Category: PASSION Reflections

Good News of Great Joy

On By BrianIn PASSION ReflectionsLeave a comment

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:10-11 (ESV)

In the midst of all the bad news of shootings, strife, sorrow, struggles, and suffering, God offers us good news.

At this Christmas time, when everyone is searching for a great deals, great presents, great Christmas goodies, great decorations, great warm fuzzy feelings, and great family time, God offers us great joy.

In a world full of “haves” and and “have nots,” God offers this good news of great joy to all the people.

And what is this good news of great joy for all the people? It is the birth of a baby, who is called a Savior, King, and Lord.

He is a Savior from the penalty and power of sin, and one day from the presence of sin and all its miserable results.

He is a King, who will one day usher in a glorious eternal kingdom of righteousness, justice, and peace.

He is the Lord – God become man. Immanuel – God with us.

This Christmas may you embrace this good news of great joy for all the people. Embrace Jesus, your Savior, King, and Lord.

Go Outside and Know God Better

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

God reveals Himself and declares His glory in His creation, so go outside and know Him better. 

The Bible tells us about the attributes of God, but creation gives us visual pictures of so many of His attributes – like His power and wisdom and goodness.  In Mathew 6, Jesus uses birds and fields as examples of God’s care, and we need to learn to interpret creation, to see how it shows forth God’s nature. 

For example, storms give us an example of God’s power.  The intricate design of any part of God’s creation shows forth God’s wisdom.  The kaleidoscope of colorful leaves point to God’s glorious beauty.

When I sit along Lake Superior, the vastness of lake reminds me of the vastness of our God.  The stillness of lake reminds me of the rest and peace found in God.  The crashing waves reminds me of the power of God.

And I could do that along Lake Michigan near where I live too, but I’m too busy.  Maybe you are too?  To go outside and know God better?

One reason God seems so distant to so many today is that they live their lives in man-made homes, traveling in man-made cars to man-made places of work and man-made stores filled with man-made things.  And now we fill every extra moment staring at man-made screens.  No wonder we miss the reality of God.

God reveals Himself to us on the vast canvas of His creation.  Go outside, see how God’s creation points to Him, and know Him better.

God Is Love

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

God is love (I John 4:8). God is eternal (Jeremiah 10:10). God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). When you put those three truths together, we find that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in a perfect loving relationship for all of eternity. He is radiant glorious love in action for all eternity.

God is love in Himself. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forever loving each other. Which means He didn’t need to create us to have someone to love. Instead, He chose to create us, and this eternal love between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit spilled over to people like us. That ought to boggle our brains!

And when we sinned against Him, rejecting His amazing love, He chose to show the extent of His great love by saving us through the cross. He went to great lengths to save us, so that He might continue to extend His love to us forever. Not because we are lovable, but because He is love!

So how should we respond to His amazing love? Jesus sums it up in Matthew 22:37-40. Love God with all your being. Love your neighbor as yourself. In other words, love as God loves. Here is our challenge. Here is our purpose. Here is what life is all about. Love as God loves.

God and Our Vision of Life

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

We believe in the one true and living God,
who eternally exists in three unique persons –
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Each one is identical in nature and substance,
with the same attributes and perfections.

Our culture tells us that it is all about you.
You create your own story,
your own identity,
your own reality.
You do whatever you want to do,
because you are center,
everything revolves around you.

Is it not obvious that this doctrine of God refutes this vision of life?
Flips it upside-down?
Or rather right-side up?

There is one true living God, and I am not Him.
So everything revolves around Him, not me.
He is center, not me.
I am to do whatever He wants.
Because this is His great story.
He determines reality.
He gives me my identity.
He makes me part of His story.
So I am going to live for Him, not me.

This doctrine totally changes our vision of life,
and so will change how we live each day.

Doctrine Matters for Our Relationship with God

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

What is required to have a growing relationship with God, to know God more and more?  I must learn about Him.  Doctrine teaches us about Him – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – so that I might know Him better.

Imagine a young man and a young woman meet, and they want to get to know each other.  What do they do?  They spend time together.  They talk to each other and listen.  They learn about each other.

If you want to get to know God better, you need to learn about Him – who He is, what He has done, what He is doing now, and what He will do in the future.  That’s doctrine.  It’s not dry!  It is relational.  It is exciting! 

And as we learn more about God – His love, His faithfulness, His mercy, and what He has done to save us by becoming one of us to die on a cross – we not only get to know Him better, but we love Him more.  Our love for Him grows.  We learn of His love for us, and we grow in our love towards Him.  Our relationship is not dry, but a loving relationship between God and us.

And as we learn about Him through doctrine, this love then leads to worship.  Theology should always lead to doxology.  Doctrine should always lead to praise.  In Ephesians 1-3, Paul lays out the doctrines of salvation and then closes in 3:20-21 with worship to God.  The same thing happens in Romans.  Paul lays out wondrous doctrinal truth in chapters 1-11, and then closes in 11:33-36 with praise to God.  As Paul reflects on doctrinal truths, he can’t help but break into joyful worship. 

Doctrine teaches us about God, that we might grow in our relationship with Him, loving Him more, and falling down before Him in worship.

Show Me Your Love

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.
– Psalm 17:7 (ESV)

Wondrously show me your steadfast love. 
In our suffering, isn’t that in many ways what we most need?
To know God’s love? 
To know that He still cares?
Like a young child running to his mom after hurting himself.
All he needs is a hug, to know he is loved and safe.
And we run to God in our suffering.
All we need is refuge in His steadfast love.
O God, wondrously show me your love!

Trust God’s Goodness

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” – Luke 4:3-4 (ESV)

Behold God’s Goodness. This is what devil wants Jesus to doubt in this temptation:

The Father said He loves you, that He is pleased with you. But He doesn’t care about you. He led you out here into wilderness where there is no food. Jesus you are starving. Why don’t you turn that stone into bread? If God doesn’t care about you, then you will have to look out for yourself.

We have all been here – going through a trial, and the devil whispers in our ear:

God doesn’t care about you. If He did you wouldn’t be here, you are going to have to look out for yourself with whatever means necessary.

This was devil’s tactic in garden too. We read in Genesis 3:4-5 – But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” In other words:

God doesn’t care about you, He’s keeping something from you. You have to look out for yourself. Go ahead and eat that fruit.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 – But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Seek the kingdom, and God will take care of your basic needs. But devil whispers:

God isn’t good. He doesn’t care. He isn’t going to add those things. He won’t take care of you. You don’t have time to seek kingdom, time to spend with God, time for church, time to help another. You can’t give money for sake of kingdom, money to help another. You have to look out for yourself.

The devil wants you and Jesus to doubt God’s goodness, but Jesus refuses to follow along. Jesus trusts God’s goodness. He points the devil back to Israel in wilderness, quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3 which reads – And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

In other words, God provided food for Israel in the wilderness, and God will provide food for Jesus at proper time. God is good.

Jesus trusted in His Father’s care and provision. And we must trust in our Father’s care and provision – His goodness towards us – so that we might overcome devil’s whisperings, like Jesus did.

His Sandal Strap

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
– Luke 3:16 (ESV)

John says he is unworthy to untie the strap of Jesus’ sandal. 

That would have been an unpleasant job, to say the least.  People walked around on dusty dirt roads.  And unlike where I live today in the middle of winter, it was hot where Jesus lived.  People would often be sweating.  So the strap of a sandal would be grimy and smelly with dirt and sweat.   

And the great prophet John says he is unworthy to untie it.

Is that your view of Jesus? 

You would be unworthy to even untie the smelly and grimy strap of his sandal?

That even such a yucky task would be a privilege you are unworthy of because of His so much greater worth?

Serving Jesus in any way is a privilege.  Following Jesus is a privilege.  Any blessing He gives is a privilege.

Consider His great worth that makes any connection to Him at all a privilege. 

And then live like it.

Behold Our Providing God!

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

When we think of God’s provision, we often think of food and clothing – basic necessities, but God’s provision is far greater.  So join me, as we consider 12 ways that God provides for us, which then become 12 reasons to give thanks to God.

God Provides His Creation (Genesis 1) – God created everything around us – the snow that decorated trees in my neighborhood last week, the colorful leaves we enjoyed this Fall, the flowers that popped up last Spring, the beautiful scenery experienced on vacation.  Lakes, beaches, streams, birds, deer, squirrels, pets – so much variety all provided by God for us to enjoy.  What are some things from God’s creation that you especially enjoy for which you can give thanks to God?

God Provides Life Itself (Genesis 1-2) – God created us.  He gave us life. Our very existence is provided by God.  Without Him, we wouldn’t be.  And He provided us with another year of life in 2024, another year to live and love and work and rest and think and trust and obey and walk with Him.  What are some things about your life this past year for which you can give thanks to God?

God Provides Companionship (Genesis 1-2) – God created us in His image, which means in part that He created us to be relational beings.  We see there in garden that Adam and Eve enjoyed a relationship with God, companionship with their Creator, and so can we.  We can talk to Him, and listen to Him, spend time with Him, love Him and enjoy His love for us.  And God created marriage, providing the companionship of husband and wife.  And within marriage, He gave us the ability to create more people, so that we might enjoy the companionship of more family.  And we can enjoy the companionship of friends.  We have the gift of companionship with people that we can talk to and listen to and spend time with, love and enjoy their love.  What kinds of companionship has God provided for you this year for which you can give thanks to God?

God Provides His Promises (Genesis 12) – God called Abraham and promised that his descendants would become a great nation within the Promised Land.  They would be a blessing, and one specific descendant named Jesus would bless whole world.  And those promises extend to us in ways greater than Abraham could have imagined.  In Jesus we have become a greater nation, part of kingdom of God, and one day will dwell in a greater land, the New Earth, with no sin or curse or death.  And we have received blessing upon blessing in Jesus, with the promise of many greater blessings yet to come.  What promises of God have you received, or do you look forward to receiving, for which you can give thanks to God?

God Provides His Present Help (Genesis 37-41) – As Joseph was sold into slavery, we read that God was with Joseph to help him in his trial.  As Joseph is falsely accused and thrown into prison, we again read that God was with Joseph to help him in his trial.  What trials have you faced this year?  How has God been a present help for which you can give thanks to God?

God Provides His Wise Purpose (Genesis 37-50, Job) – Why did Joseph have to be sold into slavery and thrown into prison?  Later Jospeh understood God’s wise purpose, that God was bringing Joseph to a place where he could save his family and many other from a famine.  God had a wise purpose for Joseph.  Or consider the story of Job.  Job never knows the purpose for his suffering, nor do we know the purpose in his suffering.  But God reminds Job and us of His greater wisdom that governs the entire universe with all of it complexity.  And if He has wisdom to do that, certainly He has the wisdom to govern our lives for our good and the good of others.  Maybe in your trials this year, you can look back and see God’s wise purpose like Joseph could.  If so, you can give thanks to God.  But maybe, like Job, you don’t understand at all.  Still God has a wise purpose in your trials; your suffering is not meaningless.  And God’s wise purpose not yet understood is something for which you can give thanks to God.

God Provides His Salvation (Exodus 1-15) – God delivered the people of Israel from their slavery in Egypt with10 plagues and a miraculous parting of Red Sea.  And on that Passover Night, God delivered His people from God’s coming judgment through a slain lamb.  Even so, Jesus came as a lamb to be slain, that we might escape God’s coming judgment for our sin and rebellion and be delivered from our slavery to sin.  And that great deliverance, which is ours through Jesus, is something for which we can give thanks to God.

God Provides His Word (Exodus 19-20, I Kings 19) – Following God’s deliverance for Israel, He gave them His Ten Commandments to govern their lives for their own good, that they might live out their new freedom.  And God has given us His Word to show us how to live as those who have been freed from slavery to sin, to show us how to live as God created us to live for our own good, and good of those around us.  What commands has God impressed upon you this year for which you can give thanks to God?   Or consider Elijah in his depression, as God quietly speaks to him with words of purpose/encouragement.  And how often as we read His Word, do we find that quiet instruction that we need in our own suffering?  How often do we find words of purpose and encouragement to spur us on to press on through the trials and struggles of life?  What verse or verses has God used this year to encourage you, verses for which you can give thanks to God?

God Provides Answered Prayers (I Kings 18, II Chronicles 20) – Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest.  Each would pray, and the God who answered was the true God.  Baal’s prophets prayed and prayed, but Baal didn’t hear.  Baal didn’t answer.  Then Elijah prayed to one true God, and fire fell from heaven.  God heard, and God answered.  Or consider again Jehoshaphat as a gigantic army is approaching.  Jehoshaphat prayed to God, and God heard his prayer and answered his prayer and defeated the army. So then, what answered prayers has God provided in your life this year?  Maybe you prayed for healing, and it came.  Or you prayed for safety, and it was provided.  Or you prayed for help, and it was given.  Now not every prayer is answered how we want or when we want, and often we must wait upon the Lord.  But what are some answered prayers that God has provided for you for which you can give thanks to God?

God Provides His Glorious Goodness (Exodus 33-34) – Moses asks to see God’s glory, and God provides a glimpse of His glorious goodness – His grace and mercy and patience and love and faithfulness and forgiveness.  How has God shown His grace to you this year, giving you things you don’t deserve?  How has God shown His mercy to you this year, not giving you what you do deserve?  In what ways has God been slow to anger toward you?  How has He shown His love to you?  How has He been faithful?  What sins have you confessed, and He has forgiven and washed away in Christ?  What aspects of His goodness have you experienced this year for which you can give thanks to God?

God Provides for Our Basic Needs (Exodus 16-17, I Kings 17) – The people of Israel are in wilderness, and they are hungry with no food.  And God provided manna for them to eat.  What was it?  Good question.  Whatever it was, God used it to daily feed them as they wandered in wilderness.  It was a daily reminder of God’s provision.  Another time, the people are thirsty, and God tells Moses to strike a rock.  Is that how you get water?  No!  But water flowed out of the rock and people drank. God provided them with water they needed.  Or consider Elijah who declares a drought – no rain for three years. God sends Elijah to a brook with water, and God sends ravens to bring Elijah bread and meat each morning and each evening.  When brook dries up, God sends Elijah to a widow with only handful of flour and a little oil.  Not a likely long-term solution, but God daily multiplies it, so that Elijah and widow and her son can eat for many days.  Behold the creative ways God provided for Israel and Elijah!  And how has God provided for your basic needs this year?  Maybe He provided in very ordinary ways as you worked or received your Social Security checks. But maybe He provided in some amazing creative ways, ways that you may have never expected as you came into this year.  Perhaps God provided an unexpected gift, or a raise, or a new job, or a new business, or new opportunities.  However God did it, He provided for your basic needs.  How has God provided for your basic needs this year, ways for which you can give thanks to God?

God Provides the Hope of Resurrection (I Kings 17) – The son of the widow Elijah is staying with dies.  Elijah cries out to God, and her son comes back to life.  This story points to another story in John 11, when Lazarus died, and Jesus came and raised Lazarus from dead.  And Jesus declared that He was the resurrection and the life.  God provides us with many things in this life – His creation, life, companionship, His promises, His present help, His wise purpose, His salvation, His Word, answered prayers, His glorious goodness, and our basic needs.  But one day it will be our time to die, and when we do, God’s provision doesn’t end.  We will dwell in glorious companionship with Him in heaven until Christ returns, and then we will rise again to dwell forever on a new earth with Lord.  This is our glorious and certain hope for which we can give thanks to God.

Behold Our Providing God! 

And give thanks to Him! 

Our Declaration

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

In the LORD I take refuge.
– Psalm 11:1a

David knows where to turn in his trial.  He turns to the LORD. 

This isn’t a prayer; it is a declaration. 

David declares what we should declare: 
In the LORD I take refuge.

What about us? 

When faced with trials, suffering, struggles, do you declare?
In the LORD I take refuge.

When you have struggles with your health, do you declare?
In the LORD I take refuge.

When there are struggles in your family, do you declare?
In the LORD I take refuge.

When there are problems at work, do you declare?
In the LORD I take refuge.

When you read or watch the news and see mess our world is in, do you declare?
In the LORD I take refuge.

When you are afraid, anxious, or worried about something, do you declare?
In the LORD I take refuge.

When you are weary, exhausted, feeling overwhelmed, do you declare?
In the LORD I take refuge.

Whatever the trial, whatever the trouble that springs up in our lives, let us boldly declare with David:
In the LORD I take refuge.