Job 37: 21-23: "No one can look at the sun, bright as it is in the skies after the wind has swept them clean. Out of the north He comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power."
It is amazing to see the ways that even nature illustrates the majesty of a Holy God. No one is able to look at the bright sun in the sky; the sun is too bright for our eyes to gaze upon it. We must turn away from its brilliance; still we enjoy its rays of light and warmth that shower the earth.
I believe that God has made the sun the way it is to help us better appreciate His radiant glory. We are unable in our finiteness to look upon the majesty of THE HOLY GOD! We must look away, for He is too radiant for us to behold in His Holiness. The song, Crown Him With Many Crowns expressly communicates in verse two the brilliance of our Lord, Jesus Christ before His heavenly hosts: "Crown Him the Lord of love: Behold His hands and side--Rich wounds yet visible above in beauty glorified. No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight but downward bends his wond'ring eye at mysteries so bright."
Still, we see that God has made the sun to appear to race across the sky. Although we know that the earth revolves around the sun (which illustrates our calling as believers to make the SON the center of our universe), we see the sun move across the sky from east to west. Psalm 19:4 tells us God has placed the sun in the sky to teach us that its movement is not unlike God's movement as a bridegroom, "coming forth from His pavilion" for His bride (Psalm 19:5). We know that Our Lord, Jesus Christ will return in Majestic Splendor with a loud command, bringing forth eternal life for those who were once dead in their sins (I Thessalonians 4:16).
In Genesis 1:17, we find that God set the sun in the sky to govern the day. All created things need the light of the sun to survive physically; so too all spiritual beings need Christ to survive spiritually. We know that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world (John 8:12). He said, "whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Jesus has all authority over heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18), and He is the final Judge who will separate those who are declared righteous and those who are unrighteous (Matthew 25:31-33).
Although we are not to worship the sun (Deuteronomy 4:19; Ezekiel 8:16; Romans 1:23), we can find in our observation of the sun that its purpose reminds us of a more Supreme One who is Radiant beyond our ability to observe, who gives the Light of life to those who would submit to His Lordship, who is Sovereign and thus has the authority to rule, and who as the Righteous Judge will bring judgment upon the reprobate.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Monday, October 8, 2007
Even Death Can Glorify God
John 21:18-19: "(Jesus said) 'I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, 'Follow me!'"
Death is the sobering reality for us all. As finite creatures that have sinned against a Holy God, we are subject to physical death as the judgment for our rebellion against the Lord (Romans 5:12).
Despite this curse placed upon us, we still have a purpose in this physical life. Specifically, we are called to glorify God (I Corinthians 10:31). The first way in which we are able to accomplish this purpose is to be grafted into the life source of Jesus Christ. Jesus has provided Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins; and He offers this gift to us all, if we would submit to Him as Lord.
Still, we will be given opportunities throughout this temporal life to glorify God, and these opportunities will culminate in our eventual death. In the passage above, Jesus called out to Peter and said that the disciple would glorify God through his death. After giving this prophecy, Jesus then strongly commanded Peter to follow Him. Early Christian historians, Tertullian and Eusebius, recorded years later that Peter was executed for his faith by the Emperor Nero in Rome. Peter remained faithful to the Lord, even though his physical life was the cost for such faithfulness; and through his death, God was glorified.
The Apostle Paul exhorts us to "be careful how (we) live, making the most of every opportunity" in our lives for the glory of God. Although death will be packaged differently for each of us, we know that our purpose to glorify God is no less important; we are still called as servants of the Most Holy One to bring Him praise and honor. I've heard it said that one "dies like he lives." If you are living a life transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, it is likely that you will carry that transformation into your death. And yes, no matter how difficult your end will be, you can glorify God in your death.
Death is the sobering reality for us all. As finite creatures that have sinned against a Holy God, we are subject to physical death as the judgment for our rebellion against the Lord (Romans 5:12).
Despite this curse placed upon us, we still have a purpose in this physical life. Specifically, we are called to glorify God (I Corinthians 10:31). The first way in which we are able to accomplish this purpose is to be grafted into the life source of Jesus Christ. Jesus has provided Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins; and He offers this gift to us all, if we would submit to Him as Lord.
Still, we will be given opportunities throughout this temporal life to glorify God, and these opportunities will culminate in our eventual death. In the passage above, Jesus called out to Peter and said that the disciple would glorify God through his death. After giving this prophecy, Jesus then strongly commanded Peter to follow Him. Early Christian historians, Tertullian and Eusebius, recorded years later that Peter was executed for his faith by the Emperor Nero in Rome. Peter remained faithful to the Lord, even though his physical life was the cost for such faithfulness; and through his death, God was glorified.
The Apostle Paul exhorts us to "be careful how (we) live, making the most of every opportunity" in our lives for the glory of God. Although death will be packaged differently for each of us, we know that our purpose to glorify God is no less important; we are still called as servants of the Most Holy One to bring Him praise and honor. I've heard it said that one "dies like he lives." If you are living a life transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, it is likely that you will carry that transformation into your death. And yes, no matter how difficult your end will be, you can glorify God in your death.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Don't Appear Before God Empty-Handed
Deuteronomy 16:16b-17: "No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you."
The context of the passage above deals with the mandate by God for the Jewish people to come prepared to present offerings to God during the memorial feasts. Everyone was expected to bring an offering, for all people had been blessed by the LORD. All were to present gifts to the LORD to express thanksgiving. No one was to appear before the LORD empty-handed.
When we begin to think of God's ultimate gift of salvation through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, we realize that there is no greater blessing that has ever been given or ever will be given to us. For God to turn away His wrath for our sin through Jesus' atoning sacrifice (I John 2:2) and for God to adopt us as part of His royal family (John 1:12) is the greatest gift that could ever be received. We have nothing adequate to return in thanksgiving for such an act of loving sacrifice by God; nonetheless, we are mandated to give in accordance with the blessing we have received from the LORD. The most that we can give back to God in thanksgiving are our very lives; for this reason, we would do well to submit our lives to His Lordship.
The context of the passage above deals with the mandate by God for the Jewish people to come prepared to present offerings to God during the memorial feasts. Everyone was expected to bring an offering, for all people had been blessed by the LORD. All were to present gifts to the LORD to express thanksgiving. No one was to appear before the LORD empty-handed.
When we begin to think of God's ultimate gift of salvation through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, we realize that there is no greater blessing that has ever been given or ever will be given to us. For God to turn away His wrath for our sin through Jesus' atoning sacrifice (I John 2:2) and for God to adopt us as part of His royal family (John 1:12) is the greatest gift that could ever be received. We have nothing adequate to return in thanksgiving for such an act of loving sacrifice by God; nonetheless, we are mandated to give in accordance with the blessing we have received from the LORD. The most that we can give back to God in thanksgiving are our very lives; for this reason, we would do well to submit our lives to His Lordship.
Friday, October 5, 2007
What Makes the Earth Tremble?
Proverbs 30:21: "Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a servant who becomes king, a fool who is full of food, an unloved woman who is married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress."
To use the hyperbolic illustration of the earth trembling is intentional by the writer of this proverb to portray the disdain that each of these situations bring.
A servant that becomes a king lacks the experience and the maturity to handle the overwhelming responsibility. Because he has not experienced the power that is associated with such a position, he can become power-hungry, tyrannical, and self-absorbed to the detriment of his followers. He can fall prey to the prideful conclusion that the world revolves around him and that all things are designed for his personal adulation. In the end, his people are grieved at his inept leadership and his lack of courage to advocate something bigger than himself. Paul Coughlin in his book, No More Christian Nice Guy alludes to this concept when he distinguishes between abusive people and courageous people: "Abusive people should never be mistaken for courageous people . . . . (Abusive people) fight only for their own ego and appetites. Courageous people fight on behalf of something bigger than themselves" (No More Christian Nice Guy Study Guide, pg. 60).
A fool who is full of food also is a burden to others. When his stomach is full, he lacks the motivation to reach his full potential. He becomes slothful and lazy . . . unwilling to make the most of opportunities to be his best for the Lord and others. In his slumberous state, he does not realize that poverty is at his door ready to overtake him like a bandit (Proverbs 6:9-11). Because he has tasted the blessing of abundance, he turns a deaf ear to wisdom (Proverbs 26:16). In the end, he becomes impoverished, and he expects others to rescue him from his plight.
A married woman who is unloved becomes bitter, resentful, and depressed. Her husband is to love her with self-sacrificing love (Ephesians 5:25f). He is to put her needs before his own and is to minister to her by providing her the attention, security, and stability that she needs to feel loved and complete. His wife is designed to be pursued and adored to illustrate the imagery of Christ's passionate pursuit of His bride, the Church. In the deep recesses of her heart, the unfulfilled wife feels ripped off emotionally and relationally. She turns her resentment into manifestations of bitterness and resentment that impact those around her.
A maidservant who displaces her mistress is one who in her envy of her superior has longed for the chance to overtake her. The maidservant resents that she must submit to her mistress and jealously desires to usurp power to the degradation of the one who has provided for her. In her self-absorbed state, the maidservant seethes in anger that another would have authority over her; thus, she is relentless in overthrowing her authoritative figure in her life. In the end, she brings pain to her mistress and to others.
Thus, the four examples above reveal the following truths:
1. The immature fool in a position of leadership grieves others in his ineptness and self-absorption.
2. The gluttonous fool is unmotivated to better himself and becomes a plague to others.
3. The embittered wife manifests her resentment for her unloving husband upon those around her.
4. The subordinate resents authoritative figures and passionately seeks to destroy such influence.
All of these circumstances leads to great pain that reverberates through the lives of others . . . and in response the earth trembles.
To use the hyperbolic illustration of the earth trembling is intentional by the writer of this proverb to portray the disdain that each of these situations bring.
A servant that becomes a king lacks the experience and the maturity to handle the overwhelming responsibility. Because he has not experienced the power that is associated with such a position, he can become power-hungry, tyrannical, and self-absorbed to the detriment of his followers. He can fall prey to the prideful conclusion that the world revolves around him and that all things are designed for his personal adulation. In the end, his people are grieved at his inept leadership and his lack of courage to advocate something bigger than himself. Paul Coughlin in his book, No More Christian Nice Guy alludes to this concept when he distinguishes between abusive people and courageous people: "Abusive people should never be mistaken for courageous people . . . . (Abusive people) fight only for their own ego and appetites. Courageous people fight on behalf of something bigger than themselves" (No More Christian Nice Guy Study Guide, pg. 60).
A fool who is full of food also is a burden to others. When his stomach is full, he lacks the motivation to reach his full potential. He becomes slothful and lazy . . . unwilling to make the most of opportunities to be his best for the Lord and others. In his slumberous state, he does not realize that poverty is at his door ready to overtake him like a bandit (Proverbs 6:9-11). Because he has tasted the blessing of abundance, he turns a deaf ear to wisdom (Proverbs 26:16). In the end, he becomes impoverished, and he expects others to rescue him from his plight.
A married woman who is unloved becomes bitter, resentful, and depressed. Her husband is to love her with self-sacrificing love (Ephesians 5:25f). He is to put her needs before his own and is to minister to her by providing her the attention, security, and stability that she needs to feel loved and complete. His wife is designed to be pursued and adored to illustrate the imagery of Christ's passionate pursuit of His bride, the Church. In the deep recesses of her heart, the unfulfilled wife feels ripped off emotionally and relationally. She turns her resentment into manifestations of bitterness and resentment that impact those around her.
A maidservant who displaces her mistress is one who in her envy of her superior has longed for the chance to overtake her. The maidservant resents that she must submit to her mistress and jealously desires to usurp power to the degradation of the one who has provided for her. In her self-absorbed state, the maidservant seethes in anger that another would have authority over her; thus, she is relentless in overthrowing her authoritative figure in her life. In the end, she brings pain to her mistress and to others.
Thus, the four examples above reveal the following truths:
1. The immature fool in a position of leadership grieves others in his ineptness and self-absorption.
2. The gluttonous fool is unmotivated to better himself and becomes a plague to others.
3. The embittered wife manifests her resentment for her unloving husband upon those around her.
4. The subordinate resents authoritative figures and passionately seeks to destroy such influence.
All of these circumstances leads to great pain that reverberates through the lives of others . . . and in response the earth trembles.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Falling Away
Hebrews 6:4-8: "It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned."
In this passage, we find evidence of a life that has tasted the heavenly gift and even shared in the Holy Spirit but has fallen away. The key observation is found at the end of this passage; namely, this person is metaphorically seen as unfruitful land. There is no evidential fruit consistent with a life truly changed by God through the Holy Spirit. This would be the person who wanted the benefits of salvation but was unwilling to submit to the Lord. This individual desired to further his own selfish pursuits over God as he maintained his own lordship in his life. Rain falls on both the cultivated land and the weed-laden land; however, it is the land's response to the rain that reveals its intent. If the land is cultivated, removing the weeds, thorns, and thistles, it then reaps an abundant harvest of good produce. If the land is not worked, a harvest will be produced; however, it is a harvest of unfruitful vegetation. We can find wonderful imagery in this story. The rain is the Holy Spirit that provides conviction about the truth of God's holiness and our sinfulness in relationship to God. God has provided salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ; still, we must respond to that initiatory work of God. If we yield to the Lordship of Christ in our lives, repent of our sins (disobedient acts against God), and receive His precious gift of salvation through Christ, we respond with the cultivation of our spiritual lives. This produces beautiful, beneficial fruit consistent with a transformed life. Others that despise the Lord and refuse to yield to His Sovereignty, who refuse the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, and who will not repent of sins are like the uncultivated land. The rains come, but the obstinate one permits the weeds of rebellion to grow and take over his life. In the end, this is a cursed, worthless life that is subject to the wrath of God.
In this passage, we find evidence of a life that has tasted the heavenly gift and even shared in the Holy Spirit but has fallen away. The key observation is found at the end of this passage; namely, this person is metaphorically seen as unfruitful land. There is no evidential fruit consistent with a life truly changed by God through the Holy Spirit. This would be the person who wanted the benefits of salvation but was unwilling to submit to the Lord. This individual desired to further his own selfish pursuits over God as he maintained his own lordship in his life. Rain falls on both the cultivated land and the weed-laden land; however, it is the land's response to the rain that reveals its intent. If the land is cultivated, removing the weeds, thorns, and thistles, it then reaps an abundant harvest of good produce. If the land is not worked, a harvest will be produced; however, it is a harvest of unfruitful vegetation. We can find wonderful imagery in this story. The rain is the Holy Spirit that provides conviction about the truth of God's holiness and our sinfulness in relationship to God. God has provided salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ; still, we must respond to that initiatory work of God. If we yield to the Lordship of Christ in our lives, repent of our sins (disobedient acts against God), and receive His precious gift of salvation through Christ, we respond with the cultivation of our spiritual lives. This produces beautiful, beneficial fruit consistent with a transformed life. Others that despise the Lord and refuse to yield to His Sovereignty, who refuse the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, and who will not repent of sins are like the uncultivated land. The rains come, but the obstinate one permits the weeds of rebellion to grow and take over his life. In the end, this is a cursed, worthless life that is subject to the wrath of God.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
When Destruction is Worship
Deuteronomy 13:12-16: "If you hear it said about one of the towns the LORD your God is giving you to live in that wicked men have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, 'Let us go and worship other gods' (gods you have not known), then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. Destroy it completely, both its people and its livestock. Gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God."
In this Old Testament passage, we find a rather interesting directive from the LORD to the covenant community. Specifically, they are to eliminate completely any town that would attempt to lead them astray from worshipping God alone. God told the Israelites to destroy all people and things in the town, so that nothing would be left to entice them away from their allegiance to the Lord.
How can we use such a directive in our lives today? While we will not take the same measures to destroy those who would attempt to entice us away from the Lord, we still must remove those people and things from our lives. If we are finding that our friends or dating companions are compromising our commitment to the Lord, we may have to disfellowship ourselves from their ungodly influence. Remember that "bad company corrupts good character" (I Corinthians 15:33), thus there is a great likelihood that your ungodly friends will draw you away from your commitment to Christ; this necessitates your conscious decision to remove yourselves from regular engagement with them.
We must also remove those things that would lead us to fall away from allegiance to God. Whereas the covenant community in the Deuteronomy passage were called to burn everything that was associated with ungodliness, we should be no less intentional at destroying those things that would cause us to compromise our submission to the Lord. If there is a nagging sin that lingers in our lives, tempting us to do those things that we know are disobedient to God's will, we must remove it from our lives. This does not mean that we are to remove it with the intent of keeping it on a figurative string so that we can draw it in when we desire it; rather, we are to completely sever the sin from our lives. We must take assertive measures to eliminate the alluring items so that they will not revisit us when we are weak and vulnerable to temptation.
Notice in the passage above that the elimination of those people and things that would entice us to sin is an offering to the Lord. When we remove people and things from our lives that would draw us away from the Lord, we too offer a sacrifice of worship acceptable to the Holy God. We would do well to practice regularly the "discipline of removal" as an offering of praise to the Lord of Hosts.
In this Old Testament passage, we find a rather interesting directive from the LORD to the covenant community. Specifically, they are to eliminate completely any town that would attempt to lead them astray from worshipping God alone. God told the Israelites to destroy all people and things in the town, so that nothing would be left to entice them away from their allegiance to the Lord.
How can we use such a directive in our lives today? While we will not take the same measures to destroy those who would attempt to entice us away from the Lord, we still must remove those people and things from our lives. If we are finding that our friends or dating companions are compromising our commitment to the Lord, we may have to disfellowship ourselves from their ungodly influence. Remember that "bad company corrupts good character" (I Corinthians 15:33), thus there is a great likelihood that your ungodly friends will draw you away from your commitment to Christ; this necessitates your conscious decision to remove yourselves from regular engagement with them.
We must also remove those things that would lead us to fall away from allegiance to God. Whereas the covenant community in the Deuteronomy passage were called to burn everything that was associated with ungodliness, we should be no less intentional at destroying those things that would cause us to compromise our submission to the Lord. If there is a nagging sin that lingers in our lives, tempting us to do those things that we know are disobedient to God's will, we must remove it from our lives. This does not mean that we are to remove it with the intent of keeping it on a figurative string so that we can draw it in when we desire it; rather, we are to completely sever the sin from our lives. We must take assertive measures to eliminate the alluring items so that they will not revisit us when we are weak and vulnerable to temptation.
Notice in the passage above that the elimination of those people and things that would entice us to sin is an offering to the Lord. When we remove people and things from our lives that would draw us away from the Lord, we too offer a sacrifice of worship acceptable to the Holy God. We would do well to practice regularly the "discipline of removal" as an offering of praise to the Lord of Hosts.
Friday, September 28, 2007
What's Your Attitude During Trials?
Philippians 1:12;27; 2:13: "Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel . . . . Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ . . . . For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
As I reflect upon these verses, I am reminded of Paul's desperate situation in a Roman prison. During this painful time, Paul used this opportunity to write letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and to Philemon. Paul mentions in Philippians 1:13-14 that his being in chains has resulted in everyone in the palace knowing that he is there for his allegiance to Jesus Christ, and his imprisonment has led to the brothers of the faith being even more resolved to "speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly."
So in Paul's understanding of his circumstances, he knew that this trial in his life was actually serving the cause of Christ; in fact, God was using this situation to bring about greater kingdom good in that the gospel was being advanced. He then encourages the hearers of his letter to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. That is, they are to maintain their commitment to Jesus Christ, understanding the awesome privilege of being adopted by God into His royal family. This awareness will motivate the faithful follower to see all trials and tribulations as experiences that can be transformed into kingdom-building opportunities, no matter how painful and discouraging they may be. And although we are not pleased that these events arise, we nonetheless understand that our ultimate purpose for existence is to glorify God our Sovereign Creator, and praise His name for His greatness and His wonderful grace and mercy.
We must remember that it is God "who works in us to will and to act according to His good purpose." Thus, in Paul's situation, God had willed that these events in his life occur (i.e. imprisonment), so that His good purpose of advancing the gospel would occur.
In our life experiences, we know that difficulties will come our way. Sorrow for these events is a natural emotional response to these losses (see Paul's response concerning Epaphroditus in 2:27); still, we are able to know through our intimate association with our Lord that He is orchestrating something that will accomplish great things for His kingdom.
As I reflect upon these verses, I am reminded of Paul's desperate situation in a Roman prison. During this painful time, Paul used this opportunity to write letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and to Philemon. Paul mentions in Philippians 1:13-14 that his being in chains has resulted in everyone in the palace knowing that he is there for his allegiance to Jesus Christ, and his imprisonment has led to the brothers of the faith being even more resolved to "speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly."
So in Paul's understanding of his circumstances, he knew that this trial in his life was actually serving the cause of Christ; in fact, God was using this situation to bring about greater kingdom good in that the gospel was being advanced. He then encourages the hearers of his letter to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. That is, they are to maintain their commitment to Jesus Christ, understanding the awesome privilege of being adopted by God into His royal family. This awareness will motivate the faithful follower to see all trials and tribulations as experiences that can be transformed into kingdom-building opportunities, no matter how painful and discouraging they may be. And although we are not pleased that these events arise, we nonetheless understand that our ultimate purpose for existence is to glorify God our Sovereign Creator, and praise His name for His greatness and His wonderful grace and mercy.
We must remember that it is God "who works in us to will and to act according to His good purpose." Thus, in Paul's situation, God had willed that these events in his life occur (i.e. imprisonment), so that His good purpose of advancing the gospel would occur.
In our life experiences, we know that difficulties will come our way. Sorrow for these events is a natural emotional response to these losses (see Paul's response concerning Epaphroditus in 2:27); still, we are able to know through our intimate association with our Lord that He is orchestrating something that will accomplish great things for His kingdom.
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