Friday, December 2, 2011
God Suffers
I am going to write. I amn not going to correct grammar spelling or theology. I am not going to use the backspace key. This is what I think. God suffers. We get wond u in the concept that he is the cause of suffering but he is also the cause of his own suffering. He is “longsufferin” Every injustice every agnostic, atheistic moment cuts just as deep as the whip or the nnails though we can’t get to him physically now. Every cult every idol , the death ov every evil person in which he takes no pleasure cause him to suffer. We are in this together longing for complete joy together. He is no above our suffering but immersed in it. It is a facet of our fellowship. He is righteous. He is love . there is bno other plan that could have expressed his nature. Thi is the plan and it must be so. God suffers. He hates this just as much as we do at times. He weeps. One day we will laugh together.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
From Havoc To Heaven
Isa 54:16 "See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc.
God purposes and intends that there be “havoc” and frustration…
Ro 8:20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it…
The created order intentionally contains death, mourning, crying and pain. (Rev 21:4)
Jesus was subjected to it
Ro 6:9 …death no longer has mastery over him.
For a time it did.
For us it does and it will serve us for eternity. We will always enjoy paradise from the vantage point of those who have suffered the deprivation that is a taste of hell. So many have said, if we could just experience heaven and hell for a minute each, we would make a clear choice between the two, but that is what this life is: moments of sheer exuberance and joy and others of the unfulfilled longings of hell.
Every day is an opportunity to make a choice or solidify the one we have made.
This pain serves us daily now, clarifying our choice of Christ. Though it includes earthly disappointments, those disappointments will serve us for all time and eternity. We will never be tempted as Lucifer and his angles were, to abandon heaven for something better. We will have tasted Godlessness and hell and spit it eternally from our mouths. It is this experience that will cause us to cling to heaven gratefully cheerfully and those are good emotions to envision.
Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret?
There are better things ahead than any we leave behind--C.S. Lewis
God purposes and intends that there be “havoc” and frustration…
Ro 8:20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it…
The created order intentionally contains death, mourning, crying and pain. (Rev 21:4)
Jesus was subjected to it
Ro 6:9 …death no longer has mastery over him.
For a time it did.
For us it does and it will serve us for eternity. We will always enjoy paradise from the vantage point of those who have suffered the deprivation that is a taste of hell. So many have said, if we could just experience heaven and hell for a minute each, we would make a clear choice between the two, but that is what this life is: moments of sheer exuberance and joy and others of the unfulfilled longings of hell.
Every day is an opportunity to make a choice or solidify the one we have made.
This pain serves us daily now, clarifying our choice of Christ. Though it includes earthly disappointments, those disappointments will serve us for all time and eternity. We will never be tempted as Lucifer and his angles were, to abandon heaven for something better. We will have tasted Godlessness and hell and spit it eternally from our mouths. It is this experience that will cause us to cling to heaven gratefully cheerfully and those are good emotions to envision.
Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret?
There are better things ahead than any we leave behind--C.S. Lewis
Monday, November 21, 2011
Glory to God in Chronic Sin
As frustrating as chronic illness can be, it seems to me that there can come a measure of acceptance and a recognition of its capacity to drive us to God and keep us close to him. There can even be a measure of respect and admiration for the perseverance that is demonstrated in one who suffers outwardly.
What seems worse than chronic illness is chronic sin, habitual sin, what we call “besetting” sin, which robs us of joy and self-respect. It can come in many forms: pride, lust, greed, gluttony, anger… And there are none of the perks that go along with chronic illness. It causes us to loathe ourselves or the one whose sin is exposed.
The reality though is that all of us will suffer in one way or another. All of us will take sin to our graves. We may wonder, even become exasperated and ask why the God who commands purity refuses to grant it. Lately I have spoken with several people who at the base of their beings have desires that lead them into what the Bible labels as sexual sin and yet they feel powerless to change it. They fear that only death will take away what must be labeled a sinful desire. (Romans 1:24, 1Peter 4:11)
Though we may never come to the place where we no longer desire what is sinful, it is possible to fully and finally hate that specific evil, even an evil that is an inseparable part of ourselves. And therein lies a spiritual victory. Though we may not be able to flee a tendency or desire or kill it so that it no longer raises its ugly head, we can come to hate it and hate that part of ourselves.
It is the hating of wickedness that God loves. It may be part of the reason why he allows besetting sins. In this state of need, we may humbly come to the place where we know intimately and even predictably a part of our heart that is still inhabited by the enemy, a part of our soul that rebelliously refuses to submit, a hiding place for darkness, a self-deception, a love-affair brewing that we may wish so much weren’t there that it is difficult to admit that it is. But time and again we must confront it and be taught to despise it to the glory of God. It is this Christ-like passion that we can purse, even when we cannot be completely free from a desire that God labels sinful.
Ps 45:7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.
Hebrews 1:8 tell us that these are the words of the father spoken over the divine son. The Father loves Jesus because Jesus hates evil. We can too. May those sins that we may never conquer serve us, at least to cause us to hate them and so be loved by God for this Christ-like zeal.
May our hearts produce authentic words that sound like this: “I hate my sin” and may God love us for it.
What seems worse than chronic illness is chronic sin, habitual sin, what we call “besetting” sin, which robs us of joy and self-respect. It can come in many forms: pride, lust, greed, gluttony, anger… And there are none of the perks that go along with chronic illness. It causes us to loathe ourselves or the one whose sin is exposed.
The reality though is that all of us will suffer in one way or another. All of us will take sin to our graves. We may wonder, even become exasperated and ask why the God who commands purity refuses to grant it. Lately I have spoken with several people who at the base of their beings have desires that lead them into what the Bible labels as sexual sin and yet they feel powerless to change it. They fear that only death will take away what must be labeled a sinful desire. (Romans 1:24, 1Peter 4:11)
Though we may never come to the place where we no longer desire what is sinful, it is possible to fully and finally hate that specific evil, even an evil that is an inseparable part of ourselves. And therein lies a spiritual victory. Though we may not be able to flee a tendency or desire or kill it so that it no longer raises its ugly head, we can come to hate it and hate that part of ourselves.
It is the hating of wickedness that God loves. It may be part of the reason why he allows besetting sins. In this state of need, we may humbly come to the place where we know intimately and even predictably a part of our heart that is still inhabited by the enemy, a part of our soul that rebelliously refuses to submit, a hiding place for darkness, a self-deception, a love-affair brewing that we may wish so much weren’t there that it is difficult to admit that it is. But time and again we must confront it and be taught to despise it to the glory of God. It is this Christ-like passion that we can purse, even when we cannot be completely free from a desire that God labels sinful.
Ps 45:7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.
Hebrews 1:8 tell us that these are the words of the father spoken over the divine son. The Father loves Jesus because Jesus hates evil. We can too. May those sins that we may never conquer serve us, at least to cause us to hate them and so be loved by God for this Christ-like zeal.
May our hearts produce authentic words that sound like this: “I hate my sin” and may God love us for it.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Determining Factors in Salvation
This is an exerpt from the sermon preached Jan. 2, 2011
Did God lovingly choose me because he knew I would believe or Did I believe because God chose me. The biblical answer to that question is, “Yes”.
The Bible points to both God’s choice and our choice as logical priors like two rails of a train track that go off into the distance never crossing as far as the eye can see, never one rail saying to the other, "I no longer have need of you."
God chose you because he is Sovereign God and has the right to do anything he pleases with what he has made and owns…
Psalm 115:3
Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
And the parallel truth is this: When God conceived of the idea of you, he knew you would choose him. His choice matters supremely, but your choice matters completely. But - Let’s look at God first.
Romans 9:11 Before they [The twins, Jacob and Esau] were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; 12 he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” 13 In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.” 14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! 15 For God said to Moses,
“I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” 16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. 17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. 19 Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?” 20 No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?
In this text God is seen as making independent decisions as to whom he will bless with mercy and compassion based solely on his right as creator of all. God’s choice is seen as independent of ours.
Now – understandably this makes us Crazy. He makes some of us for dishonorable service like Pharaoh and then blames Pharaoh for not bowing to his moral will.
It seems unfair and yet we are told not to talk back – which just pushes our rebellion against this text deeper into our own psyche. – unless – unless we try… to trust God and see him as one who refuses to gamble with our souls and submit to mere chance but rather ensures that some will certainly be saved.
God is God is not capricious, reckless, contingent not dependent on anyone. He could do no other than plan that some would certainly be saved. But within that plan he did not ordain that all would be saved. So we ask Who is at fault?
If I were to maintain the logic that has been established in Romans 9 of the potter and the clay and ask the question. Why did most of the Jews not believe in the Christ –
Logically – I would have to say because God didn’t choose them – he rejected them hated them – That is what logic says, but the text goes on to say more than simply that God is sovereign. It goes on to say man is responsible.
God shatters our narrow logic because his thoughts are higher than out thoughts .
Romans 9:31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.
It’s their fault. Their choice is viewed here as logically prior. They determined their own fate by their refusal to believe. Why didn’t Israel attain righteousness – not because God did or did not do something but because THEY
• tried to work for reward rather than simply trust
• wanted to earn reward rather than simply receive it
• wanted the glory rather than give glory to God.
It was their fault. Their faithlessness was logically prior. It all hinges (at least in this text) on their lack of belief.
Both rails of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are seen in Rom 9.
The Bible points to both God’s choice and our choice as logical priors, determining factors in our salvation. This then falls into the ontological gap, the black-hole question, "How can it be?". We don't know.
Did God lovingly choose me because he knew I would believe or Did I believe because God chose me. The biblical answer to that question is, “Yes”.
The Bible points to both God’s choice and our choice as logical priors like two rails of a train track that go off into the distance never crossing as far as the eye can see, never one rail saying to the other, "I no longer have need of you."
God chose you because he is Sovereign God and has the right to do anything he pleases with what he has made and owns…
Psalm 115:3
Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
And the parallel truth is this: When God conceived of the idea of you, he knew you would choose him. His choice matters supremely, but your choice matters completely. But - Let’s look at God first.
Romans 9:11 Before they [The twins, Jacob and Esau] were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; 12 he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” 13 In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.” 14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! 15 For God said to Moses,
“I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” 16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. 17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. 19 Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?” 20 No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?
In this text God is seen as making independent decisions as to whom he will bless with mercy and compassion based solely on his right as creator of all. God’s choice is seen as independent of ours.
Now – understandably this makes us Crazy. He makes some of us for dishonorable service like Pharaoh and then blames Pharaoh for not bowing to his moral will.
It seems unfair and yet we are told not to talk back – which just pushes our rebellion against this text deeper into our own psyche. – unless – unless we try… to trust God and see him as one who refuses to gamble with our souls and submit to mere chance but rather ensures that some will certainly be saved.
God is God is not capricious, reckless, contingent not dependent on anyone. He could do no other than plan that some would certainly be saved. But within that plan he did not ordain that all would be saved. So we ask Who is at fault?
If I were to maintain the logic that has been established in Romans 9 of the potter and the clay and ask the question. Why did most of the Jews not believe in the Christ –
Logically – I would have to say because God didn’t choose them – he rejected them hated them – That is what logic says, but the text goes on to say more than simply that God is sovereign. It goes on to say man is responsible.
God shatters our narrow logic because his thoughts are higher than out thoughts .
Romans 9:31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.
It’s their fault. Their choice is viewed here as logically prior. They determined their own fate by their refusal to believe. Why didn’t Israel attain righteousness – not because God did or did not do something but because THEY
• tried to work for reward rather than simply trust
• wanted to earn reward rather than simply receive it
• wanted the glory rather than give glory to God.
It was their fault. Their faithlessness was logically prior. It all hinges (at least in this text) on their lack of belief.
Both rails of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are seen in Rom 9.
The Bible points to both God’s choice and our choice as logical priors, determining factors in our salvation. This then falls into the ontological gap, the black-hole question, "How can it be?". We don't know.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Missions Prayer
Father would you lead BCC into deeper, more joy-producing fellowship with you, as we seek to obey your command to bring the good news of Jesus’ saving sacrifice to the ends of the earth.
Would you allow us to feel your delight as we represent you to a world in need of your saving grace.
Would you grant us confidence in you and generosity toward your priorities. And then use us and allow us to be encouraged by your victories attained through your strength experienced in our efforts.
We ask it in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Would you allow us to feel your delight as we represent you to a world in need of your saving grace.
Would you grant us confidence in you and generosity toward your priorities. And then use us and allow us to be encouraged by your victories attained through your strength experienced in our efforts.
We ask it in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Mission Minded
Have a look at this clip as we prepare our hearts for Sunday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7pT-7dBVhc
And a couple of sites to check out as well
www.partnersinternational.ca
www.joshuaproject.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7pT-7dBVhc
And a couple of sites to check out as well
www.partnersinternational.ca
www.joshuaproject.net
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Our Competency Comes From Christ Alone
2Co 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?
Or as the KJV says, “who is sufficient for these things?”
Who, in and of themselves, or even with a team of coaches and cheerleaders behind them, is sufficient to represent Christ to elect and non-elect in such a way that they actually experience the presence and the essence of the living Christ so that they feel either encouraged or condemned?
I am not sufficient. The elders are not sufficient. And we are not deluded by some mirage of hierarchy that would suggest that anyone living on this planet is sufficient, hence we are driven to look to Christ and his sufficiency in order to think we might accomplish anything for him in ministry.
Jesus said, “…apart from ME you can do nothing.” John 15:5
Jesus is our sufficiency in ministry, not a more energetic elder’s team, a more functional building, a better ministry plan, more compatible ministry partners or a thousand other excuses we might make to justify stepping back from ministry when feeling our insufficiency rather than simply throwing ourselves on the mercy of Christ and begging, “Use me! Fill me! Provide for me! Give me the words and use them to change and comfort your people and to warn those who do not seem to care.”
The church, you, do ministry not because we are sufficient, but because He is. Any other reason would be vanity.
2Co 3:5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant.
Or as the KJV says, “who is sufficient for these things?”
Who, in and of themselves, or even with a team of coaches and cheerleaders behind them, is sufficient to represent Christ to elect and non-elect in such a way that they actually experience the presence and the essence of the living Christ so that they feel either encouraged or condemned?
I am not sufficient. The elders are not sufficient. And we are not deluded by some mirage of hierarchy that would suggest that anyone living on this planet is sufficient, hence we are driven to look to Christ and his sufficiency in order to think we might accomplish anything for him in ministry.
Jesus said, “…apart from ME you can do nothing.” John 15:5
Jesus is our sufficiency in ministry, not a more energetic elder’s team, a more functional building, a better ministry plan, more compatible ministry partners or a thousand other excuses we might make to justify stepping back from ministry when feeling our insufficiency rather than simply throwing ourselves on the mercy of Christ and begging, “Use me! Fill me! Provide for me! Give me the words and use them to change and comfort your people and to warn those who do not seem to care.”
The church, you, do ministry not because we are sufficient, but because He is. Any other reason would be vanity.
2Co 3:5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant.
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