Moving forward is sometimes difficult . . .

For the past few days, the enemy who is also called the accuser of God’s people has been reminding me of past foolishness and forgiven sin. My nature tends to focus on the dark side of everything, the bad news, so I’m sometimes vulnerable to Satan’s mocking and struggle to “press on” in my faith.

Part of his strategy is to stop me from praying. He uses circumstances, busyness, interruptions, and all sorts of thoughts and ideas trying to occupy me with anything but prayer. I can see why. This past week God has blessed me with answers and unexpected blessings that I’ve shared with others who, like me, love the surprises of God.

But Satan doesn’t. His attacks yesterday and today are reminders of all sorts of failures and sin that has been forgiven and conquered but he doesn’t want me to focus on the victories just those failures.

The Lord is with me. Yesterday as I struggled with this onslaught from the accuser, I picked up a prayer list from my church denomination. The prayer for the day was this: “Thank God for the way He is able to use you because of and despite your past.”

This ‘note’ from the Lord brought tears of gratitude to my eyes and picked me up for the rest of the day, yet the enemy was not stopped. He is at it again today, and again, the Lord gives me more good news to bolster my spirit — a positive response to the devil’s accusations:

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24–25)

In the past on those days when negative thinking seems to overwhelm me, I’ve often prayed, “Lord, it this is what You want me to think about, then I will accept this battle as part of Your plan for me. If not, then You know what to do.” I pray that again now, for You are my Savior. I cannot keep myself from stumbling. I certainly cannot present myself blameless before You. However, by Your grace I have been saved, and that not of myself or I could and would boast. Salvation is a gift of God by grace through faith and You have graciously given me that gift. The enemy’s reminders of past sin are true in one sense — I was guilty — but I am also forgiven and cleansed, covered by Your blood and because You live in me, I am also bearer of Your righteousness and goodness. Bring that forward and enable me to “forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Help me to hold true to what I have already attained (Philippians 3:13-16) because You are my Savior and I’m always in need of saving.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- the blessing of God’s constant care and reminders of His love and grace toward me.

- hubby did some shopping today so I could work on a project with a deadline.

- color . . . such a delight that life is not gray scale but color!

- the rapidly growing herbs in our hydroponic garden – a gift that keeps on giving.

- peach cobbler from the freezer.

What about hell?

Without naming names, a handful of prominent theologians have decided that a loving God will not punish anyone. Therefore there is no hell.

Granted, this is not a popular topic. Most of us do not like to talk about or try to defend eternal punishment. I’ve sat in Bible studies where the subject came up and the subject was quickly changed. If anyone had anything to say, it was usually an explanation that life here ended for those who had not put their faith in Christ, but God would save them as they drew their last breath.

Here is what Jude has to say about it:

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 5–7)

His first example of destruction might be interpreted as physical destruction yet the word could also be translated as “perish” and carries the sense of being totally lost.

As for the angels who are kept in eternal chains, the word “eternal” means “always” — at least until they stand before God on His day of judgment. Since they skipped out on their assigned place, they cannot be declared innocent. Unless God shows mercy, they haven’t any hope. Jesus indicated their fate when he talked about people who refused to care about others (sheep vs. goats):

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’” (Matthew 25:41)

There is no possible out for the last example. The word translated “eternal” means just that, “everlasting” and is used more than 70 times in the New Testament to describe things that have no end. Eternal life is one of them as is the life of God. While our finite minds have a tough time with the concept of never-ending, this is about the God who has no beginning or end, about the life He gives those who follow Christ, and about the fate of those who have rejected that life.

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2)

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28–29)

As I understand sin and the holiness of God, it seems obvious that God has the right to toss all of us into an eternity separated from Him. Apart from His mercy and grace, eternal punishment is justice for my sin and for any who reject His offer of redemption.

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)

The question should not be: Why does a loving God punish sinners? But: Why does a holy God even bother with any of us?

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Lord Jesus, I don’t even like thinking about the fate of those who reject You. This is such an unpopular idea and yet Your Word speaks of it. What else can You do with those who refuse Your gift of forgiveness and life? You do not force it on anyone. You said, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” (John 3:17–20)

I’ve no idea why You drew anyone, including me, to Yourself. I’m just glad You did and glad that there is a way of escape for all who are willing to say yes to You.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- eternal life in Christ, a free gift for me, costly for God.

- God changed my heart to love Him instead of rejecting Him.

- mercy and grace when I don’t deserve even the least of His mercies.

- every other good and perfect gift from God.

Practical Faith . . .

The title of this blog reflects how I think about the Christian faith. If it isn’t practical, it isn’t worth anything. My definition of practical started out narrow: how I apply what I’m learning about God to the way I live. However, the Bible teaches that practical application is not about me; it is about glorifying God and yielding to the Lordship of Christ in my life. For many, that idea and the actions that go with it may not seem practical yet God’s ideas are above human reasoning.

For instance, God told Abraham to leave his home and travel to a place he did not know (Genesis 12). That does not seem practical. He also sent His Son to die on a cross and that seems foolish and wasteful to the rational mind. He tells His people to love their enemies and do good to those who hate us. That doesn’t make much practical sense either, but in the kingdom of God, we often must redefine our reasoning!

My devotional book says this: “Doctrine must not be detached from life. Correct teaching must result in holy living, else the practical purpose is lost. This is the error Jude combats—a kind of antinomianism or lawless libertinism that results in a denial of the rightful place of Christ in the life of the individual.”

In other words, if Christ makes no difference in my life, then my life is not practical as far as God is concerned. Like my son would say, it would be a ‘waste of skin’ as well as an insult to the grace of God.

Jude begins his letter with a salutation that reveals his identity as a half-brother of Jesus. He once denied the faith but eventually believed and was eager to defend it. He says:

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 3–4)

Peter warned about false teachers who would come in and try to ruin the church. Jude writes that they had already come. Their main message was that since Jesus died for all sin, we can do whatever we please; it is forgiven. As Jude says, this is a perversion. It denies a strong aspect of the Gospel that Jesus not only died for us but He lives in us.

No one can have God move in without His intimate presence having a huge effect on the way they live. Our love for God should be awesome! Our love for others should overflow! Our hatred of sin should increase! We should desire to talk to God in prayer and listen to Him through His Word. We should desire to be with other Christians and serve them. The entire Bible, particularly the New Testament, is filled with descriptions of those and other changes.

I’ve often said I cannot be perfect — but God calls for it! After saying I need to love my enemies as well as everyone, Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) Even though this word is often translated as “mature” here it is compared to God who is certainly far more than a mere grownup. This high standard means I must cling to Christ. He promises to meet all my needs. With this level of holiness being one of them, I know I must seriously apply His teachings to every part of everything I do.

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Lord Jesus, this is huge. I’m glad to articulate it yet know very well how big the challenge is to implement it. Obedience in the Spirit is always in contrast to the desires of the flesh. My war with Satan’s lies and the world’s allurements is compounded by a continual battle with a very selfish old nature called the flesh. I need You to live a practical Christian life. Besides, how can I defend a faith that I’m not fully applying to myself?

Today’s thankful list . . .

- God’s perfection — anything less would not deserve our worship.

- Jesus is my perfection!

- the Holy Spirit’s protection against the lies of false teaching.

- God’s grace to help in my need — which is all the time.

- a lovely opportunity to show hospitality today.

- God’s grace on our small prayer group and His answers to our prayers.

- good conversations with my friends.