Colin S. Smith's Blog, page 54

Five Reasons Why Your Soul Matters

When our children were very young, we spoke about the soul like this: “I have a soul. My soul is inside me. I can’t see it, but it lasts forever.” 

Jim Packer says that your soul is your “conscious personal self,” the “I” that knows itself as “me.” Your soul is the identity that makes you who you really are. It is the seat of your memory, and your feelings, and your imagination, and your convictions, and your desires, and your affections.

In Mark 8:35-36, Jesus says our soul has great value. Do you know why this is? Here are five reasons why your soul matters more than anything else you have.

1.) Your soul is breathed into you by God. 

The LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. (Genesis 2:7) 

Grasping this is of huge importance in knowing who you are, and why your life is of such great value. Adam was created in two stages. There were two steps in the process by which God gave him life. 

The first was that God, “formed the man of dust from the ground.” God formed a body. It was made from the dust of the ground. Now in this way, the man and the woman were similar to the animals: “Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens” (Genesis 2:19). 

There is a second stage in the creation of Adam which shows why we are different from animals:  

The LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. (Genesis 2:7) 

God breathes life into this corpse, and this makes Adam different from the animals. He is more than a body. Adam is a living soul. This soul is capable of knowing God and enjoying God, and it is capable of sinning against God, something the animals cannot do. 

This is at the heart of what God is saying when he says, “You are made in the image of God” (Genesis 1:26-27). God has breathed life into you and that life will never end. 

2.) Your soul is the source of all your achievement. 

The body apart from the spirit is dead. (James 2:26) 

Think about everything that is important in your life, and you will say, “Yes, that came from my soul.” Think about this in relation to the world. 

Think about music: The symphony, classic rock—where did these things come from? They came from the soul of the composer who wrote it. 

Think about art: The ability to depict beauty came through the hands of the artist, but where did it come from? It came from the soul of the artist. 

Then think about sports: You may say, “Surely sports depends on the body.” But James says, “the body without the spirit is dead” (James 2:26). Every great sports achievement has come through relentless commitment, disciplined desire, and the determination of the athlete, which is of course in the soul. 

When I meet someone who is super fit, I want to say, “This has come from your soul. All the work you have put into sculpting your body came from a desire in your soul. Without that desire that was in your soul, you would be a couch potato!”

All that you achieve in life, everything that is achieved in the world, will arise from the life of the soul. 

3.) Your soul is the cause of all your sin.

Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (James 1:14) 

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.

If this was not the case, then temptation would not be a problem for any of us. If it was pure, then when you saw a house that you couldn’t afford, your soul would say, “I can’t afford that, and I don’t need it,” and you would move on. Because of our sinful desires. When temptation comes, the soul receives it, retains it, welcomes it, embraces it and holds on to it. 

The problem is that our souls are not pure. So what happens is that you see something, whatever it is, that someone else has, and you say, “That’s what I want,” and it sticks. 

4.) Your soul will last forever.

Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. (Matthew 10:28)  

Your life had a beginning, but it does not have an end.  

One day you will die and your body will be laid in the ground. But your soul will last forever. So, “Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul.” Your soul has an endless life. That’s why it’s so important. It’s immortal. It has a beginning, but it has no end.  

I have a soul. It’s inside me. I can’t see it, but it lasts forever. 

Some of you are actively trying to decide if you are going to follow Christ, knowing that it’s costly. You need to know what’s at stake. You try to save your life and you lose it. But Jesus says “If you lose your life to me, you will save it.” 

5.) Your soul will experience everlasting joy or misery.

The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. (Luke 16:22-23) 

Our Lord tells the story of two men who died. One of them was carried to Abraham’s side. Certainly not the poor man’s body. That would have remained on the earth. So what was carried to Abraham’s side? Not the poor man’s body—his soul! 

Then we read: “The rich man also died and was buried,” so everyone knew where his grave was. His body was placed in a rich man’s tomb, with words and dates carved into it. What then was in hades? Not the rich man’s body. It was in the tomb. It was the rich man’s soul! 

The point here is very simple: Death takes life from the body, but not from the soul. When you die, your soul goes on to one of two places: One is a place of great joy. The other, according to Jesus, is a place of great torment. And there is a great gulf fixed between them (16:26). You can’t get from the one to the other in either direction. 

There is a heaven to pursue and a hell to avoid. You have a soul: Your soul can be saved and it can be lost. To lose your soul is the ultimate disaster, because it is the only loss from which you can never recover. 

Do you see now why your soul is so valuable? 

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

Key Connections: Valentine’s Day 2019

Here are my favorite quotes from key Christian articles around the web relevant to Valentine’s Day 2019. Check out why marriage is a covenant, not a contract, or the 5 myths about Song of Songs.

Marriage: A Covenant, Not a Contract (J. Alan Branch, For the Church)

Marriage is a covenant and not a contract. Marriage is intended to be commitment to which we maintain trust and fidelity until separated by death. In a covenant, we put the needs of the relationship ahead of our own needs, humbly serving each other much as Christ serves the church.

Love Made Us (Quina Aragon, Risen Motherhood)

In Christ, you were love-made by a God who chose, called, and came for you. You are defined as a beloved child of God himself. This is the hope that purifies, not the crossing off of today’s “to-dos.” This is the soul-defining truth that compels and empowers us to sacrificially love others day in and day out.

5 Myths about the Song of Songs (Leland Ryken, Crossway)

The Song of Songs is not an allegory, but it is part of a bigger mystery—the mystery of the Father’s love in Jesus Christ for his beloved and beautiful bride. So the song is not just about a man who loves a woman. It is also about the love of all loves, which means that there is a place in this story for all of us. 

Three Ways God’s Love Was Made Manifest (Danny Russell, Unlocking the Bible)

Our love must be made manifest in sharing life with others. We are called to a life filled with the fellowship of the believers. We are called to bear one another’s burdens. And, we are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.  

Five Steps You Can Take to Keep Your Heart (Colin Smith, Unlocking the Bible)

The person who is far from God has no interest in looking into his own heart. But when God gives you a new heart, you have a new interest in keeping it, as he calls you to do. Examining your heart to discover the trends of sin in your own life is something that godly people do. 

Three Ways God’s Love Was Made Manifest

What comes to mind when you think of the word love?  

Take a second to reflect on any memories, words, or images that you associate with love. The world has much to say about love. Between Valentine’s Day products filling the aisles, engagement ring commercials on TV, and romantic movies, we are constantly being told what to think. And it’s not hard to listen to what the world has to offer.

It’s easy to think of love simply as an emotion, as that light, airy feeling described in Hallmark cards. However, love must not remain as simply an emotion if it is to truly be love. Love must be made manifest:

A husband’s love for his wife is made manifest in the flowers that he brings her, in the words of encouragement he offers, and in him dying to himself in doing chores.  A friend’s love for his or her friend is made manifest in picking up medicine from the store when they’re sick, in praying with them when they’re worried, and in playing board games together.  A parent’s love for their children is made manifest in changing diapers, making meals, and teaching them the way to walk in the Lord.  

Love is so much more than an emotion—It must be made manifest.  

This is also true as we reflect on the love of God. His love wasn’t just a warm feeling towards us. His love was made manifest in the life and death of Jesus.  

God’s Love Made Manifest in Life

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the World, so that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9)  

God’s love for you was made manifest in sending his Son into the world, in the form of human flesh, as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  

God’s love is seen when his Word became flesh (John 1:1), when all his promises found their yes (2 Corinthians 1:20), and we could join with the heavenly host in singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased” (Luke 2:14). 

In Jesus, God’s love is no longer simply an idea to grasp. His love is flesh and bones, a baby born of a virgin. God with us. In Jesus’ birth, we see God’s love made manifest among us. He gave us the gift of his Son so that we might have life. 

But this is not the only way God’s love was made manifest. 

God’s Love Made Manifest in Death  

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)  

God’s love for us was made manifest in sending his Son to be the propitiation for our sins—the sacrifice that turned away God’s wrath. It was manifest in Jesus being mocked, whipped, scorned, and, ultimately, crucified on the cross.  

Jesus’s love wasn’t an empty promise. It wasn’t fluff to make the disciples feel better. It wasn’t intended to be turned into self-help motivation. His love was in every whip on his back, every step on his journey to Calvary, and every nail driven into his body. 

Though we were God’s enemies, he did not desire for any of us to perish. Though we rebelled against God, he took the punishment we deserved. And though we are sinful in our very nature, he made a way for us to return to him. 

In Jesus’s death, we see God’s love made manifest among us. He gave up his life so that we could be forgiven.  

God’s Love Made Manifest in Us

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:11)  

Just as God’s love is more than an emotion towards his people, our love towards others must be more than an emotion. Our love must be made manifest in life and in death. 

Our love must be made manifest in sharing life with others. We are called to a life filled with the fellowship of the believers. We are called to bear one another’s burdens. And, we are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.  

Just as Jesus was physically present with his followers, let us also be physically present with our brothers and sisters in Christ through every season.  

Our love must also be made manifest in dying to ourselves. We are called to take up our cross daily. We are called to consider others more significant than ourselves. And, we are called to present our bodies as a living sacrifice.  

Just as Jesus laid down his life for his sheep, let us also lose our lives for the sake of the gospel. And in our love being made manifest, let it always point to the love of Jesus, made manifest in both His life and death. 

A Prayer 

Father in Heaven, you are so loving and so kind.  

We do not deserve your love, yet you still sent your son to live a sinless life and die on the cross in our place. We praise you because your love is so much greater than what we see depicted in the world. Your love is better than life itself.   

As we reflect on your love made manifest, help us to live in light of these truths. Help us to manifest our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, for our friends, family, and neighbors. And in all that we do, help us magnify Christ.  

Amen. 

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Responding to a Lost Soul in The Polar Vortex

During the record breaking cold temperatures of the recent polar vortex, I was attending the 2019 Bethlehem Conference for Pastors in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In one session, the conference host brought some levity by quoting a line from Psalms:

Who can stand before [the LORD’s] cold? (Psalm 147:17)

At first a light-hearted comment, I later encountered the sobering reality of the verse. A man in the hotel lobby entered into a conversation I had with a few other guys. He demonstrated an intentional hostility to the gospel, cursing God and slandering his Church. Considering he was a lost soul, I tried to share the Gospel with him but he grew more angry. When I tried to pray with him, he left the building and walked outside. 

I watched him walk into the cold night in nothing more than shorts and a hoodie. It struck me how he was unprepared to face both the polar vortex outside and the “cold” judgment of God.  

I felt like I had failed. I wondered: What could I have done different? What should I do now? Maybe you can relate to this experience of interacting with a lost soul unprepared for judgment. How are we to respond? Here are three ways to respond in prayer. 

1. Pray for their Soul 

Like Paul in Romans 9:1-2, we might experience “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” for those far from Christ. In fact, this ought to be so for someone whose heart is aligned with the heart of Christ. It is Christ’s love that controls us, and we as his ambassadors and messengers of reconciliation cannot regard anyone according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:14-20).  

As C.S. Lewis put it in The Weight of Glory, “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.” Every saved or lost soul is destined for eternity: either enjoying the fullness of joy in the presence of the Lord (Psalm 16:11) or suffering something much worse than the polar vortex: 

The punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. (2 Thessalonians 1:9).  

So what determines one’s eternal destiny? Romans 9:16 tells us “it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” The context is God’s sovereign choosing and calling of his people.  

Please don’t miss the impact this has on evangelism. Good works will not save nor will the good words or efforts of an evangelist.  

We are to implore a lost soul to be reconciled to God and to share the gospel. But it is ultimately God who saves. When we experience apparent evangelism failures we must realize “it is not as though the word of God has failed” (Romans 9:6), but that God “will have mercy on whom [he has] mercy, and [he] will have compassion on whom [he has] compassion” (Romans 9:15).  

The first response to an evangelism failure is to pray that God might have mercy on the lost soul. Pray for God to have mercy on their souls.

2. Pray against the forces of Evil 

One of the passages I’ve found helpful in evangelism is 2 Corinthians 4:1-6. The “ministry” in verse one is a ministry of gospel proclamation. Unfortunately, though, the gospel is “veiled to those who are perishing” (4:3).  

As we share the gospel, one danger is what I call “content download evangelism”, where we attempt to primarily teach unbelievers the content of the gospel. This is different from proclaiming or preaching the gospel. It assumes the root of the problem is ignorance rather than spiritual blindness.  

The man I encountered in Minneapolis during the polar vortex actually knew a lot of scriptures. He was able to cite them from memory. He, however, did not see the “light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (4:4).  

Why is that? Because “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light” (4:4). It is not ignorance, but Satan who keeps the minds of unbelievers in darkness; only God can “[shine] in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (4:6).  

A second response is to appeal to God’s judgment and pray against the forces of evil. Because Satan, like a lion, seeks to devour lost souls, we might pray: 

O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD! (Psalm 58:6) 

3. Pray in Thankfulness for God’s Mercy and Grace 

As I prayed that night, I remembered this passage:  

What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? (Romans 9:22-24) 

Immediately, I began thanking God for his salvation. The difference between ‘vessels of wrath prepared for destruction’ and those vessels “prepared beforehand for glory” is God’s mercy. There are no degrees of lostness, no partial lostness, and no partial salvation. Apart from Christ, I would be equally as lost as one who curses God.  

When God commanded Adam to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he said, “in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) The truly fair thing for God to do would be to give to every human the wages which are due him or her: death and hell.  

God’s mercy means we don’t receive the righteous judgment of sin that we deserve, because Christ received that judgment in our place. This great mercy should cause us to rejoice in God’s goodness and relish the riches of his glory.  

When you feel you’ve failed to reach someone for Christ, remember that God hasn’t failed to reach you. Pray in thankfulness for his mercy and grace. 

God Works on the Evangelist’s Heart

About 15 minutes after I got back to my room that night, I saw an ambulance from my window driving with its emergency lights flashing amid the polar vortex. I don’t know if it was for that man but I felt in that moment the cold reality of death and the world’s deep need for Jesus Christ.     

Looking back on my experience in Minneapolis, I wasn’t able to share the gospel with this lost man, or even pray with him. By any metric, this was an evangelism failure. But the lost man’s rejection of the Gospel was only half the story, God worked on my heart that night as well.

I thought that night was about the lost soul and my failure to reach him with the gospel, but it turned out to be about my heart and God’s success in reaching me with the gospel. More than a deeper understanding, it was a heartfelt savoring of the gospel.  

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8) 

Photo Credit: Unsplash

27 Snapshots of New Testament Books of the Bible

Here is a list that offers a snapshot of all 27 New Testament books of the Bible. I hope you see Jesus Christ is at the center of each book. And, I hope you grow in worship of our Lord and Savior.

Matthew 

The first of all the new testament books of the Bible. The first of four gospels. It begins with a genealogy proving Jesus is the promised Messiah, and contains the beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount 

Mark 

The second of four gospels—and the shortest read stretching only 16 chapters. Mark describes many of Jesus’s miracles and healings. 

Luke 

The third of the four gospels. Luke was a doctor and so his account of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection is very precise, often using higher vocabulary words and sometimes giving more detailed depictions of events.

John 

The final gospel. John’s gospel offers an intimate portrait of Jesus’s life, and how much he loves us, something also seen in all New Testament books of the Bible. Here you’ll will find Jesus’s 7 “I Am” statements.

Acts 

Written by Luke, Acts is a detailed history of believers and the early church after Christ’s ascension into heaven. Not only does this book include the story of the Pentecost, it also tells of Paul’s conversion, and the effort to spread the Gospel of Jesus to the gentiles as well as the Jews.

Romans 

Of all the New Testament books of the Bible Paul wrote, Romans letter to believers in Rome is perhaps his most comprehensive. Paul says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). As a result of this truth, salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 

A letter from Paul to the church in Corinth which experienced some spiritual immaturity. Having a heart for the church, Paul wrote this letter to address church conduct and other topics to spur them on to a greater faithfulness in Jesus Christ. 

2 Corinthians 

A second letter from Paul to the Corinthian church, in which Paul speaks of his communication with them, his changing itinerary, and his plans to come visit them. 

Galatians 

A letter from Paul to the church in Galatia rebuking them for “quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and… turning to a different gospel” (1:6). They had been listening to false teachers claiming their salvation in Christ was dependent on their fulfillment of certain rituals and law. Paul uses this letter to remind everyone that:  

“A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.” (2:16) 

Ephesians 

This letter from Paul is a loving encouragement “to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus” (1:1). Paul explains how we are unified in Christ, discusses the “mystery of the Gospel” (3:1-13), and talks about how we live in light of putting on the “new self” (4:24).  

Philippians 

All of Paul’s letters proclaim the gospel of Jesus and this one is no different. Paul discusses his own suffering in detail, and he does this to show how Christ’s name has been proclaimed through it. Paul says his famous line:

“For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (1:21).

Colossians 

A response to heretical teaching threatening the church at Colossae, Paul’s letter warns the Colossians against several things such as the worship of angels and asceticism. Paul encourages believers again to put away all sinfulness and instead put on the new self that comes as a result of faith in Jesus (3:1-17).   

1 Thessalonians 

Back in Acts we read how Paul needed to leave Thessalonica before he would have liked (see Acts 17:5-10), and new believers now needed his further instruction and support amid incoming persecution. This letter instructs them on how to live a godly life.  

2 Thessalonians 

This second letter came as further encouragement to the church of the Thessalonians, writing to encourage those who were afflicted with persecution due to their faith in Jesus (1:5-12) and to remind believers about the importance of work (3:6-15).

1 Timothy 

A letter from Paul to Timothy, saying that he should stay at the church of Ephesus to guard the church against false teaching. Paul wanted the church to know that Christ came to saves sinners, not righteous people. 

2 Timothy 

Paul’s letter to Timothy displays his close friendship with Timothy, hoping to encourage him in the Gospel work he had been doing. This letter contains one of the most famous lines about the nature of Scripture:  

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (3:16) 

Titus 

A letter from Paul to Titus, who Paul placed in Crete for the Gospel of Jesus to spread there. This letter provides instructions for him on how to fulfill his duty in the Lord Jesus. 

Philemon 

Paul writes to Philemon to thank him for the love he showed him. He also writes that he is sending Onesimus to them, who though was once “was useless” is now “indeed useful” (v. 11) to all including Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 

Like many other New Testament books of the Bible, Hebrews deals directly with Old Testament passages, showing the unity of Scripture. One of the main goals of the book is to depict Christ Jesus as our Great High Priest. Jesus is greater than Moses (Ch. 3) and greater than Melchizedek (Ch. 7).  

Hebrews 11 is called the “Hall of Faith” because it shows how Old Testament figures gained righteousness through faith, not by works.  

James 

Like Paul’s repeated encouragement to put on the new self that comes with faith in Jesus, James reminds his readers that faith in Jesus Christ produces great usefulness and fruitfulness!  

1 Peter 

Peter writes to the “elect exiles” (1:1), the believers in Christ who are spread throughout the region. He seeks to encourage them as they face trials of various kinds. He says that these trials will bring glory to Jesus as they produce a “tested genuineness of [their] faith” (1:7). Peter urges believers to strive after holiness. 

2 Peter 

Peter writes in this letter to encourage believers to “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue” (1:5). And he writes for them to be cautious of false teachers (Ch. 2), and to remind them about the teaching concerning Christ’s coming (Ch. 3).

1 John 

John writes here to encourage believers to walk in the light. He speaks to how Christ is our Advocate (Ch. 2), and that we demonstrate God’s love through our love for others. 

2 John 

John, in what may be the shortest of all the New Testament books of the Bible, wonderfully connects following Christ’s commandments with loving another: “And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments” (v. 6). 

3 John 

John writes: “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God” (v. 11)  

Jude 

Jude writes in response to false teachers spreading an enticing lie. This lie said Jesus’s grace provides greater opportunity to live a sinful life. Jude writes that these are teachers “for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever” (v. 13).

Revelation 

Compared to other New Testament books of the Bible, Revelation apocalyptic nature relies more heavily on symbolic language. John’s vision may not give us every fact we could want. But, it does gives us the full truth we need: Jesus is Lord forever and ever!

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Five Steps You Can Take to Keep Your Heart

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

Every time you hear the story of a Christian whose life has gone into total moral collapse you can be sure of one thing: behind that story the person had a long history of not dealing with their own sin. Don’t let this be you. Instead, keep your heart with all vigilance!  

A wise Christian studies the Bible and his or her own heart. You have to become the expert on your own heart. No one is in a better position to do this than you.  

Here are five steps that are involved in guarding your heart with all vigilance. 

1. Watch  

Jesus said, “Watch and pray so that you do not enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). Paul said to Timothy, “Watch your life and your doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:16), and he said to the Ephesians elders, “Watch yourselves and the flock over which God has made you overseers” (Acts 20:28).

How are we to do this? Most of you will be familiar with the concept of a dashboard. Think about your car—as you drive along the road there is certain information that you need to have close at hand: What speed are you going? How much fuel do you have left in the tank? 

Then there is other information like the temperature of your engine, and the level of your oil. You don’t watch that constantly, but if the temperature of your engine rises you need to know. All of this information is displayed on a dashboard in front of you. 

What would a dashboard for your soul look like? There would be red lights and green lights. Red lights would be impulses in your soul that have the tendency to secret, perpetual, and alarming departure from God. 

Let me give you some examples of red lights that you might put on your dashboard: Fear, pride, greed, self-pity, resentment, cowardice, anger, hard thoughts about God, and coldness in worship—any sense of formality in worship, or any sense of going through the motions. 

I encourage you to get a pen and paper and write these things down. Begin making a list of things that belong on your dashboard. Do this because it will give you clarity. 

2. Investigate 

You were running well. Who hindered you? (Galatians 5:7)  

There was a time when you were making good progress in the Christian life. You had a heart for God. But that is no longer true of you. 

You found joy in Christ. Your love for the Savior burned brightly. You had great passion for the advance of the gospel: You made significant sacrifices. You faced difficulties with courage. And, you battled against deeply rooted sins in your life and you grew in holiness. 

What happened to you? What is in you that has got in the way of your continued progress? Who or what hindered you? 

This is a place to be ruthlessly honest with yourself. You say, “I’m not really sure.” Then ask God to show you your own heart, “Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there be any grievous way in me” (Psalm 139:23-24). 

Talk it out with a Christian friend or with a pastor if you need to, but don’t settle without the answer. It’s too important. 

I fear that there are many Christians who study the Bible, but who hardly give their own hearts a second look, because they have never learned how to do this. 

3. Confess  

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) 

This is a marvelous promise, but we must take its condition seriously: “If we confess our sins…” In other words, if we see the red light, and then we bring it to God in confession and trust in the blood of Christ to cover it. What is the last sin you confessed? 

Confession must always be first to God, but it will help you if you are able to talk honestly with someone who knows you and cares about you. This has been such a help to me in my own life. 

Recently, I was in a conversation with a few of our lay leaders. I told them that I saw some things changing in my own heart, and that I didn’t like what I saw. I listed several things. One of them was that I am becoming less patient. That’s a red light. It needs to be addressed. 

I was talking with a friend the other week. He is in his early 70’s and he is experiencing another passage of life, in which he is moving away from some responsibilities that he had before. 

He said to me, “I can see the path to becoming a grumpy old man from here and I don’t want to go down it.” Do you see what he’s doing? He’s watching his heart. 

4. Commit 

For every red light on the dashboard, showing impulses that lead us away from the Lord, there is a green light that will be its opposite. Green lights are impulses in your soul that reflect what the Bible calls the “fruit of the Spirit” in your life. 

You can make a list straight from Galatians 5:22-23. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is not an exhaustive list. You could add others. Forgiveness would be one example. Courage would be another.

Identify the green lights that correspondence to your red lights and commit to pursuing them. 

“Lord, by your grace and through your power, I renounce this impatience. I want nothing more to do with it. Lord, help me now to grow in the patience that I seek. Guard my heart from this enemy within, and use the circumstances that have provoked this impulse to sin in my heart to become the occasion of new growth in likeness to Jesus, for your glory.” 

That’s how Christian growth happens. The very circumstances that provided the red light, are the very things that produces new growth. 

5. Trust  

The person who is far from God has no interest in looking into his own heart. But when God gives you a new heart, you have a new interest in keeping it, as he calls you to do. Examining your heart to discover the trends of sin in your own life is something that godly people do. 

But when godly people look into their own hearts, they find it very discouraging. We are amazed that after all God has done for us, after all we’ve experienced, there should still exist in our hearts this principle that tends towards a secret, perpetual, and alarming departure from God. 

So, looking at your own heart can easily lead to you feeling defeated. Robert Murray McCheyne had the answer for that: “For every look at self, take ten looks at Christ.”

As you look at your own heart, Christian, remember that by his blood he opened a fountain for cleansing. We need it every day of our lives. Let’s be done with this pious religion of moral superiority that so many have confused for Christian faith. 

We need the cleansing of the blood of Jesus. The sins that lurk in our hearts are not greater than the power of the blood of Christ to go on cleansing our lives. And he loves to do it. 

So, will you commit to keep your heart with all vigilance? 

[This article was adapted from Pastor Colin’s sermon, “Valuing Your Soul,” from his series Soul Care, Part One] [Photo Credit: Marek Szturc on Unsplash]

Key Connections: Idolizing Comfort and more…

Here are my favorite quotes from key Christian articles around the web. Check out the article on how an idolizing comfort may be affecting our spiritual life. Or read the tips on how to spend more time in Scripture!

Three Things Every Christian with Influence Should Know (Colin Smith, Unlocking the Bible)

If God calls you to be an inside influencer, expect to be misunderstood. When other Christians don’t understand your influence, remember you’re not accountable to them. You’re accountable to God… Don’t think, “Something must be wrong with me.” 

How Idolizing Comfort Can Lull Us into Spiritual Sleep (Lydia Brownback, Crossway)

In all of the little choices we make throughout a day, what are we after? We’re after comfort. We want to feel good, we want to feel at peace, we want to feel at rest, and we want to have these little indulgences to look forward to to get us through the monotony and mundane and to give us a little excitement. The little pleasures of life can erode discipleship and become an idol. It’s like we can’t have a good day without these comforts.

Hope is Not in Our Resolutions (Jessica Head, Women Encouraged)

We are now able to rest in what He has done on our behalf to reconcile us back to the Father. No longer do we have to strive to obtain our own salvation (which we could never do, regardless). No longer do we have to look to the world for approval or validation — we have the blessing of being adopted into the family of God by saving faith in Christ. Our identity is now rooted in being God’s child.

Prayer and Intimacy with God (Charlie Handren, Servants of Grace)

As I mentioned at the beginning of this devotional, perhaps more than anything, our prayer life reveals the true state of our relationship with God. Because this is so, I want to encourage to spend time with Jesus, to meditate on his words in Matthew 6:5-8 and to take whatever steps he leads you to take to grow in the way he wants you to grow. Don’t hurry. Take your time. Believe that Jesus wants to speak to you and guide you in his ways. Open your heart to his wisdom. And as you learn to follow him, know that he will lead you higher and deeper into his eternal joy.

6 Ways to Spend More Time in Scripture (Aaron Earls, Facts & Trends)

4. POST IT AROUND YOU

If we are finding ways to get as much Scripture into our lives as possible, why not take a page from Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and write God’s words “on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates”?

This can be in the form of permanent decorations in your home that incorporate Scripture, but it could also be a sticky note on your computer at work or short verse written on your bathroom mirror.

Discouragement May Lead You to Three Temptations

As a freelance writer, I get numerous rejections from editors who are not interested in the articles I’ve written for their publication. There are times when I become very discouraged and wonder, “What’s going on? Why aren’t my articles getting accepted? I don’t understand, God!”

Can you relate to my discouragement? Maybe yours is the result of something even more painful: infertility, joblessness, singleness, a prolonged illness, financial difficulties. Maybe you too wonder:  

“What’s going on? Why can’t I  ________ (fill in the blank)? I don’t understand, God!”  

You Are Not Alone 

First of all, I want you to know that you are not alone in feeling this way. Discouragement is a natural part of being human. We can see moments of discouragement all throughout the Bible:

Rachel: Jacob’s beloved wife could not conceive a child, which in ancient times was as good as a death sentence for a woman. Rachel’s discouragement at being barren led her to bitterly cry out to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!” (Genesis 30:1).  

King David: At one point, David’s men were so angry that their wives and children had been taken captive that they wanted to stone David. As a result, David became “greatly distressed” (1 Samuel 30:6).  

Job: No man ever experienced such cataclysmic loss as Job. In one days’ time, he lost all ten of his children, 11,000 animals,  “a large number of servants,” and later his own health (Job 1-2). His friend Eliphaz hit the nail on the head when he said to Job, “Trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are dismayed” (Job 4:5).

Discouragement comes in various forms—in response to something we hoped for, in response to our own or someone else’s failure, in response to life’s trials. While discouragement is not necessarily a sin, it can tempt us to blame God or distance ourselves from him. Here are three things you might be tempted to do when you feel discouraged:  

You Might Be Tempted To…  



1.) …Think Fulfilment of Your Desire will be Enough 

Our hearts are hole-y. And these holes we are prone to try and fill with things or people we think will satisfy us. I know, because sometimes I catch myself thinking: If I could just get published, I’d be happy.

For you, it might be: If I could just find a husband/have a baby/get well, etc. I’d be satisfied. It would be enough. 

And, yet, when (and if) that longing is ever satisfied, we find, sadly, that another “hole” appears—another longing fills it quickly—and dissatisfaction (and discouragement) consume us once again.

2.) …Doubt God’s Promises 

We are short-sighted people, unfortunately, focusing on what is happening currently in our lives (or what is not happening, as the case may be). When we don’t see our longings or desires (or even our prayers) being fulfilled immediately, we tend to doubt God and the promises he gives us in the Bible. We doubt his goodness toward us, his love for us.  

You may be tempted to think (as I have been at times) that God’s promises are empty promises, at least when it comes to your particular situation. 

3.) …Doubt God’s Plan 

Sometimes it’s easier to see God’s plan for other people. At least it is for me. When it comes to my own life, I’m sometimes tempted to think that God has forgotten about me and that other peoples’ lives are more important than mine. 

This is a very myopic view and could not be further from the truth. 

When I feel discouraged, the best thing I can do is to seek God, who is the “God of all comfort” (1 Corinthians 1:3). I have learned that there are three things that I (and you) can do to feel more encouraged, even in the midst of discouragement. 

We Can… 



1. ) …Know that God is Enough 

God alone satisfies our deepest desires. We must know and believe that he is enough. If we pin all our hopes and desires on the thing or person we long for, we will become discouraged—what we think will make us happy and fulfilled—especially when it is delayed or even denied (as in a biological child or a spouse).

God is greater and more fulfilling than either people, possessions or passions, dear ones. 

2.) …Trust God’s Promises for Our Own Lives 

“Fear not, for I am with you;   
be not dismayed, for I am your God;   
I will strengthen you, I will help you,  
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).  

God’s promises are sure and true. He longs to comfort and encourage his children. As he encouraged Israel, so he encourages us with his word.  

Deuteronomy 31:6 promises that God never abandons us, that he walks with us during our times of discouragement. He also extends comfort and mercy to us when we come to the throne of grace in our times of need  (Hebrews 4:14-16).

3.) …Trust God’s Will for Our Own Lives 

God is sovereign. I need to keep in mind that he is the one who is in control and not me—even of my articles. They will get published if—and only if—they bring him glory, build up the body of Christ, and provide a greater good for his children.  

Therefore, my prayer must become that of Jesus’s prayer when he was in Gethsemane, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). If I keep God’s will in mind, then I am less apt to become discouraged.

Our Discouragement has a Greater Purpose 

It may seem strange, but even in our discouragement, we share in Christ’s suffering, since he himself was discouraged. In all things that we suffer—whatever they may be—we become partakers in what Christ experienced. In this, we come to understand and appreciate him as our great high priest, the one who is able to sympathize with us, even in our moments of discouragement (Hebrews 4:14-16). 

Won’t you do that today take your discouragement to the Lord?  

Whatever it is you’re feeling discouraged about, surrender it to your loving Father. He loves you so much, and he knows what’s best for you. Be encouraged by that, dear one. Be encouraged.

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Why James Really Counts Trials as Pure Joy

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds ” (James 1:2, NIV)

It is no mystery to Christians that walking a life of faith is difficult and brings on many challenges. Jesus affirms this in Matthew 16:24 when he says: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Again, Jesus emphasizes this point in John 16:33 where he says:

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

As Christians we live with this blessed peace that Jesus Christ has overcome the world, and by putting our faith in him we know that we will dwell with Christ in the new heaven and the new earth. However, in the meantime, we live in this fallen world surrounded by evil and temptation. This is where the struggle of being a Christian comes in:  

How do I live a godly life in an ungodly world?  

The book of James gives us insight into what it means to live a godly life. When we come under trials of many kinds, this book gives us godly wisdom that can stand the pressure of any worldly trial. We see through James’s teaching that on our own we cannot possibly live God-pleasing lives, but by God’s grace and Word we can live with confidence in the face of difficulty.

Who was James? 

There are three candidates that might have been the author of James. The first two were disciples of Jesus: James the son of Zebedee, and the other was the son of Alphaeus. However, it is unlikely that either of these two people were the author as the first died in A.D. 44 and the second disappeared from what scholars can gather shortly after the resurrection of Jesus.  

Most scholars would agree that it was James the brother of Jesus, the head of the Jerusalem church from A.D. 44 to 62, who wrote this book. James had a large responsibility to encourage, teach, and direct the young church through a time of great persecution and trial.  

James knew all too well that the church was not immune to the pitfalls of human sin. He spoke from a place of wisdom and authority and his wise words to the early church still resonate today with the modern church.

James writes pastorally to the tribes scattered among the nations to give them wisdom and encouragement in the face of persecution.  

A Godly View of Persecution 

In the course of our lives we can become weary of the trials that we face as Christians.  

Maybe it is a child who continually rebels and rejects Christ. Perhaps you work in an environment that is hostile to believers. If you are in school, you may have experienced the attacks that come from your classmates and teachers. Whatever your experience, we all know what it feels like to have our faith come under fire. 

It takes a lot of love and patience to respond in a Christ-like way.  

The early church that James wrote to surely knew what it was like to experience this persecution. Many scholars believe that it was written specifically to Jewish Christians that had scattered after Stephan’s death. It was a scary and uncertain time for the believers of the early church. But instead of feeling sorry for the early church, James tells them in verse 2 to consider it pure joy when they face trials of many kinds.  

Is this not contrary to how we naturally view persecution? We view persecution, the disapproval of others, and pain as negative and to be avoided at all costs. But James tells them that this should be counted as pure joy because it produces perseverance.  

Now, why is perseverance so important?  

Perserverance 

Without persevering in our faith, we cannot be complete in Christ. Through perseverance God molds us, teaches us, and draws us closer to a more complete life through the spirit.  

It is easy to believe in God when everything is going the way we want in life. It is much harder when we face trials of many kinds. But it is in these trials that we gain a godly perseverance that enables us to live wholesome lives in the Spirit in light of the trials we face.  

God wants us to come to a place where we are whole, he wants what is best for us. We are whole when we are fully relying on his grace. This is something that we learn and know best when our faith is on trial. To suffer and live for Christ is one of the great joys of being a Christian. For we know that anything we do as an act of worship toward God, or any sacrifice we make for his eternal kingdom, is honored by God.  

Living under his lordship and living a God-pleasing life far outweighs the comforts of this life. The pain is real and can be at times overwhelming. But Jesus has promised us that he will never leave us or forsake us, and that one day we will be free of pain and suffering and restored to him.  

The next time you find yourself in a trial, remember to count it as pure joy! Do not focus on the pain of now, but focus instead on the reward of eternal life. Think of this: pleasing our Father in heaven is so much greater than pleasing man.

May James’s encouragement strengthen and motivate you as it did the early church.  

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Two Pastors’ Advice on Pastoral Visits to the Grieving

[This article was co-authored by Brandon Myers]

I had been looking forward to this evening for a few weeks. My wife and I were on our way to downtown Chicago for an evening with close friends. A delicious dinner, the beautiful skyline, and an evening to enjoy each other’s company awaited us. Then I got the phone call. Someone in our congregation just lost a loved one.

The voice on the other end of the phone was distressed, with uncontrollable sobbing and heartbreaks. Our anticipated evening with our friends now had to wait as we ministered to these beloved brothers and sisters in Christ who need the attention of a shepherd.

This is not an unusual situation to experience in pastoral ministry. We count pastoral visits as a joy and privilege to minister to God’s people, even in situations such as this.

While pastors primarily are responsible for making pastoral visits, all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are called at times to come alongside those who are experiencing pain and suffering. The Lord called “all…who are loved by God and called to be saints” (Romans 1:7) to “rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15). The Lord also calls us to “love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22; 4:8 NIV)

Therefore, all people who claim to follow the Lord Jesus Christ ought to faithfully obey but also grow in their care for the grieving. Below are three tips to keep in mind so you are prepared for future pastoral visits.

Presence 

Go. Be with the people God has called you to minister to. Do not get hung up on distance or schedule. Years ago, Pastor Chuck Swindoll wisely said, “People are not in the way of your ministry. People are your ministry!”

One time I (Pastor Matt) was called by a man whose wife was very near to death. He asked if I could come and I said, “Absolutely.” When I arrived at the hospital and entered the room, the husband said he was not sure his wife would be able to respond.  

However, when he whispered to his wife, “The pastor is here” her eyes immediately opened and she said, “Pastor Matt!” Because of my presence I was able to speak with her about eternity and the hope that was hers in Jesus Christ. That evening she entered into the Lord’s presence. 

Praise God for modern communication. A phone call is helpful and nice. But a voicemail will never replace pastoral visits, when you look someone in the eyes as they grieve. A thoughtful text is a poor replacement for touching someone’s shoulder or giving them a hug. Be present personally for the people God has entrusted to you. Do not overstay your welcome. But slow down and stop.

Your posture should be such that as this person’s world has stopped so has your world. Their spouse has died or the diagnosis was worse than expected. Make sure you do not merely say, “I’m so sorry” at the memorial service. Enter their grief as far as you are able and as far as it is appropriate.  

The moment to be there will pass away. The moment to send an email or make a phone call will not. Go and be present with them as soon as you can. 

Passage 

As you go to be present make sure you have few key scriptures flagged in your Bible or on your mind. Be prepared to go directly to these passages. Your encouragement may fall flat. But God’s never will. There is no need to get fancy—now is not the time to show off your obscure bible trivia knowledge. 

Go to scriptures that drive home the unchangingly good character and faithfulness of the Lord. (One very helpful little book is Pastoral Visitation. It has dozens of situational short verses that will press hope upon the hearts of the grieving). 

Make sure these verses are on your heart and are immediately at hand. A wise elderly pastor once told a story how he walked into care for a grieving family. He forgot his Bible in the car and one of the family members looked to him and said, “Pastor, please give us a verse of encouragement from God’s Word.”

The pastor froze. Not a single verse of the Bible came to his mind. From then on, he resolved to store up God’s truth in his heart to always be prepared to minister from God’s Word.

Prayer 

Finally, do not leave a grieving person without calling upon the sovereign creator and redeemer who is the “God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). It does not need to be a long prayer or a complex prayer (and please do not preach a sermon in your prayer!). Pray a heartfelt, biblically-rich prayer that ministers based on the need of the moment.  

Be specific and especially recall the hope, comfort, peace, and care our God alone can provide in times of grief: “Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

If you are intimidated to pray during pastoral visits remember what God said:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV) 

So pray for everything. Remind the individual or family mourning that they have an advocate through your prayer. Let them remember and be renewed in communion with God through suffering as Jesus modeled before the cross.  

We have a glorious unparalleled hope as Christians—in a new heaven and new earth with a glorious and new resurrected body in God’s presence.

Giving the mourner the experience of heartfelt pleading before your Heavenly Father is a great gift. Remind them not only with words but your example that you and they can approach God boldly and expectantly through the Son with confidence given by the Holy Spirit. 

So, when you conduct pastoral visits, remember these three words: Presence. Passage. Prayer. Through your ministry may God be glorified as you love one another and especially those who are grieving deeply.

Photo Credit: Unsplash