Love from a Good Conscience

According to I Timothy 1:5, true biblical love flows from a three-fold spring – a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. These three together are the essential work of God in salvation. God purifies hearts by faith (Acts 15:9); and those who have been born again have purified their souls in sincere love of the brethren. (I Peter 1:22, 23)

I think a pure heart is necessary because that way it is undivided and loyal and its motives are pure, giving rise to a pure love. A good conscience is necessary because it allows us to love without trying to compensate for a guilty conscience toward God or others. And a sincere faith is necessary because it keeps our love from being hypocritical and pretentious.

I’d like to focus on a good conscience in this article. If you have a Bible available, it would be helpful to turn to Hebrews chapter 10. How is a good conscience achieved when our lives have a lot of sin in them? Take some time to follow the logic that the writer of the book of Hebrews follows as he helps us understand how to have a good conscience.

In verse 1 (Hebrews 10) we find that the Old Testament sacrifices could not make the worshippers perfect. If they could have, two things would have happened according to verse 2. First, the sacrifices would have stopped because the people would be perfect and there would be no need of further sacrifices. Second, the worshippers would no longer have a conscience of sins.

In order to understand what this means, we need to look at verse 3 which tells us that instead of having a clear conscience, the opposite was the case. The sacrifices were a constant reminder of sins. Instead of being able to put the sins behind them and forget about them, the sacrifices kept reminding them of their sinfulness. If the sacrifices had worked, there would not be this constant reminder of sin and the worshippers’ conscience would not keep plaguing them with guilt.

Hebrews 9:9 basically says the same thing. The sacrifices could not make us perfect in conscience.

According to 10:9, God’s will though was to remove the first method of animal sacrifices in order to make way for the second, the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Verse 10 tells us that through the will of God we have been sanctified once for all by Christ’s one-time sacrifice for us. Pay close attention to the words, “once for all”. Multiple sacrifices are no longer needed.

Every priest of the Old Testament stood daily ministering in their role as priests. But Christ (verse 12) offered one sacrifice for sins and sat down. The job is done. The sacrifice is done once, never to be repeated. That’s what sitting down signifies.

Verse 14 then gives us an important statement. It says that by one offering He perfected forever those who were sanctified. Put verse 10 and 14 together. Through the will of God we have been sanctified and having been sanctified we have been perfected forever. Now go back and think about the beginning of the chapter. If the sacrifices had made the people perfect, the sacrifices would have stopped and the conscience of sins would be ended. What the first system was not able to do, the sacrifice of Christ accomplished!

That seems like an amazing statement, but do we trust how we feel or what the Scripture says? I don’t know about you, but my conscience often blasts at me about my continual guiltiness. But that is similar to the Old Testament sacrificial system. There was a constant reminder of sins.

God promises us in verse 17 that God will remember our sins and iniquities no more!

Now let me clarify one point. Shouldn’t our conscience convict us when we sin? Yes it should, but I don’t think that is what’s being talked about here. It’s not a matter of being convicted of particular sins. The conscience is right in bringing those things to our attention. What this passage does to help me is to remind me that my conscience should not be allowed to continually beat me down and continually remind me that I am a sinner. God has dealt with that once and for all on the cross. The sacrifices have stopped and my conscience should not continue to afflict me. God will remember my sins no more; they are removed as far as the east is from the west; they have been thrown into the depths of the sea; though they are like a red stain, they have been made as white as snow.

As Hebrews 6:1 tells us, let us move on from the elementary principles and not lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God. We shouldn’t be continually revisiting this issue. We need to move forward and not allow our consciences to keep us bound and fruitless for Christ. A good conscience in turn allows us to love both God and others without the ulterior motive of trying to prove something or work off some guilt we might feel.

Here are some other verses that might be encouraging to you: Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 1:18; Isaiah 38:17; Micah 7:19; Acts 13:38; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:19; I John 1:9

Prayer for a Clean Heart and Right Spirit

Every month I try to choose a verse or two of Scripture to meditate on and to use as my source of praying for various friends and family during that month. My focus this month is Psalm 51:10 which ways, “Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

As we live our lives it seems as though we tend to get spattered by the world with its temptations and distractions. We need that clean heart that David is writing about here. And the thing which I noticed for the first time is that the clean heart is created by God. We know that God promises that, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9 But He is the one that creates the clean heart originally when we trust Him by faith and He continues to be the source of the cleansing as we walk through life confessing our sins along the way.

Also included in the verse is a request for the renewal of a right spirit. To me a right spirit speaks of the right attitude and frame of mind. We need a spirit of meekness and humility; a spirit of love and a sound mind; and a spirit of truth and justice. One could list many more. Here again, it’s God who renews as we humbly submit to His work in our lives.

May we be faithful in the way we request these inner changes that only God can accomplish.

Memorization Monday -- Promised Blessings -- The Second Coming

I Thessalonians 4:16, 17
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Where is Our Confidence?

While reading Scripture this morning, I came upon a very encouraging verse. Isaiah 51:12, 13 "I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die, and of the son of a man who will be made like grass? And you forget the Lord your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth."

Often times the people around us, people we work with, people in the neighborhood, or people in leadership bring fear to our lives. But this passage is encouraging us to remember that any other human being is a person who will die at some point; he is like the grass that is here today and gone tomorrow. Man's comfort is short lived. Our comfort and assurance should come from God who rules over all. He is the one who created heaven and earth. He is not here today and gone tomorrow. God does not change and His promises never fail.

Memorization Monday -- Promised Blessings -- Second Coming

Titus 2:12, 13 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Hymn of the Week -- The Spacious Firmament on High

The Spacious Firmament on High by Joseph Addison

The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens, a shining frame
Their great Original proclaim.
Th’unwearied sun, from day to day,
Does his Creator’s powers display,
And publishes to every land
The work of an Almighty Hand.

Soon as the evening shades prevail
The moon takes up the wondrous tale,
And nightly to the listening earth
Repeats the story of her birth;
While all the stars that round her burn
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.

What though in solemn silence all
Move round the dark terrestrial ball?
What though no real voice nor sound
Amid the radiant orbs be found?
In reason’s ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice,
Forever singing as they shine,
“The hand that made us is divine.”

Biblical Manhood Loving Your Wife - Part 4

The other issue is found in I Peter 3:7. We are told here to dwell with our wife in an understanding manner, giving her honor as the weaker vessel. There are a couple of things to think about here.

First, we are to live in an understanding manner. That takes initiative and effort. It also takes listening! We need to learn to understand the characteristics of women generally and our wife in particular. This takes careful listening and practice. We need to learn not to react, but to ask questions and probe, seeking to understand without making belittling comments. We aren’t right just because we are thinking like a man. Our wife wants to be thought of and understood as a person and not as merely an object of her husband’s sexual passion.

Second, we are to give honor to our wife. That is why we open the doors for her, wait for her to go first and serve her in any way we can. Maybe when you sit down to eat you could refrain yourself and your children from eating half of your food before she even gets to sit down. How’s that for a practical application?

Finally, the passage tells us the reason we should do these things is because she is the weaker vessel. This is not a slam against women. It is the truth from God. Many women seem to be confident, able to lead, and secure. In fact some men feel inadequate when comparing themselves with their wife. But the truth is that your wife is the weaker vessel. She often feels vulnerable and inadequate in ways you might not ever suspect. So learn to love her and respect her and honor her as the weaker vessel and she will be greatly encouraged and strengthened in her role as wife and mother.

Biblical Manhood Loving Your Wife - Part 3

There are two additional issues related to loving your wife in a biblical manner. In Colossians 3:19 we are told to love our wife and not to be bitter against her. Nowhere is the wife directly told not to be bitter against her husband. Obviously bitterness against others is not right, but I take it from this passage that men are more prone to bitterness than women in the marriage relationship.

There is a tendency for men to believe that women should think like they do. The reality is that men and women think differently about virtually everything. When a man doesn’t understand his wife’s thinking and behavior, he can become bitter. When she doesn’t adopt his frame of reference, he can misunderstand what’s going on and become bitter. This passage is a warning to make sure we are alert to the root of bitterness that may grow. Hebrews 12:14, 15 tells us to seek peace with everyone and to be careful about a root of bitterness growing. This would be especially true in the marriage relationship.

We’ll look at the second issue next time.

Biblical Manhood Loving Your Wife - Part 2

According to Ephesians 5:27, Christ’s purpose in loving the church is to sanctify and cleanse her with the Word so that He might present her to himself a glorious bride without spot or wrinkle. I don’t mean to imply a wrong motive to Christ here, but it is clear from this passage that His work and ministry in His church is so that He will be able to present her to Himself. Not only does He want to present her to Himself, but He wants what He presents to Himself to be glorious and without spot or wrinkle. In order to do that He undertakes the ministry of cleansing and sanctification.

This is exactly what a man is supposed to do in loving his wife like Christ loved the church. A husband is to minister the principles of Scripture to his wife and serve His wife in a Godly way using the Word of God in such a way that his wife grows more beautiful, clean and holy as time goes by. And as a practical result, he reaps the benefit more and more as the years go by.

The bottom line is that he is to love his wife as he loves himself because in actuality, when he is loving her, he is loving himself because the two have become one. Many men, on the other hand, neglect their wife or don’t minister to them in a way that causes their beauty to increase. Instead they become hard, cold and cynical. When this happens, obviously the man hasn’t loved his wife the same way Christ does the church.

Biblical Manhood Loving Your Wife - Part 1

This is a very important study of Ephesians 5. I discovered these principles well into married life and I wish I had understood them much earlier. As we begin our study in verse 25, we find that a husband is supposed to love his wife in the same way that Christ loved the church. I used to think of this in terms of doing kind things for your wife or protecting her from danger, and so forth. However, there is much more to it than this. Verse 25 tells us that the way Christ loved the church is that He gave Himself for it so that he could sanctify and cleanse it through the Word. It’s important then to think about how we as husbands could love our wives in the same way.

Let’s look at it step by step. Christ’s purpose is to sanctify and cleanse the church using the Word. Our ministry to our wives should be to do the same thing, although not in the same way that only the Son of God could do. Sanctification means to set apart for a special purpose. We should sanctify our wife in such a way that she is a holy person, dedicated to God and to her husband. You should not look at your wife as one among many women, but as that special woman that God has brought into your life and to whom you have committed your life and devotion.

There is a special service we should be doing for our wife in the area of the Word of God. It is our responsibility as the husband to be a man of the Word and then to take that Word and use it in the life of our wife. The flow of spiritual life, teaching and application should be from the husband to the wife and not the other way around. It seems that most frequently the wife is more spiritually attuned than the husband is and this is a reversal of God’s plan.

Memorization Monday -- Promised Blessings -- Second Coming

John 14: 2, 3 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.

Hymn of the Week -- Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move;
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art;
And make me love Thee as I ought to love.

I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies,
No sudden rending of the veil of clay,
No angel visitant, no opening skies;
But take the dimness of my soul away.

Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear.
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh,
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

Hast Thou not bid me love Thee, God and King?
All, all Thine own, soul, heart and strength and mind.
I see Thy cross; there teach my heart to cling:
O let me seek Thee, and O let me find!

Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,
One holy passion filling all my frame;
The kindling of the heaven descended Dove,
My heart an altar, and Thy love the flame.

Memorization Monday - Promised Blessings - Inheritance

Titus 3:7 "that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Hymn of the Week -- All Praise to Him

All praise to Him Who reigns above
In majesty supreme,
Who gave His Son for man to die,
That He might man redeem!

Refrain

Blessèd be the Name! Blessèd be the Name!
Blessèd be the Name of the Lord!
Blessèd be the Name! Blessèd be the Name!
Blessèd be the Name of the Lord!

His Name above all names shall stand,
Exalted more and more,
At God the Father’s own right hand,
Where angel hosts adore.


Redeemer, Savior, Friend of man
Once ruined by the fall,
Thou hast devised salvation’s plan,
For Thou hast died for all.


His Name shall be the Counselor,
The mighty Prince of Peace,
Of all earth’s kingdoms Conqueror,
Whose reign shall never cease.

Refrain

Blessèd be the Name! Blessèd be the Name!
Blessèd be the Name of the Lord!
Blessèd be the Name! Blessèd be the Name!
Blessèd be the Name of the Lord!

Biblical Manhood - Gender Roles Part 4

The wife’s role is home-centered and supportive. The woman was created as a helper, suitable for Adam. (Genesis 2:20) See also 1 Corinthians 11:9 where Paul writes that she was created for man and not the other way around. She is to have the wonderful ability to support and help him in his calling in life.

Titus 2:4-5 gives a list of roles and attitudes that young women are to be taught by older women in their lives. Among these is “keeper at home”. The word literally means “homeworker”. First Timothy 5:14 advises young women to marry, bear children and manage the home.

In 1 Timothy 5:10 there is a description of the characteristics that women should have if they would be worthy of being supported by the church in their old age. Notice what types of things are part of the condition for support. She is to be the wife of one man and to be well reported for her good works, charity, taking care of the elderly, orphans, etc. Her focus is to be on those kinds of activities.

Husbands, you need to make sure that your wife has the time and resources to carry on this kind of role. She should be supporting you in your calling. She should be caring for your children and the needs of the household. Following that she should be involved in hospitality and ministering to other women and children and those in need such as the poor, shut-ins, etc. From this you can see that if your wife is to fulfill her responsibility, she needs time and energy. That is why it is primarily your responsibility to meet the basic needs of support, protection and maintenance of your home and property. Don’t put these additional burdens on her and divert her from the focus God has for her.

Biblical Manhood - Gender Roles Part 3

Continuing our study of biblical roles for men and women, we find that the role of leadership in the church is given to men. 1 Timothy 2:11, 12 says that the woman is to learn in silence and is not to be in the role of teaching men.

1 Corinthians 14:34, 35 says that women are to have a silent role even to the extent that if they have a question, they are to ask their husband at home. This keeps the roles in the right order. If the wife were to go to some other man such as a pastor or teacher, she would be coming out from under the leadership of her husband and would be showing disrespect for that leadership. Going to her husband with questions also encourages the man to get busy studying and learning and growing in his relationship with God so that he can be all that he should be as a spiritual leader for his wife.

Man’s leadership role is to be carried out with a servant spirit. Consider the following examples of Christ. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. Christ said that He came as one who serves, even though He is the Lord of all. We are to have the same mind that Jesus had when he humbled himself to come here and take the role of a servant, even going to death for us. (John 13:12-17; Luke 22:26, 27; Philippians 2:5-8)

Biblical Manhood - Gender Roles Part 2

We are examining the biblical roles given to men and women. We ended the last article discussing the fact that man’s headship is a federal one. He is responsible for what happens in the family.

The husband is also the spiritual leader or “priest” of the home. He is not literally a priest because each person in the family has a direct relationship with God, but he ministers some priestly functions for his family.

Look at Job’s example. In Job 1:5 we find Job praying for his children as they went about their daily activities in case they may be tempted to stray from following the Lord.

Abraham erected altars to the Lord on behalf of his wife and children. Noah did the same thing. (See Genesis 8:20; 12:7; and 13:4, 18)

There needs to be preparation for this role. This preparation should happen in childhood and then especially in the teen years so that when a man is grown, he will be able to assume these responsibilities. This is why the main thing to be taught to young men according to Titus 2:6 is to be sober minded – that is he should be self controlled and focuses. This begins to wean him away from childish things.

memorization Monday - Promised Blessings - Inheritance

I Peter 1:3, 4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

Hymn of the Week --Sing Praise to God

1. Sing praise to God who reigns above,
 the God of all creation,
 the God of power, the God of love,
 the God of our salvation. 
 With healing balm my soul is filled
 and every faithless murmur stilled: 
 To God all praise and glory.

2. The Lord is never far away,
 but through all grief distressing,
 an ever present help and stay,
 our peace and joy and blessing. 
 As with a mother's tender hand,
 God gently leads the chosen band: 
 To God all praise and glory.

3. Thus all my toilsome way along,
 I sing aloud thy praises,
 that earth may hear the grateful song
 my voice unwearied raises. 
 Be joyful in the Lord, my heart,
 both soul and body bear your part: 
 To God all praise and glory.

4. Let all who name Christ's holy name
 give God all praise and glory;
 let all who own his power proclaim
 aloud the wondrous story! 
 Cast each false idol from its throne,
 for Christ is Lord, and Christ alone: 
 To God all praise and glory.

Biblical Manhood - Gender Roles Part 1

This series on Biblical Manhood is taken from a series of Sunday School lessons that I taught to a group of men ages 14 to 40. If you would like to see the entire printed lessons, please check out this page for a list of all of the pdf and audio files for these lessons: http://tinyurl.com/ye9qtnj

The next area we want to study is that of the biblical roles of men and women. This is a somewhat controversial topic these days given the pressure put on us by the philosophy of the world. Just as in any other attempt to follow God’s ideal, the world system, the flesh and the devil all work against it.

So let’s exam what God has to say.

God has given the man the headship in the home and leadership of the church. Ephesians 5:23 tells us that the man is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church. The husband is the one primarily responsible for supplying the family needs such as clothing, shelter and food.

When God cursed Adam and Eve because of their sin, Eve’s curse in Genesis 3:16 was related to child bearing. Adam’s curse according to the next verse was related to his work in the field outside of the home.

The headship of the man is a federal headship. That means that the man answers for the household. Notice that when God went looking for Adam and Eve after the fall, he looked for Adam and spoke to Adam. He was the representative of the family and is the one who had to answer to God for what happened. There is a very good book outlining the idea of the Federal Husband. You can read about it on Amazon here: http://tinyurl.com/yzyx7uw

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 12

Finally, the last strategy in our battle against sexual immorality is to focus on Grace not law.

Sometimes people focus on the fact of God’s grace in the area of forgiveness and they sin frequently but claim God’s forgiveness just as frequently. Their behavior is very little different than that of unsaved people. God tells us in Titus 2 that the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and godly in this present world. If someone isn’t being taught those things but just continues on in his old ways, there is a question as to whether he actually has the grace of God in his life or not. This is a very serious issue each one of us should face in our own lives. Jesus said that not everyone who called Him Lord was saved.

So when I speak of grace, I’m not talking about what some call “cheap” grace. God’s grace changes people. It doesn’t leave them the same.

How then do we focus on grace rather than law in our pursuit of victory? I don’t have the time or space to draw this all out for you, but Romans 2:4 tells us that it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. Titus 2:12 says that God’s grace teaches us to deny ungodliness.

Scripture also teaches that the law gives sin its power. The law is not sin and is good, but its purpose is to show how far short we come, not to enable us to do right. Look at Romans 7:7-12 for example. Paul says that he would not have known covetousness had it not been for the law. Once the law came, sin revived and “I died”.

See also 1 Corinthians 15:56 as well as Colossians 2:21-23. In the latter passage it speaks of human commandments. Sometimes we create our own set of commandments thinking that these will protect us, but notice that they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Focusing on the grace of God and His mercy and forgiveness will lead us in the direction away from the bondage of sin.

Habits are formed by repeatedly behaving in a certain way. You can create good righteous habits by making moment by moment decisions to do the right thing. You may not able to make a commitment to never look at pornography again, but you can make a decision not to look at it right now. In five minutes you can make the same decision again and little by little a good habit will form.

Enlist the help of another person who will help you be accountable. If you can’t find accountability in your spouse or dad, there are men in your church who would be very willing to help. It takes courage to ask, but as we’ve learned already, it is virtually a life and death decision on several levels.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 11

Yet another strategy in the battle against sexual immorality in our lives is to recognize and live by the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:17. We are new creations. The old has passed away and all things have become new.

Consider these passages. I’ll just give them to you with a few comments and leave it to you to dig into them.

Romans 13:11-14 It’s time to wake up; the day is at hand. Since the day is at hand, we are to get rid of the dark, the old life, and put on the armor of light. Then take note of the whole list of things which need to be abandoned. Finally put on the Lord Jesus Christ and don’t make any provision for the flesh.

Notice the step of putting on Christ. This is a command. We need to make it a conscious action to ask God to help us put on Christ. We need to consciously put off the old and put on the new by faith.

1 Peter 4:1-4 In effect, since Christ suffered for us and we are in Him, we should have the same mind He had and put the past behind us. We “no longer should live the rest of our time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” We have spent enough time in the old ways. It’s time to move forward for Christ.

Someone who has died is free of the temptation of sin. Peter’s argument here as well as Paul’s in Romans is that since we died with Christ, we should consider ourselves dead to sin. Our death has arrived, we are on the other side of it being raised with Christ and therefore we should reject sin’s attempts to have control.

Ephesians 4:17-24 We should no longer walk like the pagans. They have given themselves over to these sexual life-styles, but it is not that way for us as Christians. We need to put off that kind of life and be renewed in the spirit of our minds. We are to put on the new man which is created in true righteousness and holiness.

2 Corinthians 6:9-11 Paul asks us if we realize that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Then he gives us a list of the kind of life-styles that will not make it to heaven. Then comes the word that this is what you were. God’s salvation changes us from what we were to something new.

Probably the most important thing to do is to immerse yourself in Scripture considering the passages listed here and meditate on them thoroughly and regularly.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 10

Another strategy in the battle against sexual immorality in our lives is to flee. Second Timothy 2:2 tells us to flee youthful lusts. Sometimes God calls on us to stand and resist, but in this case the command is to flee. Flee by putting into practice the things discussed in this series of articles and flee to Christ and his Word. When a person flees, he is usually doing so out of fear. These are a group of sins that can take you down, so flee! They are against your body and they make war against your soul. (I Peter 2:11, Prov 6:27, I Corinthians 6:18)

Remember the story of Joseph? His master’s wife constantly enticed him to sleep with her and finally she caught a hold of him when her husband was gone. Joseph ran out of the house leaving his coat in her hands. This would have been the perfect opportunity to indulge his lusts, but instead he did the right thing and obeyed God even though the immediate consequence was to be put in prison.

Sometimes fleeing means to turn off the TV or use your computer right out in the open. Other times it means cancel your Internet service altogether or remove the TV from the house. Jesus said that it would be better to cut off our right hand rather than risk going to hell. (Matthew 5:30) We assume that is an exaggeration to make a point, but we not only won’t cut off our hand, we won’t even take much less drastic steps to shield ourselves from sin! Are we ever going to take any of this seriously?

Fellowship Broken at the Cross

Sunday evening as our pastor was preparing us for the Communion service, he was reviewing the events of the torture and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. These stories are familiar to us and so there is the tendency to hear the words, but not really think about what is being said and the reality involved. Pastor then mentioned the separation that occurred between Jesus and God the Father as Christ became sin for us. Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!” We all acknowledge with our minds the fact that God turned away from Jesus as He hung there because God is of too pure eyes to behold evil and here was His beloved Son becoming the very epitome of evil for our sake.

Hold that thought a moment as I review another train of thought I was pursuing a couple of weeks ago. In preparation for my Sunday School lesson I was thinking about the fact that there was love and communication among the persons of the trinity from eternity past. Jesus says in John 17:21 and following: “…that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” And then verse 23, “I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” And then in verse 24, “…for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”

By implication the Holy Spirit, as the third person of the trinity, was involved in that loving relationship also. Paul refers to the love of the spirit in Romans 15:30 and of course the fruit of the Spirit is love in Galatians 5:22 so even though there is no direct statement that the Spirit loved Christ or that He loved the Father, it seems evident that that relationship was there.

Now back to the communion message. Even though I have thought about the fact that God turned His face away from His Son on the cross, I had never thought of the fact that the fellowship and love relationship within the God-head was somehow temporarily fractured. I’m not a theologian so I don’t want to draw too many conclusions or say something that is not theologically and biblically correct, but it just struck me that it was more than what I usually pictured. I usually pictured God turning His head away from the sin-bearer for the appropriate amount of time and then continuing forward with the plan. But now I’m struck with the thought that there is a cosmic disruption of the love and communication that has always taken place within the God-head. Maybe it would be better to say the communion rather than love because maybe it’s not right to say that God did not love the Son during that time, but I think you can see what I’m driving at. What had been an eternal oneness in fellowship, communication and communion was disrupted for the first time ever.

That makes it all the more emphatic and amazing to me that God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life.

I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Memorization Monday - Inheritance

Romans 8:16, 17 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may be glorified together.

Hymn of the Week -- Rejoice the Lord is King

1. Rejoice, the Lord is King!
 Your Lord and King adore;
 mortals, give thanks and sing,
 and triumph evermore.
 Lift up your heart,
 lift up your voice; rejoice;
 again I say, rejoice.

2. Jesus the Savior reigns,
 the God of truth and love;
 when he had purged our stains,
 he took his seat above.
 Lift up your heart,
 lift up your voice; rejoice,
 again I say, rejoice.

3. His kingdom cannot fail;
 he rules o'er earth and heaven;
 the keys of earth and hell
 are to our Jesus given.
 Lift up your heart,
 lift up your voice; rejoice,
 again I say, rejoice.

4. Rejoice in glorious hope!
 Jesus the Judge shall come,
 and take his servants up
 to their eternal home.
 We soon shall hear
 th'archangel's voice; the trump of God
 shall sound, rejoice!

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 9

Another front in the battle against sexual immorality is our control of our eyes. Job said in Job 31:1 that he had made a covenant with his eyes that he would not look on a woman. Jesus told us that to look on a woman with lust is the moral equivalent of committing adultery so this is not an insignificant thing. It makes some guys chuckle to think that we are “worried” about such little things, but if God takes it seriously, so should we.

David, in Psalm 101:3 says that he had made a pledge to set no wicked thing before his eyes. Both of these men provide good examples for us to follow. For most of us, temptation is strongest through the eyes. Therefore we have to purpose to avoid situations where temptation through the eyes would be a problem for us.

You need to decide whether you are serious about this or not. You know the kind of things that you see or think about that stirs your lusts and then you need to take an honest look at ways to limit those influences in your life.

Here are some possible areas:

TV and videos. Do you need to consider limiting your viewing time as well as content. Many Christians I know don’t watch programs that are unsuitable for their children. If your twelve year old shouldn’t watch it, then maybe you shouldn’t either.

Be careful not to be in areas were immodesty is prevalent – places such as beaches and water parks.

Magazines – Many men can’t safely browse through some of the popular magazines because of the immodest content.

Internet – Make sure everyone can see what you’re doing. Help your children out by making sure that you have access to their accounts and browsing history. If your children have Facebook or other similar social media, make sure that you are one of their friends.

Paul gives us summary advice when he tells us in Romans 13:14 not to make any provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. To make provision for something means to lay up supplies for something. We shouldn’t be setting up a storehouse of opportunities for our lust.

Memorization Monday - Promised Blessings - Rewards

2 Timothy 4:8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Hymn of the Week -- Praise My Soul the King of Heaven

1. Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who like me His praise should sing?
Praise Him, praise Him,
praise Him, praise Him,
Praise the everlasting King.

2. Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress.
Praise Him still the same forever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Praise Him, praise Him,
praise Him, praise Him,
Glorious in His faithfulness.

3. Frail as summer’s flower we flourish
Blows the wind and it is gone
But while mortals rise and perish
God endures unchanging on
Praise Him, praise Him,
praise Him, praise Him,
Praise the high eternal One

4. Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He Knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Praise Him, praise Him,
praise Him, praise Him,
Widely as His mercy goes.

5. Angels help us to adore Him;
Ye behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Praise Him, praise Him,
praise Him, praise Him,
Praise with us the God of grace.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 8

Last time I mentioned that one of the tactics for guarding ourselves against sexual immorality is to control our bodies. Let’s expand on that a little bit.

One of the key battle grounds is our mind. We are told in Romans 12:2 that we are to transformed by the renewing of our minds. This can only happen by spending time in God’s Word reading, memorizing and meditating on the Scriptures. Proverbs 23:7 says that as a man thinks in his heart, so he is. That’s why it’s so important to manage what we think. I put together a list of key verses that should be helpful in the discipline of memorization and meditation on Scripture. You can find that list here.

Philippians 4:8 is another key verse. This verse tells us that we are to think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. If you struggle in this area, it might be a worthwhile effort to take a serious and honest look at the things you think about and how that compares to the categories that are mentioned in this verse.

One other verse that I think is important to mention in this context is 2 Corinthians 10:5 where we are told to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Now there’s a challenge for you!

How serious are you about living the kind of life God wants you to live? The level of your seriousness will affect the amount of effort you put into steps such as these.

More next time.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 7

God gives us many weapons in our fight against sexual immorality. The battle needs to be waged on many different fronts all at the same time and that is what makes it difficult.

1. We must recognized and by faith accept the fact that by God’s grace, the devil and sin have been defeated.

Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

2. We need to have our bodies in subjection. 1 Corinthians 9:27 tells us that Paul disciplines his body and brings it into subjection. That means he controlled his body and not the other way around. In Romans 6:12 Paul says that we should not allow sin to reign in our mortal body that we should obey its lusts. He then goes on to say that we should not present our members to sin to be used as weapons against us. And finally, God will not permit us to be tempted above what we are able. (1 Corinthians 10:6) That means that with God’s Spirit in us, we are able to have victory. Sin shall not have dominion over you. (Romans 6:14)

It amazes me that we as men want to be strong. We often brag about our strength and our ability to defeat others in an athletic event or in perhaps even a real war scenario. And yet, even with that macho attitude in those areas, we are wimps when it comes to allowing sin and the devil to push us over with barely an ounce of resistance on our part.

We’ll discuss a couple of other battle tactics next time.

The Connected Generation

As an educator for 41 years, I have been a careful observer of teen culture and how it has changed over the years. Much hasn’t changed – the desire to fit in, the tendency to engage in dangerous behavior, etc. But what has changed is the amount of time teens spend connected to each other and digital media through their cell phones, ipods, and computers. Obviously these devices didn’t exist for teens thirty years ago and so one could argue that my observation is a rather obvious one and not really worth much.

I’ve been involved in computing technology since it came into the school over thirty years ago and in fact I was the one who introduced computers to our high school. But what has taken me completely by surprise is the way teens of embraced the new technology in the last few years and have become connected to each other and the world 24/7.

The degree to which kids are connected presents a challenge to teachers and parents alike. But there is an important dimension to this that I think we as Christian men need to consider and that is the implications for us as Christians when we consider what is lost when more and more time is being devoted to online communication. I would encourage you to read Dr. Albert Mohler’s recent article and listen to his radio broadcast on this subject. He is responding to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation which found that the average teen spends over 7 hours per day connected in some way. Christians, and especially Christian fathers, need to pay close attention to these findings and determine how they are going to provide the strong leadership necessary to make sure their families use media wisely and take the necessary time to unplug and spend time talking, reading, praying and a whole host of other activities that are being lost because of the amount of time being devoted to online communication.

You can access Dr. Mohler’s article at http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/21/like-the-air-they-breathe-the-online-life-of-kids//

The radio broadcast can be found here: http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/21/“like-the-air-they-breathe”-—-the-online-life-of-kids/

The Kaiser Report can be found here: http://www.kff.org/entmedia/mh012010pkg.cfm

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 6

We are considering three ideas which will help us gain biblically-based thought patterns regarding sexual sin. Today we discuss the third point.

Sexual sins are among the reasons why the wrath of God is coming upon mankind. (Ephesians 5:3-7; Colossians 3:5-7) Notice the references to these sins in these passages. Look at what Ephesians 5:5 says. “For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” And don’t miss the fact that sexual sins are not the only kind of sins mentioned here. This is a strong statement. Do you believe it?

What some people don’t realize is that these sins themselves are the wrath of God on display. With your Bible open to Romans 1:18 and following, answer the following questions:

Vs 18 Is the wrath of God present or future in this verse?

Vs 24 What did God do in his wrath? He gave them up to what?

Vs 26 God gave them up still further as part of His wrath. What did He give them up to in this verse?

Vs 28-32 Then look at the list as God gives them up still further.

What you’ll find in this short Bible study is that part of God’s judgment doesn’t involve sending down fire from heaven. It involves letting people go into their sin and have their own way. Much of that sin is sexual.

So you need to ask yourself, “Do I want to participate in activities that are part of the reason God’s judgment is going to come?” And, “Do I want to participate in activities that in themselves demonstrate that God’s judgment is already here?”

To me, these are very sobering questions for the Christian man to contemplate.

Memorization Monday - Promised Blessings - Rewards

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Hymn of the Week -- Jesus Shall Reign

Jesus Shall Reign by Isaac Watts

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Behold the islands with their kings,
And Europe her best tribute brings;
From north to south the princes meet,
To pay their homage at His feet.

There Persia, glorious to behold,
There India shines in eastern gold;
And barb’rous nations at His word
Submit, and bow, and own their Lord.

To Him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown His head;
His Name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.

People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His Name.

Blessings abound wherever He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blessed.

Where He displays His healing power,
Death and the curse are known no more:
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.

Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen!

Great God, whose universal sway
The known and unknown worlds obey,
Now give the kingdom to Thy Son,
Extend His power, exalt His throne.

The scepter well becomes His hands;
All Heav’n submits to His commands;
His justice shall avenge the poor,
And pride and rage prevail no more.

With power He vindicates the just,
And treads th’oppressor in the dust:
His worship and His fear shall last
Till hours, and years, and time be past.

As rain on meadows newly mown,
So shall He send his influence down:
His grace on fainting souls distills,
Like heav’nly dew on thirsty hills.

The heathen lands, that lie beneath
The shades of overspreading death,
Revive at His first dawning light;
And deserts blossom at the sight.

The saints shall flourish in His days,
Dressed in the robes of joy and praise;
Peace, like a river, from His throne
Shall flow to nations yet unknown.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 5

We are considering three ideas which will help us gain biblically-based thought patterns regarding sexual sin.

The second point to consider is that sexual sin is sin against both our body and soul. These sins are at war with us. Will we fight back or assume a complacent position? Even if we don’t fight backy, they will still war against us and ultimately destroy us

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 – He who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body! Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

The seriousness of this is based on the fact that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Just think about that! If you are a Christian your body – your hands, head, arms, feet – your physical body is the temple of God!

Peter tells us to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against our soul. (1 Peter 2:11) These sins make war against the core of your being. Take a good look at Proverbs 6:25-27. Notice the damage that sexual immorality causes.

When we get involved with porn or have an immoral relationship with someone we are taking death into our souls. Our problem is that we either don’t really believe this or we don’t care. Either way we need to take a careful look at our salvation and examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 4

In the last article on sexuality, I gave you a list of sexual sins spoken of in the Bible along with the definitions. As we consider sexual sins, it seems to me that pornography is probably the most addicting and soul-damaging of sexual sins. The Greek word used for sexual immorality was pornea. Add the ending graphy to it which means image or writing and you have sexual immorality in images or in writing. As we study the Scriptural teaching on sexual sins and God’s way of victory, keep in mind that we are including pornography in this discussion.

I’d like to consider three ideas that will help us regain a biblical perspective on sexual sins. We’ll look at the first this time, and then the others in future articles.

1. According to Jesus, what is the source of sexual sins? In Mark 7:20 Jesus tells us that these sins come out of the heart of man. TV and Internet provide the temptation, but even before these were invented, temptation and sin were there in full force. We need to recognize and take responsibility for the fact that our hearts are sinful and deceitful. That’s why we need a savior.

James tells us that we shouldn’t think our temptations come from God. He tells us that we are tempted when we are drawn away of our own lusts and enticed. James 1:14-15 Stop blaming other situations and factors and take responsibility for your own sin.

According to Galatians 5:19 these sins are the works of the flesh. They come from our flesh, our own natural self. The world and Satan use this natural tendency to drawn them out and trap us.

Jeremiah 17:9 says that the heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it?

In 1 Corinthians 10:12 Paul explains how the people in the Old Testament fell through disbelief and then warns us to be careful because when we think we stand, we may fall.

With a deceitful heart as the source of these sins, it is foolishness to think we can trust ourselves. People of high standing and seeming great intelligence are falling prey to sexual temptation and sin and ruining their reputations and careers along with it. What makes us think we can put ourselves in situations where the temptations are great and accountability is limited? We need to have the attitude expressed in Philippians 3:3 which is that we “have no confidence in the flesh.” It’s good to have a certain amount of distrust in our ability to deal with such a strong enemy.

What is God Like? -- Psalm 145

I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

And His greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall praise Your works to another,

And shall declare Your mighty acts.

I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,

And on Your wondrous works.

Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,

And I will declare Your greatness.

They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,

And shall sing of Your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,

Slow to anger and great in mercy.

The Lord is good to all,

And His tender mercies are over all His works.

All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,

And Your saints shall bless You.

They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,

And talk of Your power,

To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,

And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The Lord upholds all who fall,

And raises up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look expectantly to You,

And You give them their food in due season.

You open Your hand

And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all His ways,

Gracious in all His works.

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,

To all who call upon Him in truth.

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;

He also will hear their cry and save them.

The Lord preserves all who love Him,

But all the wicked He will destroy.

My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,

And all flesh shall bless His holy name forever and ever.

Some additional thoughts

In the light of a disaster like the Haitian earthquake, it is instructive to listen to what Jesus Christ said when He heard about eighteen people who were killed when a tower fell on them. In Luke 13:4 we read, “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

At least one well-known religious leader in commenting on the earthquake said that the Haitians had made a pact with the devil and by implication this explains why bad things have continued to happen to them. It seems to me that Jesus’ quote makes that comment of no consequence. Jesus’ statement is that the people who died in the Siloam collapse were not worse sinners than others. And I think He would say that the Haitians are not worse sinners than others. His warning is that all sinners will also perish.

God is serious about sin and his judgment produces consequences both in this life and the next. The curse is real. We will all die of something and it may be painful or gruesome or maybe not. But it will still happen. There is going to be suffering in this life. But what is worse is the suffering that will follow our death if we don’t have someone to take our place in that suffering. The good news from Jesus is that He bore our sins on the cross and suffered our eternal punishment there. What He asks from us is to trust Him in this. He promises that those who trust Him will be spared eternal judgment. Do you believe Him?

Some thoughts from the earthquake

The images from Haiti have been astounding, sobering and gruesome. Each day brings a new round of images showing more devastation and death. Why did this happen? Does it test your understanding of the sovereignty of a gracious God even a little? I need to confess that it produces a little struggle in my mind.

What has increased more than a struggle, however, is the sense of awe I have gained for the power of God working through His creation. An earthquake of this magnitude, producing such extensive destruction, was not felt in most places throughout the rest of the world.

In Haggai 2:6, 7 the Bible says, “For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of all Nations.”

The Desire of all Nations is a name for Jesus Christ. The shaking God will produce at the end of time will make the Haitian earthquake look like nothing in comparison as it involves not only the earth but the heavens as well.

What’s the message? The book of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 12:25ff

See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.

Memorization Monday -- Promised Blessings - Reward

This week's verse begins a 3-part series on the promised blessings of rewards for the Christian. This week offers a new opportunity to memorize Scripture. Even if you haven't done it before, why not begin this week?

Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

Hymn of the Week -- Immortal, Invisible

Immortal, invisible,
God only wise,
In light inaccessible
hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious,
the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious,
Thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting,
and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting,
Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains,
high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains
of goodness and love.

To all, life Thou givest,
to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest,
the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish
as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish--
but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory,
pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee,
all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render;
O help us to see
'Tis only the splendor
of light hideth Thee,

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 3

We are examining what the Bible has to say about sex and sexuality.

Consider this statement: Sexual activity outside of God’s prescribed plan for marriage is sin. Doesn’t that go against the trend we’re seeing all around us every day? Some non-Christians say that we believe this because we think sex is dirty or we’re repressed or have some other psychological problem. As I mentioned in a previous post, God is the inventor of sex and Christians ought to have the most realistic accepting view of sexuality that there is in the world. But God has placed boundaries on our sexual activity for our good and for His glory and we as Christians are called upon to accept those boundaries and enjoy sexuality within them.

God speaks about sexual sins in various ways in the Bible. Often when people read the Bible, they don’t know what those words mean and so don’t make the connection to activities described in other ways in modern English. So what I’d like to do is to define some of those words for you and give you the references for them.

Fornication: From the Greek word pornea – Sexual sin of a general kind not limited to a specific behavior, but outside of marriage between a man and woman. Mark 7:20ff; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5

Adultery: Having sex with someone other than your spouse. Mark 7:20; Galatians 5:19

Lasciviousness: Also translated wantonness, lewdness or sensuality. It means unrestrained behavior in moral behavior and attitudes. Mark 7:20; Romans 13:13; 2 Corinthians 12:21

Concupiscence: Also translated lust, it is a strong desire, longing or covetousness. Colossians 3:5; 1 Peter 4:3

Uncleanness: Also translated impurity. It is sexual impurity or uncleanness. (Everyone understands what we mean by “dirty” joke.) 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19

Revelings: Orgies, revelry, drinking parties, carousing. Romans 13:13; Galatians 5:19; 1 Peter 4:3

Coarse jesting: Crude joking. Crude and vulgar joking. Ephesians 5:3

Hopefully these definitions will help you put some of the Bible’s terminology in a perspective you can understand.

Our Lord Prays for His Own

Often times, modern Christian men don’t know about or don’t take the opportunity to read really old Christian literature. The book “Our Lord Prays for His Own” is a wonderful example of a little known book – especially to modern readers. I’m taking the liberty of giving you an excerpt here that hopefully will whet your appetite.

The book is a study of our Lord’s prayer in John 17. The context of this passage is where Jesus prayed that the Father would glorify the Son in verse 1. Jesus was about to be crucified and in so doing He would be fulfilling the agreement that He had made with the Father before the world began.

Read this section thoughtfully and prayerfully. If you haven’t read such old material before, you may get tangled up in the long sentences and some of the vocabulary. Also, there are phrases taken from Scripture that you may not be familiar with. Please feed your soul by taking the time to read and reread this passage, and then consider putting this book on your to-read list. It makes great devotional reading.

-----

Oh, if we could enter more fully into the thoughts of God as to the real nature, character, and consequences of sin; and His boundless love for sinners, manifested in the gift of His own Son—descended from heaven into our nature in order to effect our salvation, to vindicate the character of the broken law, and to declare the righteousness of God, that He might be just, and at the same time the justifier of him who believeth on Jesus, then should we understand what a glorious position Christ did really occupy, and what a marvelous grace Jehovah bestowed upon Him in appointing Him to be the manifestation and incarnation of His Everlasting Love, and “the daysman, to lay his hand upon both.”

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles…I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the Lord; that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another” Isaiah 42:1, 6-8

This was the work Christ was about to accomplish; and to finish it was in His estimation to be glorified. Satan also, the enemy of God and man, was to be overthrown; the Goliath who had defied the armies of the living God was to be trampled under foot: and the Son of Man was to do it. Death, the wages of sin, was to be fully paid; and through death Christ was to “destroy him that had the power of death”; “to abolish death”; to extract its sting; “to swallow up death in victory”; and rise again, to die no more; but with authority to impart His own risen life to His people, so that henceforth they might live in Him, thus “delivering them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” This was the work He had in view, and the accomplishing of it was His glory.

Our Lord Prays for His Own by Marcus Rainsford; Moody Press, Chicago 1950

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 2

We’re discussing sex and sexuality in light of Scripture. The last time we pointed out that sex was created by God for our good and His glory. In an effort to avoid sinful sexual behaviors, Christians have often avoided the topic entirely and sometimes look at the whole subject as dirty or vulgar. God does not look at it that way.

In Hebrews 13:4 we are told that it’s God’s plan that marriage and the marriage bed be honored and undefiled. God devotes a whole book of the Bible, Song of Solomon, to love and marriage. God is not embarrassed or shy about this topic.

God does not leave us helpless in the face of His commands concerning sexuality. He has given marriage as the relationship which is meant to provide for sexuality and to protect us from sexual temptation. Rather than looking at marriage as though it were a form of bondage, we should see it as a blessing from God meant to provide for us and to protect us.

In 1 Corinthians 7:1 we read, “It is not good for a man to touch a woman.” The word “touch” means “to hold on to.” It is not good to have the kind of physical contact with a woman that is reserved for a spouse.

This brings up the issue of defrauding. The Bible tells us that we should not defraud one another in the area of sexual attraction. “Defrauding” is the act of making the other person think or feel that further sexual intimacy is coming when there is no intention of going that far. (See also I Thessalonians 4:1-7) It is wrong to touch another person in a way that initiates sexual feelings when there is no intention of proceeding further. And there should be no intention of proceeding further if the person is not your spouse.

Young people don’t naturally know this and it is essential that this be part of the discussion we as Christian parents have with our children at appropriate times in their life.

Verse 2 of 1 Corinthians 7 teaches us that because of the reality of sexual immorality and sexual temptation, each person is to have his/her own spouse. Our husband or wife was given to us by God for protection.

Verses 3-6 teach us that even for a person who is married, Satan can tempt us because of our natural lack of self control and therefore a husband and wife should not deprive each other of physical intimacy except for short periods given over to prayer.

If you are not a Christian, this probably doesn’t make any sense, but for us whose goal it is to please God as best we can in all areas of life, this is important teaching. Husbands and wives often put each other in serious danger because they are not attentive to their spouse in this area. This is as much sinful behavior as any other disobedience of God’s will for our lives.

Our effort to be godly Christians encompasses every area of life. God doesn’t just throw out a lot of commands and then expect us to try to live up to it. He is lovingly interested in us and wants our best. He is the one who created us and so He knows best how to live life in a way that brings the most enjoyment and satisfaction. Don’t let the world influence you so much that you begin to buy into its philosophy. Take God’s Word seriously, meditate on it frequently and let it have its affect on your life.

Is Devotion part of your Home?

I was listening to a discussion program called the Whitehorse Inn the other day, and one of the panelists made an interesting comment toward the end of the program. He said essentially that the problem is not that they've taken prayer out of the schools, but that we've lost devotion from our homes. By devotion he meant the Christian practice of reading the Bible regularly as a family and praying together as a family.

Many families don't even eat together and so there is very little time when they are together let alone reading Scripture or praying together.

If you are the head of a household and you really desire to be a faithful man from God's point of view, don't let it be said of your home that devotion has been lost.

The Word Made Flesh from The Whitehorse Inn

Biblical manhood - Sexuality Part 1

No aspect of life is probably more difficult for Christian men than that of sexual purity. The temptation to go where we shouldn’t go, look at what we shouldn’t look at and listen to what we shouldn’t listen to in order to satisfy our interest and curiosity about sex is strong.

Non-Christians who read this article will find this statement ludicrous because most people don’t see any need to curb or inhibit any sexual expression of any kind.

God has many things to say about this topic in His Word. He has made us as sexual beings. Sex was His idea and when used within His plan and boundaries glorifies God and brings good to our lives. Within God’s plan, sex is not vulgar, dirty or sinful. God has prescribed marriage between a man and a woman as the proper relationship for sexual intimacy.

Within this series of lessons on Biblical Manhood we have been faced with the fact that we must study what God says in His Word and then face the decision as to whether we are going to believe Him or not. In the area of sexuality, the culture makes it very difficult because we are bombarded with sexual messages everywhere we turn. These messages do not support God’s point of view. Little by little we become more accustomed to the world’s way and God’s way seems more and more out of touch.

Therefore, I believe the best thing for us to do is to immerse ourselves in what the Bible teaches us about this subject. In the next several blog posts on Biblical Manhood, we will explore what God has to say about sex and sexuality.

To get us started then, let’s consider the fact that sexuality and marriage are of God for our good and His glory. The fact that sex is part of the display of God’s glory is hardly ever considered. God made man and woman for each other and pronounced the relationship good.
Genesis 1:27 – Male and female He created them.
Genesis 1:28 – He told them to be fruitful and multiply
Genesis 1:31 – God saw that everything He had made was very good
Genesis 2:18 – The thing that wasn’t good was for man to be alone. God was not content to see the man without a helper that was suitable and fitting for him. Therefore He created the woman and brought her to the man and then gave the command to be fruitful and multiply.

We’ll discuss further considerations of this topic in the next Biblical Manhood posting.

Memorization Monday -- Promised Blessings - Peace Philippians 4:6,7

Continuing from last Monday's theme of Promised Blessings, here is another verse on that same topic.

Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Hymn of the Week - O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

1. O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

2. O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

3. O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

4. O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

Does Avatar Promote Pantheism?

I’m not into movies much, but my interest has been piqued by all of the talk about Avatar. As of January 7th it has grossed over $380 million. I’ll say right up front that I haven’t seen it, but have been reading about the story and I have been especially intrigued by the philosophy or “religion” the purportedly underlies the action. As a Christian I’m always interested in learning what cultural message is being promoted in films and other media and what the public reaction is. That fact that so many people view these films tells me that the philosophy is being embraced by more and more people.

It’s my understanding, and you can correct me if I’m wrong, that Avatar puts forth a pantheistic view of the universe. That is, the planet and everything on it is god or part of god. Often the media produces films that say that people are at their best when left in sort of a primitive state. In that condition they are more in tune with nature and things are more harmonious. But when you bring the modern world, and especially modern western human beings, into contact with this pristine environment it brings about destruction and degradation of what otherwise would have been a wonderful place. Some of these same ideas where put forth in movies such as Pocahontas and Dances with Wolves.

My caution to Christians, and especially Christian young people is to be aware of these messages which fly in the face of Christian teaching. Christians believe that the world was created by God but the world is not god. God created mankind and made us stewards and caretakers of the earth. This is the reason we should not pillage and destroy the planet, not because it is somehow alive. On the other hand, God gave the earth to us as a resource to provide for our daily needs. It provides us with our food, air, and energy. And therefore we should not be afraid of using it wisely for the good of mankind. We take care of the world and use it properly but we don’t look at it as sacred. God made mankind distinct from the rest of creation and gave him dominion over it. So even though we share the planet with other creatures, they are not on the same footing we are.

The Christian message is that men and women, in their natural condition are born in sin and are therefore lost and without hope. There is no salvation in the planet itself. Salvation comes from God and is brought only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If the Gospel doesn’t reach a particular group of people, they can’t be saved. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God. God tells us that if we leave people alone in their natural condition they will be lost forever. We are to love people as we love ourselves and we are to respect others because all of us are made in the image of God. But that love and respect requires a concern that will bring the Gospel to them and not just leave them to their own fate.

So, as you watch movies and read magazines, don’t leave your Christianity outside. Think through everything you watch, hear and read and compare it to what you know to be true. Don’t be mesmerized by special effects or sentimental arguments. They may be fantastic and powerful and they may draw you into the story, but guard your heart from absorbing the underlying philosophy.

Here are a couple of links that may help as you think this through.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/opinion/21douthat1.html?_r=1
http://www.worldmag.com/webextra/16243
http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/04/avatar-rambo-in-reverse/

I would enjoy hearing your opinion.

Christian Manhood - Budgeting

Another good way to better manage God’s money is to budget. There’s not enough space here to go through the many possible budgeting plans available, but here are just a couple of suggestions.

First, keep track of what you’re spending. You will be surprised where your money is going.

Second, give to God a regular proportion of what He has given you. The Bible usually speaks of ten percent as a starting point.

Next, figure out what percentage of your income is needed for fixed expenses such as house payments, car payments, insurance etc. Then look at your annual expenses for electricity, heating and so on.

Do the same thing for groceries, clothing, etc.

Here is the part that I found very helpful to me and I can thank my dad for this idea. Out of each check, set aside the actual money allocated for each category. You can set this aside actually using marked envelopes or you can set it aside on a paper chart or on a computer spread sheet.

For example, suppose your house payments are 20% of your income. Then each time you get a paycheck, take 20% of the cash and put it into an envelope marked house payment. If clothing is 3% of your pay, then put that much into an envelope each time you get paid. You could also just keep track of it on paper, but you have to be sure to be thorough.

Here’s the problem most people have. A man might be out with his family and he decides to stop at McDonalds and treat everyone to a sundae or sandwich some evening. It’s not the main meal; it’s just a treat. He knows he has $30 in his wallet and so he buys these things for them. The problem is that there is no money in the treat envelope. Even if he doesn’t have a budgeting system, you can’t spend money you don’t have available. What he just spent was clothing money, or gas money, or part of an insurance payment. It takes incredible discipline to say to yourself or to your family, “I’m sorry, we don’t have the money for that tonight.” If you have a budget and know that you’ve got $20 accumulated in the treats envelope, then you can have this special outing with perfect freedom knowing that you’ve planned well.

I hope these suggestions will be helpful to many of you.

Were Ancients Logical?

An argument is made by some that the people of Bible times were not logical like we are and therefore were more gullible and susceptible to claims of miracles. Therefore, the argument goes, the stories and traditions that they recorded should not be taken seriously.

However, it’s easy to show that this is not true. Take the example given in Isaiah 44. Here the prophet ridicules a man who cuts down a tree. Out of half of it he fashions an idol in the shape of an image which he then worships. He prays to this god and asks it to deliver him. He uses the other half for fuel for a fire which keeps him warm. The prophet laughs at the stupidity of asking for help from the same piece of wood that was turned to ashes in his fire pit! Now don’t tell me that these people didn’t know what makes logical sense and what doesn’t. There have always been people around who could expose faulty thinking.

Here’s the incident as recorded in Isaiah 44:14 ff.

He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. 15 Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”
18 They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19 No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” 20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001, S. Is 44:14-20

Christian Manhood -- Fiscal Responsibility

One of the things that happened because of the fall is that work became toil and filled with obstacles. The ground brought forth weeds; things began to break down and needed repair and rebuilding. Because of the scarcity of stuff, money soon was invented to allow trade to take place. God has a lot to say to us as men regarding how we manage money and things.

According to Matthew 25 God has made us stewards of His resources. That means we are just the guardians of what actually belongs to Him. We are His money managers.

In that capacity God expects diligence in our work rather than sloth. Some verses that help us to understand that are:

Proverbs 6:9-11 Watch out for a pattern of slothfulness
Proverbs 10:4,5 Make sure your hands are diligent
Proverbs 24:30-34 Keep your property in good repair
2 Thessalonians 3:10 If someone doesn’t work, then he shouldn’t eat

God expects us to save for the future.

Proverbs 6:8 Gather your food in the summer
Genesis 41:35, 36 Think about the advice Joseph gave to Pharaoh regarding the upcoming famine.

There’s more to saving than just putting a little extra money in the bank from every paycheck. You can save a lot of money by watching for sales. In our household for example, we don’t usually by pop unless we can get it for 20 cents a can or so. Buy in quantity – but not so much that it spoils before you use it. Don’t buy on impulse. Plan your buying so you won’t be tempted to buy things you don’t need or can’t afford.

And finally, take care of your stuff! Don’t leave the kids’ toys out in the grass to get rusty and broken. Keep things picked up and in as good repair as you can afford. You might not have a lot of money, but you don’t need to leave junk laying all around inside and outside your house. Remember, you are God’s managers.

A New Year's Thought

Greetings and Happy New Year

I hope you had a wonderful celebration of our Lord’s birth over this Christmas season. I’m not sure why Christmas was put in December, but I like the fact that on winter nights, the sky is clearer and the stars brighter than at other times of the year. At least that’s the way it is here in Michigan. Looking up into the sky on these nights helps me to see myself and our planet more in perspective with the rest of the universe.

It reminds me of the Psalm that says “What is man that you are mindful of him?” To think that God would break through the sky and come here to save us is amazing. Job rightly said, “How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he who is born of a woman be pure? If even the moon does not shine, and the stars are not pure in His sight, how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm?” Job 25:4-6

The tremendous answer to Job’s question is that God “made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Take some time in the next couple of weeks to let your mind think on this for a time.

On another topic, do you have any books on your to-read list for the next six months or so? I’m always looking for good reading material so if you find something especially good, I’d be interested in hearing about it.

Memorization Monday -- Promised Blessings - Peace John 16:33

Do you ever find that it is hard to stay consistent in some spiritual discipline. I do. Even in the simple thing of sharing a Scripture memory verse with the rest of you, I so easily get off track. A New Year is a good opportunity to try to get back on track so let's see how it goes.

Today's verse is John 16:33 and is a verse about the promised blessing of peace.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Hymn of the Week -- Great God of Wonders

Great God of wonders! All Thy ways
Are matchless, Godlike and divine;
But the fair glories of Thy grace
More Godlike and unrivaled shine,
More Godlike and unrivaled shine.

Crimes of such horror to forgive,
Such guilty, daring worms to spare;
This is Thy grand prerogative,
And none shall in the honor share,
And none shall in the honor share

Angels and men, resign your claim
To pity, mercy, love and grace:
These glories crown Jehovah’s Name
With an incomparable glaze
With an incomparable glaze.

In wonder lost, with trembling joy,
We take the pardon of our God:
Pardon for crimes of deepest dye,
A pardon bought with Jesus’ blood,
A pardon bought with Jesus’ blood.

O may this strange, this matchless grace,
This Godlike miracle of love,
Fill the whole earth with grateful praise,
And all th’angelic choirs above,
And all th’angelic choirs above.

Who is a pardoning God like Thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?
Or who has grace so rich and free?

Christian Manhood - Decision Making

During the fall I was teaching a class for men called God's Pattern for Christian Manhood. I have written several articles on this topic through the fall, but it has been since November 16th now since I've written on this topic. In order to follow the train of thought, you might want to search this blog for the "manhood" label. Here is the next in the series.

Another step in determining God’s will for your vocational life is to discover your God-given gifts and develop them. Everyone has unique and distinct gifts and these are an indicator as to how God will use you in this world.

Everyone is gifted differently. In Matthew 25:15-18 each man had been given a different amount, but God expected each one to be a faithful steward of what God had given him. According to Romans 12:6, God wants us not only to know what our gifts are, but to use them for His glory. It’s not a matter of what gift we have or how talented we are. What is important is that we invest in the kingdom of God by using your gifts effectively and wisely.

As you plan, study, and become skilled, remember that you are preparing to do work that will support you and your family in the culture you live in. Don’t waste time wishing that you had lived in a different era or had different circumstances. God has called you in this time and place and it’s important to plan and develop your gifts accordingly.

Another step in the process of determining God’s will for us is to seek wise counsel. Look at these passages in Proverbs: 11:14; 12:15; 15:22

From these passages we learn that there is safety in a multitude of counselors, that it is important to give heed to counsel and not ignore it and that counsel establishes plans.

So don’t be afraid to ask for counsel and advice. In fact, seek it diligently. Don’t be afraid of what you might hear. Then, when you receive advice, consider it seriously when making decisions. If someone offers you advice you didn’t ask for, don’t just dismiss it. Assume you have a blind spot; think seriously about what they said.

In addition to seeking counsel, there should be a lot of prayer given to the decision. James 1:5 tells us that we should ask God if we lack wisdom. By praying we are acknowledging our lack of wisdom and strength and letting God know that we are dependent on Him and not relying on our own ability. (See Proverbs 3:6)

Finally, make a rational, well-thought decision. This doesn’t have to be the final decision for a life-long vocation. This can be a decision for the next step in the process such as what classes to take this semester or what college to go to. Indecision and procrastination are not values God approves. In the Bible, the only time people were to wait was when God told them explicitly to wait. Otherwise moving forward in faith and obedience is the proper course of action. Once the decision is made, move forward with it and begin to plan the next step.

This last point is important because a lot of people get hung up doing nothing while they wait for some “leading” they expect to get from God. God leads through His Word and His providence in the circumstances of life. He expects us to pray for wisdom, seek counsel and then move forward having made a concrete decision.

A New Beginning

As we enter a new year, we tend to think of it as a clean slate, a new opportunity to start over. Many people create New Year’s resolutions hoping that a renewed focus on important goals will help give us the new start we desire.

The Bible gives us the clearest answer to the question of how we can start anew. In Revelation 21:5, the Scripture says, “Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’” Jesus is going to say this in the context of the new heaven and the new earth when all of this fear, pain, fighting and death are done away with for ever. In verse 4 of this passage we are told, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Some may suggest that this is all well and good for some future time, but what about now? In 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Christ took our sorrows and sins upon Himself at the cross and they were left in the grave when He was raised. Therefore He can completely forgive all of our sins and say that they have been removed from us as far as the east is from the west.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9. What better way to wipe the slate clean and start anew than to come to Christ and let him cleanse us completely from all the baggage the weighs us down.