A Memorial Day Prayer

Almighty and gracious God,

Thank You for a day such as this that calls us to both remember and honor the sacrifices of all our veterans who have served in our armed forces. It is good and appropriate for us to remember, for far too often we remember the things we ought to forget and forget the very things we should always remember.

So we are both grateful and humbled when we ponder the sacrifice of those who have given their lives in order to preserve our freedoms and to establish or protect the freedoms of others. We ask that You would bless their sacrifices and the labors of their hands by upholding this nation in freedom and justice and righteousness. And may we learn from their examples the lessons of service, sacrifice, and selflessness, diligence and devotion, endurance, loyalty, honor, and patriotism.

And oh Father, we pray especially for Your comfort and strength for the families of those who have died in recent days or years. And for the many who have returned from combat with lingering injuries and wounds, whether in their bodies or their souls, we ask for healing and solace in both mind and body.

God, like You, we all hate war, violence, and bloodshed. And yet we know that the battle must sometimes be joined in a world where injustice, greed, hatred, lies, oppression and terror endure. So give us wisdom to ensure that our cause is ever just. Give us courage and stamina fit for the task. And give us faith to look for the day You have promised when You shall put an end to all war and will mercifully wipe away every tear from our eyes, when all people the world over will beat their spears into pruning hooks and their swords into plowshares. We know this promise is sure for all who look to you, for You have given the down payment to that promise by lovingly giving Your Son as the supreme sacrifice for sin and raising Him from the grave, conquering death itself.

So it is in that beautiful and matchless name of Your Son, Jesus, the coming Prince of Peace and Mighty God that I pray. AMEN.

Book Review: A Gospel Primer

Vincent, Milton. A Gospel Primer for Christians. Focus Publishing, 2008 (97 pages).

"Terror accomplishes no real obedience. Suspence brings forth no fruit unto holiness. No gloomy uncertainty as to God's favor can subdue one lust, or correct our crookedness of will. But the free pardon of the cross uproots sin, and withers all its branches. Only the certainty of love, forgiving love, can do this." ~ Horatius Bonar (1808-1889), in "God's Way of Holiness"

This book was recommended to me about six years ago. When I finally acquired a copy a couple years later (at a T4G conference, I believe) and when I finally read it, I knew right away I had found something “more precious than gold and sweeter than honey.” This was gospel truth that was balm for my soul. I had been in ministry for a very long time even then, but like Vincent, had often wrestled with the nature of God’s countenance toward me as a sinning Christian. I am so grateful to God for the revival of these gospel truths that He has been seeding in my heart over the last ten years or so.

Vincent wrote the book as both a guide and a corrective for Christians in their understanding and application of the gospel (p. 5). It is meant to guide Christians to “experience the gospel more fully by preaching it to themselves each day”; it is meant to correct the flawed understanding of the gospel as necessary for conversion but not for one’s ongoing walk with Christ and growth in sanctification. The value of such a guide and corrective is evidenced from the author’s own struggle which he shares in Part IV, “Surprised by the Gospel.” His story, no doubt, mirrors that of many Christians. “My problem,” he states, “was that I couldn’t seem to figure out how to stay in the good favor of the God who had saved me.” (p. 91)

I appreciated so very much Vincent’s story as he told of his journey to a clearer, more accurate understanding of the ongoing role of the Gospel in a believer’s life. I, too, struggled with perceptions of a God who “was frequently angered at me” (p. 91) when I sinned (or, as I wrote in my margin, “disgusted”). I resonated with his statement, “I figured that if I beat myself up sufficiently in His presence, or pled with Him long enough, or just waited a few hours to put a little distance between me and my sin, then He might warm up to me again.” (p. 92) On and on the see-saw ride would go, often agonizing that the “rest” I often read and sang about seemed to be so elusive and far-removed from my own experience.

My heart was stirred as I read Vincent’s description of how Romans chapter 5 “saved [his] life” (p. 94; cf. also Rom. 6) in helping him see how Paul rejoiced in his justified status before God, leaving the maintaining of that status also to Christ. So the unpacking of the doctrine of Christ’s propitiation (especially on pp. 63-64; cf. 1 Jn. 2:2; 1 Thess. 5:9-10) and God’s countenance toward me “without any admixture of wrath whatsoever” has come to rest on my soul and has brought significant renewal. Of course, it is an ongoing work!

So the book, which is saturated with Scripture texts in the footnotes, will be a valuable aid in helping Christians who wrestle as Vincent did. Vincent helps us to treasure more deeply the gospel in its liberating glory and amazing grace and to find our rest in Christ.

The heart of the book, and I believe where the greatest value of the book lies in personal meditation or in discipling other believers, rests in Part I, “Reasons to Rehearse the Gospel Daily.” It may be coincidence (or rather, providential), but I suspect it may have been intentional that there are 31 such reasons Vincent gives, which makes it very natural to use in a daily “rehearsing” of the gospel, using one of his reasons each day of the month.

To that end, following are just some of the key gospel truths Vincent urges us to keep before us:

• The gospel, as “the full armor of God,” (Eph. 6:11,13), provides our daily protection (pp. 17-18). Vincent states, “I am vulnerable to defeat and injury unless I seize upon the gospel and arm myself with it from head to toe.” (p. 16) Often, many of our problems stem from leaving ourselves vulnerable due to not being adequately clothed with the resources God has already provided.
• Since a questioning of God’s goodness lies essentially behind our disobedience (Gen. 3:4-6), rehearsing the gospel helps reinforce trust in God’s good character and intentions toward us (Deut. 5:29; pp. 17-18). This is a great corrective when questions of God’s character surface in our lives or in counseling situations.
• Our righteous standing before God is not only secured by the work of Christ, it is also maintained by Him; therefore, we are able to rest from our labors of seeking God’s favor (p. 20; Rom. 4:5; 5:1-2, 18-21; Matt. 11:28; Heb. 4:3; 1 Jn. 2:1-2). Our efforts to please God then flow out of love and delight in that secure favor, rather than laboring out of uncertainty or fear of losing it.
• When Christ’s atoning work is applied to our lives, God’s wrath is fully satisfied, appeased, propitiated by Jesus who absorbed it all on our behalf; therefore God’s continuing countenance toward us is one of love, affection, and compassion, “without any admixture of wrath whatsoever” (p. 63; 1 Jn. 2:2; 1 Thess. 5:9-10). This does not mitigate our need to confess and repent of our sin, but doing so is not to win back God’s favor. Instead it restores our own reception of the grace and love that God had longed to display all along (p. 64; 1 Jn. 1:9).

In Parts II and III, Vincent provides a “Gospel Narrative” in both prose and poetic forms, respectively. The prose version (pp. 55-65) contains 41 statements that are summarized under a common gospel outline of “The Glory of God,” “My Sin Against God,” “God’s Work on My Behalf,” and “My Salvation.” Both the prose and poetic versions are, like Part I, liberally footnoted with Scripture. Those with a more creative or artistic bent should especially appreciate the application of the same gospel truths in the poetic version of Part III (pp. 67-88). Both sections are quick, easy reads; they are thorough without being exhaustive. Either section could be effectively used not only in a daily rehearsal of the gospel by Christians, but also in evangelistic discussions with someone inquiring about the gospel or the claims of Christianity.

My one suggestion to those who pick up this book is to read Part IV first. I’m not sure why the author and/or publisher chose to put Vincent’s story at the end, but I feel it is tremendously helpful to begin with his story that provided the impetus to the writing of the book in the first place.

I believe this little book can be used powerfully and effectively in accomplishing the author’s desires in writing it, expressed at the conclusion of his Introduction:

“…this book is based on the premise that all Christians should become expert in their knowledge and use of the gospel, not simply so they can share it faithfully with non-Christians, but also so they can speak it to themselves every day and experience its benefits. In fact, if Christians would do more preaching of the gospel to themselves, non-Christians might have less trouble comprehending its message, for they would see its truth and power exuding from believers in indisputable ways.”

I look forward to continuing to use the book as Vincent intended – as a “guide” and “corrective” – both in my own life and in the lives of those God entrusts to me in ministry to the end that God will be greatly glorified and His church strengthened in the gospel of Christ!

A couple follow-up notes

In a follow-up to my previous post, first here are three quotes...

"He loves Thee too little who loves anything together with Thee, which he loves not for Thy sake." (Augustine)

"...every moment in every circumstance we stand on the brink between the lure of idolatry and the delight of seeing and knowing God." (John Piper)

"Tolerate nothing in your life that might diminish your hunger for God's Word." (Sam Storms)

Also, an excellent article by Douglass Moo from Ligonier Ministries' daily devotional, "Tabletalk" Magazine, has been posted at Desiring God, entitled "The Key to Christian Living". It speaks of the Christian's "new relationship to sin."

Read, reflect, and "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Pet. 3:18)

We Have Too Small a View of Sin

"Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight." (Psalm 51:4)

The following is perhaps the best analysis of sin and exposition of David's confession in Psalm 51:4 that I have read. It effectively gets deeper to the root of sin than most people usually go. Sin is so much more than just doing or thinking things I shouldn't that displease God ("sins of commission") or not doing or thinking things I should ("sins of omission"). I commend to you this excerpt of a sermon by Rick Gamache entitled "Whiter Than Snow" for your thoughtful, prayerful meditation.

I believe what David is saying in verse 4 is that all sin is a preference for the fleeting pleasures of the world and the flesh over the everlasting joy of God’s fellowship. This is why the Christian life is a life of repentance (like Martin Luther said), not because every time we sin we lose our status as God’s children and have to get saved all over again. Our status never changes. We are always God’s children, we are still declared to be holy even when we sin, we are still the heirs of his Kingdom.

But our sin affects our relationship with God. Our sin breaks our fellowship with God. David realizes that before he ever committed adultery with Bathsheba, he committed spiritual adultery against God. Why did he need her? Why was he willing to murder his own friend for her? It is because before David ever sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah, he lost the joy of his salvation. That is why he asks for the joy to be restored [Psalm 51:12].

We sin because we forget God’s steadfast love and abundant mercy. When we are not ravished by him, we forget the superior pleasures that there are in God and give ourselves to the inferior pleasures of sin. And this is why David says, “Against you God, you only have I sinned.” He goes deep with his confession because he knows repentance is the way back to fellowship with God.

I think it is absolutely amazing and very telling, given what we know about the situation, that David never mentions sexual sin in Psalm 51. He’s not mainly praying that the Lord would provide him with good accountability. He’s not mainly praying that God would give him self-control and protect his eyes and his mind. Those are all good things. But David does not mention them here because his sexual sin — and every sexual sin — is the symptom of the disease not the disease. Sexual sin is a symptom of lack of fullness of joy and gladness in Jesus. It’s a symptom of a lack of being ravished by the love and kindness and mercy and goodness and beauty and excellence and majesty and glory and honor and power of God.

Are you willing to admit with me that multiple times on any given day we lose our joy in God and His salvation? We are so easily distracted and lose the "fullness of joy and gladness in Jesus" and fail to be enthralled with the greatest Treasure of the universe who should be at all times our Supreme Joy.

When we view it this way, sin becomes the hideous monster that it is. "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom. 7:24,25a)

Dear reader, when we truly see our sin for what it is and the offense that it is to a holy and loving God, we will recognize our need to become abandoned to our glorious Savior and to His Spirit-empowered Word which alone transforms our calloused hearts to embrace new and holy affections!

"God came through"

"The Lord does whatever pleases Him..." (Psalm 135:6)

"Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases." (Psalm 115:3)

"I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2) 

The other day I was watching a short promotional video online for some new church ministry resource. I honestly don't even remember what it was for, but one thing did catch my attention - hence this blog post today... The speaker painted the picture of some bleak situation and as he set up the resolution for how God intervened, he said, "God came through."

I'd like to invite us to think carefully and critically about that expression, as it's one that probably crops up from time to time, and of course used in innocent ways by people who want to honor the Lord and His sovereign intervention in our lives to help those in need. But think about what that expression implies. Doesn't it subtly suggest that things were really out of control (even God's?!) until God finally figured things out and got the upper hand? Doesn't it likewise carry with it the idea that we are wiser than God and are the ones who really should be calling the shots and that we are glad that God finally came around to our point of view and finally did what we always knew needed to be done?

We also need to think about what we're implying if God did NOT "come through" in the prescribed manner. Did God fail to "come through" for Stephen as he breathed his last with his eyes beholding the glory of Christ at the right hand of the Father (Acts 7)? Is God failing to "come through" for our many Christian brothers and sisters who face another year of imprisonment and/or persecution for their enduring faith? And did God fail to "come through" for our own Savior, who asked that He might be spared from having to drink the cup of God's wrath for our sin?

Friends, God's back is never up against a wall. He is never wringing His hands, trying to figure out a way to help us out of our predicaments. If you are prone to using this expression, may I urge you - I hope lovingly! - to stop, and to instead allow God to test and refine your faith as you endure in Your delight in Him, regardless of what He may or may not do according to your expectations!

Tolerance Based on What?

Once upon a time "tolerance" was based on truth. Specifically the truth that if I am able to coerce you (by manipulation or force) to adopt my position/belief/faith, I have not truly converted you; I have simply driven your convictions below the surface because of my superior force or intellect or threat of retribution. Conversion by force is no true conversion. This kind of "truth-based tolerance" used to be "the power that kept lovers of competing faiths from killing each other" (Piper). When practiced (and of course it was not always practiced!), such tolerance allowed those with competing truth claims to live peaceably, but also encouraged healthy dialogue regarding those truth claims.

Of course, "once upon a time" seems oh so long ago, for the prevailing sense of tolerance is no longer based on truth, but (I would argue) on "peace." Especially when it comes to matters of religious faith, the prevalent view is that the various faiths do not compete with one another, but rather complement each other. It takes the "truth-based tolerance" beyond the truth that we cannot seek to bring about conversions by force, adding the idea that attempts to convert others should not be practiced, since they are unnecessary because there are no superior truth claims with all being equally valid. This is (supposedly) the path to peace. This is the solution to, "Why can't we all just get along?!"

I am compelled to ask:  How can it not be readily seen that truth claims that are mutually exclusive do not and can not "complement" each other? How is it that all it takes for someone's beliefs to be "true for them" is their level of sincerity of those beliefs (or perhaps how widely held or respected those beliefs are by others)?

Much can be/needs to be/has been written about this, so I will simply - for now! - conclude with this longing for the Church of Jesus Christ. I hope followers of Jesus will quickly see that such "peace-based tolerance" is no tolerance at all, but rather a strategy of our enemy to silence the Church! Peace (or "love," or "unity," etc. - or the world's view of these things) cannot and will not come at the expense of Truth! Truth trumps this kind of peace all the time.

Speak the Truth, friends! But do so in love!

"Foolish and Dangerous"

In his preface to his book, Brothers, We Are Not Professionals ("A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry"), John Piper writes, "More and more, true Christianity is becoming what it was at the beginning: foolish and dangerous.

The Gospel and "true Christianity" is "foolish" to the world because until the Spirit of God enables blind eyes to see and corrupt hearts to desire the truth and beauty of the glorious Gospel, it remains incomprehensible (1 Cor. 1:18-23). God actually became a Man? Most people did not recognize this Man to be God-sent? He was rejected by the very rulers of His own people who knew their religious system better than anyone else? He was crucified along with other common criminals? And then He supposedly came to life again?! And His followers claim that trusting this crucified, risen-again God-Man is the ONLY way to know God or enter heaven with your sins forgiven and wiped clean, without any contribution of your own? I will endure the eternal wrath of God for my "sin" if I continue on my own way without this Jesus? ~ Scandalous! Incredulous! "Foolish"!

Those whose eyes have been opened and hearts have been changed to turn to embrace the glorious Gospel will then likewise be seen as "foolish." And therefore - for many - the "way of the Cross" will also become "dangerous". "Dangerous" because those who daily take up their crosses to follow their Master will live lives and hold values that are in stark contrast to everyone else. And as they do so - living as "the light of the world" - the world will run from the light (John 3:19-20), as the cockroaches used to do in our home in South Carolina! The result will be that some will think they are doing good by doing harm to Christians (John 16:2).

In this context, the temptation for individual Christians and churches alike will be to try to find ways to make the Gospel more attractive and less confrontational. Against this tendency we must reinforce our resolve to proclaim the scandal of the Cross. To this point Piper writes, "the center of Christianity...is the dishonorable, foolish, gruesome, and utterly glorious reality of the tortured God-Man, Jesus Christ. More and more, He must become the issue. Not a vague, comfortable, pleasant Jesus that everybody likes but the one who is a "stumbling block" to Jews and "foolishness" to Gentiles. The closer you get to what makes Christianity ghastly, the closer you get to what makes it glorious." (Emphasis added.)

Dear Christian, are you willing to endure hardship for our Captain? Are you prepared to sacrifice whatever it takes to make the glorious Gospel of our Jesus known to those for whom Christ died? You are the aroma of Jesus to the world around you - perhaps the only source of that for some. We all want to be the fragrance of eternal life, but for some we may be the stench of death! (2 Cor. 2:15-16) March into the fray today, dear friend, with your eyes on Jesus and let Him lay out the course you are to run (Heb. 12:1-3)... then run as a "fool for Jesus"!**

(**Two businessmen once approached a man walking the streets of New York wearing a sandwich board over his shoulders. They snickered in mockery as they read the front: "I'm a fool for Jesus Christ." Their sneers turned into thoughtful contemplation as they read the back: "Whose fool are you?")

Two Kinds of Sinning?

Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. (Psalm 19:12-13)

"So is a born again Christian susceptible to presumptuous sins that knowingly contradict God's will?"

That's how this interesting and thought provoking post from DG Ministries begins. And the way it should end is with some honest and diligent soul searching by every child of God.

I urge you to read the post here.

"You Put This Love In My Heart"

With all that's going on in my life right now I suppose it's time to get back to blogging a bit about some of it! Most pertinent to this post is that at present, Sue and I are preparing to adopt a 12 year old girl from NH whose mother irrevocably relinquished all parental rights last fall. We met at the beginning of February and are currently in the mode of visiting once midweek and then she spends the weekend with us. This in preparation for the newly settled move-in date of March 30! Our girl, whom I'll call KC, has been in 8 foster homes in the last 5-6 years.

So the latest very cool "God thing" is that last week we were bringing her home after our mid-week visit. I had been listening to an old CD in my car in recent days, but at the time did not have the player turned on. It had been so long since I had listened to the CD (a compilation of classic Christian songs) that I didn't really even remember what was on it. Well, about 2/3 of the way to her present foster home, I decided to put some music on. The following song was cued up (again, I didn't know!) and after only the first couple of lines KC said, "This is a really appropriate song!" And then after a few more lines, she said, "This should be OUR song!"

Without further comment I'll just post the lyrics to the song here, and I think you'll see why Sue and I got a bit choked up!

You Put This Love In My Heart

I found it hard to believe

Someone like You cared for me.
You put this love in my heart.

I tried but could not refuse,

You gave me no time to choose.

You put this love in my heart.

          I want to know where the bad feelings go

          When I'm depressed and I get down so low

          And then I see You coming to me and it's alright.

I want to tell You right now

I'm not afraid to say how

You put this love in my heart.

There are sometimes when I doubt,

But You always find me out.

You put this love in my heart.

          Cause when I see all that You've done for me

          It's hard to doubt, I just have to believe,

          Cause You followed up, provin’ all of Your love.

Well I know the loneliness I had before

Is gone now, I'll never feel it anymore.

‘Cause Your lovin’ has released me from all that's in my past.

And I know I can believe You when You say I'll never be forsaken,

Your love is gonna last.

There's so much more I should say
If I could just find a way.
You put this love in my heart.
Is all this real or a dream?
I feel so good I could scream!
You put this love in my heart.

by Keith Green, from the album, For Him Who Has Ears To Hear (Sparrow Records, 1977)

My New Master

a meditation on Romans 4 - 6 (Feb., 2011)

I’m amazed at Your mercy, enthralled by Your grace.
You’ve loved me and drawn me to gaze on Your face.
Condemned by Your righteous and holy decree,
Your Son took my place and now I am free.
With Jesus’ blood covering my guilt and my shame,
My heart is now stirred and with passion enflamed.
I’ll live for Your glory and name and renown
Until Jesus my Savior with worship is crowned.

My master, once cruel, a taskmaster grim,
Reminded me always of my guilt within.
Enslaved by my sin, I was hopeless and lost,
My death and destruction, the infinite cost.
But blind eyes were opened, You caused me to see
That Jesus in love came, my Ransom to be.
Now clothed in Your righteousness, walking in love,
I gladly surrender to Your will above.

Your mercy and kindness, no merit could earn;
Your glory, the standard of righteousness spurned.
In Jesus alone is forgiveness assured,
My standing in glory forever secured.
When guilt or despair seem to flood o’er my soul,
When even my victories others extol,
When Satan my past puts before me to see,
Then “Jesus, my Righteousness” shall be my plea.

I’m amazed at Your mercy, enthralled by Your grace.
You’ve loved me and drawn me to gaze on Your face.
Though wretched and vile, Your love set me free
To magnify Jesus, the whole world to see.
With Jesus my Life and my Joy and My All,
My once heart-of-stone is now heeding Your call.
I’ll live for Your glory and name and renown
Until Jesus with honor and worship is crowned.