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.

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!

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...

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!

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?

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.