I have recently read through the book of Genesis and was reminded in a new way of God's marvelous grace. I have known of the story of Jacob for many years and have used part's of it in sermons as illustrations and so forth. However, as I read through this story recently I saw the life and ministry of Jacob with a fresh perspective. (I love when God does that, He takes you to a familiar place and teaches you something new and exciting. Of course that is the power of God's Word is it not?)
In short, Jacob was conniving, manipulative, tricky, untruthful, and arrogant. If we thought long enough we could find many more unpleasant adjectives to describe this man. In spite of his many character flaws and poor decisions we see God work in awesome and incredible ways in His life. As I thought through this I began to wonder why, why did God work in such awesome ways in Jacob's life? Why Jacob? Surely there was someone in the Hebrew community that more deserved to be used by God. Then God's sledgehammer fell and I realized it is all because of God's Amazing Grace.
Jacob did not deserve the incredible blessings God bestowed upon him, God just did it because God is sovereign and God does what God wants to do. God freely poured out His matchless grace upon Jacob even though Jacob wasn't deserving.
I am Jacob. That is exactly what God has done in my life and any other who knows Him in a real and personal way. I am not and nor are you deserving of God's grace and yet in His sovereignty He freely pours out His grace on whom He wills regardless of our past. God draws straight lines with crooked sticks. Let me encourage you to bask in the grace of God today.
Thank you God for Your amazing, incredible, matchless, great, awesome grace.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
What About the Work of Jehovah
I would like to look at a brief passage of scripture and highlight the work of Jehovah. In chapters 41-43 of Isaiah we see a brief but declarative account of the work of Jehovah. This is certainly not an exhaustive study of this topic but one that I hope will encourage you, strengthen you and challenge you.
Jehovah is Redeemer - Is. 41:14; 43:14
Jehovah is Creator of all creation - Is. 41:20; 42:5; 43:15
Jehovah is Savior - Is. 43:3,11
Jehovah alone is God - Is. 42:8; 43:11-12
Jehovah is LORD = Redeemer = Holy One of Israel = Creator = King - Is.43:15
Jehovah forgives sins and remembers them no more - Is. 43:25
Who is Jehovah? Isaiah 41:4 teaches us that Jehovah is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Revelation 22:12-13 teaches us that Jesus is the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega. Therefore, we can rightly conclude from Scripture that Jehovah is Jesus, Jesus is Jehovah.
Jesus is Redeemer - Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14
Jesus is Creator of all creation - Colossians 1:15-17
Jesus is Savior - II Tim. 1:10; Titus 2:13; II Peter 3:18
Jesus is God - Matthew 26:63-64; Mark 14:61-62; John 1:1; Romans 1:4;
Jesus is King - Mark 15:2; Revelation 19:16
Jesus forgives sins - John 1:29; Romans 3:24-25; Ephesians 1:7; I John 2:2
It is interesting that as we read Isaiah 43:25 we are reminded that Jesus does forgive sin and He remembers them no more. This passage is likened to Psalm 103:11-2 and Micah 7:19. When God forgives God removes our sin as far as the east is from the west and cast them into the depths of the sea, praise be to Jesus.
We are also reminded in Isaiah 43:25 that Jesus forgives our sin for His glory and not ours. I am afraid and guilty that we too often focus on the great benefits (forgiveness of sin and eternal life) of salvation and forget that salvation is not for our benefit but for God's glory and for His honor.
I praise God for what we do receive in redemption - forgiveness, eternal life, joy, peace, justification, reconciliation, ... - but let us never lose sight of the truth that salvation is a work of God, by God and for God's glory.
Have a great Easter and I pray that you will bask in the amazing, overwhelming, and incredible grace of God.
Jehovah is Redeemer - Is. 41:14; 43:14
Jehovah is Creator of all creation - Is. 41:20; 42:5; 43:15
Jehovah is Savior - Is. 43:3,11
Jehovah alone is God - Is. 42:8; 43:11-12
Jehovah is LORD = Redeemer = Holy One of Israel = Creator = King - Is.43:15
Jehovah forgives sins and remembers them no more - Is. 43:25
Who is Jehovah? Isaiah 41:4 teaches us that Jehovah is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Revelation 22:12-13 teaches us that Jesus is the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega. Therefore, we can rightly conclude from Scripture that Jehovah is Jesus, Jesus is Jehovah.
Jesus is Redeemer - Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14
Jesus is Creator of all creation - Colossians 1:15-17
Jesus is Savior - II Tim. 1:10; Titus 2:13; II Peter 3:18
Jesus is God - Matthew 26:63-64; Mark 14:61-62; John 1:1; Romans 1:4;
Jesus is King - Mark 15:2; Revelation 19:16
Jesus forgives sins - John 1:29; Romans 3:24-25; Ephesians 1:7; I John 2:2
It is interesting that as we read Isaiah 43:25 we are reminded that Jesus does forgive sin and He remembers them no more. This passage is likened to Psalm 103:11-2 and Micah 7:19. When God forgives God removes our sin as far as the east is from the west and cast them into the depths of the sea, praise be to Jesus.
We are also reminded in Isaiah 43:25 that Jesus forgives our sin for His glory and not ours. I am afraid and guilty that we too often focus on the great benefits (forgiveness of sin and eternal life) of salvation and forget that salvation is not for our benefit but for God's glory and for His honor.
I praise God for what we do receive in redemption - forgiveness, eternal life, joy, peace, justification, reconciliation, ... - but let us never lose sight of the truth that salvation is a work of God, by God and for God's glory.
Have a great Easter and I pray that you will bask in the amazing, overwhelming, and incredible grace of God.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Love Is In The Air
Valentines Day is right around the corner. This will serve as a great opportunity to show how much we love our wife or husband. I have learned that chocolate and jewelry are always big winners in my home (although I haven't bought my wife much jewelry lately).
The Bible has a great deal to say about love. We are told in I John 4:8 that 'God is love.' We are taught that of the three great spiritual gifts: faith, hope and love, love is the greatest gift. Paul teaches us in Romans 13 not to owe anyone anything but love. We are taught to love one another and if we fail to properly love one another the love of God is not in us. We are taught to love our enemies (that is hard to do but necessary as a follower of Christ). We are taught to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are taught not to love the world or the things of the world.
In my opinion, the greatest lesson of love in God's Word is found in the following verses (this is certainly not an exhaustive list):
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
Jeremiah 31:3 - I have loved you with an everlasting love.
These verses, and others like them, teach us that God loves us and He loves us with an everlasting love. A love that never ends. A love that keeps on loving even if we are not lovable. WOW!!! That is great stuff. These verses teach us that He shows this awesome, incredible, unconditional, everlasting love through action. Specifically, through the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. Knowing in eternity past that man, God's greatest creation, would rebel against Him, knowing that our sin would separate us from Him, He decided in eternity past that He would send His only Son to pay the penalty for our sin and rebellion. In love for us God sent His Son to the cross where He would pay our sin debt. God's Word teaches us that God sent His Son to the cross (Isaiah 53:10, Acts 2:23; Romans 3:21-26) so that, in love, He might redeem sinful man back to Himself.
As we pause to celebrate the love in our lives this Valentines Day let me ask, have you embraced the love of God? Have you accepted God's unconditional love that is offered through the person and work of Jesus Christ?
Remember, God loves you (no matter what and it is everlasting no matter what) and He demonstrated this love in death, the death of the cross.
The Bible has a great deal to say about love. We are told in I John 4:8 that 'God is love.' We are taught that of the three great spiritual gifts: faith, hope and love, love is the greatest gift. Paul teaches us in Romans 13 not to owe anyone anything but love. We are taught to love one another and if we fail to properly love one another the love of God is not in us. We are taught to love our enemies (that is hard to do but necessary as a follower of Christ). We are taught to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are taught not to love the world or the things of the world.
In my opinion, the greatest lesson of love in God's Word is found in the following verses (this is certainly not an exhaustive list):
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
Jeremiah 31:3 - I have loved you with an everlasting love.
These verses, and others like them, teach us that God loves us and He loves us with an everlasting love. A love that never ends. A love that keeps on loving even if we are not lovable. WOW!!! That is great stuff. These verses teach us that He shows this awesome, incredible, unconditional, everlasting love through action. Specifically, through the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. Knowing in eternity past that man, God's greatest creation, would rebel against Him, knowing that our sin would separate us from Him, He decided in eternity past that He would send His only Son to pay the penalty for our sin and rebellion. In love for us God sent His Son to the cross where He would pay our sin debt. God's Word teaches us that God sent His Son to the cross (Isaiah 53:10, Acts 2:23; Romans 3:21-26) so that, in love, He might redeem sinful man back to Himself.
As we pause to celebrate the love in our lives this Valentines Day let me ask, have you embraced the love of God? Have you accepted God's unconditional love that is offered through the person and work of Jesus Christ?
Remember, God loves you (no matter what and it is everlasting no matter what) and He demonstrated this love in death, the death of the cross.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Do you have a vision?
God often works through a vision - I am not referring to visions of future happenings although God could choose to work in that way. I am referring to a plan, a purpose, a dream, a goal.
In just a few short days this country will inaugurate the first multi-racial person as President. Regardless of your political persuasion this is a historic day in the life of this nation. It wasn't all that long ago that Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous "I have a dream speech." He could have said, "I have a vision." The terms are some what synonymous. Dr. King saw a day when this nation would judge a person by the "content of his character not the color of his skin." Unfortunately, that was a radical idea at the time and under the circumstances of that era. Has his dream been fully realized? The answer to that question is debatable but on January 20, 2009 this nation will take a significant leap forward in that regard. Dr. King set a vision in motion that continues today.
In the same way God works through vision. God gave a grand and radical vision to Noah ('build an ark'), Abraham ('go to a land that I will show You'), Nehemiah ('rebuild the walls'), David ('shepherd My people'), Daniel ('stand firm'), Ezekiel ('write of tomorrow'), Peter ('feed my sheep'), Paul ('preach where no man has preached'), so forth and so on.
Every follower of Christ has been given certain gifts and abilities that God expects and commands us to use for His glory and for His honor. God will give us a vision, a plan, a purpose, a goal that matches and flows out of those gifts He has given us. How has God burdened your heart? What vision has He given you that He wants you to work toward that will bring Him honor, build His Kingdom, and further His cause?
Maybe He wants you to start a new ministry within the local church, maybe He wants you to surrender to full-time missions, maybe He is calling you to vocational ministry, maybe He wants you to volunteer for a leadership position. Only you can know what God wants you to do but I know this to be true, God has a vision for each of us. Will you seek the will of God and find what He wants you to do for Him?
Cast your vision, dream your dream, set your goal and trust God to work in you and through you. As you seek God's vision for your life keep in mind that the vision He wants you to work toward is for His honor and His glory, not our own.
In just a few short days this country will inaugurate the first multi-racial person as President. Regardless of your political persuasion this is a historic day in the life of this nation. It wasn't all that long ago that Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous "I have a dream speech." He could have said, "I have a vision." The terms are some what synonymous. Dr. King saw a day when this nation would judge a person by the "content of his character not the color of his skin." Unfortunately, that was a radical idea at the time and under the circumstances of that era. Has his dream been fully realized? The answer to that question is debatable but on January 20, 2009 this nation will take a significant leap forward in that regard. Dr. King set a vision in motion that continues today.
In the same way God works through vision. God gave a grand and radical vision to Noah ('build an ark'), Abraham ('go to a land that I will show You'), Nehemiah ('rebuild the walls'), David ('shepherd My people'), Daniel ('stand firm'), Ezekiel ('write of tomorrow'), Peter ('feed my sheep'), Paul ('preach where no man has preached'), so forth and so on.
Every follower of Christ has been given certain gifts and abilities that God expects and commands us to use for His glory and for His honor. God will give us a vision, a plan, a purpose, a goal that matches and flows out of those gifts He has given us. How has God burdened your heart? What vision has He given you that He wants you to work toward that will bring Him honor, build His Kingdom, and further His cause?
Maybe He wants you to start a new ministry within the local church, maybe He wants you to surrender to full-time missions, maybe He is calling you to vocational ministry, maybe He wants you to volunteer for a leadership position. Only you can know what God wants you to do but I know this to be true, God has a vision for each of us. Will you seek the will of God and find what He wants you to do for Him?
Cast your vision, dream your dream, set your goal and trust God to work in you and through you. As you seek God's vision for your life keep in mind that the vision He wants you to work toward is for His honor and His glory, not our own.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
It's a New Year, What will we do with it?
We are closing in on the official end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009. At its most basic level a new year is nothing more than a date change. In reality, very few, if any, changes take place the night of December 31st heading into the morning of January 1st. And yet for many of us we will look at 2009 as a new opportunity. A new opportunity in our business and personal affairs, a new opportunity to lose weight or get into better physical shape. A new opportunity to change direction and 'turn over a new leaf.' Whatever the case undoubtedly many of us will embark on some sort of new journey this new year. Where that journey takes us we won't know until this time next year but we do know that there is a journey ahead.
Here are some thoughts regarding my journey that I am praying for. It is my prayer that I will strive to know God more intimately and to make Him known to those in my sphere of influence. It is my prayer that I will allow God to use me to bring Him glory and honor however He wants and wherever He wants. It is my prayer that I will love my wife and children like never before and model for them a life lived in pursuit of knowing Christ. It is my prayer that God will do things in and through the people of Riverbend Baptist Church that only He can do.
In closing I want to share with you a quote by Woodrow Kroll that brings everything into perspective. This quote is from his book, 'Facing Your Final Job Review'...
"Living a life of service for the Master is more than just a demanding responsibility; it's an exciting privilege. The sovereign God could have written the gospel message in the stars or commissioned legions of angels to share it with people. Instead, he chose inept, unworthy individuals like you and me. Unto us have been committed the words of eternal life. The gospel story, which can change the destiny of our friends and family, has been entrusted to us. It is quite an awesome thought."
Have a great new year and next year. I want to encourage you to live life with the end in mind.
Here are some thoughts regarding my journey that I am praying for. It is my prayer that I will strive to know God more intimately and to make Him known to those in my sphere of influence. It is my prayer that I will allow God to use me to bring Him glory and honor however He wants and wherever He wants. It is my prayer that I will love my wife and children like never before and model for them a life lived in pursuit of knowing Christ. It is my prayer that God will do things in and through the people of Riverbend Baptist Church that only He can do.
In closing I want to share with you a quote by Woodrow Kroll that brings everything into perspective. This quote is from his book, 'Facing Your Final Job Review'...
"Living a life of service for the Master is more than just a demanding responsibility; it's an exciting privilege. The sovereign God could have written the gospel message in the stars or commissioned legions of angels to share it with people. Instead, he chose inept, unworthy individuals like you and me. Unto us have been committed the words of eternal life. The gospel story, which can change the destiny of our friends and family, has been entrusted to us. It is quite an awesome thought."
Have a great new year and next year. I want to encourage you to live life with the end in mind.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The first of many...
It is my prayer that this blog will be used to engage in thoughtful and spirited discussion regarding matters of eternity. I am looking forward to getting to know you as we encounter a loving God who has an awesome and wonderful plan for each of our lives through His Son Jesus Christ.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)