A Stream of Water in the Hand of the LORD

Most people, when they set off on a journey, like to know where they are headed. Surprisingly, however, the journey of life is largely left up to subjective opinions or resigning oneself to being agnostic about one’s destiny. How many of us are simply content to be comfortable now, and for the foreseeable future? Such an approach to life is manifested in the decisions we make. We think we can determine and control how life will turn out for us. Such things make God chuckle, I’m sure. Or maybe it is what saddens Him.

Do we believe that history is directed? Is there a higher purpose for which to live? Or is faith just something we subjectively grasp in our private thoughts for comfort, without much impact on the big issues of life?

In 538 B.C. a pagan king made a proclamation that the people of Judah were free to go back home to their land, rebuild the temple to their God, and that their neighbors should support them materially in this endeavor. This pagan king was Cyrus, the Persian. Around 700 B.C., long before Cyrus was even born, Isaiah, the prophet of Jehovah, predicted that he would make such a decree. Through the prophet, God called the pagan king Cyrus, My shepherd who will fulfill all My purpose.

At the beginning of the Judean exile to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar, about 600 B.C., Jeremiah prophesied that the exile would last seventy years. Daniel, in exile, read Jeremiah’s prophecy, which compelled him to a prayer of confession and intercession for his people so that they would be fit to return to the land God had promised their forefathers. The progression is clear – Isaiah’s prediction, Jeremiah’s prophecy, Daniel’s prayer, and Cyrus’ proclamation. Someone is connecting the dots! Even Cyrus recognized that, when he said, God … has charged me to build Him a house which is at Jerusalem. I’ll bet he learned from history books what Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way, that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men. Indeed, Jehovah was disciplining and directing Judah as the family/nation through which Messiah, Jesus, would come.

God is directing history.

He has a plan for His people.

He is faithful.

Let’s make this the foundation of our attitudes, ambitions, and affections. May God’s Spirit compel us to be faithful stewards of the time, resources, and relationships He has entrusted to us. Then, let us trust Him because He is good.

I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,
declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times
things not yet done, saying,
“My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose”
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.
Isaiah 46:9–11

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Whole-Hearted Pursuit

One reason the Barney Fife character on the Andy Griffith show was so humorous was because there was never a moment that you did not know how he was feeling. Barney mirrored the whole gamut of human emotion front and center. In other words, to watch Barney (and laugh at him) was to see yourself in him. This is one of the values of Scripture. James even refers to the Bible (“the perfect law of liberty”) as a mirror – look in it and see yourself. What needs attention?

I’m reading through 2 Chronicles, which delivers a synopsis of the kings of Judah. According to the opening chapter of Matthew’s gospel, this is the royal heritage of Jesus. What I’m discovering is that this lineage also serves as a mirror. We read about these kings and we can see ourselves. This should challenge us to learn from history because we are prone to make the same mistakes they did. One component that stands out to me is the disposition with which a king engaged his calling.

Jehoshaphat is one of my favorites. Other than Solomon and Hezekiah, he gets the most attention in this book because his heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD. He is referred to as the one who sought the LORD with all his heart. He was not without flaws; he had to be admonished by the prophet of God. But the outcome of his calling, in which he pursued God with all his heart, was joy and peace – not only in himself, but in the people he governed. He knew his limitations, and when he did not know what to do his first resort was to worship.

Joash, Jehoshaphat’s great-grandson, started his reign at the very young age of seven. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. But when the one for whom he performed left the scene, then his performance changed to please others; namely, his peers. And they abandoned the house of the LORD. The result? Joash became treacherous in his calling. Amaziah, his son, did what was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart. Serving God through your calling half-hearted is like being double-minded; the sovereign God of the universe becomes just another object of trust. Amaziah’s reign ended in defeat. His son, Uzziah, ascended to the throne at the age of sixteen. He was a good king and accomplished great things, but when he was strong, he grew proud – to his destruction. Uzziah’s pride rendered him unfaithful and ineffective in the latter part of his reign.

We are not earthly kings, but we each have a calling; as members of a royal priesthood, we serve God. If we pursue our calling with pride, half-heartedly, or just to please others, we will find ourselves at best, feeling purposeless and ineffective; at worst, facing God’s resistance. On the other hand, if we engage our calling with a whole-hearted pursuit of God, it will result in joy and peace that will overflow to the people in our worlds.

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Whole-Hearted Pursuit

One reason the Barney Fife character on the Andy Griffith show was so humorous was because there was never a moment that you did not know how he was feeling. Barney mirrored the whole gamut of human emotion front and center. In other words, to watch Barney (and laugh at him) was to see yourself in him. This is one of the values of Scripture. James even refers to the Bible (“the perfect law of liberty”) as a mirror – look in it and see yourself. What needs attention?

I’m reading through 2 Chronicles, which delivers a synopsis of the kings of Judah. According to the opening chapter of Matthew’s gospel, this is the royal heritage of Jesus. What I’m discovering is that this lineage also serves as a mirror. We read about these kings and we can see ourselves. This should challenge us to learn from history because we are prone to make the same mistakes they did. One component that stands out to me is the disposition with which a king engaged his calling.

Jehoshaphat is one of my favorites. Other than Solomon and Hezekiah, he gets the most attention in this book because his heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD. He is referred to as the one who sought the LORD with all his heart. He was not without flaws; he had to be admonished by the prophet of God. But the outcome of his calling, in which he pursued God with all his heart, was joy and peace – not only in himself, but in the people he governed. He knew his limitations, and when he did not know what to do his first resort was to worship.

Joash, Jehoshaphat’s great-grandson, started his reign at the very young age of seven. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. But when the one for whom he performed left the scene, then his performance changed to please others; namely, his peers. And they abandoned the house of the LORD. The result? Joash became treacherous in his calling. Amaziah, his son, did what was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart. Serving God through your calling half-hearted is like being double-minded; the sovereign God of the universe becomes just another object of trust. Amaziah’s reign ended in defeat. His son, Uzziah, ascended to the throne at the age of sixteen. He was a good king and accomplished great things, but when he was strong, he grew proud – to his destruction. Uzziah’s pride rendered him unfaithful and ineffective in the latter part of his reign.

We are not earthly kings, but we each have a calling; as members of a royal priesthood, we serve God. If we pursue our calling with pride, half-heartedly, or just to please others, we will find ourselves at best, feeling purposeless and ineffective; at worst, facing God’s resistance. On the other hand, if we engage our calling with a whole-hearted pursuit of God, it will result in joy and peace that will overflow to the people in our worlds.

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

The Approaching Goal – Part 5

With the approaching goal in view, the apostle Peter directs us to four activities to keep us focused and on mission so that we finish the race well (1 Peter 4:7-11). The first is rational activity; namely, a continual mindfulness of God; be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers (v.7). Secondly, Peter calls us to keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins (v.8). The third charge Peter gives is to show hospitality to one another without grumbling (v.9). Hospitality is a powerful means of injecting God’s love into the lives of FRAN.

Finally, the apostle instructs, as each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. You have received a gift – not some of you, each of you. You have been entrusted with an ability empowered by God’s Spirit to serve others. These gifts range from waiting on others (diakoneo) to public speaking – and everything in between. The implication of a stewardship is that the manager to whom the gift is entrusted (you) employs it faithfully for the purposes of the owner (God). The practice of your gift is a means of grace to the people in your world. You have been given a specific Spirit-empowered ability to help others follow Jesus. So, identify your gift. Hone the craft by its use. Be a blessing.

Let these activities be your ambition and occupation until you are face-to-face with Jesus. The Godward walk of faith is anything but the passive, casual stroll of a tourist. We are pressing on through this life headed home. While here as aliens and strangers, we have a mission to carry out – the ministry of reconciliation. So let’s live the gospel through our focused mindfulness of God by loving one another earnestly, by showing hospitality, and by serving one another with our entrusted gifts. In these ways we will be the salt of the earth, preserving human flourishing and creating a thirst for the One who is our ultimate good; we will be the light of the world reflecting the goodness of God in Jesus Christ.

Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Yearn to hear Him say, well done, good and faithful servant, as you run into His embrace.

Stir up one another to love and good works…
all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
(Heb. 10:24-25)

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

The Approaching Goal - Part 4

The end of all things is at hand
1 Peter 4:7

The Scriptures give us a glimpse of the finish line – that glorious moment when we see Jesus face-to-face! Until that time we are called to keep our gaze on that Prize so that it will foster perseverance and safeguard us from being distracted from the goal and the mission. The apostle Peter, with the approaching goal in view, directs us to four activities to keep us focused and on mission so that we will finish the race well (1 Peter 4:7-11). The first is a continual mindfulness of God; be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers (v.7). John puts it similarly when he writes, abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming (1 John 2:28). Secondly, Peter calls us to keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins (v.8). Love is the Hallmark of followers of Jesus because it invests in others the way that Jesus invested Himself in us.

The third charge Peter gives is to show hospitality to one another without grumbling (v.9). There is a natural progression; mindfulness of God shows itself in love, and love shows itself in hospitality. Invite those you don’t know well to your table, or a table. Sit down to a meal together. A dear sister among us had recently experienced loss and loneliness. Another couple in the church that did not know her invited her to dine with them. When I went to visit her, she said “You don’t know how much that meant to me!” Now they’ve had several meals together. Your home is a powerful tool to show the love of Christ. Around the table you can be real because you share a common need to satisfy hunger. In that small way you share your common humanity and rise above the current divisiveness of our times. This is a tremendous way for the church to shine. Are you feeling lonely or disconnected? Invite a family to your table and share a meal with them. This is ministry. It is a part of the mission.

Around the table you also share the mind of Christ because it involves investment. This might be why Peter exhorts believers to practice hospitality without grumbling. He wrote this letter to include many Christians displaced from their homes because of their faith. There was a tangible need. You are surrounded by people with needs. Hospitality is a powerful means of injecting God’s love into their lives. Use your table – or any table – to get to know another in order to encourage, to show the love of Christ. God loves a cheerful giver.

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

The Approaching Goal - Part 3

The end of all things is at hand
1 Peter 4:7

The end of all things is at hand, declares the apostle Peter. With so much to distract or preoccupy us we are called to keep the goal in view. When the race is finished then comes the prize. With that in focus, Peter gives us four things to do so that our running the race keeps Christ in view – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 4:11). Peter begins this short list with a mindfulness of God; Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

He continues with the second item on the list of things to occupy our anticipation of the finish line; Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Mindfulness of God will spill over in love to your neighbor, brother/sister in Christ. Love is the Hallmark of Christ followers. It demonstrates that we have come to know and understand the love He has lavished on us. We love because He first loved us. This is family love as the apostle John points out, everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him (1 John 5:1).

Peter is not appealing to how we feel about each other. Jesus’ love wasn’t demonstrated in His feelings, it was demonstrated in His investment in us. Indifference is the opposite of love. To love someone is to care for them and invest in them for their betterment. Peter draws on Proverbs 10:12 to affirm the power of Christian love to overcome sin. Not that love “sweeps it under the rug”, but love invested results in forgiveness and reconciliation. That is the gospel. Our mission is to live the gospel. By this, Jesus said, all will know that you are My disciples.

This keeps Christ in view; it magnifies Him. This love presents an enduring good for which everyone longs. It is found in Christ alone. Edmund Clowney writes, Our love, kindled by God’s love, is stretched by exercise. If love collapses at its first test, it is not worthy of the name. Love never fails. This reality exists in the one who can say, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another,
and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24–25

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

The Approaching Goal: Part 2

The end of all things is at hand
1 Peter 4:7

As a boarding school missionary kid, the anticipation of finishing a semester and going home to Mom and Dad was highly motivational to engage my studies fully. The current chapter of life is a short season; the Bible speaks of it as a vapor – here and then gone. With so much to distract or preoccupy us we are called to keep the goal in view. When the race is finished then comes the prize. With that in focus, Peter gives us four things to do so that our running the race keeps Christ in view – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 4:11).

Peter begins this short list with a mindfulness of God. Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. The sound judgment and well-composed mind is a matter of focus. Knowing your aim, you keep your eyes fixed on the target not allowing yourself to be distracted by the noise of the periphery. Peter had personal experience to reference. In the garden, Peter was asked to stay awake and pray while Jesus went on to agonize in prayer to the Father. He failed. Not long after that Peter even denied knowing Jesus, as predicted, much to his chagrin. His mind was distracted by frailty and preoccupied with fear.

Knowing this human propensity by experience, Peter calls us to remain mindful of God. Prayer is a word that means to invoke – to call upon. Its basic meaning is to speak to God. He is directing us to thoughtful communication with our heavenly Father. This is the interaction of a close, loving relationship where you feel God’s heart, think His thoughts, and invoke His power for you to persevere in His purpose. Jesus patterned this well for us in the gospel records. When He had a decision to make or a challenge to face, He preempted it in communion with His Father. I’m guessing Peter learned this too. Feel his passion as he encourages his readers: Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:8–9).

“Oh runner, when the race is won
You will run into His arms!”
Twila Paris, Runner

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

The Approaching Goal

I have been hit by a car. No, really. I was - literally. That was many years ago at boarding school in Venezuela. We were working through the Presidential physical fitness program, and I was running the 500-yard dash along the edge of a boulevard. I vaguely remember seeing the finish line ahead (the coach standing with his clip board and stopwatch) and spending the balance of my energy to sprint ahead and “plow through” that imaginary tape. In my exhaustion I do not remember finishing the race, but when I did (I am told), instead of running off to the right onto the safety of the sidewalk as instructed, I veered left into oncoming traffic. The 1970 blue Opel left a 20-foot skid mark on the boulevard before coming in contact with my spent mortal frame. One night in the hospital, and see? – I turned out okay. I guess I had lost my mind.

The life of the believer can be very much like a marathon. We are called to run with endurance the race that is set before us. The difficulties, the pain, the demand for endurance can distract us out of our minds by searching for relief. That is why Peter instructs, The end of all things is at hand, therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded (1 Peter 4:7). Focusing on Christ – our approaching goal – keeps the big picture of reality in view which stimulates surrendered trust and encourages God’s people in difficulty.

Living in anticipation of the deep satisfaction of His embrace and the realized purpose of His delight is motivational. It prompts us to live for His opinion alone – to hear His “Well done!” Instead of losing our minds in the frenzy, fear or frustration of the battle, our fixed gaze on Christ, expecting His return, grants us sound judgment and well-composed minds so that we see and understand our times, yet live purposefully, pointing to God and magnifying Christ, because we not only see Him, but by His light we see everything else.

For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.
Psalm 36:9

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Blessings in Disguise

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12

One thing that happens during challenging circumstances or adversity is a test of our attitudes and affections. Trials bring to light the actual desires of our hearts. Our benevolent, sovereign Father ordains trials for us, but His character forbids that He would seek our hurt. Trials in God’s economy are purposeful. God’s faithfulness will allot trials for various reasons, including 1) to teach, 2) to prove genuine faith and love for God, 3) to expose superficial faith and love for God, 4) to discipline.

Trials are indeed blessings in disguise, as J.A. Motyer writes, James teaches us that trials are blessings, in that they lead forward to maturity and the crown of life. But they do not do this by some inherent power of their own. Everything depends on our response and the use we make of our circumstances. Every circumstance we meet, therefore, requires a decision: will we persevere to go on with God, or will we listen to the voice which suggests the easy way of disobedience and disloyalty?

A trial rightly met means opportunities for growing and glorifying God; but a trial wrongly met yields temptations to evil – to attitudes and actions that counter the character and purpose of God. Whether a trial is rightly or wrongly met depends on which desires reign in our hearts. We pursue what we desire.

What do you desire most? On what object are your affections set (Col.3:1-3)? May God’s Spirit have the freedom in you to establish the desire for God that was in the Psalmist, Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:25–26).

O great God of highest heaven, occupy my lowly heart.
Own it all and reign supreme, conquer every rebel part.
Let no vice or sin remain that resists Your holy war.
You have loved and purchased me, made me Yours forever more.
You are worthy to be praised with my every thought and deed.
O great God of highest heaven, glorify Your Name through me.

Bob Kauflin, Sovereign Grace Praise

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Doing All Things Well

In loud and no uncertain terms, the customer was complaining that all he wanted was the copy of the New York Times that he was holding in one hand while he was waving a fifty-dollar bill in the other. The fight was over the fact that the clerk did not have enough change yet to break the fifty-dollar bill, which made it impossible for him to sell the paper.

This was an early morning opportunity to commit one intentional act of demonstrating the excellence of the generous spirit of Jesus. So, I said to the clerk, "Hey, put the paper on my bill; I'll buy it for him." This immediately defused the tension, and the grateful New York Times guy walked away saying, "Thanks a lot. All I have is yours!" Which evidently did not include the fifty-dollar bill.

To my surprise, when the barista handed me my coffee, he said, "Mister, that was a really nice thing for you to do. This world would be a lot better place to live if more people were like you."1

After Jesus healed a deaf man in Decapolis – a Gentile region (Mark 7:31-37), the people were deeply moved by this man who could remedy the brokenness of human existence. Their assessment of Him was, He has done all things well. The word translated “well” (kalos) is a qualitative term meaning excellent. Jesus is the One who said, I make all things new. The reality for us in Christ is that we are already new creations. His righteousness and goodness reside in us. Therefore, Paul affirmed, it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

The calling of those who love God and follow Jesus is to make His greatness begin to look as great as it really is. That is why we exist, why we were saved, as Peter says in 1 Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

The whole duty of the Christian can be summed up in this: feel, think, and act in a way that will make God look as great as He really is. Be a telescope for the world of the infinite starry wealth of the glory of God.2

Here is a calling for the church – our corner of the world would be a better place if more people were like Jesus. This is a call to live in the outflow of God’s goodness and our settled satisfaction in Him.

______________________________

1Joe Stowell, Jesus Nation (Tyndale, 2009), pp. 80-81

2John Piper, “How to Magnify God”, DesiringGod.org (11-27-12)

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

The Sword Maker

Korehira Watanabe is a swordsmith who has spent more than 40 years honing the craft of replicating Koto, the traditional Japanese sword from about 800 - 1300 A.D. As you read his statement below consider the craft of sword-making as a metaphor for living the gospel.

When I was younger, I was making swords just because I loved it, but as I got older I started to think that I need to pass along the aesthetics and soul of the Japanese people through my swords.

When I was in college, I saw a picture in a magazine of a sword maker, who later became my master. That was when I discovered that there will still be people who make traditional swords and when I decided to be a sword maker. All of my family members opposed the idea because they didn't think I could make a living. They told me, "Don't ever come back home if you want to be a sword maker."

I want my disciple to pass me as a sword maker. It is my duty to build up a disciple better than me. Otherwise the tradition will wear thin with time. What I received from my master is not only the technique, but also his passion for sword making. I want my disciple to receive my passion, and I believe he will pass down his own passion for sword making to the next generations.*

As a follower of Jesus, you are in ministry because part of following Jesus is helping others follow Jesus.

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Matthew 4:19

_____________________

*Takeshi Fukunaga, Handmade Portraits: The Sword Maker

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Be Reconciled to God

For He Himself is our peace …through the cross
thereby killing the hostility1

God is hostile toward hostility. That sounds oxymoronic, but His perfection requires Him to counter what would destroy the objects of His love. Here is the problem: what would destroy us resides in our hearts and minds. So, God’s hostility was willingly absorbed by His perfect Son in our place. How did our loving Maker counter evil? Through sacrifice out of faithful love.

This gives us a compelling reference as we find ourselves surrounded by growing hostilities and self-destructive demands. The human nature’s bent on affirming its self-centeredness and realizing its own passions plays out in many forms that manifest the deceitful darkness of the human heart and are contrary to the mission and the mind of Christ.

Self-reference is the problem. Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee, though they eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see. Absent God (though many claim to have an idea of Him) we demand others see and do things “my way.” This is a sinister blindness, for we do not know that we are blind.

Our task as the church – the pillar and ground of the truth2 – is to remain firmly grounded on God’s self-disclosure. We are ministers of reconciliation because the Creator has shone in our hearts the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.3 He alone is perfect in power, in love and purity. So, when our context is an ocean of self-affirmation, or self-identification, our mission is one of bold compassion in the lifeboat of God’s grace. Pulling anchor from the character and purpose of God would render us equally lost in the morass of human schemes and ideologies, which – history has testified – cannot remedy the plight of the human condition.

Let this be the message resounding from the banner of your life: We plead with you, be reconciled to God.4 Proclaim on Christ’s behalf because he took the hostility of God’s wrath to rescue us from it.

______________________
1 [Eph. 2:14, 16]
2 Timothy 3:15
3 2 Corinthians 4:6
42 Corinthians 5:20

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Looking Ahead

“As we prepare to worship on Sunday morning,” writes Tim Challies, “our first consideration should be how to stir up one another to love and good works. We should approach Sunday deliberately, eager to do good to others, to be a blessing to them.” All of this is in the outflow of the child of God’s delight in the Creator/Redeemer. The apostle John says it this way, everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him (I Jn. 5:1). What a delight it is to see the number of people worshipping together on Sunday mornings.

Here is the good news – we are opening up! It is going to take time for transition and preparation, so let me outline it for you.

The last two Sundays of May (23rd & 30th) will continue as they are now so that folks who want to can get their vaccines.

The first two Sundays in June (6th & 13th) we will remove the mask requirement for the 9:00 a.m. worship.

Then June 20 will be our grand re-opening day with the following schedule:

9:30 a.m. First worship – with concurrent nursery, youth classes, and ABFs
10:30 - 10:55 a.m. Gathering Room fellowship
11:00 a.m. Second worship – with nursery, children’s church, and ABFs

Every Christian has a place within a local church. Every Christian is needed within a local church. As God’s people, lets step up to bless and serve one another with the mind of Christ. We plan a grand celebration on June 27 at the Lord’s Table followed with a food fellowship outside.

Let’s be the church!

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

A Basis for Confidence

Here is a question I’ve asked more than a few times, “What’s on your agenda today?” Our days are intended to be full of desires, plans, and decisions, rather than dull routines, because God made us to be ambitious. Created in His image, we look to and long for something greater. In our capacity to imagine and create, we dream and plan, we make choices and act. This is an everyday pattern even if we do not consciously think about it.

What if one makes the wrong choice or decision with good intent? Can we have any confidence in discovering the right course of action? Then there is the reality that every one of us makes bad choices out of evil intent. What confidence can we have that life is not just some grand meaningless tragedy?
God’s revelation shines a light into our darkness, and by His light we can see light (Psalm 36:9). There is a glimmer of hope! It may seem distant and elusive, but the more we investigate His light the more hopeful we become. When we gaze at His glory, only then can we rest on the soft pillow of His sovereignty.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
Proverbs 19:21

“God made man with the capacity to choose, and He respects that choice”, asserts John Lennox. Yet even with all the bad choices made by people (including me) in a day or a lifetime, God’s purpose is not determined, nor is it thwarted by the choices and actions of mere men. Our evil choices deliver harm and will be judged; our good choices yield benefit and bring glory to God because He, in Himself, is the definition of “good.” God knows the end from the beginning, and He is directing history according to His plan. He has ordained that all our choices flow into what He has purposed.

No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.
Proverbs 21:30

We are stewards of the choices we have. We must confess that humanity has failed miserably in that trust. As members of God’s new humanity, we have the aim and the resource to thrive in that responsibility and overcome evil with good. And though the darkness seems so strong, we can rest confident that God’s good pleasure will be accomplished in the end.

But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal:
“The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
2 Timothy 2:19

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Surrender and Freedom

Sometimes a verse will make you stop and think. On some occasions the imagery is captivating; other times the point is compelling; sometimes it is both. For example,

Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.
Proverbs 25:28

A literal translation of the phrase has no rule over his own spirit can be rendered whose spirit lacks restraint. Now there is an inflammatory word… restraint! I don’t want restraint; I demand to be free! And in today’s world freedom is displayed in self-assertion. I am free to do or say whatever I want. I will not allow, nor will I impose any limitations or constraints on myself. But this proverb teaches us that it is not accurate to think that the less constraint I have, the freer I am. Imagine a group of people trying to live together without any moral norms or constraints on their actions and expressions. That does not present an attractive picture for anyone. In fact, it would be impossible.

The above proverb asserts that one who has no restraint over his own spirit is breached by an invading army and is defenseless against the attacks of his impulses. He is exposed, vulnerable, easy prey to unhappiness and irritations. University of Michigan professor Richard Nisbett said that he’d rather have his son be high in self-control than intelligence because self-control is key to a well-functioning life.1 That sounds like something straight from Proverbs.

Having rule over your own spirit means maintaining government over your appetites and passions, and not letting them rule you by rebelling against reason and conscience. It means governing your own thoughts, desires, inclinations, and resentments. This means that there is a particularly important choice to be made regarding what is informing your attitudes and desires.

One key aspect of being made in the image of God is that we long for something greater than ourselves – something that defines our meaning and purpose so that we can enjoy ultimate satisfaction. God has made Himself known to us and has shone His light into our darkness. Through faith He has lavished His grace upon us by His Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit includes self-control. The Spirit directs our focus toward Jesus Christ, knowing that where you fix your gaze directs your movement, your choice of behaviors, and expressions. For this reason, we are called to keep in step with the Spirit.

Let me put it this way, you will find your greatest freedom by surrendering to the control of the One who made you and redeemed you.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14
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1 Larry Greenemeier, "What Causes Someone to Act on Violent Impulses and Commit Murder?" www.scientificamerican.com, (1-12-11)

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Countering Trend

I was impressed by the level of respect and appreciation afforded Tabitha (Acts 9:36-38) for her humble, practical goodness and kindness shown to those who needed help and could offer nothing in return. According to James, that is a major part of religion that is pure and undefiled (James 1:27). Indeed, as followers of Jesus, we are His hands of help, arms of comfort, and ears of understanding to incarnate the gospel. The apostle John put it this way, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us (1 John 4:11–12).

Compassion and kindness to fellow humans is a major characteristic of the gospel mission. Our communication of the gospel is not just truth (words) but also grace, which is unmerited investment in others. We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works (Eph. 2:10), and we are a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:14).

As the church increasingly falls out of step with the mainstream of culture, be encouraged. There is one factor more than any other that predicts how generous, altruistic (noble, unselfish), and civically involved a person will be, measured by how much they give of their money and time, how often they help other people, and how much they are involved in civic and community life. That factor is not education, income, age, race, gender, or political persuasion. It is regular involvement in a religious community.1

The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people (Titus 3:8).

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1 Robert D. Putnam and David E Campbell, American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us, p.456-72

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Champions of Grace

There are two words in Acts 9 that I find particularly encouraging – “But Barnabas.” There is only one thing that the disciples of Jerusalem knew about Saul, and that was that he was an insolent man. So here he comes to them expressing that he now follows Christ and wants to fellowship with the people of God, yet the disciples were afraid of him – they did not believe that he was a disciple. Then those two words, But Barnabas. Imagine yourself in that situation, fitting in nowhere; the Jews hated him and wanted to kill him, the disciples were afraid of him and wanted nothing to do with him. But Barnabas stuck his neck out, went to Saul and listened to him. He recognized – and trusted – the transforming power of God’s grace. So, he took him to Peter and James, affirming that Saul had encountered the risen Christ and had been proclaiming Christ boldly. In other words, here is what God’s grace does and that is what I am seeing in this man. God is good and He is in the business of transforming lives.

So here we are – looking all clean and pretty for worship on Sunday. But we know who we are and what we have done – and so does God. But we do NOT want others to know what we are dealing with inside. One reason we fear man is because we fear exposure. And if we get exposed, we fear what others will think of us or do to us. This is why the words, But Barnabas are so encouraging. This follower of Christ knew and trusted the power of God’s transforming grace. He knew that under God’s grace the past does not equal the future. He knew that God changes lives, a process that takes a lifetime. He also knew that God uses imperfect people and that God’s grace is greater than all our sin. He knew very well that the fellowship of God’s people was a means of grace. Therefore, he knew that taking the risk to listen to Saul was worth it.

Every one of us needs a Barnabas in our lives at the human level. What is more, every one of us needs to emulate Barnabas. We need to be champions of God’s grace, knowing and trusting His power and taking the time to listen to each other with ears and arms of grace. Barnabas invested himself in Saul; we are called to invest ourselves in each other. This is the church, the family of God.

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

An Intimate Friend

Notes from Rich.

An Intimate Friend

At a bagpipe competition one would expect the judges to be fans of bagpipe music. So why do the judges have their hands over their ears? Inflated bagpipes naturally make a steady droning noise. The actual music is played over and above that. In covering their ears, the judges shut out some of the low-pitched noise while still hearing the higher pitched melody.

Low level noise surrounds us wherever we go, whether it is the rumble of traffic or the incessant, inane chatter coming from the television, radio, or device. A lot of it comes out of our mouths and from our fingertips.

Imagine if every word you spoke, typed, or shared in a day were laid out for a judge to examine by the standard of usefulness or kindness. How many of them would be deemed less than constructive or simply unnecessary noise? We could put those words to much better use – we could be helpful, kind, encouraging, even inspirational.1

Good advice comes from Proverbs 7:4 where the father instructs his son to call insight your intimate friend instead of pursuing urges of passion. The word insight can be translated understanding, where the background idea is to discern. It refers to knowledge, which is superior to the mere gathering of data. We receive information and we spread information. Insight means we know how to use the knowledge we possess.

There is little argument that we are inundated with a glut of information – so much of which is low level noise. Inflated bagpipes naturally make a steady droning noise. Could there be a better description of the information world today? Therefore, we are called to discernment, to know what is true or false, good or bad, useful or useless. How much of what I take in and give out provides wisdom, insight and understanding? Probably not much if we simply lean on our own understanding – something we are exhorted not to do because on our own we are limited, biased and broken. But the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Prov. 9:10); the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding (Prov. 2:6).

The self-disclosure of God provides a necessary reference point for our relationship with information – how we take it and how we give it. What if, when I give out information, I were to share it as if I were speaking to an intimate friend? If we only said of others what we’d say to them face to face, a lot of conversation would never take place. As usual, Proverbs does a good job of hitting the nail on the head.

A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

Proverbs 29:11

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1Adapted from Dave McLaughlin, Men of Integrity (March/April 2010)

Copyright © 2021 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Keep Your Heart

It turned out to be a full weekend, not just full of activity, but spiritually filling as well. The mutual blessing of Christian fellowship is quite refreshing, and I start this week filled with new vigor and fresh perspective. Part of the weekend my wife and I hosted two servants of God. I was reminded once again what blessing can be experienced in hospitality. Then our care group met for lunch after worship and that put the frosting on the cake. Ok, I need to explain.

There is so much going on in the world that can get us down. The confusing socio-political milieu, the moral revolution, and the pandemic with its impact on so many people physically, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally, can overwhelm our thoughts. I often find myself having to drag my thoughts out of the rut of preoccupation with such matters. As persons made in God’s image, we can think about what we are thinking. One thing we must think about is what is feeding and informing our thoughts. The apostle Paul gives us good criteria for what ought to be informing our attitudes – that which is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, excellent, praise-worthy, and of good report (Phil. 4:8). That is not just positive speak. In reality, things can be pretty ugly, broken, and evil, and we cannot afford to deny or ignore it. But do I fix my focus on the evil or can I think about something better that can counter or even remedy that evil? Enter the blessing of this past weekend.

The two servants of God we hosted sat at our dinner table for hours sharing the work that God is doing among the lives of many who are directly impacted by the brokenness of this fallen creation. We do not just sit back and watch God do stuff; God works often through human agency – that is ministry. I distinctly remember the realization that hearing this report refreshed my perspective by replacing the preoccupation with the ugly confusion of our times while turning my attention to the things that God’s people are doing to build bridges with bold compassion, so that they then plant seeds of God’s love and grace in the lives of the hurting, broken and oppressed. Then to see the fruit of that ministry, where people discover the love and grace of God so that their lives are transformed – that is a drink of cold water in a dry land! On top of that, our care group met after worship to discuss over lunch our approach to doing some of the same things – building bridges with bold compassion to plant seeds of God’s truth, love, and grace. The energy and ideas flowed freely, and the bond of ministry grew stronger.

What refreshed me this weekend were not things that I had intentionally set out to do with my thoughts. But I was keenly reminded that what I can and ought to do is to be selective about where I place my focus and be choosy about what forms my attitudes. We who know God can start each day by asking, “What is God doing?”, followed by, “What can I do in that?” This, I believe, is central to the biblical exhortation - Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life (Prov. 4:23)

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The Problem with Normal

Wisdom is no secret. She raises her voice in the open squares. She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city she speaks her words (Prov. 1:20-21). If wisdom is being skilled at life, then one might ask why it (she) is so elusive? The problem is not a lack of knowledge or the information we need to be wise and live well. The problem lies in the power of desire. You do what you want to do.

When it comes to virtuous, noble living, “I can’t” is more accurately put, “I don’t want to.” How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing and fools hate knowledge? (v.22) The history of humanity – with particular focus on the last twelve months – provides vast empirical verification of this reality in the human condition. I like how Todd Brewer puts it: “Neither this global pandemic, the gross injustices, the racial tensions, the mad riots, the macabre political theatre, not even Tiger King should have shocked anyone, especially those schooled in the Torah and the prophets. All human history, from Cain and Abel onward, has amply demonstrated that destruction and stupidity, navel-gazing and bloodshed, the ubiquity of fools, and the thin veneer between civilization and anarchy is the norm, not the exception.”1

The chief problem of humanity is not environmental, medical, political, educational, or philosophical. At the root of human folly and brokenness is a disordered love cemented by stubborn, willful pride – they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD (v29).

When we are bent on doing our own thing, we tend to not factor in the law of sowing and reaping - they shall eat the fruit of their own way (v.31). Complacency in human folly is devastating. “It’s my life” is the most destructive statement a person could say or think. (v.32).

Thankfully, there is an alternative – a life well-lived. It is not arbitrary, nor is it simply bound up in my heart, waiting for me to discover and follow. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (v7). That is a choice you must make to live out the alternative to what is normal in this existence under the sun. Don’t be normal. Because whoever listens to me will dwell safely and be secure, without fear of evil (v33). In the Lord alone is true and lasting peace. That is why Jesus comforted His followers by saying, Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (John 14:27).
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1“The Church in 2020,” Mockingbird (10-16-20)

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