Colin S. Smith's Blog, page 53

Here’s How to Receive More of What God Promises

God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5) 

Paul is writing to Christian believers in Rome and he is saying to them: “Here are two things that are true of you in Christ: 1. The Holy Spirit lives in you and 2. God’s love has been poured out into your hearts.”  

These things are true of everyone who is in Christ. Every Christian has tasted something of the love of God. But there’s so much more than any of us have tasted. The love of God is greater by far than tongue or pen can ever tell.

Think about the vastness of that love being poured into the restricted capacity of our human hearts! We talk about trying to pour a quart into a pint pot. This is like trying to pour the ocean into a thimble!  

Surely the question that rises in the heart of every Christian is, “How can I receive more?” 

How We Can Enjoy More of What Is Promised 

One question to ask is this: “Who are the people into whose hearts this love of God is poured?” The more we reflect the marks of these people, the more we will experience what is promised to them.  

So, who are the people being described here? Who are the “we”? Who are the “our” into whose hearts the love of God is poured?

People into Whose Hearts the Love of God Is Poured Are: 



a. People who exercise faith 

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1) 

Who are the “we” that Paul is referring to here? It is the people who exercise faith. We have been justified by faith.   

The more I exercise faith, the more I will experience God’s love. The less that I exercise faith, the more restricted my heart will become. 

Faith is more than saying you believe. It is actually believing. The Christian life is lived by faith: “Christ… lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20). 

No one can believe God’s truth and Satan’s lies at the same time. When you are in Christ, God says that you are justified. But Satan says, “How can that possibly be? Look at you. You’re a mess! You’re full of contradictions! How can God possibly be at peace with you?” 

Who are you going to believe? Living by faith is about believing God over all the other voices around you.   

b. People who persevere through suffering  

We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. (Romans 5:3-4) 

The “we” described in the verse above are people who know what it is to suffer. This is very significant because the promises of God are often hammered out on the anvil of painful experience.  

This does not mean that we should seek suffering. Enough of it will come into our lives without our doing that. But it does mean that we should use it.  

Here is the principle: When a rose is crushed, a beautiful perfume is released. We find joy in our sufferings because we know that this is the place where we may hope to taste more of the love of God poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.   

c. People who own their need for Jesus 

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly…  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6, 8) 

People are normally chosen based on ability, but here the apostles describe what we were by nature, and he uses three words:  

i. Weak

While we were still weak (Romans 5:6) 

When employers make hiring decisions, they conduct interviews to discern a person’s abilities. Generally, people with the greatest abilities get chosen. But here God’s love is poured out on people who know that they do not have, in themselves, the ability to do what he has called them to do.   

ii. Ungodly

Christ died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6) 

A godly person is a person who is for God. That wasn’t us! We were for ourselves. We were ungodly. If we had an appearance of godliness, it was driven by self-interest rather than love (2 Timothy 3:5), “I can get something out of this.” God was for us long before we were ever for him.  

iii. Sinners

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom. 5:8) 

“Sinners” means that we are rebels; we fall short, we are off the mark, and we are guilty and without excuse before God. If you were to take away Jesus Christ, and all that has come to us through him, all that would be left would be a weak, ungodly sinner.  

Here’s the amazing thing: God saw us as we were! God had compassion on us. He sent his Son for us. God demonstrates his love for us in this, that when we were in this wretched condition, Christ died for us.  

Therefore, the ones who own their sinful condition, the ones who recognize their ongoing need of Christ, those are the ones who receive the outpouring of God’s love.  

d. People who embrace Jesus Christ  

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10) 

What a marvelous statement about the Lord Jesus Christ! Here we read about the death of God’s Son (on the cross) for our reconciliation, and the life of God’s Son (through the resurrection) for our salvation.  

Notice what Paul is saying. We are reconciled by the death of his Son. But it doesn’t end there. Now that we are reconciled, how much more shall we be saved by his life. Reconciled by his death! Saved by his life!  

We have a risen Savior. By his power we will be saved, not only from sin’s condemnation, but also from sin itself. When Christ brings you home there will not be a trace of sin in you or around you. He will not let you go. He will bring you all the way home. 

Lost in Worship 

So, the love of God was poured out at the cross by the Son of God, and it is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I want to enjoy as much of this love as I possibly can this side of heaven. 

However, I will not be able to know all of it on earth. The love of God is beyond our ability to fully grasp, which is why we will be lost in worship, wonder, love and praise, when the full extent of his love is unfolded to us in heaven. 

[This article was adapted from Pastor Colin’s sermon “The Love of God,” from his series Soul Care, Part Two]



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Key Connections: Biblical Prayers, Grumbling, and more…

Here are some of my favorite recent quotes from Christian articles around the web, including biblical prayers, grumbling, and more!

13 Glorious Truths About Who We Are in Christ (Stephen Altrogge, the blazing center)

Many secular blogs advise us to tell ourselves we are amazing, there is no one like us, that we should love ourselves, be grateful for ourselves, that we are special and we matter. Or in the words of Stuart Smalley we should tell ourselves, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.”

Three Biblical Prayers to Say for Your Parents (Chelsea Stanley, Unlocking the Bible)

We may look at our parents and think that their lives are relatively settled. In actuality, the “final quarter” can be filled with uncertainty. Our parents might be anxious about their health, financial investments, or their ability to care for aging loved ones. 

Live As If Jesus Rules and Eternity Is Real (J. D. Greear, J. D. Greear Ministries)

Only two things in life are truly eternal: the kingdom of God and the souls of people. You may live by YOLO (you only live once), but I have a much better suggestion: YALF (you actually live forever). If you believe that, then why waste your life on trivial things in this world? Why not make your life count for eternity?

Wayne Grudem: The Influence of the Bible on My Life (Wayne Grudem, Phoenix Seminary)

I did not create myself. God made me. He gave me my mind, my heart, my salvation through Christ, my family and friends, the wonderful privilege of a teaching position at Phoenix Seminary, and even my inclination to hear and treasure these verses from his Word. To him belongs all the glory and honor and praise.

Our Grumbling Puts God on Trial and Find Him Guilty (Tim Chester, Core Christianity)

Grumbling presumes to put God to the test. It scrutinises God. It questions his goodness. We become the judge and God is in the dock. Grumbling puts God on trial and finds him guilty. “He has failed to deliver the life I want … I deserve more than this … I need better than this.” Think about that for a moment. When you grumble, you are judging God. Is that really what you want to be doing?

Trials New Christians Face, According to John Bunyan

I remember one English professor of mine who commented on how many literary representations of new Christians after their conversion were inaccurate, underdeveloped, or unrealistic. He noted stories where one’s life became all too easy after they became a Christian. Or how one died as they were converted, going straight to heaven.

But the reality is this for new Christians: there are many trials that come after conversion and they can be very hard.

This truth is all over the Bible. After being united with God in Christ, Paul had to face the same people group he had been murdering. He preached in cities hostile to the Gospel of Jesus. He spent a lot of time in jail. What about that life sounds easy?

We sometimes think that an easy life is an indicator we are living out our faith well but perhaps the opposite is true: If we are suffering in this life for the name of Christ then we are living our Christian life well.

While reading John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress I was struck by the trials the protagonist, Christian, had to face. I decided to compile a list of things that happened to him that might happen to you. New Christians and experienced Christians, I hope you find encouragement in this list. I pray that the Lord uses these tough trials to make you more like Christ and to edify your soul.

1.) New Christians May Lose Close Relationships.

At this his relations were sore amazed… because they thought some frenzy distemper had got into his head. 

Right at the beginning of the story Christian becomes overwhelmed with the knowledge of impending divine judgment. He tries to tell his family and friends but they do not understand. They think he has lost it!  

When he learns he must seek eternal life and salvation outside his home town, he chases after it. His family and friends simply don’t get it and they try to stop him. In response to this, we are told “the man put his fingers in his ears, and ran on, crying, Life! life! eternal life!”

Christian had to make the make choice between his relationships with people he loved and his desired relationship with Christ.

I want to say this about this passage. While the Bible certainly calls for us to hold our relationship with Christ above all others (Luke 24:26), it never requires we leave all relationships with non-Christians. We are not called to be hermits completely isolated from the world.  

Yet there will be some relationships in which the other person is always hostile toward your faith. Mocking you. Rejecting you for choosing to follow Christ. Keeping you from what the Lord calls you to. 

The harsh truth of the Christian life, particularly for those who lived a significant portion of their life as a non-Christian, is that you might lose relationships with friends and family. It’s true. It happens.  

2.) New Christians May Enter The “Slough of Despond.” 

At this Pliable began to be offended, and angrily said to his fellow, Is this the happiness you have told me all this while of? If we have such ill speed at our first setting out, what may we expect betwixt this and our journey’s end? May I get out again with my life… 

Christian made a companion along his way named Pliable. As they walked, Christian read to Pliable about all the glories of paradise. Suddenly, they fell into a bog and sank in the mire which Bunyan calls “despond.” Despond means discouragement or great loss of confidence. 

Pliable experiences discouragement but for Christian the issue is two-fold. Not only did he experience the discouragement itself but surely he also felt the embarrassment of having led this other man into it.  

Pastor Colin points out in his book, Heaven, How I Got Here, that the thief whom Jesus promised would be in paradise with him lived longer than Jesus did. Jesus died and the thief lived a few hours longer. The thief would have heard Jesus cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Imagine the slough of despond he might have fell into in that moment!

I point this out to show that real, difficult discouragement happens to new Christians. It does not mean you have poor faith. Bunyan explains the “Slough of Despond,” he says: “as the sinner is awakened about his lost condition, there arise in his soul many fears and doubts, and discouraging apprehensions, which all of them get together, and settle in this place.”  

Remember, Christian, true righteousness comes from Christ and not from you! When you fall into the “Slough of Despond” cry out to Christ for help, saying, “Remind me of your grace, oh Lord!” 

3.) New Christians May Receive Counsel to Abandon God’s Word.

Worldy Wiseman: How camest thou by thy burden at first?  

Christian: By reading this book in my hand.  

Worldly Wiseman: I thought so; and it has happened unto thee as to other weak men, who, meddling with things too high for them, do suddenly fall into thy distractions. 

What’s happening here is the character named Worldly Wiseman asks about the source of Christian’s conviction. Christian responds that it came from his book—the Word of God. In response to this, Worldly Wiseman calls Christian weak, says the book is “too high” for him, and calls it a distraction.  

Have you ever been called weak for believing God’s Word? Have you ever heard someone criticize the Bible because it’s difficult to understand? Has anyone ever said to you that reading God’s Word is just a distraction?  

Christian, whether you are young or old in your faith, you will face criticism for your trust in God’s Word. But stand firm and never leave it. Abide in it!

4.) New Christians May Seek Mr. Legality’s House.  

At this point in the story, Worldy Wiseman told Christian his “burden” or convictions would be more quickly resolved if he visited Mr. Legality’s house. We can see the analogy already. Legalism promises a measurable kind of happiness and salvation, but brings only exceeding burden and anxiety.

Mr. Legality’s house is at the top of a very tall hill. As Christian walked up it he suddenly realized how high the hill was. Christian “was afraid to venture farther, lest the hill should fall on his head.” What a weight that would be! The burden of legalism is far heavier than the burden of following Christ.

Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection allows for something so different and so much better. Jesus says, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). Christ lived a legal life and applied his earned righteousness to us. Christian, believe in Christ, receive his grace, and turn away from Mr. Legality’s house! 

5.) The Devil Will Try to Extinguish New Christians’ Faith, But Christ Will Sustain It. 

Later in the story, Christian gains community with other believers. One man, referred to as The Interpreter, shows Christian a fire blazing against a wall. On one side of the wall, there’s a man continually dumping buckets of water on the fire. The Interpreter says this is the devil, looking to extinguish the work of God’s grace on a person’s heart.

But on the other side of the wall another figure is continually adding fuel causing the flames to reach higher and higher. The Interpreter says this is the Christ.  

The Interpreter then says something remarkable. He says this fire not only shows Christ to be the sustainer of one’s faith, but also demonstrates in having the Christ behind the wall that “it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is maintained in the soul.” In other words, the one who is tempted may not immediately see how Christ is there working to sustain their faith.

Learn from this Christian. The devil will come for you hoping to extinguish what the Lord has given you. But, know Jesus will sustain of your faith. Believe in Jesus because he will ensure the flame never goes out!

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Called to Be Salt and Light in the Mundane

I often fail to consider the spiritual significance of the mundane moments of my day. For instance, during mornings when I am tight on time, I rush out the door, hop in the car, slam on pedal, and speed away During my craze to get to school, I rationalize speeding over the speed limit, shifting in-and-out of lanes, and directing “righteous” anger at “reckless” drivers.  

In the midst of my craze to get to school on time, I have given little thought to the significance of how my faith should transform my driving routine. 

Our relationship with Christ matters in every moment of the day. Mundane moments—driving, shopping, waiting, listening, cooking, learning—test our patience, compassion, humility, and kindness. Christ calls us to be salt and light to the world, even in these moments!  

As we look to faithfully follow this command, let’s first consider the source of light into the world.  

Jesus, the Light of the World 

Without Christ, we were tasteless salt. We were overcome with darkness and sin. God’s wrath floated over our shoulders waiting to trample and crush us (Matthew 5:13).  

But in Christ’s death and resurrection we have been made new. The savoriness and preservative nature of pure salt been restored to us. The Holy Spirit has expelled the spirit of this dark world from within us. Not only this, but our new life is rooted in the eternal glory of Jesus Christ, the giver and source of all life.  

The source of light is never-ending, and so we can faithfully live as salt and light in all moment—even the mundane ones. With that in mind, here are a few things we can aim to do in those moments: 

Mirror Jesus’s Meekness in Your Speech 

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:6) 

The content and tone of our conversations provide a window into our heart. Jesus’s meek speech demonstrated his love for the Father and his devotion to seeking and saving the lost. Our haughty speech demonstrates our self-obsession for the indulgent satisfaction of our selfish desires, even at the cost to our relationship with God and fellow human-beings. 

Jesus’s speech revealed a love and commitment to the Father. He could be firm, blunt, and quick to expose religious hypocrites. Yet, out of his steadfast love, Jesus wept for their lack of repentance and self-deception of being sons of Abraham, while they were really sons of the Devil (Luke 19:41-44). 

Jesus’s speech revealed a love for the lost. Jesus called out to Zacchaeus when he was up in the tree. And, as a response to the fruit of Zacchaeus’s repentant heart, Jesus declared the arrival of salvation at Zacchaeus’s doorstep and Zacchaeus’s new identity as a son of Abraham (Luke 19:1-10).  

And we can imitate our faith’s author and perfecter by seasoning our speech with this commitment to God and a love for the lost. We can dress our communication with logically-solid, Biblically-sourced arguments and gracious words. 

Concerning the consistently sinful world, we engage in Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost through praying for and with others and trying to better understand their life and needs. 

You can never go wrong with silencing yourself before your neighbor, subjecting yourself to God in prayer and study of his Word, and answering from an informed perspective. 

Put on the New Self 

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4) 

Before the world’s foundation, God placed us in Christ that we may be seen as holy and blameless before him. We shared in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection that we may become the righteousness of God and share in the riches of fellowship with him. Through the ministry of the Word, the Holy Spirit penetrated and indwelled your heart to initiate your spiritual resurrection from the grave into newness of life.  

He relocated us from the domain of darkness into his kingdom of light. He established Jesus as our tender, compassionate master, in place of the tyrant, Satan (Romans 6:4; Colossians 1:13). We have been made new, so let’s live like it! 

Remember, the Holy Spirit is the power which sustained Jesus’ fellowship with the Father, rose Jesus from the dead in a glorified body, and ascended Jesus to the Father’s right-hand. This same power is in you! 

You are dead to sin and alive to God. By God’s grace, you have the power to resist the temptations to ignore the spiritual significance of mundane moments. You can be the salt and light to the world, fighting temptations which have laid siege of your heart.  

Jesus is our Lord at all times, and the Spirit is with us at all times, so let us live this new life and be the salt and light of the earth at all times. 

Take Every Thought Captive to Obey Christ 

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) 

Our culture romanticizes the inherent goodness of humans. The Scriptures clearly contradicts this, since it establishes that the human heart is inherently corrupt (Jeremiah 17:9). Within this corrupt heart, perverted passions and desires sit enthroned and animate sinful words, thoughts, and deeds (Matthew 15:16-20; Luke 6:45).  

Whether you find yourself in exciting moments or mundane moments, high-pressure or low-pressure, the temptation to sin is there. God has redeemed us from the power of evil, so let’s respond by challenging our sinful, selfish thoughts. We challenge these thoughts with this truth:  

We live by God’s power for His glory (Romans 11:36). This includes inconveniencing ourselves out of loving concern for our neighbor’s well-being (Luke 10:25-37). Left to ourselves, we ignore the weak, poor, and oppressed. By the Spirit, our hearts grow tender and affectionate for the people that we would typically ignore. By the Spirit’s power, we can become salt and light to the world.

All for God’s Glory 

Let’s bring ourselves to the foot of the cross while living out our identity and callings in Jesus in this groaning world. In our successes let’s recount God’s grace which guided and enabled all our steps. In our failures let’s recount God’s grace which sufficiently covers all your guilt and shame. At intersections, let’s remember Jesus called us to be the salt and light of the world. 

We are representatives of God’s grace. As such, we are to proclaim and live out the Gospel for the praise of God’s glory. In the Gospel, God revealed his manifold perfection, infinitely beautiful and great, in the Word made flesh, our lord Jesus Christ. We are to imitate him. And, we are to share him with the world so that our neighbor may join us singing:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3) 

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What Corrie ten Boom Taught Me about Suffering

“I could never do what she did,” I thought.

I lay in a hammock under the shade of a maple tree in late summer. The breeze danced along my sandaled feet and through my hair. Birds serenaded one another, their melodies singing of their magnificent Creator. The stark contrast between my setting and the author whose book I was reading didn’t go unnoticed. 

I was free; she was captive. I was reclined, comfortable; she was in cramped, cold barracks. The sun kissed my skin; fleas ravaged hers. 

The woman I speak of is Corrie ten Boom. Corrie and her family boldly risked their lives to hide Jews in their home during World War II. After betrayal by a fellow Dutch citizen, they were sent to a Nazi concentration camp. Corrie was the only member of her family to survive the horror.  

I learned about Corrie when a sister in Christ gifted me her bestseller, The Hiding Place. Page after page, each word cut straight to my heart. Minutes passed where I’m not sure I blinked. Her testimony gripped my heart in a way no other person in history has.  

In some of the darkest, most evil circumstances in human history, Corrie planted her feet on the firm foundation that is Jesus Christ. She taught me the following sweet truths about suffering under God’s sovereign care:

1. Suffering ignites our desire for heaven.  

Dear Jesus . . . how foolish of me to have called for human help when You are here. To think that Father sees You now, face to face! To think that he and Mama are together again, walking those bright streets. . . (170) 

When God blessed me with The Hiding Place, I needed more eagerness for heaven. At the time, my mind was consumed by thoughts of the frailty of life. I desired to confidently declare that I wasn’t afraid of my loved ones dying or suffering but I couldn’t.   

Death and suffering encircled Corrie in every corner of the extermination camps. She witnessed men, women, and children extinguished by hatred’s hands. And yet, Corrie submitted her fears to the Father’s care. She grieved evil’s effects but found hope for eternity through suffering. 

How often we forget—and ignore—that death is an act of God’s mercy. Death releases us from sin’s grip; death ushers us into the glorious presence of our Father and Savior King. The death of Christ brought us life (John 3:16); we will never die (John 11:26)!  

Like Corrie ten Boom, we can eagerly anticipate the day when we will see him face-to-face, when “he will wipe away every tear from [our] eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). 

2. Suffering is not an excuse to sin. 

Oh, this was the great ploy of Satan in that kingdom of his: to display such blatant evil that one could almost believe one’s own secret sins didn’t matter. (224) 

Corrie ten Boom chose to confront her own sin during her suffering in the concentration camp. This floors me. Rather than retaliatory, accusatory, and outward focusing, she repented of the “cancer”—as she calls it—of her selfishness and pride. What a message for the believer! 

Jesus was sinless, therefore he never had to confront his own sin. However, he understands the human lure to sin in suffering. He was mocked, tortured, humiliated—and tempted by Satan himself (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Jesus could have retaliated by damning and cursing those who wronged him. Instead, he loved, forgave, and extended eternal life to all who place their faith in him.  

3. Suffering makes us more Christlike.

Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him. (247) 

Can you imagine being captive, tortured, beaten, and starved by Nazis? I can tell you what my intentions would be: I’d wish harm and evil upon them. But Corrie? Though a challenging process for her, she chose to see her enemies as people for whom Christ also died; she prayed for and forgave them. 

Corrie displayed Christ’s command to forgive our debtors (Matthew 6:12) and put away bitterness, wrath, anger, malice, and slander (Ephesians 4:31). She followed his command to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors (Matthew 5:44). If Corrie can grab the hands of a former Nazi, rejoice in his coming to faith in Christ, and call him “brother” surely so can I with my enemies. 

Power Perfected in Weakness 

The scripture that best describes Corrie ten Boom comes from Paul’s words to the Corinthians: 

But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-11) 

Corrie’s model of reliance, obedience, trust, and perseverance helped deliver me from the chains of control and fear of suffering. Her story represents the truth that no suffering, no evil, no pain can truly destroy those who are secured in Christ.  

Corrie ten Boom helped me see—and more importantly, believe—that Christ’s power is truly made perfect in weakness, and that his grace is sufficient for me and everyone who calls on his name. 

Perhaps only when human effort had done its best and failed, would God’s power alone be free to work. (138) 

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Three Ways A Soul Can Be Lost

“Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:35-36) 

Jesus confronts humanity with a profound reality: Your soul can be lost. He asks: What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?  We are going to see how a soul can be lost today. How does that happen? What is the path by which it can be lost? 

I can’t think of a more critical question: Is your soul going to be saved or is your soul going to be lost? There are three ways this can happen: 

1.) You can starve your soul. 

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) 

Think about the rich man in Jesus’s story in Luke 16: He lived well. He enjoyed life. He dressed in purple. And, he never really thought about his soul. He only lived for this world.

Bread sustains your body. The Word of God sustains your soul. But this rich man had no taste for the Word of God—no hunger for it, no appetite for the things of God.

Jesus told another story about a man who lived the American dream. He worked hard. He stored up all that he needed for a long retirement. And he said to himself: “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years. So, relax, eat, drink, and be merry. I’m going to enjoy myself. I’ve earned it.” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you” (Luke 12:19-20). 

Let me speak to those of you who are older. You have worked hard, and you are enjoying your retirement. You’ve made your will, and you’ve appointed your executor. You’ve thought about what will happen to all these things that you own when you’re gone. 

But what about you? What about your soul? Why are you not thinking about that urgently? Why would you not go after this until you come to the point of assurance as to your commitment to Christ, and his commitment to you?

2.) You can strangle your soul. 

The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (Mark 4:19) 

Let me speak for a moment to all of you who are in mid-life. Your schedule is relentless. 

Your career is at the point where the greatest demands are on you. And, your kids engage in multiple activities.

There was a time when your heart was tender towards the Lord. You wanted your life to count for him, but now your whole life is taken up with the cares of this world. The desire for other things have taken hold of your heart. The Word of God has been choked, and it is becoming unfruitful in your life. And you are losing your soul. 

Jesus is talking about what happens in the lives of people who hear the Word. It’s like a vine wrapping itself around you ever tighter. It is strangling the life out of your soul. 

3.) You can surrender your soul. 

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

Let me speak for a moment to all who are young. God says there are “passions of the flesh,” and that they “wage war” against your soul. They wage war! That means these passions of the flesh are out to destroy your soul. 

When you experience temptation toward some passion, and you give yourself to it, here’s what is happening: You are surrendering your soul! You are raising the while flag. You are saying to the enemy of your soul, “You win! I concede! I’m yours now,” and he takes you captive. 

Think about this the next time experience temptation. The passions of the flesh are waging war against your soul. They’re seeking the destruction of your soul. They’re out to take your soul captive. 

But your soul is of great value. It lasts forever. If you surrender your soul to sin it will be your everlasting loss, and you will have no one to blame but yourself! 

Maybe you can see all three of these working in you. You say, “I look at my life and I see them all.” You have surrendered your soul to the passions of the flesh, you have been strangled by the cares of this world, and now your soul is starved. And, you no longer have a hunger for God or his Word. 

You are losing your soul! Every day, every week, and every year your soul is being starved, strangled, and surrendered. Inch by inch, it’s on its way to being lost. 

What Can You Do? 

Bishop Ryle said, “The first step towards heaven is to find out the worth of your soul.” Thank God if you feel that today. 

The soul that is saved is the soul that is given to Jesus Christ. If you see the value of your soul, this is how you will respond to Jesus Christ today. 

You will come to Jesus Christ and say to him, “You have called me to love God with all my heart and soul, and I haven’t done that. Without you, I’m going to starve my soul, strangle my soul, and surrender my soul.” 

“I need you to be the Lord, Savior, and Captain of this soul. I need you to feed my soul. And, I need you to guard my soul. I need you to save my soul. I need to turn my entire life, all that I am, over to you and place myself wholly in your hands.” 

“Have mercy on me, Lord! Give me a new heart. Take away this stony heart and give me a heart that loves you, and desires you, and submits to you.”  

What advantage would it be to you, if you were to gain the whole world and lose your soul? 

[This article was adapted from Pastor Colin’s sermon, “Valuing Your Soul,” from his series, Soul Care, Part One]



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Key Connections: Souls, Smartphones, and more…

Here are my favorite quotes from key Christian articles around the web, including five reasons your soul matters, why your smartphone might be making you unhappy, and more!

Five Reasons Why Your Soul Matters (Colin Smith, Unlocking the Bible)

Where does sin come from? James 1:14 is a very important verse in the Bible because it tells us how temptation works. Temptation comes to us through the world, the flesh, and the devil. The problem is that, wherever it comes from, it attaches itself to the soul. Our souls are sticky toward sin. Sin attaches itself to our souls.

Is it OK to Be Angry with God over Difficult Things? (Randy Alcorn, Eternal Perspective Ministries)

God is the source of all good and the standard by which good is measured. We may not like what God does, but we’re in no position to accuse Him of wrongdoing. Every breath He gives us—we who deserve immediate and eternal death—is a gift.

Three Reminders For Parents In The Trenches With Young Children (Kole Farney, For the Church)

Compassionate parents see their children as humans with very little experience and knowledge. So many times, Jesus was said to have compassion on the crowds of needy people who followed him… Compassion remembers the frame of our children like God remembers that we are dust and prone to weakness. They are no different than us and much more inexperienced. Your kindness matters

Your Fight Against Sin Is Normal (Brian Hedges, desiringGod)

No one said it better than the sin-fighting seventeenth-century puritan John Owen: “Set faith at work on Christ for the killing of thy sin. His blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls. Live in this, and thou wilt die a conqueror; yea, thou wilt, through the good providence of God, live to see thy lust dead at thy feet” (The Mortification of Sin, 79).

Is Your Smartphone Making You Unhappy? (Emily Robertson, The Good Book Co.)

This side of death, we’ll all be recovering sufferers. But as we live the gospel, letting God be God, treating Jesus as our Creator and Saviour, we can know real blessing. We can experience the significance of being made and loved by Him; and the satisfaction of living for Him; the the security of knowing He will give us fullness of life without end. What a wonderful life He has given us!

Three Biblical Prayers to Say for Your Parents

Her prayer rattled me.  

I had met a few Christian women for coffee. As our conversation progressed, one sister shared that her father had deeply wounded her. After a few minutes, one of the older saints suggested that we pray and asked the woman for her dad’s name. We bowed our heads, and I was surprised to hear her spend the entire time praying for the woman’s father. She showed such care for his soul—asking God to be near to him in his loneliness and praying that he would find his hope in Christ alone.  

I wouldn’t have even thought to pray for the woman’s dad—let alone pray like that. As she prayed, I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me. How often do I pray for my own parents? I thought. The answer: not often enough.  

In Ephesians, God commands us to honor our parents (Ephesians 6:2). The word “honor” in this verse means “to give weight.” We honor our parents, then, when we give them weight in our hearts and lives. One tangible way we do this as grown children is by giving them weight in our prayers.  

How should we pray for them? One of the best ways to be assured that our prayers for our parents align with God’s will is by praying Scripture. To get us started, here are three biblical prayers for our parents based on Psalm 71:  

1. Pray that your parents would find refuge in Christ alone. 

Be to me a rock of refuge, 
    to which I may continually come; 
you have given the command to save me, 
  for you are my rock and my fortress. (Psalm 71:3) 

We may look at our parents and think that their lives are relatively settled. In actuality, the “final quarter” can be filled with uncertainty. Our parents might be anxious about their health, financial investments, or their ability to care for aging loved ones. 

In the midst of all the uncertainty, they may be tempted to look too much to temporary refuge—turning to doctors, financial advisers, or assisted living homes for peace of mind. But we know that true, lasting peace only comes from placing our hope in the rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:14, 1 Corinthians 10:4).

Pray that your parents would be quick to look to Jesus and remember his steadfast love. If they’re not yet believers, then boldly pray that God would open their eyes to the truth of the gospel so that they might find true rest in Christ (Matthew 11:28).  

2. Pray that your parents would continually praise God and proclaim his mighty works. 

But I will hope continually  
  and will praise you yet more and more. 
My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, 
   of your deeds of salvation all the day, 
    for their number is past my knowledge. (Psalm 71:14-15) 

Many of our parents have worked hard in their careers, at home, in their communities, and in the church. Earthly wisdom says they’ve earned a life of rest and relaxation. But godly wisdom tells us that our lives are not our own—that God made us to praise him and tell of his righteous acts for all of our days (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). 

At our church, we have a ministry called “Age of Opportunity” for those who are 55 and older. I love what that name communicates. It’s as though they’re collectively saying, “We’re not done doing God’s work. In fact, we’re just getting started.” Pray that this would be the cry of your parents’ hearts as well. Ask God to help them discern how they might best serve him during this season. Pray that they would continue to hope in him and praise him even as their minds and bodies fade.  

If your mom or dad have yet to experience God’s salvation personally, then pray that God would rescue them from their sin so that they might worship him and proclaim his glorious works for the rest of their days. 

3. Pray that God would not forsake your parents in their old age. 

O God, from my youth you have taught me, 
    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. 
So even to old age and gray hairs, 
    O God, do not forsake me, 
until I proclaim your might to another generation, 
    your power to all those to come. (Psalm 71:17-18) 

This third prayer pairs well with the second. The psalmist asks God not to forsake him—to uphold him in his old age. Why? So that he can continue to proclaim God’s wondrous deeds as he has from his youth. He wants to make God’s name known to another generation.  

It’s natural to pray for our parents to have good health and long lives, but God wants us to think bigger. Instead of just asking God not to forsake your parents, ask instead that he would sustain them so that they can make his power known to others. Pray that if God chooses not to heal them here on earth, your parents would proclaim Christ even in their death. 

If your mother and father do not yet know of his wondrous deeds, pray that God would call them out of darkness and into marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Ask him to preserve their lives until they confess Christ as their Lord. Pray that God would do this for the sake of his holy name.  

Who will pray? 

I once attended a parenting class where the teacher said, “You are your child’s biggest prayer advocate this side of Heaven. If you don’t pray for your children, who will?” 

It’s a humbling question. Imagine if we asked it in reverse: 

“If you don’t pray for your parents, who will?” 

You’re in a position to be one of your parents’ biggest prayer advocates. Praying for our mothers and fathers is a great way to honor them, so let’s commit to interceding for our parents before the throne of grace.  

Heavenly Father, be a source of refuge to our parents. As they grow older, do not forsake them so that they might proclaim your works and glorify you. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Photo Credit: Dario Valenzuela on Unsplash

Why It’s Impossible to Keep God’s Love to Yourself

A sweet older lady sat in the middle of the sunlit room. Visitors gathered as she looked around the space lovingly. She spoke of the woman who lived there, and the children that woman raised. 

One of the children was Billy Graham. 

His mother’s caregiver and friend, this sweet lady had come to share stories at the old homestead (now a part of the Billy Graham Library.) Calling a little child forward, she asked his name. Then she recited John 3:16: “For God so loved JOHNNY, he sent his only son to die for him….” 

She explained Mrs. Graham loved to recite the verse that way because “she wanted everyone to hear God’s love was for them.” 

Knowing God loves us helps know what love really is. Placing my own name in John 3:16, I’m reminded of three things: 

God lovingly sent Jesus for me because he’s God, not because I’m good (Romans 5:8). God’s love for me is perfect love, which saves me securely (Romans 8:35). God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love (Romans 5:3). 



Knowing God Loves Us Causes Us to Love Others 

As the saying goes, “you can’t give what you don’t have.” When we know God’s love for us, we have the opportunity to share that love.

Christ offers this opportunity as a commandment when he says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). We can offer genuine, godly love to others because we know love… 

…Cares About What Truly Matters 

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John 4:18). 

Reading the greetings sections of Paul’s epistles often convicts me. Paul’s love sometimes manifested in prayers for people’s jobs or health or happiness, but he primarily focused on his regard for others’ spiritual welfare. He knew what really mattered and he fearlessly loved others on that level. 

Likewise, God’s love is focused first and foremost on what really matters: bringing us into right relationship with God. Merely finding what is likable about us or giving us what we want isn’t the level God loves us on.  

Knowing God extended his love to us, as Romans 5:28 says, while we were still sinners (and even now as believers struggling against sin) we then must love others in a way that really matters. We can fearlessly love others’ souls- and want to see their souls saved. Lesser levels of love don’t have to trap or limit us.

…Is Secure and Deep 

“We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). 

God’s love for us is secure because of Christ. We can’t lose his love because our relationship with him isn’t conditional based on our performance. His love for us is also deep and affection. For example, in Colossians 3:12 we are called God’s beloved. The term is used many times and exemplified in God’s regard for us as his friends and children. 

Our relationships with others carry risk of rejection, hurt, and sin’s other consequences. God’s love for us doesn’t carry those risks. 

Since God’s love is sufficient, secure, and deep, we can love other despite the risks. Our safety and stability comes from the Lord, our refuge and our rock.  

…Comes from the Source of Perfect Love 

“You, being rooted and grounded in love…know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19) 

There are times when loving others doesn’t seem to make sense. Others hurt us, reject us, or simply wear us out. Thankfully, when we hurt, reject, and wear on God’s patience, He loves us anyway. 

In giving us the Holy Spirit, he ensures we’re able to “love anyway” too. He has connected us to the source of perfect love. 

When we feel our hearts are running on empty, we know his fullness can fill up. When we’ve had enough and don’t think we can muster up love for someone else, we have the Creator of all the “someone elses” living in us.  

One of the great gifts of God to his beloveds is this: we don’t have to be the source of perfect love. We already know who is, and he can love others through us.

God’s Love is Impossible to Keep to Ourselves. 

Although the notion can seem basic when we’ve heard it often, it’s precious and helpful to remember: 

“God so loved [you] that he gave his only Son, that [you who] believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). 

God’s love for us cost him dearly. As a result, we can love others freely.   

Post Credit: Joshua Whysall on Unsplash

Pastors, Involve Your Wife in Your Job Search

When my husband and I got married, he was pastoring middle and high school students at our church. He loved his job and was excellent at it, but we knew the end was near. He had agreed to work in this role for five years, at which point he wanted to become a preaching pastor.

We hoped and prayed this would happen at the same local church, but only God knew.

Through many unknowns, we started discussing the possibilities. Would God direct us to stay somehow? Would he have us elsewhere near our home? Or would he call us to pick up everything and move across state lines?

After about a year of waiting, we got the call: We were staying at the same church, in a different role. Hallelujah! But the waiting was intense, and it stretched and grew our marriage in a unique way.

Pastor, as you begin (or continue) your job search, know that your wife desires to be involved. She knows you better than anyone, will speak truthfully, and wants what’s best for you. The following are five ways my husband involved me during our season of searching and waiting––and I hope they’ll be helpful to you.  

Through Commitment

As husbands and wives are joined in the covenant of marriage and united in Christ, one spouse’s calling means both spouses must be called. In other words, your wife should have peace and clarity about the jobs you’re looking at and pursuing, especially when it comes to decision time.

My husband always reminds me that “we’re in this together.” No, I may not be preaching on Sundays or pastoring the flock, but I’m one with him, so any job search needs to be a united effort and decision. Your devotion to your wife extends even to this.

Through Prayer

All prayers should be prayed with fervency and faith, but during our year of waiting, prayers for a job were especially fervent. It’s a sweet thing to come together with your wife to petition God for wisdom, direction, and job provision.

As you see him faithfully move, even by degrees and in unexpected ways, you’ll rejoice together and have great cause for thanksgiving, a lifeline of worship during hard and confusing seasons.

Through Listening

Your wife will appreciate your ear. Waiting upon the Lord for such a vital thing as a job (no––a calling) can be taxing and emotional. You’ll involve her and serve her well by listening to her process the journey and by valuing her input.

Listen to what she’s feeling and thinking and know this speaks love to her.

Through Sharing

Similarly, you’ll appreciate your wife’s listening ear, and she’ll want to listen! Pursue open, consistent communication. Share your ideas, leads, and conversations. Tell her your hopes and prayers.

I always valued my husband’s intentionality to keep me in-the-loop with his thoughts and actions. It made me feel intimately involved, even though I was busy with other pursuits and projects.

Through Rest

Finally, know when to stop and think on other things. Know when to pause the processing. Know when to end the topic of conversation and simply enjoy. Rest and pause can be difficult when the pressure to find work is looming, but both of you will benefit from it.

Burnout and frustration result from a lack of rest, but motivation and fruitfulness come when we heed this needful gift as couples. Marriage, too, is a gift from God––so enjoy it!

Proverbs 18:22 says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.”

Amen, husbands! You’re not alone in this. We’re here to help, encourage, and uphold you, so give us the joy of being involved as you pursue God’s calling upon your life.

[ This post has been adapted from Kristen Wetherell’s contribution to the book Don’t Just Send a Resume: How to Find the Right Job in a Local Church by Benjamin Vrbicek. If you’re considering a transition in pastoral ministry, please check out this helpful resource.]

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