A Week For Devotion

Monday.  Another monday.  Every week comes and goes and brings another week when it is finished. The seemingly-endless cycle of days upon days and weeks upon weeks is back again.  And with each passing measurement of time we are presented with a decision, an opportunity for either rebellion or disobedience.  This monday, this week, let us make the most of the opportunity we've been given, let us take this week for devotion.

Will The Circle Be Unbroken? Not if I can help it!

I learned to play guitar from doing sing-alongs with my family, watching with the hawk-like eyes of an eager ten-year-old boy.  We would play all manner of sing-along songs that are so common.  And many of these songs I hope to pass on to my children and grandchildren as they have been passed on to me.  One in particular has, more recently, had a tremendous impact on me because of the simple, yet profound theology it expresses.

"Will the circle be unbroken
by and by, Lord, by and by.
There's a better home awaitin'
in the sky, Lord, in the sky!"

In my life I can only hope to succeed in holding up my arc of the circle as I pass on the circle to those who will come after me.  At the end of things, I can think of nothing more satisfying as being told by my Lord that yes, I did my part in making sure the circle remained unbroken as far as it pertained to me.

Psalm 18:30–This God

Psalm 18:30–"This God–His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him."

This God.

He is holy and totally unlike any other proposed god–He is eternal.  His Word proves true. It is because of this, that God actually is who He claims to be, that He is so deserving of our utmost worship.  The reason He is to be our shield is because He can.  He has it within Him the power to still the storms, to slow the winds, and calm the seas.

Praise be to Him.

Praise be to this God!

Matthew 24:35–Jesus' Words Will Never Pass Away

Matthew 24:35–"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."

This is one of those great statements, a statement of eternity, of everlasting mature.  Jesus is making quite a confession here.  And, to be sure, this is a statement of insanity, that is, unless He is who He claims to be.  If, however, Jesus is who He claims to be, then this statement is of remarkable importance.  In reality, if Jesus is the Son of God then we would to take this claim as seriously as it is given.  We would do wise, actually, to pay great attention to what Jesus says if His words are to be eternal...

Matt. 4:2–Jesus Was Hungry

Matthew 4:2–"And after fasting forty days and forty nights, and He was hungry."

Talk about the understatement of understatements: He was hungry.  I can barely make it past lunch before I'm starving.  Jesus goes forty days and forty nights.  And then, it says, He was hungry.  It is at this point in the story, when Jesus is exhausted and hungry that Satan comes to tempt Him.

You see, Jesus was like us.  He got tired like us, He got thirsty like us, and He got hungry like us.  But unlike us, He never sinned in His exhaustion, never strayed in His thirst, and never let His stomach distract from His devotion.

Jesus is our example.  Let us try to be like Him when we're hungry!

John 14:6–Except Through Jesus...

John 14:6–"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."

This is a pretty bold statement for Jesus to make.  He is making an absolute statement.  It is unequivocal, unambiguous–there's no mistaking what Jesus means.  He is stating a theological proposition, that the only way to God is through Him.  Quite a statement.

There are really only three ways to consider this statement.  Either Jesus is out of His mind.  Or He's an absolute liar.  Or He is telling the truth.

So what do you think?

1 John 3:2–To See Him As He Is

1 John 3:2–"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is."

O how I long for this day, when all things will be made right and true as we are brought into the divine presence so that we might see Him as He truly is!  In truth, the very essence of our hope as Christians depends upon Christ and His identity.  It is as we see Him that we are brought to Him.  In my own life, I can attest that my story of faith has always been entirely dependent upon catching a vision of the Lord as He is.  I can then not think of anything greater than the promise to see God as He is!  What a beautiful day that will be!

Zech. 14:9–The Lord Will Be King

Zechariah 14:9–"And the Lord will be King over all the earth.  On that day the Lord will be one and His name one."

The promises of God are certain.  The promises of God are sure.  This is one of those promises, that God will be King over all the earth.  He is the One.  This is it, everything.  As Christians, the totality eternal hope depends upon the fact that God is faithful to fulfill all that He has promised through His Son, Christ Jesus.

In the end, perhaps the only appropriate response to this verse is a loud and resounding AMEN!

Psalm 138:8–The Lord Will Fulfill

Psalm 138:8–"The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands."

This is an honest prayer, a sincere prayer.  It is a prayer that I hold to and that all should.  But while it is a nice sentiment to hold, it is another thing entirely to live our lives dependent upon the faithfulness of God, resting our confidence in the assurance that He fulfills His purposes.  But that is what this verse is all about: living a life of obedient trust in the faithfulness of God to fulfill His promises.

As we embark on another week of life in this crazy world, let us take some time to ascent to the promises God has made to us, and to actively trust that He will fulfill them.

Eph. 4:1–Walk in a Manner Worthy

Ephesians 4:1–"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called..."

The key to this verse is "walk in a manner worthy of the calling."  There is a lifestyle specific to the Christian, a lifestyle of love and compassion with no end nor prejudice.  This is the only life worthy of the calling of Christ, worthy of what Christ did upon the cross.  If only we would strive harder to commit ourselves to live this way.

Only by the grace of God...

Heb. 10:23–Unswerving Hold

Hebrews 10:23–"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful."

I have swerved–more than once.  But praise be to God or He is unswervingly faithful.  It is for this very reason that I am so compelled by this verse.  To 'hold unswervingly' that is the ultimate task, the utmost purpose for anyone of us.  But what does it mean?  How do we do this?

The answer to this occurs uniquely to each individual, but the essence of it is a posture, a focus in which we order our entire lives around the glory of God.

Not an easy task, to be sure.

But praise be to God!  For He who promises is surely faithful to complete that which He has promised!

James 4:7–Submit & Resist

James 4:7–Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

I love verses like this one, verses that give clear and concise direction: submit to God and resist the devil.  I also appreciate the intentional implication of the order here that in submitting to God, we will be able to resist the devil.  Let me say this directly, if we are struggling to resist the devil, we should check our submission.  Or, the other way around, if we are not submitting to God, we will most certainly struggle to resist the devil.

The response is clear.  Submission then resistance.

God Did Not Remain Aloof

The primary issue that plagues humanity is sin.  Sin is a venomous poison, a disease that drives wedges of alienation in every relationship.  We are frustrated in our relationships to one another, we are alienated in our relationships to God, we are confused in our relationships to creation, and we are even devastated in our relationship with ourselves.  All of this is as a result of sin.  Without attempting to be too provocative, the reason we feel so disconnected from everything around us is sin.  Quite literally, everything is broken.

Who could possibly save us in our dire predicament?  What would it take for us to accept salvation?

In all reality, God could have saved us from the curses of sin without getting His hands dirty, so to speak.  He was not powerless against sin while sitting on His throne in heaven.  Surely He could have handled sin decisively without sending His Son to take on the form of sin, placing the curse of sin upon Christ's shoulders, and He could have washed away sin without requiring blood.  But that is not what He did.

God did not remain aloof in garnering salvation.  He actively reached down into humanity with a distinctly human hand.  He pulled salvation through the torn human ligaments.  He grabbed redemption through blood-soaked flesh.  He laid the immense weight of all the world's sin upon His own shoulders. He satisfied His wrath by becoming the curse of sin.

All this He did at the cross.  In Christ.

To this, there is only one appropriate response: Amen and praise be to God!

Competitive Confidence

As an intensely competitive individual, it is a difficult admission to assert my own helplessness before the Lord.  However, this is precisely how I have felt lately: helpless.  Throughout my life I desire to make God supreme and to commit myself wholeheartedly to the commandments of the Lord.  But I confess that my method for being a committed follower of Christ is based on my own power and exertion of self will.  It is thus with great, although predictable regret that I am forced to admit repeated failures of behavior and sin.

My issue is not, as it were, my intention to live a life of obedience; it is the fact that I attempt to do it in my own strength.  God doesn't want me to try harder.  He isn't interested in my effort.  He is most interested in my faith.

But how does this faith translate to obedience?  Focus.

I have found that if I remain focused on Christ in faith–what He has done and the grace He showed at the cross–sin and self are not even in view.  It is when I am concerned with myself that sins and behaviors present themselves.

In the end, then, the matter at hand is one of focus: focus on God or on myself.  There is only one good answer here...

Psalm 91:1–"Abiding in the Shadow of the Almighty

Psalm 91:1–"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."

The nature of this verse is a two part phrase: those who dwell will abide.  While it may seem like this is an obvious connection, let us not let the density of it pass us by without consideration.  The real question is this: what part do we play in dwelling in God's shelter?

From a Christian perspective, the shelter of the Most High is the crucified flesh of Christ.  Therefore, dwelling in His shelter means, quite plainly, that we would live our lives within the body of Christ, washed by the blood of Christ, and founded solely under the canopy of God's grace in Christ.  This demand an active participation on our part.  But through this we are given a promise: we will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  Consider that when we are asking ourselves whether living in Christ is worth it...

Mark 8:36–What's The Real Profit?

Mark 8:36–"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?"

This is a great and probing question.  It lays out the reality of life in that direct, unambiguous way that only Jesus could.  The true issue of life, the heart of the matter, so to speak, is all about perspective and priorities.  Proper perspective, accurate priorities–this is the very essence of life.  But how to measure these things?  By what scale can we assess the real value of our lives, our decisions?

That is what this verse is about.  In reality, it is substance for all Christianity: what really matters?

The answer, while obvious to state as a theological proposition, is quite a difficult thing to base our lives around.  Any Christian worth his/her salvation can say that Jesus is everything.  Any Christian who has made a confession of faith wouldn't think twice about the question Jesus asks.  But do we live that way?  Do we really live our lives as if Jesus is the most important thing in all existence?

Perhaps we (and by "we" I mean "I") need to really think and pray about this question and its consequences a little more...

2 Chronicles 7:14–If My People Turn...

2 Chronicles 7:14–"if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

This verse, and the several like it, are at the same time liberating and difficult.  It is liberating in the sense that it gives us direct life applications for holiness.  That being said, it is difficult in that it tells us precisely what God requires of us: whole-hearted repentance.

Humility.  Prayer.  Seeking His face.  Repentance from sin.

Then...

God hears us.  He forgives us.  And He heals that which is barren.

I could write more (and trust me on this one) but I think this just about covers the important parts that need to be considered.

Who Are Your Heroes?

The world that we live in is obsessed with hero worship.  America has so deified celebrities that the way we dress, the way we look, even the way we think about life is defined by the celebrities we worship.  Musical talent, acting ability, massive bank accounts, famous relatives–it doesn't matter, we construct our lives around what a celebrity does or thinks.

Plain and simple, this is idolatry.  We worship idols.

The flaw in all of this is the difference between an idol and a hero.

An idol is any person or thing that distracts us from worshiping God.  A hero, on the other hand, is a person that acts as an example for us to follow, a guide for devotion.

Enter Scripture and history.  Both of these can be great sources for heroes, examples for us to follow in learning how to grow in Christ.

So, I ask:

Who are your heroes?

Gal. 6:7–Whatever Is Sown Will Be Reaped

Galatians 6:7–"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap."

This is one of the most basic truths of life, that we reap what we sow.  Most of us understand this truth and we live our lives loosely attempting to abide by it.  To be sure, it is so ingrained into our lives that it can be seen in nearly every facet of life: water the garden and the plants will grow, empty the fuel tank and the car will stop, pay the bills and the lights stay on, and so on and so forth.

But Paul adds this qualification: God is not mocked.

What does he mean by this?  How is God mocked by sowing and reaping?

The truth is, how often do each of us sow one thing but pray to God for a different harvest?  I readily admit that I have sowed on thing while earnestly asking God for another.  This is the essence of this verse.

We should never forget the reality of sowing and reaping.  God does not bless the sowing of sin with righteousness, just as He does not bless a harvest of holiness when it is sown in unrighteousness.

But to sow righteousness is the very joy and task of the Christian.  In so doing we will reap a harvest of eternal life.

Amen!

Happy Father's Day

This day is a day in which all the sons and daughters strive to honor their fathers or, at the very least, to acknowledge them.  To be sure, not every child has a positive evaluation of their fathers.  Some fathers have been bad fathers.  It is thus important that today marks a day not only for honoring our earthly fathers, if applicable, but even more so that we would exalt our Heavenly Father.

So, when you think of this Father's Day, my prayer is that you would think about God and what He has done.  Consider your Heavenly Father today and give Him praise too!

Citizens of Heaven

One of the negative criticisms levied against modern Christians is that some have been too political. To be sure, this is not an entirely inaccurate assessment of Christianity in America.  In truth, the past hundred years in particular has seen the rise in religious conservatism as a legitimate theological-political position.  Furthermore, Christians who hold to this form of American Christianity continue to inextricably link the advancement of the Gospel to conservative politics.  The net effect of this is that the Gospel is rendered as little more than a political motivator while the real power for transformation is thought to be a legislative ordeal.

It is upon this that the transformative power of the Gospel needs to be applied in earnest.  And while there are a multitude of verses and passages that address the heresy of this very issue, the passage from Philippians 3:19-21 seems appropriate for now.

"Their end is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself."

That about covers it for now.

Be Thou My Vision

One of my favorite hymns is "Be Thou My Vision."

It is an ancient Irish tune that was brought into English sometime in the past couple hundred years. In truth, not a whole lot is known about who wrote it or exactly when it originated, but it showed up in an English journal for the first time in 1905.  Be that as it is, I am simply astounded at the depth of wealth of this little tune.  Not only is it a beautiful piece of music, and it most certainly is that, but it is also just brimming with a cry of sincere worship.  Read the first verse.  Let is soak in.  Let it be your prayer as it will be mine today.

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Resounding Praise

I have found that when life feels sun-soaked that praise tends to flow from my mouth as a gushing river, without hindrance or difficulty.  On the other hand, when life feels more like a never-ending raincloud that the once easily-flowing praises dries to a trickling faucet. Conversely, when life appears

Why is this?  Why is it difficult to praise God sometimes but at other times it seems to be the only thing worth doing at all?  What is it in me that makes praise a chore or a joy dependent on my mood?

Fortunately, I am not left wandering in this abyss of wallowing emotions.

Praise, unlike my feelings, is an act that engages my heart in a vertical activity.  Whether I am happy or sad, I am prone to inwardness.  But praise is an outward expression, a vertical focus.  Perhaps, then, that my real 'issue' is not in diagnosing the various differences that my varied emotional states make on the prospect of praise.  Rather, my real 'issue' is that no matter my state I am more apt to think about myself, wherever my emotions may be lifting or drooping, than to the Lord in praise.

It is at this point that the reality of my dilemma rises to reveal itself.

My greatest problem is me.

Thank goodness there is a proper cure for this disease of self: PRAISE!

Thoughts For Tuesday Night/Wednesday Morning

For those of you who know me, especially those who know me well, you know that it is a rare thing for me to not have something to say.  I am prone to talking without thinking, sharing when no one cares, and I have a perennial case of foot-in-mouth.  That being said, this blog will be a simple question (two, actually). My hope is that these might spur you on to consider how you're doing today.

Do You Love Jesus? Does He Know?

Matt. 7:13-14–The Wide & Narrow Gate

Matthew 7:13-14–"Enter by the narrow gate.  For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

The narrow gate and the wide gate.  Two gates, two paths to salvation.  One, the wide one, leads to destruction.  But if one would choose the wide gate, at least they wouldn't have to go it alone for there are many who go through it.  On the other hand, there is the narrow gate that leads to life eternal. Unfortunately, for those that would desire life eternal this way is hard and, to add to the difficulty, one may find themselves alone on the journey.

Boiling down the question to its root is essential.  Most important is the recognition that this proposition is anything but hypothetical.  Rather, these 'gates' are choices of utmost import.  The choice, the gate, is rendered basically in this simple question:

Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for the forgiveness of sin?

Hab. 3:19–The Lord Is My Strength

Habakkuk 3:19–"God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer's; He makes me tread in high places."

The analogy presented in this verse is rather cultural, however, the intention thereof, the meaning offered is still relevant today.  The idea of "feet like the deer's" has a twofold meaning: the first is about adaptability, the second is about swiftness.

The deer, in this context, is an animal with astounding resilience and adaptability.  It can go anywhere, often places other animals could never reach.  To heights unreachable or depths unthinkable, the deer and its unique hooves empower it to go.

Similarly, the deer has a unique swiftness to it, the dynamic ability to switch directions, to run after that which is needed or to away from danger.

But praise be to God that He makes us like this; empowers us to live as He would wish.

It is in this way that He is our strength!  And we should trust that He does do this for us and in our lives.

Is Christ Within You?

The nature of Christianity is quite unlike every other religion in several ways.  One of these significant differences, one of the genuinely unique ones at that, is that Christian believe that Christ Jesus is living within them.  And this phrase is not semantic and it is most certainly not a hypothetical proposition. No. One of the primary teachings of Christ is that upon His death and resurrection, He has sent His Self–His Holy Spirit–to live inside of them.

This 'living inside' means, among many things, that the Spirit of God is residing within the believer guiding, compelling, leading, encouraging, strengthening, empowering, convicting, sanctifying, and bringing them to deeper levels of grace and praise and worship.

Permit be to be quite direct: we want this.  We want more of Him in us.

This is our prayer, this is our purpose.

Amen.

Phil. 3:13-14–"Pressing On"

Philippians 3:13-14–"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own.  But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Straining forward in repentance, that is what this verse is about.  In reality, this is so much the essence of the Christian life.  It is not that we have already become that we God is making us.  In one sense, however, we have been made saints by the atoning blood of Christ.  But in another sense, we are still living in our bodies, which are ever drawn to sin, disobedience, and rebellion.

To be quite clear, the inherent difficulty to this resides in the singular fact that we are confined to these weak bodies as long as we are breathing.  It is thus of great importance that we would grow in perseverance and in discipline, always straining forward to what lies ahead in Christ.

1 Chron. 29:11–Yours, O Lord, Is The Greatness

1 Chronicles 29:11–"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the earth is Yours.  Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all."

My life is inundated with mediocrity.  In truth, it is no small thing for anything in my life to be or to become what anyone would call excellent.  Even more so would be the oddity of actually possessing anything remotely resembling true greatness.  True, I am a decent musician; I am a fairly good writer. But for me to be called majestic or glorious or great, well, that would be just plain silly.

God, however, is not like me–or anyone else for that matter.  That's what this verse is about and we should be happy to shout it in exclamation for its truth!

Amen and praise be to God for He is great!

Smile All The Way To Tears

Have you ever had the experience of being so overwhelmed with joy that you cannot help but begin to cry?

I am writing this post while at a funeral for a loved one.  As I am watching the people walk around and say their blessings to the bereaved I am awestruck at the emotional climate.  It is not sad nor is it dark. On the contrary, I find that I am surrounded by something else entirely: joy.

It is clear that this woman was loved and enjoyed by everyone that was blessed to know her.  And yet this funeral seems utterly drenched with joy.  There are most certainly tears but they are tears of glory, tears of exultation. To be quite honest, I find that I am overcome by this and sobbing with a smile so wide.

The woman, one of my wife's aunts, was a devout Christian.  It is this singular fact about her that is the cause for the emotional milieu.  Christians alone live a life based solely upon the hope of the glory of God found in Christ Jesus.  Hope of life eternal.  Hope in the promises of God made secure by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Amen!  Praise be to God!

Oh that my funeral is filled with those sacred tears of joy!

God Has Called Us To Live

1 Thessalonians 4:7-8–"For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.  Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you."

This passage comes as the conclusion of a brief exhortation about Christian living.  But, as we reach this verse, there is an interesting point being made.  Paul is exhorting believers to live to Christ, for Christ, and as Christ.  This means, at the very least, that our lifestyles will be pure and undefiled. The point here, though, is that the authority with which Paul makes these commands is not his own.  More than that, if we disregard Paul's teachings it is, in truth, not Paul we are disregarding at all; we are disregarding God Himself.

We should never, not ever forget this.  It is, ultimately, not the church, any man, or institution that compels us to live lives of purity and holiness.  It is God Himself that desires it.  It is He who orders and commands.  This is, it turns out, everything.

Psalm 56:4–In God I Trust

Psalm 56:4–"In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid."

Fear is a real, very human thing that every person experiences.  It could be the fear of paying the bills, or the anxiety of relationships, whatever the fears may be we all deal with them.  Sometimes fear can be so overwhelming that it feels asphyxiating.  It is at these times, though, when all of life seems to fall like a great dark cloud over our lives that we should remember and apply the words of this verse.

I shall not be afraid.

Why?

Because my trust is in God and His word.

Amen.

Psalm 103:17-18–The Lord Loves Those Who Keep His Covenant

Psalm 103:17-18–"But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to those who keep His covenant and remember to do His commandments."

There is a severe tendency when reading this passage (and the multitude of verses like it) to read the lovely part at the beginning while neglecting the latter conditional components.  But in truth it is the contingent aspect of this passage that makes it so important.

At the onset, one thing must be asserted: God loves everyone.  This is unambiguous and, quite frankly, irrevocable.

Now that that's out of the way we get to the hard part: God's love is not equal.  While this may seem provocative it flows from relational definitions.

Some people know God as their Father just as He knows them as His children.  These people, the people of the Covenant of Christ, are–in a quite literal way–His.  This means, among a who litany of things, that the people who He has deemed to call His, who He has called to live covenantally, God loves them, for lack of a better term, differently than everyone else.

It is this 'difference' that warrants the entirety of the aforementioned passage.  The people of God, who are called to live according to His covenant, have commandments to fulfill.  It is upon the satisfaction of these commandments that righteousness is received, just as it is upon our fear of Him that His love is applied steadfast.

Much, much more could be said but suffice to say this passage is anything but easy to stomach while it remains rather straightforward: fear God and keep His covenant.

Romans 12:15–Practical Relational Intelligence

Romans 12:15–"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."

Knowing when it is appropriate to weep with someone is as important as knowing when it is inappropriate to rejoice.  When someone is grieving the loss of a loved one or the diagnosis of cancer it can be like a great wound.  If we go to that person with nothing but rejoices we will be salting the wound not nourishing someone who is broken.  It is, therefore, of paramount importance that we would grow the acuteness of our relational intelligence.  In other words, we need to become better at assessing where other people are coming from emotionally and to relate to them appropriately.  This is love.  This is Christianity.

Sermons

Romans 8–Wonder-Working, Chain-Breaking, Back-Flipping, Life-Changing Power

John 3–The Necessity of the New Birth

John 3:16–What Have You Given For Love

John 3:16–God So Loved The World

John 3:16–"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shat have eternal life."

Without a doubt this is one of the most famous verses in all of Scripture.  It is so well-renowned and frequently quoted that perhaps some of us may have even forgotten what it means.  But consider, for a moment, the reality of what this verse is saying.  God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.  Love.

Spend some time today pondering on this verse, perhaps thinking on it in a way you have never done.

Romans 15:2–Let Each Build Up His Neighbor

Romans 15:2–"Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."

This is a decidedly-foreign attitude to take towards the people around us (our neighbors).  We're so far more prone to belittling, criticism, negligence, and disregard.  But this verse exhorts a different perspective, another way to love those we are blessed to have in our lives.  We are called to love our neighbors in order to build them up.

This is the very essence of Christianity as it pertains to loving one another.  We do it to build them up.

Love, plain and simple.

Gal. 5:13–Freedom To Do What?

Galatians 5:13–"For you were called to freedom, brothers.  Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."

Freedom can be a controversial word in the American church.  The reason for this is two-fold.  Firstly, Americans have been raised with a specific understanding of what freedom is.  As a result, we bring our American definition of freedom to bear upon the Scriptural meaning of freedom.  We struggle, sometimes, to take our American lenses off, meaning that we confuse Christian freedom with American freedom, even going so far, unfortunately, to use the terms synonymously.

But Christian freedom is different.  It is the freedom to love one another, the freedom from sin, the freedom to do what is right in God's eyes, the freedom to obey the commands, and, lastly, the freedom to live a life of submission to God's will in our lives.  It is in this way that we have been called to freedom just as we have been blessed with freedom.

Let us not forget this. And let us not use our freedom in Christ to serve ourselves but, rather, to love each other more!

Proverbs 15:1–Need For A Soft Answer

Proverbs 15:1–"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

A 'soft' answer.  To my discredit, this has not always been my most natural response.  In truth, actually, I am prone to offer answers that are too direct, too aggressive, and, quite frankly, too harsh.  This verse, then, has a special relevance to someone like me who has a tendency towards foot-in-mouth syndrome. More than once, many times to be honest, I have seen the reality of this verse in my own life.  I can say without hesitation that a soft answer does turn away wrath just as a harsh word does stir up angry responses.

It is thus so vital that we would guard our tongues, monitor our speech so that in any and every circumstance we would only offer answers soft in delivery.  This does not relegate everything we say to be weak.  On the contrary, this means that when what we say is difficult and strong, our delivery will be soft for the purpose of making it most effective.  The sharpest blade can be deflected by defenses, but the dullest knife can wound if defenses are lowered.

Romans 15:5-6–"May God Grant You To Live In Unity

Romans 15:5-6–"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

We are surrounded by divisions.  The whole world is a mix of lines of maps, lines down aisles, lines between factions, and lines between ethnicities.  But in Christ, the hostility that separates us is broken (Eph. 2:13-16), and we are able to join together not only to Christ our Lord, but also to each other through Christ.

This transformation from tension to relationship does not happen naturally.  In truth, it is an entirely unnatural change.  It demands that we would rely on God to bring us together, to build connecting bridges where none exist.  It is with this intent, with this sentiment in mind that Paul pens the benediction of Romans 15:5-6.

Let us thus pray that God may grant us the ability to truly sing with one voice, breaking down any barriers that would hinder our unity and glorifying God as a unified body of Christ.

Ephesians–3:20-21–To Him Who Is Able To Do More!

Ephesians 3:20-21–"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.  Amen."

Sometimes, a lot of the times, we don't know what to pray for.  We know we need to pray, we might even have some sense of what we need to pray for–but still, we are at a loss for words when it comes time to pray.  It is at these times, when we are at a loss, that we can turn to Scripture.  Scripture is rife full of prayers, benedictions, and doxologies that can be very valuable not only as examples for prayer but, and perhaps more so, as prayers we can ourselves pray.  Let us not forget this basic truth as we seek to worship God through prayer!

Enjoy Worshiping Together

There are few things more satisfying than joining together with believers and worshiping God.  When we get together on Sunday mornings (or whenever) we are engaging in an ages-old celebration.  It is a celebration of Christ, a celebration of His sacrifice, and a celebration of all we are as His body, His Church.  This is why it is so important that we would never forsake coming together.  In coming together, we are loving God and loving one another.  In truth, let us never forget this!

Ecc. 11:5–Thank God You Don't Know

Ecclesiastes 11:5–"As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything."

Praise God for miracles!  Praise God for babies!  Praise God for His endless, amazing creativity in creation!

If I have uttered it a million times, it has not been enough.

Humanity is brilliant in its creativity and intellect, clever in its category and thought, and beautiful in its poetry and language.  But with all this genius and grandeur we still must bow in humility before the God who creates by the power of His voice, the strength of His Word, and can still the storm or swell the wave with but a whisper.

To all of this we can only say:

Praise be to God!

Psalm 139:13-14–Praise The Lord For Making Us!

Psalm 139:13-14–"For you formed my inward part; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."

This passage has special meaning to me right now.  At this very moment, my wife is pregnant with our first child.  It is no small comfort to know that God is doing all the work in my wife's womb, knitting together our unborn child.  How wonderful it is to know that God is, even now, making our child to be and become the person God intends our baby to be.

Amen!  Hallelujah to the King who forms our inward parts even before we are born!

When The Going Gets Tough is God Enough?

Only a child or a fool would ever say that life isn't hard.  It is.  But the measure of a person is not how much they have to deal with but, rather, how much they can persevere and still remain strong and joyful.

It is with this context that I ask the question: when the going gets tough, is God enough?

Where is our confidence when everything is overwhelming?  Where do we find comfort when life is so uncomfortable?  Where is our strength when we have no strength?

Only God, the Eternal One, is sufficient to maintain us when life is so tumultuous and uncertain.  Only He is the sure source of relief, strength, and support in all of life's turmoil.  There is no greater place to place our confidence than firmly in God.

Let us never forget this!

Psalm 118:24–Everything You Need To Know About Today

Psalm 118:24–"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

This verse encompasses everything we need to know about every single day.  More accurately, this verse prescribes for us a course of action for every day: rejoicing and being glad every day.  Why? because the Lord has made it.  Bad day? Rejoice and be glad.  Great day? Rejoice and be glad.  Rainy day? Rejoice and be glad.  Sunny day? Rejoice and be glad.

Why? Because the Lord has made it.

1 Peter 3:8–What's Left To Say?

1 Peter 3:8–"Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind."

Could there any more comprehensive an exhortation for community?  To be sure, this verse is not without context, coming about midway through Peter's first epistle, but suffice to say that it encompasses much of this letter's intent for Christians–to be a people of love.

Consider, for a moment, the elements exhorted here: unity, sympathy, brotherly love, tenderness, and humility–could there be a more comprehensive list for the character demands of Christian unity?  But this is not an inventory, a to-do list for Christian fellowship and life.  It is focus, focus for our Christian sanctification, focus for our lives.

Let us strive to live this verse out in ever-increasing measures as we seek to be obedient to the will Christ has for us in our lives!

1 Tim. 1:15–Jesus Came To Save Sinners

1 Tim. 1:15–"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of who I am the foremost."

This is a great verse, revealing Paul's deep understanding of why Christ came or, rather, who He came for.  Furthermore, this "saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance–that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."  I assure you that I could say so much more about this but, to be quite honest, this verse pretty much speaks for itself so I'll just re-state and ask that you take some tome to consider its truth for your life today.

1 Tim. 1:15–"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of who I am the foremost."

Romans 12:1–Present Your Bodies

Romans 12:1–"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

To present your body as a living sacrifice is a theologically-dense proposition.  Not only is it a commentary about how different Christian worship is in contrast to every other form of worship, but it is also a testament to the wholehearted devotion that God desires from us.  It is insufficient for us to merely believe.  We need to support our belief by offering ourselves in body to the will of God for our lives.  Furthermore, Paul tells us that this kind of devotion is, it turns out, our spiritual worship.  Let us consider, then, how important it is for us to remember that God wants it all–our bodies too!

Colossians 4:5–Walk Wisely

Colossians 4:5–"Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time."

This is one of those concepts that can be so difficult for the Christian to understand–it has been for me at least.  The reality is that non-Christians and those that do not know God do watch the Christian with a critical eye, searching for hypocrisy or weakness of conviction.  It is for this reason (not to mention the other more devotional reasons) that we need to live our lives wisely at all times, but especially in front of non-believers who are watching.  

To be sure, this is no easy task.  But it is a matter of faith and focus more than it is a matter of show.  We are to live wisely for those who would be watching because we desire to be obedient to Christ in every aspect of our lives.  Let us then strive to live wisely and make the best use of the time, recognizing that we are being observed for our Christianity.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18–Rejoice Always

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18–"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

In all circumstances.  The key to this passage lies in this simple, though neglected phrase: this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  In other words,  rejoicing, prayer and giving thanks are the very things God desires from us.  The real trick is to apply these practices to every and all circumstances, to pray when we would rather not, to rejoice when life is joyless, and to give thanks when there seems to be nothing worthy of thankfulness.  Let us commit to do these things so as to fulfill God's will in our own lives.

Romans 15:7–Welcome One Another

Romans 15:7–"Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."

Let me begin with this: Christ did not need to welcome us into His presence.  In fact, it could be argued that we didn't deserve was for Christ to accept and welcome us into relationship with Him.  But this is precisely what He did; He overlooked our unlovability in order to make us lovable.  At the very least, this means that we will overlook offensiveness, overlook differences, overlook that which separates, and all this for the purpose of joining in relationship for the glory of God.

As we look to Christ as our example, let us strive to welcome one another into relationship as He has welcomed us.

Psalm 100:3–The Lord Is God

Psalm 100:3–"Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture."

Basically everything we need to know about God and our relationship to Him is delivered in this verse. If we could only come to God with this understanding, that He is God and we are His, I am certain that profound transformation could have its effect in us.  The soil the Holy Spirit needs in order to grow His fruit is a penitent heart that comes to His throne with the right posture of praise and humility.

Let us then take this verse as a prayer, a sincere offering of worship to our King.  In this way we will ensure a right perspective as we come to Him in praise and adoration.

A Big "if"

2 Chronicles 7:14–"if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

This is no small "if."  The whole bit about hearing from heaven and forgiving sin depends upon the big "if."   It runs like this: if we who are called by name would humble themselves, if we would pray and seek Him, and if we would repent of our wicked ways, then we will hear from heaven and will be forgiven our sin.

There is something to this verse, something for us in this verse.  Take a moment today to consider the "if" in your own life as you seek to come to God in faith and devotion.

Romans 12:11–Be Fervent

Romans 12:11–"Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in Spirit, serve the Lord."

Christianity is not about sitting on salvation as if it is an arrival or a destination.  No.  Christianity is about expiring ourselves upon the Gospel, utilizing the lengths of our energies for the task of loving one another and serving the Lord.  That is what this verse is about.  It comes in a context that is concerned with what the Christian is supposed to do, how the Christian is to live his/her life.  It is no wonder, then, why the writer is sure to remind us for the need for zeal and fervor in our lives.  There is no little pull to be lazy in spirit or slothful in zeal.  But if we keep our eyes fixed upon Christ and the great depth of zeal in His passion, we will remain zealous in fervent service to the tasks God has placed before us.

Proverbs 17:28–Just Be Quiet

Proverbs 17:28–"Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent."

For someone who is prone to speaking when it would be best to remain quiet, this verse is provocatively profound.  In reality, I have confirmed this verse to be true many times.  But even with all this experience I am still prone to foolishness, opening my mouth to speak when it would be best to keep it shut tight.  Who knows, maybe I could sound wise by not making a sound at all!

Hebrews 11:6–Need For Faith

Hebrews 11:6–"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him."

The quintessence of our relationship with God through Christ is found in this verse.  Our introduction to the Gospel comes through faith, to which we believe in God's existence but, even more so, without faith drawing near God is an impossibility.  In terms of the necessities of worship, faith is sine qua non, that without which worship could not take place at all.

Because of this, there is one prayer that takes precedent over all others:

God, please forgive me my doubt and help me to believe.

Do Not Assume Relationships

Assumptions are terribly dangerous things.  They are easy categories that we apply to people for fear of investing time to love; they are the very shields we erect to convene others just beyond our borders so that we might not have to learn about a person.  Rather, assumptions give us just enough information as to criticize, demean, and keep at arms length.

While I am primarily speaking of assumptions in regards to people–assuming something about another person–assumptions can be dangerous in nearly any setting.  I am in no little predicament to assume sure footing whilst my toes are planting in the route of an oncoming landslide.  There is no safety in assuming the gun is not loaded when I hold it in my hand.

Yet we do make assumptions.  We make assumptions about one another, about race and creed, background and politic, wisdom and foolishness.  And to make these overarching assumptions about another person is merely a defense mechanism used to cope with the reality of our own innate apathy towards another individual.  The point here is not the veracity of the assumption but, rather, that the assumption is necessary at all.  This I could call the assumption of indifference, wherein the assumption serves to overcome the lack in relationship by placing an overarching category over an individual, i.e. he's lazy, stupid, rude, et al.

But there is another assumption that is far-more dangerous: the assumption of relationship.  In the former assumption, distance is presumed between individuals and the assumption serves to qualify and define that distance.  In this assumption, the assumption of relationship, the true assumption is that the individuals are not distant but are, in fact, close.  This assumption, though subtle, is present when one person claims a near relationship with another that is unwarranted and unfounded.  In the real world, this looks like  coworker who shares all-too private things assuming to already possess the relationship needed for that degree of sharing.

The reason that the assumption of relationship is so devastating is that, eventually, the reality of the relationship will be brought to light and the assuming party will be found wanting and humiliated.  This is so easily to see in teenage boys who, after assuming a relationship with a teenage girl, are confronted with the reality that the girl has no feelings for the boy akin to the kind of relationship assumed by the boy.  The net effect for the exposed assumer is devastation, want, and humiliation.

Without much consideration we could see the harm of assuming relationships.  But how many of us do this very thing when it comes to salvation?  How many of us assume to possess a relationship with the Lord Almighty where one does not exist?

It is with this on our minds that Paul's exhortation to the Philippians seems most appropriate.

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Phil. 2:12-13)

Proverbs 29:25–Safety Is Trusting In The Lord

Proverbs 29:25–"The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe."

This verse presents a juxtaposition, an unequal equation of sorts.  On one side we have safety, stability, and security–to be found only through trusting in the Lord.  On the other side there is fear, the fear of man.  To be sure, there is no choosing in this equation: only a fool would choose to fear men rather than trusting in the Lord.  But the reality is that so many of us, without any actual consideration, quickly desert trusting in the Lord because we fear men.  This is an example of fearing that which can be seen for lack of trust in Him who is unseen.  Ultimately, though, this is no tradeoff at all.

The only secure and safe position is trusting wholeheartedly in the Lord. (Period)

Luke 19:10–God Came To Seek And Save The Lost

Luke 19:10–"For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost."

God's heart is for salvation.  He has a heart to seek the lost but, even more so, to save the lost.  God did this through His Son, Jesus, who died as a substitutionary atonement for the sins of mankind.  All of this is to say that God saves sinners.  This is the core of the Gospel, the very core of God's heart.  The Gospel is, after all, Good News.  Let us always remember this.

Hebrews 7:25–He is Able to Save Those Who Draw Near to Him

Hebrews 7:25–"Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

In truth, more than anything, the reason we draw near to God is because, ultimately, we trust that He has the power to accomplish that which He promises to do.  This verse speaks to this effect, inciting within us a confidence to know that God does precisely what He has claimed.  But even more so, we can draw near to Him with assurance through faith.

In the end, this verse warrants a simple assertion:

Amen!  Praise be to God!

What's The Most Important Thing?

Life and all the various components that comprise it come to us in uncatalogued.  As we experience life and learn about the variety of distinctions unique to to everything, we naturally begin the process of ordering our lives, evaluating everything that we come into contact with and categorizing everything into a sort of value-based mental hierarchy of tastes, likes, dislikes, desires, passions, dreams, morals, ethics, et al.

There becomes, as it were, a prioritization within each one of us.  We have these lists, for lack of a better word, in which our entire lives, our very existence, is placed into our perspective orders.  To be sure, these lists are almost-surely informal and un-written, but they exist none the less.

The question I pose is this:

What's at the top of your life list?  What is the most important thing?

Quite plainly, nothing compares to the surpassing greatness of knowing God through Jesus Christ. Nothing.

John 11:25-26–Do We Believe This?

John 11:25-26–"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.  Do you believe this?'"

This provocative statement by Jesus concludes with a simple, direct question: do you believe this?

It goes without saying that the heart of this passage is Jesus' assertion that He is the resurrection and the life.  And there's no doubt that the the idea of receiving this life through belief is of vital importance for the believer.  However, the real thrust of this statement, the true challenge comes to us like this:

Do you believe?

Rom. 1:20–Enjoying the Sunny Day isn't Enough, Why?

Romans 1:20–"For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  So they are without excuse."

Winter in Minnesota this year has been a long, cold pall.  Its persistence has chilled my attitude as it has chilled my bones.  But 'praise be to God' for the sun is shining again!

To feel the welcomed warmth of a sunshiny day has brought a portion of this verse's point to the forefront of life.  But to acknowledge the Creator when we are confronted by the majesty of His creation is only a beginning step in the equation.  And it is the next step, our response, that matters.

It is not enough to enjoy the beauty of God's creation, for in doing merely this we are never actually enjoying as it was intended by He who created it.  In order to get to this point we need to glorify God, to praise Him for His marvelous works.  This is what we, as Christians, strive to do–take the next step from creation to Creator.  In truth, it is for lack of this step that all are held accountable and there is no excuse.

On this wonderfully gorgeous day, then, let us do the only appropriate thing: praise God and enjoy His creation.

John 10:28-30–Securely in the Father through Christ

John 10:28-30–"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.  I and the Father are One."

It is no little comfort to know that our salvation is made secure through Christ Jesus.  We are held tightly in His divine grasp and because Jesus is who He is–One with the Father–it is something worth celebrating, worth cherishing, and, ultimately, should prompt us to praise His glorious name.  The Easter weekend may have come and gone but that is no reason for us not to still ring out exaltations to the King for the great and grace-filled gift of eternal life that He secures for believers.

O Death, Where Is Your Victory?

1 Corinthians 15:55-57–"'O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Amen! Praise be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus who saves us from sin and death!  Amen!

(I have little more to add to this passage today)

Resurrection Sunday

This Sunday is the day in which Christians around the world celebrate the day of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.  We do this not merely in memorial, though.  When we join together to worship our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, risen from the grave, we do so understanding the great salvation that He offers through His flesh.  This is the very heart of Easter; it's the only reason we celebrate the day at all!

Let us not neglect this as we join together over food and family this Easter.  Let us, instead, only offer the sincerest of praises to our Lord for what He did upon the cross!

Isaiah 53:5-6–Pierced For Our Transgressions

Isaiah 53:5-6–"But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned–every one–to His own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

There is more to this passage but this bit captures the heart of it.  The point is that upon Christ Jesus was laid the iniquity and sin of mankind.  This occurred so that God could be proven both just and justifier of all who would draw to Him in faith. Today is Good Friday, the day in which Christians remember when Jesus was crucified, the day in which the prophecy of this verse, written some 700 years before the event, occurred in history.  Because of this I urge you to spend some time considering the great love that God showed for us at the cross.

1 Corinthians 1:18–What Is The Power of Cross

1 Corinthians 1:18–"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Before I came to Christ I had this same perspective about the cross.  It was maybe nothing more than superstitious foolishness.  But after I encountered Christ everything changed.  The reality of this verse was brought to bear upon my life and the power of God was transfused into me through the hearing of the Gospel.  I cannot now deny, though, that the cross truly is the power of God.  It speaks of His greatness, His creativity, His mercy, His justice, and, ultimately, His amazing power.

O the wonderful cross!

Romans 13:8–What Do We Owe One Another?

Romans 13:8–"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law."

I was recently listening to a radio conversation in which the guest told the host, "I don't owe anybody anything."  To which the host replied, "that's right.  I feel the same way myself."

It occurred to me that many people live their lives with this same understanding, that they owe nothing to no one.  And even if we might not say as much we probably live our lives like it.

But God has something else for us.  he says that we do owe other people.  We owe them our love.  To be sure, this is a simple but profound thing; however, it is also an oft-neglected debt.  Truly, we do owe everyone around us our love because, at its core, our love is a gift from God.  Because our love comes as a gift from God it is out of our devotion that we deliver our love to others as an expression of our love for what God has done.  That's the least that we owe.

John 14:9–Know The Father Through Christ

John 14:9–"Whoever has seen me has seen the Father."

Even Jesus' disciples struggled with some of what He was trying to teach them.  Most of them did not understand the real gravity and depth of who Christ was until after His ascension when the Holy Spirit finally came upon them.  This, I believe, is one of those instances in which the block-headed disciples had trouble grasping the reality of who Jesus was.

But don't some of us still struggle with the same things?  Sure, we may recognize Jesus' distinctiveness as the Son of God but do we truly recognize Him in His oneness with the Father?

This is precisely the point that Jesus is trying to make with this statement.  He wants us to know without ambiguity that to know Him is to know God, to see the Son is to see the Father, and to love Christ is to love God.  This is the essence of Jesus: God.  This is the essence of the Son: the Father.  It is for this reason that Jesus can say that whoever has seen Him as seen the Father.

God Saves

Titus 3:4-7--"But when the goodness and loving kindnes of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not by works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Salvation and everything that it entails is, in so many ways, a mystery.  When I say that I do not, however, mean that it is entirely unknowable but, rather, that we only truly understand the great acts of salvation in part.  All that being said, though, there is one component about salvation that is so very clear throughout Scripture.  It is, in one sense, the most fundamental thing about salvation.

God saves.  And He saves apart fro anything within us that is worth saving or that could even possibly warrant salvation of its own accord.  This may be the irreducible Gospel: that Jesus saved us at the cross.

As we move swiftly through the Passion week unto Easter, let us try to keep this before us as we remember the great thing that was done for us upon that cross.

Praise God

It's a beautiful day: praise God.  It's a rainy day: praise God.  Life is full and satisfying: praise to God.  Life is challenging and full of struggle: praise God.  Laughter comes with ease and smiling abounds: praise God.  Tears come with heaviness and pain: praise God.  Resources are plenty and without want: praise God.  Gas tanks and bank accounts are depleted: praise God. Hope is empowering and easy: praise God.  Hope is nowhere to be found and all seems bleak: praise God.

If the point hasn't been sufficiently made let me say it directy: in all things let us learn to worship God with all sincerity and heart, always looking to God in faith whether we have abundance or lacking.

In the end let our soe perspective be a simpe one: praise God.hgg

One Step At A Time

Often times the passage of life can be reduced to acheivements or seasons, where age milestones become like arrivals and goals are things you set and reach.  And be they short term or long term the after-effects are the same, leaving you hungry and left asking, "So what now?"

But in Christ we are called to treat life as a daily ordeal, a single-serving existence, if you will.  In this case life is thought of as a sequence of single steps of devotion where each point in the progression comes after the last which leads then to the next, and so on and so forth.  The point, then, becomes not that we would consider life as some large, expansive tract or full-length novel, but as a simple proposition: one step at a time.

This is expressed so many times in the Scripture: deny yourself daily, manna for the day, give us this day our daily bread, etc.  We would do well to take this mind among us, to live each day one day at a time and to give it fully to God throughout, remembering always that it is He who made us and, after all, it is His day too!

Romans 12:2--Do Not Be Conformed But Be Transformed

Romans  12:2--"Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

This verse and the one that precedes it speak a good deal about what God wants from those whom He is pleased to call His own.  In truth, much of the sanctification process, if we coud crudely refer to it as such, deals with the idea of transformation.  And this transformation is from one thing to another, in this case, from one way of thinking about the world to another more true understanding of the world as it is: God's.  

The heart of this transfromation, to be sure, is putting to death that which is not Christ within ourselves so that the life we live now we would live to Christ; or, more accurately, that Christ would "make His home in us."  In other words, the life that now compels and energizes us will be Christ's; the very manner and attitude that dominates our lives will be Christ's manifested to us and in us.  

Needless to say, this transformation needs to be a comprehesive one.  And, as this verse indicates, the transformation must includen our minds and, at the very least, our perspectives.  Thus, as our minds face the renewal made by the Holy Spirit applying the Scrptures and our discernment is transfromed by His overwhelming presence within us, we will begin to see the world and all that are in it in the proper perspective, God's perspective.

Let us, then, strive for renewing minds and transformed lives so as to draw closer to the Holy Lord as He takes up residence in our hearts, our minds, our spirits, and, ultimately, our entire lives.

Eternal Life & Oranges

There is perhaps nothing so uniquely Christian as eternal life.  It is one of those features of Christian theology that, in so many ways, sets it apart from every other religious or philosophical system.  This distinction comes, at least in part, from the method of receiving this eternal life; namely, through faith in Christ Jesus.  It is not about doing something or even knowing something; it is about having a real, personal relationship with the Holy Lord through His Son.

But this, the manner through which eternal life is received by the individual, is not the definition of eternal life; it is only a description of how it is obtained.  In truth, so much of Christian theology is consumed, and rightly so, with understanding the initiation of eternal life that comes through faith in Christ.  However, we would do well not to neglect that eternal life has, at its core, a content that is quite spectacular.

Understanding eternal life deserves its own consideration, its own description aside form merely talking about how to receive it.  That is what I hope to convey here.  For this an analogy might serve the best course.

Imagine, for a moment, that your only experience with an orange was with those inedible decorative oranges that some people put in bowls in there homes.  But you had never actually tasted an orange. You may, by deduction, understand that the orange is something to eat and maybe even that it has a taste unique to itself.  If you are particularly clever you may, through studying what others have said about the orange, begin to ascribe to the orange features it possesses: citric, sweet, juicy, etc.

And while each of those ascriptions would be accurate you yourself would never be speaking of an actual orange, you would only be talking about the orange hypothetically, neither from experience or with any applied knowledge; only theoretical musings.  At best you could only say what the orange of your description might be like if you could pick its inedible shape off of the table and eat it, though you'd always be thinking of the same dull decorative orange-thing while you're attempting to describe what the orange may be like (it is very much so akin to describing a particular color to someone who has been born blind).

In the end, however, only upon actually eating the orange would you thus possess true knowledge of the orange itself.  It is, in a sense, through tasting the orange that the reality of the orange and its orange-ness become of any real value or accuracy.

Eternal life is sort of like this in that until we possess it through Christ we can only describe it in terms of hypotheticals, never speaking anything accept what might conjecture in ascribing to eternal life what we have reasoned or what has been told us.  But in Christ we receive eternal life, meaning that the life possessed in Him is one that is uniquely eternal.  Moreover, this life will possess certain 'tastes' unique to it that cannot be sufficiently understood or even communicated by anyone except for those who have tasted it.

Theologically speaking, this comes down to the presence of the Holy Spirit who indwells the believer and initiates a new life.  And like tasting an orange for the first time will bring with it a newness of perspective that will inform every other taste, the new life in Christ will influence every facet of the believer's life with a newness, a new taste (keep in mind this is an inadequate analogy for the supreme holiness that is the new birth but the limits of language should never dissuade us from attempting to understand that for which comprehension stands just outside of our grasp).

This is but a scratch in the surface of eternal life, a single droplet into a seas worth of theology. However, I hope that it has at least sparked an internal dialogue within you that you might consider what eternal life 'tastes' like to you.  And if you cannot say with any authority or conviction what eternal life is then I urge you to ask a Christ-follower and, even more so, to find out for yourself with a sincere step of faith in your own life.  You will be as amazed as the man whose never tasted an orange.

Acts 20:35b--More Blessed to Give than Receive

Acts 20:35b–"It is more blessed to give than to receive."

There are perhaps only few maxims of Christianity that are easier to grasp in our minds yet more difficult to actualize in our lives.  The reality is that this axiom demands serious attention from us in order that we might make this maxim a reality in our own lives.  In truth so much of our own world holds to a converse maxim that it is more blessed to receive than to give.  It then must be active posture and attitude.

To make the reality of this verse present within ourselves it demands a conscious effort, a shift in paradigm from one way of viewing things to another.  But this fluctuation from one way of thinking to another is completely in line with the Gospel: to love others as Christ loved us.  

This means that we would take it upon ourselves to count others higher than ourselves, take pleasure in giving to others, and, ultimately, go to the great lengths of laying down our very lives for the good of others before ourselves.  That is what this verse is about and that is what it demands for our lives. Needless to say, it takes utter devotion to Christ to keep this posture before us at all times

2 Corinthians 5:14-15–Living For Christ

2 Corinthians 5:14-15–"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised."

This passage is one of those that could be quite off-putting for those who do not know Christ.  It speaks of a relationship of obedient submission to the will of God as we seek to live out Christ in our own lives.  For some, this kind of relationship could seem terrifying, and rightly so.  But the reality is that to give ourselves fully to the will of Christ is the very definition of liberation and freedom.  When we take the reality of this verse upon ourselves we become the people we were made to be, the human beings we were created to be.  Because of this, and many more reasons that are too voluminous to list, we should strive to make the reality of this verse a reality for us and for our lives.

Be Still And Know

Psalm 46:10–"Be still and know that I am God."

Perhaps you are fretting over how to pay the next set of bills.  Maybe you are too busy playing with your iPhone to notice the 'real' life going on around you.  Or perhaps your days are so filled with activity and stress that it would seem like a tremendous tragedy for there to be a moment of genuine quiet.  Whatever your circumstance, I am sure that this verse speaks an enormous truth just as true as when it was first written.

There is no doubt that life is full of bustling and noise.  And the loud hurry of it all is surely capable of overwhelming our existence.  This is why so many look to a constant stream of distraction or inebriation; anything to take the edge off and prevent our eyes and ears from seeing and hearing the profound, shattering truth:

God is.

Because of this, I urge you today to take time, a moment or an hour, to be still and know.  Turn everything off and listen.  Listen for the still, pleasant whisper of God's voice as He calls out to us. Just be still and know that He is God.

Matt. 11:28-30–Jesus Gives Rest

Matthew 11:28-30–"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

There is no doubt that it could be confusing to consider that what brings rest is to take Christ's yoke upon us.  It is then of great value to understand what Jesus means of when He speaks of a 'yoke' and 'burden' but it is of even greater value to realize that these things are light and easy.  The heart of this matter is that Jesus gives rest to those who are weak and heavy laden, however, it is tremendously liberating to know that to receive this rest involves a simply posture of praise: come to Christ and receive from Him rest.  It is about submission and deference to He who is.  Although it may seem odd, my most immediate and animal response to such information is to take a large, relieving breath.

Thank You, Lord!!!

Romans 8:38-39–Nothing Can Separate Us From The Love Of God

Romans 8:38-39–"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

It is more than a mere comfort to consider the reality of this verse.  Simple words cannot adequately convey the deep and awesome nature of God's great love for us that He showed in Christ Jesus.  In short, the love of God is the very definition of satisfaction, joy, fulfillment, peace, worth, happiness, destiny, purpose, and hope.  It is then of supreme solace to know that nothing can separate us from the love of God that we find in Christ Jesus.  Of course, this presumes that we already have a relationship with God through Jesus.

For those of you who do cannot say with confidence that you have a definite relationship with Jesus I would encourage you to consider the life of Jesus this Easter.  I pray that you would come to know the great love God has for us in His Son.  For those of us that do have this relationship, however, this passage is one that offers strength and encouragement for our lives.  We would do well to let this become a stabling backing to undergird our lives in Christ, knowing that in Him we will always know the love of God.

Proverbs 18:2–A Fool Only Wants To Share Opinions

Proverbs 18:2–"A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his own opinion."

I have been so prone to this special sort of foolishness in my life.  Perhaps there is a piece of me that is broken, a trigger that gets flipped and prohibits my ears from hearing, my brain from thinking, and starts my mouth moving without much consideration for what it's saying.  It is at these moments of intellectual incapacity where deficiencies of wisdom bring the reality of this verse to light in my life.

In truth, I have been a fool far more often than I would care to admit but I am also keenly aware that the trick to overcoming this particular form of foolishness is a matter of pleasure.  If we would become most pleased with learning and gaining insight rather than merely voicing our opinions, we will go a long way to safeguarding ourselves from being a fool of this ilk.

Galatians 5:22-23–Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23–"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

This passage and its content present the fruits of the Spirit, which are held in contrast to the fruits of the flesh.  To be sure, the point here is that those who are in Christ and have submitted to the Holy Spirit's presence in their lives will exhibit certain personality and behavioral traits: the fruits of the Spirit. One of the struggles with this passage as it pertains to Christians is that some who would think themselves worthy of receiving these fruits yet have found them oddly absent in their lives have wrongly assumed that in order to possess them they need to somehow try harder–as if by trying to be more joyful we would receive the spiritual fruit of joy, etc.  But this attitude couldn't be further from the truth.  Rather, the fruits of the Spirit are simply a direct result of our adoring devotion to God through Jesus.  It is this and this alone that incurs the presence of the fruits at all.  For this reason, we should not focus too much on the fruits as if by possessing them we would enhance our devotion to the Lord.  Instead we should strive to love God with all our hearts, soul, and mind, and trust that God will bless us with spiritual fruits in our lives.

Matthew 15:10-11–Not What Goes In That Defiles; It Is What Comes Out

Matthew 15:10-11–"And He called the people to Him and said to them, 'Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes our of the mouth; this defiles a person.'"

Being a person that is prone to vocal verbosity I can speak with a certain amount of experience about the content of this passage.  Speech can be the greatest source of comfort or the greatest source of pain to those around us–depending, of course, upon what we say and how we say it.  This is why it is so important that we would strive to tame our tongues, for they possess a great power for destruction or healing.  The same source of venom is the same source of salve.  We would do well to remember this all the days of our lives.

Isaiah 40:28-31–The Lord Is the Everlasting God

Isaiah 40:28-31–"Have you not known? Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to Him who has might He increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

This passage is about Jesus, the Christ.  It is, at the very least, a declaration: have you not heard?  And while it truly is brimming with theological worth, the heart of the matter is relatively simple and direct: He is everlasting–and He provides strength and support for those who would wait on Him. Admittedly, when I am feeling weak or overwhelmed, I am not always looking to the Lord for my strength and assurance, to which I have found my self still anemic and tired.  That being said, I can say without fail that those when I have looked to God I have found refreshment, release, and strength.  This verse has proven true in my own life but I urge you to test its truth for yourself.  Jesus is the everlasting God and He is faithful to provide for those who would wait on Him.  Let us be those that would wait on Him.

Psalm 62:7–On God Rests My Salvation

Psalm 62:7–"On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God."

There is perhaps nothing more profoundly comforting and liberating than realizing that my salvation does not in anyway rest upon my own strength, my own guile, my own will, or even my own best intentions.  It is sweet serenity that salvation is dependent upon Christ and Christ alone.  There could be nothing more freeing than to recognize that salvation rests on God alone.  He is the Refuge, the mighty Rock of salvation, and the sole source of freedom, relief, and glory.  We should not forget this, not only that but we should let this ground our very lives.

Mark 10:43-45–Whoever Would Be Great Must Be A Servant

Mark 10:43-45–"But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

This is one of the passages of Scripture in which Jesus Himself defines the radical nature of the Kingdom of God and how it is so very different from the kingdoms of the world.  While the world is built upon self-exaltations, prideful boastings, and delusions of grandeur, the greatest in the Kingdom of God are those who would be the least by serving others the most.

To be sure, this is lovely theology, a desirable sentiment.  However, actualizing this theology, making it a real and present part of our lives and identity is something else altogether.  But this is precisely the sort of life style and attitude that Jesus is asking of His people.  We should strive, then, to be servants truly in every role we can in our lives.  In so doing we will be faithful to the life that God has for us in His Son.

1 John 1:9–If We Confess God is Faithful

1 John 1:9–"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The proposition is invariably simple: confess sin and trust in God.  In reality, it is perhaps the simplicity that poses the the great difficulty for humans; we assume that something so profound must be complicated.  But God, while being eternally complex yet effortlessly simple, has made the forgiveness of sin a straightforward ordeal.

The difficulty, then, is not in the transaction of confession and forgiveness but, rather, in the will of the sinner.  Until we recognize the depravity within us we will render ourselves wholly unable to confess that depravity unto God for forgiveness and salvation.  It is not, as it were, an issue of intellect that prevents people from coming to God in faith; it is, and it has always been, a problem of will.

As we ponder the reality of this in our own lives, my prayer is that we would all take a heartfelt and sincere look into ourselves so as to come to God in authentic humility and penitent praise.

Romans 6:23–Dead in Sin, Alive in Christ

Romans 6:23–"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Sin is one of the most verifiable truths in life and yet its existence is still one of the most intellectually rejected.  Sin is so pervasive that it has rendered hearts hard, minds dull, and spirits empty.  But all of those consequences pale in comparison to the ultimate consequence of sin: eternal separation from God. There is no more severe repercussion reckoned to humanity than to be separated from God eternally.

Enter Jesus.  Christ Jesus has saved us from our sin and offered us life through faith in His name, faith in who He is as the Son of God, and faith in what He did on the cross.  This is the very essence of Christianity.  In fact, the whole of Christian theology hinges upon this truth: that God saves people from sin through Christ Jesus.

Let us never, ever forget this.

James 1:12–Remain Steadfast

James 1:12–"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."

Perseverance is, by definition, a difficult thing. It asks us to withstand tension, sometimes to the point of breaking us because of the strain.  But, as James is writing here, perseverance is about staying steadfast in enduring the trials that test us, and in so doing we will be refined and rewarded.  The point is that we would remain steadfast whilst under the taxing struggles of this life.  So let us not grow tired of being perseverant for if we are we will receive blessing from God.

Ephesians 6:10-11–Be Strong in the Lord

Ephesians 6:10-11–"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil."

The enemy of souls, Satan, is prowling.  He desires to devour the souls of men and women, to drive us away from the Truth, and reckon us separated from God for all eternity.  This is no fictional horror-film story; this is the reality of life.  We should never take spiritual warfare lightly nor should we ever neglect that Satan is scheming against us, crafting clever snares to pull us away from Christ.  This is why it is so vital that we are strong in the Lord and wear His armor for our protection.  The next several verses in Ephesians define the armor of God but, for now, all that needs to be said is seek after God and rest in His strength, His might, His wisdom, and His guidance.  In this way, we will remain aware of the schemes of the devil and we will have the power, who is the Holy Spirit, to protect us.

Jeremiah 17:7-8–Blessed are Those Who Trust in the Lord

Jeremiah 17:7-8–"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.  He is like a tree planted by water, that sends its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."

The reality of this verse can be most keenly seen in its converse.  When people do not trust in the Lord they have no roots to secure them in times of trouble, no stability when the winds of life blow, and fail to produce lasting fruit of eternal value.  But this is precisely what trusting in the Lord means.  To trust in the Lord means that we will rely upon Him for our provision, our strength, and our guidance in life. There is no surer Rock than the Lord Himself.  What Jeremiah says is still as true as ever.  Let us never forget this as we strive to live a life based upon trusting in the Lord.

1 Peter 2:2-3–Long For Pure Spiritual Milk

1 Peter 2:2-3–"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation–if indeed you have tasted the Lord is good."

For those who have tasted the presence of the Lord a hungering sets in, a hunger for a deeper relationship with the Almighty God.  Many people assume that Christianity, if it is to be included in a person's life, should be done in a moderate manner.  This couldn't be more destructive to the Christian message.  God doesn't want merely a piece of a person's life; He intends to have the entirety of a person's life and devotion.

For this reason, among a vast litany of other reasons, Peter is right to exhort us to "long for the pure spiritual milk."  Reams of paper could be expired in defining pure spiritual milk, however, it is enough for now to say that pure spiritual milk is the nourishing knowledge of Christ Jesus received through faith.  It is found in prayer, study, fellowship, and worship.  And, as Peter commands, we should long for this milk as infants.  In this way we will be ensuring the stability of our salvation.

Romans 10:9–Confess & Believe

Romans 10:9–"if you confess with mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Without spending much time on the particulars of what salvation is–the topic of several other posts–I want to make a brief statement about the nature of conversion, which is what this passage is about.  In truth, the simplicity of conversion: confession with the mouth and believing with the heart that Jesus is who He claimed to be and that He raised from the dead, a well-attested historical event.  So simple.

Praise be to God for the simplicity of receiving salvation!

Colossians 1:28-Him We Proclaim

Colossians 1:28-Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ."

At the heart of Christianity, the center of everything distinctly Christian, is Christ crucified for our sin and resurrected as our Lord.  There is nothing more paramount to Christianity than Christ, and nothing more important to the Christian than striving for maturity and wisdom in His name.  It is, in a sense, our utmost passion and our singular goal: to glorify God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  

Because of this reality, we should develop a daily practice of seeking after His wisdom, praising His holy name, and confirming our faith with action.  All of this occurs under the tutelage of advisors, spiritual leaders who we trust to point us in the right directions and kep us accountable to the truth of the Gospel of Christ.  That is a good deal of what this verse is about and we should heed its place in our own lives as we press on to be a people of obedience and faith.

Psalm 23:1–The Lord is My Shepherd

Psalm 23:1–"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."

The reality of this verse is that it speaks so dimply about theology so profound.  So much of Scripture presents this very relationship, that of the shepherd and the sheep.  The point of defining the relationship that the Lord has with His people this way is that it sheds significant light into how well God knows us and the way that He cares for us.  It is a beautiful thing to remember that God so loves us as a shepherd loves his sheep; He protects us from predators as a shepherd; He leads us to green pastures and cool, still waters as a shepherd leads his sheep.  Because of all this, we should not forget who He is and who we are before Him.  And praise the Lord, the good Shepherd!

Proverbs 3:5-6–Trust in the Lord

Proverbs 3:5-6–"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths."

Far be it for me to say something completely obvious but life is hard.  It is full of disappointment and a whole lot of, well, junk.  Amidst the vertiginous reality of this world, however, we have a sure and certain security: the Lord.  Only in Him and in His truth will our paths be made straight and our ways be secure.  It is for this very reason that we should not lean on our own understanding but should, in all our ways, acknowledge Him.

Acts 4:12–No One Else

Acts 4:12–"And there is no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

This verse says it all, everything that needs to be said at least.  To be sure, sermons upon sermons could be written about this passage but today it seems more appropriate to let the verse speak to itself.  In other words, I simply ask that you would read the passage again and consider the reality of what it says: Do I believe this?  Is it foundational for my life?

I urge you to spend some time considering the content of this verse today.  Think about what it means for you as a person.

2 Peter 1:5-8–Supplement Your Faith

2 Peter 1:5-8–"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

This is a beautiful passage, full of practical theology applicable to every Christian.  While every Christian understands the reality of salvation (confession, repentance, belief), not every Christian understands that this does not end at conversion.  But salvation is a process of development, that we would grow in godliness.  That is what this passage is about: the maturation of our Christianity, from faith to brotherly affection.  The purpose of this process of growth is so that we would not be brandished ineffective or unfruitful because of immaturity, but that our faith would be supported by our life.  This is the very task for the Christian.  Let us make it our path and our intent to do so with eagerness and joy.

Romans 8:28–All Things Work For Good, For Those Who Are Called

Romans 8:28–"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."

This is a promise to all those who God is pleased to call His.  The promise is for those who love God and for those who are called.  It speaks of a knowledge, a specific knowledge that God will work everything together for the good of those who are His.  AMong many things, this means that for all the sufferings, the troubles, the good, the bad, the disappointments, and the achievements, we can have the confidence that God is working to use all of those things for our eternal good and for His purposes.

In all this, all I can say is: Amen!  Praise be to God!