But God

Perhaps my two favorite words in the whole Bible are "But God."


These two words are used together hundreds of times throughout the Bible, but I was reminded of one of my favorite passages in Scripture while working on another post. For this entry, however, I just want to post the passage Scripture. It's a little bit lengthy as far as quoted passages go, but...well, here. I'll let the passage speak for itself.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our traspasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph. 2:1-9

Just a reminder today of the power and sufficiency of the gospel.


Live and trust in Christ alone.


He is our only hope.

The Flood

Have you heard the story of the two men building a house? One builds on the rock and the other on the sand? It's here if you haven't read it. Go check it out. I'll be here when you get back.


Did you read it? Good.


A few things strike me as interesting in this parable.


The righteous man. He builds the foundation of his house on the rock. I can almost see the listeners nodding their approval - this man knows what he's doing! As a result, the storm and flood do not prevail against him.


The unrighteous man. He builds the foundation of his house on the sand. The crowds probably laughed and shook their heads, knowing how dimwitted this man was behaving. As expected, the storm and flood easily prevail.


The flood. Notice that it still came, even in view of the righteousness of the first man. The passage says "when" the flood comes, not "if." The indication here is that the flood is coming, the trials will happen, we will face troubles and persecution for the sake of Christ. Your righteousness (or lack thereof) will not stop the storm. This is because the storm is not the point. The point is the God who is Lord over the storm. He is the One in whom we place our trust. He is the One for Whom we are faithful.


The question is: Will you be found righteous or unrighteous when the storm comes? Will you be found faithful, having diligently prepared for the storm? Or will the crowds laugh at you too, easily recognizing that you have been building on the wrong foundation this whole time?


Don't be surprised when you give in to trials and temptation if all along you have not been diligent to build a solid foundation on the Lord and the principles of His Word. What else do you think will happen when the storm comes?


And don't be surprised either when you withstand the storm and make it through temptation or trials if you have been faithful all along. That's the benefit of being faithful. Just make sure your response is one of praise to the Father for being your strength, rather than pride in yourself for standing firm. You couldn't have stood firm without the Rock on which you stood.

Significant

This is part 2 of 2 about Luke 3:23-38. Click here to read the passage, click here to read the first part, and then come back!


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When you read the end of Luke 3, there's one thing that is glaringly obvious - there are loads of people in this list of names. And I don't even know half of them. If they were walking down the street, I couldn't pick them out of a crowd. I couldn't tell you their greatest accomplishment. I certainly couldn't tell you their name. I mean, this is not the Hall of Fame we're talking about here.


But I would also venture to say it doesn't matter, either.


Really.


God chose them. He put them where He did, when He did, for the purpose that He did. And I must trust His judgment.


More importantly, I must withhold my own. I see the name Menna or Sala on a list like this and I think, "Who's that guy?" Honestly, that might be the guy I'd be tempted to make fun of in the cafeteria at school or standing by the water cooler at work. He might be the guy with quirky behavior or the girl who's laugh is just the wrong pitch. We all know those people who for whatever reason get on our last nerves.


And we judge them. Maybe even bully them. Maybe even abuse them verbally...or physically.


And this genealogy reminds me today that the people I don't know are just as significant as the ones I do know. Because God selected them. They have meaning and purpose. They have value and a place in God's Story and Kingdom.


And I am convicted. How often do I mistreat someone because they are different or seemingly unimportant? How often do I treat people as if they weren't made in the image of God, just like I am?


Don't ever count someone out because you don't see their value. Don't ever consider someone unimportant because you don't see their worth. God chooses each person for a special purpose and just because we can't see it or understand it doesn't it make it any less significant.


Live knowing that you are significant to God. Live treating others with that same significance.


"This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers." 1 John 3:16


Christ died for us. Christ considered us worthy of his sacrifice. The only response after faith is to value others in the same way, even to give our lives so that they might come to know and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Counted Worthy

This is part 1 of 2 about Luke 3:23-38. Click here to read it, and then come back!


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If I'm truly honest, I usually skip the genealogies. I mean, who really wants to read "And he begat so and so..." over and over again?


But today I read the one in Luke 3. Out loud. I'm not saying this to get a pat on the back. I simply needed a way to stay awake because I was determined to actually read each word. And the Lord impressed something on me.


I realized as I was reading that there were only a handful of names that I actually recognized. Of that handful there were an even smaller number that I knew their story or what made them significant. But does that mean the other ones are not important?


They probably get skipped over often, maybe not even given a second thought, but God inspired Luke (and the other Gospel and Old Testament writers) to include their names. That alone makes them important. But why are they important? In the Gospels, especially the one in Luke, they're the lineage of Christ all the way back to God. That seems obvious.


But the thing that strikes me today is this: I think they're important simply for the fact that they're unremarkable. I don't know what Admin or Er did. And I don't think it really matters. What matters is that God counted them worthy to continue the line of blood that led to Christ.


I don't know what you've done either (good or bad), but if you're a follower of Christ then it doesn't matter if I know. I can trust that God has chosen you, for a purpose, and you are carrying the name of Christ wherever you go. You are a child of God. You are counted worthy.


Don't worry about whether your life is important to the world or whether people know your name like they do David or Paul. God says you're important. God knows your name. And God has an important task for you to do to further His kingdom. That might mean a smile and friendly wave to the gas station attendant. Or continuing to do your job with integrity. Or sharing the gospel with your neighbor.


Whatever it is, do it with excellence for the glory of God. He has counted you worthy enough to send His only Son to die on the cross for your sins. He has counted you worthy enough to be co-heirs with Christ. He has counted you worthy.


Now live in that worthiness.

Mandates

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." Exodus 20:8


I learned recently that there are two kinds of command, a mandate and a prohibition. Mandates are the "do's". Prohibitions are the "don'ts". The fourth commandment, the Sabbath one quoted, is a mandate. In fact, with the fifth commandment (honor your father and mother), there are only two mandates in all ten of the Commandments.


I was thinking about that idea, of mandates and such, and something occurred to me. Prohibitions are easy to follow.
Don't murder.
Don't give false testimony.
Don't rollerblade without pads and a helmet.
I tend to gravitate toward them because it is easier to gauge whether I have measured up to the task. If I'm really honest, I must admit it's also easier to judge whether other people have lived up to it, too. Maybe that's why the Pharisees liked the rules so much?


Mandates, however, are much harder to follow because I never know how much is enough. The person who gives the mandate could always require more of me, could always decide there are further expectations of the previously mentioned mandate.


Jesus says, "Love your neighbor as yourself."
I think, "But how much loving do they really need? Can I love them once and be finished? Maybe twice? Just in case the first time wasn't loving enough?"
The disciples asked the same thing. You probably do, too.


I realized something else, though, and herein lies the key to figuring out mandates. Maybe all ten of the commandments are mandates at their core. I mean, prohibitions really just keep us from doing things. They alter our external behavior. But mandates, those are the ones that really get at the heart of the issue - namely, our hearts. They alter our internal attitude. When viewed that way, it's easy to say don't commit murder. But Jesus was right, hating your brother is the same thing because the attitude is the same in both scenarios.


So often I tend toward the legalistic approach of doing, doing, doing. The problem is, these Ten Commandments are merely the minimum. They could all be rewritten in the form of a mandate, specifically a mandate that is of such a high standard that I could never do enough. I can never live up to the expectation that God has for holiness.


It's crucial then to remember two things - futility and grace. Futility looks at the commands of God and honestly says, "I have no chance." The mature Christian must realize the gripping reality of his hopelessness before God. But grace! Grace allows us the freedom to follow the mandates of God and offers us the forgiveness to fail. And fail we will.


That's why Jesus came. Because it was such a futile effort to live up to the standard which God has set for us. Jesus lived a holy life, according to all the "law" of God, not just because we couldn't but so that we didn't have to. Not only did He live the life we couldn't live but He died the death that we deserved. All so that we could be brought back to a right relationship with God.


This grace truly is amazing. This grace is so overwhelming, so lavish, so above and beyond anything we could have hoped or expected that the only response is worship.


How could it lead to anything else?

Despair

This morning I felt an overwhelming burden of sin and guilt and shame, which seemed to just come out of nowhere, but almost brought me to my knees in hopelessness and despair.


Ever feel that way?


If that's not the enemy attacking, then I don't know what is. He wants to bring me to that point of despair. He wants me to give up the fight. He wants me to stop trusting God to take care of everything. I forget sometimes that He's already provided everything I need.


In light of those feelings, I did what I wish I did every time I feel tempted to despair, I opened up the Word. This is what greeted me.

"The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me." Psalm 7:8

David is confident before the Lord. He's confident that God will protect him from his enemies and he's even confident to request God's judgment. But how is he able to be so confident in the face of wrath and judgment from the holy God?


It struck me like a ton of bricks. I was reminded that it's not my righteousness or integrity. And it never has been. It's the righteousness that Christ lived out for me during His time on earth and that very righteousness was placed on me through His blood which was shed on the cross.


It was such an encouragement to me, being reminded in such a fresh way of the work Christ has done on my behalf. But it was also such a convicting thing to think about - this work was not done so that I could keep it to myself. Christ died so that I might live and in His last words on earth, He commanded that I share this good news with everyone.


So, I challenge you not to settle for just "fire insurance." Christ's sacrifice means way more than that. Tell your friends and family. Tell your neighbors and coworkers. Tell the world.


As Penn Jillette has so famously said, "How much do you have to hate a person not to tell them?"

Awkward

A couple of weeks ago I went to Starbucks to study for a Greek midterm. This is a story from that night (and no, it's not a lengthy tale of Greek verbs and grammar rules :)


I had a lot to study, so I came prepared - headphones in, flashcards prepped, hot coffee at my side. A little while after I had been sitting there, two high school age girls came in, got some coffee, and sat down right in my line of sight. A few minutes later, a boy came in (also about high school age) meandered around for a bit, saw these two girls, and proceeded to talk to them. A few things were obvious from my point of view: they all knew each other, he wanted to talk and be friendly, and the girls did not. The problem is - the boy had no idea that they they were giving every non verbal cue possible to hint at their non-interest in the conversation.

So, as I watched, I began to feel judgment rise up in my heart. Briefly, I sided with the boy, quickly coming to the conclusion that these girls needed to be more welcoming, more friendly, less obvious in their disdain for him. But a curious thing happened, something that I think happened because of the true depth of sin in my heart. I started to resent the boy, too. I started to think, judgmentally and wrongly, that he just needed to give it up. He's awkward, I reasoned. He needs to go spend time with people who are more like him, I thought.


Pretty soon thereafter, the girls made up some excuse to leave and the boy was left there sitting. He seemed to be waiting on someone.


A couple of minutes passed and a guy about my age walked in and let me tell you, this boy's face lit up. It was clear that the person he was expecting had arrived. They got coffee. They sat down (thank you Lord) right in my line of sight. And they began to talk.


After a few prompting questions, the boy starts telling his story - you know, how he got to where he is today. I'll be honest, I love those kind of stories. So, I popped out a headphone to hear it all. I'm glad I did, too, because it truly blessed, challenged, and convicted me. 


I heard the story of a boy who, admittedly, struggled with social interactions and finding his place in a high school world where awkward kids don't really "fit" into the social hierarchy. He became depressed to the point of preparing to commit suicide. His only real friend, in an effort to share the Gospel with him, introduced him to a band, Skillet. She thought maybe their songs could have an effect. She was right. There was a song that really struck a chord with him, particularly because it talked about suicide and purpose in life. He'd never heard before that his life could have purpose. Meaning. Hope.


And there I sat, listening to his story of how Jesus found him and pulled him out of the "miry clay." I was pierced to the core at how quick I was to pass judgment earlier. I was convicted as I was reminded of my own story of redemption and how often I don't share it. And I was encouraged as I heard yet another story of how Christ can radically alter a person's life. You see, you cannot truly meet Christ and walk away unchanged.


So I ask you - how judgmental are you of other people? You never know where a person is coming from and the very thing you judge them for could be what God uses to teach a you lesson in humility. I seem to keep learning that the hard way...


Also - how often do you share your story with people you come into contact with? Or better yet, how often do you ask someone to tell their story to you? You never know the impact you could have on someone, whether you lead them to meet Christ for the first time or remind them of when they did.


Our worship pastor said a couple months ago, "The Gospel isn't just for saving folks. It sustains us, too." He's right. There is no greater gift you could give a person than the Truth of the Gospel.

The Shortest Sentence

I literally heard myself having this conversation earlier tonight with our little girl. It was like some strange third person experience, but I knew I would need to share. It went like this:

Isabella: Daddy, can I have that?
Me: No, baby.
Isabella: But I want it!
Me: I know, baby, but sometimes we want things we can't have. That's why we have parents - so we know what those things are.

Even as I said those words to her, I thought, "There's a lesson in this." I guess I'll always be a teacher to some extent or another.

After further reflection, this is what occurs to me: While it's not the entirety of parenting, sometimes "No" is the best thing we can tell our kids because it's a lesson in so many things. To name a few:

Patience - sometimes you have to wait for things or people. We have to wait all the time on God's timing, too.

Selflessness - sometimes they need a solid reminder that the world doesn't revolve around them. (In fact, it doesn't revolve around us either. It's a good lesson for us all.)

Trust - in you as a parent to know what's best for them. Ultimately, they need to see us trusting God daily for our needs, as well, and that will in turn bolster their confidence in you as a parent.

As I said, that's just a sample. There are many more lessons out there that "No," the shortest, yet sometimes most effective, sentence can teach.

And so I urge you. Please. Be actively involved in parenting your children. Being a parent is more than just blood or birth certificates. You have more than just a duty or responsibility to keep them alive for 18 years. You have a God-given mandate to shepherd their hearts, to teach them the right that will wage war against the wrong already deeply implanted into their hearts by sin, and to point them to the only eternal satisfaction that can be found - that which is found in Jesus Christ.

Pride

What do you take pride in? Where are you the strongest? The nations of the ancient Middle East, the ones prophesied against and about in the Old Testament, found their strength in sea and sword, trade and religion, even personal beauty.


I suppose its not any different today. Perhaps the most prevalent and debilitating vice, at the heart of every war, sex scandal, or child abuse story, is the issue of pride. Mankind is so proud. We think we're better than everyone else, even God, and we attempt to assert that power over countries, cities, people and even ourselves. Even at the heart of the fall of Satan and man was a pride which said, "I can be god of my own life." I know I think that way sometimes...


It seems there really is "nothing new under the sun," as Solomon puts it...


So, I was reading through Ezekiel and all of his prophecies against the many nations surrounding Israel (and even Israel themselves at times), and all of the sudden it hits me. The picture that Ezekiel describes, the reason why the nations are to be held accountable to God, is not really any different than the world today. It's old news, so to speak.


Here's what rings true over and above everything else. God is better. And stronger. And truer. God is all, and no matter how much we may think we have under control, we don't. And we never will. If anything, Ezekiel should put us in our place, the whole book should humble us quite a bit.


Over and over God says to Ezekiel, "Then they will know that I am the Lord God." (There are more references than I can list here. Go read the book and underline every time that phrase comes up. It's overwhelming!)


But why? Why does God say that so much? Because Ezekiel didn't get it the first time? No, I don't think so. I think God is extremely emphasizing (though maybe not so extremely considering how slow I am to understand this) that He is God! Over all! And we are not! Over anything!


So, what do you take pride in?


Is it your physical beauty?
Is it your personal strength?
Is it your religious piety?
Is it your skills and abilities?


I've heard it referred to as time, talents, and treasures. Or passion, possession, position, and power. Whatever you want to call it, the question is this:

What is taking priority in your life and in your heart over and above God?

More importantly, how are you using the gifts of God to further His kingdom and spread His gospel?


You can be a great singer, or athlete, or educator, or photographer, or preacher, or actor, or student, or businessperson, or whatever it is that you do. You can be passionate about things that are in this world, things that bring joy and excitement to people.


But the gifts of God should not result in pride in our accomplishment alone. Rather, they should produce humility before an awesome God. When we come to realize that rather than destroy us in our sin He made a way for us to be rescued from our sin, it brings humility of the deepest kind. When we truly grasp the depth of our sin and trespass against the Holy God, it brings gut-wrenching conviction. When we really get a hold of that idea, it radically changes how we think so that instead of seeking stuff from God we seek out what we can give back to God. 


So, this thing you're proud of? Is it something that you use to glorify God and proclaim His Truth to the world? Or are you using it to glorify yourself instead, to be the god of your own life?


God gave each of us good gifts to glorify Himself and I'd say it's high time we started living that way.

A Resolution

This year, after reading the entire Bible last year, I decided to go more slowly and try to dig in more to what I'm reading. I'll read a Proverb or Psalm a day in addition to a chapter from the New Testament each day. Where else is there for me to start than Matthew, right? So, reading in my quiet time this morning, these verses stood out to me in a way I hadn't thought about before:

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." Matthew 9:36-38

I am convicted, while thinking about these verses in particular, that I must figure out a way to live out my faith on a daily basis. It is such a waste if I don't apply the lessons I learn as God leads me through life. I also thought I would do well to share them. We all need accountability to hold us to the task, even when it gets tough. That said, maybe these thoughts can "spur you on" or maybe you can just hold me accountable. Either way...


The first thing that hit me in this passage is that, just like Jesus, I must have compassion for the crowds. I must care deeply (in the gut, as the Greek refers to it) for them and their eternal security. This is the motivation which will drive me to do whatever it takes to be sure they know the Truth of God's good news. As Jesus saw them, so must I also see them - with love, as lost sheep without a shepherd, in desperate need for a Savior.


Second, I must labor. Jesus said the laborers are few, but he also said to go make disciples. The reason there are so few laborers is that there are so few willing to actually go and labor. I must fulfill this commission from my Lord for it is the primary task which I have been given. Whether that takes place in my city, my state, my nation or the world - this is my goal: that all men might know that Jesus Christ is Lord and glorify the Father in heaven.


Finally, I must pray. I must pray for the strength to fulfill the task. I must pray for fertile ground when I share. I must pray for other laborers in the fields alongside me. I must pray - for without it I have no strength. Prayer for the Christian is as bread for the body, without it we starve. It is as fresh wind on a hot day, without it we are stifled. It is essential to the Christian's walk with Christ. I must not neglect the discipline of prayer.


What are some areas you could work on? Are you like me and need a swift kick in the tail to keep working to fulfill the Great Commission? How can I hold you accountable?