What Seems Good to Him

                           What Seems Good To Him

I admire God's people who seek to honor God and push forth with their activity without spending a lot of time waiting for God to approve all their plans!

And, of course, I also admire those who slowly and patiently make their plans and await some sort of "go ahead" from God.

Our church as many of both types!

As my mother used to say, "If both of you were alike, one of you wouldn't be necessary!"

When I was a child I assumed she was telling me that all of us fulfill a spot in God's Kingdom - that there is room for all - and that we are all needed.

As I got older and more acquainted with the Scriptures I read about how we all fit together in the Church - we can't all be eyes, nor can we all be ears, or arms....nor would we want to be!

As Paul says,

     Now the body is not made up of one part but of many...
     If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do
     not belong to the body...." It would not for that reason
     cease to be a part of the body....

     If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense
     of hearing be?...But in fact, God has arranged the parts
     in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them
     to be....

It's all in 1 Corinthians, chapter 12, and reminds us that we all fill the exact spots Christ has prepared for us.

     We are all God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
     to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us
     to do.  Ephesians 2:10

I guess if God prepared in advance the works we would be doing for Him, then He certainly took in account the speed at which we would be doing them!

Some people seem sometimes to be over-cautious and some seem to be impulsive!

God know us all, and He knows how we will go about doing His works!

So I shouldn't be impatient with those who move ever so slowly and I shouldn't be critical with those who seem to race ahead with great speed and perhaps not wait for that clear pronouncement from God that they were on the right path.

I must say, though, that there are a lot of examples in the Bible of people who set out to do God's work and just ran with it and let God sort it all out!

Like Joab and his brother Abishai. They were fighting two enemies and weren't sure which was stronger and what would happen.

Did they stop and pray about it?

No.  Joab said to his brother,

      If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come
      to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you,
      then I will come to rescue you. Be strong and let us fight
      bravely for our people and the cities of our God.

      The LORD will do what is good in His sight.
                      -- 2 Samuel  10:12

And when David was fleeing from the rebellious army led by his son, he had a make a decision about the precious Ark of the Covenant.

He said to the priest, Zadok:

     Take the Ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in
     the LORD's eyes, He will bring me back and let me see
     it and His dwelling place again. But if He says, "I am not
     pleased with you," then I am ready'. Let Him do to me
     whatever seems good to Him.  -- 2 Samuel 15:26

Perhaps the most encouraging of all, is Solomon's words when the Ark was brought into the new Temple:

     My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for
     the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. But the LORD
     said to my father David, "Because it was in your heart
     to build a temple for My Name, you did well to have this
     in your heart. Nevertheless you are not the one to build
     the temple, but your son, who is your own flesh and blood--
     he is the one who will build the temple for  my Name."           
                                     -- 1 Kings 8:18-19

So David dreamed of building a fabulous temple for God. He planned it and designed it and acquired great treasures for it.

He wanted to build God a House, but God said, "No, my child, I am going to build YOU a House - the House of David, whose dynasty will last forever - under the eternal rule of One of your descendants."

But what pleases me is that God honored David's
good intention - "you did well to have this in your heart," He said.

Even though God did not ask him to build the temple, even though David just moved ahead with all the plans without God's direction, God still honored what was in his heart.

What I learn here is that godly ideas, plans, and efforts are a delight to God even when His sovereign plans do not allow their completion.

We believers must pursue actions that glorify God and then leave the results and outcome to Him.

We act and then "let Him do what seems good to Him."





    



    
 
    
    

Where the First Battle Is Fought

                           The first battle is fought  in our mind!

Thoughts from Michael Frost 

"When the world around us insists we be normal and behave like everyone else, what countermands those signals toward normality? Paul insists the mind is the battlefield in the fight to resist being shaped by the values of the society around us. God demands the renewal of our minds.."

       "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind," Paul says in Romans 12:2.

What Paul wanted his converts to know was that doing good was not what those around them considered good. Doing good in God's eyes was something else completely. 

Christians were to display bizarre behavior: temperance, respect, self-control, loyalty, love, forgiveness, honesty, trustworthiness and other behaviors demonstrated by Christ Himself.

How does it happen? When the Holy Spirit takes residence in our hearts, He begins the process of "renewing our minds." It is a long task.

As He renews our minds, a miracle occurs. You have probably already noticed it. 

All of life becomes an act of worship. We read the news differently. We communicate with people differently. We look at each circumstance and try to see it through God's eyes. 

What is He trying to show me here? How should I respond to this person right now? How can I show love more? How can I be the heart of Jesus --  His hands and His ears, at this moment?

That's what Paul meant in the first verse of chapter 12:

         "I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living          sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your true and proper worship."

The age of offering animal sacrifices for worship was over. Now was the time to offer ourselves - to be living sacrifices - that is the way we are to worship!

So all of our lives -- everything we think, do and say -- become  an act of worship.

And when that happens, we find within ourselves a growing sense of the greatness of God and the beauty of His love. And we see that love being offered to us in myriad ways: His daily forgiveness and supply of our needs, the beauty of His world, the glory of the sunrise and sunset, His creative activity in the animals He populated this planet with. Everything we see around us produces praise and adoration to the Creator and Savior of our souls!

All of life becomes charged with the very presence of God, and then we find ourselves wanting to offer more and more of our lives to Him as an act of praise and worship. All for His honor and glory!

And as we keep focusing on Him and His glory, the Spirit renews our thinking and we become more like Him. He actually begins to transform us into the image of the Son of God.

That "transformation" or "metamorphosis" as the Greek reads, changes us from who we are  to what He wants us to be. Just as the lowly worm is transformed into a glorious butterfly, we are transformed into His image.

I remember once watching the development of a cocoon to the emergence of a butterfly. It took about 14 days. And on that last day, the whole cocoon became completely transparent - I would see the  complete form of the butterfly eager to come out and fly away! 

I wonder if that is the way it will be for us?

It's Beginning Already!

 

                                         Looking for Jesus

As children, we memorized Romans 12.  Verse 2 is still stuck in my mind like a sticky note: "Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."

I remember reading that verse in the J.B. Phillip's paraphrase: "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its mold."

It's still a battle. The world is so anxious to squeeze us into its mold!

I remember being taught that "conforming" comes from outside pressure, but "transforming" comes from activity - the Holy Spirit - within.

The Greek word translated "transform" is the same word we translate "metamorphosis."

It's used here in Romans 12:2 and also in the accounts of Jesus when He was "transfigured" when He took Peter, James, and John to witness that special miracle.

We call the place it happened "The Mount of the Transfiguration."

Same word.  Metamorphosis. Same miracle.

Just as the lowly worm  is transformed into a butterfly, we are transformed into the image of Christ.

Same word, Same miracle.

The word is used only one other place -- 2 Corinthians 3:18: "We who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness..."

Sounds like it's beginning to happen already! Let's look for Jesus in each other today!

Unimportant Sins? - C. S. Lewis

Good and evil both increase at compound interest. 


That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.


An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today, is the loss of a ridge, or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible....


                                              --From Mere Christianity

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

or stand in the way of sinners

or sit in the seat of the mockers

But his delight is in the law of the LORD.

and on His law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither.Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked

They are like chaff

that the wind blows away

Therefore the wicked will not stand in judgment

nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous

but the way of the wicked will perish.

  Psalm 1

Sometimes It's About a Certain Place

 Sometimes It's About a Certain Place...

 I was talking to a friend recently about prayer. We both consciously pray a lot during the  day - while driving, shopping, even visiting - a quick  "Thank you, Lord," or "Please help me here, Lord," or "Help me say the right thing," "Glory to You Previous Savior!"...and sometimes just an explosive "Wow!"

But we were talking about that other special time when we get off by ourselves and quietly pray, and more importantly, wait for Him to speak to us.

Here are some of her thoughts: "You need a special place. Remember 'War Room'? She had a special place: a prayer closet. Even when you don't really want to stop and pray, a special place can often make it easier. Merely by showing up, you make a declaration of intent. You say, in effect, 'Lord, I don't even want to be here right now, but I am here!'"

After years of night-and-day prayer, she has come to believe that 99% of it is just showing up - and so she is making the effort to become  consciously present to her Lord God who is constantly present to her.

One of my friends uses her atrium a a 'prayer closet' where she goes each morning. Another has a sunroom that is private and available for her where she can leave her prayer journal out.

Another friend cherishes her special chair under an umbrella beneath the branches of her favorite tree.

For me, it's a small guest bedroom,  in which I have a year-round Christmas tree in the corner.  It seems to me to be especially important to remember the Incarnation of Our Lord. He is always Immanuel - "God with us!"

Anyway, I think a "Special Place" is important - but most important, JUST SHOW UP!

What God looks for when we come to worship

"Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may dwell in His holy place?

"The one who has clean hands and a pure heart."
                                       -- Psalm 24:3-4


I've been thinking about these verses the past few days. 
David is talking about worship here...how we are to approach God when we enter His presence...we need to prepare ourselves for worship....we need to get ready for worship when we come to church - and it's not about  suitable physical attire he's talking about!

And I need to work on this.


Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."


So how do I get those "clean hands" and a "pure heart"?


Praise God for His promise:
"If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9


             And that's how we get ready for church!

Why Should We Want God to be Holy? Jerry Bridges

 

                GOD IS HOLY - GOOD NEWS FOR US!

Some thoughts from Jerry Bridges:

"God is often called in Scripture by such names as the Holy One or the Holy One of Israel...a prefix used more often than any other attribute.

Holiness is God's crown. Imagine for a moment that God possessed omnipotence (infinite power), omniscience (perfect and complete knowledge), and omnipresence (everywhere present), but without prefect holiness.

Holiness is the perfection of all His other attributes.  His power is holy power. His mercy is holy mercy. His wisdom is holy wisdom.

It is His holiness more than any other attribute that makes Him worthy of our praise.

The absolute holiness of God should be of great comfort and assurance for us.

If God  is perfectly holy, then we can be confident that His actions toward us are always perfect and just."

                              -- From The Pursuit of Holiness, by Jerry Bridges

We can be confident that He will always keep His promises to us - because He is holy faithful. Those promises of grace and mercy - forgiveness - that He has clothed us in the beauty and holiness of  Christ - that our sins have forever been removed from us - that His love will endure forever - that He is good and wants the best for us - all these promises are true and always will be because His faithfulness is prefect and holy.

How awful it would be if our wonderful God was all-powerful and all-wise and everywhere - and yet His promises were vain and empty? 

If He didn't mean what He said?  If He wasn't good and loving? If we couldn't count on Him to be with us? To restore us to His family? If He were not holy but really evil?

What a terrifying life we would have! With no hope for redemption? With no meaning and purpose in our lives?

Maybe He would be telling the truth and maybe not...who would know for sure?

That's the kind of religion most people in this world have.....BUT THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF GOD WE HAVE!

We should start each morning with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to our Savior God that He is Holy and Faithful. How blessed we are!

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father

There is no shadow of turning with Thee

Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not 

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be. 

Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Choose Now! Choose Well! C S Lewis

 

                               This is the Time to Choose !

Remembering what happened 2000 years ago at Christmas - sometimes we forget what really took place. Here is a reminder from  C S Lewis:

"Why is God landing in this enemy-occupied world in disguise and starting a sort of secret society to undermine the devil?

Why is He not landing in force, invading it? Is it that He is not strong enough?

Well, Christians think He is going to land in force; we do not know when.

But we can guess why He is delaying. He wants to give us the chance to join His side freely.  I do not suppose you and I would have thought much of a Frenchman who waited till the Allies were marching into Germany and then announced he was on their side.

God will invade.

But I wonder whether people who ask God to interfere openly and directly in our world quite realize what it will be like when He does.

When that happens it is the end of the world. When the author walks onto the stage the play is over.

God is going to invade all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else -- something it never entered your mind to conceive -- comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left?

For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature.

It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it is impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing: it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not.

Now, today, this moment is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance.

It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it."

                                                                                       -- From Mere Christianity

What is Holiness ? - Oswald Chambers

 
                                       What is Holiness?

Thoughts from Oswald Chambers --

"We must continually remind ourselves of the purpose of life.

We are not destined to happiness, not to health, nor prosperity,  but to holiness.

'As it is written, be holy for I am holy' (1 Peter 1:16).

Today we have far too many desires and interests, and our lives are being consumed and wasted by them.

The only thing that really matters is whether a person will accept the God who will make him holy. At all costs, a person must have the right relationship with God.

 Holiness means purity of your walk before God, the words coming from your mouth, and every thought in your mind -- placing every detail under the scrutiny of God Himself.

Holiness is not simply what God gives me, but what God gives me that is being exhibited in my life."

[These words from Oswald Chambers excite and challenge me. I value every word, but it is that last sentence that I keep re-reading!]

The Doctrine of Divine Forgetfulness

                    The Doctrine of Divine Forgetfulness


I love reading Leviticus 16. About the Day of Atonement.

Two goats (baby goats and baby sheep - kids and lambs - are the  same word in Hebrew) were chosen.

The first was sacrificed as a sin offering and the second symbolically removed the guilt away from the people - as far away as possible.

Read the chapter. It so illustrates God's great grace!

We call the second goat the scapegoat.

If we have problems with guilt - guilt feeling or guilty conscience -
after we have confessed our sin and accepted forgiveness
(1 John 1:9) - then we ought to remember the second goat!

Other verses also talk about how God removes our guilt.

Read Psalm 103:12: "As far as the east is from the west" it says, which is so far it can't be measured by us.

Isaiah 38:11 tells us He has put our sins  "behind His back,"
where He can't see them.

Micah 7:19 says He has "hurled them into the deep sea." Not dropped them - hurled them! Why should we go fishing for them?
We should just leave them where He left them!

He no longer counts our sins against us. He doesn't keep a list of our wrong-doing. And He tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 to do the same for each other - so we can be like Him!


LET'S GET OVER THE GUILT THING  -- HE HAS!

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins, 

and to purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

Love  is patient, love is kind...

it keeps no record of wrong....

1 Corinthians 13:5

That Chuckle in the Darkness

 

That Chuckle in the Darkness....

When I was a child I wandered into the garage once to see my father working with some pieces of wood and his saw. I asked him what he was doing. He said he was just working. Everything looked in total chaos to me. I couldn't see that he was really making anything. And I told him so, because I, after all, was all-wise at age 8.

He chuckled and said I might see it all differently later. "Just be patient," he said.

And I was really surprised Christmas when I saw his work had crafted me a wonderful, almost true-to-life dollhouse! I was so proud of it!

I remember the way he chuckled. It was not in ridicule, or derision -  It was a loving, kind, chuckle of love.  And a special kind of love - like 'I love you and know you will be pleased.'

I think of that incident and consider God - He is the Father, waiting in the background, working things out and planning things - for us - and for His glory, knowing we will be really happy when we see it all unfold. "I love you and know you will be pleased!"

Our lives are like that - chaos and confusion - what more could possibly go wrong? How is this ever going to work out? And yet there is our Father, chuckling with love in the background - "I know this will ultimately make you happy" He says. "You just don't really see the whole picture yet. I love you and know you will be pleased."

In His unexplainable love, He crafts our lives, making them into what He wants, and what will finally make us happy. He loves us and now He is making us lovable! and happy to be His children.

So I often stop for a moment and listen for that "Chuckle in the darkness." And I hear it and can go on.. I heard it again today. 

I  encourage you: Be still and listen for that "Chuckle in the Darkness"!  You will probably need to hear it today!

Screwtape to Wormwood - Pleasures - C S Lewis

Screwtape is an experienced devil. His nephew, Wormwood, is at the beginning of his demonic career. Screwtape's job is to train and mentor Wormwood. Wormwood's first assignment is to insure a certain young man's destiny in hell.

My dear Wormwood,

....Never forget that when we are dealing with any pleasure in its healthy and normal form, we are, in a sense, on  the Enemy's ground.

I know we have won many a soul through pleasure.  All the same, it is His invention, not ours. He made all pleasures: all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one.

All we can do is encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our Enemy has produced, at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden.

Hence we always try to work away from the natural condition of any pleasure to that in which it is least natural, least redolent of its Maker, and least pleasurable.

An ever increasing craving for an ever diminishing pleasure is the formula.

It is more certain; and it's better style. To get to the man's soul and give him nothing in return--that is what gladdens Our Father's heart....

   --- From The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis

A Good Morning Prayer

 

                    A Prayer for Every Morning

            Awesome God,

            I come before You today with one thing to say:

                 "Thank You, Abba, Father."

            When I awoke this morning, that was my first thought.

            And when I lie down tonight to sleep in your peace, those                    will be my last words as I drift off to rest in your care.

            For all You've given me, for my beautiful life with its hope                   and joy, my family and my friends.

            Thank You for the blessings You gave me - and keep giving                 me -- that I never deserved.

            For the protection Your hand provides.

            For the forgiveness You offer me day after day.

            Lord, You took my sin and my shame. You took my darkness               and gave me Your light.

            Father, thank You for all You've done in my life and for                          all the blessings that I cannot see.

            Thank You for rearranging my heart and mind - for sorting                  out the chaos and bringing meaning and                                               purpose into my hopeless and meaningless life.

            Thank You for Your presence and that You are always with                 me -- and  that I will dwell in Your house, with You,                              forever! 

                                                     Amen

            

 

Don't Know Where We Are Headed?

 

                          This Is Where We Are Headed

These are fearful times. I hear people say, "I am just not  really sure where all this is headed." Even some Christians express this. 

Wake up, friends! We do know where this is all headed. We have a lot of details given to us in God's Word to help us see the road ahead. Certainly enough to take the scary out of it!

We know our world is headed toward more sin and lawlessness. Our world is headed for a time when people will cry out for a government that controls the entire world, led by one leader, powerful and evil enough to speak out against everything God wants.

And somewhere in all this, the Lord Jesus will swoop down and take His church out of this world and take us to our eternal home. He will allow this world to destroy itself for a while  - leading to unbearable pain and suffering.  But the hearts of most will be cold and indifferent concerning the Lord Jesus and His plan for the future.

Then Jesus will return and He will conquer the evil leaders running this world. We who are His believers will come with Him as He goes to the last battle. We won't need to help Him fight for He will win by the Word of His mouth. 

Then Jesus will establish His righteous and glorious reign over the earth and we will reign with Him. After a thousand years He will  contest the devil one last time. Leading to the evil ones total defeat. And we will live on a new earth and a new heaven worshipping our Lord forever in the beauty of His holiness and in the glory of His presence with us FOREVER!

So focus on this:  not what's wrong with the world but what is going to be made right!

This is a great day - because it brings us one day to closer to the fulfillment of all of human history. 

                         We know for sure where all this is headed!

More on Holiness

 

Jerry Bridges, in his book, The Pursuit of Holiness, says we don't take sin -- or at least some sins -- seriously enough.

He writes, in Chapter One, "We have mentally categorized sins into unacceptable and those which may be tolerated a bit."

But Scripture reminds us that "the little foxes ruin the vineyards" (Song of Songs 2:15).  It is compromise on the little issues that leads to greater downfalls.

"In commenting on some of the minute Old Testament dietary laws God gave the children of Israel, Andrew Donar said,

    It is not the importance of the thing, but the majesty of the Lawgiver, that is to be the standard of obedience...Some, indeed, might reckon such minute and arbitrary rules as these  as trifling. But the principle involved in obedience or disobedience was none other than the same principle that was tried in Eden at the foot of the forbidden tree. It is really this: Is the Lord to be obeyed in all things whatsoever He commands? Is He a holy Lawgiver? Are His creatures bound to give implicit assent to His will?"

Shouldn't we be willing to call call "sin" not because it is big or little, but just because God's law forbids it? We cannot categorize sin according to our wishes if we are to live a life of holiness. God will not let us get away with that kind of attitude.

Where does holiness begin?

        But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it         is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."  (1 Peter 1:15-16)    

That's clear enough. We are to be like Him. It is a command not a suggestion.        

We must begin to look at sin -- all sin -- as an offense against a holy God. Our sin grieves His heart. 

It doesn't matter how significant the issue is: we are to be holy in everything just as He is.   

A popular quote these days is:

            Everybody thinks I'm crazy. They say, "You take the Jesus thing too                        seriously." Well, I don't know, but Christ took me pretty seriously when He               died for me on that cross.  

We could exchange that word "me"  in the last line for the words "my sin."     

Remember, it is not the  importance of the "sin"  but the majesty of the Lawgiver that is the standard of obedience....   

And there is no higher standard.                                              

Why is Holiness So Hard to Achieve? Jerry Bridges

 

                Why do I have so much trouble being holy?

Jerry Bridges' book,  The Pursuit of Holiness, is more than provocative. It is  challenging and compelling. I am reading it again, because I so need to!

Here are some thoughts from Chapter One:

"To live a holy life...is to live a life characterized by 'putting off your old self, which is being corrupted by its evil desires and putting on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.' (Ephesians 4:22,24)"

It sounds so basic, so almost simple and easy. Put off evil and put on Jesus!

Then why do Christians struggle with holiness so much? Why do we (I) feel defeated so often? Why does my life (and others) seem to resemble the world more than it does Jesus?

Jerry goes on to say:

"Our first problem is that our attitude toward sin is more self-centered than God-centered.

We are more concerned about our own 'victory' over sin than we are about the fact that our sins grieve the heart of God. We cannot tolerate failure in our struggle with sin chiefly because we are success-oriented, not because we know it is offensive to God.

W. S. Plumer said, 'We never  see sin right until we see it as against God...All sin is against God in this sense: that it is His law that is broken. His authority that is despised. His government that is set at naught...Pharaoh and Balaam, Saul and Judas each said, 'I have sinned' but the returning prodigal said, 'I have sinned against heaven and before Thee,' and David said, 'against Thee and Thee only have I sinned.'

God wants us to walk in obedience -- not victory. Obedience is oriented toward God; victory is oriented toward self...Until we face this attitude and deal with it, we will not consistently walk in holiness ...God does want us to be victorious, but He wants us to know that victory is a by-product of obedience. As we concentrate on living an obedient, holy life, we will certainly experience the joy of victory over sin."

That He may Be Praised By Us

 

                    That He May Be Praised By Us

I love the old documents of the church, records of what our ancestors thought about God and how they incorporated these ideas in their everyday life. They have much to teach us!

I notice their emphasis on gratitude, how our grateful hearts continually thank God for His undeserved goodness to us.  "God is good all time. All the time God Is good" we chant to each other throughout the day. Apparently our ancestors did the same, too!

I am reading the Heidelberg Catechism of 1563 now. Question 86 asks, "Since we are delivered from our misery, merely by grace, through Christ, without any merits of our own, why must we still do good works?"

The Answer: "Because Christ, having redeemed and delivered us by His blood also renews us by His Holy Spirit after His own image; that we may testify by the whole of our conduct our gratitude to God for His blessings, and that He may be praised by us."

What a great answer - how simple! How profound!

As we do good works - works God assigned to us before the creation of the world - we are testifying by our whole conduct our gratitude to Him for His continual  blessings...

and that He may be praised by us!

Our conduct conveys to Him our  grateful hearts, 

and are a way of giving  Him our praise...

there's nothing we can add to that!

To Be An Ingredient in Divine Happiness - C S Lewis

 

           To Be An Ingredient in Divine Happiness - C S Lewis

About meeting God....

"In the end that Face,  which is the delight or the terror of the universe, must be turned upon each of us either with one expression or the other, either conferring glory inexpressible or inflicting shame that can never be cured or disguised.

It is written that we shall "stand before Him" - shall appear, shall be inspected - almost incredible that any of us who really chooses, shall actually survive that examination. To please God...to be a real ingredient in Divine happiness....to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or as a parent in his child -- it seems impossible! Our thoughts can hardly sustain it, but so it is."

                                                      from Mere Christianity

No, our thoughts cannot imagine it.  That Our God can look on us with pleasure and joy. That we can be an "ingredient in Divine happiness"...that we can make God smile and find joy. That we can make God happy! As a parent finds joy in his child and an artist finds satisfaction in his work. No,I can not truly imagine that. But this is what He tells us!

When we gaze with wonder at the cross  - at what  Jesus accomplished when He paid the price for our sin and redeemed us from the evil of Satan's work, that is hard to believe. But remember the other part of that "great exchange" that happened at the cross - God took our sin and no longer accounts it against us, but He then gave us the righteousness of His Son. He gave us garments of holiness in place of our garments of sin and despair.

We gave Him our garbage bag full of sin and guilt and hopelessness and anger and hurt and bitterness - a bag full of stinking  trash - He took it - and then gave us a gift back - a treasure chest full of riches - grace, mercy, forgiveness, joy, peace, innocence and the supreme, gift of all - His presence forever.

He exchanged our garbage bag for His treasure chest!  No wonder we have trouble imagining it!

So when He looks at us, He sees His Son, and that gives Him the greatest joy in the cosmos. 

And allows us to become an ingredient in His happiness.

Something Real - - Just Give me Jesus!

 

                     Something Real - Just Give Me Jesus!

Notice how people talk about Life-Force, Intelligent Design, "May the Force be with you" - and all those other euphemisms that sound more culturally correct and less offensive than using the word 'God'?

Aren't you tired of it?

C S Lewis was certainly a "been there - done that" kind of guy. He converted from atheism to Christianity as a young adult. Here are some of his thoughts:

"One reason why many people find Creative Evolution so attractive is that it gives one much of the emotional comfort of believing in God and none of the less pleasant consequences.

When you are feeling fit and the sun is shining and you do not want to believe that the whole universe is a mere mechanical dance of atoms, it is nice to be able to think of this great mysterious Force rolling on through the centuries and carrying you on its crest.

If, on the other hand, you want to do something rather shabby, the Life-Force, being only a blind Force, with no morals and no mind, will never interfere with you like that troublesome God we learned about when we were children.

The Life-Force is a sort of tame God. You can switch it on when you want, but it will still not bother you - 

All the thrills of religion and none of the cost.

Is the Life-Force the greatest achievement of  wishful thinking the world has yet seen?"

                                                    -- from Mere Christianity

[Well, as far as I am concerned, you can keep your Life-Force, Intelligent Designer and all those meaningless results of "wishful thinking" - just give me Someone real - a personal God  who created me for a reason - whose accountability gives meaning and purpose to the world - just give me Jesus!

I want that God who loved His creatures so much that He humbled Himself to join our race - redeemed us - and has eternal happiness in store for us - Yes, just give me Jesus!]

Why did God Bring Judgment to the World in Noah's Time?

 

            Why did God Destroy the World in Noah's Time?

I'm re-reading Genesis and just finished reading about the righteous man Noah and his family.

The whole story is recorded in Genesis chapters 6-9. Read it and marvel at God's love for His creation.

I am noticing again that we often miss the whole point of what Scripture is saying to us - that is, what God is saying to us in His Word.

Start at verse 5 of chapter 6. "The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time."

That's a huge indictment of man's  condition: all thoughts evil all the time. Not just most  of the time: all the time. Not mixed motives. Only evil.

Evil thoughts produce evil actions. Jesus talked a lot about that, too. He warned us that our evil hearts cause us to do evil.

So how did these "evil thoughts" produce evil actions? Specifically what did God hate so much that He brought such a great judgment to His wonderful Creation - the world He pronounced  "good" had become really bad. 

Was it because of idolatry? Was His judgment because mankind  refused to worship and glorify Him?

Apparently not. Look at verses 11 and 13. The only hateful things I can see that caused God to bring judgment was the violence of His creatures. Their violence!

Violence is what we do to each other - not what we do to God. They disrespected God, did not obey Him, didn't worship Him  -- all that was true. But the major problem that caused God's heart to be "deeply troubled" was their treatment of each other.  How they treated others who God had made in His image - the greatest stamp of approval ever awarded anything in the cosmos...we are made in His image!

And violence of human beings to each other was the worse sin God mentions - it led Him to destroy all He made and start over!

Does it seem to be getting that way again? What are we to do?

In Mere Christianity C S Lewis says, "...Christianity is a fighting religion. It thinks God made the world - that space and time, heat and cold, and all the color and tastes, and all the animals and vegetables, are things that God 'made up out of His head'...But it also thinks that a great many things have gone wrong with the world that God made and that God insists and insists very loudly, on our putting them right again."

Looks like we have a lot of work to do!

Obedience or Independence?

 

                                Obedience or Independence?

From Oswald Chambers:

"The Lord does not give me rules. But He makes His standards very clear.

If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without

hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition

with Him, namely myself.

Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, but I must. And as soon as I obey Him,

I fulfill my spiritual destiny. My personal life may be crowded with small,

petty happenings, altogether insignificant. But if I obey Jesus in 

the seemingly random circumstances of life, they 

become peepholes through which I see the face of God.

Then, when I stand face to face with God, I will discover that through my obedience

thousands were blessed.

When God's redemption brings a human soul to the point of obedience, it always

produces. If I obey Jesus Christ, the redemption of God will flow through me 

into the  lives of others, because behind the deed of

obedience is the reality of Almighty God."

[Note: Think about it - "But if I obey Jesus in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become peepholes through which I see  the face of God."   WOW!]

Summary of Human History

                            

                                        Summary of Human History

This sound familiar?

Thoughts from Dwight Longenecker:

"First, we overlook evil. 

Then we  permit evil. 

Then we legalize evil.

Then we promote evil. 

Then we celebrate evil.

Then we persecute those who still call it evil."

We live in an up-side down world.

The Apostle Paul foretold this time: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers,  disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of  pleasure rather than lovers of God..." (2 Timothy: 3:1-5).

And we are now living in these days of unrestrained anger, cruelty, hatred, selfishness and celebration of evil. And things will just get worse.

So how are we to live in such a world?

"For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all people, it teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." (Titus 2:11-12)

"But even if you should suffer for what is right you are blessed. Do not fear their threats, do not be frightened. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give the reason for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." (1 Peter 2:13-16)

So that's how we are to live in this godless society.

Supposing We Really Found Him? C S Lewis

 

                             Supposing We Really Found Him?

   

It's always shocking to meet life where we thought we were alone.

"Look out!" We cry, "It's alive!"

And therefore this is the very point at which so many draw back -- and I would have done so myself if I could --  and proceed no further with Christianity.

An 'impersonal God' -- well and good. A subjective God of beauty, truth and goodness, inside our own heads -- better still.  A formless life-force surging through us, a vast power which we can tap -- best of all.

But God Himself, pulling at the other end of the cord, perhaps approaching at an infinite speed, the hunter, king, husband -- that is quite another matter.

There comes a moment when the children who have been playing at burglars hush suddenly: was that a real footstep in the hall?

There comes a moment when people who have been dabbling in religion ('Man's search for God!') suddenly draw back. Supposing we really found Him?

We never meant it to come to that!

Worse still, supposing He found us?

                                                                    --From Miracles, by C S Lewis

Waiting for Someone to Stir the Waters?

                Waiting for Someone to Stir the Waters?

Thoughts from Angie Smith:

When Jesus approaches a man who's been crippled for 38 years, Jesus asks him if he wants to be  healed. (You can read the whole account in John 5)

Given that the man had been sitting there with other invalids for years, waiting for water from a healing pool to be stirred to get healed, we can assume the answer is "yes."

But that's not what he says; in fact, he doesn't even answer the question.

He tells Jesus he never gets a chance to go in because everyone goes before him, and no one helps him. He's so caught up thinking about the reasons he hasn't been healed that he doesn't even hear what Christ is asking.

When we allow our past experiences to dictate our future expectations, we spend our time sitting still by healing waters, instead of trusting the voice of our Healer. We forget it's not the natural that heals us - it's the supernatural.

(Are we really listening to Jesus?)

What Do We Need Right Now

                                            

                        What Do We Need Right Now?

That's easy!

We need an army of soldiers  dedicated to Jesus Christ, who believe not only that He is God, but that He will fulfill every promise He ever made and there isn't anything too hard for Him.

That is the only way we can accomplish the thing that is  on His heart - getting the gospel to every creature.

So the need of this hour is to believe that our God controls the universe, and when He said, "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God," (Habakkuk 2) He meant it.

We see in Revelation that this will someday all be fulfilled just as prophesied.  And right now, we need to start the battle for souls of mankind. 

Too often we look at the church as if it were a cruise ship, a Carnival for salvation. But it is more like a  battleship, not a holiday cruise ship, but a warship equipped for the battles we are facing against the enemy who wants so  desperately to retain  possession of his stronghold here on earth.  He is dedicated to keeping his kingdom in power, and we must be even more  dedicated to bringing  Christ's kingdom to earth. Every soul  saved right now will return with Jesus when He comes back to reign, and they will lead the celebration when the world bows in recognition at who Christ is and what He did.

And that is what is going to happen. "And every knee will bow and every tongue  confess that Jesus Christ is  Lord." (Philippians 2).

The Rest of the Good News!

                            The Rest of the Good News!

   

   In the Book of the Revelation we read about God defeating His enemies, bringing judgment and declaring total and final victory. Casting  His enemies into hell.

    And we see how that inspires God's people to praise and worship Him! Just the thought of it inspires me to worship  Him and praise Him, too!

   Maybe we don't talk about this future event enough. Are we afraid that talking about God's judgment  will scare people away? That they will be "turned off" and use it as an excuse to dismiss the teachings of  our wonderful Savior? (But He is, after all, our Savior!)

     But God's victory over His enemies is part of the good news of the gospel. His enemies are evil. They are responsible for the mess the world is in right now, so everyone should look forward with great eagerness and anticipation to  God's  judgment of evil and His eternal victory. He will abolish  evil forever and restore goodness and righteousness forever!   

    Just think about it: children will be safe and cherished.  Cruelty and hatred will be gone. 

     No sadness.  No death. No animal abuse. No disease. 

     Let's talk about it more...remind people that someday everything will be turned back to the way it  was  meant to be originally and that's really good news!

What We Learned in 2020

 

                        What We Learned in 2020

The important stuff - the most important stuff - is still the same.

1. God is still on His throne

2. Jesus  is still King of Kings and Lord of Lords

3. The Bible still has the answers to all our problems

4. The tomb is still empty

5. Jesus is still the only Way to bring us back to God. To change us from being

     enemies of God to being His friends

6. Prayer  still works and God hears our every prayer

7. The cross, not the government, is our salvation

8. There is still room at the cross...'though millions have come there is still  room for one!' - Me!

9. Jesus will save anyone who places their faith and trust in Him

10.  God will be with us always. He will never leave us --  He will never let go of our hand!

11. Our life here is just a temporary assignment- a great future is planned for us!

[I'm sure you can think of more - just add them to the list!]

Isn't it great to know we can still count on the most important things to be stable sand secure - 

no matter what is happening right now! 

                  

                GOD IS GOOD -- ALL THE TIME!