen
Let my song join the one that never ends
Because He lives

 

Nov
12
2012

Christ, supreme in creation and redemption

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Aug
14
2012

Peace to Sleep

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Over two Psalms, David remarks on his ability to sleep well and in peace. The Lord sustains David as he flees from his son Absalom (Psalm 3:5), and the Lord protects David as he sleeps (Psalm 4:8). What has struck me about each of these verses is the active work on the Lord on David’s behalf and indeed on every Christian’s behalf. The Lord lifts David up and protects him, physically and spiritually. The Lord carefully watches over us. He is for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

 

Aug
13
2012

I Can’t Sit Down

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May
06
2012

Past Easter

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With Easter now almost a month past, I find myself reflecting on the church experience with memorizing Isaiah 52:13-52:12 (the “Suffering Servant”). On one level, I have no idea how many participated in learning these fifteen verses. We did not ask anyone to sign up. I was hopeful that many would work on it since it was a shorter passage than the Sermon on the Mount. Yet, the few folks I knew working on it were not able to completely memorize the passage. Maybe the flow of the ESV threw off some who tried; it did take some getting used to. Although I really enjoy using the ESV, maybe a different translation would benefit more people.

On another level, I am very grateful for our pastoral staff, David, Jud, and Billy, who had a hand in weaving the passage throughout the church life during the five weeks prior to Easter. We read the passages together aloud in church. We received emails with the passages to remind us about the church-wide memorization effort. We listened to parts of this “servant song” set to music. We studied all the “servant songs” on Wednesday nights. We used the words of Isaiah to frame our Maundy Thursday and Friday Tenebrae services. I was pleased and encouraged by all the staff did to make this relevant to the church, to bring this passage alive to everyone. It was beneficial to me personally as well. I was not merely learning and studying a passage from a dead prophet. I was seeing the crucified and resurrected Lord Jesus again, with fresh eyes, having witnessed the inner thoughts of the “Arm of the LORD” as revealed by Isaiah.

 

Feb
27
2012

The Rare Jewel of Wisdom

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From Don Carson:

People do not often understand just how rare real wisdom is. According to chapter 28, Job understands. The chapter is a poetic reflection on this very theme: “But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?” (Job 28:12). Job lists the places wisdom is not found and concludes, “It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds of the air. Destruction and Death say, ‘Only a rumor of it has reached our ears’ ” (Job 28:21-22). Where then is wisdom found? “God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens” (Job 28:23-24). And what is God’s own summary? “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding” (Job 28:28).

via Exodus 10; Luke 13; Job 28; 1 Corinthians 14 – For the Love of God.

Feb
18
2012

Memorizing Philemon

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Two weeks ago, a few of us in church started memorizing Philemon. It was an opportunity to memorize more Scripture prior to an Easter memorization project within our church.

It’s unlike other Pauline letters that I’ve studied. Paul’s love for Philemon and Onesimus drips from the book. Paul takes extraordinary care to reintroduce Philemon to his “bondservant” (ESV). The ESV Study Bible says that the theme of Philemon is the power of the gospel to transform lives and to impact human relationships. I’ve been trying to look for those themes as I read through Philemon and meditate on what I’ve read.

What I would like to do is re-evaluate my own relationships and see where I need to inject more gospel.

Feb
14
2012

Our Inexpressible Joy: Loving and Believing in Christ

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I had the privilege of teaching today in another Sunday school classroom at church. It was the “Mosaics” class, a blend of men and women of differing ages, who bring in teachers from classes to present lessons each Sunday. I went in with high hopes of covering 1 Peter 1:1-12, but we only got as far as verse 5.

[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, [5] who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. [6] In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, [7] so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. [8] Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, [9] obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

I was struck again by the joy we have as Christians – joy in our heavenly home and joy in knowing Christ. What seemed more poignant to me was that our joy in Christ is “inexpressible”. As if it weren’t fantastic enough that our inheritance is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” and “ready to be revealed in the last time”, Peter adds that loving and believing in Jesus Christ is inexpressible joy.

Heaven may be great but the beauty and glory of my Savior will be what holds my full attention! May I indeed, “count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8 ESV)

 

 

Jan
22
2012

Valued Because We Share His Image

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Today, January 22nd, is considered the “Sanctity of Human Life” Sunday. I’ve been reading Innocent Blood by John Ensor (available from Cruciform Press and until the end of January, available in PDF for $2.99). I’ve never read a book like this before, and I suspect it will reshape how I think of “challenging the powers of death” prevalent in culture today.

I was struck by the passage below. It’s a brief reminder to us all about the “intrinsic value” that men and women have as image-bearers of God.

In what sense is mankind crowned with glory and honor? Why are we of much more value than many sparrows? The Christian answer, uniformly affirmed throughout the ages, is that human life is precious to God because we are made in his image. “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).

This metaphysical assertion—that all people, male and female, are created in God’s own image—explains the entire history of courageous Christianity. It is conceived in the words created in his image. This is what gives human life intrinsic value, not just utilitarian value. Each human life, individually, is more valuable than many sparrows.

Abraham believed this. The midwives of Egypt believed this. Rahab believed this. James believed this, which is why he said we must not even curse, let alone kill, our fellow man (James 3:9). Every person commended for their faith and courage in Hebrews 11 believed this. All the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and disciples believed this. Every person you admire for their Christian faith today believes this.

If we took this reality to heart, we could end the book here and turn the world upside down.

Jan
11
2012

What hope do I have, imperfect as I am?

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The Bible is plain that God requires moral perfection. It tells us unambiguously that God is holy and therefore cannot tolerate any hint of unholiness. Defects, blemishes, or stains–to the smallest degree–are unacceptable and deserving of God’s wrath. And just in case I’m deluded enough to think that my Spirit-wrought moral improvement since I became a Christian is making the grade, Jesus (in the Sermon on the Mount) intensifies what God’s required perfection entails: “Not only external actions but internal feelings and motives must be absolutely pure. Jesus condemns not only adultery but lust, not only murder but anger–promising the same judgment for both” (Gene Veith).

In Matthew 5-7, Jesus wants us to see that regardless of how well we think we’re doing or how much better we’re becoming, when “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” becomes the requirement and not “look how much I’ve grown over the years”, we begin to realize that we don’t have a leg to lean on when it comes to answering the question, “How can I stand righteous before God”? Our transformation, our purity, our growth in godliness, our moral advances and spiritual successes–Spirit-animated as it all may be–simply falls short of the sinlessness God demands. And since a “not guilty verdict” depends on sinlessness, assurance is ultimately contingent on perfection, not progress.

So, if God requires perfection and there is no definitive assurance without it (God isn’t grading on a curve, after all), then what hope do I have, imperfect as I am?

The New Testament answer to this question is singular:

For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
 
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. (Romans 3:23-25)
 
And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. (Romans 4:5)
 
The conscience is given assurance only as living faith is created by the Spirit through the Gospel announcement that God justifies the ungodly. The righteousness we need comes from God “through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” (Romans 3:22)
 

via Where Can I Find Assurance? – Tullian Tchividjian.