Moving beyond our past is something we as Christians struggle with. If we are really forgiven of our sins by our loving Saviour, why then do we dwell in a place of unworthiness? We should of course repent from our sins and acknowledge that "while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.(Romans 5:8)" But are we not only dwelling in the past but demeaning the sacrifice of our Intercessor when we act as if we are not truly forgiven of our sins? A few passages come to mind:
"Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what his heart approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats for he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin." (Romans 14:22-23)
"For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than us and knows all things." (I John 3:20)
I began to think about this after reading Hebrews 7, which talks about the need for maturity and growth. Using an athlete as an example, how many world class gymnasts are unable to do a somersault? Or how many NBA players can't do a layup? The point is, there should be signs that we are maturing in Christ, one of which is not dwelling in our sinful past but looking to the future and "coming boldly before the throne of grace" asking God to help us leave our stumbling blocks behind. We are forgiven, so please believe it (this is just as much an exhortation to my own heart)! As Jesus says, "Go, and sin no more" to the woman who was to be stoned for adultery.
Something I'm not really sure of is in Hebrews 4:7-
6:4 For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 6:5 tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, 6:6 and then have committed apostasy, 6 to renew them again to repentance, since 7 they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again 8 and holding him up to contempt
Everything seemed fine and good and then this verse came up on me and really made me take a step back. Is this to say that repenting from one's faith in Jesus is an 'unpardonable sin' and cannot be forgiven? Not that it is territory I want to explore, but it is something we should all consider. When we fully turn from the Lord we are declaring Jesus' sacrifice as unworthy of us, and if were to change our minds we are asking Him to give his life yet again. I know that none of us here have any intention of leaving the presence of our King, but it makes me see how those who have been martyred and then repent of their faith are now no longer saved. It is not enough to believe once, but to believe FOREVER. Let not thankfulness leave our hearts, and give Glory to God for everything, that we come nowhere near this situation!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Let us come boldly to the throne of grace
Hebrews 3:15-"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."
Looking at this should give any Christian second thought about coming up with excuses for unrighteous behavior. Although it is inevitable that sin will accompany us at some point in our lives, we also make the decision, one way or another, to give in to sin. As pastor Dave had talked about during revival, it is a conscious decision on our part. "The law of the spirit of life in Jesus Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2). How can we know that we are in this cycle? Joe has talked about suffering, to do so in the name of righteousness is what is honorable in the eyes of our father. I Peter also declares this " For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." (3:17)
4:8- "Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered."
Let our hearts be refined by whatever flames come our way. In his suffering, Jesus was able to save the souls of every person who believes he is the living Christ. Why then should we feel that nothing good can come of our misfortunes when they come? Every one of the disciples died a grisly death, except John, and it was because they had a conviction to preach the gospel wherever they were led. God will not forsake you, he hears every cry of anguish in the furrows of our hearts. Let our lives consist then of 'solid food', for "solid food belongs to those who are mature, to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 4:18)
Looking at this should give any Christian second thought about coming up with excuses for unrighteous behavior. Although it is inevitable that sin will accompany us at some point in our lives, we also make the decision, one way or another, to give in to sin. As pastor Dave had talked about during revival, it is a conscious decision on our part. "The law of the spirit of life in Jesus Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2). How can we know that we are in this cycle? Joe has talked about suffering, to do so in the name of righteousness is what is honorable in the eyes of our father. I Peter also declares this " For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." (3:17)
4:8- "Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered."
Let our hearts be refined by whatever flames come our way. In his suffering, Jesus was able to save the souls of every person who believes he is the living Christ. Why then should we feel that nothing good can come of our misfortunes when they come? Every one of the disciples died a grisly death, except John, and it was because they had a conviction to preach the gospel wherever they were led. God will not forsake you, he hears every cry of anguish in the furrows of our hearts. Let our lives consist then of 'solid food', for "solid food belongs to those who are mature, to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 4:18)
Sunday, December 14, 2008
God's promise is an eternal covenant
Hebrews 4:2 For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in.
One of the pitfalls is being too consumed in the church, is the potential for losing sight of the fact that none of us are any better than even the most despicable outside the body of Christ, but for the fact that we are believers, and thus no longer a part of the world. Sure everyone, at least in our lives, has heard about the gospel, and is aware in some sense of what Christianity is. But hearing and listening are two entirely different concepts, for how many of us hear what our organic chemistry teacher is saying (for example), but how many of us listen with all our focus? Uh, I hope you weren't expecting me to say 'yes!' 'cause far from it!
4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart
This is a gritty verse, but it serves its purpose well. When I come to the word of God with faith, believing that it is Truth from my Father in heaven, I get so much more out of it. When I start to look at it as something 'obligational', or more of a history lesson, my reward is that much more limited.
One of the pitfalls is being too consumed in the church, is the potential for losing sight of the fact that none of us are any better than even the most despicable outside the body of Christ, but for the fact that we are believers, and thus no longer a part of the world. Sure everyone, at least in our lives, has heard about the gospel, and is aware in some sense of what Christianity is. But hearing and listening are two entirely different concepts, for how many of us hear what our organic chemistry teacher is saying (for example), but how many of us listen with all our focus? Uh, I hope you weren't expecting me to say 'yes!' 'cause far from it!
4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart
This is a gritty verse, but it serves its purpose well. When I come to the word of God with faith, believing that it is Truth from my Father in heaven, I get so much more out of it. When I start to look at it as something 'obligational', or more of a history lesson, my reward is that much more limited.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Deliver me oh Lord, for the waters have come into my soul..."
Psalm 25
25:1 O Lord, I come before you in prayer. 2
25:2 My God, I trust in you.
Please do not let me be humiliated;
do not let my enemies triumphantly rejoice over me!
25:3 Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated.
Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted 3 and humiliated.
25:4 Make me understand your ways, O Lord!
Teach me your paths! 4
25:5 Guide me into your truth 5 and teach me.
For you are the God who delivers me;
on you I rely all day long.
25:6 Remember 6 your compassionate and faithful deeds, O Lord,
for you have always acted in this manner. 7
25:7 Do not hold against me 8 the sins of my youth 9 or my rebellious acts!
Because you are faithful to me, extend to me your favor, O Lord! 10
25:8 The Lord is both kind and fair; 11
that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live. 12
25:9 May he show 13 the humble what is right! 14
May he teach 15 the humble his way!
25:10 The Lord always proves faithful and reliable 16
to those who follow the demands of his covenant. 17
25:11 For the sake of your reputation, 18 O Lord,
forgive my sin, because it is great. 19
25:12 The Lord shows his faithful followers
the way they should live. 20
25:13 They experience his favor; 21
their descendants 22 inherit the land. 23
25:14 The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance, 24
and he reveals his covenantal demands to them. 25
25:15 I continually look to the Lord for help, 26
for he will free my feet from the enemy’s net. 27
25:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me,
for I am alone 28 and oppressed!
25:17 Deliver me from my distress; 29
rescue me from my suffering! 30
25:18 See my pain and suffering!
Forgive all my sins! 31
25:19 Watch my enemies, for they outnumber me;
they hate me and want to harm me. 32
25:20 Protect me 33 and deliver me!
Please do not let me be humiliated,
for I have taken shelter in you!
25:21 May integrity and godliness protect me,
for I rely on you!
25:22 O God, rescue 34 Israel
from all their distress! 35
The first thing that stands out at me in this psalm is the measure of contrast. Words of hope and despair are repeated constantly. Mercy (4 times) vs. ashamed (4 times), sin (3 times) vs. waiting (3 times). David's heart is in such agony, that he reverts every few verses from praising God, to begging for mercy and guidance. In the end though, it is the fate of Israel that remains persistently on his heart, for he knows that without God's guidance, he could never preserve his people and mantain their integrity. We too should follow his example, because we can do nothing if our hearts are not right with God. Even when we feel empty and worthless, I pray that our hearts realize that we need to be redeemed, not only for our peace, but because we cannot serve our brothers and sisters until we stand before the Lord unashamed. As leaders, if we cannot understand this, we have failed (albeit a failure that God is more than pleased to correct!).
David sees that the fate of his soul is in jepoardy. He is asking God to "lift up his soul", I believe because the weight of his sins is burdening it, and he needs our saviour to carry him. My soul has been in travail as of late, but like Christie reminded me, God wants to know even our sighs of distress. It is when we start to harden our hearts and find other "solutions" to our pain that the cracks in our frame of forgiveness start to emerge. May every one of you have a blessed final bible study, and an awesome grad night. Praise our Lord, for He IS worthy!
25:1 O Lord, I come before you in prayer. 2
25:2 My God, I trust in you.
Please do not let me be humiliated;
do not let my enemies triumphantly rejoice over me!
25:3 Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated.
Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted 3 and humiliated.
25:4 Make me understand your ways, O Lord!
Teach me your paths! 4
25:5 Guide me into your truth 5 and teach me.
For you are the God who delivers me;
on you I rely all day long.
25:6 Remember 6 your compassionate and faithful deeds, O Lord,
for you have always acted in this manner. 7
25:7 Do not hold against me 8 the sins of my youth 9 or my rebellious acts!
Because you are faithful to me, extend to me your favor, O Lord! 10
25:8 The Lord is both kind and fair; 11
that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live. 12
25:9 May he show 13 the humble what is right! 14
May he teach 15 the humble his way!
25:10 The Lord always proves faithful and reliable 16
to those who follow the demands of his covenant. 17
25:11 For the sake of your reputation, 18 O Lord,
forgive my sin, because it is great. 19
25:12 The Lord shows his faithful followers
the way they should live. 20
25:13 They experience his favor; 21
their descendants 22 inherit the land. 23
25:14 The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance, 24
and he reveals his covenantal demands to them. 25
25:15 I continually look to the Lord for help, 26
for he will free my feet from the enemy’s net. 27
25:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me,
for I am alone 28 and oppressed!
25:17 Deliver me from my distress; 29
rescue me from my suffering! 30
25:18 See my pain and suffering!
Forgive all my sins! 31
25:19 Watch my enemies, for they outnumber me;
they hate me and want to harm me. 32
25:20 Protect me 33 and deliver me!
Please do not let me be humiliated,
for I have taken shelter in you!
25:21 May integrity and godliness protect me,
for I rely on you!
25:22 O God, rescue 34 Israel
from all their distress! 35
The first thing that stands out at me in this psalm is the measure of contrast. Words of hope and despair are repeated constantly. Mercy (4 times) vs. ashamed (4 times), sin (3 times) vs. waiting (3 times). David's heart is in such agony, that he reverts every few verses from praising God, to begging for mercy and guidance. In the end though, it is the fate of Israel that remains persistently on his heart, for he knows that without God's guidance, he could never preserve his people and mantain their integrity. We too should follow his example, because we can do nothing if our hearts are not right with God. Even when we feel empty and worthless, I pray that our hearts realize that we need to be redeemed, not only for our peace, but because we cannot serve our brothers and sisters until we stand before the Lord unashamed. As leaders, if we cannot understand this, we have failed (albeit a failure that God is more than pleased to correct!).
David sees that the fate of his soul is in jepoardy. He is asking God to "lift up his soul", I believe because the weight of his sins is burdening it, and he needs our saviour to carry him. My soul has been in travail as of late, but like Christie reminded me, God wants to know even our sighs of distress. It is when we start to harden our hearts and find other "solutions" to our pain that the cracks in our frame of forgiveness start to emerge. May every one of you have a blessed final bible study, and an awesome grad night. Praise our Lord, for He IS worthy!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
He is my rock
Psalm 63 1
A psalm of David, written when he was in the Judean wilderness. 2
63:1 O God, you are my God! I long for you! 3
My soul thirsts 4 for you,
my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched 5 land where there is no water.
63:2 Yes, 6 in the sanctuary I have seen you, 7
and witnessed 8 your power and splendor.
63:3 Because 9 experiencing 10 your loyal love is better than life itself,
my lips will praise you.
63:4 For this reason 11 I will praise you while I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands. 12
63:5 As if with choice meat 13 you satisfy my soul. 14
My mouth joyfully praises you, 15
63:6 whenever 16 I remember you on my bed,
and think about you during the nighttime hours.
63:7 For you are my deliverer; 17
under your wings 18 I rejoice.
63:8 My soul 19 pursues you; 20
your right hand upholds me.
63:9 Enemies seek to destroy my life, 21
but they will descend into the depths of the earth. 22
63:10 Each one will be handed over to the sword; 23
their corpses will be eaten by jackals. 24
63:11 But the king 25 will rejoice in God;
everyone who takes oaths in his name 26 will boast,
for the mouths of those who speak lies will be shut up.
"..In the sanctuary I have seen you"....it is in our quiet times, our moments of humility, that we are able to see God in all his glory. That quiet voice he instills in our spirit comes when we are still and just acknowledge his presence. There is a saying, "If you're going to worry, don't pray. If you're going to pray, don't worry." There is truth in this; we are supposed to "come boldly before the throne of grace."(Hebrews 4:16).
"When I remember you on my bed"...I've been thinking more about slumber lately (probably because it hasn't been exactly abundant this week :) ), and how we submit our hearts to God when we do so. Everyone has to sleep right? It's almost like God's way of saying "Fine, be wicked to your foolish hearts delight, but you still have to sleep sometime!" Scientists aren't even fully aware of how sleep functions, or why REM sleep is so essential, they just know that it is. More to the point, sleep is when we close our eyes and drift away. Thus, as David tells us in another Psalm, "I will not allow my eyes to slumber until I have made a place of habitation for my Lord." Let that shine on our hearts as we rest.
A psalm of David, written when he was in the Judean wilderness. 2
63:1 O God, you are my God! I long for you! 3
My soul thirsts 4 for you,
my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched 5 land where there is no water.
63:2 Yes, 6 in the sanctuary I have seen you, 7
and witnessed 8 your power and splendor.
63:3 Because 9 experiencing 10 your loyal love is better than life itself,
my lips will praise you.
63:4 For this reason 11 I will praise you while I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands. 12
63:5 As if with choice meat 13 you satisfy my soul. 14
My mouth joyfully praises you, 15
63:6 whenever 16 I remember you on my bed,
and think about you during the nighttime hours.
63:7 For you are my deliverer; 17
under your wings 18 I rejoice.
63:8 My soul 19 pursues you; 20
your right hand upholds me.
63:9 Enemies seek to destroy my life, 21
but they will descend into the depths of the earth. 22
63:10 Each one will be handed over to the sword; 23
their corpses will be eaten by jackals. 24
63:11 But the king 25 will rejoice in God;
everyone who takes oaths in his name 26 will boast,
for the mouths of those who speak lies will be shut up.
"..In the sanctuary I have seen you"....it is in our quiet times, our moments of humility, that we are able to see God in all his glory. That quiet voice he instills in our spirit comes when we are still and just acknowledge his presence. There is a saying, "If you're going to worry, don't pray. If you're going to pray, don't worry." There is truth in this; we are supposed to "come boldly before the throne of grace."(Hebrews 4:16).
"When I remember you on my bed"...I've been thinking more about slumber lately (probably because it hasn't been exactly abundant this week :) ), and how we submit our hearts to God when we do so. Everyone has to sleep right? It's almost like God's way of saying "Fine, be wicked to your foolish hearts delight, but you still have to sleep sometime!" Scientists aren't even fully aware of how sleep functions, or why REM sleep is so essential, they just know that it is. More to the point, sleep is when we close our eyes and drift away. Thus, as David tells us in another Psalm, "I will not allow my eyes to slumber until I have made a place of habitation for my Lord." Let that shine on our hearts as we rest.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
"I will give you one heart of real flesh..."
With 2 lab finals tomorrow, and small group cards to fill out, I've got a few things on my plate to do. Coming to prayer meeting today meant a lot to me, for the encouragement of seeing my brothers and sisters who are trying to finish off this semester strong, both spiritually and academically. It also left me with the conviction of just how much more needs to be done, and reading Hebrews chapter 3 made that even more so.
7-11: "Today, if you will hear his voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, proved Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, 'They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.' So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.' "
It is amazing how easy it is for me to begin hardening my heart to the Lord, without even realizing it. Once I stop seeing God as my best friend, is when I believe it all starts. For even in his statutes, they are there because he loves us, and does not want us to suffer. Looking back on this year at Cornerstone, I am in awe of the blessing God has put at my doorstep. Yet at the same time I feel like I've had that door shut in so many ways, maybe because of fear, uncertainty, laziness, whatever; all are only excuses at the throne of our God. I feel like I should be even closer to my small group members, rather than just some 'church leader' they see once a week (if that).
13- Exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today", lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
No matter how we conduct our lives as Christians, God is not mocked. If we are lukewarm, so be it, what we sow is what we shall reap. If we do not go that extra mile in showing our members that the love of Christ is in us, we'll only be left with 'coulda-beens'. But hope is not lost; every day is a second chance, and I'm praying that this weekend will have almost all of us together, as our last SG dinner was. This is my prayer God; that I not forget that I came to you because I was in awe of the love you have for us, and that we could not run from it even when we try.
7-11: "Today, if you will hear his voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, proved Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, 'They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.' So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.' "
It is amazing how easy it is for me to begin hardening my heart to the Lord, without even realizing it. Once I stop seeing God as my best friend, is when I believe it all starts. For even in his statutes, they are there because he loves us, and does not want us to suffer. Looking back on this year at Cornerstone, I am in awe of the blessing God has put at my doorstep. Yet at the same time I feel like I've had that door shut in so many ways, maybe because of fear, uncertainty, laziness, whatever; all are only excuses at the throne of our God. I feel like I should be even closer to my small group members, rather than just some 'church leader' they see once a week (if that).
13- Exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today", lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
No matter how we conduct our lives as Christians, God is not mocked. If we are lukewarm, so be it, what we sow is what we shall reap. If we do not go that extra mile in showing our members that the love of Christ is in us, we'll only be left with 'coulda-beens'. But hope is not lost; every day is a second chance, and I'm praying that this weekend will have almost all of us together, as our last SG dinner was. This is my prayer God; that I not forget that I came to you because I was in awe of the love you have for us, and that we could not run from it even when we try.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
We must pay close attention to what we heard, so we do not drift away
This is the beginning of Hebrews chapter 2, and is a powerful statement. I find myself constantly praying that we as Christians will become better listeners, we were given two ears and only one mouth for a reason. Obedience would be impossible without this simple but-oh-so technique.
2: For if the message spoken through angels 1 proved to be so firm that every violation 2 or disobedience received its just penalty, 2:3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?
Like James mentions in 3:1-"Not many of you should presume to be teachers". Once we know the glory of our Father, there is no excuse for not listening and submitting our hearts unto him. We as leaders are to be judged all the more harshly for what we did/didn't do.
2:10 For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, 14 in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer 15 of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
I admit to finding this a little confusing; does the author of Hebrews mean to say that even Jesus was refined by the trials, temptations, and ultimately death that he endured? If so then we should cherish our sufferings, as meagre as they are in comparison to the author of our salvation.
2:18 For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
This verse alone should serve as inspiration to each one of us when we feel the resistance from our nature. Everything that we may feel is too burdensome to endure has already been experienced, for we are told that He was tempted in all areas. When we see each other tomorrow, may it be with this in mind, so that we are rejoiceful as we come before the Lord in prayer.
2: For if the message spoken through angels 1 proved to be so firm that every violation 2 or disobedience received its just penalty, 2:3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?
Like James mentions in 3:1-"Not many of you should presume to be teachers". Once we know the glory of our Father, there is no excuse for not listening and submitting our hearts unto him. We as leaders are to be judged all the more harshly for what we did/didn't do.
2:10 For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, 14 in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer 15 of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
I admit to finding this a little confusing; does the author of Hebrews mean to say that even Jesus was refined by the trials, temptations, and ultimately death that he endured? If so then we should cherish our sufferings, as meagre as they are in comparison to the author of our salvation.
2:18 For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
This verse alone should serve as inspiration to each one of us when we feel the resistance from our nature. Everything that we may feel is too burdensome to endure has already been experienced, for we are told that He was tempted in all areas. When we see each other tomorrow, may it be with this in mind, so that we are rejoiceful as we come before the Lord in prayer.
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