Category: PASSION Reflections

New Life. Loving God. Loving People.

On By BrianIn All About Love

On Sunday, I finished a three week sermon series going through the theme: New Life.  Loving God.  Loving People.  It is a sort of slogan for our church, with each phrase further defined on our church website and in our church brochure.  The goal was to define what our church was all about (living in response to the gospel) in everyday language that might connect with people.  You can judge how well we achieved our goal (feel free to leave your comments).  As may be obvious, it is directly related to the Three Passions theme of this blog.  Here is the entire thing as it appears on our site and brochure:

 New Life
We all need new life: 
Forgiveness for the past. 
Power to live differently today. 
Hope for the future. 
We have found this new life in Jesus.

Loving God
As we find new life in Jesus, we enter into a loving relationship with God. 
Our joy is to grow in this incredible relationship by spending time with him. 
Our delight is to live each day for him.

Loving People
Our loving relationship with God helps us grow in our love for people. 
We begin to love our families more. 
We seek to be a loving church family that cares for one another. 
We want to serve our community
and share this new life we have found with others.

Our Delight

On By BrianIn God & His Glory, Virtue of Joy

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
– Psalm 115:1

God loves us us.  He daily showers us with his many blessings. 
He is a refuge in our trials.  He is always faithful.
He saves us through the cross.  He makes us his children – and heirs.
He loves us with an amazing undeserved love.
And so we want him to be glorified; we want him to be honored.

Our sinful tendency is to want others to honor us, for us to receive the glory.
But as we grasp his great love for us who are unworthy of any love,
we can desire the glory to go not to us, but to him.
It becomes our delight to see him honored in our lives.

How can we honor him in our lives?

We honor him as we obey him, put his will before our own.

We honor him with our thoughts – as we think about him,
and as we thing rightly about him;
as we guard our thoughts to think what is pleasing to him.

We honor him with our lips – as we gather with his people to praise him,
and as we tell others about his glory.

We honor him with our actions – as we do our best for him
in our work, our chores, our studies, and everything else we do;
as we point to Jesus rather than ourselves.

Father, may it be our growing delight to honor you with all of our lives.  Amen.

Our Joy

On By BrianIn Habit Miscellaneous, Virtue of Joy1 Comment

One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple.
– Psalm 27:4

As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
– Psalm 42:1-2

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
– Psalm 63:1

It is our joy to spend time with God. 
Not a chore.  Not a duty.  Not another item we have to check off our to-do-list. 
It is a joy.  It is what we seek earnestly.  It is what we thirst for. 
It is the one thing we want more than anything else. 

And it is more than a once-a-day activity.  It is an all-day opportunity. 
To walk in his presence.  To bring our cares to him in prayer. 
To thank him for blessings as they come our way. 
To follow his Spirit’s leading.  To abide in him always. 

It is our joy to spend time with God.

Father, help us to grow in this joy this week for your glory.  Amen.

The Story of Love

On By BrianIn All About Love1 Comment

The Story of Love

God

In the beginning was the God of love –
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
In perfect loving relationship with each other.

Creation

And this loving God made us in his image
To live in a loving relationship with him and with each other.

Fall

But we rebelled, sinned, spurned God’s love.
We worshipped ourselves instead of God.
We focused on ourselves instead of each other.
God’s judgment fell upon us.
We were separated from God.
We lived in strife with each other.

Redemption

But God’s love was reaching….
The Father sent the Son to become a man named Jesus,
Who lived a perfect life of love for the Father and others.

Blameless, he took upon himself our judgment
By dying on a cross in our place that we might be forgiven
For our rebellious failure to love God and others.

He was buried and rose again on the third day
That we might die to our rebellious ways
And be raised to a new life of love for God and others.

The Spirit applies Jesus’ saving work to us as we believe,
And helps us grow in love for God and others.

The Spirit places us in the redeemed community of love
To trade our self-worship for loving worship of God
And our self-focus for loving care for others.

Consummation

At Christ’s return, the dead in Christ will rise,
And those who are alive in Christ will be changed,
And we will dwell with God forever in paradise
Enjoying a perfect loving relationship with him and with each other.

I Am Not Worthy

On By BrianIn Miscellaneous

God promised to be with Jacob as he went to this mother’s family.  And God was with him.  God blessed him with a family and great wealth.  But he didn’t deserve any of it.  Jacob himself recognizes this.  He tells God, “I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to you servant” (Genesis 32:10). 

He says he wasn’t worthy of the smallest act of God’s love, the smallest blessing from God’s hand.  And indeed he wasn’t.  For Jacob was a perpetual liar.  He was a terrible husband and father.  And he showed a remarkable lack of trust in the Lord.  He didn’t deserve God’s blessings.  He didn’t deserve God’s love.  But God loved him not because he was lovable, but because God is love.

Jacob is much like us.  We all fail in countless ways.  We too are sinners.  We too are unworthy of God’s love, God’s faithfulness, God’s blessings.  And yet God loves us.  God blesses us.  Not because we are lovable, but because God is love. 

Our greatest need is to recognize with Jacob that we are unworthy.  We need to see that God’s blessings flow, not because of what we do, but because of who God is and what he has done.  It is too easy for us once we begin the Christian life to think that it is all about our performance, about what we do.  And so we gravitate between despair when we fail and pride when we do well. 

And yet even our best deeds are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).  Nothing we do impresses God.  Even at our best, we are unworthy.  Whatever good we accomplish is due to God’s grace and the Spirit’s working in our lives.  We have no reason for pride. 

And when we fail, we need not despair.  Though unworthy, God will still show his love to us.  By his grace, God will freely forgive our every sin. 

The truth is that we, like Jacob, are unworthy of God’s love all of the time.  But God still pours out his love upon us like he did upon Jacob.

Father, help us to see our own unworthiness, and be amazed more and more at your unconditional love toward us through Christ Jesus.  Amen.

I Am With You

On By BrianIn God & His Glory

Jacob is leaving behind everything he knows.  He has been sent by his parents to his mom’s family whom he has never met.  On the way, God speaks to him.  God repeats the promises he made to Abraham and Isaac now to Jacob.  God will give him many offspring who will receive the land.  And more – all the families of the earth will be blessed through him and his offspring.  And then God promises, “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go” (Genesis 28:15). 

Hundreds of years later, Jacob’s descendent Jesus will die on a cross to save people from their sins.  In this Descendent, truly all the families of the earth are blessed.  And this Descendent issues the same promises to his followers that God gave to Jacob: “Behold, I am with you” (Matthew 28:20). 

God is with us.  In the hustle and bustle of the day.  At work, at school, at home, at the store, on the roads.  In the trials and struggles of life.  In the good times and celebrations of life.  When we go to sleep tonight and when we wake the next morning.  No matter what we face, where we go, or what we do, God is with us.  His presence goes with us.  The Sovereign Creator and Ruler of the world goes with us.  What a comfort and strength this should be to us today!

Are You Devoted?

On By BrianIn Church Life1 Comment

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.  And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. – Act 2:41-42

Yesterday at church we looked at the example of the early church, which I believe is a good example for us today.  At the beginning of this new year, consider your commitment to the church.  How would you answer the following questions?

Have you received the good news of salvation that Jesus offers?  Jesus died for our sins and rose to give us a new life.  He calls us to repent (turn) from our sins and trust in Jesus as our Savior.  Have you received this good news?

Have you been baptized?  Notice it followed directly after salvation.  Indeed it is an outward expression of our faith in Jesus.  In baptism we identify ourselves with him and what he has done for us.  Have you been baptized?

Have you committed yourself to a local church?  Again it followed directly after baptism: they were baptized and then added to the church.  Not only added, but as v42 reminds us, they were committed.  Many seem to want to follow Jesus apart from the local church, but the Scriptures indicate that we are to commit to a local church.  Have you?

Are you devoted to the apostles’ teaching?  Note the context is the church.  Are you committed to gathering with the church each week to hear the Word of God taught?  Or do you only come occasionally?  Do you come with an attitude of anticipation?  Are you devoted?

Are you devoted to the fellowship?  Fellowship speaks of a relationship.  Are you committed to cultivating your relationship with your brothers and sisters in Christ?  Do you gather regularly with each other?  Are you caring for each other?  Are you bearing with each other, and forgiving when needed?  Are you devoted?

Are you devoted to the breaking of bread?  This most likely refers to the Lord’s Supper.  Do you gather with your church to celebrate together Christ’s sacrificial death for you?  Are you seeking to keep the remembrance of Christ central in your life?  Are you devoted?

Are you devoted to the prayers?  Again, the context is the church.  Are you committed to gathering regularly to pray together with fellow believers?  Is this a priority in you life?  A regular event?  Are you devoted?

Go through those questions again.  Do you need to grow in your devotion this year?  In what ways?  What changes will you start to make this week?

Lasting Joy

On By BrianIn Virtue of Joy3 Comments

Christmas is a time of joy – family get-togethers, happy memories, old traditions, presents, goodies, carols, and parties.  Yet many struggle with joy at this time of year – perhaps they are sick, or alone, or without a job.  Many struggle as they remember a loved one who has passed away.  Even when our circumstances are good, we are busy which makes us weary and often anything but joyful.  Where can we find lasting joy? 

We can find lasting joy in the coming of a Savior.  In the Luke 2:10-11, the angel proclaims: “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.” 

A Savior has come – God has taken on flesh, been born as a baby, become one of us.  A Savior has come – to die on a cross to pay the penalty for sin and rebellion, so people could be forgiven and have a relationship with God.  A Savior has come – who rose from the dead to give new life with Christ and the hope of heaven and one’s own resurrection.  No matter our circumstances, this reality remains: a Savior has come, and we can find lasting joy here.

We can find lasting joy in our salvation.  After sending out 72 disciples, we read in Luke 10:17-20: The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”  And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.  Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 

The disciples are rejoicing in this power over the devil and his minions, and it is a wonderful thing to see the devil defeated.  We too like power, the spectacular.  We want to see miracles.  But Jesus reminds us there is something greater to rejoice in – that our names are written in heaven, that we have been saved through Jesus Christ.  We rejoice not only that a Savior has come, but that our Savior has come – that salvation has been applied in our lives through faith.  No matter our circumstances, if we have received Jesus as our Savior, we have the greatest blessing in the world – and we can find lasting joy here.

We can find lasting joy in God’s will.  Jesus goes on in Luke 10:21-24 to say: In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.  All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”  Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!  For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

God is sovereign.  He acts according to his will,  has the power to accomplish his will, and so his will gets done.  If we will find joy in God’s will like Jesus does here, we can find lasting joy.  Our problem is that we seek joy in our own will, in what we want.  If we get what we want, we are happy.  If we don’t get what we want, we aren’t happy.  If we seek joy in our own will, we will often be without joy – unless we conform our will to God’s will.  We need to learn to trust in God’s will even when we don’t get it.  We need to learn to be content with God’s plan for our lives even when it is hard.  If we will conform our will to his, trust in his will, and learn to be content with his plan, we can find lasting joy in God’s will like Jesus did.

Paul gives us a great example here in the book of Philippians.  Paul is in prison.  Yet as you read this letter you see a man who is conforming his will to God’s.  He is trusting God’s will.  He is content no matter what happens.  For him, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  And what is the great characteristic of this letter that jumps out at us?  Joy.  Paul is rejoicing, because he can find joy in God’s will.  If Paul found lasting joy in God’s will even in prison, we can find lasting joy in God’s will in the midst of our trials.  But again we must conform our will to his, trust him, and learn to be content with his plan for our lives.

Finally, we can find lasting joy in God Himself.  Paul tells us in Philippians 4:4: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.  Note the word “always.”  We should always rejoice in the Lord.  We can find lasting joy in Him.  God blesses us with many temporary joys.  Even in our worst trials, God sends blessings.  And as we receive his many blessings, we always have reason to rejoice in him.

And yet, we rejoice in the Lord not just because of his blessings, but because of Himself.  In Psalm 16:11, David writes: …in your presence there is fullness of joy….  We can find lasting joy in God Himself.  Note the context of Psalm 16.  It begins with the words: Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.  David is in the midst of some trial – and finds joy in God.  In the midst of our trails then, we too can find joy in his presence.  Note further that in God, David finds fullness of joy.  We can find some joy in various blessings, but in the source of every blessing there is fullness of joy.  So let us draw near to him and find in Him lasting joy.

Our circumstances may be good or bad this Christmas.  But no matter our circumstances we can find lasting joy in the coming of a Savior, in our own salvation, in God’s will, and in God Himself.  May you have a joyful Christmas!

Church Is Cancelled – Now What?

On By BrianIn Church Life, Family/Single Life, Heart

The winter storm closed most of the churches in our area this morning.  So how should we respond when we hear that church is cancelled?  Let me give you six suggestions.

1. Disappointment.  We should be excited about the opportunity to gather with God’s people in God’s presence each week for worship, discipleship, and fellowship.   Naturally there will be a sense of disappointment when that opportunity is taken away.  If there is not that sense of disappointment, we must ask ourselves why.  Have our hearts grown dull?  Have we lost interest in fellowship with God and his people?  Lost the hunger to worship and grow?  Certainly we might be thankful that we do not have to brave the winter mess, but to actually be excited about having no church and lacking a sense of disappointment says much about our hearts.  Our hearts should reflect the Psalmist’s heart who wrote in Psalm 42:1-2:  As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When shall I come and appear before God?  If this is not our response, we must examine our hearts.

2. Trust.  God is sovereign; he is in control.  Our lives are in his hands.  If his plan is to send a winter storm so that we can’t meet together as a church, then that is his business.  We may be disappointed, but we should also trust that God knows what he is doing.  Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).

3. Rest.  This Christmas season is hectic.  Today was supposed to bring not only morning services but a Christmas party and Christmas caroling.  Now suddenly everything has been called off.  Perhaps in the midst of all of our busyness, God knew we just needed a break, a chance to stop and rest.  So perhaps perhaps part of our response is to take the opportunity God has given and rest from the all the hustle and bustle.  Rest was part of the Sabbath principle anyway, wasn’t it?

4. Family Worship.  We may not be able to meet as a church, but we can certainly still meet as a family to praise God and study God’s Word.  Whether there is one or two or four or twenty or any number in between in your family, you can gather to worship.  Sing some songs of praise from a hymnal or chorus book or with a praise CD.  Discuss a passage of Scripture together or listen to a sermon on the radio or internet or from a CD.  Gathering as a church to worship is important, but if you can’t, gather to worship as a family.

5. Personal Time with the Lord.  You have been given the gift of a whole day.  In addition to worshipping as a family, why not spend some personal time with the Lord in prayer and His Word.  Perhaps read part of a book that will challenge you to grow in the Lord or encourage you to look to God in your trials.  Don’t waste the day – invest it for your walk with the Lord.

6. Family Time.  Enjoy time together as a family.  Talk.  Laugh.  Play a game.  Do something together.  Again, don’t waste the day – invest it for your family.

Drifting Heart

On By BrianIn Heart, Revival3 Comments

As I was preparing for my last class on the Great Awakening, I came across 25 evidences of a drifting heart in need of revival.  These are slightly adapted from Richard Owen Roberts’s book, Revival.  For further elaboration of each point, I recommend you pick up his book, but in the mean time these 25 points should be enough for some serious reflection:

25 Evidences of a Drifting Heart

Adapted from Richard Owen Roberts in his book Revival

 1.When prayer ceases to be a vital part of our lives.

2.When the quest for biblical truth ceases and we are content with knowledge we have already acquired.

3.When the biblical knowledge we have is treated as fact and not applied inwardly to the heart.

4.When thoughts about eternal things cease to be regular and gripping.

5.When the worship services of the church lose their delights.

6.When pointed spiritual discussions are an embarrassment to us.

7.When sports, recreation and entertainment become a necessity to us, more important than the things of God.

8.When we can indulge in the sins of the body and mind without an uproar from our consciences.

9.When aspirations for Christian holiness cease to be dominant in our lives.

10.When the acquisition of money and goods becomes dominant in our thinking.

11.When you can sing the songs of the church without your heart.

12.When you can hear the Lord’s name taken in vain and spiritual things mocked without indignation and action.

13.When you can watch degrading movies and TV and read the same.

14.When division and breeches in the peace of the church are of no concern to you.

15. When you able to use the slightest excuses to keep yourself from spiritual duty and opportunity.

16.When you become content with your lack of spiritual power and no longer even seek God’s power.

17.When you easily pardon your sin and sloth saying the Lord understands.

18.When there is no music in your soul and no song in your heart but only silence for God.

19.When you adjust happily to the world’s lifestyle.

20.When injustice and human misery exist around you and you do little or nothing in response.

21.When your church has fallen into a spiritual slide and you are content with it.

22.When the spiritual condition of the world around you is not apparent to you, you just adjust to it.

23.When you are willing to cheat your employer.

24.When you find yourself rich in grace and mercy and marvel at your own godliness.

25.When your tears are dried up and the cold, hard facts of your spiritual condition can not unleash them.