Doctrines of the Faith: Saved From What?

I remember an evangelist who told the story of being in the Miami, Florida area to do a revival. He and the local pastor were driving around inviting people to the revival and witnessing to anyone who would listen. They found themselves in a very affluent neighborhood with massive houses and expensive cars. They spied a man out in his front yard and stopped to visit. After speaking to him of the need for salvation, the man spread his arms in a grand gesture of all he owned and said, “Saved from what?” Then he dismissed them with a laugh. That man was Jackie Gleason – famed radio, television, and movie star.
I am sure you know John 3:16. It reveals the heart of the gospel: God loves sinners. But Jesus also said: “Whoever does not believe [in Him] stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (v. 18). Here’s the rest of the story (nod to Paul Harvey). God sent His Son because all of mankind is condemned because of sin. Not because of our sinful actions, but because sin is the human condition since the fall. We’re not sinners because we sin – we sin because we’re sinners. It’s not just what we do – it’s who we are. The destiny of all people is eternal condemnation – the wrath of God. Unless we believe in Jesus – and then our destiny is eternal life. That is what Paul means when he says: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
Hebrews continues the thought saying, “You have come . . . to the spirits of righteous men made perfect” – just as we will one day be. “You have come to Jesus . . .” Just stop right here and rest a moment in that statement. That changes everything. “You have come to Jesus – the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (v. 24). The new covenant is a covenant of mercy – of a love that saves through holy blood that was shed, not from jealousy and rage, but from divine providence. Abel’s blood brought about a curse on Cain. Jesus’ blood brings salvation from the curse of sin for everyone who believes.

Spiritual Hindsight

“This is a test.” Radio stations are required by the FCC to periodically test their emergency alert system to ensure it is in proper working order before a crisis occurs. They will play the alert sound – that loud, screeching, beeping sound – and then tell their listeners: “This is a test.” I wish they would tell us that upfront. It would save me from a moment of panic.
I thought about that when I read Deuteronomy 13:1-4. Go read it and come back – I’ll wait for you right here.
Deuteronomy is the retelling of the Israelites’ escape from Egypt. The Lord God brought them up out of slavery to bring them into a “good land, flowing with milk and honey” (Ex 3:8). It is also Moses’ final message to the nation he led for forty years. He knows is about to die and he wants to leave them with encouragement and hope and wise instruction. Two thoughts come to my mind about verse .
First, Moses said the Lord was testing the Israelites “to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul” (v. 3). I do not think that God was trying to gain previously unknown information. He already knows every man’s heart. John 2:24-25 says, “Jesus knew all men and what was in a man.” I believe that the testing was more for the Israelites’ benefit than God’s.
Second, these testing phases rarely come with a warning. We don’t understand what is happening or why. Job never knew that his hard season was a test to prove something to the devil. He just knew that his life had shattered and he was in misery. The Bible never says that God told Job the whole story. Maybe He did, but it would have been after the fact.
Jesus told His disciples, “You do not understand what I am doing, but later you will understand” (John 13:7). I do not understand why things have turned out as they have but I am hanging my life His promise. Because I know that He is faithful. Beloved, in all the things that don’t make sense, you and I can trust God. As the great Charles Spurgeon said, “God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”

Grace

Joy asks a thousand questions a day – that’s how she learns and so I try to be patient with the never-ending stream of “Why?” and “What?” and “How?” Yesterday she saw some honeybees in the ligustrum bush and started asking about what they were doing which became how do bees make honey. So after her bath, we surfed YouTube for videos about bees.  She loves to learn new things and I love to help her explore the world around her.

But sometimes she asks questions with a different motivation. We have rules in our house that have been in place all her life. They haven’t changed just because she isn’t here all the time anymore. She knows the rules well, but sometimes she will ask the question hoping to catch me off-guard and give her a different answer. I may be old and slow, but I’m no dummy. The rules are the rules.

God gave the Israelites the law – the commandments and regulations that must be strictly observed to maintain a relationship with Him. He is holy and righteous and His people must live holy and righteous lives. The law was given to instruct them in His ways and ensure their standing before Him. But the people failed to keep the law – “Everyone did as he saw fit” (Jud 21:25). Which meant they did not obey God’s law. Man was and is still sinful. Sin demands death. The Israelites relied on animals to die in their place, but that was not enough.

Then Jesus came on the scene. He said that He came to “fulfill” the law and the Prophets – but not to abolish them (Matt 5:17-20). What did He mean? The purpose and demands of the law had not changed. What changed was how one approached God. Under the law, all the rituals and rules – God’s “house rules” – must be followed to a T. But Jesus came “full of grace” (John 1:14). He lived the perfect life that man could not live. And He died to fulfill “every jot and tittle” of the law. Jesus – God in flesh – shed His divine blood to meet the demands of the law. All who receive Jesus’ work are under grace.

That means if you are a believer, you can breathe a sigh of relief because Jesus did all the hard work for you. And He sent His Holy Spirit to live in you and help you live out your holy standing. The rules haven’t changed, but how we obey them has. Beloved, you cannot; but Jesus did. Now you can live in grace.

Dire Straits (no, not the rock band)

So it seems we are not done with 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. The Spirit “pressed” me to dig even deeper and He revealed some things to share with you. As I researched these verses one definition kept popping up: straits. Paul’s original audience would have caught it immediately.
We think of “straits” as extreme difficulty or hardship – as in “dire straits.” It is a very unpleasant place, a painful place, a hard place. I’ve been there and I suspect you have too. Sometimes it comes from someone else’s actions that crash into your life. Sometimes – at least for me – it often has my own fingerprints all over it. But it is often the consequences of living in this broken world.
Paul used the word when he said he was “hard-pressed (v. 8).” He was describing a “narrow, constricted place of great pressure.” You may recall from Geography that straits are those places between two land masses through which a channel of water runs – like the Strait of Gibraltar. It is a narrow strip that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Europe from Africa by 7 nautical miles of ocean at the Strait’s narrowest point. It is an important shipping passage from one body of water to another. But it is difficult to navigate and easy to get into trouble.
Sounds like life, doesn’t it? Paul also used this word in Romans 5 when He said “We rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope” (v. 3-4). The straits are places of suffering. But they are also places of growth. Joy sometimes has “growing pains” because her muscles and ligaments are stretching and her bones are lengthening and it hurts. But she would remain in a little body forever without them.
Paul said that there is a purpose for the straits. They produce perseverance, character, and hope. How? Because God shows us His great faithfulness in the straits. He carries us through those narrow, hard-pressed places. Hear this this good promise: “Hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts . . .” (v. 5). The progression from pain to hope is a sign of spiritual growth. It’s what the straits are all about. If you’re being pressed today, Beloved, trust God to bring perseverance, character, and hope from it. Then sail on in the big sea of His love.

When You are Hard-Pressed

I ran across a powerful statement a few days ago that set me on a search mission in the Scriptures. Oswald Chambers said, “The burden that God places on us squeezes the grapes in our lives and produces the wine.” The Spirit brought Paul’s words to mind: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:8-9). In the Greek “hard-pressed” is both pressing grapes to produce the juice and pressing a person with trouble, suffering, and affliction. No wonder the Spirit directed me here.
I studied the rest of the words and found some interesting things. Paul said we will also be perplexed – which means to be uncertain about what to do in a situation. Anybody? Persecuted means to be harassed and troubled. Yep. That comes from people, from our own minds, and from satan. To be struck down means to be thrown face-down to the ground. (A perfect position for prayer.) All of these Paul said will be a reality in the life of the believer. They have all been a reality in mine this past year.
But here is what we will not endure: we will not be crushed – the Greek means to be crushed in spirit. Satan can press us, but, praise Jesus, he cannot touch our spirits. We will not be in despair – utterly hopeless. We will not be forsaken – left behind in a helpless state. We will not be destroyed – this refers to losing our eternal salvation.
Maybe this has been a pressing season for you – it sure has been for me. What do we do when we feel like the grapes at the bottom of the barrel? Paul said, “. . . we do not lose heart” (2 Cor 4:1, 16), but “fix our eyes” on eternity (v. 18). Because these pressing seasons – these “light and momentary troubles” (v. 17 – God’s words, not mine) are all about glory and eternal life.
Beloved, hard seasons are guaranteed. You and I will be pressed and perplexed, maybe even persecuted and thrown down to the ground. But God will not let us be crushed or left in despair or destroyed. He will use every difficulty to prepare us for eternity. The question then is, will we trust Him? Will we bring forth wine or whine?

Doctrines of the Faith: The Spirit in You

As we continue to look at Church Doctrine and consider the Third member of the Trinity, we find this gem from Paul: “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God…no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God…we have received the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand…” (1 Cor 2:10, 11, 12). Put simply, because the Holy Spirit is God, He knows how God thinks. He “hears” God’s thoughts. Because the Holy Spirit indwells believers, He reveals those thoughts to us – Jesus said “He speaks what He hears” (see John 16:13-14). And when He speaks to our spirits we are convicted, commanded, comforted, challenged, encouraged, directed, and inspired. (Which, by the way, is how Peter explained the transmission of the Scriptures: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but man spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet 1:20-21).)
What are we to do with the Spirit’s messages? Obey. Paul called it being “controlled by the Spirit,” “living according to the Spirit,” and being “led by the Spirit.” How does work? We “set [our] minds on what the Spirit desires.” We “set our minds on things above, not on earthly things (Col 3:2). When the Spirit says one thing and the world says another, we choose to meditate on and obey what the Spirit has said. The world tells us that God has no authority over us. Paul said that we are “obligated” to submit to God’s Word and His Spirit. And if we don’t? Paul said we are not God’s children. God’s children are Spirit-fed, Spirit-led, Spirit-filled people. (See Romans 8:1-17)
There is another aspect of the Holy Spirit in us that I want you to grasp. Paul said in this same passage that “the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (v. 16). Why is that important? Because the enemy and the world will try to tell you the opposite. Satan will hound you that God has rejected you because of your sin, that He could never love you. The Spirit says you are God’s child and God loves His children.
Give heed to the Spirit; believe and obey Him, Beloved. He is the very Life of God in you.

Navigating the Unknown

Life is full of unforeseen twists and turns. A job loss, a death, a difficult diagnosis, a child in serious trouble, a decision that shakes your family – we all will face life-altering situations. We will all ask, “What do I do now?” “Where do we go from here?” “How will I cope with this?” It’s pretty unnerving to not know what’s up ahead. I understand this uncertainty very well. As I pray and seek God’s Word, these are the promises I’m clinging to.
God is my guide along the way – “[The Lord] leads me…He guides me…” (Ps 23: 2, 3). God knows where I’m going – even if I don’t. He knows the path I must take and what challenges lie ahead. He knows the best place to cross the river and where to stop and rest for the night. I can follow Him with confidence because He is a good guide.
God is always with me – “The Lord your God will be with you where you go” (Jos 1:9). God knows I need the comfort of His presence as I make my way through unknown territory. He knows I will become anxious and I will have sad days. He also knows I will wander from the path if I lose sight of Him. He is carefully attentive to me, knowing when I need encouragement, strength, help and comfort.
God will provide along the way – “These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything” (Deut 2:7). As He guided them through the wilderness, God provided the Israelites with water (Exodus 15:22-25; 17:1-6), food (Ex 16:4; Num 11:31-32) and even kept their clothes from wearing out – for forty years (Deut 29:5). Jesus reminds me that my Heavenly Father knows all my needs, and is committed to providing all things for me if I will trust in Him (Matt 6:25-33).
I don’t know what uncertain path looms large before you, but God does. He has promised to be with you, to care for you, and to lead you all the way. To where? Your heavenly home. You and I may not be able to see what tomorrow holds, but we know Who holds tomorrow. Take His hand and let Him lead you, Beloved, He not only knows the way, He is The Way.

Resurrection Sunday

Happy Resurrection Day! It’s Easter Sunday and Jesus is alive! Death could not hold Him. The grave could not keep Him. It’s a day to shout the news from the mountaintops: Satan lost and Jesus won! Everything changed when the King arose.
If you’ve been around the church very long, you know this story well. It is the foundation of the Christian faith. But the Spirit has been teaching me to sit in the Scriptures and soak up what I tend to rush over in my familiarity.
There is one part of the Easter story that came alive to me several years ago when I first started writing out Scripture. It’s in John’s account of the resurrection in chapter 20. Mary Magdalene had gone to the tomb to grieve. She saw that the stone was rolled away and looked inside to discover that His body was gone. Two angels guarded the place where He had lain. I imagine her stumbling backward in confusion and fresh waves of grief. Through her tear-filled eyes, she sees a man, probably the gardener, she assumes. He approaches and asks, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for” (v. 15). She pleads for the body of her Lord. Then He calls her by name: “Mary.” And she knows. It is Jesus. He is alive! Heart pounding. Mind racing. Hands shaking. She answers: “Rabboni!” And all her grief turns to Joy.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in human history. Easter celebrates the day the Son of God rose from the dead and assured eternal life for all who would believe on Him. But in that quiet morning, Easter was very personal for one woman. Before the disciples and the rest of Israel would hear that Jesus had risen, Mary saw Him with her own eyes.
As you gather in places of worship today and listen to the old, old Easter story, hear it with fresh ears. Imagine yourself all alone in the garden early on that Sunday morning. Listen closely as the Lord calls out your name. Easter is for all the world, and it is just for you. May the Joy of the resurrection fill your heart today Beloved. He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Do You Believe the Bible?

Do you believe the Bible is the truth? The world will answer with a resounding “NO!” and I would expect no less. But I have heard and read many well-meaning (and often well-educated) religious people downplay what the Scriptures so plainly declare. They try to explain away clear text like the seven days of creation. They look for “logical” or “scientific” reasons for creation, the flood, the destruction of Jericho’s walls, or even the resurrection of Jesus. It is confusing at best and destructive at worst.
It’s not just the religious elite. It happens in the pews and the Sunday School classes –I heard a woman who had been in church most of her life say that Noah’s ark and Jonah’s whale were just fairy tales woven into the Bible – they didn’t really happen. If that is so, it begs the question, what else in the Bible didn’t really happen? Sadly, it even happens in the pulpit. I have heard pastors do a soft-shoe dance around clear teachings from the Bible condemning the culture’s favorite sins.
And I have even heard it from some of you. Oh, you believe the creation account, Noah’s ark, Jonah and the whale, and the glorious resurrection of Jesus. But you don’t believe God could never forgive all your sins. I see you, struggling under the weight of guilt and shame that Jesus left in the grave. I see you because I have been you.
And you doubt God’s love for you. Trust me when I say I used to feel the same way. Used to. Past tense. But then the Spirit gave me a revelation. If I am going to teach the faithfulness of God’s Word – if I proclaim that the Bible is true and trustworthy I must also believe when the Scripture says that God loves me with an everlasting, unfailing, never-ending, perfect, holy love. And so do you.
Above all I believe the Bible is true because of Jesus’ own words: “Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth” (John 17: 17). The Scriptures are trustworthy (Ps 8:28) – every jot and tittle. God’s Word cannot be true about some things and untrue about others. Beloved, you can rest yourself in the promise – God loves you. You can take Him at His Word.

Promises and Prophecies

Yesterday the weather prediction was for an 80% chance of rain. While my husband and I were out early running errands we got some misty sprinkles, and that was it for the day. NOAA recorded 0.08 inches of rain for the day. Somebody’s prediction was wrong. Predictions often fall short – prognostication is not an exact science. Ask Punxsutawney Phil.
That is why I am so thankful that the Bible is a book of promises and prophecies, not predictions. Whatever the Lord says will happen just as He declared. That is because He is operating from a position of sovereignty and providence. Those are words we don’t use much in our contemporary religion, but they are powerful and carry a rich and significant meaning. The word “sovereign” speaks to God’s rightful authority over every created thing – which covers everything that exists. Likewise, the word “providence” is speaking to God’s charge over everything He has made. I take great comfort in that.
We can see God’s supernatural hand in all through Scripture. The Lord promised Israel a land of their own and He gave them the Promised Land in Canaan – which is still their God-given territory no matter what men say. He prophesied exile in Babylon for Israel – and restoration after seventy years. Every word came to fulfillment. And He promised that, despite enemies, imprisonment, a shipwreck, and a snakebite, Paul would preach in Rome. Luke reported, “And so we came to Rome” (Acts 28:14). God does everything He declares.
When I come to passages that prophesy Christ’s return, I have one eye always looking to the east, anticipating His appearance (Matt 24:27). One day He will break open the sky and it will roll back like a scroll (Rev. 6:14). He will set His feet on the Mount of Olives and it will be split in two “from east to west, forming a great valley” (Zec 14:4). “The Lord will be King over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His name the only name.” (v. 9).
Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon” (Rev 22:7). If you do not know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, that is a frightening prophecy, but if you are in Christ, His return is an exciting promise. Beloved, you can take Him at His Word; He is on His way. Will you join me in declaring, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).