I was browsing 'You Tube' one night when I came across the video below. A quartet of students singing a song I was hearing for the first time: "I Surrender All (All To You I Owe)." Not only was the harmony wonderful, but the words of the song, as written by Mary Alessi & Aaron Lindsey, were really profound.
(Verse)
My life is not the same
Everything has changed
What You’ve done for me
You’ve set me free
My heart is now Your home
I’ll never be alone
What You’ve done for me
You’ve set me free
(Pre-Chorus)
You removed every barrier
Erased every failure
And Your mercy shelters me
(Chorus)
I surrender all
All to You I owe
My heart is Yours and Yours alone
I surrender all
Giving everything
All that I am and ever hope to be
I surrender all
I pray that it blesses you as much as it did me.
Please note: If you are on a corporate network and see seeing white space instead of the encoded video, your company's internet policy may be preventing you from seeing it.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
God's Priority
Paul's letter to the Romans is a fascinating one. Long considered "The Gospel Manifesto", I hold the view that it is difficult, if not impossible, to live the Christian life in its fullness without having a basic understanding of it. If you have not read this book in its entirety, I encourage you to do so for an insight into the awesomeness of God's grace, and our exalted position in Christ. Nestled in Chapter 8 are two verses that I believe, next to our salvation, point to God's priority regarding His children: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren" (vv. 28, 29).
Most of us have struggled with verse 28, but since Paul wrote it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, then we have to be comforted by it even if we don't understand it. The book of Job helps us to understand that things that happen to the children of God are sovereignly allowed by Him, and Paul reaffirms that the good, bad, and indifferent things all work for our good, according to the purposes of God. But just exactly what is that purpose? The answer we find in the next verse, especially in the words, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son". I quite like Matthew Henry's concise commentary on this portion of the text: "Here is the order of the causes of our salvation, a golden chain, one which cannot be broken. 1. Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. All that God designed for glory and happiness as the end, he decreed to grace and holiness as the way. The whole human race deserved destruction; but for reasons not perfectly known to us, God determined to recover some by regeneration and the power of his grace. He predestinated, or before decreed, that they should be conformed to the image of his Son. In this life they are in part renewed, and walk in his steps."
Renewed and walking in his [Christ's] steps. That is God's priority for us. Some may ask: "What about our day to day existence?"; "Doesn't God care if we can pay our bills or not, or if we have somewhere to live?" To all those questions we answer with a resounding "Yes, He does care!" Jesus made that clear when said our Heavenly Father knows we have need of those things, but He emphasized the priority was not those material things but rather to seek first the kingdom of God; once we got that right, then the rest of things would be added (Matthew 6:25-33).
God's priority is not our immediate material comfort, but rather that we become conformed [similar, identical] to the image of Christ. Are you cooperating with Him toward that end?
Most of us have struggled with verse 28, but since Paul wrote it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, then we have to be comforted by it even if we don't understand it. The book of Job helps us to understand that things that happen to the children of God are sovereignly allowed by Him, and Paul reaffirms that the good, bad, and indifferent things all work for our good, according to the purposes of God. But just exactly what is that purpose? The answer we find in the next verse, especially in the words, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son". I quite like Matthew Henry's concise commentary on this portion of the text: "Here is the order of the causes of our salvation, a golden chain, one which cannot be broken. 1. Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. All that God designed for glory and happiness as the end, he decreed to grace and holiness as the way. The whole human race deserved destruction; but for reasons not perfectly known to us, God determined to recover some by regeneration and the power of his grace. He predestinated, or before decreed, that they should be conformed to the image of his Son. In this life they are in part renewed, and walk in his steps."
Renewed and walking in his [Christ's] steps. That is God's priority for us. Some may ask: "What about our day to day existence?"; "Doesn't God care if we can pay our bills or not, or if we have somewhere to live?" To all those questions we answer with a resounding "Yes, He does care!" Jesus made that clear when said our Heavenly Father knows we have need of those things, but He emphasized the priority was not those material things but rather to seek first the kingdom of God; once we got that right, then the rest of things would be added (Matthew 6:25-33).
God's priority is not our immediate material comfort, but rather that we become conformed [similar, identical] to the image of Christ. Are you cooperating with Him toward that end?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Come Apart & Rest A While
Sandwiched between his narrative of the execution of John the Baptist, and the feeding of the five thousand men, besides women and children, Mark records a very brief but important interlude between Jesus and His disciples. In Mark 6:7-13, we see Jesus commissioning the twelve, sending them out into the sorrounding areas, two by two, with power over unclean spirits. In verse 31, after the death of John, we read: "And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught." We do not know how much time had passed, but Jesus' response suggests that it had been a while: "And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat" (v.31), to which we are told, "And they departed into a desert place by ship privately" (v.32).
In the context of the busy-ness of our own lives, the application of this portion of text is most prudent. With so much to do and so little time in which to do them, finding time for ourselves, what I refer to as "me time", is extremely difficult. Yet as Jesus demonstrated, it is absolutely essential - amidst our many comings and goings - to take ourselves apart into a "desert place" and rest a while. Two important variables are at play; 1) "privately", which suggests the absence of others that would seek to distract, and 2) "desert place", which implies the lack of material things that would cause one to lose focus. Jesus' idea is not for a vacation, or a trek to a Galilean resort, but rather time alone with God to be refreshed physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. Regardless of our calling, a tired, burntout, frustrated Christian is hardly the poster person God is trying to use to accomplish His will in the earth.
The challenge facing today's believer is that of periodically disengaging from the world to capture those quiet moments. Yet Jesus invites us to rest; a rest that demands that we walk away from our computers, turn off our phones, our Blackberries, our iPods, our T.V. sets, our DVDs/PVRs, our gaming systems, or anything that would distract or cause us to lose focus. It is only when our desire for Him supersedes our desire to be constantly engaged in our activities, that we will be able to share in the Psalmist's experience: "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul" (Psalm 23:2,3a).
Amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday living and all its distractions, Jesus' invitation to you is "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while." How will you respond?
In the context of the busy-ness of our own lives, the application of this portion of text is most prudent. With so much to do and so little time in which to do them, finding time for ourselves, what I refer to as "me time", is extremely difficult. Yet as Jesus demonstrated, it is absolutely essential - amidst our many comings and goings - to take ourselves apart into a "desert place" and rest a while. Two important variables are at play; 1) "privately", which suggests the absence of others that would seek to distract, and 2) "desert place", which implies the lack of material things that would cause one to lose focus. Jesus' idea is not for a vacation, or a trek to a Galilean resort, but rather time alone with God to be refreshed physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. Regardless of our calling, a tired, burntout, frustrated Christian is hardly the poster person God is trying to use to accomplish His will in the earth.
The challenge facing today's believer is that of periodically disengaging from the world to capture those quiet moments. Yet Jesus invites us to rest; a rest that demands that we walk away from our computers, turn off our phones, our Blackberries, our iPods, our T.V. sets, our DVDs/PVRs, our gaming systems, or anything that would distract or cause us to lose focus. It is only when our desire for Him supersedes our desire to be constantly engaged in our activities, that we will be able to share in the Psalmist's experience: "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul" (Psalm 23:2,3a).
Amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday living and all its distractions, Jesus' invitation to you is "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while." How will you respond?
Bearing Tales
Gossiping. Some would argue it is some Christians' favorite past time - always having a story to tell about someone else, whether that story is real or contrived. Webster defines a gossiper as "a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others". Maybe there is some perverse pleasure that is derived from such a behavior, but regardless of the perceived benefits, we can rest assured that such a behavior should not be found among God's people.
God Himself weighed in on the matter. In handing down the Levitical laws that would govern the conduct of His people, He instructed, "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people" (Leviticus 19:16a), or as 'The Message' emphatically puts it, "Don't spread gossip and rumors". Obviously, if God forbids it, there cannot be anything virtuous about it. Solomon, the wisest of them all, also found the practice deplorable. In the Proverbs we read, "The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly" (18:8, KJV). In other words, they hurt deeply; so much so he repeats it again (26:22). In 20:19 it is said, "He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips", and in 26:20, "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth."
It can be difficult at times to hold one's tongue in the face of provocation, especially if we are the ones being unfairly slandered. There's always the temptation to respond in kind with not so nice things we know about those who seek to do harm, yet in the midst of those strong emotions, God says "Stop it!" Our minds respond , "But, Lord...", but ever so emphatically He speaks, "Don't do it!" In the words of Solomon, "A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter" (Proverbs 11:13). Paul admonished, "See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men" (1 Thess. 5:15), and yes, that includes the gossipers.
Following that which is good is not always easy, but thank God, the Holy Spirit is more than able to help us to do it . "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will [perish] not go free" (Proverbs 19:5). He that is of a faithful spirit does not gossip, but keeps/hides what he knows about others. Is your spirit faithful?
God Himself weighed in on the matter. In handing down the Levitical laws that would govern the conduct of His people, He instructed, "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people" (Leviticus 19:16a), or as 'The Message' emphatically puts it, "Don't spread gossip and rumors". Obviously, if God forbids it, there cannot be anything virtuous about it. Solomon, the wisest of them all, also found the practice deplorable. In the Proverbs we read, "The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly" (18:8, KJV). In other words, they hurt deeply; so much so he repeats it again (26:22). In 20:19 it is said, "He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips", and in 26:20, "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth."
It can be difficult at times to hold one's tongue in the face of provocation, especially if we are the ones being unfairly slandered. There's always the temptation to respond in kind with not so nice things we know about those who seek to do harm, yet in the midst of those strong emotions, God says "Stop it!" Our minds respond , "But, Lord...", but ever so emphatically He speaks, "Don't do it!" In the words of Solomon, "A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter" (Proverbs 11:13). Paul admonished, "See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men" (1 Thess. 5:15), and yes, that includes the gossipers.
Following that which is good is not always easy, but thank God, the Holy Spirit is more than able to help us to do it . "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will [perish] not go free" (Proverbs 19:5). He that is of a faithful spirit does not gossip, but keeps/hides what he knows about others. Is your spirit faithful?
Friday, June 06, 2008
Who Am I?
The song with this title, sung by Casting Crowns, has really "grown" on me. In the big scheme of things, there's nothing commendable about who we are, but it sure is great to know that God thinks the world of us. The first verse and bridge of the song is below, and it really is something to marvel about. I trust the song will bless you as much as it blessed me.
Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wondering heart.
Not because of who I am.
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done.
But because of who you are.
Please note: If you are on a corporate network and see seeing white space instead of the encoded video, your company's internet policy may be preventing you from seeing it.
Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wondering heart.
Not because of who I am.
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done.
But because of who you are.
Please note: If you are on a corporate network and see seeing white space instead of the encoded video, your company's internet policy may be preventing you from seeing it.
Faith: How Much?
At one point or another we've all done it. Struggling under the weight of a situation, and facing a crisis of faith, we've prayed words to the effect, "Lord, increase my faith." I'm reminded of the narrative in Mark 9 in which Jesus met a man whose son had a "dumb spirit", and who when stricken, engaged in all kinds of destructive behaviors. The disciples had tried but couldn't cast the spirit out. Jesus "asked his father, 'How long has this been happening to him?' And he said, 'From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.' And Jesus said to him, 'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes.' Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!'" (vv. 21-24, ESV).
At first glance, the statement 'I believe; help my unbelief' may seem a bit of a contradiction but it really isn't. This father, having seen his son victimized on numerous occasions, and seeing the disciples failure, didn't have much hope that anything could be done. So as any distraught parent would, he said to Jesus, "But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." That was not an exercise of faith. Sure he wanted to believe, but the evidence was stacked high against him. Let's not overlook Jesus' emphatic reaction to the man's qualifier; "If you can!". In other words, "What do you mean 'If I can!'"? Knowing that Jesus was capable of doing more than he could imagine, the father, in his faith crisis, found a way to activate the little that he had. As the narrative tells us, he quickly found out that it wasn't the amount of faith that mattered, but the activation of the amount he had.
Jesus reinforced this principle in a narrative recorded in Luke 15. "The apostles came up and said to the Master, 'Give us more faith.' But the Master said, 'You don't need more faith. There is no 'more' or 'less' in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it would do it" (vv. 5-6, The Message). The astounding thing is that no one can say they lack faith as Paul affirmed that "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Romans 12:3b). So as we can see, the issue is not whether or not we have faith, but rather our inability to activate "the measure" we have been given.
It is important to note that faith can only be activated in the presence of the Word (Romans 10:17), so as we deal with our respective challenges, we have to believe that God can do the things He says He can do. It is only then that we can lay claim to the substance of the things hoped for, and the evidence of which we have not yet seen. In other words, faith connects us in the now with those things which are yet to come, all the while being fully persauded that we already have them, regardless of the external evidence. "All things are possible for one who believes"; all it takes is faith the size of a poppy seed. If Jesus said it, that's good enough for me. Is it good enough for you?
At first glance, the statement 'I believe; help my unbelief' may seem a bit of a contradiction but it really isn't. This father, having seen his son victimized on numerous occasions, and seeing the disciples failure, didn't have much hope that anything could be done. So as any distraught parent would, he said to Jesus, "But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." That was not an exercise of faith. Sure he wanted to believe, but the evidence was stacked high against him. Let's not overlook Jesus' emphatic reaction to the man's qualifier; "If you can!". In other words, "What do you mean 'If I can!'"? Knowing that Jesus was capable of doing more than he could imagine, the father, in his faith crisis, found a way to activate the little that he had. As the narrative tells us, he quickly found out that it wasn't the amount of faith that mattered, but the activation of the amount he had.
Jesus reinforced this principle in a narrative recorded in Luke 15. "The apostles came up and said to the Master, 'Give us more faith.' But the Master said, 'You don't need more faith. There is no 'more' or 'less' in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it would do it" (vv. 5-6, The Message). The astounding thing is that no one can say they lack faith as Paul affirmed that "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Romans 12:3b). So as we can see, the issue is not whether or not we have faith, but rather our inability to activate "the measure" we have been given.
It is important to note that faith can only be activated in the presence of the Word (Romans 10:17), so as we deal with our respective challenges, we have to believe that God can do the things He says He can do. It is only then that we can lay claim to the substance of the things hoped for, and the evidence of which we have not yet seen. In other words, faith connects us in the now with those things which are yet to come, all the while being fully persauded that we already have them, regardless of the external evidence. "All things are possible for one who believes"; all it takes is faith the size of a poppy seed. If Jesus said it, that's good enough for me. Is it good enough for you?
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