Key Words of the Gospel

I want to say how much I appreciate the faithful Bible teaching we receive in our church. Both services on Sunday were an excellent example of that. What an encouragement it is to hear the truth of the gospel proclaimed. Of course many other churches are faithfully teaching God's word as well and it is an encouragement wherever it is proclaimed.

In the morning we heard about the wrath of God. Now that is not a topic heard much these days. But in order to understand the gospel it's necessary to understand that the wrath of God is a real manifestation of his character. The Bible clearly teaches that God is angry with the wicked every day (Psalm 7:11); those who don't believe are condemned already (John 3:18); and those who don't believe the son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36). These last two quotes were made by Jesus, the one who people claim is so meek and mild he wouldn't hurt a flea. Those are words of judgment are difficult to swallow, but to ignore them is to ignore the whole message of Christianity and to risk eternal judgment.

In the evening service, our pastor took us to Romans 3:21-26, weaving our study of these verses within the communion service. Verse 23 reminds us that everyone has sinned and has come short of God's glory. No matter how good we think we are, we fail to reach the standard God has set. And it is for this failure to reach the standard that God's wrath is upon us.

Verses 24-26 give us three key words that are crucial to understanding the Christian message. The first such word is justified. To be justified means to be declared righteous by God. God cannot just overlook our transgressions because that would violate his holiness and justice. But by sending Jesus Christ to bear God's judgment against sin, he is "free" to declare believers righteous while at the same time maintaining his justice. Romans 3:26 explains it this way, "to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." He is able to show mercy and maintain his justice at the same time.

The second key word is redemption. Redemption describes what took place in the Roman culture where slaves were put on the auction block for sale to the highest bidder. From time to time someone would pay that price for the slave and then set the slave free. The slave in such a case had been redeemed. That is what God has done for those who trust in him. The death of Christ on the cross and the payment he made in dying purchased our freedom from our slavery and bondage to sin and Satan. We've been set free.

The last word is propitiation. This is not as common a word to most people as the preceding two. To propitiate means to appease or regain favor with. The wrath of God is upon us and something is needed to appease that anger. There is no gift or offering we can provide that is great enough to placate God's anger against us. The good news is that Jesus Christ is the propitiation. His death appeases God's anger and allows God to look favorably upon us.

By understanding the greatness of God's wrath and the tremendous graciousness of God's provision for our salvation through these three key words, we can cast ourselves upon God's mercy knowing that his promise to save us will be kept. Have you personally come to know God's saving mercy and grace in your life? If not, why not call on him for mercy today. The Bible says that "whoever calls on the name of the Lord, will be saved." Romans 10:13

Memorization Monday - Resources - Power

2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self control.

Topic titles taken from Navigators Topical Memory System

http://www.navigators.org/us/

Hymn of the Week - Praise to the Lord

1. Praise to the Lord,   the Almighty, the King of creation.
 O my soul, praise him,   for he is thy health and salvation! 
 All ye who hear,   now to his temple draw near;
 join me in glad adoration!

2. Praise to the Lord,
 who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
 surely his goodness   and mercy here daily attend thee.
 Ponder anew   what the Almighty can do,
 who with his love doth befriend thee.

 3. Praise to the Lord!
 O let all that is in me adore him!
 All that hath life and breath,
 come now with praises before him!
 Let the amen sound from his people again;
 gladly forever adore him.

Finding Life

As I was reading the Bible this morning, 2 Corinthians 4:11 grabbed my attention. It says, “For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” As I read this I thought, “I’m one who is living. How am I always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake?”

A few verses earlier, Paul had written that he was hard-pressed, perplexed and persecuted but not in any way crushed or in despair. But my life isn’t like Paul’s. I don’t have the kind of persecution and oppression that he faced. I don’t face anything greater than the normal pressures of modern American life. There are the aches and pains of growing older. There are the disappointments that come from relationships with other people. But nothing in my life approaches the kind of sufferings that Paul had gone through.

Nevertheless, I think there are some ways in which we all could learn something from this passage. Our bodies are under the curse. We are in the process of dying; and we carry that dying with us everywhere we go. Those aches, pains and weaknesses are all signs that this body is not going to live forever. Even in our areas of service for God, our efforts are often weak and ineffective in our own strength.

Another way I think that a Christian carries about the death of the Lord Jesus is that we are to be continually dying to self. Matthew 16:25 says, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” In Luke 9:23 Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” The cross, of course, is a symbol of death. It seems to me that the Christian life involves learning to lay down ones life for others. It means not trying to get your own way all of the time. Loving others means putting their interests first. Even in the more mundane things of life we need to die to self and lift up others. Perhaps your spouse wants to eat at one restaurant and you a different one. Love says put your spouse’s interests above your own. Perhaps one spouse wants to watch a football game, but you would rather watch a movie. It’s hard to give up what you want to do to allow the other person to do what he/she wants to do. How often do you need to put other’s interests above your own? All of the time! That is extremely difficult and requires a constant dying to self. And dying to self is difficult and often painful. But it is what God requires. But shouldn’t the other person die to self sometimes too? Yes, but that’s between them and God and has nothing to do with what you need to do.

What is the benefit? Losing ones life in this away actually is the doorway to finding true life. Our passage in 2 Corinthians verses 10 and 11 tell us that the result is that “the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” And, “the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” The encouraging thing to me in these verses is the focus on this mortal, physical life. The positive benefits are realized in our body, our mortal flesh. It does not wait for some future time, but rather the life of Christ becomes visible in us today as we allow his death to accomplish its work in our lives.

Memorization Monday - Resources - Power

Colossians 1:11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.

Topic titles taken from Navigators Topical Memory System

http://www.navigators.org/us/

Hymn of the Week - He Hideth My Soul

1. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
   A wonderful Savior to me;
   He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
   Where rivers of pleasure I see.
   • Refrain:
     He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
     That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
     He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
     And covers me there with His hand,
     And covers me there with His hand.
2. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
   He taketh my burden away,
   He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved,
   He giveth me strength as my day.
3. With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
   And filled with His fullness divine,
   I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God!
   For such a Redeemer as mine.
4. When clothed with His brightness transported I rise
   To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
   His perfect salvation, His wonderful love,
   I’ll shout with the millions on high.

He Was Wounded for Our Transgressions

The other night I had been reading about Martin Luther's struggle with the demands of the law and how he finally understood God's gift of justification by faith. Later in the middle of the night I found myself thinking through the words of Merrill Dunlop's hymn, "He Was Wounded for Our Transgressions"

He was wounded for our transgressions,
He bore our sins in His body on the tree;
For our guilt He gave us peace,
From our bondage gave release,
And with His stripes our souls are healed.

He was numbered among transgressors,
We did esteem Him forsaken by His God;
As our sacrifice He died that the law be satisfied,
And all our sin was laid on Him.

We had wandered, we all had wandered
Far from the fold of the Shepherd of the sheep;
But He sought us where we were,
On the mountains bleak and bare,
And brought us safely home to God.

Who can number His generation?
Who shall declare all the triumphs of His cross?
Millions, dead, now live again,
Myriads follow in His train!
Victorious Lord, victorious Lord and coming King!

Amen.

Responding to God's Promises in Prayer - Part 2

In light of yesterday’s posting about David’s prayer, I thought it would be interesting for me to try to put this into practice with a very well known promise of God. Now let the record show that I am not a poet or very emotive with words so you may actually be able to do a better job at this than I can. But here’s my attempt.

In Hebrews 13:5 our Lord is quoted as saying, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Let’s use that promise along with the points we observed in David’s prayer yesterday.

O Lord, you are a great and awesome God and I am a creature made of dust. That you should promise to never leave me or forsake me is an amazing thing. I have sinned often against you and if I were sinned against, I might forsake those who sinned against me. But you are not like we are. You have made a promise to stick with me and you will fulfill that promise.

I realize, God, that you have made this promise to me because of your reputation as a covenant keeping God. You have called me to be your child through faith in Christ and if you should leave me or forsake me, the whole gospel promise would come into question. You saved me for your sake and you have promised to keep me, all for your name’s sake. Thank you.

Based on your faithfulness, I ask that you do for me what you have promised. Please stay with me and do not forsake me, the one whom you made and saved.

Amen.

Responding to God's Promises in Prayer

How should we respond to the promises of God? Is there a way that in prayer we can respond with more than a simple “thank you”? This morning as I was reading in 2 Samuel 7, I saw such a response in action.

David had intended to build a house for God. God basically told him that he had been too much a warrior to build God a house. But then God turned the table on David and promised to build him a house. That is, he promised to give him and his sons after him a great kingdom.

First he responds in humility. In verse 18 he says, “Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?” He realizes that he is unworthy of such a promise.

In humility he recognizes the greatness of God who is able to accomplish all of this for generations to come. In verse 19 he says, “And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord God?”

In continuing humility he also acknowledges that it is through God’s condescending mercy that He would even make known to David such a plan. In verse 21 he says, “For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them.” We need to remember that it is only through the mercy and grace of God that He reveals anything at all to us.

Because of what God was able to do, David exults into praise: “Therefore You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”

One of the things we need to remember when we are thanking God for things He has done or promised to do is that He does what He does for His own name’s sake. Sometimes we become quite egocentric when it comes to our praying as though everything God does somehow revolves around us. David says in verse 23, “And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land – before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods?”

Finally he asks God to do what He has promised. Sometimes we shy away from this kind of praying because we think, “God said it, why should I pray it again?” But David doesn’t think this way. He says, “Now, O Lord God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said. …And let the house of Your servant David be established before You.” And he continues in verse 28, “And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to your servant. Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.” Do you see what he is doing? God promised to bless David’s house and so David asks God to bless his house.

Let’s use this as an opportunity to improve our prayer life and increase our faith by praying back to God what He has promised.

Our President Doesn't Get It

This past Saturday was the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. In his brief remarks, President Obama made no mention of the tragedy that is abortion. Dr. Albert Mohler writes about this better than I can. Please see his article "In His Own Words".

If you can, please take the time to view this video which is excerpted from one of John Piper's sermons. You can view the video here. It is Dr. Piper's response to one of President Obama's earlier Roe v. Wade speeches.

Then let us pray that this atrocity will be brought to an end.

Memorization Monday - Resources - New Nature

2 Peter 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Hymn of the Week -What A Wonderful Savior

Christ has for sin atonement made
What a wonderful Savior!
We are redeemed, the price is paid
What a wonderful Savior!

Refrain

What a wonderful Savior is Jesus, my Jesus!
What a wonderful Savior is Jesus, my Lord!

I praise Him for the cleansing blood
What a wonderful Savior!
That reconciled my soul to God
What a wonderful Savior!

Refrain

He cleansed my heart from all its sin
What a wonderful Savior!
And now He reigns and rules therein
What a wonderful Savior!

Refrain

He walks beside me in the way:
What a wonderful Savior!
And keeps me faithful day by day;
What a wonderful Savior!

Refrain

He gives me overcoming power
What a wonderful Savior!
And triumph in each trying hour
What a wonderful Savior!

Refrain

To Him I've given all my heart:
What a wonderful Savior!
The world shall never share a part:
What a wonderful Savior!

Refrain

Another Excerpt from "Our Lord Prays for His Own"

This excerpt continues in John 17:12 with the phrase “the son of perdition is lost, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

There is something unutterably mysterious about the person and character of Judas Iscariot. The Lord says he was “the son of perdition.” The only other place in the New Testament, indeed in the Bible, where this expression occurs is in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4 in speaking of the antichrist.

The Lord also declares (John 6:70) that he was “a devil.” As God was in Christ, so Satan was in Judas, But, of course, we only express an opinion. It is a remarkable fact that the Lord should call him by the same name that Antichrist is styled by, and that He should also say of him that he was “a devil.”

Judas Iscariot never fell from grace, for he never had it, he was “the son of perdition,” he was “a thief,” he was “a devil,” and the Scripture was fulfilled in his fall, for long ago it had been foretold. And the Lord Himself alludes to the fact,

“I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.” (John 13:18)

He did fall from an exalted office, and a successor was appointed to take “part in this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell.” Judas had a high and an exalted office in the Church of God. Oh! Let us remember that it is one thing to have an office in the church, and quite another thing to be saved. Judas had unspeakable privileges; for years he had been the constant companion of Christ, he had seen Him, handled Him, he had been taught from His own lips, yet he was not saved. I have heard people rash enough to say that if the Church of God did its duty, the whole world would be brought to the knowledge of Christ. That is not so; did not Christ do His duty? Will anyone say Christ was not a faithful minister? And yet one of His twelve apostles was lost. Judas had great gifts, for it is very evident the Lord made no exception with reference to him when He sent them forth “to heal the sick, to cast out devils, and to preach the kingdom,” and if there had been any difference with regard to Judas Iscariot, when the Lord said at supper, “One of you shall betray me,” suspicion would at once have fallen upon him, but each disciple said: “Lord, is it I?” No one thought of suspecting Judas, which would not have been the case if the Lord had made any difference in His dealings personally or relatively between him and the other disciples, as to his office, privileges, or gifts; here, then is a most solemn fact: we might have the highest office possible in the Church of Gid, and be lost; we may sit under the most privileged ministry, and be lost; we may see what patriarchs and prophets desired to see and never saw; we may hear what patriarchs and righteous men desired to hear and never heard, and be utterly lost.

Excerpt from “Our Lord Prays for His Own” by Marcus Rainsford, Moody Press, 1950, page 210-211

Excerpt from "Our Lord Prays for His Own"

I encourage you to read this encouraging excerpt from “Our Lord Prays for His Own”. Read the whole thing. It’s not long. In this excerpt the author is discussing the phrase, “I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me” found in John 17:12.

The Shepherd of the sheep keeps His people in the eternal power of God! In the eternal wisdom of God! Compassed in the eternal faithfulness of God! Enshrined in the eternal love of God! Quickened with the eternal life of God! Possessed with the eternal grace of God! And to be crowned with the eternal glory of God!

“Kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” I Peter 1:5

Ascribing praise to Him who is “Able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” Jude 24

Observe, He not only renders a general, but a particular account; “none of them perished, none of them is lost.” A blessed emphasis, not one of them. We read in John 6:39, “This is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing” – nothing—not even their dust, much less their souls, nothing.

But perhaps it may be said the apostles were a better order of men than we are! Not so, the Lord Jesus Christ sought, and found them, for they were lost; He quickened them, for they were dead; and He kept them. Everything but God was against them; the world against them, the flesh against them, the devil against them, everything against them but God, and everything is against us but God. When shall we learn to view God in this light?

Excerpt from “Our Lord Prays for His Own” by Marcus Rainsford, Moody Press, 1950, page 209.

Technology and the Christian Man - Some Questions

I plan to do some writing about technology and the Christian man. I have a feeling that we don’t always connect our status as followers of Jesus with the responsibility to buy and use technology for the glory of God. So I thought it might be good to get your thoughts. I’m going to pose some questions for thought and discussion. I’m not asking just for yes and no answers. I would like some thoughtful feedback as to how we should use and interact with the new technologies as Christians. I’m looking for pros and cons from your point of view. What kind of precautions do you take to make sure your Christian life and testimony stay strong?

If you want to answer anonymously through blog comments, that would be fine. I just need to hear from you – especially the younger guys and the heavy technology (cell phone, ipod, ipad, Facebook) users.

Before I begin, let me say one more thing for those readers who don’t know me. I’m in my mid-sixties, retired from a technology job, an avid technology user, and use Facebook and Twitter regularly as well as maintain this blog. So with that in mind here are my questions:

1. Do you think some people may struggle with covetousness or jealousy because of reading what their Facebook friends have or do? If so, is that just a fact of life that we would have anyway, or do you think it is increased by the Facebook experience? Are there ways we should guard what we say in order to help our brothers or sisters in this area?

2. As I look at the cost of data plans for cell phones, what kind of planning do you think is advisable related to personal budgeting and allocation of resources? Do we need to examine what benefit we gain from having data plans with us 24/7 rather than just checking email and FB when we’re at a computer? I guess I’m asking what process of thought do we need to go through biblically when we are making a decision to spend $600 a year to have voice/data/web at all times?

3. When using Facebook, or just browsing the Internet, how do you handle the fact that you are sometimes exposed to pictures and text that may tempt you morally?

4. Do you think Facebook and other social media provide a good opportunity for witness and discipleship? And if so, how do you use it for those purposes?

5. Some people say that cell phone use has become addictive to some people. Do you find that true among the people you know or in yourself? If so, how can we as Christians take steps to avoid that addiction while still using the technology profitably?

6. What precautions do you take or do you think it’s wise to take to minimize your personal access to pornography.

7. Do you think the use of technology (I’m including TV, Internet, Ipods – all of it) has affected the time the average Christian spends reading – either the Bible or other books? I ask this because there is some evidence educationally that computer use and TV viewing do not build vocabulary as well as reading does and therefore people read less.

8. Because people can communicate by cell phone or computer at all times of the day or night, do you think parents should restrict the use of either one after certain times of day? Do you get the feeling they actually make those restrictions?

9. Do you use technology to do your reading and study of the Bible? If so, how is that working out for you?

10. Should spouses voluntarily share email accounts or Facebook accounts to minimize contacts that the other doesn’t know about so that all communication is in the open? Why or why not?

Those are my questions. I am really interested in hearing from as many people as possible, so take some time to take one or two questions, think them through and then let me know what you think.

Memorization Monday - Resources - New Birth

Ephesians 4:23, 24 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Hymn of the Week - My Savior's Love

1. I stand amazed in the presence
   Of Jesus the Nazarene,
   And wonder how He could love me,
   A sinner, condemned, unclean.
   • Refrain:
     Oh, how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!
     And my song shall ever be:
     Oh, how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!
     Is my Savior’s love for me!
2. For me it was in the garden
   He prayed: “Not My will, but Thine.”
   He had no tears for His own griefs,
   But sweat drops of blood for mine.
3. In pity angels beheld Him,
   And came from the world of light
   To comfort Him in the sorrows
   He bore for my soul that night.
4. He took my sins and my sorrows,
   He made them His very own;
   He bore the burden to Calv’ry,
   And suffered and died alone.
5. When with the ransomed in glory
   His face I at last shall see,
   ’Twill be my joy through the ages
   To sing of His love for me.

Meditating, Not Just Reading the Word

Have you ever been frustrated with the Read-Through-The-Bible-In-A-Year plans because you cover a lot of ground, but really don't take time to think through and meditate on the scriptures before you. God promises us spiritual success if we take time to meditate on The Word throughout our days. (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1)

I finally gave up the notion of trying to read the Bible through in a year. Instead I use one of the same plans, but just read a smaller amount each day and if it takes me several years, that's ok.

Another idea is a scheduled plan that doesn't cover as much ground and therefore gives you time to think through the passage in front of you. I discovered such a plan this week and thought I would pass on the link to all of you. It can be found here. I hope you find it helpful.

Memorization Monday - Resources - New Nature

1 Peter 1:23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God. (ESV)

Hymn of the Week - One Day

One day when heaven was filled with his praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin—
Dwelt amongst men, my example is he!

Living, he loved me; dying, he saved me;
Buried, he carried my sins far away;
Rising, he justified freely, for ever:
One day he's coming—O, glorious day!

One day they led him up Calvary's mountain,
One day they nailed him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected:
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is he!

One day they left him alone in the garden,
One day he rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o'er his tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Saviour is he!

One day the grave could conceal him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then he arose, over death he had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!

One day the trumpet will sound for his coming,
One day the skies with his glories will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
Glorious Saviour, this Jesus is mine!

Encouragement from "Our Lord Prays for His Own"

Jesus prayed, "I kept them." His love passes knowledge; He rested not in creation until He had made man in His own image; and when man fell, He rested not in His redeeming love till He came down from heaven into man's nature to restore him again to the image he had lost. And then since He went up to the throne, He rests not until in the marvelous abundance of His grace we are all filled with the Holy Ghost; nor will He rest in the glory until He can say, Come and sit with me in My throne, "Even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in this throne." (Rev. 3:21) ~Marcus Rainsford

We're continuing a two-part Bible Study of Galatians 3. The first part was posted yesterday. If you're not in the habit of studying the Bible verse by verse, here's an opportunity for you to participate in this short study.

Beginning in verse 15 Paul goes through the argument again in a different way.

10. According to Paul in verse 15, what is true of a man-made covenant (contract)?

11. God also made a contract. He made it to Abraham and to his _______.

12. Now if you put verses 15 and 16 together, it must be the case that a covenant ratified by God cannot be broken either. In other words if human contracts can’t be broken, then certainly a contract by God can’t be broken.

13. If this is so, then the law which came 430 years after the contract with Abraham can’t annul it. If I as a grandparent promise my grandson a bike for his birthday and then when the day comes I tell him he can have it if he splits wood for me for a week, I have broken my promise and turned a gift into a wage that had to be earned. This is Paul’s argument in verse 18. God won’t break his promise and change the conditions.

14. An obvious question arises. What is the law for then? He answers the question in verse 19. Why was it added? … until when?

15. According to verse 22 the “Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” So according to verses 23 and 24 when does that imprisonment end?

16. In Christ then, those who are of faith are the sons of God. (vs 26)

17. The conclusion reached in verse 29 states that “if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, and heirs according to promise.” You see God made a promise to bless Abraham and his offspring (seed). That promise can’t be canceled by the law because it predates the law. Being in Christ makes a person the recipient of that promise of blessing, unrelated to any legal requirements that the law might set forth.

The argument continues a little bit into chapter 4. Paul continues the thought of being an heir and he tells us that an heir is no different than a slave if the heir is a child. The child of a king or millionaire still has people telling him what to do and hauling him to this or that event. He can’t make his own decisions. So is that the kind of heir we are in Christ?

18. How long does he say that childhood lasts? (See 4:3-5)

19. Now that Christ has come, we are adult sons and heirs, not child heirs.

20. What’s the conclusion then in 4:7? In Romans 8:16-17 Paul says, The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

If I may summarize this entire section then I would say it this way.

A person isn’t justified (saved) by keeping the law and he does not grow in his likeness to Christ by keeping the law. Both come through faith. God gave a promise of blessing to Abraham and his seed and we are the recipients of that blessing if we have come to God by faith in Christ. That blessing has been given as a contract by God prior to any commandments being given and therefore does not depend on them to be fulfilled.

This should not be taken to mean that we can live any way we want, because God wants us to be like him. But that becoming like him will come as work of God from within us and not from our efforts to accomplish it by keeping the law.

Bible Study - Galatians 3

Bible study is such an important activity and yet many Christians don’t actually do much. For that reason, once in a while on this blog I hope to encourage you to do some studying of a particular passage using the questions and comments that I’ll provide for you. I strongly encourage you to delve into these studies whenever you have an opportunity, especially if you don’t have a study program of your own. Dad’s, use these guides to study the Bible with your wife or older children. It will help you be the spiritual leader you desire to be.

In this study we are going to look at Galatians 3. It’s hard to say that one portion of Scripture is more important than any other, but I would have to say that this is an extremely important passage. I’ll be using the ESV version of the Bible in the quotations I provide.

To begin then, you should take the time to read through the chapter a couple of times – maybe even once a day for a week.

Many Christians realize that we are saved and justified by faith, but return to an effort of works to produce the fruit and sanctification of the Christian life. (Sanctification is the process of transformation that makes us more and more like Christ.) What Paul is trying to explain to the Galatian people is that it’s all faith from beginning to end.

1. Look at the questions he asks in verses 2 – 5. Notice how he is connecting the initial salvation to the rest of the Christian life.

2. In verse 6 then what was counted as righteousness for Abraham? What did Abraham have to do to be counted righteousness? In other words what task did he have to perform?

3. Read verses 7-9. Who are the sons of Abraham? What do the Gentiles receive by faith? (vs 8) What do those of faith have? (vs 9)

4. Do some thinking about what it means to be blessed. It means to have God speak kindly toward someone and to act favorable toward someone.

5. Moving on to verse 10 now, you will notice a complete contrast to blessing. What is the opposite of blessing mentioned in verse 10?

6. Who is under that curse? How perfect does one have to be under the law to avoid the curse?

7. What Paul is saying then in verses 11 and 12 is that there are two ways to live – either by faith which he quotes from Habakkuk 2:4 or by the law where he quotes from Leviticus 18:5. The two can’t be mixed.

8. Then in verse 13 he quotes from Deuteronomy 21:23. According to that verse who is cursed? What does that say about Christ then seeing that he was hung on a tree?

9. The point he is working up to then comes in verse 14 where he tells us that since Christ was a curse for us, we can receive the blessing of Abraham. In other words the promised Spirit and all of the benefits of His work in our lives comes as a result of faith, not as a result of putting yourself under some legal system. The curse has already been dealt to Christ and therefore we are free to receive the blessing.

Encouragement for Today

I read something today that was very encouraging and uplifting and wanted to share it with each of you. My wife and I are reading “Our Lord Prays for His Own” by Marcus Rainsford, published by Moody Press in 1950 . I have included excerpts several times in this blog. Today’s reading was very interesting and encouraging I thought. I’m going to paraphrase his thoughts since the original is somewhat difficult to work through. This is from pages 201-202.

The author is discussing Jesus’ prayer for his people and is particularly focusing on the phrase, “I kept them in thy name.”

So with apologies to Marcus Rainsford, here’s my rendition:

One principal way in which our precious Savior kept His people “in His name,” is by allowing them to learn in their daily experience all the many varieties of their needs. While he is doing that, he is demonstrating there is no need or even partial need for which there is not an abundant supply of help from the fullness and faithfulness of their God. In this way they are kept in a way so that they remain humble while Christ is glorified and all the praise goes to Him. It is very difficult and humbling to our pride to have God deal with us this way, but it is the way the Son of God kept His disciples, and it is the way our heavenly Father keeps us now.

We are often very much distressed by supposing, perhaps correctly, that there is something in us, some temptation or response to life that causes us to doubt we are Christians. We sometimes think we have a trial or temptation which we are not aware of anyone else having, and knowing that we are assaulted and sometimes fall before temptations which we never heard or read of in the experience of any other Christian. We stagger in unbelief, we write bitter things against ourselves almost to the point of letting go altogether.

Now, there is not a single sample of fallen humanity, there is not a phase of human weakness, there not any imaginable illustration of human depravity or ruin that there is not a remedy for in the Lord Jesus Christ. And God uses those remedies as a declaration of the glory of Christ and the Father. Suppose I am a part of the Church, suppose I have a makeup like no one else, suppose the history of my experience is unlike that of any other Christian. Suppose my temptation is unusual and my trial unparalleled in the history of Christianity. It’s necessary for there to be cases like mine in order to show the glory of God, that there is a provision in Christ’s fullness for such a case as mine. I might as well be that individual as any one else. Would it be better if you and I changed places? What I want to learn is that there is in the name of my Christ that which meets my need, and that there is in “the fountain open for sin and uncleanness,” that which has washed away my guilt. As a result, my song will be the loudest when the chorus of the redeemed singers sing His praises, because my need was the greatest.

Memorization Monday -- Resources - Holy Spirit

If you make New Year's resolutions, a good one might be to memorize a verse of Scripture each week. Just check back here each Monday. And to make things easier for you, sometimes my weekends are busy and I don't get a verse posted for that week and so you have extra time to review the verses you have been working on.

This series of verses and their topics is from the Navigator's Topical Memory plan.

You can see the entire list posted on my website here:

http://www.faithful-men.org/resources/memory/memory.htm

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Hymn of the Week - My Hope is Built on Nothing Less

The hymn I've chosen for this week is "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less". The second verse has the phrase "my anchor holds within the veil."

We are studying the book of Hebrews in Sunday School and in chapter 6 the writer speaks of the strong confidence we can have in God because He not only made a promise to His people, but He confirmed it with an oath. The writer tells us that this hope we have is an anchor for the soul. This anchor is grounded behind the veil where Jesus Christ our forerunner has gone ahead of us and for us. In the earthly tabernacle, God dwelt behind the veil and only the high priest could go there and only once a year. Now, one of us, the God-Man Jesus Christ has entered there on our behalf and is a foundation and guarantee for those of us who have fled to Christ for refuge.

My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less:

My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

Refrain:
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.

When Darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil.

(Refrain)

His oath, his covenant, his blood
supports me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay.

(Refrain)

When he shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in him be found!
Dressed in his righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne!

(Refrain)

A New Year; A New Beginning

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? I used to, but I found that I was not able to keep most of them. One of the things that I discovered about myself is that when I would fail to keep my resolution I would subconsciously think that I couldn’t begin again until the next New Years Day. I would sometimes do that with Bible reading. I would determine that I would read the Bible through in a year and then in about March or April when I would get further and further behind, instead of just picking up and reading from where I left off, I would give up entirely on the goal of reading it through until the next year began. Then I would begin the cycle all over again. I certainly got to know Genesis through Leviticus pretty well!

The thing a new year offers is the sense that we can set a goal and work toward that goal. That’s not a bad thing. Some of us need to lose some weight. Some need to reinvigorate their spiritual lives. Some need to cultivate serving others rather than self. These are all worthwhile goals but we need to remember that if we fall down somewhere along the way, we can get back up and renew our “resolution” right then. We don’t have to wait for another year to roll around. Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again.”

Hark the Herald Angels - Part 6

Today as we continue our meditation on “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” we look at the stanza that contains these lines:

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.

In this section of the song, the author brings together several passages of scripture. The reference to Prince of Peace of course comes from Isaiah 9:6 which is a prophesy about Christ. In that verse we read, “And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” As we mentioned in one of the previous posts, he is referred to as Prince of Peace because he is the one who has broken down the barrier between ourselves and God and made peace. In have Colossians 1:20 tells us that he made peace through the blood of His cross.

The next phrase is not so familiar to most of us. In the book of Malachi, the prophet is foretelling an awful day of judgment that is to come and then he writes this in 4:2. “But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.” All of us have sinned against God and have fallen short of his glory. In order to avoid the judgment that will one day come to us, we need the One who provides “healing.” It is only through Jesus Christ that we can safe in that day. He is the one whose righteousness was perfect and only if that righteousness is given to us will we be able to stand before a holy God. That is exactly what Jesus Christ offers to provide for any and all who would trust Him.

Finally, the author refers to life and light being brought to all. John writes in John 1:4, 9, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.” Paul picks up that theme in his letter to Timothy where he writes in 2 Timothy 1:9, 10, “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

If Christ had not come, we not know about the darkness in which we were immersed. But Christ’s coming brought the good news that there is light and there is life and there is hope. He grants all of it to us freely in Christ simply by trusting in and believing in Him.

Hark the Herald Angels - Part 5

Consider today these lines from “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.

The man Jesus Christ was also God. That is the straightforward assertion of the Christian faith. Jesus Himself said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” (John 14:9). He also said, “I and My Father are one.” (John 10:30) After the resurrection of Christ, He appeared to a group of disciples. Thomas was missing from that group and when he was informed by the others that they had seen Jesus alive, he said that he wouldn’t believe it unless he could actually stick his fingers into the wounds in Jesus’ body. At a later time Jesus showed up again and told Thomas to feel his wounds. Thomas response was, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27)

While here on this earth, Jesus looked like any other man, but He was God “veiled in flesh.” Paul writing to the Colossian Christians says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:10ff)

Later he writes “In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9) And then the author of Hebrews writes, “In these last days [God has] spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3)

These are the descriptions of the one about whom those angels sang. This is the one whom the shepherds and wise men came to see. He is the incarnate Deity.

Paul told his hearers that God “has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.” We have one life to live and after that comes the judgment, the evaluation of our lives. As you think of the Christ of Christmas, remember that He is the one who is going to evaluate you. Have you committed yourself to this one who left heaven to become a man so that you could be rescued?

Hark the Herald Angels - Part 4

Continuing now our mediation on the song, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”. Consider with me the lines: Christ the everlasting Lord; Late in time, behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb.

In John 1 we read, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Later in the same chapter, John writes, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Bible teaches that the second person of the trinity, which John calls “the Word”, became flesh. The communication of God somehow was made human. How was that accomplished? Centuries before Christ came, the prophet Isaiah wrote, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” The name Immanuel means “God with us.” So what the prophet foretold was that a virgin would conceive a child and this child would be God living among us.

The virgin conception of Jesus Christ may be one of the most ridiculed propositions of the Christian faith. How can such an event occur? Where do the male chromosomes come from? No species of animal other than some of the most basic forms can produce offspring without a male. These are all valid questions, but they stem from the desire to find a natural explanation for something that is not natural. When Mary was told what would happen, she herself asked how this could be. Christians maintain the truth of the virgin conception of Christ because that is what the Bible teaches. The God set out for us in the Bible is capable of anything. This God created everything there is with the word of His mouth and so it is nothing for him to create a child within a virgin’s womb.

The conception and birth of Jesus, the Son of God, took place at the right time. Galatians 4:4 tells us that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His son, born of a woman, born under the law.” God has a perfect plan and even though He is outside of time, He is able to work in time to accomplish His purposes. In this case His purpose was to send His only son so that He would ultimately die to pay the sin debt of anyone who would trust Him in faith.

Hark the Herald Angels - Part 3

We’re continuing our series on Hark, the Herald Angels Sing. Today we look at the line, “God and sinners reconciled.”

To reconcile means to reestablish a close relationship or to settle or resolve a conflict. What is the conflict between God and us that needs to be settled? What is the close relationship that needs to be restored? The Bible tells us that God created us in his image, but that we, rather than enjoying the fellowship and communion that we had at the beginning, rebelled against him and incurred his wrath against us. The Bible tells us that God is a just judge and that he is angry with the wicked every day. (Psalm 7:11) It further tells us that his wrath abides on everyone who has not believed on the Son of God.

Why these strong terms? People today tend to believe that God is pretty benevolent and benign. He just loves everyone and hopes they try to do better so that the world will be a better place.

You see, God is a just judge. He cannot just overlook crimes against his reign. What would you think of a judge who was so kind that he let murderers or thieves go free because he was hoping they would do better and that they would eventually mend their ways? Wouldn’t we consider such a judge to be impeachable for having allowed crimes to go unpunished? In the same way God cannot just overlook sin. What we call minor infractions, God calls rebellion against his just reign.

Because of this sin and rebellion, a chasm has appeared between God and man. If he is angry with the wicked every day, then something has to be done to reconcile us to each other.

This is what Jesus Christ has done. He willingly came and bore the just wrath of God against sinners. Having satisfied the law in this way, God is able to credit us with Christ’s righteousness and thus be reconciled to him. This doesn’t happen automatically, however. A person must acknowledge his sinfulness and rebellion and accept God’s generous offer of reconciliation through Christ. All of this must be believed.

Look at what God says in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Hark the Herald Angels - Part 2

We’re continuing our look at Hark, the Harold Angels Sing as our hymn of the month. The line we’re looking at today is “Peace on earth and mercy mild.”

The phrase “Peace on earth” is quoted a lot at Christmas time. Sometimes it is quoted with great cynicism because we look around and see very little peace. In fact the song, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day by Henry Longfellow contains the stanza:

And in despair I bowed my head:

“There is no peace on earth,” I said,

“For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

What the angels said to the shepherds as quoted in Luke 2:14 is “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” The announcement is being made that a savior has been born. We need a savior because of the fact that we have sinned against God and there is nothing in ourselves that we can do to rectify the situation. But God suddenly sends the announcement to some poor shepherds on a hillside in a tiny country. The announcement comes by means of a multitude of angels giving mankind the good news that someone has been born who is a savior. In other words he is the one who will rescue us from our primary problem – a death penalty hanging over our heads because of sin and rebellion against God.

This announcement of peace is not a declaration that there will be peace among the people of the earth immediately. It is an announcement that there is a peace available with God.

Isaiah the prophet wrote in his book (9:6) that this child who would come would be called the Prince of Peace. The Bible tells us in Romans 5:1 that having been justified we have peace with God. This peace is available, but it is only available to those who have been justified by faith and it is available through our Lord Jesus Christ, the one who was born on that first Christmas.

What does it mean to be justified? It means to be declared righteous by God. Our sin is a serious problem to God. It’s not just some light thing that God can dismiss with the wave of his hand. Our sin requires punishment and Jesus came to take that punishment himself so that we could be declared righteous. God has announced that this “swap” is available as a gift, but it must be accepted, received and believed by faith.

Paul writes in Romans 10 that his people, the Jews, “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

He goes on in verse 9, “that 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.” Paul told the Philippian Christians that he wanted to be found in Christ, “not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.”

So on that first Christmas, an announcement was made that a savior was born, a child who would provide peace between God and all those on the earth who receive him as savior and trust God to give them Christ’s righteousness as a gift of his grace.

Memorization Monday - Resources - The Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Our Lord Prays for His Own

Here is an excerpt from "Our Lord Prays for His Own" by Marcus Rainsford that I thought was encouraging. He is talking about the prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17.

Our Lord, as we have said before, is in this prayer committing His people to His Father's care. As the High Priest appeared before God on the day of atonement with the names of the tribes on his shoulders and on his heart, so Christ presents Himself before His Father. It is the voice of "the only begotten Son of God" that speaks. It is the voice of the Lamb of God even now on His way to the altar of sacrifice, and He thus prays, "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name".

They are wonderful words; they breathe nothing but love, and grace, and truth, and tenderness. He brings no charge against them, He finds no fault with them, He hints at no deficiency; and yet we know they had many faults, many deficiencies; the disciples were not angels, but men. Hitherto they had not been great saints, but on the contrary very feeble ones, not persons of high attainments, but "slow of heart to believe," and ready to halt; not very eminent for any grace, and at times full of failure and of corruption; but the Lord takes no notice of this in all His prayer. Our Lord Jesus Christ is a great Savior, and a divine Mediator; He is full of grace and truth and love; He is exactly suited to the need of His people, whether as regards their sins, their corruptions, their miseries, or their temptations' and the whole of His dealings with them have been, are, an ever will be one grand display of abundant mercy; this prayer, expressing His thoughts, revealing His purposes, uttering His will and His anxieties concerning them, are sufficient evidence of this.

Hark the Herald Angels - Part 1

A few days ago I introduced Hark, the Harold Angels Sing as our hymn of the month. I chose this hymn for December because I wanted to connect what the lyrics say to what Scripture says and hopefully in the process edify my own soul as well as to encourage anyone who might read this.

So let’s begin by thinking about the line “Glory to the Newborn King”. As we know from reading Matthew 2:2, the wise men from the east came to Jerusalem inquiring as to where the king of the Jews was to be born. They knew from the signs they had seen in the heavens that such a king was to be born about this time. The officials immediately went to Scripture and found a prophecy in Micah 5:2 which reads, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the one to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” That announcement had been made roughly 700 years prior to the birth of Christ, yet these men were able to go to this prophecy to accurately tell the wise men where they should look.

During approximately the same time period as Micah, God used Isaiah the prophet to write, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice.” This prophecy can be found in Isaiah 9:6-7. It too was written about 700 years before the events actually took place.

Then just prior to Mary’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel had come to Mary and among other things he told her about her son, he said, “the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.”

When Jesus’ birth came, the angels announced this special event by glorifying God in the highest. After all these years God had fulfilled the promises He had made and sent His son, who among other things would be a king whose kingdom, once established, would never end. Let’s not get lost in all of the hubbub of Christmas and miss the opportunity to bring God glory for the newborn king.

Memorization Monday -- Resources - Holy Spirit

Romans 8:14 F0r as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

Hymn of the Week - A Debtor to Mercy Alone

A debtor to mercy alone, of covenant mercy I sing;
Nor fear, with Thy righteousness on, my person and off’ring to bring.
The terrors of law and of God with me can have nothing to do;
My Savior’s obedience and blood hide all my transgressions from view.

The work which His goodness began, the arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is Yea and Amen, and never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now, nor all things below or above,
Can make Him His purpose forgo, or sever my soul from His love.

My name from the palms of His hands eternity will not erase;
Impressed on His heart it remains, in marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure, as sure as the earnest is giv’n;
More happy, but not more secure, the glorified spirits in Heav’n.

Presumptuous Sins

In one of David’s prayers, recorded in Psalm 19:13, he says this, “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.”

A presumptuous sin is one that is done willfully. To presume means to assume something is true in advance without any evidence to support that assumption. People presume upon God in many ways. Probably the biggest way in which we do this is to presume upon the forgiveness and grace that God promises. People sometimes knowingly and willfully sin against God counting on the fact that God has promised to forgive all sins.

According to Scripture it is true that God has promised to forgive all sins of those who come to Christ in faith and trust Him as their savior. If this is so, why is it wrong to presume upon that forgiveness?

In David’s prayer, he suggests that such sins can gain dominion over a person. The sin becomes the master. Paul, in Romans 6:15 Paul asks the question, “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?” His answer in the next verse is revealing. He says, “Don’t you know that whoever you yield to in obedience, you are that one’s slave.” If we yield to those presumptuous sins, we are in effect making those sins our master.

Another reason David gives for his request is so that he will be blameless and innocent of great transgression. Blameless doesn’t mean perfect. It means that there is nothing there that will stick when people try to attach blame to him. Presumptuous sins are a great transgression against God and when they become known they give people something to blame us for. In so doing the testimony of Christ is damaged and the Gospel is diminished in peoples’ eyes.

Committing presumptuous sins on a regular basis should cause one to question his own salvation. Paul, at the beginning of Romans 6 writes, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” A few verses later he says, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.” Certainly we know that Christians sin. John wrote in his first letter, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

I’ve been challenged by David’s prayer in that he was bold enough to ask God to keep him from presumptuous sins. He knew he was weak and needed the strength of God in order to stand. Are we any stronger than David whom God called a man after his own heart? As Christian men who desire to be faithful, let’s acknowledge our weaknesses and seek God’s help in avoiding this kind of sin.

Hymn of the Month -- Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

This song is one of my favorite Christmas songs because it contains so much teaching that is faithful to Scripture. One of the reasons for music is given in Colossians 3:16 "...teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs..."

Over the course of the next several weeks, I hope to have us take a look at the lyrics of this song, written by Charles Wesley, to see what we can learn about ourselves and our God.

Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Refrain

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.

Refrain

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Refrain

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.

Refrain

Do We Really Want to Know God's Will?

I was reading in Jeremiah 42 the other day and came upon an incident with God’s people Israel that I think has application to us. The country was on the verge of an attack by the Babylonians and the people came to Jeremiah and said, “Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the Lord your God for us, for all this remnant—because we are left with but a few, as your eyes see us— ³ that the Lord your God may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do.” Jeremiah told them that he would check with God to see what they should do next. The people affirmed their commitment saying that whether it is good or bad they would certainly do what the Lord commanded.

Jeremiah came back from the Lord with the message that whatever else they did, they should not flee to Egypt to seek refuge there. They were to stay put and not be afraid of the king of Babylon. If they stayed and trusted God with the results, they would be eventually built back up; but if they fled to Egypt, God would pursue them there and they would face the destruction that they feared.

When Jeremiah told them these instructions from the Lord, their response was, “You are lying to us. We will not do what you say, but we will flee to Egypt.”

In these days we don’t go to a prophet to find out what the Lord has said. We go to the Bible. The Bible has everything God wants us to know to enable us to live faithful, obedient lives. And yet aren’t we sometimes like those people? We may go to the Word of God to find out what we should do, or we may counsel with a pastor to get sound biblical advice and then when we don’t like the answer, we do our own thing.

Let’s be faithful and honest in our efforts to work our way through this life. Let’s seek God’s guidance with a sincere heart actually desiring to follow the will of God once we know it. And then, when we come to grips with what God is actually commanding us to do, let’s follow through and do it in faithful obedience.

Blog Update

It’s the first of December and it is snowing here in Michigan. We have had such a nice autumn that I thought maybe we would skip winter this year, but it looks like that’s not going to happen.

I’ve just entered a new phase of life called retirement. After having worked for the same school district for 41 years it’s quite a change. My goal is to use this time to involve myself in the lives of others to help further their growth in the Christian life. Paul told the Philippians in 1:25 that since he was staying here on earth his ministry would involve working for their progress and joy in the faith. Paul also wrote to Timothy to tell him that what we’ve learned as Christian men should be passed on to other faithful men who would be able to teach others also. I’ve made these my goals as well.

So that’s the purpose of this blog and associated ministries. My goal is to share what is on my mind as it relates to what the Bible teaches about living life for the glory of God. If you share that goal, be sure to join in the conversation. This blog has been here for a long time, but because of the busyness of life, I haven’t been able to communicate as much as I had wanted to. Now with more time available and I hope to have more active communication.

A Prayer of Confession on Election Day

A Prayer of Confession on Election Day*

O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to those who preached your word faithfully to our President, congressmen and all of us here in the United States. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the people of America, to the inhabitants of our cities and to all our people both here and abroad. To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our President, our senators and representatives and to all of us because we have sinned against you.

To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us in his Word. All the United States has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in your Law are against us because we have sinned against him. In spite of the fact that we are vulnerable to the judgment of God, yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept ready calamity which we rightly deserve, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice.

O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from us. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon us. O My God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our plight. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord pay attention and act. Do not delay, for your own sake.

*In the midst of a national crisis, the Old Testament prophet, Daniel, spoke a prayer of confession on behalf of his people. Daniel was not guilty of the sins which he confessed, yet he confessed them on behalf of the people of his nation. It provides a model for us as we consider how we could pray for our nation. I have taken Daniel’s prayer as found in the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible and paraphrased it for us as modern Americans to show how we can take a biblical prayer and use it as a model for our own praying. (Daniel’s prayer is found in Daniel 9:4-19)

Memorization Monday - Challenge - Go

2 Corinthians 5:19, 20

That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.