The Choice of a Lifetime

Last evening I was privileged to attend a fund raising banquet for the Women’s Center of Northwest Indiana. What a blessed evening. There were over 800 people in attendance. That is a tremendous army of supporters for a very God honoring, Christ exalting organization.

The featured speaker was Janet Parshall. Her address was very positive and encouraging. The thesis of her remarks was that there has been a hopeful shift toward life in the national discussion on abortion. [in no way did she say the fight was over, but she did say that it is appearing that the tide is beginning to turn.] Her remarks were similar in tone and reasons to Trevin Wax’s recent post on the same topic.

While Parshall’s remarks were encouraging and helpful, the highlight of the evening actually occurred before she spoke. Two women, clients of the Center, gave testimony on the decision to choose life that they had reached because of the gentle work of those that volunteer at the Women’s Center. The first client will be having her child next month, the second to speak carried her two month old daughter up on the stage with her. Listening to these two women and realizing that they represent so many others was a blessing.

I had tears on my cheeks as I listened to these two women describe the care and compassion that they received. I praise God for his moving in their hearts. Their choice to bring these children into the world is profound. It is a choice that has eternal implications.

Pray for this ministry and others like it that exhibit the light of the gospel in the very darkest of areas.

Memories

Five years ago today a good friend of mine went home to be with the Lord. I miss him.

I am praying for his wife and children, for the grandson he never met, for the other good friends who also miss him.

I am also looking forward to joining him. The prospect of heaven is so sweet. The presence of the Lord awakens a longing in my heart for that day.

Yet today, God has left me here to do his mission; to be faithful in serving him. May I be faithful to the end.

Cranes and Hope

This morning I took my daily walk and was pleasantly surprised to hear some unusual bird sounds over head. I look up and watch flock after flock of Sandhill Cranes winging their way north. The majesty of the birds was wonderful to see, and the promise of spring that they herald is wonderful to contemplate.

I have watched over fifty winters come and go and have matured [somewhat] in my view of winter. I often tell people that I don’t complain about the weather, I determine to enjoy it. And I do enjoy it. But there is something about the change of seasons, particularly about the coming of spring that is refreshing to the soul.

The change of seasons reminds us that God is still God; he is sovereign over the march of time. It is he that decrees the weather, the cycles of climate, the day-to-day elements. No matter what investment of money and effort man has made, we cannot significantly impact these things.

The change of seasons also reminds us of the orderliness of God. He set the stars and the planets in place. He set up the laws of physics which govern the interaction of matter in this universe. This orderliness allows us to plan for the different seasons, to be prepared for what is coming.

The change of seasons, particularly the coming of spring, brings hope. One of the lines from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe that captures this the complaint that ‘…it is always winter, and never Christmas.’ When the hope for the change of seasons is denied, the inhabitants of Narnia despair. But with the coming of spring their hearts are lifted and hope is reborn. So too, we are reminded of the loving-kindness of God as we see the newness and freshness of spring coming.

Now you will have to excuse me while I go outside and enjoy the sunshine quickly before the weather changes again.

Meditation on 1 Peter 5.10-11 [Part 2]

‘… The God of all grace,

who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ,

will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.’

1 Peter 5.10-11 ESV

Today let us look at the phrase: ‘who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ…’

In the circumstances of our lives, even in the hard providences, we may rest assured that God has put these in place for his sovereign purposes. This is a truth that we need to build into our lives regularly, especially when situations are gentle. One of the foundational truths to the Christian life is that God has called us into it, and that this calling is aimed at the glory of Christ. 

Paul expressed it this way in Romans 8.28-30:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. [ESV]

Notice the progression here. God has a purpose in his work in believers’ lives. That purpose is to conform them to the image of his Son, and then ultimately, to glorify them just as the Son has been glorified. That provides great assurance for each of us as we consider the ultimate end of God’s purposes for us. This also gives us great confidence in God’s goodness in our current circumstances. One of the questions that we ought to be asking is, ‘how is this situation being used by God to make me more like his Son?’

While Peter does not list the individual links to this chain the way Paul does, his outlook is very similar. Remember that this letter is an encouragement to those that are facing persecution. Peter is reminding them that even the persecution that they are facing is part of the process by which God is calling them to eternal glory.

As we encounter the messiness and the troubles of life, be assured that these things are not just happenstance; they are not just chance operating in this life. No, the good, the difficult, even the devastating events of life are all from the hand of God and are part of his calling us to the glory of his dear Son. Remember that he doesn’t give us trials beyond what we can handle without also providing the way to deal with them. We may trust his purposes, and cling to his love.

Lay hold on these truths, believe these truths, rest on these truths. They provide the ultimate in security and comfort.

Meditation on 1 Peter 5.10-11 [Part 1]

‘… The God of all grace,

who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ,

will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.’

1 Peter 5.10-11 ESV

It is helpful for us to remember the context of this passage in meditating on it. In this first letter Peter is encouraging and strengthening believers who are going through very difficult circumstances. In chapter five as he is wrapping up his letter, he reminds them that there is an adversary, the devil, actively opposing their lives. One of the foundational truths that he wants believers to remember is that this adversary is defeated, that he is not an all powerful being who cannot be opposed. He also wants the believers to remember that though the adversary is defeated, he still possesses power for a time. He encourages them [and us] to resist him, not in our own strength, but by ‘casting all our anxieties’ on God. Trust God to give the victory.

Then Peter expresses this great truth that will bear the weight of all our hope and desire. 'The God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.' There is suffering in this present age, but we must trust that the Creator God is sovereign over even these sufferings and he will use even these means to work his good purposes in our lives.
Today I want to meditate on the phrase: ‘The God of all grace…’

Grace is favor that is undeserved. We realize that we are completely undeserving of God’s favor. That Salvation, indeed life itself is an undeserved gift from God. When we are reminded of the ultimate holiness and glory of God we can only respond with humility and gratitude for the grace we have received. We remember that ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…’ [James 1.17 ESV]

It is the God of this grace who is our God. It is this God, whose favor is unmatched, who is equipping us for the resistance to Satan. It is this God, the giver of gracious, unmatched gifts, who is strengthening and establishing us in this life so that we are prepared for life with him forever. This is the God that Peter is relying on. This is the God that we should rely on, trusting him for his favor for all eternity.

When the circumstances of life are pressing in on you, when it seems as if the enemy has made you his particular target, remember that God has empowered us to resist him. Remember that He has given us the grace that strengthens and upholds us.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Matt Chandler

Matt Chandler, Pastor at the Village Church in had a tumor removed from the frontal lobe of his brain last week. The pathology report is in and it states that the tumor was malignant. The Village Church has posted an update on their web page.
Here is an link to a video that Matt made before his surgery. Here is a video of Matt's sermon at this year's Desiring God conference.

I Have to Earn It

I just had the opportunity to spend some time with a young teen that had some questions about the existence and goodness of God. We talked for some time about the existence of God, then discussed the reason for evil in this world. I then told him how God had sent his Son, Jesus, to die in our place and take our punishment upon himself.

At that point he asked me why, if Jesus had paid for our sins, God would still punish people. I sensed that this was not an opportunity to expound upon the doctrine of particular redemption and decided that I would approach it from a different angle.

I pulled a dollar out of my pocket and offered it to him, intending to use this as an illustration that God offers us the gift of salvation by his grace and that we need to receive it. The illustration worked far better than I expected. As I held out the bill, a look of horror came over his face and when I told him he could take it he shook his head and said, “No! I can’t!” I was surprised, because I had never experienced a 12 year old that would refuse a dollar bill. I asked him why and his first response was, “Because it doesn’t belong to me.” I told him it belonged to me and I wanted to give it to him. He said that he couldn’t take it. When I pressed him further for a reason, he said, “I didn’t earn it!”

For a moment I was speechless, then I told him, that is why people are punished even though Jesus died. They still face God’s wrath because they don’t receive his gift. I talked with him about how something is not a gift if you earn it.

He never took the dollar, and he hasn’t yet trusted Christ, but I am praying for him.

This was just a reminder to me of the power that self-sufficiency has in our lives. We feel that we have to earn something, even when it is offered as a gift. Not only is this too often a roadblock to salvation, it is also a roadblock to our sanctification. May God grant us to recognize that though this grace cost God the death of his Son, he offers it to us as grace, no payment necessary, no earning possible.

Put Your Hope in God

This morning for my devotions I read Psalm 42 and 43. These psalms fit together. Three times in these two psalms the psalmist asks this question, “Why am I so depressed, Why this turmoil within me?” This must have been dark days for him. There are times in all of our lives when we go through the darkness, the pain of doubting that things will ever get better.

At that time, when our souls are asking that questions, we have a choice in how we will answer. The psalmist answered it the same way every time, “Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,my Savior and my God.”

After I read in Psalms, I read Genesis 39, the account of Joseph in Egypt. In that difficult place Joseph kept his hope fixed on God. Despite temptation to follow the path of fleshly indulgence he kept his hope fixed on God. When lied about and unfairly punished he kept his hope fixed on God. In the typically terse language of Genesis, Moses assures us that God continued to bless Joseph, even in those dark circumstances.

After I read and meditated on that, I read 2 Chronicles 16. This chapter tells us of the last days of Asa, king of Judah, one of the good kings. Asa had instituted massive reforms in Judah, had turned the hearts of the people back to God, had seen God’s blessing throughout his long reign. We are told how Asa continually sought God until we get to chapter 16. Here, near the end of his life, Asa is confronted with an attack from his northern neighbor, Israel. Asa’s response this time is to seek help from Syria, instead of going to God. It is interesting how the Chronicler records the story. Asa is apparently successful, the King of Israel retreats and the immediate crisis is resolved. Then these verses are inserted: “At that time Hanani the prophet visited King Asa of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. . . ” The prophet goes on to remind Asa of how God has protected him in the past, how he would have had an even greater victory if he had just put his hope in God instead of the king of Syria. Instead of repenting, Asa gets angry and puts the prophet in prison.

The end of the chapter shows that the Chronicler understood completely the issue that was involved here. He says that after reigning for 39 years, Asa had a disease of his feet. Here is how it is put: “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a foot disease. Though his disease was severe, he did not seek the LORD, but only the doctors. Asa passed away in the forty-first year of his reign.” For three years Asa suffered with this and did not put his hope in God, only in man’s wisdom.

As I meditate on the Psalmist’s words and these two godly men and their very different responses to dark trials, I am encouraged and I am admonished. I am encouraged that even in the deepest, darkest of times I can and I should put my hope in the Lord. He is accomplishing his purposes in my life and in the wider world around me. I am admonished that so often I forget this principle and blithely seek men’s wisdom instead of going to the Lord and trusting him.

Oh, that I might regularly remind my soul that I must hope in God first, that his mercies are great, that his concern is more than any man’s, that his way is perfect and that he will accomplish his purposes.

I am encouraged by the words of William Cowper’s poem, God Moves in a Mysterious Way.

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never failing skill

He treasures up His bright designs

And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err

And scan His work in vain;

God is His own interpreter,

And He will make it plain.