Grace for the Holidays

Yesterday Pastor Scotty Smith tweeted

“There will be enough of God's grace for every family gathering you attend this holiday season. That's hope, not hype!”

As I have meditated on this truth this is my prayer….

Oh Father, this Christmas I long to be so rooted and grounded in your love for me, strengthened with power through your Spirit in my inner most being  (Eph 3:17) that my conversations are full of grace, seasoned with salt so that I may know how to answer everyone ( Cold 4:6) according to your will. I want to be completely undone by you mercy and compassion for me that I humbly bear with and build-up others, forgiving them as you have forgiven me.  Empty me of me that I might be filled with you so that I might be an instrument of grace at every family gathering this holiday season.

Dear Drama Queen

Really?  Must you really turn this into a major ordeal? Don’t you think you might be blowing this way out of proportion? Maybe if you would take a step back and take a deep breath you could calm down enough to see that the situation is not as bad as you think it is. Yes I know it’s not perfect and there are many things that need to be worked out but you’re only fueling the fire with your vain imaginations and “what ifs.”  You need to “fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure and lovely and admirable.  You need to think about the things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Eph 4:8) like Christ’s birth, sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, ascension, reign and return.

I’m so sorry that you have to deal with these issues but rehashing the details with “all your closest friends” isn’t helping you and is only stirring up strife in the community.  You are dividing friends and tearing apart your family.  You need to take this to your one and only true friend who is also your Lord and Savior. The only one who has the power and wisdom to change the situation in His perfect timing but more importantly who can transform you from the impatient, selfish, self-righteous drama queen you are to a woman with a gentle and quite spirit who seeks to build-up and encourage others.

Excuse me! Did I hear you right? You have no idea why your children are drama kings and queens?  You really don’t know why they are making mountains out of mole hills, spassing out about the most ridiculously unimportant matters and unable to handle the normal irritations of living in this sinful and broken world?  Well, there are two reasons: one, they are a reflection of you and what they have learned from you and two, they are sinners just like the rest of us.  They need the saving and transforming power of the Gospel just like you and I do. 

As I take a deep breath and step back from the situation this is my prayer……..

Most graciously Heavenly Father, forgive me for being short and impatient with my friend; forgive me for seeing her as an interruption in my schedule; forgive me for being selfish and self-righteous with her. I lift my friend up to you and pray you would pour out your grace on her and calm her anxious heart. Give her faith to believe you are working in her situation; help her to trust you to take care of all the details for your glory and her good. Use this situation to bring her to the end of herself so that she might be filled with you.  And I pray you would pour out your grace on me and give me wisdom to know how to love and encourage her; how to be her Gospel friend.  Amen

The Gift of Gifts

O God, take me in spirit to the watchful shepherds,

and enlarge my mind:

let me hear good tidings of great joy,

and hearing, believe, rejoice, praise, adore,

my conscience bathed in an ocean of trust,

my eyes uplifted to a reconciled Father:

place me with ox, ass, camel, goat,

to look with them upon my redeemer’s face,

and in him account myself delivered from sin,

let me with Simeon clasp the new-born child to my heart,

embrace him with undying faith,

exulting that he is mine and I am his.

In him thou hast given so much that heaven can give no more.

From the Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers

Dear Friend

I’ve been thinking about you “absolutely knowing God loves you” and praying that His Spirit will bear witness with your spirit so that you will know that He loves you. I think the fact that you are struggling with knowing is a sign that He does love and that your faith in Him is growing.  Often times we question God’s love for us because we think there is something we have to do to earn it or we think that if He really loves us we won’t suffer but these are lies of Satan. There is nothing we can do to earn God’s love, our good works are so tainted with pride and self-righteousness that they are but filthy rags to God. We suffer because we live in a broken world and sin has effected everything including our health so don’t let Satan tempt you into believing that your illnesses are a sign God doesn’t love you.

God is sovereign and He rules over all things, there is nothing out of His control and all the heartaches of life He uses to draw us to Himself, to grow our faith in Him and to empty us of ourselves, that is to keep us from believing we can earn His love.  Oh my heart longs for you to BELIEVE by power of the Holy Spirit that you are dearly loved by God not because of what you have done but because of what Christ did for you. He came as man and lived a perfect sinless life and died on the cross taking on the wrath of God and was raised from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of God that we His children might know Him as Lord and Savior. See how great a love He has for you! 

Often when I am struggling with this issue I will read Ephesians chapter 1, 2 and 3 because it reminds me of the depth of my sin and the magnitude of God’s love for me.  

Hugs and prayers and much love for you.

Dear Friend

After hearing a piece of your childhood story I am rejoicing that God rescued you from the dominion of darkness and transferred you to the kingdom of His beloved son. (Col 1:13) It is because of His great love and mercy He took you out of the life style you grew up in and now holds you in His arms as your loving heavenly Father and faithful Savior. Before you even knew Him as your Lord and Savior He was working in you to see the destructiveness of sin and drawing you to Himself.

Therefore my dear friend I pray that you will reject the assumption that it was by your strong will and determination that you left that lifestyle but understand that if God had not intervened in your life you would have continued in it.   (1Cor 15:11) Self-righteousness and pride makes us think we saved ourselves and leads to works righteousness, which is the viscous cycle of trying to earn God’s blessings. But understanding the depth of God’s grace leads to trust and faith and peace.

So enjoy living in the kingdom of His beloved son, which is resting in His sovereign love for you, believing in the redeeming work of Christ and trusting in the sanctifying work of the Spirit. Rejoice and give thanks for the good work he has begun in you and will carry on to completion.

Gospel Friends

Over the last several months I’ve had several conversations with several friends who are struggling with anger. Some of them realize how angry they are and some of them don’t but the common thread that runs through their situations is that they have been deeply hurt by someone they love.  My heart breaks for my dear friends and I long for their healing.

As I have prayed for them and for wisdom to know how to encourage them and bear with them in their struggle God has graciously showed me that what they (and I) need when struggling with anger is not law – what we should be doing, but the Gospel –all that God has done for us through Christ. I don’t know about you but I’ve never been able to get over being angry with someone by telling myself to STOP being angry or by blaming the other person for my anger or by pretending I’m not angry. 

I know that healing comes when we live in the light of the whole Gospel. When God opens our hearts, we see

·         Just how much He loves us, how good and gracious He is

·         Just how sinful (prideful, self-righteous and demanding) we are

·         That He sympathizes with our weaknesses and understands our pain

·         That either Christ died for that sin that was committed against us because that person is a child of God or that sin will be avenged by the justice of God because she isn’t a child of God

·         That the bonds of sin have been broken by the death of Christ so we do not have to go on sinning – that is go on being angry

·         That He is sovereign and rules over all so this situation isn’t out of His control but He has orchestrated it for our good and His glory

Seeing Jesus and His glorious work is the only power strong enough to transform our anger but how do you articulate these truths of the Gospel to someone who is hurting? How do you love a friend so that she understands you sympathize with her pain and anger but you won’t let her wallow in it? How can we be Gospel Friends?

Oh Heavenly Father, may we be so rooted and grounded in your love that the Gospel- all that you have done for us through Christ, flows freely in our conversations. Teach us how to be Gospel friends proclaiming your love, grace and mercy to one another every day so that when we are blind to our sins (and we will be) we are instruments of righteousness in each other’s lives.

Consumed with the Word of God

This weekend Danny and I had the privilege of sending some time with a delightful couple who we love and respect very much. The thing that amazes me the most about them is how the Word of God is a natural part of their conversations. It’s not forced or stiff but it’s also not “syrupy sweet.”  They don’t use it to condemn or judge but to build up and encourage.    I believe the Word of God flows naturally in their conversations because they are consumed with it.  They read it, study it, memorize it, meditate on it, delight in it and discuss it freely because it is sweeter than honey to them.  They love the Word of God! and it shows!

What a blessing these dear friends are to Danny and I. My heart is overflowing with gratitude for their love, pastoral care and Godly wisdom.

Hope

Some days you realize that the only hope we have is found in all that God has done for us in Christ.

Without Him we are
1. dead in our sins,
2. walking in the ways of the world, 
3. indulging in the desires of flesh
4. living as children of wrath.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loves us
1. has made us alive togehter with Christ
2. raised us up with Him
3 seated us with Him in the heavenly places
4. brought us near to Him by the blood of Christ
5. created us to do good works which He has prepared before the foundation of the world

Amen!

A Way to Pray

A Way to Pray is my new favorite book. It is Matthew Henry's book A Method for Prayer written in 1710  that has been revised and updated by O. Palmer Robertson. "This work consists almost entirely of Scripture, arranged under various headings, to help Christians pray in harmony with the truth of God, revealed in His word."

" O Lord our God, you are so great. you are clothed with honour and majesty. You cover yourself with light as with a garment. Yet to us you make darkness your pavilion. We do not know how to approach you because of the darkness that veils your essence.
You are light, and in you is no darkness at all. You are the Father of lights. In you there is no inconsistency. You do not change like shifting shadows. You are love, and those who dwell in love dwell in you, and you in them. Every good and perfect gift comes from you. You are the blessed and only potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords. You alone are immortal. You live in light which no man can approach. No man has ever seen you, or can see you." 1 John 1:5, James 1:17, 1 John 4:16, 1 Tim 6:15,16, Psa. 104:1, 2;18:11 Job 37;19

Wait for the Lord

 Did you know that the word “wait” occurs 90 times in 86 verses in the NASB and 24 of those occurrences are in the Psalms and 23 of the 24 occurrences refer in some way to waiting on God? I didn’t either until I did a little research on it.  Here are a few of my favorite verses from the Psalms about waiting

·         Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!         (Psalm 27:14 )

·         Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.  (Psalm 37:7)

·         Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land, when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.  (Psalm 37:34)

        

·         I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. (Psalm 130:5)

I’m not good at waiting; I like to have a plan, to know where I’m going and how I’m going to get there. To me waiting seems like a waste of time so when I came across the chapter “Learn to Wait” in Paul Tripp’s book “Broken-Down House” I was challenged to see waiting in a new way. Here are a few things Pastor Tripp teaches about waiting

·         “Waiting is living through those moments when you do not understand what God is doing and you have no power to change your circumstances for the better.”

·         “Waiting will always reveal the true character of your heart, where you have placed your hope, your level of faith, your capacity to truly leave things up to God, your ability to rest in God and God alone.”

·         “Waiting is more than being patient as situations and other people change. Waiting is about understanding that you and I desperately need to change, and that waiting is a powerful tool of personal change. God is using the grace of waiting to change us at the core of our personhood, the heart.”

·         “Waiting is not an interruption of God’s plan. It is his plan.”

·         “When we find waiting a grueling, burdensome experience it is because we are looking for our identity, meaning, and purpose in the thing we are waiting for.”

·         “We can wait productively by being active in prayer; confessing the struggles of our heart and seeking the grace of God, celebrating God’s sovereignty and counting our blessings.

Oh Father, take these truth deep into our hearts and change us from the inside out, teach us to wait in a way that glorifies and honors you.

Seeing but not perceiving, hearing but not understanding!

I’ve been thinking about the truth of this phrase taken from Mark 4:12 because of several stories patients have shared with me over the last few months.

·         The women who said she didn’t realize how bad her mom’s dementia was until her mom couldn’t find her way home from the grocery store

·         The gentleman who said he never thought the shortness of breath and pain in his shoulder could be heart problems

·         The dad who said he had no idea his son was doing drugs until he was stopped for speeding and arrested for the possession of illegal drugs

·         The grandma who said she was floored to find out  her grandchildren’s anger issues were caused by them being abused

In each of these real life situations the person telling me the story admitted that looking back they could see the evidence that pointed to a problem but it just never registered with them.  Aren’t we all that way?   We look right past the facts seeing what we want to see and hearing what we want to hear.  We want easy and happy lives so we believe what we want to believe instead of seeing and hearing and believing what is really true. 

All these stories have made me wonder in what situations am I seeing but not perceiving   and hearing but not understanding the truth? How have I accepted the broken as the norm because I don’t want my easy and happy life messed up?  What am I accepting as true because I’m fearful of the unknown?  

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."  PS143:8

P****** Contest

One of my dearest friends has some great down home phrases that often describes a situation to a tee. The last one she mentioned was “having a conversation with X is like having a pissing contest” and she was absolutely right.  Almost every time we talk to this person it’s “a contest in which logical rational argument in the search for truth gives way to emotional and/or personal attacks for the sake of power or reputation. Usually such contests leave a feeling of ill-will amongst all involved, and prove nothing.”  Urban Dictionary

When I finally stopped laughing, because I just loved the phrase, my friend asked probably the most important questions, “What am I doing that causes us to communicate in this way? Is it just our personalities or can I do to something to change this pattern? ”

As we talked, laughed and cried through the issues we decided that it’s not just personality that causes us/them to communicate this way because James says “Is not the source (of your quarrels and conflicts) your pleasures that wage war in your members? You are envious and cannot obtain so you fight and quarrel.”  We/they get into a p****** contest because we/they are competing for power and reputation!

Changing this pattern comes by grace and by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us to deal with the sin in our hearts through confession, repentance and faith, learning to love this person more that we need their acceptance and approval and by determining that our words will be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that we may know how to answer them. 

I am so thankful for my friend’s honest expressions about life and her willingness to work through the issues together.  She truly is a Gospel Friend!     

Unanswered Prayers

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. PS 84:11

Today I am so thankful God doesn’t give me everything I ask for but only that which is good and right, according to His holy will. For he has promised no good thing will he withhold from me.  

Condemnation

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Rom 8:1

WOW! What a privilege! What a comfort! According to the law there is much for which I am guilty before God. But the accusations are thrown out and the indictment quashed because Christ perfectly satisfied the law for me. Although the disturbing and vexing sin that remains in me continues to wage war against the Spirit it does not ruin me. Christ is my protector and avenger and has freed me from the guilt (condemnation) and power of sin.

I know these wonderful truths and believe them with all my heart. So why does the condemnation of others weigh so heavy on me? Why do I let their opinions, expectations and disapproval disrupt my peace? Why has my soul become so disturbed within me?  It is because their love, acceptance and approval have become idols of my heart!  When the good desire to be loved and accepted by others – my parents, spouse, children, friends, employer, etc. is elevated to a demand, a must have, or an I can’t live without it, it’s an idol. When the good desire to be accepted and not condemned becomes all consuming and is more important to me than being loved and accepted by God, it’s an idol. And when this good desire becomes an idol it causes anxiety, restlessness, and anger; it robs me of the peace for which I long.

So to get back to the joy, peace and comfort of knowing that there is no condemnation for me because I am in Christ I begin with praising God for all He has done for me in Christ. I meditate on His goodness, love and faithfulness which lead me to repentance. I confess my lack of faith and unbelief and that my heart is an idol factory.  I pray for grace - grace that cleanses and pardons all sin; grace to worship Him as the only one true and living God; grace to fear Him and not man; grace to find my hope, joy, peace and comfort in Him; grace so that when others hurt me with their condemnation (and they will) I do not despair. 

O Father, may your children be so rooted and grounded in your love and acceptance of us through Christ that when condemnation comes our faith is not shaken and our peace is not disturbed.  In our situations and relationships where there is condemnation pour out your healing grace that we might be built-up and encourage with the truth of the Gospel. Teach us to FEAR you so that we can need people less and love them more.   

I am so thankful for the Biblical teaching on idols of the heart in  Peacmaking Women by Tara Barthel  and When People are Big and God is Small by Edward Welch.

Sabbath Rest and Tolkien

“J.R.R. Tolkien gives one of the most entrancing descriptions of the true nature of Sabbath. In book 1 of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, He describes a time of rest and healing in the house of Elrond in Rivendell. The hobbits, along with strider, their guide, have made a dangerous, almost fatal journey to this place. They will soon have to make an even more dangerous, almost certainly fatal journey away from this place. But in the meantime, this:

“For a while the hobbits continued to talk and think of the past journey and of the perils that lay ahead: but such was the virtue of the land of Rivendell that soon all fear and anxiety was lifted from their minds. The future, good or ill, was not forgotten, but ceased to have power over the Present. Health and hope grew strong in them and they were content with each day as it came, taking pleasure in every meal, and in every word and song.”

The future, good or ill, was not forgotten, but ceased to have power over the present. That’s Sabbath!”    From Mark Buchanan’s book “The Rest of God”

Oh Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit may health and hope grow strong in us and by your grace may we take pleasure in today and not fear tomorrow. Grow our faith that we might have Sabbath rest.  

Sabbath Rest

“Real Sabbath, the kind that empties and fills us, depends on complete confidence and trust. And confidence and trust like that are rooted in the deep conviction that God is good and God is Sovereign.”  Mark Buchanan

The practice of applying the sovereignty of God to all situations is what enables us to experience physical, mental and spiritual rest.  It seems as though when we rehearse our problems over and over in our minds, anticipating what might happen the problems grow and take on a life of their own. But when we rehearse God’s greatness and remember who He is and all He has done for us in Christ the problems shrink to their right portion.

So as I pray for rain and for the political issues of our nation I begin by remembering “God has established His throne in the heavens and His sovereignty rules over all.” Ps 103 and “Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love.” Ps 62 and hope begins to grow, and rest begins to seep in and I am emptied of self and filled with God by the power of the Holy Spirit.    

I hope and pray you are enjoying real Sabbath Rest today.

Has the Gospel Christianized your home?

(From Octavius Winslow's, "The Desire to See Jesus")


It is impossible to love Jesus ardently, to
behold Him spiritually, and to study Him
closely, and not be molded, in some degree,
into His lovely likeness!

Has the Gospel of Jesus made your temper
milder, your heart purer, your life holier?

Has it softened your churlishness (Rude in a mean-spirited way), subdued
your moroseness, sweetened your disposition,
rendering you more attractable, admired, and
loved?

Has it converted your penuriousness(stinginess) into liberality,
your pride into humility, your selfishness into
generosity, your love of ease and sloth into


Has the Gospel Christianized your home?


O remember that the Gospel of Jesus has
done but little for us if it has not done this!

The End of My Rope

When you are at the end of your rope, when you’ve done all you know to do, when you realize it’s all out of your control, what do you do? When you just want to give up and run away or at least hunker down at home by yourself, what do you do? When you see no way out and yet no way to continue, what do you do?

Maybe you cry, maybe you pray, maybe you call a friend, read a novel, clean house or take a nap. I know I’ve done all of these things and sometimes they work for a little while but they never really solve the problem.  They never get to the heart issues of why I feel the way I do, so what do I do?

·         First, by the grace of God, I see He is graciously allowing me to wear myself out, bringing me to the end of me that I might turn to Him. 

·         And by the grace of God I remember Isaiah 30:15 “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”

·         And by the grace of God I begin to repent – repenting of wanting to be god, to control the situation or the people, for thinking more highly of myself than I should, for not believing and trusting God, for striving and not resting, for fearing man and not fearing God, for letting the good desires of my heart become demands, for……the list can go on and on.

But by the grace of God this is when I begin to see how He has lead me through the situation to bringing me to this point in time to build my faith and grow my trust in Him. He wasn’t distant and far off waiting for me to call on Him but was with me in the storm, orchestrating each and every event for His good purpose of glorifying Himself and conforming me to the image of His son.

So when I am at the end of my rope I praise God that He has been and is and will continue to work in me to will and to do of His good pleasure so I can rest in Him in quietness and trust.  

The Transforming Power of the Gospel

By Elyse M. Fitzpatrick | Jan 1, 2008

Let’s face it, no one reads a blog like this unless he (or she!) is deeply interested in and committed to growing in their own personal piety and helping others do the same. Because we love the Lord, we all want to grow into men and women who reflect His life more perfectly. For us, the question isn’t: “Should we seek to grow in holiness?” but rather, “How do we grow in holiness?” Further, most of us would answer the “How?”  question in this way, “We grow in holiness through the gospel.” And while that’s the right answer, the possibility exists that it’s not specific enough to be of real help. And so, we talk about the gospel, we want to point others to the gospel, but perhaps we’re not seeing how the specifics of the gospel connect to our daily struggles with unbelief and idolatry…our sin. So let’s take a moment to consider exactly how the individual truths of the gospel change us.

When we talk about the gospel, we’re not talking only about what Jesus did on Calvary – although, of course, it would be impossible to over-exaggerate the importance of his substitutionary death. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul writes that the gospel message is not only the cross, it is the incarnation, the sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, ascension, reign and return of Jesus Christ.

It is this entire gospel message that Paul says is “of first importance.” The gospel is more than just the cross. When we fail to appreciate all the other facets of the good news about His work, we’ll be tempted to use Jesus’ suffering on the cross to motivate obedience. In other words, we’ll be tempted to feel sorry for the victim Jesus and try to guilt ourselves (and others) into submission, rather than seeing the victor, Jesus, who acted purposefully throughout His existence and acts powerfully upon us to transform us.

Briefly, here’s how the whole gospel message might impact me when I’m struggling with my own unbelief, idolatry and sin: Let’s say that I’ve got company coming over for dinner and I realize that I’m running low on table salt. I calculate the time I need to get to the store, get the salt and get home so that I can be a gracious, organized hostess (idols everywhere here). I jump in my car, race up to the store, grab the salt and run to the Quick Check Out line only to find myself stuck behind another woman who obviously didn’t read the “10 Items or Less” sign. Instantly I’m angry and then, because I know that my anger is sinful, I feel guilty and then, because I remember all the times I’ve failed like this, I despair. Now, what are my options?

·         Option #1: If I’m a Happy Moralist, I’ll assure myself that my anger is “righteous” because the person in front of me is not obeying the rules like I am. I’ll remain angry but feel better about it.

·         Option #2: If I’m a Sad Moralist, I’ll recognize that my anger isn’t righteous because I’m not loving my neighbor and I’m angry because of my idolatry. I’ll feel both guilty and angry but now I’ll despair because it seems as though I’ll never change.

·         Option #3: If I’ve been thinking about the cross without considering the rest of the gospel, I’ll despair even more because I’ll know that Jesus suffered for this sin and I’ll be sad, guilty and despairing thinking about how much pain He endured on my account. In this case the gospel doesn’t elevate my soul, it crushes me.

·         Option #4: If I’m seeking to live in the light of the whole gospel, my heart will be transformed in these ways: 

o    Because of the incarnation, Jesus Christ knows exactly what it is to live in a sin-cursed world with people who break the rules…like me. I am a rule-breaker but He’s loved me and he’s experienced every trial I face. He’s with me. He sympathizes with my weakness (Hebrews 4:15).This understanding of His love in the face of my sin drains my anger at my rule-breaking neighbor. I can love her because I’ve been loved and I am just like her.

o    Because of His sinless life, I now have a perfect record of loving my neighbor. He perfectly loved rule-breakers. This record of perfect love for my rule-breaking neighbor is mine now; knowing this relieves my guilt. Even though I continue to fail to love, His record is mine.

o    Because of His substitutionary death, I am completely forgiven for my sin…even the sins that I seem to fall into at the slightest provocation. God has no wrath left for me because He poured it all out on His Son. He’s not disappointed or irritated. He welcomes me as a beloved daughter.

o    Because of His resurrection (and the justification it brings), I know that the power of sin in my life has been broken. Yes, I’ve failed again, but I can have the courage to continue to fight sin because I’m no longer a slave to it. This replaces despair with faith to wage war against my selfishness and pride.

o    Because of His ascension and reign, I know that this situation isn’t a mere chance happening. He’s orchestrated it so that I will remember Him and be blessed by the gospel again. He’s ruling over my life and interceding for me right now. I’m not a slave to chaos or chance. He’s my Sovereign King and I can rest in His loving plan today and rejoice in Him.

o    And, because of His promised return, I know that all the doubt, injustice and struggle will one day come to an end. This line in this grocery store and my plans for dinner isn’t all there is. There’s the great good news of the gospel. I can go home now and share with my family and guests how Jesus met me at the grocery store and we can rejoice together in His work on our behalf.

It is the whole message of the gospel that has the power to transform impatient, guilty, selfish, despairing idolaters into free and joyful worshippers of the Living God. The whole message of the gospel includes His incarnation, sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, ascension, reign and return.  Seeing Jesus and His glorious work is the only power strong enough to transforms us from “one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18) or as John Owen wrote, “Here in this life, beholding the glory of the Lord [true believers] are changed into his likeness. Hereafter they will be like Him for they will see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

[Note: John Owen quote from The Glory of Christ (London: Grace Publications Trust, 1987), 8.]

What's a Gospel Friend to do?

Several days ago a friend of mine showed we a Bible study she is doing. By the time I finished reading the synopsis and listening to her tell me the things she is learning everything within me was shouting “NO, don’t do it. It will only feed your propensity toward works-righteousness.”  But before I could say anything someone interrupted us and we didn’t get to discuss it. Every time I think about her doing this study I get anxious for her so I’ve started praying God will open her eyes to the truth about this study but what if the way He wants to open her eyes is through me? I really don’t want to be the one to talk to her about this. I don’t want to hurt her feelings. I’m so excited that she wants to do a Bible study and is spending the time reading and preparing for it so how do I tell her my concerns?  How do I not tell her my concerns?

There is a part of me that says “Just do it because James 5:19-20 says “My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” And another part of me says “Don’t do it because James tells us we shouldn’t judge each other.”  And still another part thinks I should just leave it in God’s hand, after all He is sovereign and if He doesn’t want her doing it He will stop her.

So what’s a Gospel friend to do? Pray, pray and pray some more. Pray that God will search my heart and show me any pride or arrogance or self-righteousness that is in me regarding this situation. Pray that God would open her eyes and heart so that she can discern the truth.  And be ready, so when God presents me with an opportunity to share with her my concerns I can do so in a way that builds her up and encourages her to rest in all God has done for her through Christ.

 Why does this bother me so much? Because for too many years I spent too much time doing too many studies that fueled my tendency towards self-righteousness. My attitude, without realizing it, was just tell me what to do and I will do it so that I can be right with God and others and I was miserable and angry and lonely. God graciously allowed me to wear myself out; He brought me to the end of myself and is now teaching me that I am righteous before Him and He loves me and delights in me because of Christ, and is teaching me to “walk steadfastly according to the sanctifying power of the gospel." This is what I want for my friend – to walk steadfastly according to the sanctifying power of the gospel.  

A Severe Case of People Pleasing

An old man, a boy & a donkey were going to town. 

The boy rode on the donkey & the old man walked.

As they went  along they passed some people who remarked

"What a shame the old man  is walking and the boy is riding."

The man and boy thought maybe  the critics were right, so they changed positions 

Later they  passed some people who remarked "What a shame.... He makes that  little boy walk." So they then decided they'd both walk!

Soon they passed some more people who  remarked "They're really stupid to walk when they have a decent  donkey to ride."

So, they both rode the donkey.

Now they  passed some people

Who shamed them by saying "How awful to put  such a load on a poor donkey."

The boy and man figured they  were probably right,

So they decide to carry  the donkey. 

As  they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story, If  you try to please everyone, You might as well...kiss your ass  goodbye! 

Free to be Ourselves

I love this quote by Mile Mason 

“Christians no longer need to pretend to be better than anyone else.  We don’t have to put on any show of being good, for we know we are not.  We are not good—we are forgiven; and so we are free to be honest before God and before others.  We are free to be ourselves.  We have given up trying to be good little boys and girls, and whenever we catch ourselves striving to please either God or others by dint of moral effort, we are the sort of people who react to this danger signal by falling on our faces before the Lord.  For one of the secret privileges of being His child is knowing that it is all right to fail.  It is all right to get tired…as His followers we know that if we are ever truly to reflect His goodness or His power, it will not be by human effort by only by grace."

It reminds me once again to get off the treadmill of performance, trying to please God with good works. It reminds me to rest in His everlasting love and to live a life of confession, repentance and faith. Why is it that old habits/beliefs are so easy to fall back into?  Because I am a sinner and the roots of sin run deep and wide within my heart. Oh Father, continue to plow the soil of heart removing all works -righteousness until I reflect your goodness and power not by my efforts but by GRACE!

Eggshell Walking Relationships

I’ve been thinking about this post by Scotty Smith all day and it’s very convicting to realize “walking on eggshells” with someone is really living enslaved to the desire to be accepted and approved by that person. I'm amazed at how blinded I have been to this sin and how deep it penetrates my heart; how I hide behind the idol of peace and how often I have blamed the other person. It's really my sin of worshiping the praise and acceptance of this person more than the praise and acceptance of my Heavenly Father. No wonder the relationship has been so stressful; you can’t be Gospel Friends with someone you are worshipping. But praise be to God there is hope through the power of the Gospel and it begins with confession, repentance and faith!

This also makes me wonder who feels like they have to walk on eggshells around me because I am a “minefield of irritability and self-righteousness" but that’s another blog.  

A Prayer about Eggshell Walking Relationships

     Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Col. 3:12–14

     Merciful Jesus, I can’t think of a passage in any translation of the Bible that uses the image of “walking on eggshells” to describe one of the broken ways we often relate to one another. But I’m glad there’s grace and repentance for this, and the many other destructive relational dances we develop with one another. You’ve made us for honest, caring relationships and the richness of intimacy, but sin has pillaged and distorted your good plan. O, how we need the resources of the gospel and the power of your Spirit in all of our relationships.
     Jesus, as a people chosen in you before the world began, holy in you, and dearly loved by you, help us realize when others experience us as a minefield of irritability, a self-righteous porcupine, or a rigid control-meister. We don’t want to be the kind of people who make others feel the need to tiptoe around us or avoid us. Help us see, own, and deal with the ways we make ourselves inaccessible, unapproachable and unteachable. Gentle and humble us by the gospel.
     Our need doesn’t stop there, Jesus. We also need your grace when we’re on the other side of this broken style of relating—of treating others as too fragile or too dangerous to handle feedback or conflict. When we fall into this pattern, it simply reveals how little of your love we’re currently enjoying and how little of the power of the gospel is presently at work in our lives. Free us from all the ways we live enslaved to the fear and approval of people.
     Jesus, you have completely forgiven all of our sins. You have robed us with your glorious righteousness. We are fully accepted and eternally acceptable to God in you. You are irrepressibly forbearing and patient with us. You do not shame us and you will not abandon us. Never let us forget this good news for a nanosecond, for it is the power we need to love one another well.  Daily, even hourly, remind us to put on the garments of your grace: kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

    We long for the day of complete wholeness and health—when every one of our relationships will reflect the joy, peace, and intimacy of the Trinity. Until that day, give more grace to these yet-to-be-glorified hearts of ours, Jesus. So very Amen pray, in your kind and persistent name. (Scotty Smith)