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In the Gospel of John 15:15, Jesus says, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
How often do you think of Jesus as your friend? I have to admit that I do not often think of Him in those terms. I think of Him as my Lord, my Savior, my Advocate, my Redeemer but not as my friend. Yet, He tells us that he calls us His friends.
A Franciscan gentleman had this insightful thought about the Jesus/friend relationship:
“Do you ever reflect upon the fact that Jesus feels proud of you? Proud that you accepted the faith which He offered you? Proud that after He chose you, you chose Him for a friend and Lord? Proud that you haven’t given up? Proud that you believe in Him enough to try again and again? Proud that you trust that He can help you? Do you ever think that Jesus appreciates you for wanting Him, for waning to say no to so many things that would separate you from Him? Do you ever think that Jesus is grateful to you for pausing to smile and comfort one of His children who has great need to see a smile, to feel a touch? Do you ever think of Jesus being grateful to you for learning more about Him so you can speak to others more deeply and truly about Him? Do you ever think that Jesus can be angry or disappointed in you for not believing that He has forgiven you totally? Because Jesus calls us His friends, there is the possibility of every feeling and emotion which can exist between friends to exist here and now between Jesus and you.”
Perhaps we never stop to contemplate Jesus being proud and grateful for us because we are always trying to earn His favor by our works, our actions, our words instead of just abiding in Him and His love as He tells us to do.
I have often found in my own walk that I am always stationed somewhere between pride and self-pity. There is always that toggle going on internally and truth be told, Jesus does not want us on either end of the spectrum. He wants us right in the middle where we are neither prideful nor loathing ourselves but resting in Him. I do not pretend that this is easy as we deal with the ups and downs of our own spiritual successes and shortcomings but maybe, just maybe Jesus expects more failure from us than we do of ourselves. I am reminded of Peter who after denying the Lord three times went back to fishing. He was done. He had given up the faith. He was a failure. And then the Lord met him on the shore, made him breakfast and asked him three times if He loved Him. Three times to show Peter that his thrice denial was forgiven and in the past and that what truly was in Peter’s heart was love.
And so too with us. The Lord knows we are frail and but dust, yet He loves us and urges us to feed His sheep, knowing that He who has begun a good work in us, WILL finish it.
As the old praise hymn goes:
"What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!"
Jesus wants to carry us as His friends. Let’s take everything to Him in prayer today.
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"It is when we notice the dirt that God is most present in us."
- C.S. Lewis
Showing posts with label Savior. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Savior. Show all posts
Friday, October 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Christmas Story….Completed
In just a few days we will celebrate Easter Sunday, more than 2,000 years since the first Easter Sunday was observed by the disciples and more than 500 other witnesses. It is this event, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior that is the pinnacle of the Christian faith. It is also this event that makes the birth of the Savior significant for without the resurrection His birth, life, ministry, and death are all rendered meaningless. In fact, the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 that “if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty…we are of all men the most pitiable.”
Perhaps no truer words of the significance of the resurrection were ever spoken. Even the harshest critics of the resurrection of Christ have to admit that if He did indeed rise than death truly holds no power for those that put their faith and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. In fact, no other world religion offers a Living God. All of their gods are dead in their graves with no power to help their followers either here on earth or in the life to come.
Not too long ago I saw a television program on the rise of the Muslim religion across the world. At one point, they interviewed a Muslim man about the difference between his religion and Christianity. The man said that the two religions are very different not so much in their practice but in their belief regarding salvation. He said that Islam does not offer a personal Savior like Christianity that forgives men for their sins with no effort on their part. He said it is on this basis alone (human achievement vs. grace of God) that the two religions differ greatly. And I would also add that it is this fact that elevates the work of Christ above everyone else.
The Bible tells us the God loved us and died for us, “while we were yet sinners.” (Romans 5:8) Did you catch that? God loved us while we were sinners and at enmity toward Him. I often think that the first question I will ask God when I see Him is, “Why did you love us so much?” It is this very love that compelled him to take off His God-hood (Philippians 2:5-8) and become man in order to provide redemption for mankind – something we could not do on our own.
So, as we approach Easter Sunday and contemplate the resurrection of Jesus, let’s make it a point to share this Good News with others. I just heard the other day that there is talk of changing the name of “Easter” to something else because it is too Christian sounding. Very sad indeed, but not surprising given the state of our nation these days. But no matter the name, we as believers in the One who resurrected know its significance, so go out and proclaim it boldly, always sharing it with others in love.
Perhaps no truer words of the significance of the resurrection were ever spoken. Even the harshest critics of the resurrection of Christ have to admit that if He did indeed rise than death truly holds no power for those that put their faith and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. In fact, no other world religion offers a Living God. All of their gods are dead in their graves with no power to help their followers either here on earth or in the life to come.
Not too long ago I saw a television program on the rise of the Muslim religion across the world. At one point, they interviewed a Muslim man about the difference between his religion and Christianity. The man said that the two religions are very different not so much in their practice but in their belief regarding salvation. He said that Islam does not offer a personal Savior like Christianity that forgives men for their sins with no effort on their part. He said it is on this basis alone (human achievement vs. grace of God) that the two religions differ greatly. And I would also add that it is this fact that elevates the work of Christ above everyone else.
The Bible tells us the God loved us and died for us, “while we were yet sinners.” (Romans 5:8) Did you catch that? God loved us while we were sinners and at enmity toward Him. I often think that the first question I will ask God when I see Him is, “Why did you love us so much?” It is this very love that compelled him to take off His God-hood (Philippians 2:5-8) and become man in order to provide redemption for mankind – something we could not do on our own.
So, as we approach Easter Sunday and contemplate the resurrection of Jesus, let’s make it a point to share this Good News with others. I just heard the other day that there is talk of changing the name of “Easter” to something else because it is too Christian sounding. Very sad indeed, but not surprising given the state of our nation these days. But no matter the name, we as believers in the One who resurrected know its significance, so go out and proclaim it boldly, always sharing it with others in love.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
The Poor Rich Church
This past week I had spent some time contemplating suffering and its purpose. While the Scripture discusses at length why believers suffer and also speaks of suffering as part of God’s will, I found myself drawn to the Book of Revelation chapter two and the little church of Smyrna. If you not familiar with this church, you may recall that the second and third chapters of Revelation include the seven letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor. Smyrna is the second church that is mentioned and the following passage is all we know of this church and its relationship to the Lord:
“And to the angel, or the messenger, from the church in Smyrna write: the First and the Last who was dead and has come to life says this: I know your tribulation and your poverty but you are rich and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan, do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison that you may be tested and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
Only four sentences, but yet so deep in spiritual truth and application. It is important to remember that Smyrna, like the other six churches, is a literal place and these letters were given by the Lord Jesus Christ through the pen of the Apostle John on the isle of Patmos about 96 A.D. We can gather that life for this little church was dangerous for a number of reasons, not the least of which was if you failed to acknowledge Caesar as Lord, you could lose your life. They were also surrounded by pagan worship of many different kinds. But their main source of suffering came from the Jews who were persecuting them for their faith. Jesus actually calls these Jews, “the synagogue of Satan.” Pretty powerful statement. These Jews were persecuting the Christians much the same way the Apostle Paul was before his conversion on the Damascus road.
According to John MacArthur, the Jews had many reasons to inflict punishment on the Christians, “they slandered them for cannibalism, saying they eat flesh and drink blood. They slandered them for lust and immorality because they greeted one another with a holy kiss and held love feasts. They slandered them for home wrecking because one member of a home became a Christian and it brought a sword into the household. They slandered them for atheism because they rejected the worship of emperors and the deities of Rome. They slandered them for rebellion and political disloyalty because they said this is tantamount to mutiny. And the Jews wanting to destroy Christian faith went to the Romans to report the Christians, that they might lose their lives.”
So here you have this picture of a church that is being attacked from all sides by the government and the religious groups around them but the Lord has such precious words for them, doesn’t He? He tells them that He knows them. He knows them! And he sees their tribulation and although they are poor and have been ravaged by these Jewish persecutors, he calls them rich. Why? Because they are so rich spiritually. They have not lost their first love like the church at Ephesus; they are not lukewarm like the Laodiceans. They are the poor rich church because they have what is most important – a right relationship to Christ in the midst of such intense suffering. They had holiness, they had love, they had unity, they had peace and most of all they had a sympathetic Savior telling them that He has seen their suffering and their response and He is ready to reward them with the crown of life.
So what does he tell them after all this? They will suffer more. My first reaction after reading this is why? Haven’t they suffered enough? But Satan is always trying to destroy saving faith. And God is always proving to him and to us that saving faith cannot be destroyed. For whatever reason as a race of people, we seem to listen best and trust the most when we are suffering. I think God often says you will suffer so you can see the power of the One that you have trusted in.
This begs the question, are we overcomers? What is our response to suffering? What is our true relationship to our Lord and Savior? The answers to these questions have eternal consequences.
“And to the angel, or the messenger, from the church in Smyrna write: the First and the Last who was dead and has come to life says this: I know your tribulation and your poverty but you are rich and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan, do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison that you may be tested and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
Only four sentences, but yet so deep in spiritual truth and application. It is important to remember that Smyrna, like the other six churches, is a literal place and these letters were given by the Lord Jesus Christ through the pen of the Apostle John on the isle of Patmos about 96 A.D. We can gather that life for this little church was dangerous for a number of reasons, not the least of which was if you failed to acknowledge Caesar as Lord, you could lose your life. They were also surrounded by pagan worship of many different kinds. But their main source of suffering came from the Jews who were persecuting them for their faith. Jesus actually calls these Jews, “the synagogue of Satan.” Pretty powerful statement. These Jews were persecuting the Christians much the same way the Apostle Paul was before his conversion on the Damascus road.
According to John MacArthur, the Jews had many reasons to inflict punishment on the Christians, “they slandered them for cannibalism, saying they eat flesh and drink blood. They slandered them for lust and immorality because they greeted one another with a holy kiss and held love feasts. They slandered them for home wrecking because one member of a home became a Christian and it brought a sword into the household. They slandered them for atheism because they rejected the worship of emperors and the deities of Rome. They slandered them for rebellion and political disloyalty because they said this is tantamount to mutiny. And the Jews wanting to destroy Christian faith went to the Romans to report the Christians, that they might lose their lives.”
So here you have this picture of a church that is being attacked from all sides by the government and the religious groups around them but the Lord has such precious words for them, doesn’t He? He tells them that He knows them. He knows them! And he sees their tribulation and although they are poor and have been ravaged by these Jewish persecutors, he calls them rich. Why? Because they are so rich spiritually. They have not lost their first love like the church at Ephesus; they are not lukewarm like the Laodiceans. They are the poor rich church because they have what is most important – a right relationship to Christ in the midst of such intense suffering. They had holiness, they had love, they had unity, they had peace and most of all they had a sympathetic Savior telling them that He has seen their suffering and their response and He is ready to reward them with the crown of life.
So what does he tell them after all this? They will suffer more. My first reaction after reading this is why? Haven’t they suffered enough? But Satan is always trying to destroy saving faith. And God is always proving to him and to us that saving faith cannot be destroyed. For whatever reason as a race of people, we seem to listen best and trust the most when we are suffering. I think God often says you will suffer so you can see the power of the One that you have trusted in.
This begs the question, are we overcomers? What is our response to suffering? What is our true relationship to our Lord and Savior? The answers to these questions have eternal consequences.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Beholding the Birth of the Savior
Tomorrow is Christmas and I have never gotten over the fact that God humbled himself and became man in order to save sinners. One of my favorite passages on this marvelous truth is Philippians 7:5-9, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
Many people believe that Jesus first began to exist at the time of his birth in Bethlehem but the Scripture teaches that He has always existed as the eternal God Son (Hebrews 1:5; Psalm 2:7). Jesus subjected Himself to the will of the Father and put aside His position in heaven to come to earth as a man and suffer the death of the cross in order to redeem man. This is the message of Christmas. As the angel said in Luke 2:11, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” A Savior was born. The wise men and the shepherds did not come to worship a baby, they came to worship God. They understood the Scriptures and Jesus’ mission to fulfill the law, validate the words of the prophets, and complete the redemption plan.
It is so easy to get caught up in the commercialism of Christmas but I have found this year that the shopping, tree decorating, and wrapping can be truly joyful when Christ is at the center. And that is true at all times of the year, isn’t it? The world can seep in just as easily in mid-June as it can in mid-December. I heard a preacher say this week that the key to overcoming temptation and sin is to fill your life with Godly things and thoughts. If we are listening to the world’s music, reading the world’s books, and watching the world’s movies and television programs, how can we expect to have any type of genuine relationship with the Living God at Christmas time or any other time of the year?
The Lord calls us to be set apart unto Him and to present ourselves as a living sacrifice which He says is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1-2). It is reasonable because He has already purchased us as His own by His life, ministry, death, and resurrection. How much more so should our life reflect this spiritual reality than at the time of our Savior’s birth?
“What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb.
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part.
Yet what can I give Him?
I give Him my heart.”
-Christina Rossetti
Many people believe that Jesus first began to exist at the time of his birth in Bethlehem but the Scripture teaches that He has always existed as the eternal God Son (Hebrews 1:5; Psalm 2:7). Jesus subjected Himself to the will of the Father and put aside His position in heaven to come to earth as a man and suffer the death of the cross in order to redeem man. This is the message of Christmas. As the angel said in Luke 2:11, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” A Savior was born. The wise men and the shepherds did not come to worship a baby, they came to worship God. They understood the Scriptures and Jesus’ mission to fulfill the law, validate the words of the prophets, and complete the redemption plan.
It is so easy to get caught up in the commercialism of Christmas but I have found this year that the shopping, tree decorating, and wrapping can be truly joyful when Christ is at the center. And that is true at all times of the year, isn’t it? The world can seep in just as easily in mid-June as it can in mid-December. I heard a preacher say this week that the key to overcoming temptation and sin is to fill your life with Godly things and thoughts. If we are listening to the world’s music, reading the world’s books, and watching the world’s movies and television programs, how can we expect to have any type of genuine relationship with the Living God at Christmas time or any other time of the year?
The Lord calls us to be set apart unto Him and to present ourselves as a living sacrifice which He says is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1-2). It is reasonable because He has already purchased us as His own by His life, ministry, death, and resurrection. How much more so should our life reflect this spiritual reality than at the time of our Savior’s birth?
“What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb.
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part.
Yet what can I give Him?
I give Him my heart.”
-Christina Rossetti
Friday, August 6, 2010
Adjusting Perspective
August marks 18 months since I left the workforce. Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about all the Lord has taught me during this time about priorities and purpose. Up until I left the field of Public Relations, I would categorize my life as one that was intensely focused on money. While I certainly was never one to dream about being a millionaire, thoughts of money pretty much dominated my life. I justified these thoughts by clouding them in a sense of fiscal responsibility toward my family. After all, in this economy a family needs two incomes just to survive, right?
As I felt the Lord prodding me to stay home for more than a year before I was laid off from my job, my first thought was how everything would get paid based solely on my husband’s salary, even though his income was more than enough once we subtracted out the weekly daycare payment. But, even more frightening than the money, was wondering if I would be truly satisfied with just being home with my two daughters. I had erroneously told myself for years that I was a better mother by working part-time. My logic was based on the premise that my work was something for me and the days I did not work were for my husband and daughters. Of course, I worked in a profession that was deadline oriented, which meant my laptop was always on even on my days off.
When I stopped working, the change in my daughters, who were two and four at the time was dramatic. While they have always been happy children, they sensed that I made a choice to be with them and that feeling of security turned their world around. Within a few weeks, my husband commented on how much happier and content the girls appeared to be, and how he was feeling more peace at work knowing that I was home with the girls every day, and would not be waiting for him to come through the door so I could login to check emails. I have come to realize that we really do not need the Lord to convince us of the benefit of staying home. We only need to observe our own children.
As the weeks turned into months, I began praying for the Lord to help me not begin submitting resumes because of a sense of diminishing self worth. For so long I had tied so much of who I was to what I did, and how much I got paid, that I was almost unable to see myself in any other terms. Then, something wonderful happened. The Lord provided opportunities for me to serve others. And this, I believe, is really the whole key to the abundant life that Jesus promised would be ours if our lives were lost in Him. All of our talents, abilities, and desires are God-given for the explicit purpose of serving Him and others. I often joke with former colleagues that the trick to performing meaningful work is to not get paid.
There is a great book by Max Lucado entitled, The Cure for the Common Life that addresses the issue of people’s discontentment in the work place. Lucado explains that most people from an early age realize they have an innate talent or ability, but many never pursue it because either they do not see a way they can make money from it, or they get promoted out of their sweet spot in life. The Bible is clear that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and that the Lord even knows how many hairs are on our head (Matthew 10:30). His desire is to have each of us use the abilities He gave us in service to Him and others (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
I know what you’re thinking. What about making enough money to support our families? We have to pay the mortgage, buy food, make tuition payments, etc. The two ideas are really not as divorced from each other as you might think. The Lord promises in Matthew 6:33 that if “we seek His kingdom and righteousness first, all these things will be added unto us.” These “things” in this verse are in reference to the basics of life – shelter, food, clothes. And this really is the key. If the Lord is our focus, then we stop trying to keep up with the Joneses, don’t we? Having the biggest house or newest sports car takes a back seat to serving the Lord and ministering to others.
Randy Alcorn has written a brilliant book on this subject of serving and sacrificial giving called The Treasure Principle. Alcorn speaks about storing up eternal treasure in your life as opposed to earthly treasures that will fade away. But more than just storing up treasures for eternity, your life today - right now - can be changed if you choose to seek the Lord. If you have never come to know the Savior or the abundant life which He offers, it can be yours this very moment. Romans 10:9-10 tells you how - “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
As I felt the Lord prodding me to stay home for more than a year before I was laid off from my job, my first thought was how everything would get paid based solely on my husband’s salary, even though his income was more than enough once we subtracted out the weekly daycare payment. But, even more frightening than the money, was wondering if I would be truly satisfied with just being home with my two daughters. I had erroneously told myself for years that I was a better mother by working part-time. My logic was based on the premise that my work was something for me and the days I did not work were for my husband and daughters. Of course, I worked in a profession that was deadline oriented, which meant my laptop was always on even on my days off.
When I stopped working, the change in my daughters, who were two and four at the time was dramatic. While they have always been happy children, they sensed that I made a choice to be with them and that feeling of security turned their world around. Within a few weeks, my husband commented on how much happier and content the girls appeared to be, and how he was feeling more peace at work knowing that I was home with the girls every day, and would not be waiting for him to come through the door so I could login to check emails. I have come to realize that we really do not need the Lord to convince us of the benefit of staying home. We only need to observe our own children.
As the weeks turned into months, I began praying for the Lord to help me not begin submitting resumes because of a sense of diminishing self worth. For so long I had tied so much of who I was to what I did, and how much I got paid, that I was almost unable to see myself in any other terms. Then, something wonderful happened. The Lord provided opportunities for me to serve others. And this, I believe, is really the whole key to the abundant life that Jesus promised would be ours if our lives were lost in Him. All of our talents, abilities, and desires are God-given for the explicit purpose of serving Him and others. I often joke with former colleagues that the trick to performing meaningful work is to not get paid.
There is a great book by Max Lucado entitled, The Cure for the Common Life that addresses the issue of people’s discontentment in the work place. Lucado explains that most people from an early age realize they have an innate talent or ability, but many never pursue it because either they do not see a way they can make money from it, or they get promoted out of their sweet spot in life. The Bible is clear that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and that the Lord even knows how many hairs are on our head (Matthew 10:30). His desire is to have each of us use the abilities He gave us in service to Him and others (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
I know what you’re thinking. What about making enough money to support our families? We have to pay the mortgage, buy food, make tuition payments, etc. The two ideas are really not as divorced from each other as you might think. The Lord promises in Matthew 6:33 that if “we seek His kingdom and righteousness first, all these things will be added unto us.” These “things” in this verse are in reference to the basics of life – shelter, food, clothes. And this really is the key. If the Lord is our focus, then we stop trying to keep up with the Joneses, don’t we? Having the biggest house or newest sports car takes a back seat to serving the Lord and ministering to others.
Randy Alcorn has written a brilliant book on this subject of serving and sacrificial giving called The Treasure Principle. Alcorn speaks about storing up eternal treasure in your life as opposed to earthly treasures that will fade away. But more than just storing up treasures for eternity, your life today - right now - can be changed if you choose to seek the Lord. If you have never come to know the Savior or the abundant life which He offers, it can be yours this very moment. Romans 10:9-10 tells you how - “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Thursday, July 29, 2010
In the Service of Others
A few weeks ago I was watching ESPN’s special broadcast of Lebron James’ announcement of where he will play basketball next year. He became a free agent at the end of this season, which means his contract with Cleveland had expired affording him the opportunity to play basketball for any team that was interested in signing him.
The show in which he would announce his decision was aptly called “The Decision.” You may have seen some of it as it invaded just about every television channel at 9:00 p.m. I could spend the rest of this blog discussing our fixation as a society with professional athletes but that is a topic for another time.
What I wanted to discuss was the advice Lebron James received from his mother regarding his decision, which he referenced several times during the show. He said that when he asked his mom which team he should join, she said that he needs to do what makes Lebron happy.
On the surface this sounds like sage advice, after all who would advise one of their children to do something that would not make them happy? But I believe her response is indicative of the self-serving mindset that has permeated our American culture for decades now. The idea of sacrificing your wants and desires for someone else or the greater good of society almost seems anti-American, doesn’t it?
If you look throughout the corridors of history, you will find thousands of biographies of men and women who practiced the principle of doing what made them happy. You will also find within their lives bitterness, depression and a sense of never having enough. Many believed that money and the pursuit of fame would be the ultimate fulfillment in life only to discover it left them wanting and empty. Just listen to some of the wealthiest people of their day:
- "The care of $200 million is enough to kill everyone. There is no pleasure in it." - W.H. Vanderbilt
- "I am the most miserable man on earth." - John Jacob Astor
- "I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness." - John D. Rockefeller
- "Millionaries seldom smile." - Andrew Carnegie
- "I was happier doing a mechanic's job." - Henry Ford
When our Savior preached the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5 many thought He was insane. The selfless principles he outlined that pictured the kingdom of God were too difficult for many to comprehend. It is easy to see why upon hearing this sermon, His listeners were shocked. Jesus begins each point by naming a group of people normally thought to be unblessed or unblessable and pronounces them blessed because of the presence and availability of the abundant life in God's kingdom to everyone, everywhere, regardless of status, circumstances, or condition.
In Stanley Hauerwas & William Willimon’s book, Resident Aliens, the authors make an important point for consideration, “The Beatitudes are not a strategy for achieving a better society...they are an indication of life in the kingdom of God...to produce a shock within our imaginations and to see life in a radical new way."
In other words, Jesus’ sermon was the antithesis of the culture 2,000 years ago. Not much has changed today. If anything, as our affluence has increased so has our reliance on humanism. Mrs. James statement to her son pinpoints the heart of a society that actually believes professional championship rings will bring a lifetime of happiness. How very sad. I was just reading the other day how the market has been flooded with New England Patriot championship rings from the early part of this decade when the team won three championships in four years. Apparently, the hard economic times has forced many players to sell their rings to pawn shops for ten percent of what the ring is actually worth.
Jesus is offering something much more valuable today than a championship ring or an executive promotion or a new house. He is offering Himself and within that offer comes the abundant life. For you see the abundant life that everyone is pursuing on Wall Street and within corporate America is a mirage. It offers nothing lasting, nothing of eternal value in this life or the next. The true abundant life exists within the life, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is here at the cross of Calvary that you find what you have been looking for – unconditional love, forgiveness and self-worth. It is Jesus Christ who is the key to all that fulfills and truly satisfies. Much of what He said and taught underscores this marvelous truth. If you do not know Him, I pray you come to know the Savior today (Romans 10:9-10).
"God may thunder His commands from Mount Sinai and men may fear, yet remain at heart exactly as they were before. But let a man once see his God down in the arena as a Man--suffering, tempted, sweating, and agonized, finally dying a criminal's death--and he is a hard man indeed who is untouched." - J.B. Phillips, Your God Is Too Small
The show in which he would announce his decision was aptly called “The Decision.” You may have seen some of it as it invaded just about every television channel at 9:00 p.m. I could spend the rest of this blog discussing our fixation as a society with professional athletes but that is a topic for another time.
What I wanted to discuss was the advice Lebron James received from his mother regarding his decision, which he referenced several times during the show. He said that when he asked his mom which team he should join, she said that he needs to do what makes Lebron happy.
On the surface this sounds like sage advice, after all who would advise one of their children to do something that would not make them happy? But I believe her response is indicative of the self-serving mindset that has permeated our American culture for decades now. The idea of sacrificing your wants and desires for someone else or the greater good of society almost seems anti-American, doesn’t it?
If you look throughout the corridors of history, you will find thousands of biographies of men and women who practiced the principle of doing what made them happy. You will also find within their lives bitterness, depression and a sense of never having enough. Many believed that money and the pursuit of fame would be the ultimate fulfillment in life only to discover it left them wanting and empty. Just listen to some of the wealthiest people of their day:
- "The care of $200 million is enough to kill everyone. There is no pleasure in it." - W.H. Vanderbilt
- "I am the most miserable man on earth." - John Jacob Astor
- "I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness." - John D. Rockefeller
- "Millionaries seldom smile." - Andrew Carnegie
- "I was happier doing a mechanic's job." - Henry Ford
When our Savior preached the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5 many thought He was insane. The selfless principles he outlined that pictured the kingdom of God were too difficult for many to comprehend. It is easy to see why upon hearing this sermon, His listeners were shocked. Jesus begins each point by naming a group of people normally thought to be unblessed or unblessable and pronounces them blessed because of the presence and availability of the abundant life in God's kingdom to everyone, everywhere, regardless of status, circumstances, or condition.
In Stanley Hauerwas & William Willimon’s book, Resident Aliens, the authors make an important point for consideration, “The Beatitudes are not a strategy for achieving a better society...they are an indication of life in the kingdom of God...to produce a shock within our imaginations and to see life in a radical new way."
In other words, Jesus’ sermon was the antithesis of the culture 2,000 years ago. Not much has changed today. If anything, as our affluence has increased so has our reliance on humanism. Mrs. James statement to her son pinpoints the heart of a society that actually believes professional championship rings will bring a lifetime of happiness. How very sad. I was just reading the other day how the market has been flooded with New England Patriot championship rings from the early part of this decade when the team won three championships in four years. Apparently, the hard economic times has forced many players to sell their rings to pawn shops for ten percent of what the ring is actually worth.
Jesus is offering something much more valuable today than a championship ring or an executive promotion or a new house. He is offering Himself and within that offer comes the abundant life. For you see the abundant life that everyone is pursuing on Wall Street and within corporate America is a mirage. It offers nothing lasting, nothing of eternal value in this life or the next. The true abundant life exists within the life, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is here at the cross of Calvary that you find what you have been looking for – unconditional love, forgiveness and self-worth. It is Jesus Christ who is the key to all that fulfills and truly satisfies. Much of what He said and taught underscores this marvelous truth. If you do not know Him, I pray you come to know the Savior today (Romans 10:9-10).
"God may thunder His commands from Mount Sinai and men may fear, yet remain at heart exactly as they were before. But let a man once see his God down in the arena as a Man--suffering, tempted, sweating, and agonized, finally dying a criminal's death--and he is a hard man indeed who is untouched." - J.B. Phillips, Your God Is Too Small
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Pondering the Pearly Gates
As the 21st chapter of the Book Revelation opens, we read that God will create a new heaven and a new earth. The old earth and the old heaven have passed away after the White Throne judgment which takes place after the second coming of Christ. These events are described in chapters 19 and 20 if you would like to read about them. Toward the middle of chapter 21, the Apostle John, who is the author of the Book, provides great detail regarding the physical attributes of the New Jerusalem. He describes the gates of the city in verse 21, “The twelve gates were twelve pearls, and each individual gate was of one pearl.” I have to admit, upon first reading this verse it is hard to imagine an entire gate composed of one pearl but that is what the text says and we know nothing is impossible with God who spoke creation into existence back in Genesis. What I wanted to discuss, however, is not the physical dimensions of the gates but why God chose a pearl as the material.
The preceding verses tell us that the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones, including jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst. God could have chosen any one of these materials for the gates but he chose a pearl. Why?
Of course, the Scripture does not tell us specifically why God chose any of the jewels he did when he created this city but I heard one commentator say that he believed God selected the pearl for the gates because an oyster has to suffer affliction in order to create the pearl. He compared this process with the suffering of Christ upon the cross as the means by which believers enter heaven.
I have to confess that I always believed a pearl was formed from a grain of sand entering the oyster but this notion is false. According to Wikipedia and several other sites that I researched on this topic, a pearl is indeed formed when an oyster or mollusk is either invaded or injured, “Pearls are formed inside the shell of certain mollusks as a defense mechanism to a potentially threatening irritant such as a parasite inside its shell, or an attack from outside, injuring the mantle tissue. The mollusk creates a pearl sac to seal off the irritation. The mantle of the mollusk deposits layers of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the form of the mineral aragonite or a mixture of aragonite and calcite. The combination of aragonite and conchiolin is called nacre, which makes up mother-of-pearl. The commonly held belief that a grain of sand acts as the irritant is in fact rarely the case. Typical stimuli include organic material, parasites, or even damage that displaces mantle tissue to another part of the animal's body. These small particles or organisms enter the animal when the shell valves are open for feeding or respiration.”
This fact of biology is quite stunning in lieu of the cross. The mollusk creates one of the most precious and treasured jewels on the face of the earth when it is attacked and injured. Our Savior when falsely accused, beaten and nailed on a cross, shed his precious blood to enable the unjust to enter heaven. Heaven therefore, is attained through suffering and travail; through redemption and blood; through the anguish of the cross. A pearl is made through a little animal that is wounded. So, it stands to reason that we enter the new heaven through a gate made of pearl.
To be honest, the concept gives me chills. It just continues to underscore the fact that nothing in the Word of God is there by chance or without precise purpose. It also emphasizes the law of human nature that anything that has true value in this life and the next is only achieved through sacrifice. It is sacrifice which produces beauty, splendor and magnificence. I think this is where our comparison of the oyster and Jesus diverts. The oyster is doing what is natural to preserve its life and in the process a wonderful little treasure is created. Jesus Christ willfully gave up his body to be beaten and sacrificed to attain eternal life for anyone that puts their faith and trust in Him for the forgiveness of sin (I John 5:11-13). He sits at the right hand of the Father now making intercession for those of us that have trusted Him as our personal Savior (Romans 8:34). If you do not know Him, please get to know Him today so you can one day enter through the gates of pearl into the Holy City whose builder and maker is God.
“The best moment of a Christian's life is his last one, because it is the one that is nearest heaven.” - Charles Spurgeon
The preceding verses tell us that the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones, including jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst. God could have chosen any one of these materials for the gates but he chose a pearl. Why?
Of course, the Scripture does not tell us specifically why God chose any of the jewels he did when he created this city but I heard one commentator say that he believed God selected the pearl for the gates because an oyster has to suffer affliction in order to create the pearl. He compared this process with the suffering of Christ upon the cross as the means by which believers enter heaven.
I have to confess that I always believed a pearl was formed from a grain of sand entering the oyster but this notion is false. According to Wikipedia and several other sites that I researched on this topic, a pearl is indeed formed when an oyster or mollusk is either invaded or injured, “Pearls are formed inside the shell of certain mollusks as a defense mechanism to a potentially threatening irritant such as a parasite inside its shell, or an attack from outside, injuring the mantle tissue. The mollusk creates a pearl sac to seal off the irritation. The mantle of the mollusk deposits layers of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the form of the mineral aragonite or a mixture of aragonite and calcite. The combination of aragonite and conchiolin is called nacre, which makes up mother-of-pearl. The commonly held belief that a grain of sand acts as the irritant is in fact rarely the case. Typical stimuli include organic material, parasites, or even damage that displaces mantle tissue to another part of the animal's body. These small particles or organisms enter the animal when the shell valves are open for feeding or respiration.”
This fact of biology is quite stunning in lieu of the cross. The mollusk creates one of the most precious and treasured jewels on the face of the earth when it is attacked and injured. Our Savior when falsely accused, beaten and nailed on a cross, shed his precious blood to enable the unjust to enter heaven. Heaven therefore, is attained through suffering and travail; through redemption and blood; through the anguish of the cross. A pearl is made through a little animal that is wounded. So, it stands to reason that we enter the new heaven through a gate made of pearl.
To be honest, the concept gives me chills. It just continues to underscore the fact that nothing in the Word of God is there by chance or without precise purpose. It also emphasizes the law of human nature that anything that has true value in this life and the next is only achieved through sacrifice. It is sacrifice which produces beauty, splendor and magnificence. I think this is where our comparison of the oyster and Jesus diverts. The oyster is doing what is natural to preserve its life and in the process a wonderful little treasure is created. Jesus Christ willfully gave up his body to be beaten and sacrificed to attain eternal life for anyone that puts their faith and trust in Him for the forgiveness of sin (I John 5:11-13). He sits at the right hand of the Father now making intercession for those of us that have trusted Him as our personal Savior (Romans 8:34). If you do not know Him, please get to know Him today so you can one day enter through the gates of pearl into the Holy City whose builder and maker is God.
“The best moment of a Christian's life is his last one, because it is the one that is nearest heaven.” - Charles Spurgeon
Friday, April 16, 2010
The One Undeniable Truth
This past week my husband bought me Gary Habermas’ book entitled, The Historical Jesus. This book attempts to prove that Jesus walked the earth using sources outside of the Bible. Although I have only read about 50 pages thus far, it has been a fascinating study. Habermas is a Christian I believe as he notes in his prologue that his intent in writing this book was not to imply that the Scriptures are not a sufficient basis for Christian belief but instead the book is devoted “to developing a new area of apologetics.” Habermas goes on to say that he believes the “best approach to apologetics is one that begins with the evidence for the trustworthiness of Scripture and then proceeds on this basis.”
In thinking about my own walk with the Lord and the different times in my life that I have questioned the validity of the Christian faith and have wondered deep within if what I believe is really true, the Lord has always brought me back to the one undeniable truth – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). I know Jesus is real and his teachings are true because my life changed drastically when he became my Savior 22 years ago. A love and joy filled my heart like nothing else I have ever experienced. An awareness of sin overwhelmed my inner being as I began to seek the narrow road in an effort to know my Savior in more intimate detail. The things of God which I once shunned became the center of my attention as I devoured the Word of God to better understand this person called Jesus who died for my sins to purchase a place in heaven for me and for anyone who puts their faith and trust in Him (John 14:1-6).
In my darkest moments, when the circumstances of life are bearing down upon my shoulders, and I am sure that I cannot possibly go forward, the Lord continues to whisper in my ear, “To whom shall you go? I have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).
In contemplating this wonderful truth, I have realized that by the world’s standards I had achieved much success by the time I was in my early 20's. I had the privilege of majoring in Communications at Boston University, one of the major universities for communications in the world, and as a result, was hired by an esteemed high tech PR firm. By age 25, I was happily married and earning more money than my father ever had in his entire professional life. As I reflect on these events, I am always struck by the emptiness I felt inside even though I had achieved so much both personally and professionally at a young age that the world says should render complete happiness in its wake. I believe this feeling of dissatisfaction had to do with how self-focused my life had become and the fact that I was so enamored with world success that my barometer for judging happiness and contentment became skewed and left me frustrated and wanting. It was only as I retreated back to the Scriptures and the teachings of Christ that true peace and fulfillment became a reality. It was also at this point that my life began to have true purpose.
In Matthew 7:7 the Lord promises to anyone that puts their faith and trust in Him, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Can you hear the tenderness of the Lord’s words in these verses? He is telling people everywhere that if you seek Him and His righteousness, He will be found and he will give it to you. There is a great saying that perfectly encapsulates this truth, “When the student is ready to learn, the teacher will appear.” So too with Christ. If you want to understand who Jesus is and how to attain eternal life, he will show you – personally, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
Won’t you take the time today to investigate the promises of Christ for yourself? He is standing there...knocking patiently, lovingly...waiting for you to open the door.
“How many have pulled down their souls to build up their estate.” – Thomas Watson, Puritan
In thinking about my own walk with the Lord and the different times in my life that I have questioned the validity of the Christian faith and have wondered deep within if what I believe is really true, the Lord has always brought me back to the one undeniable truth – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). I know Jesus is real and his teachings are true because my life changed drastically when he became my Savior 22 years ago. A love and joy filled my heart like nothing else I have ever experienced. An awareness of sin overwhelmed my inner being as I began to seek the narrow road in an effort to know my Savior in more intimate detail. The things of God which I once shunned became the center of my attention as I devoured the Word of God to better understand this person called Jesus who died for my sins to purchase a place in heaven for me and for anyone who puts their faith and trust in Him (John 14:1-6).
In my darkest moments, when the circumstances of life are bearing down upon my shoulders, and I am sure that I cannot possibly go forward, the Lord continues to whisper in my ear, “To whom shall you go? I have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).
In contemplating this wonderful truth, I have realized that by the world’s standards I had achieved much success by the time I was in my early 20's. I had the privilege of majoring in Communications at Boston University, one of the major universities for communications in the world, and as a result, was hired by an esteemed high tech PR firm. By age 25, I was happily married and earning more money than my father ever had in his entire professional life. As I reflect on these events, I am always struck by the emptiness I felt inside even though I had achieved so much both personally and professionally at a young age that the world says should render complete happiness in its wake. I believe this feeling of dissatisfaction had to do with how self-focused my life had become and the fact that I was so enamored with world success that my barometer for judging happiness and contentment became skewed and left me frustrated and wanting. It was only as I retreated back to the Scriptures and the teachings of Christ that true peace and fulfillment became a reality. It was also at this point that my life began to have true purpose.
In Matthew 7:7 the Lord promises to anyone that puts their faith and trust in Him, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Can you hear the tenderness of the Lord’s words in these verses? He is telling people everywhere that if you seek Him and His righteousness, He will be found and he will give it to you. There is a great saying that perfectly encapsulates this truth, “When the student is ready to learn, the teacher will appear.” So too with Christ. If you want to understand who Jesus is and how to attain eternal life, he will show you – personally, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
Won’t you take the time today to investigate the promises of Christ for yourself? He is standing there...knocking patiently, lovingly...waiting for you to open the door.
“How many have pulled down their souls to build up their estate.” – Thomas Watson, Puritan
Monday, March 15, 2010
Tribulation is the Appointed Path to the Kingdom
First, I am hoping that the title of this blog does not scare anyone away from reading further. I debated much about changing it but decided to keep it as I think it most accurately reflects the context of this post. It may sound familiar to you as it is a quote from Sir Walter Scott as he was discussing the Christian life. He too, did not intend to scare anyone away, but his choice of words was also quite deliberate as he wanted to make sure no one believed that once they put their trust in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior that their life would be all sunshine and rainbows. It would seem that this type of prosperity gospel, where God is viewed as a sugar daddy just waiting to answer our every heart’s desire, was prevalent during Scott’s day, and also permeates our day too within the Pentecostal and faith movements.
But what does the Bible have to say? As you read through the Word of God, there is a theme of tribulation woven throughout the very lives of the writers of the Bible. Moses wrote the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) when he was in the wilderness. David wrote the majority of his Psalms when he was running for his life from King Saul. Ezekiel wrote while he was in exile. Jeremiah, who is often called the weeping prophet, lived a life that was characterized by trial and persecution. Peter wrote his two letters just before he was martyred. Paul wrote many of his letters while in prison and John, the beloved apostle of Jesus, was isolated on the island of Patmos when he penned the Book of Revelation. Speaking of John, I heard a preacher once say that when John was cut off from civilization on that small, deserted island. Shut off from everyone. He was shut up to God and there received the most extensive revelation of future events ever shown to any writer in the New Testament.
It is amazing to ponder that thought, isn’t it? John, who was put on the island of Patmos (a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea) for preaching the gospel, saw Christ revealed in all his glory and was given the awesome task of not just witnessing the Second Coming of Christ, but writing down the event for every future generation.
While there are many purposes for suffering – to glorify God, to reveal our spiritual condition, to chastise us for disobedience, to refine us to make us more like Christ, to develop within us the fruits of the Spirit – I think many times trials and tribulations are there just to bring us into the quite place where we can hear from God and know Him in a new way.
So often in the Scriptures we are admonished to spend time alone with the Lord, “Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). “Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision…” (Daniel 10:8). Jesus, Himself, often rose early in the morning to spend time alone with the Father, “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He [Jesus] went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35).
Sir Walter Scott said that tribulation is the appointed path to the kingdom because we only get to the kingdom in the patience of Christ. Herein lies a marvelous truth. So many people claim to want to really know the Lord but they do not want to have to go through anything or give anything to truly know Him. A relationship with anyone has a cost, and so too with Christ, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it” (Luke 14: 27-28).
If we truly want to know the Living God and all his glory than we have to be willing to be separated unto Him, each of us in our quiet place, stripped of self and the commotion of life, always remembering that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).
"No soul can really be at rest until it has given up dependence on everything else and has been forced to depend on the Lord alone… If God is what He would seem to be from His revealings; if He is indeed the 'God of all comfort;' if He is our Shepherd; if He is really and truly our Father; if, in short, all the many aspects He has told us of His character and His ways are actually true, then we must come to the positive conviction that He is, in Himself alone, enough for all our needs and that we may rest in Him absolutely and forever.” - Hannah Whitall Smith
But what does the Bible have to say? As you read through the Word of God, there is a theme of tribulation woven throughout the very lives of the writers of the Bible. Moses wrote the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) when he was in the wilderness. David wrote the majority of his Psalms when he was running for his life from King Saul. Ezekiel wrote while he was in exile. Jeremiah, who is often called the weeping prophet, lived a life that was characterized by trial and persecution. Peter wrote his two letters just before he was martyred. Paul wrote many of his letters while in prison and John, the beloved apostle of Jesus, was isolated on the island of Patmos when he penned the Book of Revelation. Speaking of John, I heard a preacher once say that when John was cut off from civilization on that small, deserted island. Shut off from everyone. He was shut up to God and there received the most extensive revelation of future events ever shown to any writer in the New Testament.
It is amazing to ponder that thought, isn’t it? John, who was put on the island of Patmos (a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea) for preaching the gospel, saw Christ revealed in all his glory and was given the awesome task of not just witnessing the Second Coming of Christ, but writing down the event for every future generation.
While there are many purposes for suffering – to glorify God, to reveal our spiritual condition, to chastise us for disobedience, to refine us to make us more like Christ, to develop within us the fruits of the Spirit – I think many times trials and tribulations are there just to bring us into the quite place where we can hear from God and know Him in a new way.
So often in the Scriptures we are admonished to spend time alone with the Lord, “Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). “Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision…” (Daniel 10:8). Jesus, Himself, often rose early in the morning to spend time alone with the Father, “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He [Jesus] went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35).
Sir Walter Scott said that tribulation is the appointed path to the kingdom because we only get to the kingdom in the patience of Christ. Herein lies a marvelous truth. So many people claim to want to really know the Lord but they do not want to have to go through anything or give anything to truly know Him. A relationship with anyone has a cost, and so too with Christ, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it” (Luke 14: 27-28).
If we truly want to know the Living God and all his glory than we have to be willing to be separated unto Him, each of us in our quiet place, stripped of self and the commotion of life, always remembering that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).
"No soul can really be at rest until it has given up dependence on everything else and has been forced to depend on the Lord alone… If God is what He would seem to be from His revealings; if He is indeed the 'God of all comfort;' if He is our Shepherd; if He is really and truly our Father; if, in short, all the many aspects He has told us of His character and His ways are actually true, then we must come to the positive conviction that He is, in Himself alone, enough for all our needs and that we may rest in Him absolutely and forever.” - Hannah Whitall Smith
Friday, February 5, 2010
Heaven Is Where Jesus Is
This week I was listening to Pastor David Jeremiah on WEZE radio as he began a series called “Discovering the Mysteries of Heaven.” He said he felt compelled to preach on this topic because even though heaven is referenced many times during sermons and within the Bible he felt many people still do not have a clear understanding of what heaven actually is and what Christians will be doing there throughout eternity. You can listen to the series by going to his Website and clicking on the Radio tab.
What I wanted to discuss here was a principle that Pastor Jeremiah shared yesterday during his second sermon on heaven. He had said that throughout all his study on the topic there was one Spiritual truth that was woven throughout all the Scriptures. As he shared this principle he began to cry as he said it was impossible for him to share it without emotion. What he went on to say really touched me and I hope it will bless you as well.
He said that heaven is where Jesus is. Heaven is where Jesus is. On the surface this appears to be a simple truth but when you really comtemplate it and realize that we will be with Jesus forever, it may be the most glorious truth in all of the Bible.
He went on to say that the Scriptures speak more of the person of Jesus in relation to heaven than the place itself. For example, in John 14:2-3 Jesus states, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” It is interesting to notice that Jesus never talks about the place of heaven in specifics in this passage other than the mansions but he does emphasize that He will come to get his followers at the time of their death and take them to be with Him.
This same thought is echoed again by Jesus in the gospel of Luke as he tells the thief on the cross who had just recognized Jesus as Savior, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
The Apostle Paul also speaks about being with Jesus after death in his second letter to the Corinthian church, “We walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5: 7-8) Paul again speaks about his life with Christ after death in his letter to the Christians at the church of Philippi, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. (Philippians 1:21-23) Paul rarely, if ever, talks about the physical aspects of heaven throughout his epistles. His focus is always on leaving this world and being with the Lord. For Him, the thought of just being with the Lord was heaven.
Over this past year, I have come to acutely understand this marvelous reality that heaven is where Jesus is. Previously in my Christian life, I used to focus on the place of heaven, imagining the many mansions, the streets of gold, the pearly gates. I also used to ponder living life without disease, sorrow or the fear of death. While all of these things are wonderful aspects of heaven, the quintessential truth that trumps them all is the thought of being with Jesus – simply being with the Savior in a glorified body, free of government, free of sin, and most of all free to worship the King of Kings, the Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace throughout all eternity. Wherever Jesus is, is good enough for me.
What I wanted to discuss here was a principle that Pastor Jeremiah shared yesterday during his second sermon on heaven. He had said that throughout all his study on the topic there was one Spiritual truth that was woven throughout all the Scriptures. As he shared this principle he began to cry as he said it was impossible for him to share it without emotion. What he went on to say really touched me and I hope it will bless you as well.
He said that heaven is where Jesus is. Heaven is where Jesus is. On the surface this appears to be a simple truth but when you really comtemplate it and realize that we will be with Jesus forever, it may be the most glorious truth in all of the Bible.
He went on to say that the Scriptures speak more of the person of Jesus in relation to heaven than the place itself. For example, in John 14:2-3 Jesus states, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” It is interesting to notice that Jesus never talks about the place of heaven in specifics in this passage other than the mansions but he does emphasize that He will come to get his followers at the time of their death and take them to be with Him.
This same thought is echoed again by Jesus in the gospel of Luke as he tells the thief on the cross who had just recognized Jesus as Savior, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
The Apostle Paul also speaks about being with Jesus after death in his second letter to the Corinthian church, “We walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5: 7-8) Paul again speaks about his life with Christ after death in his letter to the Christians at the church of Philippi, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. (Philippians 1:21-23) Paul rarely, if ever, talks about the physical aspects of heaven throughout his epistles. His focus is always on leaving this world and being with the Lord. For Him, the thought of just being with the Lord was heaven.
Over this past year, I have come to acutely understand this marvelous reality that heaven is where Jesus is. Previously in my Christian life, I used to focus on the place of heaven, imagining the many mansions, the streets of gold, the pearly gates. I also used to ponder living life without disease, sorrow or the fear of death. While all of these things are wonderful aspects of heaven, the quintessential truth that trumps them all is the thought of being with Jesus – simply being with the Savior in a glorified body, free of government, free of sin, and most of all free to worship the King of Kings, the Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace throughout all eternity. Wherever Jesus is, is good enough for me.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Power of Forgiveness
One of my dear Christian sisters had mentioned to me recently how she was struggling to forgive someone who has repeatedly offended her and continues to offend her. She has not seen any evidence of a changed heart to suggest this person will stop his/her behavior yet this person continues to ask for her forgiveness.
To forgive may be the hardest virtue that the Lord asks his followers to perform but how often are we supposed to forgive someone who keeps offending us with no apparent change of heart? The great apostle Peter posed this exact question to the Lord Jesus in the gospel of Matthew, “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’”(Matt. 18:21-22)
That is not a typo. Jesus said seventy times seven which would be 490 times! This seems impossible, doesn’t it? I would suggest that it is impossible until we focus our attention on how God forgives. Forgiveness is first and foremost a divine virtue that I believe is not possible to the extent that God requires until one has been forgiven by the Lord Jesus for his/her sins. It is only then that a person has a clear picture of their sinful condition before a holy and righteous God and understands the extent of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to pay for one’s sins. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…but God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 3:23 and 5:8)
You see Christianity poses a personal Savior to forgive your sins and mine. In one sense Jesus did not die for the masses, He died for each and every person that comes to the cross asking for forgiveness for their own sins. Martyn Lloyd-Jones acutely understood this truth when he declared, “I say to the glory of God and in utter humility that whenever I see myself before God and realize even something of what my blessed Lord has done for me, I am ready to forgive anybody anything.”
I would be remiss if I did not also mention that not only is forgiveness the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it is necessary to ensure we do not let offenses fester and turn into bitterness. "To forgive is to set the prisoner free, and then discover the prisoner was you." Someone once said to me that harboring bitter feelings against someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. “For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity." (Acts 8:23)
The Lord is not only asking us to forgive because of all He has forgiven us for but to also ensure that we do not become bitter people and make the gospel of no effect in our daily walk. This is not to say that we are to be doormats for the world to walk all over but in my experience, I have seen no other virtue that when on display brings the gospel into sharper focus to an unbelieving world than forgiveness. It is just that powerful.
To forgive may be the hardest virtue that the Lord asks his followers to perform but how often are we supposed to forgive someone who keeps offending us with no apparent change of heart? The great apostle Peter posed this exact question to the Lord Jesus in the gospel of Matthew, “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’”(Matt. 18:21-22)
That is not a typo. Jesus said seventy times seven which would be 490 times! This seems impossible, doesn’t it? I would suggest that it is impossible until we focus our attention on how God forgives. Forgiveness is first and foremost a divine virtue that I believe is not possible to the extent that God requires until one has been forgiven by the Lord Jesus for his/her sins. It is only then that a person has a clear picture of their sinful condition before a holy and righteous God and understands the extent of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to pay for one’s sins. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…but God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 3:23 and 5:8)
You see Christianity poses a personal Savior to forgive your sins and mine. In one sense Jesus did not die for the masses, He died for each and every person that comes to the cross asking for forgiveness for their own sins. Martyn Lloyd-Jones acutely understood this truth when he declared, “I say to the glory of God and in utter humility that whenever I see myself before God and realize even something of what my blessed Lord has done for me, I am ready to forgive anybody anything.”
I would be remiss if I did not also mention that not only is forgiveness the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it is necessary to ensure we do not let offenses fester and turn into bitterness. "To forgive is to set the prisoner free, and then discover the prisoner was you." Someone once said to me that harboring bitter feelings against someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. “For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity." (Acts 8:23)
The Lord is not only asking us to forgive because of all He has forgiven us for but to also ensure that we do not become bitter people and make the gospel of no effect in our daily walk. This is not to say that we are to be doormats for the world to walk all over but in my experience, I have seen no other virtue that when on display brings the gospel into sharper focus to an unbelieving world than forgiveness. It is just that powerful.
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