Colin S. Smith's Blog, page 59

Relying on God during Times of Desperation

His heart pounded, his lips quivered, decay crept into his bones, and his legs trembled (Habakkuk 3:16). He was confused, angry, terrified, and desperate for relief. He cried, “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?” (Habakkuk 1:2). Habakkuk, an Old Testament prophet, experienced a season of trials that seemed endless. He was desperate for relief, for change, for God to intervene. Does that sound like something you can relate to? 

I too recently felt like Habakkuk. The weight of grief, depression, and anxiety consumed me to the point where my heart pounded, my lips quivered, my legs trembled, and it felt like decay crept into my bones. My heart and flesh screamed for relief—and in my desperation, I found myself tempted to stray from the truth of God’s Word. I desired comfort above all else, but was called to rely on the Lord in my season of desperation. 

When you and I feel like there is “no hope for a harvest” (Habakkuk 3:17), when desperation distracts us from God’s truth, and when our faith is shaken, what do we do? We can learn from sufferers like Habakkuk to: 

1. Rely on God by faith

Every believer in Jesus Christ is called to a life of faith (Galatians 2:20). Faith beckons us to rejoice in the Lord and be joyful in God our Savior (Hab. 3:18). When we love and are joyful through trials, it is the ultimate demonstration of true faith. Christian faith doesn’t rest on what is seen and what is temporary—it relies on the all-sufficiency of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:18). 

In many seasons of desperation, it’s often challenging to rejoice in faith. When we feel spiritually dry and cannot pray as we ought, we can rely on God through the Holy Spirit. The Father sent us the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ name, One who helps us in our weakness by interceding for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26). We can rely on him to convict, guide, help, and comfort us in and out of trials (John 14:26; Isaiah 11:2; John 16:7:15). The Spirit gives us freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17) and enables us to abound in hope (Romans 15:13). 

2. Be Honest with God

Habakkuk was far from denial regarding his situation. Through his knowledge of the Father’s character, he fueled honest prayers. He expressed himself passionately, honestly, asking “Why are you silent?” (1:13) and “Why do you tolerate wrong?” (1:3). Our Savior Jesus modeled this numerous times in his earthly walk, where it’s recorded that he prayed all night to God (Luke 6:12). We also see Christ’s honesty about his circumstances in Matthew 26, where three times he asks the Father to take the cup of suffering away from him (vv. 39, 42, 44).   

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and have been justified by faith (Romans 5:1). Therefore, we can freely approach him in honest prayer and with faith-filled hearts. By drawing near to and seeking him in humble prayer, we will receive a heavenly reward (Hebrews 11:6). And because our heavenly Father knows our deepest thoughts (Psalm 139:4), it is to our spiritual benefit to communicate with him honestly. Yet, we must rely on his grace, not his response. 

3. Rely on God’s grace

We have a warm invitation from the Creator of the universe to approach his throne of grace to find mercy in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). By faith, we acknowledge that God is not obligated to respond to our questions or cries—but we rely on the gift of his justifying grace to us through Christ (Romans 3:24). On this side of heaven, we may never comprehend why God acts or withholds in our lives—but we can rest in the truth that his grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

James exhorts us:

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:6-10)

4. Rely on God’s Power in Christ

When you face trials, remember God’s power and love displayed through his Son Jesus (John 3:16). Christ demonstrated and fulfilled his mission to live a sinless life (1 Peter 2:22), yet we see that he also desired relief (Luke 22:42) and felt the Father’s silence (Matthew 27:46). Through his obedience and painful suffering, Christ canceled our debts through his perfect sacrifice. The marvelous truth is that pain and death were not the end for Jesus Christ—and they are not the end for you. Our all-powerful Messiah defeated death and rose to life and glory, where all who believe in him will be also. 

We can rely on Christ’s power, which has been perfected in our weaknesses and rests upon us (2 Corinthians 12:9). Christ’s power can be more clearly demonstrated through our weaknesses when we submit to his plans. He is willing and able to accomplish even greater things than we could ever do in our own strength. Like Paul, we can say, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). 

Trusting in God’s Perfect Timing

Remember, the Lord was not ignoring Habakkuk’s or Jesus’ prayers, and he does not disregard ours either. His silence is not equal to a lack of care; he works behind the scenes, where together all things work for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). By faith, we must trust in his timing. God responds to Habakkuk’s complaints by promising, “Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay” (2:3). And in time, we will stand in awe at what he has done (Habakkuk 3:2). 

As you rely on God’s power and grace by faith, I pray that you “stand in awe” (Habakkuk 3:2) and are “utterly amazed” (Habakkuk 1:5) as you confidently proclaim alongside Habakkuk:  

Though the fig tree does not bud

and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

he enables me to tread on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NIV)

[Photo Credit: Unsplash]

Key Connections: Righteous Suffering, God’s Hometown, and more…

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Christian articles around the web, including the stuff of Christmas, righteous suffering, and even an article about God’s hometown!

On Stuff and Stinginess (Jared C. Wilson, For the Church)

For Paul and the Macedonian churches, spreading the love of God through sacrificial generosity made perfect sense. God the Father had been generous with them in his amazing love despite their rebellion. God the Son had been generous with them in his atoning substitution despite their sin. God the Spirit had been generous with them in his gifts and comfort despite their weakness. What person impacted by all that grace could turn around and be stingy toward others?

Job 29: A Righteous Suffering Servant (Josh Moody, God Centered Life)

Yet there is one who was even less deserving of the cross of pain than Job. That one was Jesus. And in Job’s suffering, we see a pale reflection of the suffering of the Son of God. Who sinned not and yet became sin for us that we might have the righteousness of God. Who did no wrong, yet was betrayed. Who was a friend of sinners, and by sinners crucified.

God Grew Up in a Forgotten Town (David Mathis, desiringGod)

How remarkable that our Lord, being fully God and perfect man, didn’t make for the big city first chance he got, or insist he dwell where all the action was. Rather, he gave nearly the entirety of his life and public ministry not grasping for Jerusalem, but humbling himself in Galilee — in a man-forsaken town called Nazareth.

Christian Sufferer, Your Lord Is Near (Paul David Tripp, Crossway)

One of the dangers of suffering is that you can fall into God-amnesia, where your suffering overwhelms your knowledge or remembrance of his presence. In those hospital rooms, in those moments of suffering, my wife simply repeated these words to me: Your Lord is near.

Was Jesus Just A Teacher? Nicodemus Once Thought So (Colin Smith, Unlocking the Bible)

How are you going to change what you desire? How will you break out of the ingrained patterns of your life? Or, how can you become a person who truly loves God from the heart? How can you become a person of clear and confident faith in all the promises of God? 

Here’s the good news: Jesus came to give what he demands. 

Was Jesus Just A Teacher? Nicodemus Once Thought So

Do you know the story of Nicodemus?  

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” (Read the full story) 

Many churches focus on what Nicodemus grasped in his conversation with Jesus as recorded in John, Chapter 3. Nicodemus seems to grasp these things: Jesus is a teacher from God. He has come to show us how to live. We are to live and to walk in the way of Jesus. We are to love God and we are to love our neighbor. And, we are to go into all the world and teach other people to do the same. 

Notice, though, that Nicodemus sees Jesus as another teacher, like Moses and the prophets, who comes from God to tell us what to do. There are many good and moral people who see Jesus in precisely this way. By itself, however, this idea misses some very important truth about Jesus and about Christianity. In this article, I want to focus on what Nicodemus, at this part of his life, did not grasp. 

The Infusion of Life from Above 

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) 

To see the kingdom of God is to live in the joy of God’s reign. In the teaching of Jesus, God’s reign is something that begins now in God’s people. It will reach its fullness when his kingdom comes in the new heaven and the new earth. 

“Unless you are born again,” Jesus says, “you will not see this!” You won’t enjoy the blessing or joy of living in the kingdom of God. If all you have is Jesus as your teacher, and a sustained attempt to follow his way, you will not see the kingdom of God!

Jesus speaks about the new birth three times in these verses. Once in John 3:3, once in John 3:7, and once in John 3:5: 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) 

‘Born again’ is interchangeable with ‘born of water and the Spirit.’  In other words, the new birth is a birth that cleanses and renews. It is an infusion of life that comes from God himself that in its very nature brings cleansing and renewal. And when this infusion of the Holy Spirit comes, you are renewed. New convictions are rooted in your mind, new desires are planted in your heart, and new capacities are given to your life. 

Do you see how far this is beyond what Nicodemus had grasped? Jesus did not come so that you would learn life; he came so that you would have life!  

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). 

The Central Message of The Scripture 

Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?” (John 3:10) 

Nicodemus had the Old Testament Scriptures, not the New. The words ‘born again’ do not occur in the Old Testament, but Jesus makes it quite clear that a person who had a proper understanding of the Old Testament should be able to grasp this teaching. Here are some verses from the Old Testament that speak to the same idea: 

“Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

“I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean… give you a new heart… put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes.” (Ezekiel 36:25-27)

In other words, Jesus is saying, “You are the teacher of Israel, and you do not understand that people come to live under the blessing of God’s rule when he gives them an infusion of new life in which they are cleansed and renewed?” 

Here is a man who knows the Bible well and yet has missed its central message. I fear that many of us may be in the same position—Bible-believing people who somehow have missed the central point. 

A true description of your life today would be that you are giving yourself to a sustained attempt at living a God-honoring life, but where is the joy? Where is the love? Where is the peace that is the evidence of life in the Holy Spirit? 

Christ Came to Give What He Demands

“How can a man be born when he is old?” (John 3:4) 

Why did Nicodemus ask this question? Because when Jesus said, “You must be born again,” Nicodemus heard these words as a demand. And because he hears what Jesus says as something he must do, he says, “How can a man be born again when he is old?” (John 3:4). 

“Jesus, you can see that I am not in my 20’s. I am a mature person. I have been shaped by my experiences and by my choices. How can I cleanse myself and make myself new at this stage of life? Jesus, what you are saying sounds like it might be good for the youth group, but it doesn’t sound realistic for a mature person like me.” 

How are you going to change what you desire? How will you break out of the ingrained patterns of your life? Or, how can you become a person who truly loves God from the heart? How can you become a person of clear and confident faith in all the promises of God? 

Here’s the good news: Jesus came to give what he demands. 

This is something that Augustine, the great bishop of the fourth-century African church, saw clearly and so he prayed:  

Command what you will, only give what you command. Lord, you can ask whatever you want of me, only you must give it too. All that I have is what I have received from you. 

How Nicodemus Responded 

Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. (John 19:39) 

Nicodemus came out into the open as a committed disciple of Jesus, in the light of the cross. In the light of Jesus being lifted up and laying down his life to give what he demands, Nicodemus says, “That’s it. I can’t stay in the shadows any longer. Whatever it may cost and whatever it may mean, I’m taking my stand with Jesus Christ. I am for him, as he is for me.” 

You cannot cause yourself to be born again, but you can ask Jesus to do for you what you cannot do for yourself. Because of what he holds in his hands, you can come to him and receive from him what he commands. 

[This article was adapted from Pastor Colin’s sermon,  When Religion Misses the Point , from his series  Meet Jesus, Part 1 ] [Photo Credit: Unsplash] 

Imposter Syndrome And The Christian Life

Have you heard of the imposter syndrome?

The imposter syndrome is the name our culture has given to the constant feeling that you do not belong to your own community or that your accomplishments are illegitimate. Far from humility, this is an irrational state of paranoia that causes us to think of ourselves more as we think less of ourselves. I sometimes experience this and maybe you do too.

I like how one writer defines it: “Impostor Syndrome is a pervasive feeling of self-doubt, insecurity, or fraudulence despite often overwhelming evidence to the contrary.” And she goes on to describe three major manifestations she has noticed of the imposter syndrome:

1.) Feeling like a fake

2.) Appealing to luck

3.) Minimizing an accomplishment

Perhaps we feel these in our work, but maybe many of us also feel the imposter syndrome in relation to our own faith and salvation. If this is you, meaning you have every reason for assurance and you still feel like an imposter, I want to show you how Christ redeems each manifestation of the imposter syndrome.

When it comes to your Christian life, do you…

… Feel Like a Fake?

When I was a graduate student, I felt like a trespasser. I wondered if the school had mistakenly accepted me. Looking at the other MA and Ph.D. students, I noticed how much they could read, how much literary theory they could recite, how many books they had on their office shelves. I was not one of them, I thought, I hope no one finds out!

Eventually, I talked to another first-year MA student whom I looked up to, and he revealed to me that he felt he was the imposter.

Do you feel like a fake or a fraud in your Christian life? Perhaps you look at other Christians and see how they keep up a daily Bible reading plan, or how they know Greek and Hebrew words, or how they display joy and sincerity seemingly all the time. Maybe you think to yourself, I am not one of them, I hope no one finds out!

If this is how you feel, remember that Paul had more “reason for confidence in the flesh” than anyone (Philippians 3:4). But he counted his outward markers of belonging “as loss for the sake of Christ” (v. 7). Why? Because it kept him from understanding that true worth and belonging is found in Christ.

What makes you a real Christian is not your own perfection, but Christ’s perfection. If you feel dismayed by your inability to match the apparent perfection of others (though no one is perfect), know that weakness does not mean you are a fake Christian! Instead “boast all the more gladly of [your] weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon [you]” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

… Think of Your Salvation as Good Luck?

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:29)

I experience a kind of imposter syndrome when I meet a Christian who lived a significant portion of their life as a non-believer. I feel like I have less to offer others than those who have “spectacular” testimonies. These believers, as I see it, have made a conscious choice to believe in God. They once did not believe, but now they believe.

These choices are highlighted by their cost. Some people have had to leave behind jobs, friends, and family to follow Jesus.

Conversely, I was born into a Christian family. I went to a Christian high school and college. I owe so much to my parents for raising me up in the Church, and for teaching me to be unashamed of the Gospel. Where was my choice in my salvation? What sacrifice have I had to make in following Christ? Was all of this just good luck?

But, of course, these questions and thoughts place me at the center. These questions imply that my works make my salvation any better or any worse. On the contrary, it is Christ’s perfect work that defines the worth of my salvation.

I am not a Christian today because I chose God, or because my family chose God for me, but I am a Christian because God chose me. And this was not random chance, nor abstract fate, nor sheer luck. God’s choice to save me, Christ’s choice to die for me, was a well-planned, intentional act of grace and love.

…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

… Doubt the Completed Work of Christ’s Atonement?

Maybe you are not so worried about whether you are a fake or a real Christian, but your imposter syndrome causes you to worry about whether you are really saved. Have I done enough?

I’m categorizing this worry into the third manifestation of the imposter syndrome, which is to minimize an accomplishment. What someone would normally mean by this is minimizing an accomplishment of one’s own. However, I also see this kind of imposter syndrome as we wonder if we have done enough to be saved. For in wondering this we live with a minimized view of Jesus’s accomplishment on the cross.

Let me scratch the surface of how much Christ accomplished for you on the cross: Jesus not only took on the penalty for all your sins (1 John 4:10) but also gave you his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21) that lives on forever as he sits at the right hand of God after his resurrection and ascension. Thus, when God sees you, Christian, he does not see a blank slate needed to be proven by good deeds. He sees the full glory and righteousness of his perfect, holy, living Son, Jesus Christ.

For those Christians who worry about their salvation, know that Christ died for all your sins. Know that Christ gave you his righteousness. And when you worry, don’t feed your worries by asking: Have I done enough? Instead, calm the storm inside you by rejoicing: Christ has done it all!

“It is finished.” (John 19:30)

Moving from Imposter Syndrome to Imitation

Therefore, the way out of the paranoia of imposter syndrome is to focus on Christ and to imitate him. Imposter syndrome paralyzes us because it focuses inward. It tells us we are not like others, and we never will be. But the Bible shows us a different way to live. A way to look outward, to Christ, and in doing so finding perfect peace for the present and future.

As quoted above, Paul notes that God “predestined us to be conformed to the image of his Son.” This verse shows us how we grow: As a part of God’s glorious plan, we are to acknowledge our difference from Christ so we can begin to conform to his image. This process acknowledges that we are not there yet. Consider also 1 Corinthians 11:1 in which Paul writes, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” And 3 John 1:11 which says, “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good.”

The message of the Bible is clear: We are not perfect but having been saved by our perfect Lord Jesus Christ we are to focus on him and to imitate him. Do you know the peace that comes from believing in Jesus Christ?

You keep him in perfect peace

whose mind is stayed on you,

because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3)

[Photo Credit: Unplash]

What Taking Up Your Cross Might Look Like Today

When Paul became a follower of Christ, one of the results was that he became a pariah among his own people. He was beaten, tortured, and persecuted. Eventually, Paul gave his life for the cause of Christ. That was what taking up his cross looked like, and he rejoiced in it. But what does the idea of “taking up your cross” mean for us today?

For most of us, that kind of cost Paul paid for following Christ isn’t anything we can conceive of. Christ said: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). So, how can we apply his words? What does it mean to take up our cross with joy in the present day? 

We Rejoice in Following Christ’s Example and Commands

He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)

When Christ died on the cross for us, he said: “it is finished.” Salvation is freely available to any who accept Christ and there’s no way to earn it. So, when you’re taking up your cross, know that you aren’t following a procedure for salvation. Rather, in response to Christ’s free gift of grace, you are following his example. That’s a blessed privilege. 

Jesus took up the cross out of obedience. He did it humbly, gladly putting God’s will and his love for God’s people above himself. That’s an example we can follow simply by delighting in being obedient to God too and choosing to humbly consider others before ourselves. 

We Don’t Live as Slaves to Sin

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:6)

The “so that” in this verse hints at one of the results of Christ-following: it makes sin powerless. Sin isn’t our master anymore. We know this, in theory, but we often live like we’re at the mercy of sin (i.e. I have to lie or…) As we abide in Christ, we are free to crucify our tendency to serve sin. 

We Turn from Godless Living to Living as God’s People

We are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God. (Titus 2:12 NLT)

Part of living like sin isn’t our boss is living like God is God. It’s natural for us, even when we know Christ, to live like God isn’t God. Sin is pleasurable. That’s why we’re urged to “turn from” this easy habit of living dependent on ourselves only.  

In this passage, Paul goes on to emphasize, “(Christ) gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds” (v. 14). We deny ourselves Godless living to live as God’s beloved people. 

We Put to Death Our Earthly Nature

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)

Some of what we sacrifice to follow Christ is stuff we don’t need (and shouldn’t want) in the first place. This list of sins represents much of what we are to deny ourselves. What a joy that in Christ we can put to death what isn’t good for us! 

We Boast in Christ, Not in Worldly Things

Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)

Whenever we think “that hurts my pride,” we ought to consider which source of pride is wounded (and thank God if our worldly pride has been humbled!).

Crucifying the world to ourselves and ourselves to the world means we don’t find anything worldly boast-worthy. Not our accomplishments, our possessions, our reputations. We stake our worth on Christ, for it is his accomplishment and his reputation that we need. Praise the Lord; He’s always worthy. 

We Focus on the Goal Despite the Cost 

“I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24)

Ultimately, what “taking up your cross” meant for Christ and many of his followers was what Paul describes in Acts 20:24: making God’s goal their goal, despite the cost. Jesus and his early disciples didn’t consider their own lives more important than testifying to the gospel. 

As the New Testament writers and the Old Testament heroes of the faith demonstrate, there is only one goal worthwhile for Christians: to follow Christ! For you and I, the costs are more probably likely to be awkwardness or tension in conversations with unbelievers, rather than angry mobs trying to silence us. 

Taking up your cross today, as in all of history, means paying whatever the price is to honor him who is most precious.  

[Photo Credit: Unsplash]

What to Do with Worry as Fathers and Husbands

Of all the commands that Jesus delivered over the course of his ministry, this one continues to elude me in practice: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25). What’s striking about this verse is that Jesus tells his listeners not to worry about food and drink and clothing. He goes right for our practical, daily needs.

Frankly, I don’t give much thought to these things for myself. The bedroom closet has more than enough to keep me covered every season. In fact, I can’t recall the last time I purchased a new shirt or pair of pants. In short, staying up-to-date with the latest fashion trends is low on my priority list. As for food and drink, this too fails to keep me up at night in lingering angst as God provides.

As a first-time parent, however, I’m unequivocally committed as a father to making sure my son has enough to eat and to wear. I want him to be happy as he approaches two. Anxieties related to parenting often come with an urge to do something. Buying more clothes, taking on more hours, finding cheaper food options. Sacrifice is good, but Jesus still calls us to rid ourselves of worry.

How are we supposed to do that? Here are three biblical ways to cast off your worries.

Remember that God is your Creator and Provider

“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (v. 27).

As parents, there is a lot to think about. We experience anxiety about work deadlines, family stress, and illnesses. These worries cause us to hustle harder throughout the day in an attempt to maximize the time between waking and sleeping. “There’s never enough time in the day,” we say with a deflated sigh as one task ends and gives way to the next.

It’s in this state of hurry that we fail to consider that God decided to perfectly order the entire rhythm of the universe, which includes Earth and its 24-hour day. (In contrast, the planet Mercury’s length of a day is 58.6 Earth days; Venus is 243 Earth days; Jupiter is only 9 hours and 55 minutes, which makes for a much shorter stint at the office!).

If God, who created all things, decided on 24 hours, then it’s enough for a day. Still, believing this truth and applying this truth are at odds for most of us. We cram stuff in at a frenzied pace. Personally, I’m still in a state of anxiety about professional aspirations. Why? If Jesus said not to worry, why do I still worry?

I suspect that we worry about stuff because of past pain. Letdowns, disappointments, setbacks, and the general belief that God didn’t provide at our time of choosing is the basis of worry that engulfs our mind. We expect breakthroughs shortly after prayers are said, and if the timing doesn’t align, there’s unease and angst about trusting God completely.

But parents, know that  God is not slow about keeping his promises (2 Peter 3:9). He is our Creator and our Provider, both for us and for our children. Therefore, accomplish much between waking and sleeping, but then set it down until the sun rises tomorrow and God grants fresh mercies (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Increase Your Faith to Decrease Your Doubt

Who else is willing to raise their hand and acknowledge a faith that feels small at times? I will be the first. Jesus gently rebuked those who wondered whether God would be faithful to feed and clothe them. Why does anxiety constantly dwell with our faith though?

External circumstances come to mind. If you recall the story of Peter walking towards Jesus on the water, he wavered after observing the imposing waves and heavy rain (Matthew 14:22-33). Peter started to sink, Jesus immediately grabbed his hand and lifted his doubtful disciple quickly: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” asked Jesus.

Peter’s brush with death causes me to think about physical safety. As a distance runner, I have to be extra vigilant about crosswalks, traffic lights, and shorter daylight as I trek through the city on foot.

As a husband, however, I worry less about myself and more about my wife. There’s rarely a day that goes by that I don’t pray for the safety of my wife—a teacher—who has to entertain regularly the thought of guns showing up in schools across the United States. The enemy is alive and well in this age, looking for someone to snatch and ensnare and destroy (1 Peter 5:8). As a father, too, I will worry about the safety and well-being of my son until I die or the Lord returns.

Overcoming these worries, however, requires little faith to become big faith. Ironically, faith is the very substance required to believe and trust in a God who’s not physically present (Hebrews 11:1). Oh, but God is trustworthy and faithful in all things that we give him in prayer!

Seek the Kingdom of God

Since God is the only one we can trust with certainty, we should seek him first. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you,” Jesus says as he closes out his message about not being anxious (Matthew 6:33). As a husband and father with a recurring proclivity for worry, seeking the kingdom of God first in this context means repeatedly returning to the cross. As often as necessary, I lay my worries down again and again and again to the Savior who faced all temptations. Who faced the enemy death, conquered it, and forsook the grip of the grave.

Peter, who once sank in the ocean and feared for his life, would later say with deep boldness, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

I don’t know if I’ll personally see this command fully realized in this life, but I can be grateful that at the renewal of all things, worry will permanently fall by the wayside. All the worries that keep us from sleeping will end as the kingdom of God arrives in its complete and radiant splendor.

[Photo Credit: Unsplash]

Key Connections: Holiness, Missionaries, and more…

Here are some of my favorite quotes from key Christian articles around the web. Including, the necessity of striving for holiness during the Christian walk, some potential misuses of social media, and maybe some things you didn’t know about C. S. Lewis:

The Call to Holiness (Josh Buice, Delivered by Grace)

Moralism can only take a person so far in life, but a pursuit of holiness is a life marked by submission to God in a joyful manner. Jerry Bridges once stated, “Holiness is nothing less than conformity to the character of God.” It must be stated, holiness is not an optional choice for the child of God. Hebrews 12:14 states, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Peter writes, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Pet. 1:14-16). Remember, holiness is not legalism. Holiness is the product of a life changed by Jesus.

Sleep With Your Boots On (Jared C. Wilson, For the Church)

When the enemy attacks our hearts, we don’t want our self-righteousness standing guard, but the breastplate of actual righteousness, Christ’s righteousness. When the enemy whispers his accusations into our ears with his forked tongue, we don’t want some trite, social media-quality daily affirmations sitting there; those would protect us about as much as cotton-ball earmuffs. But the helmet of salvation is another story. If my mind is ready with the great salvation of the gospel encasing it like a force-field of grace, I am really prepared.

The Erosion of A Distracted Mind (Bambi Moore, Revive Our Hearts)

Useless crowds of little thoughts, ideas, and amusements restrain my soul by their sheer number and can seem formidable. These are the little foxes that spoil the vine (Song 2:15). Social media, hobbies that I have wrongly prioritized, my children’s social lives, endless entertainment options, politics, and more can keep the head so jam-packed that there is no room for thoughts of God and eternity. The strength of the mind can be wasted on the trivial through unhealthy habits that slowly erode our spiritual health.

Jim Elliot Was No Fool (Tim Chester, Crossway)

Jim Elliot once said: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot had seen through the lie of consumerism. He had seen the emptiness of all this world offers. He had realized the far greater value of the new creation that God promises.

The Remarkable Story of the Vine, the Worm, and the Wind (Colin Smith, Unlocking the Bible)

God was working as much in the wind that brought affliction, pain, and distress and in the worm that brought sorrow, loss, and disappointment as he was in the vine that brought comfort, joy, and blessing.   

Salvation Comes From the Lord: What this Means for You

“Salvation comes from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9 NIV). 

Jonah is a great case study on “How to Avoid a God-Centered Life,” teaching us that it is possible, even as a mature believer, to spend much of your time avoiding the God that you serve.  

But Jonah is also a great case study on how to look to Jesus through our own sinfulness. It is a mark of Jonah’s humility that a prophet who was so remarkably used by God, gave us this honest confession of what was happening in his inner life.  

In chapter 2, Jonah really is a model for us. If I had been in a storm, thrown overboard, and then swallowed by a fish, I’m not sure I would have been singing songs of praise in that dark place!  

We might well have restrained God’s praise on account of our pain, but Jonah gives thanks because he sees God’s hand at work in his life, and he knows that God will complete the saving work that he has begun. In this chapter, Jonah says, “Salvation comes from the Lord.” I want you to see from the story of Jonah why it is so important that salvation comes from the Lord.

The Bible Talks about Salvation as… 
… A Completed Transaction  

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8 NIV). 

The Bible is full of the language of salvation as a completed transaction: “Therefore since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). It’s a done deal.  

How have I been saved? Christ died for my sins. Christ rose for my justification (Romans 4:25). And since I am made one with Christ through the bond of faith, God counts all my sin as if it were Christ’s and all Christ’s righteousness as if it were mine. The completed transaction of our salvation (the Bible calls this justification) comes from the Lord.  

… A Continuing Process

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV). 

In the New Testament salvation is not only a completed transaction, but it is also a continuing process. Your salvation has begun, but it is not yet complete. We are not yet what we will be. We still struggle with the flesh and fail in many ways. Yet you are not who you were. You have been born again. You are a new person in Jesus Christ. And you are being saved, and that process comes from the Lord.          

We see this in Jonah. He had known the Lord for many years. But sin got a hold in his life, so God disciplines him and saves him through a storm and a fish.  

Then in chapter 4, Jonah falls into sin in a different way, he becomes angry, bitter, frustrated, and God is still saving him. Salvation is more than an event. It is a lifelong process in which God is always at work to make us like Jesus. The continuing process of our salvation (the Bible calls this sanctification) comes from the Lord.  

… A Future Hope

You… are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:5 NIV). 

Our future hope of salvation comes from the Lord. The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). 

Then, in the presence of the Lord, God will make his dwelling with men. God will wipe all tears from our eyes. (Revelation 21:3-4). There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. Why? Because the old order of things has passed away and God will say “I am making everything new” (Revelation 21:5). 

Our future, final, eternal glorious salvation comes from the Lord. The Lord has saved me, is saving me, and will save me. Salvation comes from the Lord! The future of our salvation (which the Bible calls glorification) comes from the Lord. 

How does this help us to know and to believe that salvation comes, not from us, but from the Lord? Let me tell you honestly, I was a Christian for about 20 years before I came to appreciate this truth that Jonah saw so clearly. And over the last 20 years or so this truth that salvation comes from the Lord has become life-changing for me.  

The more I think about the mystery of God’s saving work in my life, the more staggering it gets. Salvation comes from the Lord!  

How Salvation Comes from the Lord

I want to speak to all those who would say “I’m not sure that I have been saved. I’m not sure I am being saved, and I’m not sure that I will be saved.” If salvation comes from the Lord, what can I do? Doesn’t that leave me without hope? It is precisely the opposite. The truth that “salvation comes from the Lord,” does not close the door for you. It opens the door of hope for you!  

How are you going to have faith? And how are you going to love God more than yourself? How are you going to overcome sin and live a holy life? How are you even going to have the desire to change? And how are you going to keep it up? Here’s the good news: Salvation comes from the Lord, not from you! 

You can’t do these things. But God can do them for you and in you. The Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross because you cannot reconcile yourself to God. He sends his Holy Spirit because you cannot give yourself spiritual life. He promises his presence and power in your life because you cannot overcome sin yourself.   

“Salvation comes from the Lord,” and when you see that, you will find hope in him. You will gather the courage to come to him and ask him to save you. I talk to folks every week who are consumed by their own inability to change. And I urge them: get your eyes off yourself and your own inability to change. Get your eyes fixed on the Lord and his ability to save—that’s what faith is.  

The Lord Saves

The Lord saved Jonah. And the Lord saved Saul of Tarsus who was an angry, violent man. His life was completely saved. The Lord has saved scores of people sitting around you. Why should he not save you? Why would you not ask him to save you as well? 

Here’s how C.H. Spurgeon ended his message on this great text: 

Everybody here has a soul to be saved or a soul to be lost. You will be lost forever unless God shall save you. Unless Christ shall have mercy on you, there is no hope for you. Down on your knees! Cry to God for mercy. Lift up your heart in prayer to God now! May this be the moment when you will be saved. You can have peace with God now. Ask, and it shall be given, seek and you will find. Come to Christ and be accepted in God’s dearly loved Son.[i]  

[This article was adapted from Pastor Colin’s sermon, “Restrain God’s Praise on Account of Your Pain,” from his series  How to Avoid a God-Centered Life ] [Photo Credit: Unsplash]
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[i] “Salvation of the Lord” by C.H. Spurgeon, Sermon #131, May 10, 1857. Adapted.
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0131.htm 

Five Words of Encouragement for Youth Pastors

I had the great privilege of serving in youth ministry (high school and college) for six years in Wheaton. And then working in campus ministry at Princeton University for another two years. All before stepping into my first senior pastor role about a year-and-a-half ago. Now, as a youth ministry “graduate” of sorts, I’m delighted to offer these five words of encouragement to youth pastors.

1.) Don’t overestimate your significance.

I got an incredibly encouraging text message the other day from a former high school student I pastored. In the message, he referenced a specific application that I had made in one of my messages–from several years ago! I mention this anecdote not to call attention to the strength of my preaching, but actually for precisely the opposite reason: this kind of thing almost never happens!

There will certainly be times when former students reach back to say thank you. To describe the impact you’ve had on their lives for Christ. But, much more often than that, students will generally move on. You will be essentially forgotten (along with those sermons and talks you worked so hard to prepare!).

I say this not to discourage you, but to help you set your expectations appropriately. And, there’s beauty in this reality as well. You, youth pastor, get to play a part in God’s work in the lives of young men and women he loves dearly. Sometimes your part is a lead role; you may get to witness a conversion or massive growth in discipleship.

Far more often, you’ll play small, supporting role in the grand work of God in students’ lives—work that involves sometimes almost countless servants who speak his Word and his Gospel faithfully.

2.) Don’t underestimate your importance.

The flip side of #1 is an encouragement not to downplay the importance of the role youth pastors have for a specific season in the lives of young people. So many of us have stories of youth leaders, Christian teachers, coaches, or mentors who entered our lives at precisely the right moment—and pointed us to Jesus.

Even young men and women who have godly parents are often encouraged in a different way by the presence of a younger adult who points them to the faith of their parents in a slightly different way, or with a slightly different “style.” It could be that you are placed by God in a particular student’s life at exactly the right moment ordained by the gracious Savior!

Don’t miss the opportunity to speak God’s Word powerfully and truthfully, remembering Isaiah’s strong reminder that the Word will not return “empty” to him (Isaiah 55:11). And, speaking of the Word…

3.) Trust the Word.

Friends, it is so tempting as youth pastors to begin putting our trust in methods, events, fun personalities, quirky games, and killer retreats to reach students for Christ. Fun events and youth leaders with cool personalities are not bad; often, God does see fit to use these methods. But, youth worker, trust the Word of God to accomplish the work of God in the students’ lives and hearts.

To put it differently, your job is to communicate God’s Word to the young men and women you serve; you can trust Scripture to do the “heavy lifting” in ministry. More than being a guru, event coordinator, or entertainer, you must see yourself as a herald of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is revealed to us in the Word of God.

Paul reminds us that it is this gospel—not anything else—that is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). So, youth pastors, teach the Bible. Point students to the Bible. Trust the Bible. Don’t depart from the Word at the very center of your youth ministry, and know that God will do his work in the way he intends.

4.) You won’t regret work toward relationships.

Because of the truths about God’s Word to which I just pointed in #3, our mantra in youth and college ministry (among the leaders) was: “The Word does the work!” We sought to place the Bible at the center of our ministry, and trust that as we taught it, explained it, applied it, and encouraged the students to read it. God would do his work in his way.

But, there was always a second phrase that we as leaders would quickly add to our little mantra: “The Word often works best in the context of deep relationships.” If there is a close second emphasis in youth ministry to the centrality of Bible teaching, it would be loving, relational pursuit of students.

My general advice to youth workers is the following: Spend less time planning events and games; Spend more time developing real relationships with students. Show up at their events, games, and concerts. Take groups of 3-4 students out for lunch and real conversation. Get to know them along with their parents. Ask them real questions about their lives and hearts. Don’t see them as cogs in your youth ministry “machine.” Instead, see them as young men and women who share in the grace of Jesus and the hope of glory. Walk with them in relationship.

5.) Adult ministry is not that different!

Finally, a word for those youth pastors who feel like they’re relegated to the “minor leagues,” serving thanklessly and faithfully in youth ministry. Here’s a secret: you’re in the major leagues already.

Yes, there are very un-glamorous parts of youth ministry that the polished senior pastor doesn’t have to deal with (those who have dealt with middle-of-the-night sickness in a cabin on a youth retreat know what I’m talking about!). But know this: you engage in life and death gospel ministry as you proclaim Christ to the students you serve. You are in the big leagues. You are accomplishing eternal work in the lives and hearts of young men and women, by God’s grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

And, here’s another secret: if you do youth ministry the right way, you’ll find (if and when God may call you into “adult” ministry) that the next step is not all that different. You’ll be teaching God’s Word. You’ll be seeking to disciple men and women after the likeness of Christ. And, you’ll be dealing with difficult and complex life situations into which you’ll speak the truths of the gospel. You’ll have wonderful moments–and very un-glamorous moments.

And you’ll rely prayerfully on the power of God the Holy Spirit to do his work, in his way, all to his glory, as you serve him and his people.

[Photo Credit: Unsplash]

How to Succeed in Your Fight for Family Devotions

One of the fiercest battles a Christian parent engages in is the war to maintain consistent family devotions. We often start strong in leading regular family devotions, but then somehow we realize it has been days, weeks, or even months since we’ve led our family spiritually. Once that realization dawns on us, the enemy is quick to condemn us as a failure so that he might discourage us to give up the fight and surrender.

Nearly everyone knows the name Alexander the Great and that he was a fierce general. But fewer know he was knocked down and injured in many a battle. Alexander received an ax to his helmet, a sword to his thigh, a missile to his chest, a rock to his head, a dart through his shoulder, and arrows on three separate occasions to the leg, ankle, and chest. When knocked to the ground in battle Alexander would get up again and resume the fight. As a result, he never lost.

So, mom or dad, do you find yourself failing in the area of family devotions? Has laziness shot his arrow through your motivation? Has a busy schedule cut off your ability to fit in family devotions? Or perhaps forgetfulness has struck a blow to your head, and although your desire to do family devotions is strong, you merely keep forgetting again and again. 

To all who have fallen hear this battle cry: Get back up and continue the fight for family devotions! A battle rages for your family and God is calling you to stand up and re-engage. And he not only calls you to do this but enables you to do so through Christ.

There is an important truth most discouraged parents have never heard. Falling isn’t failure. Solomon said it this way: “for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,” (Proverbs 24:16). So, that means if you have missed a whole year of family devotions but get back up and start again, then you have not failed. Remember that all your shortcomings have been taken on and redeemed by our Lord Jesus Christ. Through his grace and mercy, we have the ability to fight for God’s glory without feeling overburdened by our past. 

So, here are a few practical tips, meant to give you strength and confidence as you conduct family devotions, and lead your family to a biblically rooted love for Jesus Christ.

Use a Gospel-Centered Family Devotional  

God in his kindness has given us a role to play in the salvation of our children. We share the seed of the gospel with our kids and then entrust them to God who can cause that seed to sprout and grow. The Gospel is powerful and able to save.

You don’t need to wow your kids with an academic, two-inch thick study Bible that dares you to figure out where to start. You just need something that helps your kids understand the Gospel. Paul said it this way:

I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, (Romans 1:16).

Paul’s confidence didn’t rest on his ability to change people but on the powerful message of the gospel, which the Spirit of God causes to spring to life and grow in the heart of the hearer. This is why I wrote two gospel-centered family devotionals, Long Story Short and Old Story New. The gospel is deep enough to keep the oldest and wisest parents learning and growing all their lives, yet simple enough to transform the heart of the first grader who has just begun to read.

Don’t be Fantastic; Just be Faithful

Too often parents are discouraged when their presentation in family devotions feels flat. They don’t see it having an immediate impact on their kids. But God has called us to be faithful and it is he who transforms our children’s hearts. That doesn’t come by our hand.

The exciting thing to remember is that God can use even the feeblest attempt at family devotions to transform a soul. When it comes to family devotions, think faithful, not fantastic. Think of your family devotions like a drop of water falling upon a stone, one drip seems irrelevant, but faithfulness wears a hole in the rock over time. Paul writes, “neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7).

Expect Opposition  

I can remember starting a family devotion with great vision and calm only to find myself yelling at my kids for not paying attention. “Great,” I thought, “now I’m getting angry and yelling at my children for our family devotions – way to go, Dad.”

If you fall, remember you’ve got to get up. Keep going so you can say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). And, don’t be fooled into thinking your kids are not listening. They hear and absorb more than you realize. You will have good days when they engaged and participate. But, there will be other days when none of that is true—yet they still may hear what you have to say.

Choose a Good Time

Two times work well to do family devotions. One is when you gather for a meal. After dinner, before dessert works well. Place your devotional down next to where you sit at the table. Then explain to your kids that after dinner you are going to do a short devotional before having ice cream for dessert. That should give you the ten-minute hearing you need.

Another great time for family devotions is spending ten minutes with your kids at bedtime. Kids will enjoy spending those moments with you. If talking through a few questions allows them to stay up, you might find your devotions stretching into the night.

Ask God to help you

Too often as parents, we forget to engage God and try to do things in our own strength. The truth is the Holy Spirit is available to help you and guide you (Luke 12:12). Take an opportunity to read a day ahead in your devotional. Or, read the devotion you want to use with your children at dinner in the morning. Then pray and ask the Spirit of God to help you understand his Word. God will answer your prayer and give you the gift of illumination to better help you understand and apply what you read to your life and the lives of your children.

Start Today

If you’ve fallen in the battle for family devotions, remember Christ’s mercy and grace. Don’t think about yesterday, but think about today. Plan to lead your kids in family devotions. If you are wondering what you could share, start with Proverbs 24:16. Let the kids know you are going to be the righteous person who gets up again after failure. Confess your weakness, ask for their forgiveness and then pray as a family for grace. Dust off your Bible, then join in the battle. As parents, we need to fight for family devotions. Remember that what God has done for you should compel you to continue doing good works, like family devotions: 

By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

[Photo Credit: Unsplash]