Redeemed from Sexual Abuse - Simply Amazing!

Please take the time to watch this. It is pretty amazing. Pay attention to the honesty, vulnerability, and the glorious gospel of Grace. We'd all do well to develop relationships where we can speak this way (well...maybe without the poetry).

How Many Bullets Do You Have in Your Gun?

An old friend (who was not a believer) once told me that he carried around an imaginary gun in his pocket.  Every time his wife did something wrong, particularly against him, he would remain silent, all the while putting a metaphorical "bullet" in his gun for future use.  Then, at some future date, when he did something wrong, he would pull out the gun and shoot her with it - in other words, he would unleash war upon her with a list of all of her previous wrongs.

It's easy to look at this situation and see the major flaws.  This is no way to live in the home.  This is a marriage that will not last unless it is rescued by the power of the Gospel.  But, I would bet that we all have "guns" and we all, at times, like to load them.  What are we to do?  How do we end the miserable cycle?  Well, I am no expert, but I know who is.

Christ is the remedy.  But how?  Sure, it's easy to say that He is, but what does that mean?  Is it realistic to think that a simple fact - that Christ died - can help in the heat of the battle?  I mean, come on!  How does a man dying on a cross, over 2000 years ago, help our situation?  Here is at least one way:

Consider Col 3:3, "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."  or, Gal 2:20 where Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ."

Bullets are instruments of punishment.  When we "shoot" others we are attempting to vindicate ourselves by their punishment.  This is tremendously crafty.  It's very difficult for a sinner on trial to place another (namely, us) on trial.  That's why we let the stored up bullets fly when our faults are exposed.

There is a serious problem with this though.  A person who sins against us cannot possibly pay for the sins they have committed against us.  When we try and vindicate ourselves, we really condemn ourselves.  Why?  B/c we find satisfaction in seeing them pay outside of the Cross.  We shoot and say, "Debt paid."  Well, no.  The debt is not paid!  And if we think that our little bullet is enough, we are selfish and unjust.  We care only that we feel better about the situation and care nothing at all about God's justice being satisfied.

If we truly stored up bullets for the sake of justice, we would take the matter to the highest court and forsake the temptation to settle it in the courtroom of our mind and emotions.  If we were truly concerned with justice, we would let God handle it.  We would let Him prononce the punishment.  We would let Him shoot!

Now, for the gospel.  God has already pronounced and exacted the punishment.  He has already shot His vindicative "bullet."  It is called the Cross of Christ.  And those who place their faith in Christ are so united with Him that His death can be called their death as well.  Amazing.  What does this look like in an argument in the home or among friends?

Billy shoots his bullet at his wife Betty saying, "You did this and that the other day!  You treated me miserably!"  Betty then sets her mind on Christ and understands that Billy's bullets cannot kill her.  Her sins have been punished already.  In reality, Billy is shooting someone who has already died, in Christ.  She says, "Yes, Billy you are right.  I am a sinner and I did do this and that.  I repent.  Will you forgive me?"

Billy, looking surprised, puts his gun down.  It doesn't make since shooting a dead person.  It is unjust to make Betty pay for sins that Christ has already justly paid for.  He repents saying, "Betty, I am sorry for being so crummy.  I am sorry for not seeing you in Christ.  He thinks to himself, "Yes, she sinned against me - but I will take that to the Cross and see her sins punished there."  He then says to his wife, "I have sinned against you and God.  I have tried to settle this matter myself.  Of course I forgive you, but I'm the one that needs forgiveness.  Will you forgive me?"

I know this is easier said than done.  But it must be said first...well, it has already.  The Word is sufficient for us.  Praise God that in Christ we have died and, in Christ, we now live!

Aloneness is No Indicator of Identity

One day while in seminary I was struggling greatly with temptation.  I was by myself.  My wife and kids were somewhere.  I sat there at the table, with my head in my hands fighting with all of my might to keep from sin.  It was a war.

Then I heard my neighbor’s truck crank up.  I immediately stood up and ran outside.  He was on his way to class when I told him what was going on. Without a moment’s hesitation, he pulled his truck back into his driveway and came inside with me. 

I will never forget our conversation.  I told him how disappointed I was in myself.  I said something to the effect of, “When I am by myself I struggle the most.  And I know a good indicator of who I really am is to look at myself when I’m by myself.”  In other words, I felt like a fake.  My solitude revealed who I really was, and it was not who I was when I was with others.

He looked at me and said, “Where is that in Scripture?” I simply had no answer for him. 

Pascal gives some amazing insight into human heart regarding this subject:

“Man finds nothing so intolerable as to be in a state of complete rest, without passions, without occupation, without diversion, without effort.  Then he faces his nullity, loneliness, inadequacy, dependence helplessness, emptiness.  And at once there wells up from the depths of his soul boredom, gloom, depression, chagrin, resentment, despair.  Sport, entertainment, fashion, art and society are so often pursued not because of the pleasure they bring, but to take our minds off ourselves.”

This is well said.  The sinful flesh feasts at the table of individualism and loneliness.  Christian fellowship is so amazing in that it brings out who we really are – those who are justified, forgiven, and safely hidden in Jesus Christ.

Question 1: What is the Bible?

As we begin this study, it is important to note [again] that I am using Robert L. Plummer’s book 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible as a skeletal guide.  I would like to thank Dr. Plummer for his wonderful contribution to the church.

Yesterday, I discussed the importance of contextualization.  Today, as a precursor to our study, I’d like to give you an illustration that I carry around in my mind that helps me understand the discipline.

I think of contextualization like I think of traveling.  First, there is traveling like an astronaut.  From this point of view, one sees the earth in its greatness and comes away with a general overview, but with little detail.  Second, there is traveling like an airplane pilot.  As one navigates he sees not the earth as a whole, but the earth’s surface on a large scale, seeing some minor detail along the way.  Third, there is traveling in a motor vehicle – to stay with the “A’s” we will call this traveling in an Accord.  Here a person gets more detail and is able to see certain landmarks with greater clarity and longevity.  Forth, there is traveling like Adam – i.e. walking.  Obviously, a walker is limited in scope of content, but detail improves greatly, being able to use more senses and even take a small detour along the way.  Finally, there is no travel at all, but rest (I don’t have an “A” for this one!).  Here one focuses on one object or area and dissects it, studies it, meditates on it and savors every moment.  With these illustrations in mind, let’s begin our study!

Question 1:  What is the Bible?

In answering the question Plummer recognizes that for the seminarian this information might seem rather elementary.  I found this chapter very refreshing as it brought me back to the basics of a book I love so much.

An Overview of the Bible (an astronaut’s view).  Plummer writes, “The Bible is a collection of writings that Christians consider uniquely inspired and authoritative.”  Though it is a compilation of sixty-six smaller books (thirty-nine in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New); and though many books were produced by men of different time periods (c. 1400 BC – 90 AD), cultures, backgrounds and personalities, the ultimate author is God Himself who sovereignly superintended the process (more on this in Question 3).  Scripture itself boldly proclaims this very truth: “All Scripture is breathed out by God…” (2 Timothy 3:16).    

The Bible is history’s record and proof that God Himself has entered into a relationship with mankind.  This relationship is described by the word testament or covenant.  So, when we read the Old and New Testaments, we are not just reading history, poetry, or letters.  We are reading the record of a relentless God who pursues his often rebellious people through covenant faithfulness.  Pay attention to this and consistently ask yourself how the passage at hand attests to this fact.

The Purpose of the Bible.  Keeping things simple, Plummer quotes 2 Timothy 3:15.  He writes, “The purpose of the Bible…is ‘to make a person wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.’”  This purpose should be the lens through which we read all of Scripture.  Every single word of the Bible is meant to bring people into a redemptive relationship with God through Jesus Christ. 

Basic Story Line of the Bible.  Within the first three chapters of the Bible (Genesis 1-3), we learn the origin of the universe, of man, and the cause and effects of sin.  Most importantly we learn that God Himself promises to remedy the tragic situation caused by man's sin through the promised Messianic “He” of Gen 3:15.

Moses, the writer of Genesis, then records God’s covenant with Noah (Gen 6-9) and His covenant with Abraham (Gen 12, 15, and 17). Abraham is Jacob’s (who later was renamed Israel in Gen 32:28) grandfather.  God would continue to have His special eye on the nation of Israel, but it is also clear that “He planned a world wide blessing that would flow forth from the Jews at a future time” (Plummer; cf. Gen 12:3). 

This plan finds its fulfillment in Jesus the Messiah, the one about whom the prophet Isaiah spoke, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.  I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isa 49:6).  Jesus, by His life, death, and resurrection, has inaugurated this worldwide salvation, which is now advanced by the power of the Spirit through His Body - the Church; and which will be consummated at His final return. 

There is much more I would love to say about the story line of the Bible, but time does not allow.  It is my hope that as we proceed through our study, the story line will become clear, easy to remember, and redemptive.

Question for Reflection.  What is one new thing you learned about the Bible? (Or, possibly note a previously known fact that struck you afresh).

Purpose Statement and Important Facts for Genesis.  I write purpose statements for each book at the beginning of each book.  For some, I have multiple purpose statements that I have picked up over the years from different authors.  I try to memorize one, while visiting the others on a regular basis as I read/study during my devotions.  Study Bibles are good tools to use, though I have found that many feel the amount of information is a bit overwhelming at times.  The following is my favorite run down for the book of Genesis (taken from The Reformation Study Bible). 

Author:  Moses

Purpose: To teach the Isrealites God’s design for them as a nation through the background of early world history and the lives of their patriarchs. 

Date: 1446 – 1406 B.C.

Key Truths:

-       Although sin corrupted the ideal world Israel’s God had created, redemption would come through God’s chosen people.

-       The lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob provide many insights into the nature of God’s covenant with His people and their hope for the future. 

-       The lives of Joseph and his brothers reveal the ways in which the people of God are to relate to each other and to the world.

Keep these facts handy as you read through Genesis.

For Further Study.  Read Genesis 1 – 3.  Pay special attention to Gen 3:15.  Do some research on this verse, and explain its significance.  Then read 2 Corinthians 4.  Compare and contrast the two passages. 

This post is a bit longer than I had originally intended.  But there is some preliminary material that I included that will not be in future posts.  May the Lord bless us as we proceed to our next question.  I hope to post 3 per week.

What in the World Am I Supposed To Do With the Bible?

I begin this post with an example, so please bear with me.  Read and consider the following statement:

John went to meet Bill in Paris.

This sentence is simple enough.  Just like a verse from the Bible.  It is easy to understand, and upon reading it we have some information that we didn’t before.  But, there is still so much missing.  Let me give some history to contextualize it a bit.

John lived in the 1500’s and was a major player in the Protestant Reformation’s goal to reach the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Not only was John a high-speed theologian, he also fought hand over fist for the rights of the poor, widowed, orphaned and oppressed.  Unfortunately, he did not go without an adversary - a well known heretic, who spoke often against his views.  We will call the adversary Bill.  John, though obviously frustrated by his adversary, pleaded  with Bill to recant his heresy and turn to Christ.  In an effort to work all of this out Bill called for John to meet him in Paris for a talk. 

Given this short paragraph, we have more information that helps us to understand better the first statement – John went to meet Bill in Paris.  Now we know that John and Bill aren’t best friends, but adversaries.  We know the goal of the meeting – to discuss theological views.  This is how contextualization works.  But why stop!  Let’s get more information.

Paris, at that time, was extremely hostile toward Protestant Reformers.  To go there as a Reformer was to risk one’s life.  This was no easy trip for John, especially since he was going to meet Bill.  But he went anyway.  Bill, however, was a no show. 

Wow! What a difference a few more sentences makes!  John sacrificed his life to talk to Bill (his enemy) about the Gospel, and Bill never showed up! 

Now we see even more clearly just how much contextualization enhances and excites our learning and understanding.  Without it we would have read the first sentence and moved on to other things.  The first sentence would have remained boring.  But when we add a bit of history and other facts about what was going on, the simple sentence turns into a gut-wrenching beginning to an amazing story. 

Many Christians in our world today struggle with their Bible’s for the very reason mentioned above.  We take a small verse, read it, and even memorize it, all without learning the context.  Therefore, we leave the verse behind in our lives as if it were as plain as “John went to meet Bill in Paris.”  Sure, the fact might be helpful someday – but still, it ignites nothing in the heart.  It leaves us unchanged as people.  But when we understand the context, we sit and think on the fact a bit more.  We begin to consider if we would do the same.  We begin to wonder what it was/is about John’s gospel that moved him to risk his life for his adversary.

So, here is my plan.  In order to help both myself and others understand the history and context of Bible better, I am going to take four months and go through Robert L. Plummer’s book 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible.  I will use Plummer’s work as a skeleton, adding helpful insights from myself and others from time to time.  Each post will contain the following elements:

-       At least one question from Plummer with a summary of his points and with added commentary from myself and others. 

-       At least one question for reflection regarding the above

-       A summary/purpose statement for a book of the Bible that can be memorized in one sitting

-       A portion of Scripture for reading and reflection

-       Questions related to the portion of Scripture to help gain further insight into the passage and the context as a whole. 

It is not my goal to give an exhaustive work on interpretation or hermeneutics.  I am in no way qualified for such a task.

It is my goal to keep each post one page long.  It is also my goal to keep the study short and simple; but also meaningful and insightful.  And it is my ultimate goal, that at the end of the year we all would be able to approach our Bible with more confidence, excitement and understanding. 

May we all grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2Pet 3:18).  And may God bless us with His bountiful grace in this endeavor. 

So, get ready.  Lord willing, we begin tomorrow!

What Do We Do With Doubt?

This question, “What do I do with doubt?” is one that is very significant, meaningful, honest, real, and important.  We are surrounded by skepticism.  We are skeptics of one another.  We are skeptics of the car salesman, mail man, customer service rep, pastor, and even our dog…let’s call him Ralph.  In other words, we trust no one.  Therefore, we are conditioned to doubt everything.

But what if you are a Christian?  Is it okay to doubt God?  Is it okay to struggle with belief?  I have been paying close attention to the struggles of both new and veteran believers alike. We all struggle with doubt. We all, at some point, sit back and say, What if this is all one big fluke?  Am I singing to the air?  Am I praying to the sky?  Why doesn’t God show Himself more clearly to me? Sometimes I wake up in the morning and wonder what in the heck I am doing.  I too, doubt.

I understand that many good books have been written on this issue, and that my little post is not going to provide anyone with an exhaustive account of the epistemological (a fancy word for the study of how we know things) struggles of the human experience.  But I will give my two cents with the hopes that they may help a few in their common struggle. 

I’m gonna start by stating that there are at least two types of doubt – good doubt and bad doubt. 

Let’s begin with the bad.  Bad doubt is the most common form in our day.  It has its roots in the Enlightenment of the 18th century, and can be found streaming from the mind of Rene Descartes. If you Wikipedia him, you will find ample information, but for now it is only important for you to know his most famous saying – “I think, therefore I am.” 

Now, many have expounded the saying, based on the broader context of his philosophy to “I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am.”  Okay, enough with the heady stuff.  Simply put, this type of thinking begins with doubting everything and seeks to work toward belief.  This method places a high emphasis [and trust] in the rational mind (hence, Descartes’ Rationalism) to obtain information and truth – to arrive at belief. 

In short, and most importantly, the one who doubts badly is certain of the rightness of his reasoning process and doubts everything else – even God.  This sort of belief says, “God…tell me why I should believe in you.”  The bad doubter finds the primary reason for doubt in God. God didn’t make Himself known well enough; or, He did not speak audibly to us; or, He did not give a clear enough book; or whatever. 

The bad doubter believes if God would have done this or that, he would then find a reason to belief in Him.  But, God has not, therefore the bad doubter doubts God.  Presuppositionally speaking, this method of doubt is nothing more than a mirage, that seemingly gives a person an excuse not to surrender and submit to God.  This person, in his heart feels that he is innocent and God is the one who is at fault for not making Himself unable to be doubted.  He says, “I cannot know God, therefore I am not responsible for not knowing.”  This was Bertrand Russell’s main argument.

On the other hand, we have the good doubter.  This is the category in which many sincere Christians find themselves.  They believe in God – in Christ, but they simply struggle with doubt sometimes.  This sort of doubt is very different from that above.  To the one who doubts this way, Christ gives grace and kindness (Mark 9:24), whereas to the former, he gives rebuke and contempt (Mark 16:14).

The good doubter does not begin with doubt but with belief.  He (or she) presupposes the goodness, justice, kindness, and love of God, and sees doubt not as a defect in God but in himself.  In other words, God is not the one who is at fault.  God communicates very clearly.  He has done all things perfectly.  Man is the problem.  And man’s sin after the fall has been the chief source of doubt ever since.  The good doubter doubts himself, because of his sin, and holds God in the highest place of honor.  When he approaches Christ, he does not say (like the bad doubter), “Jesus, why didn’t you make yourself clearer?”  The Pharisees did this.  Rather the good doubter says something like, “Jesus, I am sorry I am doubting you.  Something is wrong with me.  Will you help my unbelief?”

Allow me to give you a few helpful insights as to why this sort of doubt is actually a good thing.

First, when you struggle with objections to the faith sincerely and honestly, only then will you be able to provide grounds for your beliefs to those who are skeptical.  Everyone has doubts.  This is a point of contact with an unbeliever.  However, we must direct them to see the flaw in humanity, not in God.

Second, good doubting keeps us humble.  It helps us to see others (who are doubting) not with contempt but with mercy and grace.  When an unbeliever has some of the same doubts as a believer, this protects the believer from being arrogant and offensive.  Good doubting helps us realize that being without doubt is a gracious thing.

Last, good doubting protects and strengthens faith.  Keller continues (in The Reason for God), “A person’s faith can collapse almost overnight if she has failed over the years to listen patiently to her own doubts, which should only be discarded after long reflection.”  If a person humbly searches for God, he/she will only find Him.  He is faithful even when we are faithless.  Christ helps those who come to Him in repentance saying, “Help me.”  He who is most certain [namely, God] will graciously help those who struggle with doubt.

What Do We Really Want?

This is a question that we must answer, at least to ourselves, honestly and accurately.  What do we really want?  What does our heart really find satisfaction in?  What is it that I am willing to gladly spend the most time, money and effort doing?  These are some questions that help us get to the bottom of things.  They help us answer the main question at hand.

I remember a comment by John Piper that I heard a long time ago.  He said (and I am paraphrasing), "people in the world are not impressed with Christians who want the same things that they want, but only tack on a superficial 'Thanks God!' on Sundays."  In other words, if the Church wants the same things that the unbelieving world wants, the difference being only a matter of means, then the unbelieving world doesn't see God as the greatest Treasure, but only as a means to getting some inferior worldly treasure.  Sorry for the long sentence.

Allow me to give some implications:

1.  This lifestyle promotes idolatry.  This is perhaps the most dangerous implication.  Why?  Because idolatry is forbidden in the first commandment.  But we must not stop here.  Breaking the first commandment leads, necessarily, to the breaking of the others.  In other words, in breaking other commandments, we ultimately break the first, and vise versa.  For the moralist (like me), this is devastating, but needed news. Using God as a means for getting what the world wants without God is not worship of God, but something less than God.  Again, this is idolatry.  It is wanting something other than God.

When I want something more than God, I am willing to break God's rules to get it.  This is called stealing, coveting, and lying.  When I want someone else's spouse more than God, then I am willing to break God's rules to get their attention.  This is called idolatry, but also adultery.

2.  This lifestyle leads people into a greater misunderstanding of human nature.  Mankind was made for God.  When man fell from God, the separation caused a God-shaped hole in the human heart.  The hole is a vacuum that attempts to fill itself with anything it can.  This is called human desire.  We can call it craving, appetite or longing.  This is important to understand so that when we feel a desire we can seek to fill it properly.  We are spiritual beings and can only be filled by the God who is Spirit.  To try and fill our deepest cravings with earthly things, denies this spiritual nature.

3.  This lifestyle leads people into greater bondage.  The hole in the heart is too great for small, earthly things.  They simply will not fill it.  Food won't - that's why we get hungry multiple times a day.  Drink won't - that's why we get thirsty multiple times a day.  Sex won't - that's why the sexual act satisfies for short periods of time.  Money won't - that's why those who have a lot of it only want more.  Power won't - that's why those with great power also have the greatest amount of anxiety and fear of losing it.  And they will loose it one day.  Popularity won't fill the whole - that's why we despair when we think about how fickle the human heart is.  People like us one day, and don't like us another.  Material possessions won't - that's why we have to have a new phone, car, house, clothes, or whatever, all the time!

In short, trying to fill a spiritual, God-shaped hole, is like trying to fill the universe with water using a squirt gun.  We try forever, and get nowhere.  This is bondage.  We are never satisfied.  We never get what we want.

4.  This lifestyle keeps us from realizing what we really need.  In affluent America, we have the ability to satisfy even the smallest craving.  Money allows for this.  When we even think we are hungry, we can have french fries within minutes!  No need to wait on mommy to cook.  We don't like to crave for too long.  Fill it now, before the craving gets too strong.  Get the new phone NOW.  Get the new whatever NOW.  What?  You don't have the money?  That's okay!  You want it.  Get it.  Now.  We finance!  Who needs prayer when you've got money!

Instead of allowing our wants to become great, we squash them.  But as stated before, we have hundreds of cravings; and to keep all of them happy, we become tired people.  Hint, hint.  And we ultimately, don't get "hungry" enough to realize that only God will fill the cavity.  We ignore Augustine who said, "We were created for You Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee."

5.  This lifestyle destroys relationships with others (not to mention our relationship with God, which is implied in every point).  How can this be?  Well, think about it.  Our deepest cravings are relational in nature.  We don't like to be alone.  Even the most materialistic people try marriage.  We think we want to be alone so that we can do whatever we want, but we soon find out that what we want is not aloneness.  When our house is empty, we sit on the floor, look at all of our possessions and long for the times when we had nothing and when we genuinely laughed with others.

So, we get off of the floor and try a relationship.  This lasts for a while.  But when we try and fill the craving with a person, we soon realize they just don't fill it either.  So we stretch them.  We pull them in all directions.  We make people bigger than they are supposed to be.  This is called abuse.  This is why we get angry when people don't do what we want them to.  This is why we try sex before marriage.  This is why we go into deep depression when people leave us.  This is why we can't seem to stay in a relationship.

Side note:  have you ever wondered why people stay in abusive relationships?  This is why.  Often what we want is not what the other wants.  We want them and they want something else.  So, when we get in the way of what they want, they abuse us.  But we ultimately want them, so, in order to keep them, we enable the behavior.  We allow them to keep pursuing what they want, which is not God.  This is not love - but manipulation.  Both are abusive in some way; but definitely in different degrees.

What we really want is God (real need).  They (the felt need) are not God.  So when they don't fill, we abuse them, and then toss them for something (or someone) else.  Simple enough.

Another side note:  this is why pornography is so popular.  When sex with another doesn't quite do the trick, we twist it and make it into something that it was never intended to be.  This is also the reason why those who begin with soft porn, eventually end up pedophiles if they continue in their quest to fill themselves with sex.  This obviously destroys relationships.

6.  This lifestyle defames God and paralyzes evangelism and missions.  Ed Stetzer wrote in Comeback Churches, "It's ironic that most evangelical churches are filled with people who live very much like the world but look different from it.  It should be exactly the opposite.  We should look similar to those in our community but act differently."

When a person finds the Treasure that fills his greatest desire, he rests.  God is the Treasure.  And when we have God, we rest.  The cavity is filled.  We lack no more.  Sure, we have small cravings, but those are small indicators that our true fulfillment is in God, through Christ.

You see, if we simply had the Treasure, this would not be enough.  First we must know that it is secure.  We must know that we can never loose it.  Otherwise we live in constant fear of loosing what is most dear to us.  This is the sort of feeling I get when I think of loosing my wife, or one of my children.  But what if we could have God and know that we could never loose Him!  Threats to our lively-hood no longer cary the punch they used to.  In Christ, we are safely hidden in God (Col 3:1-4)!!  So the next time you think about the tragedy of loosing a loved one, think upon Christ to satisfy your despair.

This leads me to my second point.  We must also know why it is secure.  Simply put, our Treasure is secure because it was bought with Christ's blood.  His blood covers the only thing that compromises our security - our sin.  In Christ, we have our Treasure eternally.  It is based on His work, not ours.

7.  Finally, this lifestyle leads us to a misplaced hope which is insulting to God.  Our hope is not on this earth.  Our hearts are finally filled with only spiritual things.  That is why we must pass all earthly things through the "unto the glory of God" test.

If we eat, sure the food satisfies; more than that however, God, the provider of the food Ultimately satisfies!  This protects us from obesity and anorexia in all areas of life - not just food.  Place your Ultimate hope in the New Heavens and New Earth, and the Crown of Glory that you will receive on the Last Day!  Your best life is not now.  You have the down payment for sure - in the Holy Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit that reminds us that we are spiritual and not earthly.  We eagerly await our Heavenly Home.

In summary, ask yourself what you really want in life.  How do you find this out?  Ask God (Ps 139).  Then survey your life to see what situations drive you to anger, despair, depression or other sins.  What is it at those moments that is threatened?  What is it that you are willing to break God's commandments to get?  What is it that causes you to say, "Sunday is for God...THIS does not apply."  It is work?  Whatever, IT is, it is an idol.

Once located, dethrone the idol.  It will not ultimately satisfy.  Call a spade a spade.  Tell the truth.  Repent of idolatry - this simply means, drop the idol on the ground.  Empty your hands.  Then turn them upwards toward Christ in heaven.  Embrace Him by faith and receive fulfillment and satisfaction eternal!

And when the world sees you forsaking its treasures, it will ask, "What is it that you have that makes you so calm during adversity and trials?  What do you have that keeps you satisfied so that you don't need a whole bunch of stuff?"

When they ask...tell them about the Truth.  Tell them what you really want (Ps. 73:25).

On the President's Comments Concerning Religious Rights

I would like to state that I am hesitant to post political content - not that I think it irrelevant, but only that I am unlearned.  This is an area of study for me.  

At any rate, here is a decent article on the President's comments regarding the Ground Zero Mosque.  

Thomas Jefferson and the Ground Zero Mosque

The question that is at the forefront of my mind now is, "Do people have the right to practice their religion?"

This is a loaded question, that cannot be made "clear" (quoting the President) without much discussion, definition and clarification. Questions must be answered, like "What religion are you referring to?" and "What are the practices of that religion?" I find it very interesting that no one seems to clarify comments of this nature with direct exegetical references.  In this case, comments concerning Islam from the Koran.

I wonder if the President would make the same comments if the New Hebrides of the 18th century were wanting to 'practice their religion' in the United States? In doing so, he would be promoting cannibalism. Surely they would not have the right.

Now, the question should be raised as to whether Islamic religious practices are dangerous to society or not. Again, I am puzzled as to why the religious practices are not publicly defined, with clear citations from the Koran. Instead, we get an over generalized statement, "they have the right."  The cited article (along with Glen Beck this morning) brought this very statement under the critical light of the Constitution.  At least with the New Hebrides, I would hesitate to say that everyone has a right to practice their religion.  

Over generalized comments leave many in the dark regarding particulars. And we all know that darkness is the favored arena of evil practices. 9/11 left many in the dark regarding the nature of Islam. Is it a peaceful religion or not?  I have my views.  But, I am quite disappointed that the President has not provided any light of clarification and comfort regarding the understandable confusion that surrounds us.

Simply put, if Islam has the right to practice their religion, please show us clearly what those practices are.  Religious practices necessarily affect others.  Therefore, rights regarding religious practices must not be protected under some ambiguous blanket.  Rather, each should be scrutinized and studied through the Constitutional lens, to see whether it is worthy of the right.

Note:  I am more than willing to be corrected on my views here.  If you see any error in my logic or thinking, please inform me.  

Faithfully Confronting the Whole "I was a Christian..." Thing

This will be a short post that will address an issue that could easily take us down all sorts of rabbit trails.  At the outset, it is important to understand that I have the presuppositions of a Reformed Evangelical.

I believe in the Sovereignty of God.  I believe in the Supremacy of Christ.  I believe in Unconditional Election, Irresistible Grace, and all of the wonderful, liberating doctrines that were "brought back to life" during the Protestant Reformation.

This post has everything to do with our doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints.  Those who place their faith in Christ will persevere to the end - without exception.  Again, my point is not to debate this doctrine, but to address the implications of it when speaking with those who say they have left the faith.

I have encountered, over the last few months, a few individuals who both say that they were Christians, and eventually left the faith.   One of them is now a Muslim and the other is an atheist.  In my evangelical conversations with them (conversations that they both are and have been very open to), I have stressed the point that they were never a Christian in the first place.  In other words, when they say that they have been a Christian, I take the opportunity to lovingly disagree.  Here are a few reasons why.

1.  This statement is simply wrong.  Biblically speaking, a person who leaves the faith never was a true Christian (1Jn 2:19).  He/she may have once been among us, but he/she was not of us.  Simply put, not everyone who says they are a Christian is one.  And, everyone who says that they were a Christian, never was.

2.  This belief will keep them rebelling against Christ.  Disbelief is not a noble, morally neutral, innocent thing.  Unbelief is rebellion.  It is rebellion against the only true God.  This must be communicated clearly, but also very lovingly and compassionately.  Remember, we too were enemies of God.

I also take time to stress that the life I am presenting is not one that they have formerly experienced.  Many, who believe that they were once in the faith, do not come to faith b/c they believe that they will be "going back" to a life they once lived.  It didn't fill them so they left.  So, to avoid addressing this point is to leave them thinking the Christian life is not life at all; but simply death with a Christian sticker on it.

We must take time to show them the real Christ that they have never encountered.  We must faithfully share the gospel.

3.  This belief undermines the glory of Christ in the gospel.  Christ is our treasure.  In Him, we are eternally forgiven, accepted, safe, and secure.  We are also, eternally filled and satisfied.  When a person is genuinely committed and faithful to a particular treasure, the person is not the ultimate focus, but the treasure.

Our desires for whatever control us (Rom 6-7).  And whatever can keep our attention for any length of time must be a pretty significant thing.  In other words, if Christ is the greatest treasure in the universe, anyone who had this Treasure would never leave it.

The good news of the gospel is NOT that we embrace Christ for less enjoyment and fulfillment; but that until we embrace Him we have no earthly idea what true enjoyment is (Ps 16:11)!  The good news of the Gospel is that we have access, through simple repentance and faith in Christ alone, to God - the chief and greatest Treasure in the universe (Ps 73:25).

So for a person to say that they left Christ simply will not do.  If they truly did, it says everything about Christ (Rom 2:24) - that He is not great enough to keep our hearts for any length of time.

4.  Last, this belief leaves the unbeliever believing that leaving Christ was a rational decision.  Unbelief is the hight of human irrationality (for more on this, research Van Tillian presuppositionalism).  Many disbelieve in the name of intellectualism.  Many churched kids supposedly "leave the faith" during the college years for this reason.

But if what the Scriptures say about Christ is true...if He really is the perfection of Beauty...if He really is God in the flesh...if He really is the Lord of the universe...then, to leave Him is utterly irrational.  It's like deciding not to breath b/c you have never seen air.

Christian, find your comfort here - that, by faith, we are seated "safely" with Christ at the right hand of God the Father (Col 3; Eph 2).  Set your mind on this.  Think of your [heavenly] Treasure often.  And know, with absolute rational certainty that not one single sheep will be lost under His providential watch (John 6).  When a person comes to understand this by faith, he/she will never leave.  They will never want to.  And Christ will never let them go!

No Thanks God. I'd Rather Stay Here.

I am not one to write polemically about things.  I believe that the differences Christians have with one another should give us an occasion to weep more than to write.  That is not to say we shouldn't write about truth and confront error.  It is to say that if we haven't wept over the error, maybe we are writing for the wrong reasons.

I say all of this to say that I am deeply troubled over the current climate of the American church.  Most of us are.  When the most famous preacher in our country publishes a book titled "Your Best Life Now," and when that book makes the NY Times Best Seller List, it is definitely a time to weep and write.

That book is history.  And it is not my aim now to confront it head on.  But it is my intent to bring to our attention a passage that ripped my heart out this morning.  It was Numbers 32.

In this passage, Israel is on the plains of Moab, about to enter the Promised Land.  The the people of Reuben and Gad approach Moses and tell him that they desire to stay in the land of Jazer and Gilead.  They do not want to go across the Jordan, into the land that the Lord promised!

Were they afraid of the Canaanites?  No.  They were willing to fight for the people of Israel across the Jordan so that the tribes of Israel could take their inheritance.  Reuben and Gad, however, simply desired their present land more than the Promised Land.  Amazing!

But then I began to think about it.  How often do we think about the Promised Land?  I hardly do.  And there are many, (myself included) who love this present land very much - so much that they are scared to die for fear of loosing its luxuries.  In short, we are very content with having Our Best Life Now, and we want to stay here.

The saying is true - there is nothing new under the sun.  God's people have always been tempted to be content with life now and have therefore given little consideration to the life of glory in the land of promise.  Consequently, we have shown that what our God has for us is nothing better than a mere wilderness.  We communicate to all around us that our treasures now are not worth sacrificing in order to accumulate treasures in heaven (Num 32:6ff).

Here is your encouragement Christian.  Glory is something to hope for.  Earthly treasures are nothing compared to heavenly treasures!  Earthly treasures satisfy for a time then leave us.  Heavenly treasures are ours forever and ever.  And in Christ, we have the down payment of this inheritance.  We will be with the saints, in light, for ages upon ages.  We will see and savor Christ forever!

Christian, love this truth.  Hope in this!  And trade your rags now for riches.  Show yourselves and others that there is Someone who is worthy of losing it all.  Show them that you are free.

I will end with a quote from Bonhoeffer - "The poverty of the church is the proof of its freedom."  Are you free?  Or have you told God "No thanks.  I'd rather stay here."???

From the Mirror to the Mission

I am reading a wonderful (though rather large) book called Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal.  In the chapter on secondary elements of renewal Lovelace describes the two main forms of self-absorption found in the early American church.  

The first form was adopted by those who were seriously religious and urgently concerned to establish their regeneracy and grow in personal holiness.    It seems that these people were too busy looking inward that it inhibited them from looking beyond themselves.  

The second form of self-absorption was practiced by those who were only formally pious and were mesmerized by their interest in land and business.  

Lovelace concludes that "it is possible for both individuals and churches to become devoted mainly to personal spiritual culture and forget outreach, especially if the process of reaching out involves touching those who may contaminate us." 

I believe that it would be safe to say that we, in America, are following one of these two lines of living.  The truth is that we are all so busy doing good things that we hardly take the time to notice.  Lives are messy, especially lives that are in desperate need of mercy.  We simply don’t have the time to “get involved.” 

I’m not pointing the finger here.  Please understand.  The issues are too deep for a slap on the wrist.  Saying “Don’t do that anymore!” just won’t cure this illness.  Only the Gospel will do.  Search your heart and see if Christ is your chief desire.  If you don’t know ask Him (Ps 139).   Survey your life, where do you run when things get messy in life?  What are your deepest cravings?

When you find the idol of your heart.  Repent.  Drop it.  Empty your hands.  Then receive Christ by faith.  It is that simple.  In Him, we are fully accepted by the Father.  In Him, we are fully satisfied as well.  This is Life overflowing.  What do we do with the leftovers?  Knowing that our sins are forgiven, we rise and take them to others – desiring deeply to fill their emptiness with the Life that filled ours.

Freedom to Stay.

What is Christian freedom?  This is a question that has been on my mind for some time.  I even wrote my first exegesis paper on the topic from Galatians 5.  For me, the "problem of freedom" is not merely intellectual, but very much experiential.  I wrote the paper, but it never gripped my  heart.  I admit that I was and am very much on the struggling journey from my head to my heart.  I am on a mission to feel what I know.

Recently, however, I have seen a great light.  The light encourages me that seminary did not prove to be a cemetery for me.  The gospel, as presented through the book of Colossians, has opened the doors to some dark closets in my life.  I didn't even know they existed.  It's a bit scary to have the light of the gospel open the door to some of the darkest places in our lives.    It is comforting to know (and this is the nature of the gospel) that when Christ opens the doors, He does so with redemptive goals.  He comes to expose and dethrone the idols, and to rescue us.  He comes to bring freedom.  

I am free.  Words on this computer screen do no justice to the gratitude that is flowing now from my heart.  In the past freedom invaded my intellect.  Now it is invading my heart.  

I am writing with a motive.  I want to share this freedom with you.   

When we hear people say "freedom" in our day, it is important to understand that they are not usually talking about the freedom that Christ alone can give.  I believe they mean freedom or liberty to do what they want, when they want; without interruption or interference due to economic, societal, or relational conflict.  They proclaim that people should be free to desire and obtain what they want with no interference.  And when interference comes about, one is free to do with it what they will, as long as the end desired is achieved.  Bondage is defined in terms of the end.  Bondage is not being free to have what a person wants.

So the important question to us all is..."What do we want?"  If we have it, we are free (at least for a time, depending on what it is).  If we do not have it, we are not free.  I hope you see where I am going.

For so long I wanted other things.  I did not ultimately want Christ.  Christ did become convenient as a means to gain what I ultimately wanted.  What was that?  My own glory - I want(ed) my own way.  I wanted to be God.  I wanted to be right, accepted, and filled by people and things.  

I did not understand that the hole in my life that I was trying to fill could only be filled by Christ.  Therefore, I lived in a constant state of lack.  When I felt my depravity, I tried desperately to fill myself with any earthly thing I could find.  These are called idols.  They were things from which (or whom) I tried to derive my ultimate acceptance and satisfaction.

Sex was on the throne of my life for so long.  And when it didn't ultimately fill me, I resorted to distorting it through pornography and fornication.  Sure, marriage helped dethrone it for a time; but marriage is not Christ.  Marriage will not ultimately fill either.  Neither marriage or sex freed me from my depravity - from my bondage to emptiness.

This is why so many people don't stay in marriage or relationships.  The essential need in our life has everything to do with intimacy - with relationship.  But when we try to fill ourselves with earthly relationships (which are good, but not ultimate), we soon find that the craving still exists.  The tension still exists in the core of our being.  The hole of bondage is still there.

So what do we do?  We try and stretch the relationship to fill the hole.  This is called abuse - placing others under bondage to our desires.    And when that doesn't work (and it won't!), we leave.  We abandon the relationship in search for something that will finally and ultimately fill us.  This is called abandonment and neglect.  When earthly relationships become an impediment to obtaining what we really want - we simply get rid of them...all in the name of freedom.  We believe we are free to leave.

And this is where I found myself.  I have never wanted to leave my marriage; but I confess that I have distorted it and neglected it.  But God, in His rich mercy and grace, brought light (again) to my darkness. This is the grace of sanctification.  Understanding the gospel has brought such freedom to my life.  Knowing and understanding that I am both accepted (justified) and filled in Christ is the greatest news I have ever heard (this is Colossians 2:9-15).  In Christ, I am filled with every spiritual blessing (Eph 1).  No more lack.  No more fear of loosing my Ultimate, being safely hidden.  God is my Ultimate forever.  

My sins no longer keep me from Him (3:3).  My life is no longer characterized by lack - but fullness.  And when I crave physically, I understand that as an occasion to look heavenward, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God!  Physical things will not ultimately fill me.  My appetites for food, drink, sex, or whatever are a simple reminder that I am a spiritual being in an earthly wilderness.  Sure these things are good...and I praise God for them (James 1:17).  I love good food and I love my wife.  But they are not my Ultimate.

This is true freedom.  It is freedom to love my wife like Christ loves the Church.  It is freedom to love others in a selfless way.  Christ is the only Ultimate that commands my love for others.  And by His Spirit, He provides the ability to do just that.  I am free to loose my earthly life for the sake of Christ - for the sake of others.  This is the life of one who is finally filled.  When relationships get difficult, the gospel assures me that they will not interfere with my Treasure.  But when I bear with others, I find my Treasure (in heaven) increases!  I am free to stay - in marriage, in my job, in my role as father, son, brother, and friend.  All praise is due my Lord who has set me free.

Being Right by Making Others Wrong.

Here is a great article by Ray Ortlund, Jr. called "Healthy Churches Feed on the Doctrine of Justification."  I wrote a small summary, along with my own thoughts below.  Enjoy!

The desire to be right is deeply ingrained in every human being.  I believe it has something to do with how we were created - "in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness..." (Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q10).  But knowing that the desire exists means little if we do not understand why it exists and how sinners go about obtaining righteousness.

The "Why?" is essential and was hinted at in the above paragraph.  Basically, we were created by God to enjoy and glorify Him.  John Piper takes this a bit farther (and I would agree) saying that we glorify God by enjoying Him.  But here is the rub, we cannot enjoy God while sinning against Him.  Simply put, we cannot enjoy if we are wrong - if we are not "right."

Righteousness leads to acceptance before God.  Acceptance before God leads to the enjoyment of God - the very thing we were created to do.  People are unhappy beings because they are not doing what they were created for.  Its like putting diesel fuel in an unleaded car - life just doesn't work when we are not filled with God.

So, how do we (sinners) go about making ourselves right?  The main way is by making others wrong.  This is "self-justification" by focusing on the injustice in others; and, because we are superficially "right" in the eyes of men, we settle for this.  But the frustration continues, doesn't it?  Man's acceptance is good, but it just isn't good enough.  Nor is it helpful to others.

But there is another way!  Jesus Christ...God the Son, came into our sinful world and took our "wrongness" upon Himself.  He then gave us His righteousness.  This is the great exchange.  He did not come to be right in our eyes, but was willing to be treated as if He was the worst sinner on earth.  His rightness before the Father was enough for Him.  And His righteousness, when embraced by faith in Him, is good enough for us.

This destroys "self-justification."  We no longer need to focus on the wrongs of others; instead, we begin to take their wrongs to the Cross of Christ.  We bear with them so that they may be right before God.  This is the Gospel.

Killing Sin Corporately

I will never forget the day.  I was sitting at my kitchen table studying.  It was my second year of seminary.  Out of the blue, my closest friend knocked on the door, entered my home, sat at the table and proceeded to study with me.  He didn’t say much but, “What’s up man?”  I figured he just wanted some company.  Later I found out it was so much more.

Loneliness and boredom are my worst enemies.  I have found when I am home alone I am susceptible to all sorts of temptations and sins.  Given the right scenario – usually, when I am feeling inadequate, helpless, bored and lonely – I become what I hate (Rom 7).  Sin begins to stir within me, and despite my greatest efforts, there is seemingly no way out.

Pascal said it so well, “Man finds nothing more intolerable as to be in a state of complete rest, without passions, without occupation, without diversion, without effort.  Then he faces his nullity, loneliness, inadequacy, dependence, helplessness, emptiness.  And at once there wells up from the depths of his soul boredom, gloom, depression, chagrin, resentment, and despair.”

And so we sat there at my kitchen table and studied.  My wife came home; he packed his things and left.  I thought nothing of it until about an hour later when I received a text.  It read something to the tune of, “How are you doing over there?  You okay?”  I thought the text was strange until I noticed the time that it was sent. The text was sent about 15 minutes before he came to my house; but due to network complications, I did not receive it until he had already come and gone!

My friend knows me.  He knows that when I am alone, it is easier for me to fall into sin.  That day, he saw that my wife and kids were gone and that I was alone (at RTS Jackson, many of the students live in a town home complex owned by the seminary).  And so he sent a quick text to check on me.  When I didn’t answer it, he came over. 

I never understood how to kill sin “by the Spirit” until I understood the way the Spirit works through community. Our dragons (the great sins in our lives) are not easily killed; and it has been my personal experience that my dragons are scarcely wounded by my Sword alone.  But when two are gathered, the dragon quickly flees to his cave.  We track him down through accountability and prayer until we find his hiding place (in my heart).  Then, through faith and repentance, we approach with our Sword (the Word of God) and procede cut his throat.

Ever since seminary, my friend and I talk every two weeks via video chat.  These are often the most difficult, but also the most rewarding times for me.  He asks me the tough questions.  Excuse me…we ask each other the tough questions.  We pray.  We talk about the trials in ministry and in life.  Simply put, we are helping each other endure to the end.  Here is a list of the questions we ask every time we meet.

Now, here are some questions for you:

Are you trying to conquer your sin alone?

Who in your life will love you enough to ask you the tough questions?

Do they know when you are weak?

Do you know when they are weak?

Christian community has proven, in my life, to be essential in my walk with Christ.  Why?  Because it is in community that we can feel Christ’s touch, hear His call and command, see His love, and experience His forgiveness and acceptance.  This is at least one reason I believe love is the greatest of the three (faith, hope and love).  

We cannot physically see the object of our faith (b/c Christ is seated at the right hand of God).  We cannot yet empirically embrace our hope (the inheritance of the saints in glory, though we do have the down payment).  But when your brother (or sister) in Christ comes to study with you (or whatever the scenario may be); when they come to battle sin with you…there we SEE and EXPERIENCE the conquering love of our Savior.

Dying Man Preaching to Dying People

Today, I will conduct the memorial service and perform the eulogy for my aunt, who died just after my new little girl was born.  This will be a very difficult day.  I am not sure if she treasured Christ before she died.

The fact is that my aunt struggled with alcoholism for as long as I can remember.  Her daughter said it well last night..."I really feel that she wanted to follow Christ, but her body just wouldn't let her."  This comment, though not coming from someone who is well versed in Pauline theology, has just articulated most accurately, the Biblical doctrine of the "flesh."  It was "her body" that just wouldn't set her free.

There are so many wonderful memories of my aunt, but I must say that those that lie closest to the front of my mind are clouded by the dominion of the flesh in her life.  I'm not one to play the passive note too long - my aunt did have a disease; but she also was responsible for how she lived with it.  I am reminded of some advice a counselor friend of mine gave to me.  He said that there are two prongs to our lives - the first is that we often act in certain ways because of things that have happened to us; the second is that we are also responsible for all of our actions.  

Frankly, the first prong helps me to show compassion for her.  I understand "the body of flesh" or, "the body of death" as Paul calls it in Romans 7.  When I was in seminary, I learned (in the classroom and in life) about the power of the flesh.  And if we are all honest with ourselves, we too understand, very well, the pull of the flesh in our lives.  It is powerful.  It makes us think that we are not Christians.  This understanding helps us to approach others, who are under its dominion, with something other than moralistic advice like, "Just stop doing that!"

Well...I am hesitant to say to any addict, "Stop doing that!" as if they haven’t told themselves the same thing a thousand times.  Telling an addict to stop doing this or that is like telling an apple tree to stop producing apples; and when they ask us “how?” we seldom do more than show them (and even help them) how to pick apples from a tree.

I didn’t talk to my aunt about Christ before she died.  For that I am deeply regretful and repentant.  Here in Alabama, everyone is a “Christian.”  Sometimes I don’t talk to others about the Gospel because I figure they will just tell me they know that already.  But upon further reflection on the nature of the Gospel, and especially on how it has been changing me and my family lately, I am convinced that we all need to hear the Gospel every day - Christian or not.

The Gospel is the only news that can disarm the strongest addictions.  The body of death needs to be dethroned by the Life.  And from Colossians I have learned that there are two means that the body of death uses to maintain its rule.  First, it threatens with rejection and condemnation.  Second, it lures with promises of satisfaction and gratification.  These two are very related, being distinguishable but inseparable. 

My cousin, while weeping, said, “She had a broken heart.  She never forgave herself for the things that she did.  She couldn’t make things right.”  To the guilty conscience, the flesh constantly threatens condemnation.  This is not all bad.  The law condemns too.  But, there is a difference.  The flesh gives no gospel as a way to divert the condemnation.  It binds one to thinking that they must perform to pay their own debt.  It says, “Look what you did!  God will never forgive you.  You’re gonna pay.”

The law, on the other hand is a “tutor” that leads us to Christ.  It condemns, but only in order to make us run to the One that can pay our debt through faith and repentance in His work on the Cross.

The flesh causes despair in that it makes union with God an impossibility.  Because of guilt, our ultimate desire and satisfaction will never be enjoyed.  We are doomed to an eternity of dissatisfaction.  

Therefore, the flesh promises satisfaction in earthly things.  But we all know that all earthly things only fill for short periods of time.  What do we do?  We consume more of them.  For my aunt, her earthly satisfaction was the bottle.  And when she became thirsty again, she drank again…and again…and again.  From all indication, she had no other hope.

Paul, the apostle, in Colossians 2:10, tells us that in Christ “we have been filled.”  He is "our hope."  What have we been filled with?  Eph 1 tells us “with every spiritual blessing.”  As I have said before, we are spiritual sojourners in an earthly wilderness.  Spiritual blessings are the only blessings that finally satisfy us.  The Gospel gives this promise to us.

This, I suppose, is a glimpse of what I might say today at the memorial service.  I will honor my aunt.  And I will honor my Lord.  I have such a mixture of feelings right now.  There is perhaps no better primer for harvest than an occasion like this.  I wish I could give more comfort to them as far as my aunt is concerned.  I just cannot.  I simply do not know.  

But I am thankful that this causes me to take them to the only thing that I do know.  Christ is our only hope and comfort in this life and the next.  I will, with great sorrow and joy, lead them, by grace, to my Lord.

Wilderness People

We are a wilderness people.  We are spiritual sojourners in an earthly land.  On this earth we have no permanent home, no final resting place.  We eat and soon become hungry again.  We drink and soon become thirsty again.  We rest on Sunday, only to work again.  We occasionally vacation, only to have it end...again.

We get on a "work-out-kick" only to stop and see all of the progress fade again.  We build meaningful relationships and often see them interrupted again, by time, by geography, and/or even by death.  We buy the "next best thing" only to see it become obsolete again.  We buy new cars, and against all resolve, we throw trash in the floorboard, leave empty McDonald's cups in every cup holder, and push the oil change limit to 7,000 miles...again.

The above situations would seem to be unfitting for those who call themselves children of the Most High.  But that is exactly what we are.  Our Lord would not have us fill our spiritual cravings with earthly things.  Sure He gives us physical food.  He is our Provider.  But, it is our "daily bread."  We always become hungry again.  Why?  Because of His faithfulness.  It is His gracious will that we become uncomfortable every 3 hours or so to remind us of our Ultimate need of Him.  He has provided us with a build in alarm clock that says, "You were made for Me...this physical hunger is only a sign that you have a real spiritual hunger for Me."

What does it mean to give God glory when you eat and when you drink (1Cor 10:31)?  It simply means that we make the most of out of our hunger.  When we thirst, we direct our attention heavenward where the Living Water is seated at the right hand of God (John 4:13ff).  When we become hungry, we direct our attention - we "set our minds" (Col 3) on Christ, the Bread of Life (John 6).

When earthly things waste away, or when they fail us, it is not because God fumbled or failed to provide for us.  Quite the opposite is true.  When the children of Israel were delivered from Egypt (Exod 14), they immediately became thirsty (Exod 15:22ff) and hungry (Exod 16).  And when they left Sinai (Num 10), where the Lord blessed their socks off (with the Law, Book of the Covenant, the Holiness Code, the Priestly office, the Day of Atonement, etc.) to set out for the Promised Land, they again became physically hungry (Num 11) and thirsty (Num 20).

The children of Israel then longed for Egypt, where they were never physically hungry (Num 11:4) or thirsty.  I have been convicted lately of doing the same.  But understanding that I am a pilgrim here - a "wilderness person"- has helped me to know and acknowledge Christ more.  He is the true Mana from Heaven.  He is the Rock from which Living Water flows.

It is comforting to know that He loves me and cares for me.  It provides me with hope that one day I will crave no more.  It gives substance to my faith that He died, and that I am therefore "filled" in Him (Col 2:9-10).  His eye is upon me.  His hand comforts me.  His Word guides me.  And though all earthly things fail me, that's okay, He who spared not His only Son, will never fail me.  I am His in Christ; and by His Spirit, He leads me along with so many other Wilderness People.