Purpose of Life. . .

Several pages in Stephen Charnock’s book, “The Existence and Attributes of God” put me in tears this morning. He describes all the ways that even God’s people not only doubt the power of God, but also deny it. He gives examples from the OT then points to the opposite in many passages from both OT and NT. His point is that the Lord is omnipotent and totally worthy of being called Almighty God, yet so many live as if God is powerless.

Charnock also says that the fact that God is able to do whatever His will desires to do cannot  absolve me from obedience. As He showed me yesterday, He serves us and enables us to live godly lives. Some will say they are serving God as if God requires help, but that is a denial of His power; Almighty God does not need anyone or anything. He simply uses us and the power of the Holy Spirit enables us. One analogy is that He is the hand and we are the glove. As Jesus said:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4–5)

Jesus also said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:16–17) So what is the fruit?

From His words, I get the impression that fruit is related to what God puts on my heart and in my prayer list. This begs the question: what motivates me? It must be God, but before I can have godly motivation, I must drop all worldly motivation. . . .  

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15–17)

This covers all personal desires and anything that makes me look good, feel good, and gain glory. Remember the way Jesus criticized the Pharisees for praying and parading to look good before others? Worldliness is about personal I-wants, not the will of God. I’m noticing that many cannot discern the difference. However, God gives a remedy. . . .  

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

The NT tells me to put on the new self and that old self is dead (separated from God) and useless. This is a faith issue for it does not seem dead in the sense of no longer a problem, but very much alive and trying to run things ‘my way’ rather than the way of Jesus.

So the fruit of the Spirit is not about me, my wants, what makes me feel good, etc. apart from what the Spirit gives — which usually feels good, but as soon as the fruit is my goal, I’ve turned my heart from glorifying Jesus to doing what I want — so I will feel good. Obeying Jesus isn’t about glorying in what He gives, but about glorifying Him.

For this, a very mature apostle wrote that he was not there yet, “But Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.” (Philippians 3:13–15)

PRAY: Lord, my enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil with all three wanting to keep me involved in sinful living rather than being like You and glorifying You. Salvation is freedom from that sin-filled stuff to obey You in whatever You tell me to do. This is why I’m here — to bear that fruit. It’s not about me. You must increase, but I must decrease.

God is my Helper

 

In fellowship with others, we discussed the difference between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh. As Piper says, we are prone to think of ourselves as serving God, but that is not gospel truth. We are not serving Him — but He is serving us. He makes us able to do His will because apart from Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

We met a woman this week who came to us as a persecuted Christian. She had been put in prison for her faith and was raising her daughters alone, in a very dangerous country. Her husband worked in another one, making enough to support them and other family members. When asked how she survived all that, her face glowed as she told us of God’s care and faithfulness. He gave His peace to her in it all and met her needs. She was so certain of God’s goodness that she did not give in to fear or doubt.

Today’s reading says “God loves to show his tireless power and wisdom and goodness by working for people who trust him.” The NT says of Him:

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

This reveals what God is like. He gave Himself for us when He was on the earth, and He keeps on doing the same; meeting needs physically, emotionally, spiritually, and in every way.
This is what the Apostle Paul said about Him:

For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, (Romans 15:18)
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. (2 Timothy 4:17)
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

Jesus meets me in my needs, these days mostly for strength (I’ve had too many birthdays) and for ideas. His eagerness to do that is astonishing.

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:6)

The word ‘follow’ in Psalm 23 is literally “to pursue” so He is not just tagging behind to see if I need help but taking the initiative — as expressed by Jeremiah:

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. (Jeremiah 32:40–41)

PRAY: Lord, this week I’ve noticed how You put helpful ideas and actions into the hearts of others who blessed me by doing what You wanted me to experience. I sit here and weep because of Your thoughtful goodness. So often You are way ahead of me for You do things that I didn’t realize were needed — until You did them. Thank You for such incredible care and faithfulness. “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.” (Psalm 54:4)

Whose glory?

Those gifted in teaching are quick to gather information, eager to share it with others, yet often slow to apply it to themselves. I tend to assume that most problems are caused by errors in thinking. That leads to assuming if I think right, then I am okay. But that is an error because my thinking is the root of my actions and if they are lacking or lagging… then something is missing. If God is not telling me what to do, or I am not listening or obeying Him, it could be that I think too highly of myself.

Lately the Bible verses that speak to me often reveal my inabilities and weaknesses in contrast to the power of God. Instead of applying this to myself, I get annoyed at others who err in their thinking. For instance, if another Christian says, “I led so and so to the Lord” I want to say, “No you didn’t. The Holy Spirit did the work in their heart.”

I’ve also sung lyrics like, “To God be the glory, great things He has done” and see His hand in the lives of all the doers, whether they give Him credit or not. And those on the ‘not’ side use their personal pronoun far more than the name of Jesus, making me wonder if the flesh is busier in their lives than they realize. And I am critical for their fleshy words. Then I look in the mirror and cringe — because I do this too.

What is it about us that desires the credit, or at least some of it, for what God does? This attitude has been called “practical atheism” defined as living our Christian lives as if God does not exist, or does not keep His promises or even hears our cries for help. Or I make myself God’s helper when it is me who needs His help. Others are so uncertain of God that they fall into the attitude that “I must do something” or they will lose their salvation. I know the verses that say this is not faith and am critical. God says:

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24)

I know that Jesus saves. Jesus keeps, protects, leads, intercedes, picks me up when I fall, forgives and cleanses my sin, says “It is finished.” He also says,

Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:3–5)

He also promises and works to transform my life and put to death (separation from God) my fleshy old nature so that it has no value or bearing. Fleshy actions are only a waste of time that produce nothing of eternal value. As for my weaknesses, it is in them that God perfects His strength. Where does “I” fit in? No where, except I am to glory in those weaknesses and rejoice in the glory of the Lord, not put myself on a pedestal.

PRAY: God, forgive me for such sinfulness as wanting glory that belongs to You and You only. Forgive me for being annoyed with those who rob You of Your glory, forgetting I do the same. Like me, they may want to be important, not weak or incapable of doing anything apart from You. Forgive me for letting my insecurities drive me to God-playing instead of being thankful for Your great mercy and grace. Please cleanse my heart and deepen my faith and my love for You.

Not sleeping?

Usually I fall asleep quickly and for the night, but last night didn’t. I prayed about the things nagging me, but didn’t “let go and let God” to well after midnight. While most of my friends envy my normal sleeping pattern, they complain of not being able to sleep or stay asleep most of the time. After not sleeping well, I’m not surprised that Piper’s devotions for today speak of our God who never sleeps!

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. (Psalm 121:2–3)
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 121:5–8)

Before reading about this, I sang praise songs. The one that came first in my collection starts out, “Oh to be like Thee…” and the rest of it describes many of those ways that often seem impossible. Being like Jesus is far different from all human thinking and action. I thought of how difficult it seems and how much I need the Holy Spirit to do anything or even think like Jesus. But I also need Him to sleep well.

After singing, Piper’s devotional reminded me that I am not responsible to transform my life. He says: “We are prone to think of ourselves as workers in God’s life. But the Bible wants us first to be amazed that God is a worker in our lives.” He quoted these promises:

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. (Isaiah 64:4)

He changes me by letting me see Him, by speaking to me and showing me Himself and it is by the vision of Him and His Word…

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. (2 Peter 1:4)

Awake or asleep, I cannot be like Jesus by my own efforts. As these verses say, He is my keeper. He promises the change and because He does, I can do what He asks…

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)

 God’s commitment to complete the good work He has begun in me, even in the entire creation, can be painful at times, but it is for His glory and for more Christlikeness in me. Just being reminded of this settles my heart. I cannot do anything — a reality heightened by having that helpless feeling that comes from lack of sleep. But He never sleeps and even as I toss and turn, He is working out the perfections of His plan in the persistence of His heart.

I know that the promises God makes are primarily about changing me. I don’t change Him when I pray, even though prayer is part of that change, of making me more like Jesus. Yet it is by His promises, not by my prayers — awake or asleep. It is because He has granted me His nature, I am able to escape the corruption of sin, asleep or awake.

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

PRAY: Jesus, I am so amazed how the gospel makes a difference in how I think about what You say. Last night I remembered the promise You make in giving Your beloved sleep, but as my readings remind me, I don’t claim Your promises — they claim me. You are not awake to jump into actions at my requests; I am awake to trust Your will for my life. I cannot “name and claim” anything, only to have a greater passion for your glory, only to be more like Jesus instead of being more like my old self. I want to “stand on your promises” whether You give me sleep or sleeplessness. I want to be like You and trust You to keep working in my life. You are the Potter and I am clay in Your hands — always, for You never leave me to go take a nap.               

Memory problems. . . .

 

This morning I was upset briefly over a very small thing. God gave me one of His looks and reminded me of this weekend’s strong lessons. He is faithful and will eventually finish the work He started in me. He promises that one day, when I see Him face to face, I will be like Jesus (1 John 3:1-3).

While I want this now, my efforts are often side-tracked by very small things. In all these, God shows me that sin runs deep and if I look at myself, it seems being like Jesus will never happen. Yet He persists. The following verses describe some of what I’m to be, even though it seems so impossible. At that, I need to remember the last lines, and believe them:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:16–24)

The reading in Charnock’s wonderful book speaks to my doubts too. He says:

All distrust is founded in a doubting of his truth, as if he would not be as good as his word; or of his omniscience, as if he had not a memory to retain his word; or of his power, as if he could not be as great as his word. We measure the infinite power of God by the short line of our understandings, as if infinite strength were bounded within the narrow compass of our finite reason; as if he could do no more than we were able to do.

Most of the time I’m not caught up in distrust yet falling short brings it on, revealing that I’m trusting my performance instead of where my righteousness comes from. It is in Jesus, by grace. Not in me. I cannot be like Him without Him. What is annoying is forgetting this so easily. The OT people of God did it too. They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?" (Psalm 78:19) They did not connect that His power to turn the dust of Egypt into lice for the punishment of their oppressors, could also turn the dust of the wilderness into corn for the support of their bodies! He rebuked the Red Sea for their safety, but could not provide bread for their nourishment?

To them, the giants of Canaan were too strong for Him, but they had seen the armies of Egypt drown under His hand. Was their distrust from a denial of God’s existence, or of His power over the world, or were they thinking He’d created creatures too hard for Himself? Or like me, did they simply failed to reflect on who and what God is and instead kept thinking about their own abilities or lack thereof?

PRAY: Jesus, to be like You is Your work in me, yet my part is active involvement in this relationship, talking to You, thinking Your truth, relying on You for even the little things, and realizing all the time and for all those little things, You are here with me and wanting me to know that — and to be delighted in all that it means. I so easily blame my attention issues when the problem is not that, but thinking too well of myself instead of remembering You constantly say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Because of this truth, I need to “boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9–10) —for it is in weakness that I rely on and obey You.

Walking the Talk

 

For three days God speaks to me about His supply being for each day, not the next day or next week, but “new every morning” so that I only carry the weight of each day. So what do I do? I spent much of the last two days stewing about a project that I must begin today. No ideas or thoughts of how to do it. Totally in the dark, until this morning.

Grace for the day. Hello. It is bad enough to worry about anything, but to totally ignore the answer to my worries as if the great thoughts God spelled out had nothing to do with them… really? I am totally red in the face. Today’s verses are like a kick in the pants:

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9)
He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

Confession is agreeing with God. Confession is admitting guilt. Today, confession feels like a big apology, a DUH in large letters. But the most amazing thing is that before sitting down with my Bible and devotional book, the good Lord flooded my mind with all the ideas I need for the project that must begin today! Is that grace and mercy? I feel His boot, but it is also a big hug.

The Lord does give what I need one day at a time. Instead of trusting Him, instead of ‘walking the talk’ I totally ignored what He said and even prayed for answers, but He gave them when needed, just like His way of doing things.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22–23)

I’ve twenty minutes to get from this chair to a meeting room. I’d also worried about that, but He woke me up and got me going in time for that too, another new mercy. What can I say? God is good, even to foolish and forgetful people like me.

PRAY: Thank You, Jesus. Fill me up that I might never talk without walking too. Just knowing something is not complete until I also live out what You tell me.


 

Finding Rest. . .

Sunday is supposedly a day of rest. I’m thinking that it isn’t always. Some people must work or lose their job. Pastors and church leaders might be ‘resting on the inside’ but they are not idle. In our church with a massive crowd for brunch each week, the volunteers who prepare the food and those who set up, and those who clean up are busy working. We also have friends that see needs and their mantra is, “I’ve got to do something” regardless of the day.

Some time ago God used a word search to enrich this passage:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)

There are two ‘burdens’ in these verses. The first is ‘heavy laden’ and the original Greek word refers to a large cargo that is by no means easy to carry. The second one is translated from a different Greek word and basically refers to the invoice that is attached to the cargo.

The contrast is evident; when Jesus wants me to do something, it will not wear me to the bone but be relatively easy. Why? Because when it is from Him and done in reliance upon Him, the Holy Spirit is involved and while my efforts may require muscle, they will not be wearisome. I will not feel like I’ve been carrying a big load.

Piper quotes Lamentations 3:22–23: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Then he adds, “With every day’s measure of pain, he gives new mercies. . . .  God’s mercies are new every morning because each day has enough mercy in it only for that day. This is why we tend to despair when we think that we may have to bear tomorrow’s load on today’s resources. God wants us to know that we won’t. Today’s mercies are for today’s troubles. Tomorrow’s mercies are for tomorrow’s troubles.”

Isn’t that true? Instead of being concerned with today’s invoice, I can get overloaded with tomorrow’s to-do list. I can worry if I don’t know what to expect, or if I think my burden will weigh more than my time or energy can handle. It is easy to forget that Jesus isn’t into letting His people carry more than we can handle — like two day’s problems in one day, or tomorrow’s issues all night, both robbers of energy and forgetting the lessons from manna in the wilderness. (Exodus 16)

Jesus supplies what I need for today. This is not only a day of rest but a day of worship and fellowship with His family. He will fill my heart with joyful worship as long as I kick out plans for the afternoon, or what to have for supper, or what is on my calendar for Monday, or all next week’s responsibilities. He wants me to experience the delight of His faithfulness and new mercies on this day and entrust tomorrow and the future to Him, including the future of what is going on in this world, what is lacking, how many family members we have that have not yet said yes to Him, or anything else that piles a burden on my mind. Focus on Him is incredibly restful.

PRAY: Jesus, I get tired when I take on a burden that is not from You. Or when I try to deal with obligations that are not going to hit me until next week. Planning ahead isn’t wrong, but letting the future become a burden indicates I’m not listening to You and definitely not resting in You. Forgive me. This kind of thinking is fleshy and sinful. Today I come to learn from You and to rest — with just the invoice.