Twelve Delights of Thanksgiving

We have the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Introducing the Twelve Delights of Thanksgiving (and no, I am not referring to your 12 favorite foods adorning the dining room table at your family dinner).

At Thanksgiving dinner we sit down at tables heavy laden with delectable delights for our physical bodies. Here we are setting a table heaven laden with delectable delights for our spiritual lives.

This list is an effort to aid followers of Christ in participating more in the short, five word statement of one aspect of God’s will for us: "...give thanks in all circumstances!" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Nine of the twelve are causes of thanksgiving…three are the effects of thanksgiving…all are part of us developing the attitude of gratitude…the heart of thanksgiving.

Delight #1: Salvation through the blood of Christ

• 1 Corinthians 10:16 - "Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ?"

Delight #2: Victory through the resurrection of Christ

• 1 Corinthians 15:57 - "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." This is the culmination of Paul's great chapter on Christ's resurrection.

Delight #3: Christian family & friends

• Ephesians 1:16 - "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
  
• Philippians 1:3 - "I thank my God every time I remember you."

Delight #4: The peace of Christ ruling our hearts.

• Colossians 3:15 - "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."

Delight #5: – Praise & worship

• 1 Chronicles 29:13 - "Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious Name."
• Psalm 100:4 - Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.

Delight # 6: The foundation of prayer

• Nehemiah 11:17 - "Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer..."
• Philippians 4:6 - "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
• Colossians 4:2 - "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."

Delight #7: – Singing & music

• Nehemiah 12:27 - "At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres."
• Psalm 95:2 - "Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song."

Delight #8: Positive impact on others

• Overflowing - 2 Corinthians 4:15 - "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God."
• Generosity - 2 Corinthians 9:11 - "You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

Delight #9: The goodness of the Lord

• 1 Chronicles 16:34 - "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."

Delight #10: God’s unfailing love and His wonderful deeds toward us

• Psalm 107:8 - "Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men..." This is repeated in verses 15, 21 & 31

Delight #11: Food (this has to be on our thanksgiving list!)

• 1 Timothy 4:3,4 - "They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving..."

Delight #12: Receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken

• Hebrews12:28 - "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe..."

Now that is a feast! I am so full I think that dessert will have to wait.

May thanksgiving continue to grow as a spiritual character quality in every follower of Christ.

Who Am I?

Every profound questions mankind wrestles with is found asked...and answered...in the Bible. There seems to be a concentration of these questions in the Book of Job. Another place we find quite a few probing questions is in the dialogue between God and Moses in the "Burning Bush" episode recorded in Exodus 3:1-4:17.

As the Lord places His call upon the life of Moses, the reluctant apointee registers five different reasons why, at least from his perspective, he is the wrong man for the job. The very first gets our attention here: "Who am I...?"

The Lord does not reply with some profound or esoteric philosophical gem of wisdom. Rather, He seems to ignore the question by showing Moses that he is missing the main point. It is not the identity of Moses that matters. It is the identity of God that is of great import. Here we find disclosed to Moses the Name most often used in the Old Testament: Yahweh or Jehovah. It is used almost 7000 times and is found in English Bibles as the word LORD with all capitals.

Now, add to Jehovah the Hebrew Name for God - Elohim (found 2300 times) - and His identity is even more heightened. Let's pile on one more Name. While the word is not found in this passage, the truth of its meaning is evident. Adonai - Almighty - found aboutr 450 times. Add up these numbers and you are just shy of 10,000. Place the three words together - Jehovah Elohim Adonai - and we have Lord God Almighty!

Who Moses is, who I am and who you are must be seen with the spotlight shining of Jehovah Elohim Adonai - the Lord God Almighty.

To make application of this in practical terms, we could say that the Lord God Almighty should be the First and the Last...The Beginning and the End...the Alpha and the Omega...or, in the English Alphabet, the A to Z.

Therefore "Who am I?" must be answered with Jehovah Elohim Adonai, the Lord God Almighty standing at center stage. Here is my A to Z of the person that I am and want to be becuase of the Lord God Almighty's work in and through me. I am...
...the ambassador for the Almighty
...the bringer of the Bible
...the captive of the Christ
...the disciple of the destroyer of death
...the evangelist of eternal life
...the forgiven of the Father in heaven
...the gossiper of the Gospel
...the herald of the heavenly message...the house of the Holy Spirit
...the impassioned worshipper of Immanuel
...the joy found in Jesus
...the kid of the King
...the liberated of the Lamb of God...the lame one now leaping
...the minsiter ofthe Messiah
...the namesake of the Name above all names
...the owned of the One and Only
...the property of the Prince of Peace
...the quick quoter of the Word of God
...the reprobate who is now redeemed
...the sinner who has been saved
...the traitor who has been transformed
...the united with the Unchangeable One....the utensil of the Uplifted One
...the validation of the victory in Jesus
...the witness of the Word of Life
...the yielded, so I say, Yes, Lord
...the zealot whose name is not Zephaniah

We may have the same questions that paralyzed Moses. We may have the same excuses that brought Mosos to the brink of yoin AWOL.

So, our Lord has the same words for us that He had for Moses:

• Jehovah Elohim Adonai will be with you!

• The Lord God Almighty is sending you!

Strengthened By the Name of the Lord

"I am a weakling!" All of the blog posts around the theme of 'strengthening' stem from the truthfulness of this declaration. Only when we firmly believe that we are weaklings will we be motivated to run as fast as possible to the Source of strength, our Lord Jesus Christ. Because Jesus always provides what we need for life and godliness, it should not surprise us that He has a number of avenues through which this strength is forthcoming. So far we have considered the avenues of His grace, His word and His joy.

Now, we turn our attention to being strengthened by the NAME of the Lord. The NAME of the Lord is part of God's daily provision that is essential in being able to live the victorious Christian life.

The word 'name' is found about 750 times in the New International Version. 500 of the 750 times the word is used with a direct reference to God - be it God the Father or God the Son. It is so used in 48 of the 66 books of the Bible. For a bit of trivia...in the Old Testament the book of Psalms wins for the highest number and in the New Testament the award goes to the book of Acts.

First, the NAME of the Lord is STRONG to SAVE! The first actions and sermons of the Christian church establish this priority in no uncertain terms.

• Peter said to the man crippled from birth, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the NAME of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" (Acts 3:6)
• When giving an explanation to how this man was healed, Peter declared, "By faith in the NAME of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong" (Acts 3:16)
• The crown jewel of this account is Peter addressing the rulers and elders who were trying to silence the apostles: "...know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the NAME of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised form the dead, that this man stands before you healed...Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no NAME under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:10,12)

We cannot be saved by our good deeds, our religious observances or our own moral superiority. All of our righteousness is filthy rags. The NAME of the Lord is strong to save.

Second, the NAME of the Lord is STRONG to PROTECT! This is true in both a passive sense and an active sense.

The passive protection is highlighted in Proverbs 18:10: "The NAME of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Once inside this tower, there is nothing for us to do. It is already done through His provision and His presence. How comforting and peaceful it is to hide behind the Name of the Lord in this strong tower.

Perhaps the best illustration of the active protection comes from the very familiar story of David and Goliath. Since it is so familiar, I am going to engage your interest with a quiz question: What was David's weapon in slaying Goliath? If you answered a sling shot and a stone, you are incorrect. I'll let David speak for himself in providing the correct answer. David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the NAME of the LORD Almighty..." (1 Samuel 17:45)

The spiritual battle is raging all around us. Fighting on our own power with our own weapons is a sure recipe for defeat and disaster. I declare to you on the authority of the Word of God...the NAME of the Lord is strong to protect.

Third, the NAME of the Lord Is STRONG for SPIRITUAL WORSHIP! Worship is seeing God from God's point of view. Worship is agreeing with God that the NAME of Jesus Christ is the NAME above all names! Worship is all about Jesus and His honor and not about us and our needs.

• Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess His NAME. Hebrews 13:15
• I will give thanks to the LORD because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the NAME of the LORD Mist High. Psalm 7:17
• I will bow down toward Your holy temple and will praise Your NAME for Your love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things You NAME and Your Word. Psalm 138:2

While we engage in the privilege and the celebration of worship, we are strengthened. The NAME of the Lord is strong for spiritual worship.

Take the Lord at His word and agree with His assessment. Without Him you can do nothing. But with Him all things are possible. Willingly, and often, declare your weakling status and run as fast as possible to the only Source of strength. You will find Him faithful as He strengthens you through the might and majesty of the NAME that is above every name: the NAME of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Not FORBIDDEN...But FRUITFUL

The Word of God is quite clear. It is not the Lord’s design that pain and suffering be forbidden in our lives. Rather, it is His design that it be fruitful. Human authors can help make this point. Ray Stedman writes, “God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our sufferings.” C.S. Lewis terms pain “God’s megaphone.”

Of course, the divine Author, Who inspired the Scriptures, speaks authoritatively and comprehensively. Before I list a couple of His statements, let me relate an episode from a few years back. During a causal discussion involving five of us, one pastoral colleague cautioned us to be careful about using clichés when ministering to people undergoing pain and suffering. Immediately following that statement, he proceeded to give a couple of examples. The second example of a cliché was, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him…” I was immediately flabbergasted and dumbfounded. This pastor had just labeled one of the most profound truths in the Bible as a cliché!

The Bible is never a cliché or a sound bite. Every verse is a true and significant revelation from the heart and mind of the Living God.

Many have already recognized that the above Bible verse labeled a cliché is Romans 8:28. Perhaps it has been a while since you read it in its context. Here it is:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified…Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:28-30,35,37-39

Here is one more profound truth statement from the Bible regarding pain, suffering and evil. Following a life in which his brothers sold him into slavery and he ended up spending quite a few years in prison, Joseph said to those very brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20

Indeed, we may wish that the Lord would forbid pain and suffering. We need to have a change in our spiritual mindset so that we can pray to our Heavenly Father, “Lord, I ask that this pain and suffering would be fruitful in conforming me more to the image of Christ, my Savior.”

Strengthened By the Joy of the Lord

If you are a regular Bible reader, your list of favorite verses continues to grow. I had a preacher-friend who, when asked the identity of his favorite verse, had a standard reply: "Whichever one I am preaching on this Sunday." One of my favorite verses provides the foundation for what I am writing about in this posting. It is the last sentence of Nehemiah 8:10: "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." What you are about to read would make a lot more sense if you opened your Bible and read the entire eighth chapter of Nehemiah.

The setting for this event is at the Watergate. Nehemiah proves that a great deal can be accomplished in a short period of time - in this case a little over two months. When he arrived in Jerusalem, he found a city and its people in great trouble and disgrace (this is, the absence of grace) and the wall and gates of Jerusalem in ruins.

Fifty-five days later, the walls were rebuilt and the gates were in place. Nehemiah had brought an amazing security renewal, political renewal and social renewal in the span of two months. But one major - and the most important - area that needed renewal and revival was still in critical condition.

Disgrace and the accompanying joylessness had the people in the doldrums. Nehemiah, being an astute follower of the Lord, knew that reforms without a solid spiritual underpinning would be very short lived. So plans were made for a very unique spiritual gathering. In fact, try this today and see how few attend.

A high wooden platform was constructed and the notice went out to the people, calling them to be in attendance by sunup (approximately 6 AM) on the first day of the next month. For six hours - until noon - Ezra, Nehemiah and the Levites read and explained the Word of God to the people. They made the Word of God clear be giving the meaning so that the people could understand its contents.

Up until that event, the Bible had been neglected, God had been put on the shelf and spiritual matters received only scant attention. This is a certain recipe for disgrace, joylessness and living in ruins.

At Watergate, the Spirit quickened the hearts of the people be initiating the response of repentance. Repentance is realizing that we are going our way (which is opposite of God's way), crying our to God for forgiveness and then making a U-turn by taking the beginning steps of active obedience. This first day ended with the Levites encouraging the people by saying, "This day is sacred to the Lord. Do not grieve, for he joy of the Lord is your strength."

On day two - the second day of the month - there was another gathering much like the day before. No music, no congregational dinner. Simply meeting to give careful attention to God's Word. They discovered that for generations they had been neglecting a festival commanded by Moses. We know it as the Feast of Booths. Immediately, the people went into action and obediently did exactly what they had just heard from God's Word. The episode ends with this telling postscript: And their joy was very great.

From centuries of disgrace and joylessness to very great joy in less than a week.

It really is very simple. However, for one very important reason, we have made the search for joy very difficult. No we have made it impossible. We are reaching for something that does not exist: The emotion of joy.

Joy is not an emotion. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. The main nourishment that we need for this fruit to grow and develop in our lives is the Bible. Read it, study it and put it into practice and joy will be yours. And along with joy, the Lord provides a hefty dose of spiritual strength that each of us weaklings desperately need.

Strengthened By the Word of the Lord

Is is impossible to overemphasize the importance of the Word of the Lord as a source of spiritual strength for our lives. Yet, in an increasingly undisciplined age, there is a growing apathy and casualness regarding the Bible among the very people who contend that the Bible is God's Word and that the Bible is important to them. Concerts, conferences and consumer-centered Christian books are the rage while the unopened Bible collects dust.

It is quite simple. To the degree that any one of us neglects the reading, studying, meditating and memorizing of Scripture, spiritual sluggishness and atrophy will be the order of the day. This discipline does not have the goal of simply increasing Bible knowledge, sort of a spiritual academic exercise. The goal, instead, is putting God's Word into practice in our lives. The goal is an increase in obedience. The goal is to be more and more conformed to the image of Christ in every area of our lives.

The Bible is necessary for spiritual strength because of...

...the authority of the Word of the Lord.

The final paragraph of the Sermon on the Mount is often quoted. But when it is, the postscript added by Matthew, is neglected. So, let's begin with this postscript:

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed as His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law (Matthew 7:28,29, emphasis added).

Now, for His sermon conclusion:

"Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who builds his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash" (Matthew 7:24-27).

The Premise: There are two, and only two, choices. Put God's Word into practice or not to put God's Word into practice.

The Promise: If you put God's Word into practice, when (not IF) the storms come, your house will stand. You will have the spiritual strength necessary.

The Prediction: If you do not put God's Word into practice, when (not IF) the storms come, your house will come crashing down. You will sadly discover that you do not have, in yourself, the strength, power and might to withstand the storms that come.

...the sufficiency of the Word of the Lord.

Because our Lord is all-sufficient for every life need and situation, we can trust that His Word is all-sufficient. Our Lord always works in, under and through His Word in our lives.

It, and it alone, is sufficient for SALVATION. "...how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15). The Bible, from cover to cover, proclaims the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Every other religion has a book that teaches that we earn our salvation by our good works.

It is sufficient for SANCTIFICATION. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness..." (2 Timothy 3:16). We don't mind the teaching and training. But the rebuking and correcting is another matter. The Word tells us that we need all four, like it or not.

It is sufficient to SATISFACTION. "...so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:17). Instantly, most will think of self-satisfaction. This plays into the consumer Christianity that has swept over the evangelical church. Such a perspective is not only wrong, it is dangerous. My life in Christ is not about me, my needs, my convenience, my priorities, my likes or dislikes. My life in Christ is about Him and His Lordship in my life and His Gospel and His glory. So, this is not satisfying ourselves, but our desire to live lives that are satisfying to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus was clear that our good deeds were to bring glory to our Father in heaven (see Matthew 5:16).

The prophet Amos predicts a day when the Lord will send a famine of hearing the Words of the Lord. I dread the arrival of that day.
The question for today is: Are you experiencing a self-imposed famine of the Word of God in your life? How much time and energy are you investing into this vital source of spiritual strength?

It is time to turn off the television, close your computer Internet connection, put down the novel or magazine, say no to this or that recreational activity. It is time to invest time into the timeless Word of God. Your spiritual life depends upon it.

Strengthened By the Grace of Our Lord

There is no shortage of adjectives and descriptive phrases that can be employed in front of the word 'grace.' Grace is multi-faceted and omni-dimensional. For our consideration today is the Biblical truth that we need to be strengthened by the grace of our Lord.

The last blog entry provided the overview about our need to be strengthened by the Lord, mentioning that there were numerous avenues the Lord uses in this important process. So far, I have identified 25 specifics in the Scriptures. This first one heads the list.

To set the stage, I remind you of three of the dimensions in God's supply of grace:

• Saving Grace: "For by grace you have been saved through faith..." (Ephesians 2:8). No amount of human effort, good works or religious deeds can earn for us a place in God's presence. Salvation is from start to finish a gift of God's grace.
• Standing in Grace: "...through Whom (Jesus) we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand" (Romans 5:2). Not only does the beginning point of our salvation depend on grace, but the ongoing certainty of our salvation is all of grace. We NOW stand in our spiritual lives by grace.
• Strong in Grace: To Timothy, Paul writes, "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:1). This strengthening grace is the provision of our Lord that is a necessity in living the victorious Christian life.
  

Grace provides spiritual strength for...

...the Pressure Points - Examine the immediate context preceding and following Paul's exhortation to Timothy mentioned above and you will discover that the aging apostle was facing numerous pressure points: ridicule, isolation, opposition, imprisonment, hardships, sin in the church. Paul had first hand experience regarding the strengthening power of God's grace seeing him through all of the pressure points of living in this fallen world.

...the Thorns - The 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 "thorn" episode is one of the most poignant recorded by Paul about his personal life. The thorn was simultaneously from Satan, yet under the jurisdiction of the Lord. Therefore, we know that the Lord designed it for Paul's good and God's glory. The issue is simple: Is Paul more useful (1) conceited without a thorn? OR (2) not conceited and with a thorn? His initial response was to get rid of the thorn as quickly as possible. Then the Lord changed Paul's mind when He said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" (2Corinthians 12:9). Paul went from pleading for the eradication of his thorn to boasting and delighting in his thorn. And here is the bottom line conclusion that each of us need to grasp: "For when I am weak, then I am strong!"

What strengthened Paul for his pressure points and his thorn? The strengthening power of God's grace.

• If you are ever to be saved, it will be only by God's grace.
• If your are NOW standing spiritually, it is only by God's grace.
• If you are TODAY spiritually strong, it is only by God's grace.

Admit you are a weakling. Then run as as fast as possible to the Source of strength. He alone can make you strong with the garce that is in Christ Jesus.

Calling All Weaklings

I am a weakling! I do not like being called a weakling...but I admit that I am a weakling. In and of myself, I am not strong. In terms of worldly wisdom, this is a negative admission. In terms of spiritual wisdom, this is a positive admission. But, before we delve into this matter, a point of clarification is needed. The opposite of strength is not weakness. I could not find an appropriate word to use to make my point, so I made up a new word. The opposite of strength is strengthless.

Why belabor this point? Simple: To remain Biblical in our discussion. The rather straightforward statement of Paul cannot be misintrerpreted: "For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9). He does not say that he was weak or used to be weak. He is weak. Admitting that fact is crucial. Our weakness is the very territory where God's strength becomes our possession. It is a good thing to recognize and admit our weakling status. Then, we are preapred to run as fast as possible to the source of strength.

There are quite a number of specific sources of spiritual strength available to us. We will consider them individually in subsequent posts. Here we consider the umbrealla that spreads out over all of God's provision of strength.

The world makes its attempts to provide strength. None of them ultimately work. Look around and you will see idols to the goddess of strength everywhere:

• Education will make you strong.
• Exercise will make you strong.
• Medical advancements will make you strong.
• Financial stability will make you strong.
• Government will make you strong.
• Man-centered religion will make you strong.

These idols are disintegrating right before our eyes. Towering above these toppling idols looms the Gospel, the Good News, the Word from the Lord:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." Ephesians 6:10

The strength we need for living victorious lives comes from the Lord and His mighty power. Reflect and meditate on this tremendous promise from the Word of God:

"Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;

they are ever praising You. Selah

Blessed are those whose strength is in You,

who have set their hearts of pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca (weeping),

they make it a place of springs...

They go from strength to strength,

till each appears before God in Zion."

(Psalm 84:4-7, emphasis added.)

It is the Lord who arms you with strength. Admit your weakness and run as fast as you can to the Lord to find your strength in Him. Even as a weakling, you can go from strength to strength. He is faithful and He will do it!

"Good Old Age"

Although it is happening less and less, every so often I am still referred to as the 'younger generation.' It is usually because of a current need that I find myself in a hospital room, or at the Hospice House or a nursing home. In my capacity, I am there to minister to an older person who is part of the Immanuel family. Invariably, I leave being the recipient of ministry from the person who has been the focus of my pastoral visit. The spiritual lessons that are often reinforced to me are worth passing on to others in the 'younger generation.'

First, those who know Christ as Savior and Lord can experience 'good old age.' In our current culture, youth and newness are two idols often worshipped. Thus, the atmosphere exists where old age seems to be a curse, a disease, or an unfortunate inevitable happening. If someone would just invent a pill that would allow us to age without getting old! The phrase 'old age' appears fifteen times in the Bible. Four of those times the phrase is preceded by a descriptive word. All four times the word is a positive word. Three times we read of 'good old age' and one time 'ripe old age.' That is exactly what the Bible says will happen to the righteous as they grow older.

"The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like the cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green,
to declare that the Lord is upright;
He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him."
Psalm 92:12-15

The second lesson is that followers of Christ can (and should) begin well, live well and die well. These saints who have reached a 'good old age' provide proof to us that faith in Christ works over the long haul of life, with is triumph and turmoil, with its delights and discouragements. It is as though with the weakening of the physical eyes there is a sharpening of spiritual vision.

What a joy to listen to Jane Evans, at the good old age of 87, explain to the nurse who is taking her vital signs, just how wonderful it is to know that Jesus Christ lives in her heart and that she is looking forward to soon being with Him in heaven. What confidence is expressed when Frank Gering, at the good old age of 96, said to his wife Polly, as she visited him in the Hospice House, "Polly, don't worry about me, I am marching to Zion." What a testimony they present. Still bearing fruit in old age, they are declaring that the Lord is their Rock! We are indeed surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses!

Back to the Basics

The March 2009 issue of a Christian newsletter that always has stimulating content included a human interest story of a man who was making a significant impact by discipling followers of Christ. The account includes an episode at a wedding reception where he saw four generations of spiritual descendants. This is the result of his commitment to challenge those he disciples to, in turn, disciple others.

In the middle of the article were two sentences that arrested my attention. They stopped me dead in my tracks. I read and reread those sentences again and again. My reaction: How true and how sad! Here they are: "In 1995, Ron left his role as pastor and joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ. He wanted to simplify his life and get back to what he calls the basics of the Christian faith: evangelism and discipleship."

Ron is right about the basics. The Bible is clear that the church is here for two major purposes:

• To present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to spiritually dead people who are currently destined for an eternity in hell, so that they might receive Christ, be made spiritually alive and have their destination changed to heaven.
  

• To use every means of grace to cause those who have received Christ to grow into spiritual maturity as disciplined followers of their Lord.
  

The sad part is the he was compelled to leave the pastorate so that he could major on these two Biblical essentials.

The church is not...

• ...a religious social club for making friends.
• ...a self-help group center for every 'felt need' that people have.
• ...a worship service filled with music and messages that make us feel good.
• ...a baby-sitting or child-care service where other adults are expected to build our kids self-esteem.
• ...an entertainment center for the latest fad.
  
• ...about me...my preferences...my opinions...my soap boxes.
  
• ...the place to leave to go to another church the minute something happens that I don't like.

The church is the Christ-centered, Bible-centered called out people of God who have been gloriously saved and are becoming more and more serious about Christ and the Bible.

Paul succinctly summarizes these two basics in 2 Timothy 3.

• Verse 15 - ...knowing the Scriptures which are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Evangelism is not friendship, silently living a life of good works in front of others or attending some type of religious activity. Evangelism is a Biblically comprehensive and Spiritually saturated presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Verses 16,17 - All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that followers of Christ become thoroughly equipped for every good work. Discipleship is the renewing of our minds, the changing of our hearts, the conforming of our wills consistent with the Lordship of Christ as presented to us in the Bible.
  

The basics! Christ and the Bible make the church unique. Knowing Christ as Savior and growing with Christ as Lord. Is it possible that, regarding these basics, the Lord who has saved us now needs to rebuke and correct us?

Subtracting in Order to Add

The followers of Christ at Immanuel Baptist Church are seeking to expand our participation in prayer. Most of us know more about prayer then we actually pray. The 33 Days of Fervent Prayer emphasis is seeking to increase our fervency and frequency in praying. Each day there is a Bible prayer read and a brief spiritual insight to consider. The Bible prayer for a recent entry was Psalm 51. Get your Bible and read it aloud now...before you read any further.

The spiritual insight to consider for this entry was the following excerpt from Jim Cymbala's book, Fresh Faith...

"If silver is contaminated with dross, it does no good just to add more ore to the pile. The silversmith will not be able to make something beautiful out of it, no matter how large the pile or how much effort is given. Something has to be removed. As long as impurities remain, the silver will not be shiny and smooth. We readily accept this truth in many areas, but spiritually we resist it.

"Many of us are quick to shout “Hallelujah” and celebrate God’s blessings. Others of us have a sound intellectual grasp of Bible doctrine. This is all good - but we can easily avoid the fact that all the noise and knowledge in the world will take us nowhere if there is unremoved dross in our lives. All the talking in the world won’t produce a godly life without the Lord’s intimate, ongoing
refining process in our hearts.

"Some of us are overextended financially. Others of us have a calendar that is way too busy. The only way to get healthy is to remove the indebtedness, to cut back the busyness. Whatever clutters our walk with God becomes the target of His purging process.

"So many of us think that the more we do and the more we acquire, the happier we will be. Wrong! This is why so many Christians do not see God’s purposes worked out in their lives. They can quote the Bible verse about the peace of God that passes all understanding, but don’t have life experience of what it means.

"Because God loves you, He will always be direct with you. He tells you the truth. He is absolutely ruthless in going after the things that spoil the flow of His grace and blessing into our lives. His process is to subtract in order to add. He will never make a treaty with our secret pockets of sin. 'That has to go,' He will insist. 'You cannot go on with that in your life. I cannot make a beautiful silver vessel with that dross still present.' We have to face the fact that, in order to be what God wants us to be, He will have to take away the things in our lives that don’t belong."

Ponder this truth and how it applies to your life. Then, have a session of prayer during which you ask the Lord to subtract the dross so that your purity increases.

(If you are interested in pursuing 33 Days of Fervent Prayer in your life, visit www.ibcwausau.org)

The Sufficiency of Christ

The sufficiency of Christ. These four words are coming to mind with increased frequency in my pastoral role and my personal life. I find myself voicing them again and again, be it in quiet dialogue with my Lord, or during times of pastoral interaction with people facing a wide variety of life's struggles or setbacks.

The sufficiency of Christ. These four words are far more than a spiritual sound bite or a religious placebo. They capture the essence of Christ's integrity and the foundation of our utter dependence upon Him. They cause us to rely on Christ's inexhaustible resources when our personal supply of strength all-too-quickly dissipates.

The sufficiency of Christ. These four words became the rallying cry of the apostle Paul as he battled a messenger of Satan, the thorn in the flesh sent to torment him. In response to Paul's thrice repeated request for the removal of the thorn, the Lord responded, "My grace is sufficient for you..." (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The sufficiency of Christ. I commend these four words to all of us as the foundation for our very spiritual survival. We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13). Jesus will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39). Jesus, Who began a good work in us, will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ (Philippians 1:6).

• To those battling cancer of fighting the ceaseless ravages of ongoing physical deterioration...Jesus is sufficient!
• To those striving to raise godly children in this increasingly godless, secularized and immoral age...Jesus is sufficient!
• To those suffering the loss of an unborn child or grieving the death of a spouse...Jesus is sufficient!
• To those being buffeted by the growing economic crisis and facing unemployment...Jesus is sufficient!
• To those who lovingly care for a person with special needs in your family...Jesus is sufficient!
• To those seeking to live a life of purpose and meaning in the midst of unending routine...Jesus is sufficient!
• To those who agonize over a loved one who neglects Christ and seems bent of personal destruction...Jesus is sufficient!
• To those facing a major life challenge and uncertain about what to do next...Jesus is sufficient!
• To all who desire to live a pure and holy life in following our Lord...Jesus is sufficient!

"Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God..." (2 Corinthians 3:4-6, ESV).

I trust that the main point has been sufficiently established.

Prayer Partners - Valuable Beyond Description

Recently I received an e-mail from a good friend in the church. He is a spiritually-minded man who understands the power and necessity of the ministry on encouragement. Although his e-mail was directed to me, you will benefit from this simple counsel of praying Scripture-centered prayers when interceding for others.

Hi Pastor Jim:

I hope that your day is being blessed by our Lord. I was thinking about your focus on prayer.

I am sure that many times you are asked to pray for others or just make that choice to do so. God's word teaches us how to intercede for others in Colossians 1:9-12: "We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light." This passage teaches us what to pray for and how to pray for others. Ask God that we (they)...

• ...be filled with the knowledge of His will. (Col. 1:9)
• ...walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (Col. 1:10)
• ...bear fruit in every good work (Col. 1:10)
• ...increase in knowledge of God (Col. 1:10)
• ...be strengthened with all power (Col. 1:11)
• ...joyously give thanks to the Father (Col. 11-12)

Our prayers do not have to be specific, but they do need to be full of faith, consistent, and according to God's will. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.

My prayer is that God blesses you abundantly as you pray for the flock, your family, and your loved ones and as you continue to serve IBC faithfully.

Dick Crump

Amazing Love

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31:3

In an uncertain world, God’s love is certain. Emotions are changeable, even fickle. That is why we rejoice that God’s love is as far above an emotion as the heavens are above the earth. God’s love is an action of His will that is expressed and validated at the cross of Jesus.

God’s love is personal. I have loved YOU. With the Lord, we are not a number. We are not lost in the crowd. The Lord’s personal knowledge of, and involvement in, our lives is a basic element of this covenant love.

God’s love is permanent. …with an EVERLASTING LOVE. Since God says what He means, and means what He says, we have the confidence that nothing can separate us from the love that is grounded in Jesus Christ.

God’s love is persevering. …I have drawn you with LOVING KINDNESS. Loving-kindness is an Old Testament equivalent for mercy. Mercy is God’s active love in the midst of our waywardness, frailty and sinfulness. Thank God that when we are unloving and unlovable, the Lord perseveres with His loving-kindness.

"O Lord, in a world that is so fickle and changeable, we rejoice in the certainty of Your love, through Jesus Christ. Amen"

What Should It Look Like Today?

Combine the idea that appearances are not important with the human desire to fit in with the crowd, and you end up with a culture that is becoming sloppily casual. Unfortunately, this mindset not only being applied to attire, it is also promoting the idea that followers of Christ can look and act like society at large. Any attempt to challenge this in the life of the church is likely to receive negative reaction. In fact, in the church I presently serve, shortly after I arrived, a dress requirement was instituted for those who lead in worship.

This was done because I had no desire to see a woman’s midriff or a man’s frayed jeans during worship, both of which were visible in my first weeks as pastor. Coupled with a high view of worship, which means bringing and giving God our best, a very basic dress code was developed. Well, the label of legalist was quickly forthcoming. Who did I think I was to establish expectations for the attire of those leading in worship! It seems that in our effort to become seeker sensitive and relevant, we have become more concerned with the opinion of our unbelieving culture than with the approval of our holy God.

Right from the start, the separation of God’s people from their unbelieving world is set forth in the Word of God. In Numbers 6 it is called “a vow of separation to the Lord.” A couple of specific and visible marks of this separation were to be fastidiously followed. First, evidently in those days, people drinking wine and fermented drink was very common. So, one mark of separation was to abstain from wine and fermented drink. Also, in those days, men evidently cut their hair, with the exact length unknown. So, a second mark of this vow of separation was no razor was to be used on his head.

There are two parts to this. They are ‘vow of separation’ and ‘to the Lord.’ The ‘to the Lord’ is the most important part, emphasizing the spiritual desire to please Him. The ‘vow of separation’ became the outward symbol and representation of the inward spiritual reality and desire. Make no mistake, abstaining from wine and allowing your hair to grow, does not in and of itself, provide any spiritual benefit today, or in the time period of Numbers.

The New Testament, in agreement with the Old, promotes the spiritual truth of separation. It is called being set apart, sanctified, holy.

• It is God’s will that you should be sanctified…For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 1 Thessalonians 4:1,7
• As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:14-16
• Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate,” says the Lord. 2 Corinthians 6:14-17a
  

Here is the question I am posing. What would this look like today? What should be some visible, observable characteristics that distinguish followers of Christ from the fallen world around us? Any list you make must be motivated by the spiritual desire to please Him through your actions. The actions themselves do not set you apart. Rather, since Christ has saved you and set you apart, your actions follow accordingly.

Maybe it is time to sit down in a quiet place with your Lord and your Bible with pen and paper in hand. If you need a place to begin, try Colossians 3. We are not called to fit in with the world. We are called to become more and more like Christ. A "vow of separation to the Lord" might just be in order.

That's a Good Question

Although I have answered the question scores of times, I find myself asking the exact same question. It is not because I do not believe my answer. Rather, it is because I need to hear the answer again and again in my life. The question usually arises when, reading through the Bible from cover to cover, the reader comes to Leviticus and its 27 chapters. The question: Why all the blood and the bloody details about the blood of the sacrifices?

The word ‘blood’ is used 78 times in Leviticus. And around these 78 occurrences, we have vivid and graphic details provided about what is to be done with the blood. Among the more graphic is the use of blood in the ordination of Aaron and his sons. Under the direction of the Lord, Moses took blood from the sacrificed animal and put some on the right ear, the thumb of the right hand and the big toe of the right foot on Aaron and each son being ordained to the priesthood. Then he sprinkled some blood on each side of the altar.

The answer to “why all the blood” is supplied by keeping in mind the central figure of each and every book of the Bible: Jesus! Every mention of the blood of animals used in sacrifice, as prescribed by God, is a picture and a prophecy of the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross. There is another phrase, used 18 times, in Leviticus that focuses even more on the shedding of blood. It is a phrase employed to describe what kind of animals were to be used for sacrifice and offering: without defect. We are “with defect,” or to say it another way, “with sin.” If you and I were without defect or without sin, no sacrifice would be necessary. That, however, is not the case, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Jesus is without defect, without sin. Therefore, He who knew no sin could become sin for us (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). By the way, lest we think the New Testament to be a little less bloody than Leviticus, be reminded that the blood of Christ is mentioned 42 times. It remains central in the New Testament because it is central to the Gospel and central to our salvation.

• ­In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace… Ephesians 1:7
• ­But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! Romans 5:8,9
• How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Hebrews 9:14
• For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:18,19

In the book The Cross Centered Life, C. J. Mahaney exhorts followers of Christ to preach the Gospel to themselves every day. This means we need more emphasis, not less, on the blood of Christ.

Why don’t you read the book of Leviticus some time during the next week? As you do, keep your thoughts and attention on the Cross and the shed blood of Jesus. Remember Aaron and his ordination? Thank the Lord that the blood of Christ is applied head to toe, so that our eternal destination is not hell, but heaven.

Now that is Good News!

Perspective...to See Clearly

The Lasik eye surgery I had almost a decade ago produced instantaneous and wonderful results. Sitting up in the room at the surgery center, I looked out the window and was amazed at the vivid clarity of my vision. Color and detail came flooding into my sense of sight with a brilliance I had long ago ceased to experience. Thankfully, my distance vision has maintained that 20/20 crispness over the intervening years.

Prior to the surgery, the doctor had been very straightforward in telling me that I would be trading my distance glasses for reading glasses. For a number of those years, his prediction was not immediately forthcoming. But then, slowly and gradually, my close range vision began to deteriorate, exactly as he had said would happen. For a while I managed that by stocking up on non-prescription and inexpensive reading glasses purchased at a local dollar store. Then, if I lost a pair, which seemed to happen with some frequency, I was only out a dollar.

With the passing of time, I grew more and more frustrated with the growing lack of clarity provided by my dollar solution. So I finally bit the bullet and went to the eye doctor for prescription reading glasses, which I am wearing as I am now sitting at my computer. They are bifocals, with specific intent. The lower half is for reading range and the upper half is for computer range. And, if I look above the glasses entirely to gaze out the window, I achieve clear distance vision. In effect, I experience trifocal vision. At each distance I can see clearly.

That is the precise definition of perspective: to see clearly.

Let’s apply this to our spiritual lives. Often, we use or hear the phrase, “We need to keep matters in perspective.” Translated, that means, “We need to keep seeing matters clearly.” The assumption of that statement is that we have, or at least one time had, matters in perspective. I did not say to the eye doctor, “Doc, help me to keep seeing clearly.” Rather, I said, “I am not seeing clearly and I need to and want to see clearly.”

We no not need to try to keep our perspective. We need to gain a new perspective, a Biblical perspective, a Christ-centered perspective. You see, the fall, our sin and our resulting selfishness produces a wrong, defective and even dangerous perspective. Why would we want to keep that! As followers of Christ, we should relish the idea for getting rid of it. The old nature does not require glasses. It requires that we recognize we are blind and need to receive the gift of sight. This is best summarized by the Biblical statement in 1 John 2:16, “For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.” We never had perspective in the first place.

If you and I are going to see clearly, as the Lord intended, it will only happen as use the vision provided through our salvation in order to see life through the lens of Biblical revelation and truth.

The Word of God tells us that the Gospel is necessary to “…to open our eyes and turn us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that we may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus” (Acts 26:18). Paul prays that the “eyes of our hearts might be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…” (Ephesians 1:18). Hebrews encourages us to “…fix our eyes on Jesus…” (12:2).

Wisdom, biblically defined, is to see life from God’s point of view and then reordering our lives accordingly. Do not seek your perspective. Do not seek the counsel from others about their perspective. Rather, seek the Lord’s perspective through regular, disciplined and diligent reading and study of the Word of God, thereby gaining a brand new perspective.

“But we see Jesus…” (Hebrews 2:9). This is better than trifocals. The perspective – the seeing clearly – you and I need and long for, is available. Spiritual vision is provided for us to enjoy, so that we might live to the glory and praise of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Are You Kidding Yourself?

Daily Bible reading is a daily essential for your spiritual life. There is no substitute. Nothing can, or should, take its place. There are a myriad of excuses used as to why people who say that the Bible is important to them, in reality, spend precious little time actually reading it. And every one is simply that...an excuse.


Having an established program to help develop the discipline of reading through the Bible each year is a necessity. Many followers of Christ have never read through the Bible from cover to cover, front to back, Genesis to Revelation, in the order established by the Holy Spirit. I encourage and challenge you to do this, beginning today. A daily reading guide is helpful in this endeavor. An excellent one is found on the following link: http://www.backtothebible.org/index.php/component/option,com_guides/category,15/

• If you frequently go an entire day without reading your Bible, do not kid yourself...the Bible is not important to you.
• If you spend a few minutes a day reading a devotional page entry that usually has one short verse at the top, do not kid yourself...the Bible is not important to you.
• If you think that you know the Bible well enough so that you don't need to spend significant time reading it, do not kid yourself...the Bible is not important to you.
• If you substitute reading a book by your favorite Christian author for reading the Bible, do not kid yourself...the Bible is not important to you.

By the way, I am not sounding this encouragement/challenge to you so that you will please your Lord by reading the Bible. Rather, it is because you absolutely, positively, unequivocally need to read the Word of God on a consistent, disciplined, regular basis for your spiritual health, growth and maturity.

• Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' " Mathew 4:4
• I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. PSalm 119:11
• All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16,17

A spiritual feast is at your fingertips. How sad it is when people are suffering through a famine when the Lord has supplied a feast. "They all ate and were satisfied" (Matthew 14:20) does not only describe those who were at the miracle of the loaves and fish, it describes everyone who partakes of the Bread of Life. Enjoy your meal! And make sure you eat again tomorrow.

The Craving We Should Crave

Knowing people care is a powerful spiritual resource that accompanies membership in the body of Christ. As a local church pastor, throughout the years, there have been many 'adoptive mothers' in my life. Their counsel and concern comes from the wisdom of the years and their desire for the best for me.

No area of my life has generated more motherly exhortations than my diet and eating habits. With my "Type A" personality, coupled with an engineering background and a near-phobia regarding the use of time, it is no secret that I am a structured and disciplined person. Except when it comes to dietary decisions and eating habits. For me, the four basic food groups are coke, red meat, ice cream and the all-inclusive 'junk food.' You can only imagine the kindly lectures that have come my way from my well-meaning adoptive moms. Just last night, upon arriving home at about 10 PM from a day that began at 6 AM, I made a bee-line to the kitchen for a 'well-deserved' treat following the long work day. Two cans of coke and a handful of homemade caramels later, my craving was satisfied for the time being and I was ready for a good night's sleep.

Cravings are real, universal and powerful. Placed in the lives of fallen people living in a fallen world, they become conduits for that which is harmful and destructive. But when Christ gets involved, cravings can be turned to that which is helpful and constructive.

The Bible uses the word 'craving' to address our spiritual lives. The myriad of spiritual side dishes, spiritual desserts and spiritual junkfood available to us presents a potentially serious problem. This problem pops up in Numbers 11. As we pick up the story, the Provider God had already acted by supplying food for the people as they began their trip from Egypt to the promised land. His supply, as always, was sufficient and continuous. Then, in Numbers 11:4, the inspired Word of God records, "The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing..." This craving featured a dissatisfaction with what the Lord had provided. We know this from the commentary on this episode provided in Psalm 106:14: "In the desert they gave way to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test."

The craving is not the problem. That which is being craved is the issue.

Peter presents the other side of this issue. "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." (1 Peter 2:2,3). In the context, it is clear that the pure spiritual milk is the 'living and enduring Word of God.'

Craving books about the Bible, craving positive feelings and emotions, craving the latest fad invading the church, etc. will lead to the decrease in the craving that is an essential for our spiritual life and well-being.

Do you crave the Word of God? If so, great. Keep feeding that craving and the craving will strengthen. If not, face the issue head-on right now through admitting, confessing and repenting. Turn away from the side-dishes, desserts and junk food. Turn to the spiritual nourishment that satisfies, strengthens and sanctifies.

I think that I might be sounding a bit like one of my adoptive moms. Maybe I need to go home and have a salad.

"Lord, grow and develop in me an insatiable craving for the pure spiritual milk of Your Word."

Sanitizing God

It is really a form of political correctness in the church. There is a general consensus floating around that God must be protected from bad press and must be kept a great distance from the disasters and evils of the world. This view so emphasizes the love of God (although this love is often only a glamorized human emotion type of love) that He certainly has nothing to do with all of the pain and misery all around us.


So, we sanitize God. This posture requires us to pick and choose those parts of the Bible we take seriously and those parts of the Bible we flee from like the plague. I saw this in action recently in a study I was leading with a group of young men as we were seeking to expose ourselves to the vitally important doctrine of the absolute sovereignty of God. God is fully and perfectly love and fully and perfectly wrath. He is fully and perfectly mercy and fully and perfectly justice. He brings glory to Himself through every act of righteousness and every act of evil. He brings glory to Himself through every soul entering heaven and every soul entering hell.


Some of the verses read nearly took away the breath of some around the table. Here are some of the verses too many of us think are among the plague-ridden:

• The Lord said to him (Moses), "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" Exodus 4:11
• Surely Your wrath against men brings You praise and the survivors of Your wrath are restrained. Psalm 76:10
• "I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord do all these things." Isaiah 45:7
• The Lord works our everything for His own ends - even the wicked for the day of disaster. Proverbs 16:4
• When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it? Amos 3:6
• What if God, choosing to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the objects of His wrath - prepared for destruction? What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the objects of His mercy - whom He prepared in adv acne for glory... Romans 9:22,23

God does not need to be sanitized. He does not need to be made politically correct. God does not need us attempting to make Him acceptable to our sensibilities.

God is to be revered, worshipped, honored and glorified. One of the main ways that we engage in each of these responses to Him is to take Him at His Word. God says what He means and means what He says.

Christianity is not to make God more like us. It is to conform us more and more to the image of His Son, and our Savior, Jesus Christ.