Tuesday, August 23, 2011

“Is There Not a Cause?” Living Life Greater than Ourselves

And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
---1Samuel 17:29 

Someone once said, “Until a person has something thathe is willing to die for, then that person has not yet began to live.”  David had a cause and this cause was greater than himself; a cause he was willing to die for.  The thing which young David cherished even more than his own life was the honor of the name of the Lord his God.  When reproach was made against his God’s name David considered it his duty and responsibility to defend it even to the grave.    It mattered not that David was a mere lad compared to this great warrior of the Philistines, a giant of a man who was mocking the God of Israel.  His cause was much bigger than himself. 

The army of Israel had no such cause.   Instead, they placed their personal lives and well-being in higher regard than the name of the Lord God.  Therefore, they shook in fear not willing to risk their lives even though the adversary was daily railing against their God.  They lived for nothing larger than themselves and as a result could not see beyond their own selfish desires.   This is not living, but only existing.  

How small and shallow is life if it is no greater than ourselves?  David lived with a cause and thus he lived. Let us do the same.   There is simply no greater cause than to live our lives glorifying God by honoring the name of Jesus, our God and Creator and the Blessed Redeemer.  Our Lord’s cause, revealing His glory through the redemption of mankind, was bigger than Himself and not even the cross and the grave could deter Him.  He died for you and me.   

Therefore, when we hear His name being mocked, see His truth being trampled upon, and His honor being ridiculed, should we not like David say, “Is there not a cause?”  Stand up for Christ and begin to taste the blessing of living.

Friday, August 19, 2011

God’s Grace and the Law of Aging

Revelation 21:5  Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

Last week the air-conditioning unit in our home gave up its last breath, its last puff of cool air.  We knew that it was old and struggling but were trying to squeeze the most we could from it: maybe one more season. But finally age and wearing won out.  I guess, in technical terms, it fell prey to the second law of thermodynamics which explains that everything will run down, age, or decay over time whether it be machinery, mankind or the universe itself.  Yes, everything will die in its time, everything.   No amount of repairing, or patching, or beauty creams, or facial tucks will reverse this certainty.

This is simply a part of God’s curse against sin which affected all of His creation and created order.   Ultimately God created all things to exist forever.  He Himself said after each day of His creation, “It is good.”  Yet, man’s rebellion against God set into motion not only God’s penalty against man’s sin: “death” as He had warned; but creation itself was touched and began to groan due to its certain demise.  This law of aging and downgrade entered into creation after the fall cannot be reversed by any of man’s best plans or efforts.  This law of aging and decay also stands in total opposition to evolution, man’s attempt to remove the reality of God from His own creative order.  But try as they may, man cannot stop the second law of thermodynamics, nor can they explain God away apart from utter denial of the obvious and blatant hypocrisy.

Now back to my air conditioning unit.  First, I realized how spoiled I have become.  None of the good ole days for me laboring through steamy, sleepless nights soaked in sweat wishfully hoping for a puff of breeze through the window.  I want cool air.   Also, I didn’t want to patch an old system which I knew was soon to die again.  I chose to purchase a new unit and willing to pray the price, while knowing even my new unit will immediately begin the process of aging.

And finally back to the law of aging.  The only One Who can redeem creation from the curse and reverse the law of aging is the Creator Himself, yet this came with a great price.  By His grace God gave His only Son to receive upon Himself the penalty of man’s sin: death.  He alone overcame the penalty and was resurrected to newness of life.  One day He will return and make “all things new” while destroying death and the curse.  This is called “the regeneration.” 

Jesus is not in the business of “repairing.”  He is in the business of “regenerating,” making things new.  He has promised a new heaven and a new earth and a new body to all who believe.  Death will be abolished, the curse will be broken, and the law of aging will be wiped away.  In the regeneration He will complete what He purposed in creation. No more aging bodies and no more aging air conditioners.  Hallelujah!

To God be the glory.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Talk is Cheap


1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

Talk is cheap, especially in the service to our Lord.  If someone has to tell you how much he loves the Lord and the great things he has accomplished for Christ, then this may only be the guise of an unfaithful servant.  Sound testimony is important as long as it glorifies Christ rather than self, yet it can never replace faithful service empowered by the Spirit of God.  Words can never be an effective substitute for actions; and even then one’s actions must be examined according to motive and whether they have been endowed by the power of Christ.  

Many like to tell a story, but few are willing to create the story through their hard work. Paul is a great example for us. Others proclaimed to be servants of Christ while Paul displayed his servanthood through faithful service.  Others boasted of positions of authority as Paul exercised his through the anointing of Christ.  Others preached many eloquent words of persuasion while Paul preached a few simple words of power.  Paul wasted few words speaking of himself, but preached and wrote a lifetime of words glorifying his precious Savior and sovereign Lord.  Others talked while Paul served. 

Again, talk is cheap.  It is time to be about our Lord’s business.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Blesssedness of Brokenness


Psalm 51:16-17  For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.  17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.

David was a man after God’s own heart, but he had wandered far from God.  Success, pride, and presumption had made him self-sufficient opening his soul to places of sin he thought he could never go.  This left David dry and in a spiritual wilderness. He found himself in the lowest and darkest time of his life.  David desperately needed restoration and revival but from where would it come? 
 
David learned that the journey to revival always begins on a street called brokenness.  Desperation always precedes revival.  Until man is brought low he will never cry out to God in brokenness and without brokenness there can be no revival.  When a heart is broken before the Lord nothing else matters but the Lord.  All of our lofty dreams and worldly desires have been shattered.  All of our lovers of whom we have adulterated ourselves and have consumed our minds are exposed as nothing more than false gods and they are crushed under the weight of our brokenness.  Every mask that we have carefully painted on while pretending to be someone or something that we are not is painfully stripped away. 

Yes, in our brokenness we are laid bare, naked before God in a humiliating, helpless state with no else one else to turn to but our Redeemer, the only true lover of our souls.  With everything stripped away nothing else matters but God.  We once again begin to be consumed with Him and His righteousness during the night and when we first awake.  Brokenness brings restoration to the One who truly loves us, the One who gave Himself for us. 

And when did the brokenness begin?  It began at the house of judgment where God’s truth reveals us for whom and what we are and have become.  This righteous judgment drives us to desperation, and desperation to revival.   Let us therefore praise God for His truth, His judgment, and His grace of brokenness.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Blessing My Grandchildren

Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children…

The greatest inheritance I can give my grandchildren is parents who love Christ and walk in His ways.  I may never have the opportunity to lavish my grandchildren with the riches of the world, but I can give them the riches of Christ.  This process of bestowing spiritual riches to them begins long before they are ever born.  I bless my grandchildren before they enter this world by pouring my life and the love of Christ into my own children, their future parents.  When I invest spiritual truths into the lives of my children, then I am also investing into my grandchildren.  And, oh, how the investment will provide sweet dividends in the future.  My investments today will provide my children and their children with opportunities of an eternal mansion in heaven on a street of gold which leads to the throne of a loving and merciful God.  I am a rich man indeed and I can share my riches with my grandchildren, but I must begin now.