Remembrance Day

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. . . .  And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. (Hebrews 12:3–13)

In Canada, today is called Remembrance Day. In the USA, it is Veterans Day. I read a full-page story of one soldier and how the war he fought in affected him. I’ve given quilts to soldiers through Quilts of Velour, read the novels of Charles Todd with vivid descriptions of WWI, heard the true stories of those who served, and can hardly compare any of that with the parallel above between physical war and being disciplined by God. However, being in the armed forces is certainly a way to become disciplined!

The Bible says this: a good soldier focuses on serving those who enlisted him as a Christian focuses on serving the Lord. That is, Christians are being subjected to hardships and trials with the understanding that God is using them to teach us to be holy. Most of the time I get the part of not being entangled in civilian pursuits which relates to the effort needed to focus on the will of God rather than worldly desires:

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)

If my main ambition is to have a fancy house, lots of money, stylish wardrobe, lots of important people in my contact list, etc. then I’m not a good soldier for Jesus. Those desires diminish the desire to glorify Jesus and tell others about Him.

Spiritual warfare is the battle with my spiritual enemy who would rather I live to do anything but love and serve the Lord. Trials are often events that make serving God seem difficult and worldliness appear far more interesting yet God uses them to show me how wrong thinking robs me of His love, joy, peace and even assurance of His goodness. He says:

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:8–13)

Wounded soldiers miss the action. AWOL soldiers also miss it, and miss being transformed by the Holy Spirit into people who are like Jesus. Those who fight with the desire to free their country and its people from tyranny resemble believers who battle darkness and the lies of Satan to advance the kingdom of God.

Jesus, the analogies may not be perfect, but when You use a battle to show me my errors I know that You are motivated by Your love for me and Your desire that others are set free from the oppression of sin because I am loving and fighting for them. And today I weep for those who lost their lives to preserve our freedoms.

Endurance

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrews 12:1–4)

The previous verses tell of OT saints who believed in God's promise to send a Messiah to save them from sin. They witnessed the power of God to keep them, even in the hardships they faced. These verses tell me to follow their example and not get weighted down by trials and sin that often seems impossible to defeat. 

I’m to keep my eyes on Jesus. He also endured. He bore the sin of the world — such shame impossible to imagine. Yet He endured all hostility and anything that would make most of us grow weary or even give up. Compared to what Jesus resisted, my problems are nothing.

Not only that, my hope is incredible. One day I will cross that line between this life and the next — and will be with Jesus forever. This life, with all its good features and all its trials will no longer be a challenge or even a memory. 

We are not given much information about what eternal life after this life will look like. Some speculate. Most serious Bible students agree that we will not be passively sitting on a cloud playing a harp. The Bible says:

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— (1 Corinthians 2:9)

However, it goes on to say God reveals thing to us through the Spirit and even that we have the mind of Christ. That is, He lets us know what we need to know in order to live as He wants us to live. It seems to me that this is about now, not a heavenly future lest I get so caught up in that perfect life that He cannot use me as His ambassador here on this imperfect earth.

In other words, life here is partly a preparation for life with Him. He addresses me with His Word and with events and trials that work together for my good…

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

 That is not about the “feel good” stuff that many pray for but the revelation of the One I’m to be like, including finding out how much I fall short. As James says, I’m to be glad for the tough stuff that teaches me patience and deepens my faith.

The perfectionist in me would like it NOW, but that is immaturity, even though knowing it will happen is an encouragement to keep my focus on Jesus:

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 3:2–3)

Again, the Bible tells me to look to Jesus. It is in doing that that speeds the transformation and removes the nasties like worry, self-effort, bad choices, and anything that is not like Him.

Lord, You know my slowness, stubborn in desire to be better than I am but so often trying to do it my way instead of Your perfect way. See and confess sin and experience Your cleansing. Obeying You and seeing the wonder of how You surprise me when my faith is in You. Every day I am amazed at You — and Your faithfulness to not only put up with me, but to guide me and even fit me into Your wonderful family. Thank You.

 

By faith — obedience!

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:8–16)

Yesterday I spent most of my time asking God to show me what to say to the person who is standing at the edge of making a trust decision; her way or the will of God. He did give me words, simple words pointing to Jesus. And when this morning brought a positive response, I was surprised at her, but also at God. How like Him to keep His promises and how like us mere humans to wonder if He will.

Abraham is His example. Note, this man obeyed God when God called him — without a clue what would happen next. The obedience was not one of those “I’ll do what You say hoping You will do what I ask” kind of bargains. He trusted God and did what He asked because He believed God knew what He was doing. Same thing when asked to sacrifice his son. He did it without any questions or doubts.

When the Lord kept prompting me to say what I said, it seemed useless, yet I knew what and when — not because it made sense to me or seemed helpful, but He knows.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. (Hebrews 11:1–2)

Hebrews 11 has been called the Hall of Faith, describing the OT people who trusted God even though they never got to see the answers, at least not immediately or even in their lifetime. A dear friend reminds me that we may not see the fruit of our obedience in this life, yet God will use it after we die. She quotes:

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” (Revelation 14:13)

A week ago, I found a box of thank you cards. Some of them were about my labors and I’d forgotten most. It gave me the sensation that when God is obeyed, He uses those deeds even if the doer is oblivious to His actions. In my old age, I often wonder if my life mattered, but God tells me just enough to keep on listening and doing what He says — in faith. How wonderful!

Jesus, at times I must admit that walking by sight is much easier than walking by faith, but You know that. You give me just enough faith to encourage me in those tight spots where I’ve no idea that I can obey and no idea what will happen. How challenging to just do what You say and trust You without seeing the results. How encouraging to do what You say and be given just a small glimpse of what You did with it. You are such a joy-giver and how I love You for being my Lord and Savior. 

 

That Day is about…

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:19–25)

When reading this line about the Day drawing near, I’ve always thought it was about the day that Jesus returns. However, two things change my mind. One is that my Bible cross-references this to:

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. (1 Corinthians 3:11–13)

This passage says the Day is an event called the Bema or judgement seat of Christ where the things done in life will be evaluated. Only that done as a result of trusting in Christ and by His power will survive that test and be rewarded. 

In other words, this Day is after death, and so is the Day drawing near in the above verses. It could read as directions for growing older and not neglecting to meet with other believers for encouragement.

This makes sense. At my age, there is a temptation to be alone. But not only that, I just received a message from someone I dearly love. She is very aware that her life could end soon because of mental illness and physical problems. I cannot think about much else because this person does not have saving faith in Christ. She knows the gospel and her need to believe though, and many are praying for her salvation along with me.

Faith in Jesus gives confidence to enter into holy places, plus full assurance, plus a cleansed conscience, plus a desire to encourage others to live for Him… as we see that Day — that judgement Day — draw nearer. I didn’t think much about my death until hitting those higher birthday numbers. As I age, my peers are dying or close to it, and now someone much younger than I am is told she has a shorter life expectancy than most people and could die before me.

The news is filled with the horror of parents losing children and young people dying from accidents, even murders and suicides. Those news reports bother me more than death announcements for the elderly. We are all terminal, but not all get to live a full life. This makes me very sad. However, the only answer to death is the One who conquered it. 

We who believe are given great assurance, first with: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) and then with passages like this:

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. (Hebrews 10:35–39)

Jesus, only You can answer when that Day knocks at my door. I want that for all who hear and fear the threat, but who also think about their life and how it matters to You. Grant me wisdom and the words and actions that point others to You — at the right time and in harmony with the way Your Spirit is speaking, both to them and to me. I am trusting You.

Forever Grateful…

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:13–22)

Yesterday we met with our son at two banks and took action to include him in our accounts, not just to make life easier if we become unable to manage them ourselves, but to make easy his eventual task of dealing with our estate when we have died.

Just as the benefit of inheritance requires death before our will goes into effect, so Jesus had to die before He could bear and pay the debt we owed for our sin. I read this passage and the next one with great gratitude in my heart…

Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:23–28)

Explanations seem unnecessary. My sin required death. Jesus died to pay it. Had He not died, I would not be able to inherit the eternal life He willed to me. When He comes again, it will be to take home all those who have trusted Him and accepted what He has done to save us.

Today You, Jesus, remind me of what You have done for me. While it would thrill me if someone paid our credit card bill every month, we do it because You are so generous to us anyway. While it would be lovely to have a person take care of all other burdens in our lives, You do it, often without thanks or even noticing what You have done. The cross reminds me that You shed Your blood not only so I can take all my burdens to You, but so I can live now for You and live forever with You. Today’s reminder helps me to focus on You and give You praise and gratitude every day!

 
 

Close but not there…

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Hebrews 5:7–6:6)

This is a tough passage that has been interpreted several ways. However, if all that the Word of God says about salvation, it can only mean that the writer is warning those that have come to a full knowledge of what Christ has done and what salvation means. However they have become dull of hearing, meaning that they have stopped their spiritual journey.

Just as only a taste does not mean swallowing what was put before them, this means that the gospel must go farther than just a taste. If it was food, the taste does nothing. As for the gospel, it also must enter or the message will not change their lives as it should — from the inside out. 

The gospel is saving faith that is actively and visibly life-changing. It begins with true repentance and continues to work in a believer’s life transforming them to be more and more like Jesus. It is powerful, not imitated or a result of human action. 

Also, this warning is aimed at those who persist in a life of sin while claiming to have faith in Christ. Such people can expect to hear Jesus’ say: “‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23)

Knowledge of the truth leaves them without excuse for their unbelief. Any who witness God’s power and receive His commands, but have not responded in faith and obedience cannot claim saving faith. Such a response actually treats Jesus with contempt. This passage says that they cannot be saved because there is no more information that can be revealed to them. They know it all and have said NO to it all, perhaps even agree that Jesus should have been crucified, but it has nothing to do with them.

These verses cannot refer to losing salvation because many Scripture passages make unmistakably clear that salvation is eternal and those who say otherwise would also have to say that one could never get it back again, whether or not their “repentance” was genuine or a mere sorrow at being caught in their sin. 

For me, obeying God is a genuine evidence of salvation and true obedience cannot be faked. Eventually the reality will be exposed. For this reason, I can only urge those who profess faith in Christ to obey what He says.

Jesus, You say Your commands are not grievous and Your burden is light. I make obedience difficult by hedging or trying to do things my own way without Your input. Each day You give me opportunities to trust You and each day You prove to me that You are worthy as my Savior and Lord. Grant discernment with those who are only tasting,  and the ability to urge them to genuine saving faith rather than fall away to mocking You in their unbelief. 

 

Rest is more than a nap…

For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’ ” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:3–11)

I understand what this means about entering a rest from my self directed work to trust God and just relax because He is in control. However, this passage prompts me to think about Him resting. 

A few weeks ago in a discussion about eternity, the thought came up of God existing where all is NOW rather than past, present and future. We live in time but for God, that definition of eternity explains a few things. 

For instance, biblical prophecies are a certainty because in the mind of God, they are now, not future. In the matter of creation, it is done not evolving. As far as the gospel is concerned, in Genesis it was a NOW event even though only God could see it that way. In time, humans had to wait hundreds of years.

So when God created the world, the entire of human history was not only at a beginning, it was eternally finished. And on the cross Jesus died in a moment of time, yet regarding the salvation of mankind He said, “It is finished” and eternally that is true. 

Another way to say it: Eternity becomes “the unity of all time” and “God’s time,”where past, present, and future converge in meaningful wholeness rather than linear succession. Some call it “the eternal now,” past and future unite in present reality, transforming His rest from stagnation into perfect engagement.

I’m thinking and writing this with only a vague understanding. I live in time. I just brushed my hair. I did that yesterday. Does it happen all the time? No, but in eternity God knows each time I brush my hair, even tomorrow and next week. 

In other words, when God started the world and made everything, it was not just the beginning but the whole of existence. We see it as time; He sees it as done and His Word gives us a glimpse — only to help us enter His rest, His understanding that His work is complete and I don’t need to fret about what I cannot see because I’m not as certain as He is about it being done. Rest is ceasing from that stress and realizing that God's will is as certain as His existence. He could rest for He knew all that He planned was fulfilled. We don’t, but we can trust Him.

Lord, I feel like I’m stepping into thin air yet held up because You are holding me. This is way out of my brain-power but at the same time verifies and even increases this incredible rest that You give. I have no idea what even the next minute holds, but I know You hold it. That means I am resting from my labors just as You rest from Yours. You are an awesome God!