Finding a good church…

After moving many times and attending many churches, humanly speaking I liked best the congregations that made me feel welcome. All about me. Yet in deeper reflection, those that increased my knowledge and love for God were those that glorified Him the most. 

Feel good churches can be all about me. Glorifying God is far more important. Reading 1 Corinthians clarifies why this is important. A church that puts the emphasis on God will praise Him for a good message instead of boasting they have a pastor who is a good speaker. They will not compete with one another, nor will they boast.

Paul wrote to this church at Corinth to admonish them for their fleshy behavior. They were gifted by God yet boasted in themselves as if they were the source of these gifts. They argued about who was the best leader and teacher. Their focus was on human qualities rather than the glory of God. His words to them through Paul were sharp, yet given to put their focus where it should be;

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–31)

When I hear someone critical of the church they attend, I want to say “Find a better one” because they do exist. Yet I hear of those who quit attending any church thinking they are all the same. How sad. Is it better to leave? Or to do what Paul did and remind them of the One that has given them new life and wants them to live accordingly?

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. . . . Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. . . . And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. . . . The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:1–16)

These words are both humbling and uplifting. They kick my pride and restore my thinking to the One who saved me from wanting to be “the best” to being glad that He is merciful. Our granddaughter, broken from a fall and covered in bruises, said, “I’m the dumbest smart person that I know” and that reflects a biblical truth. The Christians at Corinth had Christ and His mind, but they put the wisdom of God aside to boast about themselves. To this, Paul adds:

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. (1 Corinthians 3:18–23)

PRAY: Just because I figured this out does not make me wise — instead it shows that You are my wisdom. I cannot know truth from You unless You reveal it to me. Pride in myself is a huge barricade to living for You and glorifying You. And it is one thing to know this — but the challenge is doing it — giving You the glory for all that You are and do. Rebuke me whenever I take credit instead of putting it where it belongs.

Don’t Judge?

At times, it is easy to be critical, harder to be gracious. This conflict is compounded by two passages in the NT that seem to contradict one another. The first is something Jesus said:

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1–2)

The other one says: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness…” (Galatians 6:1) 

But how can I do that without discerning that the other person is doing something sinful? After thinking about this, I have to conclude that seeing sin in other people is unavoidable. This isn’t about seeing it, but about what to do about it. And what to do about it has parameters that are usually found in the context of various commands. For instance, the words of Jesus add this:

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:3–5)

Often God shows me my sin by allowing me to see it in someone else. In that case, instead of judging the other person, I’m supposed first deal with my own sin. I cannot help anyone be free of a problem if I have never been free of it myself.

The next passage gives instruction along the same lines: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.” (Galatians 6:1–5) 

This time, it is a call to help the person who is entrapped as long as I am not, and aid that person to be set free. It is not only helping them but without as selfish motive.

There are other ways to deal with the sin of others. God asks me to pray for other believers that they are able to say yes to God and no to sin. Prayer is burden-bearing in a quiet form.

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death… All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. (1 John 5:16–17)

God could ask me to warn those who are being tempted as many verses warn about not to give in to temptation: 

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:12–13)

Even noticing sin is from God, but it can happen to those who feel inferior and try to boost their self-esteem by putting down others. Yet Christ died for all because all have sinned, none are worthy, and His grace puts us on a level field. 

Not only that, God is patient. He saw sin in the days of Noah, and Lot, and in Job’s story, and in the days of the kings and the prophets. Yet He did not pour out judgment at first glance. Charnock notes: “He brings lighter smarts sooner, that men might not think him asleep, but he suspends the more terrible judgments that men might be led to repentance.” God holds back His rod, waiting for His people to repent and return to Him. I have no right to be impatient with sin or with God’s way of dealing with it.

One more thought. What I consider sin might not be. The NT says not to pass judgment on others if it will cause them to stumble. He is the Savior; I am not. I need to serve Him and love His people, not get in a huff over such matters. “Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. . . .” (Romans 14:13–23)

PRAY: Jesus, I am raised up and seated with You in heavenly places, that You will show the riches of Your grace in kindness toward me and toward all Your people. Our destiny is not about judgment and wrath, but about kindness and grace, and about being like You. Seeing sin in others is not about making myself a judge but about obedience and patience toward all who struggle with sin.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

For years I have felt guilty about those NT commands to show hospitality. Today I discovered this is a false guilt for I had the wrong idea of what that word meant. To me, it was inviting people into my home for meals and even to stay overnight, etc. The people who were identified as gifted in hospitality always did this and for me, it seemed very difficult. So today I delved into the Greek and discovered this: 

The word hospitality comes from philoxenia, meaning "love of strangers," and involves welcoming all people without prejudice. While meals and a bed could be a way of showing it, this is more about an attitude that reflects the love of God toward people. But it is not just a feeling. In the NT, it includes practical acts of service such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, and helping those in need. 

Not only that, this word is not a special gift for a few (good cooks with nice table settings?) but an obligation for all Christians that is done without expecting any payback. Instead it may involve personal cost of money, effort, time and talent. It is not mere entertainment or merely sharing a meal, but sharing the life of Christ with others, including the gospel. It is unconditional love, like God’s love, and again, it is often about strangers with needs like hunger, homelessness, illness, or being in prison. 

This is not just about being an extrovert either, such as those who draw strength and feel good about being with people and doing things for them. Hospitality is a selfless obedience, not done to make the doer feel good, but to show God's love in sacrificial ways. I am more of an introvert. So how does hospitality jibe with being an introvert, which often adds to my feeling of falling short? 

I researched that also and now understand how poor word definitions can produce false guilt. This is what I found out about introversion: It is about people who primarily draw energy from solitude and inner thoughts, and who feel drained after social interaction with large groups. It is not necessarily being shy or not liking people, but needing alone time to "recharge" after social events, which make me feel exhausted even though I enjoy them. I do like one-on-one interactions or small groups better than large crowds though. Yet even in small groups, many times I’d rather listen than talk. However, I am able to speak up when the Holy Spirit prompts me. I have very little fear of social judgment. but would often rather stay home than go to many events. 

All of this makes me think of this:

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. (Psalm 139:1–6)

PRAY: God, You created me as You desired that I would do what You want from me. Thank You for these thoughts today. While focusing on what You do is vital, so is self-awareness — as You see it. I get skewed by my own ignorance. However, truth revealed by You always sets me free and better equipped to live for Your glory.

Making a thankful list…

Today is American Thanksgiving. Interesting that many celebrate it with food, traditionally turkey and pumpkin pie, and lots to eat. While Canadians celebrated this holiday last month, it is a good idea to be thankful every day (without all that food)!

The news is filled with sadness. A fire in Hong Kong with hundreds still missing. Murders. Accidents. Political decisions that harm many. Yet these three chapters in Romans are filled with things for which I am thankful.

I am no longer a condemned sinner. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set me free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in me, as I walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” 

What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? It is giving up and saying no to selfish and sinful ‘I-wants’ and doing what God wants. It is setting my mind on the things of God and being filled with His peace, without any hostility toward Him and knowing that if I insist on doing what the old me wants, I cannot please God nor submit to His law. (Romans 8:1–8)

This is not slavery by force but by choice. He has shown me that putting to death all fleshy thoughts and actions, I not only live but live without fear. I can call Him “Abba! Father” and know that I am His child, His heir, even when suffering happens. He helps me in my weakness even when I don’t know what to pray because He intercedes for me according to His will. His prayers are always answered. (Romans 8:12–27)

I don’t know why He has shown mercy to me, but just as He raised up Pharaoh to show His power, He had mercy on me that I might fit into His plans. It makes no sense to resist this merciful God. (Romans 9:15–18)

I want others to be saved, and realize this is God’s desire because I didn’t care about anyone else in that way before Jesus came into my life. I realize many are still ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own through so-called ‘good works’ yet I am certain that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Romans 10:1–4)

I also know the simplicity of the gospel. My part was to confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead. With faith in my heart, I am justified (God considers me just as I had never sinned) and saying it is really important. I know this is true for all Christians. All who believe in Him are saved and He bestows His riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9–13)

PRAY: Lord, I’ve been blessed in many ways, but my stuff and even all great experiences do not last. Eternal life with You is by far at the top of my thankful list. You have blessed me: peace with God and the peace of God. Trials come and I have days filled with angst and challenges, but You never leave me or fail me. Just thinking of You gives me great joy. Thank You!


 

The purpose of Suffering…

Since Piper’s devotional is copyrighted, I cannot paste today’s reading here, but am tempted — because it is so helpful. I try to tell others the value of suffering and Piper does a better job! He has never heard anyone say, “The really deep lessons of my life have come through times of ease and comfort.” I agree, and I know by experience that any growth I experience comes by learning the depth of His grace and mercy during suffering.

Jesus is the best example. “Although he was a son, (and sinless) he learned obedience through what he suffered.” (Hebrews 4:15; 5:8) This learning is not like mine where I must learn to obey rather than not, but that He experienced the depth of being yielded to His Father by what He suffered. I do too.

Paul is another example. He said:

Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death… (Philippians 3:4–10)

Another example given is Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661), a Scottish minister who suffered because he went against tradition and error in the church and given the death penalty for treason. However, he was already facing death with a disease. He said this:

"I have a summons already from a superior Judge and judicatory, and I behoove to answer my first summons; and, ere your day arrives, I will be where few kings and great folks come.”

In prison, he continued to write enduring letters that conveyed his delight in the glory and all-sufficiency of Christ. He said, “I go to my King’s palace at Aberdeen; tongue, pen, and wit cannot express my joy.” Others said this man was “impatient of earth, intolerant of sin, rapt into the continual contemplation of one unseen Face, finding his … happiness in its returning smile.  His glory was his absorption in Christ. He went to sleep with Christ as his pillow; he awoke in Christ.”

Rutherford also said this: 

If God had told me some time ago that He was about to make me as happy as I could be in this world, and then had told me that He should begin by crippling me in all my limbs, and removing me from all my usual sources of enjoyment, I should have thought it a very strange mode of accomplishing His purpose. And yet, how is His wisdom manifest even in this! For if you should see a man shut up in a close room, idolizing a set of lamps and rejoicing in their light, and you wished to make him truly happy, you would begin by blowing out all his lamps; and then throw open the shutters to let in the light of heaven.

My example these days is our granddaughter, also ‘crippled in all her limbs, and removed from all her usual sources of enjoyment’ yet so joyful in her hospital ‘prison’ that being with her in her deeply affects me too.

PRAY: Lord, Piper says “O how I pray that when God, in his mercy, begins to blow out my lamps, I will not curse the wind” and I must pray that too, for Christians I know who suffer, but also for myself. Pity parties are no fun at all. Only the joy You give can overcome the crippling power of feeling sorry for myself when suffering comes my way, and only You can use it for great good and for Your glory.

Facts, Faith, Emotions

This past month has brought out emotions I didn’t know I had. Our granddaughter’s fall and getting her home to more surgeries is a long story and many days filled with anxiety, but also with joy. Other events and news have made it clear that emotions should be at the caboose end of my train, but that is easier said than done. 

This morning takes me into the first three chapters of Romans, and so much of what God says affects my emotions. Sorrow, frustration, pity, anger, and also joy. This passage alone fills my heart with head-shaking sorrow. 

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:18–22)

As I read, I know that apart from the grace of God and His goodness to me, I would be among the fools who suppress the truth and reject Him and His Son.

Another emotion hits with that thought, and then swings again with this description of the horror of what I would experience if God had given me up to my sinfulness:

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (Romans 1:28–32)

If that would not be bad enough, add the result of rejecting His goodness:

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. (Romans 2:4–5)

Even as a Christian, at any point in my life with Christ I could harden my heart because some sin or other is so appealing that I don’t want to give it up. Without the promise of God to finish what He started in my redemption, thoughts of where I would be without Him produce more emotions, both great sorrow yet great joy because Jesus died for my sin.

The Bible is clear: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:9–12) and the human way of trying to solve this is to be a “good person” yet that does not do it:

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:20-23)

Do all these emotions simply happen because I’m older and losing my stoic self-control? I don’t think so. I am getting older, but also thinking much about the Lord and all that He has done for me. And thinking much less about the non-vital, non-eternal stuff of this life. These chapters in Romans speak of far more serious matters.

Besides all that, I just learned of the death of a friend. She is gone from this life, leaving a legacy but not herself. God’s good news has a range of joyful thoughts, yet her death puts deep valleys among the peaks. Today, I’m thankful for this diagram:

PRAY: Lord, it was good to know and spend time with Lezley, but I don’t know if she is now with you for eternity. That lack of assurance adds another set of emotions. Faith in You helps level me, but grief and other feelings urge me to make sure I listen and obey when You tell me to share You with others. Yet I’m not to let feelings be my taskmaster, just You, the truth that You represent, and the faith that You so graciously have granted me.

Verses for today…

Yesterday was filled with blessing as we worshiped with others, sang praises to God, listened to a challenge to yield our all in serving Jesus, and shared with others what God is doing in our lives. We visited our granddaughter, and even though she had surgery to reset her arm the day before, she was cheerful and thankful. 

I should have woke this morning full of joy, but that was not so. I felt discouraged and useless, without purpose and emotionally drained. Songs of praise didn’t help. Prayer for unsaved family didn’t help. Reading verses and devotional thoughts left me in the same empty place. However, my online Bible opens with an index and includes a daily verse, this time Isaiah 54:11 and God gave me this:

“O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you. Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:11–17)

This passage is near the end of this prophet’s section on comfort after many chapters about God’s judgment. While I’ve not felt under judgment, daily news and situations in the world feel like the entire planet is on a downward slope. The perks of yesterday were like dropping into God’s living room and escaping the bad news for a short while. But as soon as that was over, so went my peace of mind. I felt the affliction and lack of comfort described in this passage, but not the emotions that might go with being decked out in precious jewels.

But then, verse 13. I have this verse in the middle of a photo of my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. This is God's precious promise, that my family will have peace as God teaches them.

And here it adds more promises that God makes to His people, promises that the Scriptures tell me I can claim for myself since I am a child of God, by faith like the faith of Abraham. The first is that God will establish me, take me far from the oppression I often feel, and remove me from fear and terror — taking them away.

Next, any strife will not be from Him and it will fail because He has weapons against such things, even those who are against me. My vindication is from Him and my heritage — as His child. The prophet may be speaking of physical opposition and battles, yet this covers the spiritual wars against His people whose exterior situation is without strife but the enemy strikes against our minds.

Yesterday I was thanked for prayers that God answered, asked for help that God enabled me to give, and was given words to encourage others. The enemy doesn’t like that, yet if I put his name into the above passage as the weapons and negatives Isaiah points out as defeated, my heart is lifted again. The truth is: Jesus wins, and because He says “I will. . . . .” then I win also. 

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. (Revelation 12:10–11)

PRAY: Jesus, You are my joy and delight. You overcome the negatives that threaten me, whether their source is bad news, worries and concerns, fearful emotions, or the lies whispered by Satan to take my focus away from You. No weapon that is fashioned against me shall succeed. Because of You, this is my heritage and vindication. You are my righteousness and I am an overcomer and also a winner! How wonderful to belong to You and hear You speak.

 

Being goaded means…

One line in the story of Paul’s conversion has always struck me as being important. Some versions put that line in the description of his encounter with Jesus. Others leave it out, but Paul says it in his personal testimony to King Agrippa. While this passage is descriptive it is also instructive. I’m convinced that it is an important part of my story too. Here is what Paul (Saul) said:

At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:13–23)

The line? It is Paul’s quote describing what Jesus first said to him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

The first question is recorded in Acts 9:4, but in the most accurate and earliest manuscripts, the second part is left out, yet Paul includes it in his testimony to Agrippa. The most thorough lexicon says the word goad in this expression an idiom, literally ‘to kick against the goad’) or to react against authority in such a way as to cause harm or suffering to oneself or to hurt oneself by reacting against a person or command.’ It could be translated: ‘Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself by your resistance.’

Why is this quote important? Because it reveals that the Holy Spirit had been convicting this man about his actions. His encounter with deity is not mentioned prior to meeting Jesus, yet it had happened, indicating that God was at work in his heart before he finally was met on that road and saw the light.

Too often Christians today make a thinly veiled boast about their salvation by saying, “When I accepted Christ…” as if that was the crucial moment. Either the period pf warming up the heart is ignored or unrecognized, or human pride wants to take credit for  what God has done. 

Even King Agrippa knew that salvation was seldom a quick process. His response — “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” — suggests he was not totally closed to the idea, but that is not why the goads are important. In my mind, this goading is part of the salvation process. It is the Spirit of God convincing sinners that faith in Christ is good for me and to say NO to Him is harmful to me. Those goads from God are important to move the attitude of sinners from Romans 3:9ff to a desire for repentance and faith in the Savior.

PRAY: Lord, as I pray for salvation of family and friends and wonder why it takes so long, I realize from Paul’s story that even when sinful people are violent toward Christians and our faith, You could be goading them toward faith by showing them Your goodness. How important that I be patient with You, but also loving toward those who do not yet believe. For all I know, love and kindness could be goads in Your hands. Not only that, when I share with others the goads that You used in leading me to faith, it could easily reveal to them that You are using similar goads with them. 

Warned about Obedience?

Last week, Christian friends told us that a man in their social group wanted to share the gospel with their unsaved friends. They laughed, but were fearful that he would be ridiculed and suffer verbal persecution. I wondered about that conclusion. Maybe the Spirit was leading him and his listeners would be interested in having a personal relationship with Jesus? Or maybe not?

This morning I read of Paul telling his people that he was going to Jerusalem. His friends were not receptive to that plan:

While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” (Acts 21:10–14)

In this case, the Holy Spirit did tell Agabus exactly what would happen, but it seems it was not to persuade Paul otherwise. Perhaps it was to prepare him?

When he arrived in Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up and seized Paul with the intent of killing him. The tribune in charge intervened and rescued him from the mob. When he found out that Paul was a Jew but also a citizen of a Roman city, he gave him permission to speak to the crowd. They listened until he said God was sending him to speak to the Gentiles. They became violent again and all were in an uproar.

The tribune was afraid and protected Paul. The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”

So the plan formed to take this man under guard to the governor to settle the issue, but the Jews planned to attack him along the way. Paul’s nephew heard of ambush plans, went to his uncle, and Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.”

This leader beefed up the guards, wrote a letter to the governor describing who Paul was, and then sent both to Felix the governor. This leader said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod’s residence. 

Paul shared the gospel with his guards and anyone else he could. Eventually he arrived in Rome and was able to share God’s good news with boldness and without hindrance. (Acts 21:9–28:30)

The will of God is always accomplished, even if His people are nervous, warning those who dare obey when it could mean danger, or when the Holy Spirit says it definitely will mean danger. Jesus knew this too, but He said: “Not my will but thine be done” before He submitted to the cross. He could have called for protection, or walked out of His restraints, or turn sinners over to the wrath of His Father, but He didn’t. The Bible tells me to be like Jesus.

Others show how. Two examples are missionary John Paton who lost his wife and son to illness but continued the work of the gospel among the cannibalistic tribes of the New Hebrides. Elizabeth Elliot lost her husband to a different tribe in another place and she went there to win to Christ the very ones who put him to death. Many more have yielded their safety to God that His will might be done.

PRAY: O Lord, may the man who wants to share You with those he plays cards with have this kind of courage. His friends are not cannibals or murderers, yet even ordinary folks can shun those who love You. Or, depending on Your will, they could receive his words with open minds and receive You with open hearts. May Your will be done. And may all who hear about it, including me, be motivated to that same love and boldness for You and for those who will not survive that final judgment unless they hear and embrace Your good news and You.

 

God blesses — even in sleep…

 

If anyone thinks we must choose faith I’d like them to explain only one experience. I went to bed last night filled with worry about someone and unable to dispense with my fears. But I did fall asleep. An hour or more later I woke up, filled with joy and glad that God was in charge of that person and would take care of her. I went back to sleep. Morning came and faith was right there with it. I didn’t do anything, only felt a deep sense of gratitude.

John Piper’s devotional for today is a tribute to John Owen and his understanding of our communion with God. Instead of quoting these writers, I’m thinking about the levels of God speaking in the life of young Samuel. He’d been given to the Lord as a child: 

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. (1 Samuel 3:1–7)

However, God had spoken to his mother and she listened. This is why Samuel was in this place. My husband and I have both seen how God spoke to our lives long before we knew Him and put us in situations where He wanted us to be. As self-governing sinners, it seems so unlikely we were listening, yet somehow God made things happen that fit with His plan.

And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” (1 Samuel 3:8–10)

There came a day when we heard God speak too, knew it was Him, and we were compelled to believe by the amazing gift of faith. How do I know it was a gift? Ephesians 2:8-9 says so, agreeing with my experience but also in light of Romans 3:9ff, knowing that I did not do this myself. Not capable or even willing. 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. (John 15:16)

As much as I’d like to take credit for at least hearing Him, I cannot. He knocked at the door of my heart and saying NO never entered my mind.

Up to a point, most of my communion with God is one-sided. He talks; I listen. Yet the more I listen and respond to Him, the more I hear and understand. Owen points out that I can talk to the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, yet these distinctions are not always distinct to me. I have no idea who came to me in the night and changed my fears into joyful faith. Was it the effect of sleep? I think not. I slept only a bit more than an hour before wakening in joy. Yet somehow God chased away my fears, and very likely the author of fear was ordered out, showing me again that my salvation from sin is not up to me to renounce it. Nor is rebuking Satan always up to me. If need be, my Savior does it, even when I’m asleep!

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

PRAY: In the fatigue of a very busy week, and the pressures of so many needs about us, prayer has been vital and so has sleep. I feel weak and helpless, but You are with me and taking care of all things. I am so very thankful.

Marks of a True Christian

She says her attitude is not always good but if she waits a minute a better one comes up. As I read a section in Charnock and another in the NT, I have to smile once again. I also have to ask God to help me think before I react.

My protests are mild. A driver cuts me off. A clerk short-changes me. Someone is rude, or ignores me. Blah, blah, blah. She is ordered to do something painful, given conflicting information, or no information, but she waits on that better attitude. I so often don’t.

Charnock talks about God being “slow to anger, and great in power” in that His power moderates His anger. He is not at the command of His passions, as many of us are, but instead  restrains His anger even when provoked to exercise it. His power over Himself is the cause of his slowness to wrath. 

In Numbers 14:13-19, Moses pleads for pardon for the people on that basis, that God will not clear the guilty, but is “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression.” I find it easy to be angry and slow to abound in love, quite the opposite. But not all of His people are like that. I am watching this one who is provoked but waits for a better attitude to come along. Anger may be powerful but as Charnock says, it is a want of a power over self that makes us do unbecoming things when provoked. A prince that can bridle his passion is a king over himself, as well as over his subjects. God is slow to anger, because He is great in power: He hath no less power over himself than over His creatures: He can sustain great injuries without an immediate and quick revenge: He hath the power of patience, as well as the power of justice.

For this reason, He can tell me to be like Him, not in the sense where He can deal with evil, but in the restraining of that desire so I may love like He loves. He speaks loudly to me, not only through the example of another, but in these words that describe what He wants from me:

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:9–21)

PRAY: Lord, Your Word and Your people are to show the world what You are like, not in Your wrath for that belongs only to You, but in Your power to be merciful, to hate evil but leave it to You to deal with those who oppose me in any way. When I think about it, the rude and unkind people are not my greatest enemy. Instead, the hardest battles are in trying to put down my own selfishness. Grant me great willingness to abhor the bad attitudes that pop up far too easily in my own life. I am my own worst enemy.

“I can do it myself”

Most mothers know the words in this title. they come from little ones who want to demonstrate their skills, often long before they are able. I have three children. When they announced their determination to be independent long before they were able to ‘do it myself’ I told the first two that they were too young and shut them down. For the third one, I let him try and find out for himself that he was not able.

I don’t know if that made a lot of difference in their view of salvation, but that attitude remains in human hearts when it comes to pleasing God or obtaining eternal life. Like the rich young ruler who came to Jesus and asked, “What must I do to be saved?” this is a the normal approach of people seeking eternal life. 

This morning, I read about a group of Jews who insisted that salvation involves human effort or human works. . . .  

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1)
This flies in the face of the gospel that says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)

On that occasion, the leaders of the early church responded:

Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will. (Acts 15:10–11)

Instead of circumcision, they did target a few things that particular group of new believers needed to watch out for and not do:

Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues. (Acts 15:19–21)

In other words, they knew the laws Moses gave and knew they could not save themselves, but there were past sins that they needed to avoid because they were vulnerable to them. Most of us know how this is. Our problem is thinking we can overcome our bad habits, or do something ourselves to be stronger Christians.

I’ve heard similar thinking among cults and even Christians who try to add something we must do to perfect our faith in Christ. One large denomination believes that if a Christian is not keeping all the commandments before they die, they cannot be saved. A cult believes that Christ died to give them the right to earn their salvation. Some Christians struggle with the idea that they must do certain things or they are not Christians. That attitude of childhood carries forward and “I will do it myself” pops up even in serving God. 

To this, Jesus said. . . .  

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 15:5)

And Paul echoed that when he asked God to remove a troubling weakness in his life:

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:8–9)

The idea is that “I must do something” — better than thinking God or others will do it all and I can do whatever I want, but if that ‘something’ is only what I want, or motivated and energized by the sinful nature, or anything other than the Spirit of God, it is ignoring Him to do my own thing. No matter how good that might look, it is sin…

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

PRAY: Sin, even the sin of trying to show my faith by doing what I think You want without talking or listening to You or being filled with Your Spirit, may interfere with Your will. But not only that, it is an insult that declares my ways are better or just as good as Your ways. May I simply trust You, seeking Your will and Your guidance in all things — never boasting but giving You glory. Always. Forgive all notions and actions that think I can do it by myself. I need You just to breathe, never mind to live a godly life.

Thankful when God says NO!

When prayer requests come for those who are sick or suffering, they almost always ask for healing and comfort. When anyone suggests that God could use those conditions for good and to accomplish His will, some are far more concerned that the suffering ends rather than God’s purpose for it is fulfilled and if that does happen, they can hardly believe it.

This morning’s reading tells of Peter being arrested and Herod’s intention to kill him. The church was praying, likely for Peter’s safety, but the text is silent on how they prayed. It just describes God’s response — and their surprise.

Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” 

At that, the chains fell off and the angel bid Peter to follow him. At first he thought it was a vision, but after passing the guards and reaching the prison gate that opened by itself, Peter said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” 

Peter went to the prayer meeting, knocked at the door and a servant girl heard him, ran to tell the rest, but didn’t open the door. They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. (Story in Acts 12)

They were praying for him so why were they shocked at the answer? I’m not sure about them, but I realized last night that even today if a miracle happens most Christians find human reasons for it rather than be amazed at what God has done.

Earlier in our lives, a family incident should have sent us into a panic, but God gave us pure joy, unexplainable joy, even though others involved were paralyzed with fear. This joy was a surprise for us also, and obviously a demonstration of God’s power. As we tell the story, some think we were just hard-hearted or a bit daft. We should not feel joy. Only those who have had God do one of those “only God” things in their lives understand our joy.

This shows me that that group praying for Peter were given a huge lesson that night in God's wisdom and power. Once it happened to them, they entered into greater trust in God. He then  showed them that He can deal with all enemies, in this case the one who wanted to kill Peter: 

On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. But the word of God increased and multiplied. (Acts 12:21–24)

Soon after that, Paul and Barnabas preached in a synagogue with another amazing result. They gave a history account of God, law, their failure, and the coming of Christ then said: 

Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about: “ ‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’ ” 

The people begged these disciples to keep talking and many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear them. Not only that, when Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord too, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. . . .  And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 13:38–52) and increased boldness!

PRAY: God, You often use suffering and surprises to show us Your power and faithful goodness and to build our faith. Just asking You to remove the suffering means asking You to stop building our confidence and instead just make us feel good. While You love to answer my prayers, I’m really glad that have not answered some of them.

 

Revealed Truth

Today I am rejoicing in how God reveals truth to His people and even to those who are not yet His people. One of those whose faith in Christ has not yet been expressed says profound things. One of them came out when I told her that I enjoyed being with her because she has such a good attitude. She said, “Well, not always, but if it’s bad, I just wait a minute and a better one comes along.” 

How delightful. The Holy Spirit works like that to put His thoughts into our heads and as Jesus said, we know His voice and when we obey it, we are blessed and a blessing to others.

Today’s reading described another way that the Spirit speaks. Peter fell into a trance and was given a message from God that told him to break Jewish tradition and not call anything forbidden that God had made clean. (See Acts 10)

At the same time, the Lord revealed to a Gentile man to “Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea” so he did, with his messengers arriving just after Peter had his vision. So Peter went with these men he normally would not associate with. . . .  

And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.” 

Of course the man was ready to hear about Jesus, and as Peter shared the gospel with him, “the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.” These Gentiles were baptized and Peter and those with him stayed for some days. 

The church questioned what Peter did, but when he related the story, “they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, ‘Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.’ ” (Acts 11:13–18)

This is God’s way. We get ideas or have instant responses to people and events that might seem right at first, but if we wait a minute, the Holy Spirit will give us His attitude and our response will fit God’s will. Generally, this is to be like Jesus and glorify Him in all we do:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

These verses now pop into my mind:

Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. (Psalm 25:5)
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:14)
But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. (Psalm 38:15)
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; (Psalm 130:5)

PRAY: Lord, hearing how one person waits for a better attitude is such a lovely example. I am blessed by her ability to do just that — listen for a better option and acknowledging that it will come to her. Thank you for another delightful lesson from You about how You speak truth and how You use many ways to make it clear. I know Your Word is the final authority and am blessed to realize its ability to help me recognize truth when expressed in other forms.

Who or what motivates me?

 Exercise and prayer are on my to-do list but both require great determination. Exercise is hard and so is extended prayer. This morning, I’m challenged to think about both, first as what motivates me to consider them necessities, and second to rate them accordingly.

First, the Bible says: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) While eating and drinking are necessities, exercise and prayer (especially prayer), are high on the list. By this verse, do I do these things for His glory? What should that look like and what difference would it make? I’ve questions to answer.

Is God asking me to do either one? Prayer is a given. All the Bible says about exercise is that every athlete exercises self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable reward. (1 Corinthians 9:25). And while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:8) While not commanded, exercise is not forbidden, however self-control in food and activities tends to aid control of ‘self’ in other areas. But exercise to have a fit body should not be an obsession  or be the sole goal of life.
 
Charnock challenges me to put the rule of God and His glory as my main motivation.  He points out that people will abstain from excess and other things that will ruin their health, not because God told them not to do it. It is merely being kind to their health, not respecting or observing the rights of God to say, “Thus saith the Lord.” 

Not only that, demons may be subservient to God but not on account of loving obedience to His will or sovereignty, totally unlike Jesus who “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8)

Obedience is also to be sincere and to only God. 

Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” (Matthew 4:10)
So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge. (Acts 4:18–19)
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. (Colossians 3:23)

Also, I cannot pick and choose among His commands. This would be choosing what I want, and treating His authority as if He is only half sovereign. He is Lord of the world, and His laws are to be obeyed in every part of the world, not just in a particular climate or territory.

Obedience must be indisputable too, as illustrated by the centurion that had obedience from his soldiers who did what He ordered. 

For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Matthew 8:9)

It is even more fit for me to I obey promptly when God gives me an order. I may not understand some of them, but He is sovereign, and therefore it is without dispute that I am to obey Him for no other reason than: “Thus saith the Lord.”

And the last point that speaks greatly to my situation regarding prayer and exercise is that my obedience must be joyful, not dull, feeble, sour-tempered or sad. This would suggest that His commands are grievous, without the peace and pleasure He proclaims to be in them, and that He deserves no respect from me if I obey him only because I must, and not because I will or because I love Him. 

Obedience is submission, an act of the body, not just of the mind and heart. David wrote: “Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.” (Psalm 119:24) This should be true for me also.

PRAY: Lord God, as soon as I read this, I confessed to You my failure of attitude and right motive to do what You call me to do. Not always, but enough to reveal the selfishness of my heart and how that spoils the joy of doing what You ask. This may seem small to others, but I am aware already of a deep change of heart from listening to Your voice and agreeing that my attitude is not always what it should be. Thank You for Your forgiveness and Your power to cleanse and change, to make a difference, and to bless me. Amen.

Security in an unpredictable world…

Yesterday I again read the good news, a message from God that is almost too amazing to believe:

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6–8)

It was this good news that changed the world, beginning with it preached by the first Christians. It is summed up in this verse:

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7)

Again, this is amazing. The religious men who wanted Jesus crucified became believers, God opened their eyes and their lives were forever changed. But not all of them.

A disciple named Stephen gave the Jews a big-picture history lesson. It reminded them of all that God had done to secure them as His people, yet he did not whitewash the story. He included their disobedience and his message ended with these words:

Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things? You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it. (Acts 7:49–53)

Those who listened were not part of the number who multiplied or the priests that believed. Instead…

Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:54–60)

Only one convert is mentioned this time, eventually. But he already knew the story and it was not the message that softened his heart, nor was any softening even visible. The next verse said “Saul approved of his execution” and he went on to “ravage the church” and put Christians in prison. He continued to arrest them with threat to kill them. However, in a short time this Saul who watched Stephen die for his faith and forgive those who killed him was confronted by the risen Christ. This one convert in the hands of God became Paul whom He used to change many lives.

PRAY: God, You are always a surprise. When our lives do this \/\/\/\/\, You are with us and Your ways are not our ways. Your story of the OT and of the NT early church is filled with things that make me say “Only GOD” and so glad that You sometimes let me see some of Your secrets and Your plans. Thank You for being the anchor, the solid place where I can be secure, no matter what You reveal, no matter what happens to me.

 

Boldness in death

 

Estimates vary, but research suggests over 1 million Christians were killed for their faith between 2000 and 2010, and approximately 900,000 between 2011 and 2020. More recent data from specific years indicates thousands of deaths annually, for example, 5,621 in 2023 and 5,898 in 2022. 

A friend gets very upset at talk of persecution. He cannot accept that a sovereign God would allow such evil to happen to His people. He is firm that people who persecute should be brought to justice. Some are, most are not.

In the NT story of the early church, persecution was the norm. It is from these accounts and others that the second-century theologian Tertullian said "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church” meaning that the persecution and martyrdom of Christians paradoxically leads to the growth of the church. He observed that the more believers were killed, the more people were inspired by their sacrifice and willingness to die for their faith, which led to new conversions.

At times I forget two truths. One that everyone dies sometime, and two, that Christians who die for their faith are with Jesus. Can that be a terrible end?

In the early church, the disciples preached about OT prophecies and how God would bless all the families of the earth by sending His servant (Jesus) to bless them and turn them from their sin. The religious leaders were “greatly annoyed” at their message about Jesus being raised from the dead, so had them arrested and jailed. “But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.” (Acts 3:25–4:4)

They also preached:

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

Those who heard were astonished that these “uneducated, common men” could say such things, yet recognized that the disciples had been with Jesus because the man who had been healed was real and visible before their eyes. They didn’t know what to do, so simply warned them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, 

Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

Because of the people who were praising God for what happened, they were released. (Acts 4:11–21) 

What is missing today? Certainly we are praying, but is it like those early believers: “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness” (Acts 4:29) or is it because those facing death because of their faith are living in countries where observers are not impressed by miracles? Or justice to them means death to any opposition? Or the media is not reporting the thousands who become Christians after some die for their faith?

I’m thinking that those living in freedom in the western world are not aware of how God is using the blood of the martyrs just like He did in the NT:

And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. (Acts 5:14–16)

In those days, the opposition was afraid of public opinion and the Christians who were threatened and told to stop or to deny their faith, boldly said: 

We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him. (Acts 5:28–33)

And when they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them, and today in many parts of the world they still do. 

PRAY: Oh Lord, it is vital to seek Your will of God and pray for all believers to stand firm. It may lead to a martyr’s death, but it could also lead thousands of others into Your kingdom and into eternal life. How much we need wisdom, and compassion, and boldness!

Seeing God results in changed lives…

 

Understanding God requires revelations of Himself both in details and in a broad perspective of His nature and attributes. I’m a detail person, yet He reveals general truths that open my eyes to how He works in this world. Today, He points to how He created order and that there is a hierarchy or levels in that order in which each serves that which is above them.

For instance, humans were made over animals, and God is over humans and thus we were created to serve Him. BUT sin messed up that order. The Bible reveals many examples with this the most plain:

As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. . . .  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:10–18)

As Jesus said, even those who call Him Lord struggle with obedience: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46) We pray, “Thine is the kingdom” yet so often act as if it is ours. Again, sin messes up the order of the greater Being honored and served by the lesser beings. This is a big picture…

Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you. (Jeremiah 10:7)
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)

God is the final cause, the One to who I owe my existence. All my actions and thoughts ought to be addressed to His glory. My whole being ought to be consecrated to His honor, yet I deserve no reward but the honor of having been subservient to the will of my Creator.

Yet God also is too gracious a Sovereign to neglect those who are mindful of his glory. The Bible says, “I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.’ ”  (1 Samuel 2:30)

The only thing that prevents anyone from honoring God as He created us to do is sin. Sin is defined as: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way…” and the rest of the verse reveals what God did about it: “and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

Because of sin, all turn from God to do our own thing and to deserve His wrath, but instead of destruction He sent Jesus. . . . and some said YES to Him: 

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:36–41)

From the history of this event, I see the power of God to bring me and many others into His kingdom and under His sovereign order. You: God — me: servant.

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:27–28)

PRAY: Jesus, I now can call You my Teacher and Lord. You have washed away my sin and I now see that this servant is not greater than You, my Master, nor am I not greater than the one who sent You, or even equal. You have shown me these things, and as You promised, I have been blessed in both the knowing and the doing. You are always and forever my Lord and my God. 

Abiding is related to being unable…

Piper’s devotion for today is a list of resolutions that he wrote for teenage children to help them determine to honor their parents. I chuckled a bit as I read them. Would teens have as much trouble keeping resolutions as adults too? They reminded me of the Laws of God written for His OT believers. They vowed to do everything God said, but wound up unable to keep them.

The NT says this about those laws: “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” (Romans 3:28) and the book of Galatians explains  that those laws cannot save but they do have a good purpose. They show both sinners and saints where we fall short, and how much we need to live by faith and be enabled by the Spirit of God. Without abiding in Christ, as Jesus says in John 15, we can do nothing.

So what is the point of resolutions? Good intentions? Do they not reveal the human inability to keep them? How slow I am to learn that my determination to obey God is not enough to make it happen. I need Him to be the governing force, the motivator who prompts me and works out that obedience.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12–13)

So if God is working in me to want His will and do His commands, why then the next lines?

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (Philippians 2:14–16)

Certainly any grumbling or disputing is contrary to those prior words about pleasing God. They show me what does not do it, and therefore I cannot say complaining and arguing are obedience. I can resolve to do God's will, but if it does not fit the descriptions of His will, then I know I need to confess my sin and be forgiven and cleansed (1 John 1:9). I cannot excuse any of those negatives by thinking my mean-spirited manner is one way to tell the truth and use that as a claim that I’m obedient. 

The NT laws work the same way; they reveal selfish and fleshy attitudes and the sinfulness of my old nature. Confession is needed, but also being filled with the Spirit. God will fill me — as long as I’m empty. But herein is the rub; no one likes feeling empty and unable.

Those teens may want to do all the resolutions, but part of being a Christian is learning that I cannot do God's will apart from being yielding to Him because I’ve realized that I cannot obey just because I want to. He supplies the power only when I’ve admitted my lack of it. He calls me the light of the world and not to hide it, yet displaying it has a caveat: 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

I don’t take credit, or boast — I must obey in such a way that He gets the glory!

PRAY: Lord, just learning to give You glory is a challenging lesson, yet even more challenging is learning to live Your way so others do not put me on a pedestal. You must get the glory. I stopped making resolutions a long time ago, but I still desire to obey You and know I cannot do it without abiding in You. 

Only a ‘need to know’ policy…

 

A servant in a palace knows that all things in that place belong to its owner. None of it belongs to the servant who is charged to take care of it. In the household of God, I am a servant. He owns all things, some of which I’m given to use or take care of. This dominion or ownership of God means I need to yield all things to Him.

Charnock extends this to say that because I am under His authority, if something happens that causes me concern, I need to not pressure Him with why is this happening. Instead, I must humbly lay my cause at his feet, and say: “It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.” (1 Samuel 3:18) After all, all is His.

That includes His to-do list. I don’t get to see it, only my part in it. That means He seldom shows me why my prayers can mean a long wait for His action. I can get impatient, as if the Monarch of the world should jump to it for me? This is getting it backwards, as if the King of kings should lay down His scepter to gratify my demands. This displays my pride, vanity, and totally selfish thinking.

The dominion of God would stop my vain curiosity too. One example was when Peter wanted  to know the fate of John. Jesus said to him: “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22)

This means that I am to consider my duty, and lay aside my curiosity since it is God’s decision to not reveal many things to me. As Charnock says, the sense of God’s absolute dominion would silence many vain disputes in the world. What if God will not reveal this or that? He does not tell me all His mind, only that what I need to do what He wants from me. Yielding to His sovereignty means letting Him be God and make all decisions known or remain a mystery. I’m not to spend time and energy prying into or speculating about matters that are unknown to me by His choice. I’m to just trust Him.

This kind of yielding is about faith and about how pitiful I am compared with God's excellency and the great distance between Him and me. The more I think of His greatness, the less I’m concerned with myself, and the more apt I am to fall before Him in praise instead of impatience, vain curiosity, or selfish demands:

He is to be praised for his royalty Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! (Psalm 47:6–7)

His goodness calls for my thankfulness, but his sovereignty calls for a higher elevation of it. Goodness is felt and appreciated on this end, while sovereignty calls for glory to God, regardless of how I feel or am blessed. Why should such a great God care about me anyway? Or offer me blessings? Or answer my prayers?

But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. (1 Chronicles 29:14)

PRAY: These thoughts impact my prayers to You. Yesterday, more surgery for our granddaughter and a heavy heart. I could scarcely think of her situation without fear and tears. Yet Your whispers came through. You are God. You are good. You do what brings You glory as You alone deserve it. Putting my focus on Your greatness and Your dominion over all things, even an infected and serious injury, changed my thinking. You will do what is right. My anxiety was focused on the lie that You do not want the best for Your people. If You decide to take her home, that is because of Your goodness, not because You don’t love or care for her or for her family. We are the servants but also Your children, and You work on behalf of Your family for our good. For this, I am joyful and now wait to see what You have planned — for Your glory.

Later: the operation eased her pain and brought her much joy. Thank You, Lord!