Gregory E. Lang's Blog, page 11

Obedience

Friend, a trait we have in common is our desire to choose our own way, to be the director of the movie in which we are the star. But to obey God, we must step down from the director’s chair and permit him to take his rightful place in our lives as our sovereign Lord. Let us encourage one another in this way. We must strive to faithfully obey the Lord. I know that submission to authority is contrary to your nature. Nonetheless, submission is required of you, and for a very good reason. Your outward obedience to Christian precepts is proof to the world of your trust in Jesus, and your inward strivings to please the Lord in all you do is the beginning of discovering God’s will for your life.

Your outward obedience to Christian precepts is going to be a much easier task for you. God’s precepts are well-known in the Word and firmly established in the traditions of the church. You will find your open display of obedience less challenging as you spend time in the Word and permit Scripture to inform and motivate you. Fellowship with other Christians furthers your compliance, as good company begets good conduct in you. Christian obedience is the act of submitting to the will of God, your Creator, and your highest authority. If you have faith, obedience should become the daily practice of living by faith, obeying the teachings of the Bible, believing they are the guidestones that lead you to a more fulfilling life. To be truly obedient, you must remain in a proper relationship with Christ, acknowledging him as your Savior through grace alone — that you did nothing of merit sufficient to save yourself. Faith in Christ and gratitude for what he accomplished for you produces the power that leads to obedience. And this power is also not of yourself, but of the Holy Spirit, the helper Jesus promised for each of us. The more you strive to be obedient, the more your life becomes guided by the Holy Spirit. As your helper, he will not lead you astray. If you are willing to trust and obey God and try to live a holy life, he will reveal himself to you and direct your steps through the prompting of the Holy Spirit. This is the second form of obedience that is required of you, submission to God’s private and unique conversations delivered directly to you. You may call it your conscience, but I believe it is the Holy Spirit prompting you to discern God’s will for you, and then urging you to obey.

Living in obedience to God in all things, even the seemingly inconsequential details of day-to-day living, reveals your love and respect for him. Obedience is actually in itself a form of worship, acknowledging who God is and accepting your responsibility in relation to him. Remember, too, that every command God will make of you isn’t always only for his sake but for yours as well. The call to obedience is for your benefit because he knows what is best for you.

Through his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus took away our just punishment and laid a new obligation to obedience upon us. All he asks in return is that we obey the new law: to love one another. That grace has taken the place of the old law does not mean that disobedience has replaced obedience. If we accept Jesus as our Savior, we must also accept him as our King to rule over us and, in doing so, reveal the moral characteristic of the life of Christ thriving within us. A disobedient life shows there is neither gratitude nor humility within you.

Friend, do not take salvation for granted and act as though you are unchanged. Train yourself to be godly, obey the Word, and rise above your nature, demonstrating your renewal so that others may wish to follow your example. Obedience to God is the sign of your sheer delight and joyful thankfulness for your salvation. You are to rid yourself of your former way of life and put on a new self, one created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Do not live the rest of your life for unholy desires, but rather for the will of God. If you are guided by the Holy Spirit, you will not obey the lusts of the flesh and temptations of evil. Act like Jesus and find yourself satisfied in higher and long-lasting ways.

To live by faith includes the discipline of prayer, commonly going to God in thanksgiving and requests. When you know that you are struggling to become or remain obedient, pray for guidance and inspiration; ask for self-control so that you may obey rather than rebel. Prayer itself is a form of obedience, for Scripture tells you to humble yourself and pray. And when a righteous person, a true believer committed to Christ, by his striving to live for God with increasing obedience presents a fervent prayer, it avails much.  The more you depend on God, the more obedient you must be. He loves you and wants only what is best for you. And when you love him in return and walk faithfully with him, obeying from the heart all his commandments, good blessing will indeed come to you. Love God, your Father, your Christ, and your Helper; and obey him with a thankful heart. Amen.

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Faith

What is faith? Faith is an invisible thing. Christians live by faith, not by sight. Faith is not simply an emotion or thought process but is an unwavering confidence built on the knowledge and belief that God is who he says he is. Faith is throwing yourself with abandon at the foot of the cross and believing everything remarkable that was accomplished there. Friend, if your faith is dependent on what you can see and understand, it is built on a very weak foundation. You might think it unreal if you can’t see it, smell it, taste it, or touch it. But if you have true faith, you can sense it. What does it feel like? It feels like the complete absence of worry and the reassuring fullness of the comfort of peace. Faith feels like this because, as a believer, you know that death is not your end; instead, it is your transition to being in the presence of God. Those who believe in what they cannot see shall inherit an everlasting life. This is why it is so important that you have faith!

Faith is believing that God loves you and will provide for you and fulfill all the promises he has made to you. When you stop counting on yourself and begin to believe God is in control of all things, you will have arrived at that blessed place of surrender where you will experience an immeasurable calm, even relief from the weight of worldly burdens and cares. Have faith enough to trust yourself completely in the hands of God, follow him wherever he may lead, and your steps will be sure for they will be guided by your faith in his goodness.

Do not be discouraged if your faith falters. Diminished faith does not mean that you have lost your faith, only that you are undergoing a trial that challenges your beliefs. Perhaps you think a prayer has not been answered, or your heart has been shattered with bitter disappointment, or worse, a painful loss. Do not think God is punishing you; he is not. He weeps with you. You live in a broken world that cannot provide for you what can only be found in Heaven. Expect brokenness in a broken world, and pain in brokenness. These are the times when you need God’s comfort most. Trust him to lead you through the brokenness and believe that there is no disappointment in your heavenly home. Without faith it is impossible to have a right relationship with God, so ask him to increase your faith during all challenging times, and he will do it.

Friend, do not forget that faith is meant to be shared with others. You must make your thankful thoughts and sensation of inner peace known through speaking of it to others. The business of the church is not only to save but to enlighten. Christ is the light, and his disciples must also be light. It is not a life of good works, but one work that is required, and that is to have a faith that would enable you to rely on Christ and, from such faith, to lead a Christ-like life. To fit in with the crowd is to miss an opportunity to be an example of Jesus and show his goodness and mercy to anyone watching you. Always reveal your faith in Christ with your words as well as your good and selfless deeds. May your faith increase with each new day! Amen.

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Prayer

My friend, remember the times we kneeled to pray. We pray because we believe our Father listens. Prayer is the way in which the life of a Christian is nourished. Talk with God, be yourself before him, and let him commune with you. Let your prayers be a daily habit. Let them be simple in nature and rooted in your heart. Too much thinking about your prayers will only lead you to produce clanging sounds that are harsh in God’s ears. Don’t try to impress him with refined words, memorized verses, and eloquent recitations. Just be you. Just tell him what worries you. Tell him what you need. Ask that his will be done and then be satisfied that he heard you and will respond in due time. Remember, his timing is divine, and yours is not, so it should not be a surprise to you if he does not give you precisely what you want when you want it. When that is the case, be patient. Often, what is refined in you while you are waiting is the best answer to your prayers.

In Jesus Christ, go boldly to God with your prayers. And do not simply pray for favor and things, but pray for others. Pray that you and those you love will be drawn closer to God, and pray for unpleasant circumstances to change so that God’s glory may shine through. Remember that while on the cross, Jesus prayed for his enemies; he was clear about his desire and command that we, too, should pray for others as he did. What more extraordinary display of love for your neighbor and brother is there than to bow and pray for him? It pleases the Lord when we pray for others, so do so often. Very often.

In prayer is the best way to spend time alone with God. It is when you are alone with him that you are free from distraction and temptation to impress with your actions and words. There are times for public and corporate prayer, and there are times for private prayer. Kneel often and be sincere with your Lord. Make private time with him so that you can go before him and speak without hesitation or shame about what you need or what hurts you the most.

Friend, pray continually, on all occasions, and with all kinds of prayers and requests, for the Lord is faithful. And as you draw nearer to him, he will strengthen and protect you, growing you in righteousness and enriching you with blessings. Daily prayer strengthens your walk with Christ, increasing your endurance for his sake. Pray kneeling, standing, as you sink into your pillow, and even when driving or pushing a grocery cart. Your prayer ritual is unimportant; it is that you pray often and with sincerity that matters most. Most of all, pray with thanksgiving, for you should always be thankful that you can speak directly to God. Amen.

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Love

Oh, friend, how much I love you as a companion in Christ! I love others as well, and so too must you. Take joy in those you love. But remember, where it is easy to love the loveable, it is more righteous to love the difficult to love. True love is more than tender feelings and emotional rewards; it is a decision. Yes, it is a decision to love even when it is difficult to do so. You should make up your mind to love regardless of your feelings. Only then can your love become greater for another than it is for yourself. Above all, love God no matter what you must endure in the world. The knowledge that God loves you beyond measure and does so unconditionally should compel you to go into the world to love others in the same way.

Take great care not to befriend only those who are advantageous to you. Christ died not only for his friends but his enemies as well because he loved them so much. By loving all others, you continue Christ’s work of sharing grace and the hope of everlasting life. By loving all others, it is easy to pray that everyone would know Jesus and be bound for Heaven. Remember, Jesus dined with and cared for the outcast instead of limiting himself only to the company of great men. You should do the same.

You cannot profess to follow Christ unless you love all those for whom Christ died. We were instructed to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Love others so well that there will be kindness and mutual acts of service between you. You may commit acts of charity and kindness, but unless your acts are motivated by love, your good deeds mean nothing in the eyes of the Lord. It is in your love for your neighbor that you continue Christ’s work of spreading the hope of salvation and everlasting life. All relationships are made perfect if filled with love but are worthless without it. Love everyone without hesitation, all for God’s greater glory, and much love will be returned to you.

God willing, one day, you may be a parent. Unreasonable scolding, hurtful language, or cruel punishment brings about resentment in children, making you ineffective in the Christian training of children. Love them as Jesus loved them — with patience, kindness, protection, trust, and hope, always keeping them from becoming discouraged. This is the way in which your Lord loves you; follow his example. Treat the little ones with generous love.

Lastly, Christ suffered the punishment of our sins so that we might be reconciled with God. All he asks in return is that we obey the new law: to love one another. Love is compassionate and kind, not harmful. Don’t let the fact that you were treated wrongly cause you to commit another wrong. Instead, overcome evil with love, mercy, and restraint. May you always love with abandon, for you will always be loved in never-ending abundance. Amen.

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Kirkus Review is in!

A Christian author offers simple, pragmatic advice to the faithful in this nonfiction work.

Presented as a collection of letters written to unnamed “friends and loved ones,” Lang’s book offers practical advice on how to live out the basic teachings of Christianity, distilled down to Jesus’ maxims to love God and one’s neighbor. The author deliberately eschews complex doctrinal questions, asserting that it is “better for you to begin acting like a Christian as soon as you can rather than wait until you are intellectually satisfied with theological answers to your questions.” Writing on the importance of humility, the author highlights the virtue’s connection to kindness and an “unassuming spirit, which is easy for others to befriend.” A letter about envy notes that Christian duties of “unselfish love and unambitious intentions” are not compatible with materialistic cravings. Other topics addressed among the book’s 42 letters include self-control, forgiveness, gratitude, and service. While Lang’s approach to Christianity here is broadly Protestant and evangelical in its emphasis on a personal relationship with Jesus and the primacy of Scripture, it is also ecumenical. Thus, while Catholic or Orthodox doctrines or liturgical approaches may not be highlighted, the author is careful not to exclude them from his practical advice. (A chapter on worship, for example, emphasizes that “Worship takes many forms,” and includes participation in sacraments alongside singing, prayer, and preaching.) This is an accessible book whose target audience is those seeking ways to pragmatically apply Christianity to everyday life. Readers looking for in-depth theological discussions will be disappointed, though the author, who holds a doctorate in child and family development, is careful to back up his advice with an ample assortment of Bible verses. The book unfortunately avoids guidance on how Christians should approach contemporary political discourse and important social issues; still, Lang’s empathetic approach is certainly welcome.

An accessible, if not particularly deep, exploration of Christian living. - Kirkus Reviews

Meaning

You understand your purpose, and you know that you must believe. Now, one day, you will feel drawn to give meaning to your life. All creatures desire significance in their existence; we want to believe we made a difference in the world and left something worthy behind so that others will remember us. Resist the temptation to find meaning in worldly pursuits, no matter how worthy they may seem. Resist the temptation to congratulate yourself or boast of your talent or wisdom as you experience new accomplishments. Be sure of your motives in all that you do and give yourself to. You are not forbidden from being righteous before men but from making it your goal to be seen as righteous for the sake of receiving their praise. The world and its expectations are fickle, and you will never be satisfied if you think your life’s meaning is to be found in praise from men.

Instead, find your meaning in serving God. Do not find meaning in anything you have done in the past, or expect more meaning to be found in what you plan to do in the future. For yesterday is gone, and tomorrow may never come. Live as if today were your last day, surrendering every aspect of your life to God, seeking to live more and more as Christ lived, even in your final moments. Your meaning, in fact, your satisfaction in life will be found in your earnest pursuit of serving the God who created you.

The true meaning of life is to know and obey God as your Creator, to enjoy the rest of God’s creation, and to reflect his character so that others may see some of the beauty of God as you know and experience him in Christ. The hope you have in Christ should be the source of your greatest joy. As God’s child, you have a glorious hope of eternal life, a hope not only of eternal existence but that you become a joint heir with Christ. Let your meaning be defined by a heavenly inheritance that is yet to come but is as sure to come as the sun rises on every new day.

Again, find your meaning in your relationship with God. Praise God and enjoy the blessings he has put before you today. Always remember there is meaning in every breath you draw because you are a representative of Christ, and your actions should give meaning to what he has done for you. God gives you meaning, and that meaning should drive you to fulfill your only purpose, and to remind you, that is to glorify him. Look for meaning elsewhere, and it will indeed be very difficult for you to achieve your purpose. What is life without your divine purpose?

Child of God, let your existential quest for meaning begin and end with God. There is meaning in knowing and sharing the Gospel. Be an effective and productive child of God, commit yourself to the meaning you have in Christ, and refuse to let anyone lead you astray. Be a beacon of light and shine brightly so others can see what you do for your Lord. May your meaning in Christ always guide you into righteousness. Amen.

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Believe

Friend, it can be easy to let doubts and reservations creep in and cause your belief to waver. You might ask how you can believe what you cannot see. Indeed, I asked this question myself before I believed. Today, I understand that such a question assumes that God should be reducible to our human level of understanding. You must not attempt to reduce the nonreducible; you cannot comprehend the ways of God. You must worship him by faith rather than evidence. Do we want our God to be easily comprehended within the limitations of our simple reasoning abilities? Do we want our God to be that small? How, then, could we be in awe of him if we could rationally understand his ways? It is better, isn’t it, to worship a God who is incomprehensible on a scale so grand that he is far beyond the precise understanding of those who worship him?

Now, be still and consider the origin of the intricate design of a rosebud just before it blooms, the beauty of the constellations set against a dark night sky, and how the birds know that it is morning before the sun rises. Creation and all other miracles are the evidence of God’s existence shown to you so that you might more easily believe in him. Yet, those who believe without seeing are even more blessed, for they walk by faith instead of sight. Increase your belief without evidence but instead with trusting faith, and you will grow more intimate with the Lord. If your belief should wane, and it most likely will from time to time, rush to kneel and pray that it will swiftly increase! God loves those who earnestly seek him; your prayer for increased belief will most certainly be answered.

Moreover, believe in Christ and his resurrection, too, for that also pleases God. It is through the sufferings of Christ that you are enabled to come to God. Without Christ and his death on the cross, there would be no reconciliation with God. You are reconciled with God when you believe in the atoning work of his Son. The Father promises if you believe and trust in Christ, his Son, he will give you this eternal life you hear me speak of. Believe that what lies ahead for believers is far greater than anything that has or will come to pass in the present world. This is the promise of God to those who believe in the saving grace of his Son: you will see a new Heaven and a new Earth and live an eternal life with a heavenly inheritance, affording you more joy than you can now imagine.

Your belief in God and His teachings is essential to establishing your faith. I encourage you to read and study the Bible to increase your belief in God the Father and Christ your Savior. By reading and studying the Bible, you will gain a deeper understanding of God’s Word and His teachings. I also encourage you to pray. By talking to God in prayer, you can express your most troubling thoughts, feelings, and doubts to him, and in doing so, you will strengthen your relationship with him. And I encourage you to attend church and fellowship with other believers so that you may gain encouragement and support as you seek to increase your belief.

Please always remember that living a Christian life is a long journey that takes time, effort, and practice to strengthen and deepen your commitment to God. Do not tire of this worthy pursuit. I assure you that by incorporating the disciplines of Bible study, prayer, and worship into your routine, you will experience an increase in your belief in God and his ways.

Friend, please push yourself beyond simply believing in God—believe God. Your belief in God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit and their love for you will remind you and bind you to your purpose. There is no better reassurance than to believe God. Even Christ said, “Just believe.” For you, I pray that your belief in our holy God and all his divine attributes will increase in abundance each day. May it be so!

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Holy Spirit

Friend, I have shared good news with you in my previous letters. Indulge me while I teach you a little more. As I’ve told you, you cannot fix yourself. Consequently, you might be afraid that you will experience failure at Christian living because it seems such an unlikely way to live, even if you believe in everything you have learned thus far. Well, I have more good news. Jesus told the apostles he was sending an “advocate” to be their helper. That advocate, the Holy Spirit, would help them carry out their assignment. The Holy Spirit is, thanks be to God, with you now and desires to help you as well.

The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Triune God, are equal and work in harmony with one another. The three persons of the Trinity are intimately related, mutually indwelling one another and sharing the divine essence. The Father is the creator; he chooses, plans, and wills. The Son is the fulfiller; he obeys the Father and does His will. The Spirit dwells in us, pointing us to the Father and the Son. The uniqueness of the Holy Spirit is his loving and influential living presence within you on a day-to-day basis. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would live within each of us who believe. Your indwelling advocate empowers you to live victoriously for the cause of Christ and the glory of God. You need the Holy Spirit as a facilitator to become who God created you to be, and through his power, you have divine assistance in all situations. Tempted by sin? Call on the Holy Spirit. Burdened with fear? Call on the Holy Spirit. Struggling to demonstrate the attributes of Christian living? Call on the Holy Spirit!

Praise the Lord, for the Holy Spirit lives within you, changing your heart, giving you increasing faith, and transforming your life. In the Old Testament, God was so glorious that no one could approach him. Today, because of grace and the great blessing of atonement and redemption, God the Father and God the Son dwell in you through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Friend, if you were to heartfully commit yourself to following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will assure your success. Your advocate will help you tune into the voice of God and, in faith, follow through with whatever you believe he is calling you to. The Holy Spirit will help you in practical ways, giving you insight into what you read in the Bible and helping you recall what you have learned through the scriptures. He brings to your mind understanding and truth. He empowers you with wisdom and compassion and the ability to respond as Jesus would to the circumstances of your life.

The fact that God is Triune – three persons in eternal relationship – should remind you that relationships are what life is meant to be about. Life is not about power, possessions, or success. It’s about thriving in loving relationships, especially with the Lord. May it be so for you and yours, forever and ever. Amen

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Atonement and Redemption

Beloved, we sinners owe a moral debt to a holy and just God because we disobey his commands daily. We cannot of ourselves ever pay this moral debt because it requires something we do not have to offer: a blameless life free of sin. Jesus, however, sinless and without blame, paid this moral debt on our behalf by offering his perfect life on the cross as a ransom for our souls. This glorious act of perfect sacrifice was the atonement, the making right of a great wrong, that is, the created sinning against the Creator. Christ’s death satisfied our moral debt to God forever and always and redeemed (freed) us from condemnation and eternal death. You are redeemed by the atoning work of Christ. Friend, praise God! You have been delivered from sin and unto an eternal heavenly life!

Christ died for all, and they who believe are saved. Christ, suffering until death on the cross, made the atonement for all mankind, effecting your redemption. But where the atonement was an event that took place “once for all,” redemption is constantly taking place within the hearts of all of God’s people, including you. Because you are forgiven and are under God’s grace, you are no longer a slave to sin. Yet, you remain imperfect; therefore, sin will continue to tempt you in all its power and effect. You must resist this temptation. Guard yourself against thinking and behaving as if you claim the benefits of atonement but do not see the need to honor it with a reformed life. If you truly believe your life is saved through Jesus Christ, then your life must leave your old ways and move in the direction of God’s will.

Friend, I beg you not to consider yourself beyond forgiveness. I once was of this mind, and I realize now it is a very arrogant thing to think. My sins are more powerful than the atoning power of Jesus’ sacrifice? Certainly not! Let us not think such foolish thoughts, for it is precisely what the evil one wants us to believe so that we might become doubters and unwittingly invite him to use us for his wicked ways. Not one of us, not even you or me, have sinned so much that we cannot be forgiven and saved. Your redemption is secure when you genuinely believe in the Lord and the efficacy of his blood, which was shed for thee.

By God’s generous grace, you have never been any more redeemed or free than you are today, and this truth shall remain the truth forever more. Amen.

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Grace

Friend, I’m sure you agree with me that most human interactions are transactional in nature. We exchange value for value and favor for favor. I do something for you, and you do something for me in return. Often, whether openly acknowledged or not, this creates a cycle of indebtedness to one another. I am moved to do something for you because you recently did something for me. I may become unwilling to do more for you because you have not recently returned my favors, so I decide to withhold future favors from you until the reciprocal exchange resumes.  In such a dynamic, it is difficult to prove that my motive for engaging with you at all is my love for you rather than my hope for some selfish gain.

I’m writing to tell you, and I want you to believe it, that unlike you, me, and others who look at our fellow man from a perspective of earning and deserving, Jesus always considers us with unconditional love. How wonderful that he does not withhold himself from us until we are obedient and worthy. This is most true when you sincerely ask yourself what can you give him that is fair repayment for what he has done for you? The honest answer is a big nothing. You, as am I, are a sinner who always falls short of the glory of God. Try as you might to live a life without sin, you will always be broken and unworthy. And just as you did not create yourself, neither can you fix yourself. That is why grace is such a wonderful thing. Grace, unmerited favor, is the expression of Christ’s unconditional love for you. It is when, even if you are doing the very things you should not do or refuse to do the things that are asked of you, you continue to be loved by your Savior and receive his blessings, though you do not deserve even one. Christ’s abundant grace should be most reassuring to you because it means you are not required to merit his favor. Indeed, you cannot earn your salvation. Instead, grace is an unmerited gift of divine favor that first results in your salvation and then continues to operate in you to bring about the righteous nature that God desires in you.

Friend, grace is getting what you don’t deserve and not getting what you do deserve.  It is grace that saved you, grace that sustains you, and grace that keeps you from falling. You nor I would be saved if grace were not undeserved favor and were it not a constant in the heart and nature of God. More than this, as though salvation alone is not enough, grace is also the holy influence that works within you to change your prideful thoughts of merit after achievement to thoughts of thanksgiving and praise for what you have received, that you have been saved for an eternal life where you will enjoy infinitely more than you deserve. Think on this, and often, for your right relationship with God depends on you seeing grace for what it is, a priceless gift from him. I pray your awareness and appreciation of grace will stir up gratitude and obedience, resulting in a life that brings increasing pleasure and glory to the Lord. Amen.

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