This year is an election year, and though every time an election occurs people say that "This is the most important election of our time" this one very well could be. The President has an agenda that he seems bent on carrying out at all costs. And his agenda could very well be the end of America as we know it. But this blog is not about politics, and this post is not meant to be a political post. Instead I want to share the answer for America.
For a long time we've listened to men campaign for the office of President. They make all kinds of promises, most of which they probably have no intention of fulfilling, and then whoever is better at convincing the people that they can fix the issues, is elected to serve a four year term. Recently they haven't been doing that great of a job. And do you know why? Democrats don't have the answers. Know what? Neither do Republicans.
The answer for America can't be found with either political party, or an independent. It isn't found in Tolerance, or Coexistence, as bumper stickers try to push that agenda. It isn't found with the liberal or conservative. All of them offer their plan, they try to pass their agenda, but it never works. But I have the answer.
The answer for America is holiness.
The Bible says in Leviticus 11.44a, "For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy." God made us for a purpose. He created the world to work, and us to live in it, a certain way. That way is as holy people. We were made in the image of God, to fellowship with Him and reveal Him to the rest of creation as we cared for it. But sadly, we've drifted farther and farther away from holiness.
We live in a society that wants nothing to do with God. We say we are one nation united under Him is our pledge of allegiance, but there are people that want to remove that phrase from it because it is offensive. We see the words "In God We Trust" on every piece of our currency, but that too people want to remove because we really don't trust in God. We can't even say "Merry Christmas" anymore because we really don't want anything to do with God. And when we want nothing to do with God, what else can a President do but try to pass his own agenda at the people's expense?
The more we push God out, the less holy we become, the worse everything gets. Am I saying that if we turn back to God as a nation then everything will get better? Am I saying that had we as a nation been fully committed to God that September 11, Hurricane Katrina, and Sandy Hook wouldn't have happened? No. We live in a world that is cursed by sin. A world where sinnful people choose to do sinful things that cause death and destruction.
Holiness does not shield us from the results of sin, rather holiness molds us into the image of Christ. Jesus came to earth as man to show us how God would live life, giving us a model to follow, and then He died and rose again to empower us to live that model. Holiness is us living life as God would live life as a human.
Holiness seeks that best for all, not it's own agenda. Holiness loves all, and speaks the truth in love, not in angry condemnation. Holiness seeks to honor God in everything, even the hard times. Holiness helps mold us into Christlikeness. Holiness is the answer for America.
If we really want to see hope and change, then we must turn to the source of hope and allow Him to change us into holy people. If we want to change, and save, America then we must set aside our own agendas and begin living for His. His plan is for our best. His plan is for our greatest good. His agenda is for us to live life to the fullest. And it is only found in holiness.
America, our only hope is to turn back to God. It is only in being one nation under God, a nation that fully trusts in God. But the more we continue to push Him away the worse things will get. No human leader can make us holy, and therefore no human leader can fix the problems. Our only hope is found in God.
The answer is holiness.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Showing posts with label Holiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holiness. Show all posts
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Death=Birth
And we're back with another thought on death. In one of my previous posts on the subject I said that people fear death because they see it as an end, rather than a new beginning. This is a continuation of that thought.
I've been thinking about the birth of a baby for some time now, I have several friends who are expecting children, and as I've thought about the process of birth, I've noted many similarities between this life and the next. Jesus came to give us eternal life. We've somehow arrived at the conclusion that this is life that is only available to us once we reach the other side. It is life that goes on forever as believers spend eternity before the Throne of God. But this is an incorrect conclusion.
Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10.10). He came to give life, not just eternally, but presently. Around Christmas I wrote about how we need to see Christmas as the beginning of Jesus' life, a life lived to show us how to live as God would, and then He died on a cross so that we could live the way He modeled.
And so eternal life begins here and now. And so with that being said, death is not the end, but the beginning. Death=Birth.
Think of it this way. The moment you come to faith in Christ and experience the forgiveness of your sins, you have begun a new life. This would compare to the moment of conception. At that moment a baby is living being, with a soul and eternal destiny. But at this moment, a baby is not ready to enter the world.
Over the next nine months, give or take a few weeks, the baby grows and develops. Arms and legs form with hands and feet, fingers and toes. The heart begins to beat and pump blood. The brain forms as well as the other organs. The baby begins to move and stretch. It develops a personality that is unique. But it takes this time to develop before it is ready to enter the world.
As believers, we begin life with salvation, but we grow in holiness and mature so that we are ready to enter the next world. And then at the moment of death, we are born to real life, life as it was meant to be lived. It takes time for us to grow and develop in holiness, into Christlikeness. But at the end of the process we are ready to be born.
Hebrews 12.14 says, "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." Without holiness, no one will see God. We must be holy, we must grow in holiness. The journey to heaven is marked by growth in Christlikeness. The more we walk with Christ, the more holy we are to become. If we would see God, and be born into real life, we must grow and mature in holiness.
For the holy one, death is not the end, but a new beginning. Death=Birth.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
I've been thinking about the birth of a baby for some time now, I have several friends who are expecting children, and as I've thought about the process of birth, I've noted many similarities between this life and the next. Jesus came to give us eternal life. We've somehow arrived at the conclusion that this is life that is only available to us once we reach the other side. It is life that goes on forever as believers spend eternity before the Throne of God. But this is an incorrect conclusion.
Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10.10). He came to give life, not just eternally, but presently. Around Christmas I wrote about how we need to see Christmas as the beginning of Jesus' life, a life lived to show us how to live as God would, and then He died on a cross so that we could live the way He modeled.
And so eternal life begins here and now. And so with that being said, death is not the end, but the beginning. Death=Birth.
Think of it this way. The moment you come to faith in Christ and experience the forgiveness of your sins, you have begun a new life. This would compare to the moment of conception. At that moment a baby is living being, with a soul and eternal destiny. But at this moment, a baby is not ready to enter the world.
Over the next nine months, give or take a few weeks, the baby grows and develops. Arms and legs form with hands and feet, fingers and toes. The heart begins to beat and pump blood. The brain forms as well as the other organs. The baby begins to move and stretch. It develops a personality that is unique. But it takes this time to develop before it is ready to enter the world.
As believers, we begin life with salvation, but we grow in holiness and mature so that we are ready to enter the next world. And then at the moment of death, we are born to real life, life as it was meant to be lived. It takes time for us to grow and develop in holiness, into Christlikeness. But at the end of the process we are ready to be born.
Hebrews 12.14 says, "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." Without holiness, no one will see God. We must be holy, we must grow in holiness. The journey to heaven is marked by growth in Christlikeness. The more we walk with Christ, the more holy we are to become. If we would see God, and be born into real life, we must grow and mature in holiness.
For the holy one, death is not the end, but a new beginning. Death=Birth.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Holiness, that's the Point
I'm getting into that section of the Old Testament that most church going people probably never touch, 1 Kings-2 Chronicles. It contains a lot of history, names that are all but impossible to figure out how to begin to pronounce, and seemingly a lot of stuff that is irrelevant to modern day life. But on my quest to discover the heart of God this is territory that has to be searched because He's there, and I don't want to miss anything about Him.
I've brought a faithful companion along for this journey. A book that has been so helpful to this point. 66 Love Letters by Larry Crabb. The book takes a first person dialogue approach between the author and God, looking at what God is trying to say to all of us through the pages of Scripture.
His approach truly sees each book of the Bible as a love letter from God's heart to us. And with that in mind it shows us that no matter what the content of a particular book of the Bible, there is relevance for us today. There is something in it that we can learn from. There are things about God for us to observe and model.
1 Kings contains some incredible stories. We have the account of Elijah's life, and the amazing encounters He had with God. We see Solomon build the temple in Jerusalem, and when the Ark is brought in the glory of the Lord fills it and the priests are unable to enter and minister because of it. But we also see the kingdom of Israel divided, and a host of wicked leaders to care nothing about God and lead the people astray.
All of this comes down to the fact that the people neglected holiness. It begins with Solomon, see what Larry Crabb writes about what God is trying to say.
"Your desire to be effective, to depend on biblical principles for success in your family, church, career, and friendships, is legitimately strong. But when that desire is stronger than your desire to be holy and to depend o My power for becoming more like My Son, whether you succeed or fail in other ways, then you will not advance My plan, no matter how carefully you follow My principles or how much apparent success you enjoy. And you'll be especially vulnerable to serious sin."
He continues, "He (Solomon) wanted to effectively rule Israel according to My principles. And that was commendable. But his desire to be effective in handling, as you put it, all that life threw at him, was stronger than his desire to be holy in the middle of his difficult challenges. That was Solomon's mistake. When efficient management, especially when you're good at it, trumps holy living, the lack of holiness is either not recognized or is not seen as a terribly serious problem. Compromise, including using illegitimate pleasure to relieve stress, feels warranted. People with little concern for holiness often manage their families well, they sometimes lead prospering ministries, and many are successful in their careers. But the enter of My plan has nothing to do with well-managed families, ministries, or careers. When the enter of My plan is not the center of your hope, your interior world is unstable, and your soul is weakened."
"The power to manage life well never fills the depths of one's soul. It never provides the deep satisfaction I made you to enjoy. without the hope of holiness filling your soul, the need to fill yourself with something will lead to compromise that will seem necessary, even wise."
"Know this: prioritizing managerial efficiency over personal holiness opens the door to sin spinning out of control... leadership without a priority concern for personal holiness over effective management at best produces only outward success. It fails to engage the real battle in the human soul, between losing your life for Me or gaining your life without Me."
Hopefully since it's all in quotes and I said where it's from I didn't plagiarizer any of that.
Solomon set a tone that led to Israel in many senses falling apart. The nation was divided, and the people were on track to exile. God sent prophets to remind His people about the call to holiness, but it didn't last. One bad leader followed another, building on the wickedness of the previous king. Things got in the way and the leadership forgot about God. They forgot about seeking Him. The neglected holiness at the cost of the nation.
Holiness is the point. God has called His people to be holy as He is. Here is a biblical account of holiness that has been neglected. When we ignore holiness we ignore God. When we ignore Him we can't become like Him and therefor fall further away from Him. When we are full of head knowledge about God that never turns into a heart transformation of holiness, we miss the point. God doesn't want to enhance our lives, but to transform them into the image of His Son.
God calls us to be holy, and has made it possible for us to be holy. The Bible contains everything we need to know in order to become like Christ. It contains the instructions of holiness, both in models to follow and examples to avoid. We see how people honored God by obeying and pursuing Him, and how others disgraced Him by rejecting Him, or trying to use Him for their own gain.
God has called us to be holy. Holiness is the point. The Bible says in Hebrews 12.14, "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord" (NIV). Holiness is essential, and it is what God desires for all men.
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
I've brought a faithful companion along for this journey. A book that has been so helpful to this point. 66 Love Letters by Larry Crabb. The book takes a first person dialogue approach between the author and God, looking at what God is trying to say to all of us through the pages of Scripture.
His approach truly sees each book of the Bible as a love letter from God's heart to us. And with that in mind it shows us that no matter what the content of a particular book of the Bible, there is relevance for us today. There is something in it that we can learn from. There are things about God for us to observe and model.
1 Kings contains some incredible stories. We have the account of Elijah's life, and the amazing encounters He had with God. We see Solomon build the temple in Jerusalem, and when the Ark is brought in the glory of the Lord fills it and the priests are unable to enter and minister because of it. But we also see the kingdom of Israel divided, and a host of wicked leaders to care nothing about God and lead the people astray.
All of this comes down to the fact that the people neglected holiness. It begins with Solomon, see what Larry Crabb writes about what God is trying to say.
"Your desire to be effective, to depend on biblical principles for success in your family, church, career, and friendships, is legitimately strong. But when that desire is stronger than your desire to be holy and to depend o My power for becoming more like My Son, whether you succeed or fail in other ways, then you will not advance My plan, no matter how carefully you follow My principles or how much apparent success you enjoy. And you'll be especially vulnerable to serious sin."
He continues, "He (Solomon) wanted to effectively rule Israel according to My principles. And that was commendable. But his desire to be effective in handling, as you put it, all that life threw at him, was stronger than his desire to be holy in the middle of his difficult challenges. That was Solomon's mistake. When efficient management, especially when you're good at it, trumps holy living, the lack of holiness is either not recognized or is not seen as a terribly serious problem. Compromise, including using illegitimate pleasure to relieve stress, feels warranted. People with little concern for holiness often manage their families well, they sometimes lead prospering ministries, and many are successful in their careers. But the enter of My plan has nothing to do with well-managed families, ministries, or careers. When the enter of My plan is not the center of your hope, your interior world is unstable, and your soul is weakened."
"The power to manage life well never fills the depths of one's soul. It never provides the deep satisfaction I made you to enjoy. without the hope of holiness filling your soul, the need to fill yourself with something will lead to compromise that will seem necessary, even wise."
"Know this: prioritizing managerial efficiency over personal holiness opens the door to sin spinning out of control... leadership without a priority concern for personal holiness over effective management at best produces only outward success. It fails to engage the real battle in the human soul, between losing your life for Me or gaining your life without Me."
Hopefully since it's all in quotes and I said where it's from I didn't plagiarizer any of that.
Solomon set a tone that led to Israel in many senses falling apart. The nation was divided, and the people were on track to exile. God sent prophets to remind His people about the call to holiness, but it didn't last. One bad leader followed another, building on the wickedness of the previous king. Things got in the way and the leadership forgot about God. They forgot about seeking Him. The neglected holiness at the cost of the nation.
Holiness is the point. God has called His people to be holy as He is. Here is a biblical account of holiness that has been neglected. When we ignore holiness we ignore God. When we ignore Him we can't become like Him and therefor fall further away from Him. When we are full of head knowledge about God that never turns into a heart transformation of holiness, we miss the point. God doesn't want to enhance our lives, but to transform them into the image of His Son.
God calls us to be holy, and has made it possible for us to be holy. The Bible contains everything we need to know in order to become like Christ. It contains the instructions of holiness, both in models to follow and examples to avoid. We see how people honored God by obeying and pursuing Him, and how others disgraced Him by rejecting Him, or trying to use Him for their own gain.
God has called us to be holy. Holiness is the point. The Bible says in Hebrews 12.14, "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord" (NIV). Holiness is essential, and it is what God desires for all men.
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
The Journey to New Life, Destination
"When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth.' The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Unbind him, and let him go.'" John 11.43-44.
The journey to new life has a happy ending, as all journeys with God ultimately do. But the thing to notice is that this journey to new life turns into the journey of new life. This is not the end, but merely a new beginning.
For some new life is salvation, the forgiveness of sin through the grace and mercy of God by the blood of Christ. For salvation we call on the name of Jesus, and begin to follow Him. We have hope in Him because of the promises that He has made, and we invite Him to heal the wounds of the past. We move into the future obediently serving Him with the new life that He has given us.
But salvation is not the end of the journey, merely the beginning of a new life lived in relationship with Christ. I've shared this quote countless times, "You are pardoned to participate." We are set free from sin to join the work that Jesus started. His last words on earth were a commission to make more disciples. When we enter into a relationship with Him, we receive that same commission on our lives. And so a new journey begins.
For some new life is sanctification, or holiness, the filling with God's Holy Spirit for cleansing and empowerment. We call on Jesus to take us deeper, to make us more like Him. We follow Him as He leads us into deeper intimacy with Him. We have hope in Him because of the work that He has already done in us, and we invite Him to continue to transform us and mold us into His likeness. We obey Him more because it is our desire to please Him and live for Him. And here, the journey continues towards Christlikeness.
Paul said in Philippians 3, "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Paul knew that the end of each journey was simply the beginning of a new one, and that the journey to Christlikness is one that is never complete until we reach heaven. "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself." (Philippians 3.20-21).
The journey to new life is not the ending point, but a new starting point. After Lazarus is raised Jesus tells the people there to "unbind him and let him go." Lazarus has been given new life so that he can live it fully for the glory of God. God gives us new life so that we can glorify Him with it. That is the point of the journey, so that God may be glorified. We saw in the very beginning that God works in His timing on in His own way for His glory. He gives us new life at the end of the journey so that we can take that life and begin the next journey for Him.
We are given new life to live. Another quote that I've shared countless times says, "The glory of God is man fully alive." Death is not from God, but life is. God is glorified when we live life to the fullest, but that is only possible when we receive new life from Him. We can only live a life that glorifies God by receiving the life that He created us to have.
The journey doesn't end in this life, but with this life. As long as we have breath we are to constantly strive for more of God, for deeper intimacy with our Lord, Creator, and Savior. We are never done, we must continue to "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
The journey to new life has a happy ending, as all journeys with God ultimately do. But the thing to notice is that this journey to new life turns into the journey of new life. This is not the end, but merely a new beginning.
For some new life is salvation, the forgiveness of sin through the grace and mercy of God by the blood of Christ. For salvation we call on the name of Jesus, and begin to follow Him. We have hope in Him because of the promises that He has made, and we invite Him to heal the wounds of the past. We move into the future obediently serving Him with the new life that He has given us.
But salvation is not the end of the journey, merely the beginning of a new life lived in relationship with Christ. I've shared this quote countless times, "You are pardoned to participate." We are set free from sin to join the work that Jesus started. His last words on earth were a commission to make more disciples. When we enter into a relationship with Him, we receive that same commission on our lives. And so a new journey begins.
For some new life is sanctification, or holiness, the filling with God's Holy Spirit for cleansing and empowerment. We call on Jesus to take us deeper, to make us more like Him. We follow Him as He leads us into deeper intimacy with Him. We have hope in Him because of the work that He has already done in us, and we invite Him to continue to transform us and mold us into His likeness. We obey Him more because it is our desire to please Him and live for Him. And here, the journey continues towards Christlikeness.
Paul said in Philippians 3, "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Paul knew that the end of each journey was simply the beginning of a new one, and that the journey to Christlikness is one that is never complete until we reach heaven. "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself." (Philippians 3.20-21).
The journey to new life is not the ending point, but a new starting point. After Lazarus is raised Jesus tells the people there to "unbind him and let him go." Lazarus has been given new life so that he can live it fully for the glory of God. God gives us new life so that we can glorify Him with it. That is the point of the journey, so that God may be glorified. We saw in the very beginning that God works in His timing on in His own way for His glory. He gives us new life at the end of the journey so that we can take that life and begin the next journey for Him.
We are given new life to live. Another quote that I've shared countless times says, "The glory of God is man fully alive." Death is not from God, but life is. God is glorified when we live life to the fullest, but that is only possible when we receive new life from Him. We can only live a life that glorifies God by receiving the life that He created us to have.
The journey doesn't end in this life, but with this life. As long as we have breath we are to constantly strive for more of God, for deeper intimacy with our Lord, Creator, and Savior. We are never done, we must continue to "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Holiness, the Result of Grace
This morning I finished the book of Leviticus on my study through the Bible looking for God. At the beginning I made the comment that in Leviticus God is teaching His people how to worship Him. Now that I've finished it this time through I've seen it in the light of holiness. Close to a dozen times in the book God calls His people to be holy because He is holy. In Leviticus we see God's standard for His people to follow and live by.
As I read through the book I was overwhelmed by all of it. There are so many rules and guidelines, so many standards that God's people are specifically called to follow. All of the details are laid out. As I read it I wondered how anyone could remember all of it. There are so many things that must be done in an exact way. As I read I began to think, how could anyone do this? How could anyone keep all of these rules? How could anyone be holy?
I think in this we see the grace and power of God. We see the character of God, holy and perfect. To be God's people we are called to live at the same standard that He does. We are called to the standard of holiness that God lives at. And that standard is one that we are unable to reach on our own. Leviticus is complicated. I think it's that way to show us a glimpse of how holy God is. It shows us that we could never live at His standard on our own. And because of His grace, we don't have to.
We just celebrated Easter a few days ago. Jesus came to earth to die and pay the price for sin and to rise victoriously from the dead as Lord over sin, death, and Hell. But more than that Jesus came to show us how to live God's way. Jesus came to show us how to be holy as God is. Jesus set an example for us to follow.
Leviticus is full of laws, and Jesus says that the greatest commandments are to love God and love others. That on these two hang every other one. Jesus simplifies holiness so that we can grasp it. It's much easier to remember two things than twenty-seven chapters of complicated, and I'll be honest, dry, boring and repetitive, rules. Jesus says love God and love others. He sums it up, but that doesn't take away from the need of holiness. It doesn't change the impossibility of it. Holiness is still only possible through the grace and power of God.
And so when Jesus left this world He sent another, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is here with us now, cleansing us of the desire for sin, and empowering us to be holy. Holiness is possible through the grace of God. Holiness is the result of Grace. It is only in God's grace that we can become holy. God is holy, and He invites us to share in His holiness. God, through the power of His Holy Spirit, makes us holy.
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
As I read through the book I was overwhelmed by all of it. There are so many rules and guidelines, so many standards that God's people are specifically called to follow. All of the details are laid out. As I read it I wondered how anyone could remember all of it. There are so many things that must be done in an exact way. As I read I began to think, how could anyone do this? How could anyone keep all of these rules? How could anyone be holy?
I think in this we see the grace and power of God. We see the character of God, holy and perfect. To be God's people we are called to live at the same standard that He does. We are called to the standard of holiness that God lives at. And that standard is one that we are unable to reach on our own. Leviticus is complicated. I think it's that way to show us a glimpse of how holy God is. It shows us that we could never live at His standard on our own. And because of His grace, we don't have to.
We just celebrated Easter a few days ago. Jesus came to earth to die and pay the price for sin and to rise victoriously from the dead as Lord over sin, death, and Hell. But more than that Jesus came to show us how to live God's way. Jesus came to show us how to be holy as God is. Jesus set an example for us to follow.
Leviticus is full of laws, and Jesus says that the greatest commandments are to love God and love others. That on these two hang every other one. Jesus simplifies holiness so that we can grasp it. It's much easier to remember two things than twenty-seven chapters of complicated, and I'll be honest, dry, boring and repetitive, rules. Jesus says love God and love others. He sums it up, but that doesn't take away from the need of holiness. It doesn't change the impossibility of it. Holiness is still only possible through the grace and power of God.
And so when Jesus left this world He sent another, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is here with us now, cleansing us of the desire for sin, and empowering us to be holy. Holiness is possible through the grace of God. Holiness is the result of Grace. It is only in God's grace that we can become holy. God is holy, and He invites us to share in His holiness. God, through the power of His Holy Spirit, makes us holy.
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Forgotten God
I have recently finished Crazy Love by Francis Chan, and I have been challenged by it in so many ways. And at the same time it's been a huge blessing. Reading the someone else thinks the same way about things that I do has been a huge faith builder, and encouragement to keep going. It's been an affirmation that the stuff I'm thinking, and reading in the Bible, the way I'm understanding it, is what God is trying to show me.
At the end of the book Francis says something that really made me think in a new way.
"What really keeps me going is the gift and power we have been given in the Holy Spirit. Before Christ left this earth, He told His disciples, 'I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment... When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.' -John 16.7-8, 13
The disciples must have been shocked by the idea that it was for their good that Jesus was leaving. What could possibly be better than having Jesus by your side? Wouldn't you rather have Jesus physically walking next to you all day than have the seemingly elusive Holy Spirit living in you?
Our view of the Holy Spirit is too small. The Holy Spirit is the One who changes the church, but we have to remember that the Holy Spirit lives in us. It is individual people living Spirit-filled lives that will change the church." (Chapter 10, The Crux of the Matter, p. 171)
How much do we neglect the Holy Spirit? Our focus is predominately on Jesus, and then the rest is focused on God the Father. As I read those words in Crazy Love it hit me that so much of my preaching, teaching and prayer is focused on Jesus and God the Father with complete neglect for the third member of the Trinity. God exists in three parts, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each member is fully God, I realize it's a difficult concept to grasp, and even more difficult to try and explain. Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias, has one of the best explanations of the Trinity I've heard,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kreSbagj_RM
God exists in three parts, but is united as one God. In the Old Testament we see predominately God the Father. In the Gospels we have Jesus the Son. In Acts we see the coming of the Holy Spirit, who remains to this day. Why do we neglect Him? We pray to the Father, but only through the power of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 6.18a, "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit,". We are called to be holy as God is holy (Leviticus 20.7). Jesus came to show us how to live life. God's desire is for us to become like Christ (Romans 8.29) Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28.19-20). But this is only accomplished through the Holy Spirit. Acts 1.8, "but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
The Holy Spirit is the one who helps us become holy, He empowers us to live above the power of sin and for the glory of God. The Holy Spirit guides us into Christlikeness, and empowers us to be witnesses to make disciples. The Holy Spirit empowers us to pray to God. The Holy Spirit lives in us, guides us, empowers us, encourages and helps us as we live life as servants of God. Yet so often we refuse to acknowledge Him, and instead focus solely on Jesus and God the Father. He really is the Forgotten God.
I talked with a pastor friend a few weeks ago about reading Crazy Love, and he said I should read all three of Francis Chan's books in a row. Crazy Love has been on my to read list for a while now, but the only reason I picked it up is because my wife had a copy of it. I have a pile of books waiting to be read, and I made a rule for myself that I can't buy any new books until I've read the ones I have. I've broken that rule a few times, and just bought the other two books by Francis. I'm preparing to start Forgotten God today. The subtitle is, "Reversing our tragic neglect of the Holy Spirit."
As I quoted at the beginning, "Our view of the Holy Spirit is too small. The Holy Spirit is the One who changes the church, but we have to remember that the Holy Spirit lives in us. It is individual people living Spirit-filled lives that will change the church." The Holy Spirit is the one who will work through us and transform the Church to what God has called it to be. But He works through the lives of the people of God.
God, forgive me, and all of us, for neglecting Your Holy Spirit. May we acknowledge Him as God, and live in the power He seeks to give us as we live for your glory.
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
At the end of the book Francis says something that really made me think in a new way.
"What really keeps me going is the gift and power we have been given in the Holy Spirit. Before Christ left this earth, He told His disciples, 'I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment... When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.' -John 16.7-8, 13
The disciples must have been shocked by the idea that it was for their good that Jesus was leaving. What could possibly be better than having Jesus by your side? Wouldn't you rather have Jesus physically walking next to you all day than have the seemingly elusive Holy Spirit living in you?
Our view of the Holy Spirit is too small. The Holy Spirit is the One who changes the church, but we have to remember that the Holy Spirit lives in us. It is individual people living Spirit-filled lives that will change the church." (Chapter 10, The Crux of the Matter, p. 171)
How much do we neglect the Holy Spirit? Our focus is predominately on Jesus, and then the rest is focused on God the Father. As I read those words in Crazy Love it hit me that so much of my preaching, teaching and prayer is focused on Jesus and God the Father with complete neglect for the third member of the Trinity. God exists in three parts, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each member is fully God, I realize it's a difficult concept to grasp, and even more difficult to try and explain. Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias, has one of the best explanations of the Trinity I've heard,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kreSbagj_RM
God exists in three parts, but is united as one God. In the Old Testament we see predominately God the Father. In the Gospels we have Jesus the Son. In Acts we see the coming of the Holy Spirit, who remains to this day. Why do we neglect Him? We pray to the Father, but only through the power of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 6.18a, "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit,". We are called to be holy as God is holy (Leviticus 20.7). Jesus came to show us how to live life. God's desire is for us to become like Christ (Romans 8.29) Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28.19-20). But this is only accomplished through the Holy Spirit. Acts 1.8, "but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
The Holy Spirit is the one who helps us become holy, He empowers us to live above the power of sin and for the glory of God. The Holy Spirit guides us into Christlikeness, and empowers us to be witnesses to make disciples. The Holy Spirit empowers us to pray to God. The Holy Spirit lives in us, guides us, empowers us, encourages and helps us as we live life as servants of God. Yet so often we refuse to acknowledge Him, and instead focus solely on Jesus and God the Father. He really is the Forgotten God.
I talked with a pastor friend a few weeks ago about reading Crazy Love, and he said I should read all three of Francis Chan's books in a row. Crazy Love has been on my to read list for a while now, but the only reason I picked it up is because my wife had a copy of it. I have a pile of books waiting to be read, and I made a rule for myself that I can't buy any new books until I've read the ones I have. I've broken that rule a few times, and just bought the other two books by Francis. I'm preparing to start Forgotten God today. The subtitle is, "Reversing our tragic neglect of the Holy Spirit."
As I quoted at the beginning, "Our view of the Holy Spirit is too small. The Holy Spirit is the One who changes the church, but we have to remember that the Holy Spirit lives in us. It is individual people living Spirit-filled lives that will change the church." The Holy Spirit is the one who will work through us and transform the Church to what God has called it to be. But He works through the lives of the people of God.
God, forgive me, and all of us, for neglecting Your Holy Spirit. May we acknowledge Him as God, and live in the power He seeks to give us as we live for your glory.
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Holiness Expected, Holiness Possible
Holiness is expected. Leviticus 19.2b says, "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy." God calls us to be like Him. He has extended grace to His people and once that grace is received the expectation is be dead to sin. Jesus tells the woman caught in adultery in John 8, "Go. From now on sin no more." In John 5 He tells the man who has been healed from thirty-eight years of lameness, "Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore,”
Paul said in Romans 6.11-14, "Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace." and then again in Galatians 5.1, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."
God has freed us from sin through the blood of Christ, and through the Holy Spirit offer cleansing from the desire to sin, and empowerment to live above sin. As God's people we are called to live as God would live; Jesus came to show us how. God didn't create us for sin, but for holiness. Jesus came and lived the life that we were all created to live. And we see God's expectation for holiness in the book of Leviticus. Yes, that statement, "Be holy for I am Holy" is there in chapter nineteen, but the theme of holiness is seen much earlier in the book.
In chapter four the heading is "The Law of Sin Offerings." In this we see the grace and mercy of God. We are sinful, but God refuses to abandon His people to sin, and offers them a way to be forgiven. Sin is serious, and to pay for sin, death is required as Romans 6.23 tells us. God made a way for an animal to be sacrificed for the sins of the people. A pure, spotless, perfect animal could be killed to make atonement for sin. And in Jesus, the perfect, spotless, Lamb of God, the final offering for sin was paid.
Sin is part of our world, and God has arranged for atonement to be made, but once atonement has happened, God's desire is holiness. If you look at Leviticus 4 you'll notice that is says, "if... sins,” That word "if" is used, not "when" but "if". IF it happens, IF you sin, then this is how you make atonement for it. But the word used is "if". We do not have to sin. We, once forgiven, are expected to live in holiness.
Holiness is expected, and therefore holiness is possible.
Jesus came to offer the final sacrifice of Himself for the sins of the world. Once we accept His salvation the journey to holiness begins. Holiness is not absolute perfection. Holiness is not the loss of our ability to sin. Holiness is not anything we do for ourselves.
Holiness is accomplished by embracing God. Holiness is done through the power of the Holy Spirit. As we live our lives as forgiven people we grow closer to God. And as we seek to know God more He reveals Himself to us. He pours out His Holy Spirit on His people. And as we are filled with the Holy Spirit our desire for God and the things of God, overpowers our desire for sin. We always have the choice to sin, we always have the ability to do what is contrary to God, but as we are filled with the Holy Spirit our desire is to please God and to live for God. Our desire is to be holy as He is holy.
God calls us to be holy, because He is and we are His people. And anything God calls us to, He will empower us to do. In Philippians 2.13 it says, "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Philippians 1.6 states, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." and in 1 Thessalonians 5.23-24 declares, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."
Holiness is expected. Holiness is possible. Be holy as the Lord your God is holy.
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
Paul said in Romans 6.11-14, "Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace." and then again in Galatians 5.1, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."
God has freed us from sin through the blood of Christ, and through the Holy Spirit offer cleansing from the desire to sin, and empowerment to live above sin. As God's people we are called to live as God would live; Jesus came to show us how. God didn't create us for sin, but for holiness. Jesus came and lived the life that we were all created to live. And we see God's expectation for holiness in the book of Leviticus. Yes, that statement, "Be holy for I am Holy" is there in chapter nineteen, but the theme of holiness is seen much earlier in the book.
In chapter four the heading is "The Law of Sin Offerings." In this we see the grace and mercy of God. We are sinful, but God refuses to abandon His people to sin, and offers them a way to be forgiven. Sin is serious, and to pay for sin, death is required as Romans 6.23 tells us. God made a way for an animal to be sacrificed for the sins of the people. A pure, spotless, perfect animal could be killed to make atonement for sin. And in Jesus, the perfect, spotless, Lamb of God, the final offering for sin was paid.
Sin is part of our world, and God has arranged for atonement to be made, but once atonement has happened, God's desire is holiness. If you look at Leviticus 4 you'll notice that is says, "if... sins,” That word "if" is used, not "when" but "if". IF it happens, IF you sin, then this is how you make atonement for it. But the word used is "if". We do not have to sin. We, once forgiven, are expected to live in holiness.
Holiness is expected, and therefore holiness is possible.
Jesus came to offer the final sacrifice of Himself for the sins of the world. Once we accept His salvation the journey to holiness begins. Holiness is not absolute perfection. Holiness is not the loss of our ability to sin. Holiness is not anything we do for ourselves.
Holiness is accomplished by embracing God. Holiness is done through the power of the Holy Spirit. As we live our lives as forgiven people we grow closer to God. And as we seek to know God more He reveals Himself to us. He pours out His Holy Spirit on His people. And as we are filled with the Holy Spirit our desire for God and the things of God, overpowers our desire for sin. We always have the choice to sin, we always have the ability to do what is contrary to God, but as we are filled with the Holy Spirit our desire is to please God and to live for God. Our desire is to be holy as He is holy.
God calls us to be holy, because He is and we are His people. And anything God calls us to, He will empower us to do. In Philippians 2.13 it says, "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Philippians 1.6 states, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." and in 1 Thessalonians 5.23-24 declares, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."
Holiness is expected. Holiness is possible. Be holy as the Lord your God is holy.
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
Monday, March 19, 2012
Leviticus, Where Bible Reading Plans End
One book of the Bible that is frequently neglected is Leviticus. It's a book full of lists and instructions about sacrifices, cleansing from skin diseases, and purification after a variety of circumstances. Many who start a one year Bible reading plan often stop here due to the content that seems dry and pointless to our lives in the twenty-first century. So why is it included in Scripture?
In college I took a class called Worship in the Christian Tradition. It was a lot of work, a lot of reading, note taking, long essay tests, but it was one of the most rewarding classes of my collegiate career. The first day of class the professor told us one of the only things I remember word for word from school, "Worship is a trusting, obedient, response to the word of God." So often we put worship into the box of singing, praying, Bible reading, and church attendance. We often refer to the person leading music on Sunday morning as the worship leader. We've compartmentalized "worship" into the spiritual actions we perform on Sunday morning, or maybe if we've become a little more open minded, to our personal quiet time with God. But worship is so much more than that.
If worship is a response to the word of God, then everything in life is an opportunity to worship. Every choice made in life is either a decision to worship or failure to. Worship is so much more than singing in church. A life that is formed into Christlikeness and lives for the glory of God is a life of worship. Worship is an essential part of life.
And so we come back to Leviticus. The book takes place after the nation of Israel has been released from slavery in Egypt. God sent Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and bring them to worship God as He led them to the Promised Land. At one point in the conversations with Pharaoh he gives permission for the people to go but there is this contingent in Exodus 10. "Then Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, 'Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you.' But Moses said, 'You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice them to the LORD our God. Therefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we shall take some of them to serve the LORD our God. And until we arrive there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve the LORD.'"
Pharaoh says "Go, but your animals must stay." And Moses responds, "We need them all in order to serve God. We don't know what He requires." At this point, the people had been enslaved for over 400 years. They knew of God and that they were children of Abraham, but they no longer knew how to worship God. They had passed down the stories of Abraham, and all that God had done for him and promised him, but they hadn't worshiped Him as Abraham had in over four centuries. They don't know how to worship God, and so they need to have all of their animals in order to be prepared to worship God.
The book of Leviticus is God teaching His people how to worship Him. It is God showing His people what He requires. We see something incredible about God in this. He must be worshiped because He is Holy and He alone is worthy to be worshiped. We are unworthy to worship God because of sin, but God invites us to worship Him, and delights in the worship we give Him. And God teaches us how to worship Him. He doesn't leave the Israelites to figure it out, He doesn't make them wonder, "Are we doing this right? Is God pleased?" He directly tells the people what to offer and how to offer it for each occasion.
But Leviticus isn't just an irrelevant book of sacrificial ritual instructions. It is a book the foreshadows Jesus, and the final sacrifice He offered on the cross. My professor said frequently, "The New [Testament] is in the Old [Testament] concealed; the Old is in the New revealed." In every book of the Bible there is a for shadowing of Jesus, and the salvation He brings. In Genesis it is Issac, the son of promise, and Joseph the savior of Egypt and His family. In Exodus it is Moses, the deliverer; and here it Leviticus Jesus is seen in the sacrificial rituals.
Dr. Larry Crabb came out with a book a few years ago called, 66 Love Letters. He sees each book of the Bible as a letter from God to us, and the book is written out of his conversations with God about the stories found in each of the sixty-six books of the Bible.
In the chapter on Leviticus it says this,
"All twenty-seven chapters of Leviticus are written to let you know that relationship with Me [God] is always the issue that trumps every other concern, and that relating to Me will always, always, be on My terms. So many people miss that- they identify their needs, then wive Me as a God who wants them satisfied and happy before I deal with their unholiness. But because I love them- and you -I've made a way for you to revolve your life around Me as your first thing. Everything else- your marriage, your checkbook, your self-esteem, your cancer- is a second thing. When the first thing (namely, Me) is in first place in your life, every second thing will be yours to enjoy... I have a plan to get you there, to make you holy. And that's what Leviticus is all about: the requirement that you be holy in order to be close to Me."
He says, "The toughest part of My plan, the part that's costliest to Me, is to make you holy...You don't yet realize that distance from Me is the most lethal problem you have."
God wants us to be Holy. God wants us to be like Him. In worship we draw close to Him, and the closer we are to Him the more we know Him and can become like Him. Jesus came to show us what God is like, and to show us how God would live. In Jesus we have a life of worship modeled, and we are called to become like Christ.
The book of Leviticus shows us Jesus, the perfect sacrifice that makes the sacrificial laws of Leviticus obsolete. But the sacrifice of Jesus calls us a life of holiness, that is fully focused on God and our relationship with Him. Leviticus is a book of worship.
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
In college I took a class called Worship in the Christian Tradition. It was a lot of work, a lot of reading, note taking, long essay tests, but it was one of the most rewarding classes of my collegiate career. The first day of class the professor told us one of the only things I remember word for word from school, "Worship is a trusting, obedient, response to the word of God." So often we put worship into the box of singing, praying, Bible reading, and church attendance. We often refer to the person leading music on Sunday morning as the worship leader. We've compartmentalized "worship" into the spiritual actions we perform on Sunday morning, or maybe if we've become a little more open minded, to our personal quiet time with God. But worship is so much more than that.
If worship is a response to the word of God, then everything in life is an opportunity to worship. Every choice made in life is either a decision to worship or failure to. Worship is so much more than singing in church. A life that is formed into Christlikeness and lives for the glory of God is a life of worship. Worship is an essential part of life.
And so we come back to Leviticus. The book takes place after the nation of Israel has been released from slavery in Egypt. God sent Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and bring them to worship God as He led them to the Promised Land. At one point in the conversations with Pharaoh he gives permission for the people to go but there is this contingent in Exodus 10. "Then Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, 'Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you.' But Moses said, 'You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice them to the LORD our God. Therefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we shall take some of them to serve the LORD our God. And until we arrive there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve the LORD.'"
Pharaoh says "Go, but your animals must stay." And Moses responds, "We need them all in order to serve God. We don't know what He requires." At this point, the people had been enslaved for over 400 years. They knew of God and that they were children of Abraham, but they no longer knew how to worship God. They had passed down the stories of Abraham, and all that God had done for him and promised him, but they hadn't worshiped Him as Abraham had in over four centuries. They don't know how to worship God, and so they need to have all of their animals in order to be prepared to worship God.
The book of Leviticus is God teaching His people how to worship Him. It is God showing His people what He requires. We see something incredible about God in this. He must be worshiped because He is Holy and He alone is worthy to be worshiped. We are unworthy to worship God because of sin, but God invites us to worship Him, and delights in the worship we give Him. And God teaches us how to worship Him. He doesn't leave the Israelites to figure it out, He doesn't make them wonder, "Are we doing this right? Is God pleased?" He directly tells the people what to offer and how to offer it for each occasion.
But Leviticus isn't just an irrelevant book of sacrificial ritual instructions. It is a book the foreshadows Jesus, and the final sacrifice He offered on the cross. My professor said frequently, "The New [Testament] is in the Old [Testament] concealed; the Old is in the New revealed." In every book of the Bible there is a for shadowing of Jesus, and the salvation He brings. In Genesis it is Issac, the son of promise, and Joseph the savior of Egypt and His family. In Exodus it is Moses, the deliverer; and here it Leviticus Jesus is seen in the sacrificial rituals.
Dr. Larry Crabb came out with a book a few years ago called, 66 Love Letters. He sees each book of the Bible as a letter from God to us, and the book is written out of his conversations with God about the stories found in each of the sixty-six books of the Bible.
In the chapter on Leviticus it says this,
"All twenty-seven chapters of Leviticus are written to let you know that relationship with Me [God] is always the issue that trumps every other concern, and that relating to Me will always, always, be on My terms. So many people miss that- they identify their needs, then wive Me as a God who wants them satisfied and happy before I deal with their unholiness. But because I love them- and you -I've made a way for you to revolve your life around Me as your first thing. Everything else- your marriage, your checkbook, your self-esteem, your cancer- is a second thing. When the first thing (namely, Me) is in first place in your life, every second thing will be yours to enjoy... I have a plan to get you there, to make you holy. And that's what Leviticus is all about: the requirement that you be holy in order to be close to Me."
He says, "The toughest part of My plan, the part that's costliest to Me, is to make you holy...You don't yet realize that distance from Me is the most lethal problem you have."
God wants us to be Holy. God wants us to be like Him. In worship we draw close to Him, and the closer we are to Him the more we know Him and can become like Him. Jesus came to show us what God is like, and to show us how God would live. In Jesus we have a life of worship modeled, and we are called to become like Christ.
The book of Leviticus shows us Jesus, the perfect sacrifice that makes the sacrificial laws of Leviticus obsolete. But the sacrifice of Jesus calls us a life of holiness, that is fully focused on God and our relationship with Him. Leviticus is a book of worship.
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Holiness
The big thing for the Church of the Nazarene is holiness. We are a holiness denomination. It's called by many different names, sanctification, Christlikeness, Christian perfection, to name a few. But it all comes down to the same thing, growth in grace to become more like Christ and go deeper in our relationship with God. Holiness is about life transformation.
Holiness is essential. Leviticus 11.44a, "For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy." God commands us to be holy. We are God's people, we reflect Him, and so we need to be like Him, to look like Him and act like Him. We must be Holy because our Father and Master is holy.
Look at Exodus to Deuteronomy, these books are filled with God telling His people that they, and all they own, build, and work on, is Holy because it is God's and that they are His people. Holiness is essential for those who belong to God. Hebrews 12.14, "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." The NIV says, "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." In order to see God we must be holy.
Holiness is not absolute perfection. Sanctification is not the inability to sin. Though there are some who will claim that it is. Sanctification is being set aside for God's use. It is being cleansed from a desire to sin, not the ability, and that desire for sin is replaced by a desire for God. It comes after salvation, where we are cleansed of the stain and guilt of sin. Holiness takes us deeper and makes us more like Christ. It transforms us into the image of Jesus, Romans 8.29-30, "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."
God created us to be holy, and many feel that they can't be. I think part of this is due to a false understanding of holiness. And I think part of it is failing to realize that we don't make ourselves holy. Leviticus 21.8b, says, "for I the LORD, who sanctifies you, am holy." God is the one who sanctifies us. The blood of Christ washes us from sin, and the life that Jesus lived is our example of holiness, He is the model we are to imitate. The Holy Spirit works in our lives to help us become more like Christ.
Holiness is not an option, it is essential, because without it we will not see God. If our lives are not transformed into the image of Christ, we cannot see God because if we don't look like Christ we look like us, a sinful human being. Holiness is life transformation, and that is what Jesus came to accomplish. He talks all through the Gospel of John about giving eternal life. Eternal life is not something that must wait for heaven, it is available now, because it is holiness. It is a life transformation that God has made possible. God is holy. Jesus serves as our example of holiness, He shows us what God is like, and the Holy Spirit works in our lives to make us holy.
That is the point of Christmas. God loved the world that He sent His only Son to save the world as John 3.16 tells us. Jesus came to earth to show us what God is like, and to pay for sin. Jesus came to die and rise again so that we could be cleansed from sin and begin this journey of holiness. And He sent the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, so that we could become a holy people.
This whole post started with me talking to myself about how every sermon needs to be a holiness sermon. And when we see that holiness is about life transformation to mold us into the image of Christ, we see that holiness is the reason we preach. It is all about holiness.
Peace be with you
Holiness is essential. Leviticus 11.44a, "For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy." God commands us to be holy. We are God's people, we reflect Him, and so we need to be like Him, to look like Him and act like Him. We must be Holy because our Father and Master is holy.
Look at Exodus to Deuteronomy, these books are filled with God telling His people that they, and all they own, build, and work on, is Holy because it is God's and that they are His people. Holiness is essential for those who belong to God. Hebrews 12.14, "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." The NIV says, "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." In order to see God we must be holy.
Holiness is not absolute perfection. Sanctification is not the inability to sin. Though there are some who will claim that it is. Sanctification is being set aside for God's use. It is being cleansed from a desire to sin, not the ability, and that desire for sin is replaced by a desire for God. It comes after salvation, where we are cleansed of the stain and guilt of sin. Holiness takes us deeper and makes us more like Christ. It transforms us into the image of Jesus, Romans 8.29-30, "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."
God created us to be holy, and many feel that they can't be. I think part of this is due to a false understanding of holiness. And I think part of it is failing to realize that we don't make ourselves holy. Leviticus 21.8b, says, "for I the LORD, who sanctifies you, am holy." God is the one who sanctifies us. The blood of Christ washes us from sin, and the life that Jesus lived is our example of holiness, He is the model we are to imitate. The Holy Spirit works in our lives to help us become more like Christ.
Holiness is not an option, it is essential, because without it we will not see God. If our lives are not transformed into the image of Christ, we cannot see God because if we don't look like Christ we look like us, a sinful human being. Holiness is life transformation, and that is what Jesus came to accomplish. He talks all through the Gospel of John about giving eternal life. Eternal life is not something that must wait for heaven, it is available now, because it is holiness. It is a life transformation that God has made possible. God is holy. Jesus serves as our example of holiness, He shows us what God is like, and the Holy Spirit works in our lives to make us holy.
That is the point of Christmas. God loved the world that He sent His only Son to save the world as John 3.16 tells us. Jesus came to earth to show us what God is like, and to pay for sin. Jesus came to die and rise again so that we could be cleansed from sin and begin this journey of holiness. And He sent the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, so that we could become a holy people.
This whole post started with me talking to myself about how every sermon needs to be a holiness sermon. And when we see that holiness is about life transformation to mold us into the image of Christ, we see that holiness is the reason we preach. It is all about holiness.
Peace be with you
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Why He Came
This past Sunday I preached out of John 6.1-21, the feeding of the 5,000 and the walking on water. At the end of the service we took communion. I hadn't really planned what I was going to say for it, I found myself in one of those situations where I just trusted God would give me something.He did, but sadly I can only remember bits and pieces of it.
The people wanted Jesus as their King because He had feed them. They saw in Him, someone who could meet their needs. They had no interest in His way or the plan of God, they simply wanted Him because He had filled their bellies with bread. And these same people who now wanted to make Him King, would in a little over a year cry out for His crucifixion. Jesus knew that they only way they could ever really be satisfied was to have His body be broken for their sin. He had to take the punishment that their sin, and ours, deserved. He allowed His body to be broken so the world could freedom from sin.
But it wasn't enough for sin to deal out it's punishment, it had to be paid for. For that His blood had to be shed. Death was the only thing that could pay for sin. Romans 6 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Jesus couldn't simply take the punishment for us, He had to purchase us back.
The cross was the whole reason that He came to earth. On Christmas Eve during college I did something most people probably wouldn't do. I watched The Passion of the Christ. It was during college that I finally began to get it. The cross what why Jesus came. Jesus came to be King, but not one who was elected by popular vote; He came to be crucified that way. He came not to compromise and save the world by becoming like the world; but to life the world up to His level, to call the world to a higher standard, a higher quality of life.
Jesus came so that we could have life abundantly (John 10.10). He came to earth to show us how God would have us to live, to show us what God is like, and to make it possible for us to live in relationship with Him. Jesus came to bring us back to God, and to help us live as God would live life.
As December begins and the countdown to Christmas really starts, let's not forget the real reason we celebrate this time. God came down to save a lost and dieing people. He came to take our punishment, to buy us back, and to transform us into the people He created us to Be. Jesus made it possible for us to be Holy, for us to be Christlike. That is what we celebrate when we take communion. That is what we remember at Christmas.
Peace be with you
The people wanted Jesus as their King because He had feed them. They saw in Him, someone who could meet their needs. They had no interest in His way or the plan of God, they simply wanted Him because He had filled their bellies with bread. And these same people who now wanted to make Him King, would in a little over a year cry out for His crucifixion. Jesus knew that they only way they could ever really be satisfied was to have His body be broken for their sin. He had to take the punishment that their sin, and ours, deserved. He allowed His body to be broken so the world could freedom from sin.
But it wasn't enough for sin to deal out it's punishment, it had to be paid for. For that His blood had to be shed. Death was the only thing that could pay for sin. Romans 6 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Jesus couldn't simply take the punishment for us, He had to purchase us back.
The cross was the whole reason that He came to earth. On Christmas Eve during college I did something most people probably wouldn't do. I watched The Passion of the Christ. It was during college that I finally began to get it. The cross what why Jesus came. Jesus came to be King, but not one who was elected by popular vote; He came to be crucified that way. He came not to compromise and save the world by becoming like the world; but to life the world up to His level, to call the world to a higher standard, a higher quality of life.
Jesus came so that we could have life abundantly (John 10.10). He came to earth to show us how God would have us to live, to show us what God is like, and to make it possible for us to live in relationship with Him. Jesus came to bring us back to God, and to help us live as God would live life.
As December begins and the countdown to Christmas really starts, let's not forget the real reason we celebrate this time. God came down to save a lost and dieing people. He came to take our punishment, to buy us back, and to transform us into the people He created us to Be. Jesus made it possible for us to be Holy, for us to be Christlike. That is what we celebrate when we take communion. That is what we remember at Christmas.
Peace be with you
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Fit for Service
2 Timothy 2.20, "Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor."
It's one of those verses I never really understood, and didn't really care to look at to find the meaning. But yesterday my study of 2 Timothy took me there.
The Church is a large house, consisting of a lot of people. And in the church there are people who are the real deal. Christians who truly can claim that title. Those who do everything out of a love for God, and desire nothing but to become more like Christ. Everything they do is done out of love for God and so that they can become more like Christ. These are the gold and silver vessels. They are fit to be used for the service of God, the greatest honor there is.
These people are the fine dishes that you use for the holidays and family gatherings. The best plates that you take care of, because they were handed down to you from your grandmother. These are the plates that you use for the special occasions, and make sure they don't chip or break, because they have history and meaning.
But then there are other dishes. The ones you use everyday that you bought at goodwill or a garage sale. These dishes if they break you notice, but it doesn't hurt you that it's gone. Not all people in the church are genuine. Some people don't live up to the name they claim.
I read somewhere that people don't live up to it because they don't really believe it. If we truly believe something we have to live by it, we can't just proclaim it. What we truly believe transforms us.But in the church there is a mixture of people, and some of them are simply proclaimers.
2 Timothy 2.21, "Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." This should be the goal for all member of the Church. To be cleansed from impurities to be used by God for service.
Barclay said this, "No Christian should ever think of being fit for honour but always being fit for service." The Church is to serve, the members of the Body of Christ are to serve.
May we become vessels of honor. Let our motivation be an unquenchable love for God and for others. Let us always be fit for service so that we can be used by the Master.
Peace be with you
It's one of those verses I never really understood, and didn't really care to look at to find the meaning. But yesterday my study of 2 Timothy took me there.
The Church is a large house, consisting of a lot of people. And in the church there are people who are the real deal. Christians who truly can claim that title. Those who do everything out of a love for God, and desire nothing but to become more like Christ. Everything they do is done out of love for God and so that they can become more like Christ. These are the gold and silver vessels. They are fit to be used for the service of God, the greatest honor there is.
These people are the fine dishes that you use for the holidays and family gatherings. The best plates that you take care of, because they were handed down to you from your grandmother. These are the plates that you use for the special occasions, and make sure they don't chip or break, because they have history and meaning.
But then there are other dishes. The ones you use everyday that you bought at goodwill or a garage sale. These dishes if they break you notice, but it doesn't hurt you that it's gone. Not all people in the church are genuine. Some people don't live up to the name they claim.
I read somewhere that people don't live up to it because they don't really believe it. If we truly believe something we have to live by it, we can't just proclaim it. What we truly believe transforms us.But in the church there is a mixture of people, and some of them are simply proclaimers.
2 Timothy 2.21, "Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." This should be the goal for all member of the Church. To be cleansed from impurities to be used by God for service.
Barclay said this, "No Christian should ever think of being fit for honour but always being fit for service." The Church is to serve, the members of the Body of Christ are to serve.
May we become vessels of honor. Let our motivation be an unquenchable love for God and for others. Let us always be fit for service so that we can be used by the Master.
Peace be with you
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Goal for the Christian
What is the ultimate goal that followers of Christ strive to attain? Many would probably say something along the lines of getting to Heaven and spending eternity in the presence of God. This idea is presented heavily in churches that I have attended, not always explicitly, but this is the general idea I pick up from the places I've been.
It's an idea that is presented in many songs. I look at hymns like, Wayfaring Stranger, "I'm just a poor wayfaring stranger traveling through this world of woe, but there's no sickness no toil no danger in that bright world to which I go. I'm going there to see my father, I'm going there no more to roam." The song, When we all get to Heaven, "When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory." There are many others that point to this idea of, "Let's just hold on, one day we will get to Heaven which is the goal."
I don't want to sound like I'm bashing the hymns, that is not my intention at all. I love them, they are full of so much great Theology, and I believe they truly are a treasure we can not afford to lose. But I think we've lost sight of the true goal, of what we are supposed to be striving for.
Heaven is a wonderful place, but I don't believe that Heaven is our goal. When God first created the world it was perfect, there was no sin, no death, and therefore no need for us to have heaven because the world was perfect. The goal was never to leave the earth, and I don't want to get into a discussion about my views of where Heaven is, but the purpose for us was never to die, and therefore Heaven wasn't what we were to strive for. And I honestly don't think anything else has changed.
Romans 8.28-30 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."
Here we are told that everything will work for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. It is not that everything works for good because we love God, it works for good because we are following the purpose of God. Next we see that we are called to be conformed to the image of his son. The word predestined, according to William Greathouse, refers to an invitation, not an order, God did not select some to become like Christ and others not to, he makes the offer to everyone, but because of love God does not force it upon anyone. It is a plan, not a script. So we are predestined to become like Christ, only after that does glorification happen, and glorification would be Heaven. So the goal is not heaven, the goal is becoming more like Christ.
Paul says, in Philippians 3, how he has counted everything as loss compared to knowing Christ. He talks about how he will share in Christs suffering, and even his death because he will be raised to a new life in Christ. He says that he is forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to the goal, the prize of the upward call of God. This call is not to make it through life to get to Heaven, the call is to become like Christ.
I really believe that is the true goal, that is the true purpose, to become like Christ. Heaven will be great, and I can't wait to get there. I can't wait to see Jesus, to fall at his feet and say thank you, if I'm even able to speak at all. But I don't want to live my life waiting for Heaven, and I don't think I'm supposed to. I want to be more like Jesus, every day I want to become more like him. That is what this is all about.
Peace be with you
It's an idea that is presented in many songs. I look at hymns like, Wayfaring Stranger, "I'm just a poor wayfaring stranger traveling through this world of woe, but there's no sickness no toil no danger in that bright world to which I go. I'm going there to see my father, I'm going there no more to roam." The song, When we all get to Heaven, "When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory." There are many others that point to this idea of, "Let's just hold on, one day we will get to Heaven which is the goal."
I don't want to sound like I'm bashing the hymns, that is not my intention at all. I love them, they are full of so much great Theology, and I believe they truly are a treasure we can not afford to lose. But I think we've lost sight of the true goal, of what we are supposed to be striving for.
Heaven is a wonderful place, but I don't believe that Heaven is our goal. When God first created the world it was perfect, there was no sin, no death, and therefore no need for us to have heaven because the world was perfect. The goal was never to leave the earth, and I don't want to get into a discussion about my views of where Heaven is, but the purpose for us was never to die, and therefore Heaven wasn't what we were to strive for. And I honestly don't think anything else has changed.
Romans 8.28-30 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."
Here we are told that everything will work for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. It is not that everything works for good because we love God, it works for good because we are following the purpose of God. Next we see that we are called to be conformed to the image of his son. The word predestined, according to William Greathouse, refers to an invitation, not an order, God did not select some to become like Christ and others not to, he makes the offer to everyone, but because of love God does not force it upon anyone. It is a plan, not a script. So we are predestined to become like Christ, only after that does glorification happen, and glorification would be Heaven. So the goal is not heaven, the goal is becoming more like Christ.
Paul says, in Philippians 3, how he has counted everything as loss compared to knowing Christ. He talks about how he will share in Christs suffering, and even his death because he will be raised to a new life in Christ. He says that he is forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to the goal, the prize of the upward call of God. This call is not to make it through life to get to Heaven, the call is to become like Christ.
I really believe that is the true goal, that is the true purpose, to become like Christ. Heaven will be great, and I can't wait to get there. I can't wait to see Jesus, to fall at his feet and say thank you, if I'm even able to speak at all. But I don't want to live my life waiting for Heaven, and I don't think I'm supposed to. I want to be more like Jesus, every day I want to become more like him. That is what this is all about.
Peace be with you
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