Colin S. Smith's Blog, page 44

Who, What, Why of “God Works Everything for Good”

Before I knew Christ as my Savior, I was familiar with the phrase “everything will work out for good.” 

The more familiar I became with evangelical Christianity, the more I learned similar phrases like “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” and “God helps those who help themselves.” 

As a determined optimist, I clung to these concepts. Yet they proved frustrating and confusing as I began to consider faith in Jesus. 

Soon, “everything will work out for good” was added to my list of non-Biblical, untrue philosophies. The concept didn’t seem to fit with the truth of sin’s consequences or the call for believers to set themselves aside.  

Imagine my surprise when, after receiving Christ as my Savior, I discovered this verse in the Bible: 

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)  

A Promise for Believers 

What I had mistaken for a false platitude is a Biblical promise—and it doesn’t stand alone against the rest of Scripture. 

God working all things for good is nestled in a passage about believers’ new life in Christ as God’s children, who the Spirit works within and on behalf of. This is a promise to those who God calls.  

In Romans 8, we also learn that for those who are called, God:

Foreknew Predestined to be like Christ Justified and glorified

Like all good gifts of God, this promise is given out of his abundant grace, not because we earn it. 

A Promise of Good for Believers 

The word for “good” in Romans 8:28 is Agathos which is the broadest, most versatile definition of the concept. It is used to describe all sorts of good things, like fertile ground, gifts, usefulness, people, and even generosity. 

How can all the things we get, give, and come up against be worked for all sorts of good?  

Part of the answer is described in the rest of the passage. Because Christ has reconciled us with God, we are constantly (in all things) being: 

Aligned with the Holy Spirit who dwells in us Given life and peace resulting from a mind set on the Spirit Testified about as adopted as God’s children and heirs Prepared to share in Christ’s glory because of his righteousnessInterceded for by the Holy Spirit in line with God’s will 

We don’t need to question if what God does or allows in our lives can be worked for good, because God is good and his Spirit is at work in us just as he is at work in all things.  

A Purposeful Promise of Good for Believers 

Among the most important words in this famous verse are these: “according to.” Without purpose, the “good” God works things for is subjective. If we are called without purposefulness, then the verse is merely a platitude for an aimless people.  

Like the “who” and the “what” of Romans 8:28, the “why” is tied to the rest of the passage, and all of Scripture. God’s purposes are the anchor that makes this promise something we ought to hold onto.

We find in the rest of the Romans 8 several pieces of God’s purpose: 

God intends for believers to be conformed to Christ God is going to gloriously redeem creation and his people  God will reconcile all things to reveal his glory 

The purpose God works all things together for good for, which we are called to, is the same as it is in all of Scripture: God’s glory.  

What This Promise Means for Believers Today 

Unlike my earlier suspicions, Romans 8:28 isn’t a platitude at all. There is nothing placating about God working all things together for good for his perfect purpose. Instead, this promise should embolden, strength, and direct us. 

As verse 15 in the passage points out: “You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons.”  

We do not to be fearful of anything messing with God’s plan. Likewise, we don’t need to worry about falling out of this promise somehow- “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (v35). 

We who are called by God have a place in his purpose. All the things that fill our lives have a part in his purpose. God will keep his good, good promise.  

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Three Glimpses of God’s Love Seen in Hagar’s Life

Today, I want to offer a look into the life of Hagar. She was the female Egyptian servant to Abraham and Sarah. And her story may speak into your life today.

As we’ll see, Hagar was emotionally abandoned, and spiritually wounded, but she was also deeply loved.

Emotionally Abandoned 

Hagar was never first in anyone’s life. No one was close enough to Hagar to know who she really was and what she really felt. There was no one she could count on—not even the father of the child she was carrying.  

First, Pharaoh gave her up in giving her to Abraham. Second, Sarah (whom Hagar served) gave her up to Abraham as a wife (Genesis 16:3). And third, when conflict arises between Sarah and Hagar after she becomes pregnant, Abraham gave her up too!  

He is the father of the child she is carrying. He has responsibility for her. But Abraham does not stand up for her. He gives her up, just as Pharaoh and Sarah had done before. 

Who cared about this woman? Her whole life seemed to be a story of what other people want. She was pushed from pillar to post, according to what was most convenient for others.  

Spiritually Wounded 

At this time, we only know of one family on the face of the earth to whom God had made himself known—Abraham and Sarah and their extended family.  

So, Hagar would have learned about God from Abraham and Sarah. They’d have told her about the Lord who made heaven and earth, the God who loves undeserving people, the God who choose to bless a rebel world through a Son in whom his blessing would be found. In the kindness of God, Hagar finds herself in the family God has chosen to bless.  

Now think about what happens next: The people from whom she learned all that she knew about God turn out to be desperately flawed believers. That must have been devastating for Hagar. What good thoughts can she have of Abraham and Sarah’s God after this?  

It’s not surprising that she ran from the family of faith. She ran from Sarah and from Abraham, and she ran from the God that they had failed so badly. 

Deeply Loved 

The last part of the story is full of hope for every person who feels emotionally abandoned or spiritually wounded. Hagar discovers that she is deeply loved by God.  

Here are three glimpses of the love of God: 

1.) God finds lost people. 

The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. (Genesis 16:7) 

It is very striking to me that God steps into Hagar’s life at a time when you would least expect it. She is angry and resentful; she feels a sense of injustice. This hardly feels like a time when she can hear the voice of God. And yet it proved to be the great turning point of Hagar’s life!  

How did God turn her around?  

The question. “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” (Genesis 16:8).  Here you are moving away from the path of faith in Christ. Gradually, you are pulling yourself away from believing people, linking up with another crowd. Where does this path lead? Where are you going? The path you are choosing is not the path to heaven. 

As God intercepts her life, God’s question awakens Hagar’s conscience. 

The command. The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” (Genesis 16:9) God calls you to do the one thing that you really want to avoid. 

Maybe you feel like Hagar, with Abraham and Sarah. You are on the edge of quitting the people of God. The enemy tells you that you can have a private faith, but God says “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 

You are right to say that the church in this world is always fractured. That is why the church can never be the hope of the world, only Christ is. But on the last day, you do not want to be separated from the church. 

The promise. The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude” (Genesis 16:10). Walk with God in faith and obedience, and however hard your life may be, good will come of it. Blessing will follow it. 

God hears suffering people.

The angel of the Lord said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has listened to your affliction. (Genesis 16:11)  

It does not say “the Lord has listened to your prayer.” Up to this point, there is no suggestion that Hagar prayed. Why would you pray to God when you are you running from him?  

But God has listened to your affliction. God hears tears as well as prayers. He has heard your suffering—the exhausted sighs, the unanswered questions.

God told her that she was to give her son the name “Ishmael.” Ishmael means, “God has heard.” Every time she called out his name, she would be reminded that God hears: “Ishmael! Ishmael! God hears! God has heard!”  

There must have been times when Hagar said to herself: “Pharaoh didn’t look after me. Abraham didn’t look after me. Sarah didn’t look after me. Now I have found the One who looks after me!” 

God sees all people. 

She called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Genesis 16:13 

Spurgeon has some wonderful words on this that I have paraphrased here:  

You are looked at by God as much as if throughout space there were not another creature but yourself. [i]  

God sees and knows you better than you see and know yourself. 

The amazing thing about God’s seeing is that he sees, not with the eyes of condemnation, but with the eyes of love. This, for a woman who was running from God, in order to lay hold of her, and in loving kindness to bring her back. 

His grace is sufficient 

Obedience to God meant living with continued difficulty. Hagar did what the Lord commanded, and when she did, there were more problems with Sarah. The two women never really got along.  

This is not a story that ends with “And they all lived happily ever after.” They didn’t! The Bible speaks to the real world—to the ongoing difficulties faced by single mothers, and perplexed wives and flawed fathers and troubled sons.  

The message is not “Come to Jesus and you will live happily ever after.” The message is “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

Living in the tension of a home where there is little peace?. Living with the emotional abandonment and the spiritual wounding you may have experienced? I am saying to you today from the Scriptures that God loves you deeply.

God sees you. He knows you. He hears your affliction.

By God’s grace, and through his Word, he draws near to you today with the command to repent, and with a promise of blessing.  

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[i] C. H. Spurgeon, “Omniscience,” Sermon #85, June 15, 1856. 

5 Key Connections: True Liberty, Freedom, and more

Happy Fourth of July! Here are 5 Key Connections from recent Christian articles around the web, including one on true liberty and one on freedom from evil.

What Is True Liberty? (Gene Edward Veith, Ligonier Ministries)

Jesus, through the power of His sacrificial death and resurrection, frees sinners from the bondage of sin. By the power of the Holy Spirit through the gospel, we are set free. Though while we are still in the flesh we may still struggle with sin, we are free from sin’s dominion.

The Most Radical Mission for Christians May Be The Most Mundane (Brett McCracken)

Young, restless church leaders are writing books and attending conferences about urban ministry in London, New York or Buenos Aires. But who is getting excited about planting churches in Midwestern suburbia, rural Appalachia or the tiny towns that dot the farmland in flyover country? 

3 Truths about God to Help You Pray and Act (Colin Smith, Unlocking the Bible)

God’s Word is pure. He says things that you may not want to hear, and things that are hard to hear. But these are not to harm you, they are to heal you. God’s Word will bring conviction to your soul, an awareness of your own need, but it is pure, and it will always do you good.

Your Church Is Not a Restaurant (Trevin Wax, TGC)

When pastors notice that their church members have been absent for a while and they check up on them, they’re puzzled to discover that there isn’t a particular reason why these members have been more absent than present. The attenders are not mad, and they’ve not had a bad experience; they just see church attendance much as someone might see the choice between Firehouse Subs or Red Robin. It’s whatever they’re in the mood for that Sunday, or during that season of life.

Freedom from Evil and Freedom to Do Good in Jesus (Davis Wetherell, Unlocking the Bible)

Think of the fruit of the spirit as the multitude of other fruit in the Garden of Eden, the fruit other than of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve could eat of every other fruit with no restriction, but they chose the one they could not eat. 

Christian, a similar conflict faces you today. Will you choose sin, which you have been set free from, or will you choose goodness or faithfulness or gentleness or self-control, which you are free to enjoy abundantly for eternity? 

How God Spoke to Joseph and How He Speaks to Us

Joseph was loved and favored by the Almighty God.

God spoke to Joseph in a very special way, through his dreams. Now it’s important to remember, throughout the Bible there is progress in the way that God communicates with His people.

Hebrews says this clearly, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1).  God used multiple ways of communicating direct revelation with his people in ancient times. Many ways He spoke to our fathers. One example of this is that God revealed His future plans to Joseph in a dream.

In ancient times, God spoke through the prophets, “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:2). So here’s what is being said. There is a progress in the flow of Bible history. God used a remarkable diversity of ways of communicating with His people.

In these last days, He has used one particular and final way and that is through His Son.

We have the clearest possible communication from God in Jesus Christ. All that God promises to us and all that He requires of us is made known in Jesus, who we know through the Scriptures.

So, Christians should not fret about interpreting their dreams. If you want to know what God is saying to you, read your Bible! And any other experience you might happen to have should be tested against the bar of the Scriptures.

But in those early days, there was no Bible. God made himself known by appearances called “theophanies,” and in this story, God spoke through dreams.

The point of Joseph’s dreams is very simple. God would lift Joseph up above his brothers, and this is exactly what happened…

Discover the rest of Pastor Colin’s sermon, Loved and Favored, from Snapshots of a Godly Life, Part 1.

Freedom from Evil and Freedom to Do Good in Jesus

Freedom is special. Every Fourth of July here in the United States, we celebrate the freedom we have and take time to recognize the cost that was paid to obtain it. War was waged, blood was spilled, and lives were spent as freedom was obtained. 

Can you imagine, after the revolutionary war, if someone in the newly-founded United States of America decided they wanted to go back under the previous rule? Regardless of the reason, I’m sure it would have been deeply offensive—considering the cost of freedom. 

Christian, Christ has paid the greatest cost—his own life—to set you free from so many things and to give you the freedom to do more. Don’t go back across enemy lines! Enjoy the freedom from and freedom to you have been given.

Freedom From:  

Paul gives a good snapshot of what we are free from thanks to Christ: “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

In short, we are free from death’s grip and sin’s power! As a result, we are also free from the things of this world, as in:  

The Passions of the Flesh 

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. (1 Peter 2:11) 

Notice the terms “sojourners” and “exiles” in this verse. Peter is talking to Christians who belong to a different world. They have been set apart from this world and they, through God’s power alone (Jude 24), can keep from indulging the passions of the flesh. 

The Love of Money  

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) 

If we were not in Christ, this would be not something we were free from. Loving money is an obvious necessity for the world.

When you are of the world, you freely, by which I mean “without hesitation,” love and strive for money. But this is a taxing kind of freedom that takes way more than it gives.

In Christ, we are free to not love money. We can freely, without hesitation, be content with what we have because we have Jesus!

Distress 

Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. (Psalm 118:5) 

Before we were in Christ, we were slaves to distress and fear. Not knowing how things would end up for us or if we were strong enough to handle our problems on our own. But in Christ, we are free from distress. If God is for us, then we have nothing left to fear (Psalm 27:1). 

Others’ Approval 

For though I am free from all… (1 Corinthians 9:19) 

In our lives, we face much peer pressure. The term is most often applied to teenagers, but adults try to live up to their peer’s expectations as much if not more than their teenage children.

It’s a burdensome way of living—to be always looking to others changing opinions to form who you are and who should be.  

Paul shows us that being in Christ means we are free from the rule of others’ approval. We do not act primarily to impress others. 

Freedom To 

1 Peter 2:16 says, “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” In light of this, what are some ways to use our freedom in Christ to live as God’s servants?

Serve Others 

…I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. (1 Corinthians 9:19) 

Now Paul said in the first part of the verse above, and in other places throughout his letters, that he is free from others. However, this does not mean that he flat-out doesn’t care about what anyone thinks.  

No, his letters show that he cares very much what people thought, not about himself but about God. That’s why he persistently preached the gospel to saved and unsaved people alike. He wanted to “win more of them.” 

Use your freedom to serve people, not to justify prideful speech. 

Offer Yourself to God 

Your people will offer themselves freely 
    on the day of your power, 
    in holy garments; (Psalm 110:3) 

In paradise, we will be our perfect (complete) selves. When we are there, we will be among those who “offer themselves freely.” That’s the target, but right now we are mid-trajectory. 

Jesus started on us on this journey when he justified us on the cross, and now we grow in our sanctification by his power as we give ourselves more and more to him. 

Give Graciously

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. (Proverbs 11:24) 

The way of the world is to love your possessions, money, and time. To store them up, keep them from others. Earlier, we saw that God sets his people free from the love of money. The same can be said the love of possessions and the love of time. (We will have time eternalin the life after this!) 

But we love others, and we love God. Christ purchased the freedom to give everything we have for others and for God.  

This Proverb uses the phrase “yet grows all the richer” and it does not mean that if you give money then more money will come back to you. It is saying that a life spent pursuing God and serving others is a richer, more satisfying life than the one pursuing the things we cannot keep.

Indulge in the Fruits of the Spirit 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23) 

Peter called Christians “sojourners” and “exiles” because we are set apart from the world. Through God’s power, we can abstain from indulging in the passions of the flesh. And the Lord has provided fruits for which we can indulge in. In fact, there’s no way to over-indulge in them.  

Think of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and the rest as the multitude of other fruit in the Garden of Eden besides the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve could eat of every other fruit with no restriction, but they chose the one they could not eat.  

Christian, a similar conflict faces you today. Will you choose sin, which you have been set free from, or will you choose goodness or faithfulness or gentleness or self-control, which you are free to enjoy abundantly for eternity? 

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The Answer to Selfishness isn’t Selflessness But Love

Children don’t need to learn selfishness. Unlike swimming or tying shoes, self-centeredness comes naturally. Self-focus is in our DNA. The boiling pot of a sinful heart releases the vapor of selfishness that animates us every hour of our lives. 

But our attention to and ambition for ourselves is dangerous:

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. (James 3:16)

If we take the Bible seriously, this is a four-alarm warning. Disorder and every vile practice! How should we, as Christians, fight against selfishness? 

Selflessness Is Not the Answer 

We might advocate for selflessness. On the surface, this seems right; instead of thinking so much about myself, I’ll try to think about myself less. 

But this approach still puts the self  in the spotlight on stage. We still focus on how frequently or deeply we think of ourselves. Not only is this unhealthy it’s also not what the Bible advocates.

The Answer is Love 

The greatest commandments, according to Jesus, offer a summary of the law as well as a foundation for all Christian ethics. 

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37–40) 

As we devote ourselves to loving God and loving our neighbors, we will inevitably turn our attention away from ourselves. This call to love is fundamental, demanding, and only possible for those who have been born again by the Spirit of God. 

Paul Guides Us 

Because of our self-centered instincts, we must follow the path away from selfishness all of our days. Paul gives us some guidance along this path in Philippians 2:1–11.  

He commands us to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit” (v. 3), and the larger context offers positive pointers. 

Be of one mind 

Paul emphasizes the unity of the church body: “complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Philippians 2:2).  

With the effort it takes to be “in full accord” and “of one mind” with our brothers and sisters, we will necessarily focus on others. 

Count others more significant 

At the end of verse 3, Paul writes that we must “in humility count others more significant than [ourselves].” We’re quite talented at asserting our own significance, but we’re not as good at highlighting others. 

Your brothers and sisters in Christ have great value and significance because they are both created in the image of God and adopted as his precious children. Thanking God for the blessings and contributions of others is a good way to highlight their significance. 

Look to the interests of others 

Paul isn’t finished pointing us toward others. He wants us to be invested in their interests: 

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4) 

What do your brothers and sisters value? Where are they hurting? What do they need? How can you attend to their wounds or encourage them? 

Consider Christ 

This is Paul’s all-in play. In verses 5–11, he highlights Jesus’s humility and sacrifice. Paul’s goal is to show us Jesus not only as an example but also as the crucified servant who is now resurrected, exalted, and worthy of worldwide worship: 

Jesus did not cling to his own status, glory, or importance (2:6).  Jesus emptied himself and took the form of a servant (2:7).  And, Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross (2:8). God has highly exalted Jesus (2:9). At the name of Jesus every knee in all creation will bow and every tongue will confess his lordship, all to God’s glory (2:10-11).

Because God has brought us to himself, and because he is our sovereign, loving father, we can trust him to care for us. We don’t need to devote all of our attention to ourselves.  

Following the example and command of Christ, and empowered by his Spirit, we can now seek the good of others. 

Two Practical Suggestions 

In Philippians 2, Paul helps us consider what it means to love our God and love our neighbor. To obey faithfully, we must enter the practical realm. 

Worship with your local church.  

Yes, the church is messy. It’s often hard. But the local church is the expression of Christ’s body on earth.

If you haven’t yet found and joined a local church, I urge you to prayerfully seek out a Bible-based community in your area. Then, worship God with these people!

You will likely have different musical preferences than some and different theological positions than others, but the weekly gathering of the saints is a unique opportunity to love God and love others. 

Serve with your local church.  

Nothing binds Christians together as quickly or as deeply as shared ministry. And I guarantee your church has ministry needs!

Consider helping with the Bible study in the local nursing home, driving an elderly neighbor to the grocery store, or pitching in to prepare the coffee at church on Sunday morning. 

A Lifelong Path 

In our flesh, we love to sit in the dark, thinking of and serving only ourselves. And since the sinful flesh will not be completely eliminated on this side of heaven, our fight against selfishness is a war, not a battle. 

But God gives grace! Those who are in Christ are beloved by God. His great commandments are not only good for the world but also good for us. They are part of his plan to bring us into the light and make us conformed to the image of his Son (Romans 8:29).

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3 Truths about God to Help Us Pray and Act

In a previous article, I analyzed the assault our children, and all of us, are facing in this world. I listed the three brands of deception which Satan uses to keep people from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ: Vanity, flattery, and blasphemy.

What hope is there for our children and grandchildren growing up in this world, where they are swimming in this sea of vanity, flattery, and blasphemy? 

After reading Psalm 12, you can see why David is praying and why we need to do the same. So, I want to offer a strategy for prayer and for action rooted in three truths about God. 

1. God listens 

We need to pray for our children. We need to do this in the family, we need to do this as a church. Psalm 12 is a model for us to follow. When we do, we should lay out before the Lord the pressure that they face. 

God listens to you when you pray for your children. So pray for them, and keep praying for them. Don’t stop, don’t get discouraged, and don’t give up.

Ask some friends to commit to praying for your children with you and join them in praying for theirs. If you don’t have children of your own find a way to connect with some younger people and pray for them. 

2. God speaks  

The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. (Psalm 12:6) 

God’s Word is pure. He says things that you may not want to hear, and things that are hard to hear. But these are not to harm you, they are to heal you. God’s Word will bring conviction to your soul, an awareness of your own need, but it is pure, and it will always do you good.

Satan does everything in his power to keep you from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. But light is greater than darkness. “The entrance of God’s Word gives light” (Psalm 119:130)!

How does a person come to the knowledge of the truth where Satan darkens minds and hearts through his vanity, flattery, and blasphemy?  

God who said “Let light shine out of darkness” has shone in our hearts to give is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6) 

That’s how a person is converted. The entrance of God’s Word gives light. 

God says, “My Word will not return to me empty. It will accomplish the purpose for which I sent it.” 

Parents, grandparents, bring the Word of God to your children. Do it in the home. Let’s keep doing it do it together in the church. Our children are living in a world saturated with dark lies. But light is greater than darkness. When the light shines, the darkness cannot overcome it. 

Let’s not lose our confidence in the Word of God. This is living seed, and through this seed God brings new birth: “The words of the Lord are pure words… You, O Lord, will keep them” (Psalm 12:7). 

3. God saves 

Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone. (Psalm 12:1)

You will guard us from this generation forever. (Psalm 12:7)

Here’s how you can pray for your son, daughter, or grandchild who doesn’t have godly friends, who doesn’t have the benefit of a faithful ministry of the Word: “I’m not depending on their friends. I’m depending on you. Lord, I’m asking you to intervene. Save!” 

Psalm 12 is one of only a few psalms that includes an answer. The book of Psalms is a collection of prayers (people talking to God), but in this psalm God speaks to us, and he answers while David is still praying!

“I will now arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.” (Psalm 12:5)

That’s your hope. That’s my hope. You can trust God to speak. You can ask God to save. That’s how you pray when you fear for your children. 

God gave to Karen and I the gift of two sons. We are so grateful that they love Christ and have married women who love Christ too. Now that we have two granddaughters, one on each side of the family, we are very aware that they are growing up in a world very different from the one we knew in our childhood. 

They are growing up in a culture where there is no longer a Christian consensus that is as widespread as in the past. But I want more for them than to go along with a Christian consensus.  

Here is what I am praying for them: I want them to be saved, to know Christ, and I to love God. I want the flame of the Holy Spirit to be lit within their heart. I want God to lay hold of them. In such a way that they will be wholly different than the world in which they live. 

A Vision for the Next Generation 

I pray we will increasingly see such radical and wonderful salvation in the generation that lies ahead. As people pray not only cultivation of a consensus, but for the radical salvation for people like Saul of Tarsus. Remember, he said: “I was a blasphemer and a violent man. But I was shown mercy.” And his whole life was transformed. 

And instead of drifting along in the comfort of belonging to the majority, he lived for the glory of Christ and for an eternal reward.  

Is that you? 

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[This article was adapted from Pastor Colin’s sermon, “How to Pray When You Fear for Your Children,” from his series With Christ in the School of Prayer.] 

Running the Race When Your Parents Aren’t Saved

If you go to a cross country meet, you’ll see parents at different points on the trail, cheering their kids on towards the finish line. I never ran cross country, but my sisters tell me it’s an important part of a runner’s mental game. Without support at those mile markers, runners can begin to feel weak, discouraged, and defeated. 

I imagine this is sort of what it feels like to be a Christian with unbelieving parents. You’re running the race God has put before you with endurance, but every once in a while you take your eyes off of Jesus to look for your mom and dad cheering you on in the stands, and they’re not there.  

It must be difficult running this race of faith without the support of your parents and frightening to think that you may not see them at the finish line. 

I don’t know your exact pain, but I have experienced weak knees in my own race towards Heaven. I’ve also experienced the goodness of a friend jogging up beside me and helping me through some of my toughest laps.

I hope that I can be that friend for you today by offering you a few sips of cold water as you run your race without the spiritual support of your earthly parents. 

God Loves You 

God loves you, dear one. He loves you so much that he sent his own son to die for you so that you might spend eternity with him (John 3:16). Your parents’ love may fall short at times, but his never will.

The love of God is not manipulative or conditional, shallow or unpredictable. It’s lavish and free, constant and deep, and it’s yours through Christ (1 John 4:10, Ephesians 3:18).

You are both a beneficiary and a steward of God’s love. 1 John 4:9 says that “we love because he first loved us.” When your unbelieving parents are hard to love, remember this verse.

God does not call you to muster up love for them from within yourself but to draw from the well of his love instead. 

Called to Honor 

In our culture, we’re accustomed to people earning honor. To make the honor roll, you have to get good grades. To earn a promotion, you have to do good work.

But in God’s kingdom, honor isn’t tied to achievement. God calls us to honor everyone, and he specifically commands us to honor our parents, not because they’re deserving or godly, but because honoring them brings honor to God (Ephesians 6:2).

To honor our parents means to give them weight in our hearts and lives. What does honoring unbelieving parents look like?  

In many ways, it probably looks similar to honoring believing parents: making room for them in the midst of busy schedules, asking for their advice when it’s appropriate, serving them, or caring for them in their old age. 

Pray for Your Parents 

Another way to honor unbelieving parents is to pray for them. The Bible says that the “prayers of a righteous person have power” (James 5:16). What better way to wield that power than to pray for your parents’ salvation? 

Children (typically) know their parents pretty well. Use that to your advantage as you pray. Be bold and specific with your prayers, relying on God’s word to help you focus on his will rather than your own. 

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. (1 John 5:14) 

Share the Gospel 

As you pray for your parents, ask God for opportunities to share the gospel with them as well. This can be a daunting task for grown children, so ask God for wisdom to know when to speak and for the courage to follow through when you feel the Spirit’s prompting. 

Be eager to share the good news of Jesus’s death and resurrection should the opportunity arise. In the meantime, shower your parents with the love of Christ and pray without ceasing for their salvation. 

Release Unrealistic Expectations 

I once heard a Christian radio host say that we can’t expect unbelievers to act like believers. That stuck with me.

It’s unfair to expect unregenerate people to think, talk, and act like people who have been transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ, isn’t it? In fact, it’s an impossible task without Christ’s intervention.

Release your parents (and yourself!) from the yolk of unrealistic expectations. Instead, ask God to help you see them as he sees them—as sinners in need of a savior (Ephesians 2:1-3). 

Cling to Christ 

Jesus told us that following him comes at a cost—sometimes it means leaving the comfort of family for the sake of the gospel. If this describes your situation, be encouraged. Jesus also said:  

“Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30) 

He has given you a new family in his church and eternal life with him. Christ is no consolation prize, friend. He is the prize. Cling to him. 

Eyes on the Prize 

Christian Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Liddell once said, “Each one of us is in a greater race than any I have run…and this race ends when God gives out the medals.”1 

The good news for your parents is that the race hasn’t ended yet. There’s still time for them to repent and believe (Mark 1:14-15). There’s still hope for a comeback! 

As you run your own race, do not give up hope. Look to Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).  

Listen for the great cloud of witnesses cheering you on (Hebrews 12:1). Then run with endurance—praying that one day soon your mom and dad will place their trust in Christ. Sprint toward the finish line, and stand on the podium next to you as “God gives out the medals.”

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1 Eric Liddell, quoted from Kinne, Fathers of Influence, 67.  

5 Costly Games Pride Plays on You

I am a prideful person, but by God’s grace my repentance grows deeper each day. 

Even though this sin repulses me, I return to it. I’ve found that condescension and haughtiness are appealing at first but they leave a terrible aftertaste. When I return to pride, I’m always left wondering: How did I end up here? Why did I eat the fruit of pride yet again?  

I want to explore why pride can feel so powerful. It plays these 5 games on us, and it is a master at them. Be careful to avoid its tricks, because joining in will come at a great cost.

5 Games Pride Plays on You 



1. Pride promises you what you want at the cost of what you need.

For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, 
    and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 
In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; 
    all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” (Psalm 10:4) 

What do I want? More twitter follows. A couple of book deals. The admiration and respect of everyone I meet. Is that too much to ask for? Pride says, “That’s not too much at all. In fact, you deserve those things. You are entitled to them.”  

A person who has great want is a willing victim of their own pride.  

But note, if you take the hand of pride, you leave God’s hand behind. The prideful doesn’t think, “I don’t follow God” but thinks, “There is no God.” For the existence of God necessitates that we are secondary to him—but pride says you second to no one.  

2. Pride offers a shortcut to knowledge at the cost of true wisdom.

I, wisdom, dwell with prudence… [I hate] pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech. (Proverbs 8:13) 

Pride offers a shortcut to knowledge because it suggests you already have it! 

Wisdom, however, dwells with prudence. That means true wisdom comes from a spirt caution that makes sure it doesn’t stray from God’s word. In other words, it takes time and work. It takes an acknowledgment that you are not wise immediately. 

But what dwells with pride? Wisdom gives and receives counsel with Prudence, but whom does Pride interact with?  

Perhaps Folly, who says, “There is no truth. Everything is equal so go with your gut!” Perhaps Recklessness, who says, “There’s no time to waste! Act now!” Or maybe even Perversion, who asks, “Have you considered the benefits of evil? There is much gain to be found there.” 

Proverbs 21:4 calls a proud heart “the lamp of the wicked.” How does a prideful person find their way? By the light of their own pride, which is not light at all but darkness.  

3. Pride makes you feel better at the cost of your relationships.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. (Romans 12:15-17) 

Many things can happen in our lives to upset us. Someone gets something instead of us, someone disappoints us, or maybe someone harms us. For these moments, Jesus set the ultimate example of grace and selflessness and calls us to imitate his humility. However, pride offers us a different way to react. 

When your friend gets the thing you have been wanting, pride will bolster you up through hate. When someone you know has been brought low, pride will protect you as you distance yourself from them. And, when someone commits evil against you, pride encourages you, saying you have all the right in the world to do the same to them. 

4. Pride promises money and power at the cost of your soul.

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. (1 Timothy 6:17) 

The verse above from Timothy tells us what we all know about riches—they are uncertain. They rise and fall. And, when we die we cannot hold them. But herein lies the interconnectedness of pride’s schemes: 

The prideful person doesn’t care that they can’t hold their money after death because they only care about this life. They’ve already said, “There is no God” (Psalm 10:4).

Money is never enough, though, and men quickly seek power. Taking the hand of pride makes you first a materialist and then a blasphemer. Consider this striking sentence from the last book of the Bible:  

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. (Revelation 13:5) 

The beast must have thought he had great power. He was blaspheming God, and God did not stop him. In the beast’s mind, he may have even thought that God could not stop him. He was drunk with power, but we can see his folly. The power he thought he had over God was actually “given” and “allowed” by God. 

This is a warning to all who eat the fruit of pride. You will love your power, it will make you foolish, and it will lead you to blaspheme God. 

5. Pride gives instant gratification at the cost of eternal joy.

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:16-17)

I have said that pride promises what you want—to feel better through self-worth, money, and power—and the most alluring part of pride is that it offers all this right now. There is an urgency, a time-boundness, to pride. This urgency is set up to lure you away from “the will of God.” 

When the devil offered to give Jesus all the authority of “the kingdoms of the world…and their glory” (Luke 4:5-6), it was a now-or-never kind of deal. The devil said all he had to do was bow down to him, and then it would all be Jesus’s. Just like that!  

The devil is the supreme tempter. He knows exactly how to get to people. He knows here in Luke 4 that he is telling the prophesied Messiah that he could obtain all the power in the world without having to go through all the pain and misery of the crucifixion.  

But Jesus, who was the incarnate Word, is too strong for that. He said in response to the devil: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.”  

Our Lord and Savior is stronger than sin, and if we are in him then so are we. He spoke directly to the face of pride and said, “You shall worship the Lord your God” so we can do the same when it tempts us. 

Jesus Offers Something Greater 

Reader, what do you find in pride’s empty promises that you cannot find in Jesus? Jesus offers greater, and more life-giving, things to you.  

Jesus gives you what you need, grants true wisdom, soothes your soul while redeeming your relationships, brings us to the rich generosity of the Father, and holds out in his hand eternal joy. 

Will you lay hold of that joy? I pray that you will. 

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How to Tame Your Tongue into A Controlled Fire

I live in a small rural community where people often
burn brush, trash, and other debris that they do not want to take the time to
dispose of. It is common in the summer and fall to drive past houses where dark
clouds of smoke are billowing from the back yard.

At first it looks like a 911 situation, but eventually, you learn that it is a controlled burn. Most of the time the fire is tended and controlled in a way that it cannot spread to the rest of the yard or the corn fields.

However, from time to time they can get out of hand,
and it only takes a little amber that gets out of control that can cause the
fire to spread and do a lot of damage.

The Tongue Can Be Just Like a Fire

“How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” (James 3:5-6)

James warns us that the tongue is a part of the body that can be just like a fire: when controlled it serves a great and wonderful purpose, but when it is out of control it only takes a little bit to do a great deal of damage.

He points out that it can corrupt a whole person and
ruin his whole life. It is amazing that something as simple as words can make
such an impact. But we know that God ordained words to be powerful.

In Genesis 1 we see that He created the whole universe by speaking it into existence. Jesus, all throughout the Gospels, healed people by simply speaking healing into their body. In Luke 8:22-25, Jesus calms the storm by simply telling it to be still.

We know that words have power, so how do we as the
children of God tame our tongue?

1. Be intentional

When you start a fire to burn trash, you have to be
very intentional. You must use the right amount of trash to burn, you must tend
to it, burn in a controlled vessel, and above all keep your eye on it.

When we think of our speech we should be the same way.
The words we speak should be intentional and God-honoring.

To understand the warning James gives in this verse about the power words have we need to be conscious of not only what we say, but also what we allow our minds to dwell on and the manner in which we say what we say.

James uses two analogies in verses 3-5 in chapter 3. First, he uses the analogy that the tongue is like a bit that goes into the mouth of a horse, and then the analogy of a rudder that steers the ship. Both cases, the bit and the rudder, imply intentional control.

We should pray for the Lord’s guidance and wisdom that our words would be intentional and life-giving.

2. Listen to sound teaching

At the beginning of the chapter, James opens by saying not many of us should be teachers. Preachers and teachers in the church were and still are highly revered, and it can be tempting for many to want to be in the spotlight and have the prestige.

He warns however that there is great responsibility with teaching because words are powerful and they have great influence in the minds of listeners. He goes on to say that people who teach will be judged more strictly and held to a higher standard.

That being said, we know that there are many false teachers in the world today. Be careful that the teaching that you take in whether by sermon or book is Gospel-centered.

Do not assume that just because a preacher or author is teaching something a little off that it is of little consequence. If it is contrary to the Gospel, that’s a big deal. Remember, that a half-truth though it may sound mostly good, is still a lie.

3. Feed Yourself with the Word

The only way to be able to be intentional and life-giving with your words, as well as to be able to identify good teaching, is to feed your self with the Word daily.

God gave us His word not only so that we could know
Him and His wonderful plan of salvation, but also so that we would know how to
live godly lives. Instruction for Godly speech is found in countless places in
the Bible, and the only way to make those truths a real and working part of
your life is to preach them to yourself as often as you can.

Taming the tongue is not something we will ever master in fact, James says in verse 8 no man can tame the tongue! But Christ commands us to tame it as much as we can, and that by His help our words can be life-giving and a reflection of His grace in our lives.

What are some areas in your life where your speech
could use some taming?

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