Colin S. Smith's Blog, page 72

10 Practical Ways to Treasure Christ

I often look back on my day with regret. I think of the many minutes gone to waste in the form of mindless scrolls or swipes, and the hours spent with eyes glued to a screen.

A fellow youth leader posed a question to our senior high girls recently that pierced my heart: “How much time do you spend pursuing earthly things compared to time spent seeking God?”

That’s a convicting question. If we think about it for more than a minute, the Holy Spirit might just peel back the layers of our heart, exposing what we truly treasure.

What Do You Treasure?

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)

As Christians, we must ask ourselves: How much of our time is spent scrolling, practicing a hobby, watching TV, or playing video games? How often are our minds filled to the brim with these things? Is meeting with God something we check off the list, only to forget about it until our next “quiet time”?

One of the beauties of the Christian life is being free in Christ to enjoy the good things we love, to the glory of God. The problem is when these things become more to us than the Lord—when we crave them more than we long for him. We raise them up as our own little “gods,” and they begin to rule us.

Sometimes, when I awake, the first thing on my mind is checking social media. Other times, I feel propelled to tackle my to-do list. These actions reveal a heart far more interested in the happenings of the world than in the sweet words of life which my God offers in his Word.

His mercies are new every morning, and yet, we so often rob ourselves of his mercy by allowing our minds to be fixed on lesser pursuits. We forget: Blessed are those who seek him with their whole heart (Psalm 119:2).

Instead may we echo David:

Open my eyes, that I may behold

   wondrous things out of your law. (Psalm 119:18)

Seeking True Treasure

Maybe that’s just it—maybe we’ve forgotten that Scripture holds within it “wondrous things.” Glorious truths are to be found there. Have we ceased to remember the great treasure we hold in our hands? There’s encouragement for us from the Psalmist.

Your testimonies are my delight;

   they are my counselors. (Psalm 119:24)

For I find my delight in your commandments,

   which I love.

I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,

   and I will meditate on your statutes. (vv. 47-48)

If your law had not been my delight,

   I would have perished in my affliction. (v. 92)

I long for your salvation, O Lord,

   and your law is my delight. (v. 174)

In this God-exalting psalm, which focuses on the testimonies of the Lord, we find David claiming the law as his delight ten times. Surely, he was a man who treasured the Lord and his Word. How much more should we, who have the Word more fully confirmed, cling tightly to Scripture (2 Peter 1:19)?

We rob ourselves of God’s mercy by allowing our minds to be fixed on lesser pursuits.
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But many times, we don’t cling to his Word, do we? Our flesh draws our focus to objects of lesser value. But hasn’t our Savior overcome the flesh? Jesus died to sin and was raised to life, and we are united with him in both his death and resurrection (Romans 6:2-5). In uniting us to himself, he also liberated us from our bondage to sin, giving us new hearts. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

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)

Friends, because of Jesus’ work on the cross, we are free to lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and run the race set before us (Hebrews 12:1). First, let us look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, to cultivate a heart that treasures him more (v. 2). We can ask him to grow our desire to seek him through his Word and through prayer. This is a prayer he loves to answer.

11 Practical Ways to Treasure Christ

Now, I’m not advocating for spending three hours in Bible study every day (although that sounds fantastic). But there are many other things we can add to our routine to set our minds on things that are above and grow within our hearts a deep love for God and his Word (Colossians 3:2).

Below, you’ll find few suggestions to focus your mind on the Lord and develop a greater desire for seeking God in the day-to-day. These things should never replace a deep study of the Bible or prayer, but act as supplements to your regular time with the Lord.

Think about how you might implement a few this week:

Listen to sermons
Read blogs about the Lord
Listen to an audio Bible
Keep a thanksgiving journal
Write Scripture
Meet with other believers and pray together
Memorize Scripture
Pray for God to work in other believers
Listen to gospel-centered podcasts
Share with a friend what you’ve learned about God recently
Look for ways to shift conversations to the things of the Lord

May we all grow in our love for God so that we can say with David, “My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times” (Psalm 119:20). May Jesus become our ultimate treasure, above all other things. Truly, he is more precious than anything this world has to offer.

[Photo Credit: Lightstock]

RELATED POSTS:

Cultivating the Desire to Pray, Part 1
Some Real Questions About Your “Quiet Time”
12 Ways to Sit at Jesus’ Feet (When You Have Neither Quiet Nor Time)

The post 10 Practical Ways to Treasure Christ appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.

Bible Q&A: What Does It Mean for God to Be Our Father?

Question: What does it mean for God to be our Father?

Answer: Clearly this is an analogy, and analogies work by comparing something that is hard to grasp with something that is very familiar to us and that we can easily understand. God does this by comparing the relationship he seeks with us to the relationship of a father to his own son or daughter.

A Two-Way Analogy

This marvelous analogy works in two ways and both are important. The first is that you learn about being a father by looking at God. You find this in Ephesians 3:14 where Paul says, “I bow… before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.” God gives us the template of what it means to be a good father. If you want to know what a good father looks like, you will learn it from the way God deals with his children.

But in Luke 11, the analogy is being used in the opposite direction. Not only is it true that you learn about being a father by looking at God, but you learn about God by looking at what it means to be a father. “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent?” (Luke 11:11). Notice Jesus says, “What father among you…” So he is drawing our attention to our own experience of fatherhood.

Now we live in a world of very imperfect fathers, and some are clearly better than others. But our Lord is saying that even in the world of fallen fathers, who come up short in so many ways, reflecting on what a son or daughter means to a father or mother will give you some insight into what God’s children mean to him.

“Think about what your children mean to you,” Jesus is saying, “and that will give you a little window into what you mean to God.” Jesus is inviting us to reflect on our own experience of a father’s love for his son or daughter.

1. Our Father God finds joy in his children.

God has given to Karen and me the marvelous gift of two sons, Andrew and David. Some people call me pastor. Most people call me Colin. But there are two men in the world who call me Dad. They have a unique relationship with me; I have a unique relationship with them.

My two sons are a joy and a delight to me. If I have been in a meeting, and find when I come out that several people have left a text or a voicemail, and that one of them is from my son, there is no question which I will look at first – My son called!

There is a delight, a bond, an affinity, and Jesus is saying, “You have that even among you.” You can understand something of what God’s children mean to him, and you can understand this by looking at human fatherhood in this fallen world. So use that to get some sense of the joy and delight that is in the heart of God in regard to his own children.

If we go back to an earlier stage of life and think about what a younger child means to a father or mother, we get another insight. A daughter brings a painting she has done to her mother.  “It’s a horse,” she says, and the mother is glad she said this, because all she can see are a few squiggly lines!

The mother doesn’t say, “Well, this isn’t a very good horse.” She receives it with joy and puts it on the fridge! She puts it on the fridge, not because of any inherent artistic beauty, but because it was her daughter who drew it and it was drawn for her.

This will give you some insight into the love of God for you. You may wonder, Have I done anything good for God? You are his child and he views you—and all that you do—through the lens of his great love for his own children, and the Father finds joy in his children.

2. Our Father God gives generously to his children.

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. (Luke 11:13)

Jesus is speaking to fallen fathers and fallen mothers, and he is asking, “What would you not give to your own children?”   

The only limits to what you would give them are: that you would not give them what would spoil them, and you cannot give to them beyond your own capacity. But there is no limit to the capacity of God!

You are for them. You are always seeking their good. And you are always in their corner, especially when they are at their worst. They are your children.

So Jesus says, “If you fallen fathers know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts, and supremely the good gift of the Holy Spirit, to those who ask him.”

3. Our Father God lavishes love on his children.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1 NIV)

How much does a child mean to a father or to a mother? Ask any parent who has lost a child.  You can’t put it into words. In our series on grief, earlier this year, I talked about some families who had lost a son or a daughter. The pain of their loss is indescribable. If you have lost a child, you have a unique insight into the depth of love that God has for you. You are his child; he is your Father. The depth of your pain is a reflection of the strength of your love.

Who is God to you? A stranger? A power? A tyrant? Or have you come to see that in Jesus Christ he is your loving heavenly Father? Have you come to see that God delights in his children, that he gives good gifts to his children, and that he lavishes his love on his children?

This article is adapted from Pastor Colin’s daily broadcast message “Cultivating the Desire to Pray – Part 2” from the Series, Three Gifts to Transform Your Prayer Life. 
[Photo Credit: Unsplash]

RELATED POSTS:

Listen to Your Father’s Voice
7 Dimensions of the Unity of the Father and the Son—Part 1
Seven Ways Christ Is the Good Shepherd

The post Bible Q&A: What Does It Mean for God to Be Our Father? appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.

While You Wait, Do These Three Things

Genesis 37-50 tells the story of Joseph, the son of Jacob. God blessed Joseph richly and used him powerfully, but only after Joseph had been in slavery and prison for 13 years. The Bible gives us many examples of people who had to wait for God, but I have chosen Joseph because he is most like us in one very important respect: He had no specific promise from God concerning his future.

Abraham waited a long time before the Lord gave him any children. David waited some 15 years to become king of Israel. But they both had clear and specific promises from God about what would happen in their lives. For them, it was a matter of believing God’s promise. It may not be easy to keep on believing year after year, but at least it’s simple—God said this. Do I believe it, or not?

That kind of concrete word from God concerning future events is exceedingly rare. The Bible gives us many promises about God’s goodness and love toward us in general, and we should hold on to those promises and trust that he “causes all things to work together for our good” (Romans 8:28). But God has never sat next to me on the couch and said, “Joel, I am going to do such-and-such a thing in your life, so just hold on, because it’s coming soon.”

The experience of Joseph was like that. God never told Joseph that he was going to become the second most powerful man in Egypt and save the entire region from famine. Joseph had no idea, while languishing in prison, that he was perfectly situated for God’s amazing purpose in his life. He was sold into slavery by his own brothers, and then he landed in prison because of a false accusation. For 13 years, things just went from bad to worse.

And there was no assurance from God that the direction of his life was going to change. Sure, things turned around. But that was a long time to wait.

God is using this period in your life to make you more like his Son.
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Waiting is hard. Inactivity is maddening. I don’t mean lying around watching TV; I mean having no direction or purpose in life. It makes us feel like we don’t matter. Sometimes it can be crippling financially, if it involves a career that just won’t take off, and one door after another slams in your face. Then, of course, your financial woes can add a whole new layer to the struggle.

It’s easy to feel angry and betrayed, or to lose hope and give up. Some of us may feel rejected by God: “I’m trying to serve him as well as I can, but it seems like he doesn’t want me.” When things aren’t working out, when God seems silent, when life is at a standstill and every path seems like a wrong turn, what do we do?

1. Pray.

Talk to God. Plead with him, thank him, cry with him, but talk to him. A period of waiting may also be a time of preparation. We could make a long list of biblical figures who were prepared for great work through humble means: Moses, Aaron, David, Amos, Hosea, most of the apostles, and even Jesus himself. Use this time wisely. Spending more time in prayer and Scripture might be the best possible outcome of the entire situation.

2. Don’t strive.

I don’t mean you should be lazy, but if you find yourself with less time than you had while you weren’t waiting, it’s probably because you’re trying to force something to happen. Trust God. Timing is everything, and his timing is better than yours. He may actually want you to simply wait. Perhaps he just wants you to draw nearer to him. “Cease striving, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10).

3. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

You may not have foreseen your current circumstance, but God did. He is not surprised, he is not disappointed, and he does not need a Plan B. As unthinkable as it may seem, you are exactly where he has placed you.

Joseph was not in Egypt by choice, and he had no idea how God was working. The head jailer put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners (Genesis 39:21-23). Now that’s not exactly something you would brag about—“Got the promotion! I’m head prisoner in the jail!”—but the diligence and excellence he displayed there ended up being critical not only in his life, but for the lives of many others as well.

Think of Jesus as he hung on the cross. Beaten, bloody, and dying in agony—it doesn’t get much worse than that. It was the greatest evil in world history, but God used it to accomplish the greatest good. When Jesus was at his lowest point, he was right in the very heart of God’s plan for world redemption. And when he rose from the dead, he opened the way to eternal life for all who believe.

So if you are suffering right now; if you are in the middle of a circumstance that makes you feel like God has forgotten you, take heart. You are in the hands of a loving God, and you cannot yet see how he will redeem this period in your life. But he is using this period in your life to make you more like his Son.

God is not content to merely balance out evil. He does not simply counteract darkness and suffering. What Joseph’s brothers did to him was evil, but it led directly to his ability to save the lives of many people. Notice one very important thing about what the suffering of Jesus tells us: In the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he enters into death itself and transforms it. No longer the end, it is now the door to eternal life and abundant joy. The greater the evil, the greater the transformation God will accomplish.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)

[Photo Credit: Unsplash]

RELATED POSTS:

Worship in the Waiting
Five Questions to Consider As You Wait
What to Do While You’re Waiting on God

The post While You Wait, Do These Three Things appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.

Hope for When Honoring Your Parents Is Hard

Growing up, I had a good relationship with my parents. Honoring and obeying them came relatively easy. But when I hit adulthood, things got complicated.

Their divorce during my first year of marriage brought up wounds I didn’t know existed. I felt shame and anger. Honoring them became hard. For the first time, I struggled in my role as their daughter.

Thankfully, around that time, I started attending a church that helped me see how the the good news of Jesus Christ wasn’t just for my initial salvation, but for my everyday life. It could (and would!) even change the way I viewed myself as both a daughter of my Heavenly Father and of my earthly parents.

Maybe you, too, struggle in your role as a grown child. Friend, there is hope. God has adopted you, Christian, into his family and changed your name to his. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God,” John writes, “and so we are” (1 John 3:1).

God’s Word says that because we are redeemed sons and daughters of God, our roles as sons and daughters of man can also be redeemed. In particular, these five truths about what Christ has redeemed us from and to have freed me from deadly patterns of sin and led me into life-giving patterns of grace and godliness. You and I may have very different experiences, but I pray that God will use these truths to encourage, convict, and challenge your soul.

1. Christ has redeemed you from blaming your parents for your sin.

In today’s culture, we tend to blame our parents for our sin. Blaming them can make us feel better about ourselves — as though our poor choices aren’t entirely our fault. It is far easier for the cheating wife to blame her affair on her parents’ infidelity rather than her own selfish lust. Or for the domineering husband to blame his biting words on his abusive upbringing rather than his own anger and pride.

Our Savior has already been put to death for the sins of fathers and children alike.
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Make no mistake, God’s heart grieves for children who have grown up in these tragic circumstances, and he will rightly judge each and every parent for their sins (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Even so, we do not have the right to blame our parents for our sin.

The Bible is clear: “Each one shall be put to death for his own sin” (Deuteronomy 24:16, emphasis added). Thankfully, our Savior has already been put to death for the sins of fathers and children alike. And, if we confess our sins to him, he will be faithful to forgive (1 John 1:9).

2. Christ has redeemed you from shame over your parents’ sin.

Have you ever felt ashamed of your family’s history or reputation? Just as Jesus Christ frees us from blaming our parents, he also releases us from shame over their sins.

Shame can be God’s grace to us when we are caught in our own sin (2 Thessalonians 3:14), but we misplace our shame when we start to feel guilty over the sins of others. God does not look at you and see the sins of your parents, dear one. He looks at you and sees the righteousness of his son (2 Corinthians 5:21).

3. Christ has redeemed you from the fear of failing in your parents’ footsteps.

When my parents’ marriage crumbled, I became fearful for my own marriage, wondering if we were destined to walk down the same road.

But my dear husband was quick to remind me that I am a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). God himself made us one flesh (Genesis 2:24), and as long as we hold fast to Christ and each other, we have nothing to fear (2 Timothy 1:7).

While we may be more prone to certain sins because of our upbringings, we are not without help to fight them or hope to conquer them. For,

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3)

If and when we do sin, however, God is not vindictively awaiting our failures. He stands with his arms open wide, ready to pour out his love and grace in abundance towards his repentant children.

4. Christ has redeemed you to forgive your parents.

Parents may be some of the most difficult people to forgive. After all, we expect our parents to nurture and protect us, not cause us pain.  

As followers of Jesus, however, we are called to forgive our parents as Christ forgave us — freely and without limit (Ephesians 4:32).

Remember, biblical forgiveness does not excuse sin. On the contrary, forgiving your parents means releasing any bitterness you harbor towards them by confessing it to Jesus. It means releasing any pain they have caused you by entrusting that pain to Jesus. For he has paid for your sins, and carried your sorrows (Isaiah 53:4). He will mercifully carry your heavy burdens and graciously exchange them for a lighter load (Matthew 11:28-30).

5. Christ has redeemed you to honor your parents.

“Honor your father and mother” (Ephesians 6:2). It’s the fifth commandment and one of the first we teach our small children, yet we seem to forget that it applies to us grown-ups as well.

This command doesn’t come with an expiration date, but it does come with a promise: “that it might go well with you” (Ephesians 6:3).

We honor our parents because of Christ, for Christ, and through Christ alone.  
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Here’s the million-dollar question, though: how do we honor parents who have caused us undue pain? Quite simply: As Jesus did.

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). In his great mercy and love, he honored the dishonorable by making us alive with Christ, raising us up with him, and seating us with him in the heavenly places, despite our sinful state (Ephesians 2:4-6).

When we choose to honor our parents, we reflect our merciful Savior. We endeavor to honor them because of Christ, for Christ, and through Christ alone.  

Children of God

In his perfect plan, God chose a family just for you (Ephesians 3:15). For some, the parent-child relationship offers precious glimpses of our Heavenly Father’s love. For others, it makes the heart long for the day when we will be reunited with him in glory.

Whichever category you fall into, remember that you are first and foremost a child of God. It is our identity as God’s children — fully forgiven, free from blame, no longer condemned, honored and deeply loved, wholly pleasing to him — that will enable us to be godly children of man.

[Photo Credit: Lightstock]

RELATED POSTS:

Three Reasons Why Asking for Help Is Honoring to God
Parents and Children, Be Motivated by the Gospel
The Honor of Biblical Submission

The post Hope for When Honoring Your Parents Is Hard appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.

Hope for When Honoring Your Parents is Hard

Growing up, I had a good relationship with my parents. Honoring and obeying them came relatively easy. But when I hit adulthood, things got complicated.

Their divorce during my first year of marriage brought up wounds I didn’t know existed. I felt shame and anger. Honoring them became hard. For the first time, I struggled in my role as their daughter.

Thankfully, around that time, I started attending a church that helped me see how the the good news of Jesus Christ wasn’t just for my initial salvation, but for my everyday life. It could (and would!) even change the way I viewed myself as both a daughter of my Heavenly Father and of my earthly parents.

Maybe you, too, struggle in your role as a grown child. Friend, there is hope. God has adopted you, Christian, into his family and changed your name to his. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God,” John writes, “and so we are” (1 John 3:1).

God’s Word says that because we are redeemed sons and daughters of God, our roles as sons and daughters of man can also be redeemed. In particular, these five truths about what Christ has redeemed us from and to have freed me from deadly patterns of sin and led me into life-giving patterns of grace and godliness. You and I may have very different experiences, but I pray that God will use these truths to encourage, convict, and challenge your soul.

1. Christ has redeemed you from blaming your parents for your sin.

In today’s culture, we tend to blame our parents for our sin. Blaming them can make us feel better about ourselves — as though our poor choices aren’t entirely our fault. It is far easier for the cheating wife to blame her affair on her parents’ infidelity rather than her own selfish lust. Or for the domineering husband to blame his biting words on his abusive upbringing rather than his own anger and pride.

Our Savior has already been put to death for the sins of fathers and children alike.
Click To Tweet

Make no mistake, God’s heart grieves for children who have grown up in these tragic circumstances, and he will rightly judge each and every parent for their sins (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Even so, we do not have the right to blame our parents for our sin.

The Bible is clear: “Each one shall be put to death for his own sin” (Deuteronomy 24:16, emphasis added). Thankfully, our Savior has already been put to death for the sins of fathers and children alike. And, if we confess our sins to him, he will be faithful to forgive (1 John 1:9).

2. Christ has redeemed you from shame over your parents’ sin.

Have you ever felt ashamed of your family’s history or reputation? Just as Jesus Christ frees us from blaming our parents, he also releases us from shame over their sins.

Shame can be God’s grace to us when we are caught in our own sin (2 Thessalonians 3:14), but we misplace our shame when we start to feel guilty over the sins of others. God does not look at you and see the sins of your parents, dear one. He looks at you and sees the righteousness of his son (2 Corinthians 5:21).

3. Christ has redeemed you from the fear of failing in your parents’ footsteps.

When my parents’ marriage crumbled, I became fearful for my own marriage, wondering if we were destined to walk down the same road.

But my dear husband was quick to remind me that I am a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). God himself made us one flesh (Genesis 2:24), and as long as we hold fast to Christ and each other, we have nothing to fear (2 Timothy 1:7).

While we may be more prone to certain sins because of our upbringings, we are not without help to fight them or hope to conquer them. For,

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3)

If and when we do sin, however, God is not vindictively awaiting our failures. He stands with his arms open wide, ready to pour out his love and grace in abundance towards his repentant children.

4. Christ has redeemed you to forgive your parents.

Parents may be some of the most difficult people to forgive. After all, we expect our parents to nurture and protect us, not cause us pain.  

As followers of Jesus, however, we are called to forgive our parents as Christ forgave us — freely and without limit (Ephesians 4:32).

Remember, biblical forgiveness does not excuse sin. On the contrary, forgiving your parents means releasing any bitterness you harbor towards them by confessing it to Jesus. It means releasing any pain they have caused you by entrusting that pain to Jesus. For he has paid for your sins, and carried your sorrows (Isaiah 53:4). He will mercifully carry your heavy burdens and graciously exchange them for a lighter load (Matthew 11:28-30).

5. Christ has redeemed you to honor your parents.

“Honor your father and mother” (Ephesians 6:2). It’s the fifth commandment and one of the first we teach our small children, yet we seem to forget that it applies to us grown-ups as well.

This command doesn’t come with an expiration date, but it does come with a promise: “that it might go well with you” (Ephesians 6:3).

We honor our parents because of Christ, for Christ, and through Christ alone.  
Click To Tweet

Here’s the million-dollar question, though: how do we honor parents who have caused us undue pain? Quite simply: As Jesus did.

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). In his great mercy and love, he honored the dishonorable by making us alive with Christ, raising us up with him, and seating us with him in the heavenly places, despite our sinful state (Ephesians 2:4-6).

When we choose to honor our parents, we reflect our merciful Savior. We endeavor to honor them because of Christ, for Christ, and through Christ alone.  

Children of God

In his perfect plan, God chose a family just for you (Ephesians 3:15). For some, the parent-child relationship offers precious glimpses of our Heavenly Father’s love. For others, it makes the heart long for the day when we will be reunited with him in glory.

Whichever category you fall into, remember that you are first and foremost a child of God. It is our identity as God’s children — fully forgiven, free from blame, no longer condemned, honored and deeply loved, wholly pleasing to him — that will enable us to be godly children of man.

[Photo Credit: Lightstock]

RELATED POSTS:

Three Reasons Why Asking for Help Is Honoring to God
Parents and Children, Be Motivated by the Gospel
The Honor of Biblical Submission

The post Hope for When Honoring Your Parents is Hard appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.

Key Connections (June 8, 2018)

Have You Left Your First Love? (Greg Morse, Desiring God)

But the haunting question God asked his spiritually callous people shoots down all my excuses, “What wrong did you find in me that you went far from me?” (see Jeremiah 2:5). When we find ourselves far from God, he is never the one to blame.

Helping Children See Christ in Scripture (Nana Dolce, Risen Motherhood)

Translating Bible passages into behavior instructions might help kids to prize certain traits and values, but this kind of teaching will miss the intention of the scriptures themselves—which is to testify of Christ. Bible lessons devoid of Jesus might inadvertently present Christianity as some kind of “moralistic deism”—a belief in a god who is primarily interested in good behavior and effort.

The Fullness of Joy (R.C. Sproul, Ligonier Ministries)

He [God] distinguishes between His joy and our joy, and expresses the desire that our joy should be full: “And that your joy may be full.” Isn’t that what we want? We do not want a partial cup of the fruit of the Spirit. We do not want just a little bit of joy. We want all of the joy that the Father has stored up for His people. That fullness of joy comes from Christ.

Reading This Article Will Make You Deeply Uncomfortable (Stephen Um, The Good Book Blog)

If we all obeyed this command on Sunday mornings our churches would empty out. God is essentially saying, The sacrifice can wait. But this absolutely cannot wait. You can’t neatly compartmentalize your vertical relationship with me from your horizontal relationships with others.

Our Only Boast: a 3-Part Plan to Brag in Christ (Anthony Kidd, The Master’s Seminary Blog)

Christ is the performer of our salvation. To add any works, even good works, to our justification, as though that’s the merit by which we gain acceptance from God, makes it a different gospel.

How to Intentionally Communicate the Gospel to Your Kids (Angie Ryg, Unlocking the Bible)

So read God’s Word to your kids — both encouraging verses, and those that show our sin and our need for forgiveness. Without knowing Scripture (the law) and the depth of our sin, they will not realize their need for the Savior (Romans 3:20).

The post Key Connections (June 8, 2018) appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.

Five Steps to Take On Every Page of Your Bible

Sometimes I forget that the Bible is not a textbook. The thousands of books written to help us interpret the Bible, like commentaries, dictionaries, and resources on systematic theology and hermeneutics, will never be as powerful as the Word of God.

Scripture is a treasure of inspired, inerrant truth recorded so we will understand the love of God and his redemption story and, with that knowledge, enter a saving relationship by his grace through faith in Jesus Christ. But that’s only the starting point. As we grow, the Bible will lead us into more intimate relationship with Christ and teach us God’s way to live in the world.

The following are five steps to take as you seek the Lord on every page of your Bible.

Pray for the Holy Spirit’s Guidance

Jesus promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit would be given to them as their counselor, teacher, and guide. Therefore, we can depend on the gift of the Spirit while we read, interpret, and apply God’s Word.

When I began to study the Bible, my interpretations were not always theologically correct. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit still graciously taught me, even when my understanding was not perfectly accurate.

The process by which my theology improved was continued Bible study and the influence of pastors, other Christians, and written resources. This growth takes time, but when the Holy Spirit is at work, he will lead you to appropriate understanding and resources.

The Bible is God’s Word to you. If you get assistance from others too quickly, your perception might be colored by the “answer” before you’ve had a chance to ponder it under the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Commentaries and other resources are tremendously valuable—but don’t let them take the place of spending time in Scripture with the Spirit.

Remember God Is the Main Character

God’s Word is about God. He created the world, as told on its first pages, and he will recreate and restore it. Every word in between provides knowledge of the power, heart, law, grace, judgment, kindness, and mercy of God in his redemption story.

We may think Abraham is the focus of the first half of Genesis, but Abraham is fascinating because he believed God so completely. God was the initiator and power behind the stories of Genesis, and Abraham simply followed him in trust. In Exodus, Moses is the central human character, but once again, God is the architect of events. And so on.

When I look for guidance in the Bible, I remind myself that the Bible isn’t a self-help book; it’s not about me. It will always direct my thoughts to God, not to myself, and will send my gaze upward instead of outward. It may lead me in directions contrary to what conventional wisdom would suggest. It reminds me that when I am weak, then I am strong in God.

Look for Jesus

The Old Testament causes us to long for a Savior who will deliver us from sin. It does this by showing us the painful results of offenses of all kinds, often played out in unforgettable stories. Those stories contain moments of greatness, when biblical heroes depended on God, but they also don’t hesitate to tell of their failures, big and small.

The New Testament introduces us to Jesus Christ in the Gospels, records the beginnings of the early church in Acts, and gives us insight into the growing theology and instruction of apostles through letters to several of those churches. Finally, the end of the story is written for us in Revelation.

Once we truly grasp the message of the ‘New Testament,’ it is impossible to read the ‘Old Testament’ again without seeing Christ on every page, in every story, foreshadowed or anticipated in every event and narrative. (Michael Horton)

The resurrected Jesus took a walk to Emmaus with two of his disciples. They were kept from recognizing him, so “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). (I would’ve loved to be part of that conversation!) Jesus was proclaiming that all the Scriptures prophesied, pointed to, and promised Jesus.

Look for him on every page.

Apply Truth to Your Life

Sometimes I take my biblical knowledge for granted or, conversely, I become prideful and want to apply what I read to other people’s lives. It’s human nature to want to fix everyone else before we apply Scripture to ourselves, but this is not God’s desire for us.

Psalm 119 is a meditation on the wonder of God’s Word. The writer pours out his love, victories, and struggles, and demonstrates his reliance on God’s Word. Scripture sets his mind, heart, and agenda. It is a very personal psalm.

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. (v. 97)

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (v. 105)

Every stanza of this beautiful psalm sings the benefits of God’s Word. At times the psalmist asks for teaching, understanding, and direction; at other times he proclaims his obedience, longing, and hope; and throughout he professes his dependence on God’s Word.

It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve read the Bible, or how many passages I’ve memorized, or what I think about someone else’s understanding of Scripture—what’s important is that I’m pursuing a life-giving, growing, intimate, and transformative relationship with Jesus Christ.

Remember the Cross

It is possible to possess a vast knowledge of God’s Word, but lose track of God’s heart.

The heart of God was most clearly expressed at the cross when Jesus died the death that we deserve. Why would Jesus do such a thing? The astonishing truth is that he loves us. He knew we didn’t have a chance of meeting God’s perfect standards on our own, so Jesus willingly endured the penalty for our sins.

Revelation tells us that the first century church in Ephesus forgot to love him. Jesus told the Ephesian church they had worked hard, persevered, did not tolerate wickedness, tested apostles’ claims, and endured hardship for his name. But—

Then Jesus said,

I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. (2:4)

Gulp. I don’t want to be vulnerable to the charge of pridefully forsaking the love of God, even if I think I am upholding his Word. Jesus urged the Ephesian church to remember God’s love, to repent of their sins, and to rethink their motivation for ministry. That sounds like wisdom for all of us.

May our motivation in reading Scripture be love for God, gratitude for Jesus’ saving work at the cross, and dependence upon his Holy Spirit. We can cry out to God and ask him for more of these as we open our Bibles, trusting he’ll supply as we seek him on every page.

[Photo Credit: Lightstock]

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Can I Lose My Salvation?

Video Transcript:

Last week, we looked at the promise of Jesus: “My sheep… will never perish” (John 10:27-28). That’s what Jesus said, “My sheep will never perish. They will have a faith that lasts.” Here’s what that means:

Those who are truly Christ’s sheep (and turn away) will come back.

They may be gone for a long time. They may be gone a long way, but if they are Christ’s sheep, they will come back. They must! Nothing is surer. True faith lasts, and Jesus will never lose one of his own.

The great example of this is Peter, who denied Jesus with cursing. If you had heard him on that night, you would have said, “He’s gone. He can’t ever come back from this! There’s no hope for him — speaking like that about Jesus!” But Peter repented and he was wonderfully restored, showing that he truly was one of Christ’s sheep.

Those who turn away (and do not come back) were never truly Christ’s sheep.

The profile and the position of these people is set out for us in Hebrews 6.

I know that some Christians believe that a person who truly belongs to Jesus Christ can lose their salvation, and they will point to this passage in support of that belief.

But here is the problem: All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and it is all the Word of that one God, so we must always interpret Scripture in the light of Scripture. And we must never understand what God says in one place in a way that would contradict what he says in another place.

Our Lord Jesus said, “My sheep…will never perish” (John 10:27-28), so Hebrews 6 cannot mean that some of his sheep will perish.
The Scripture tells us plainly that nothing can separate God’s people from his love (Romans 8:35-39), so Hebrews 6 cannot mean that some things will separate his people from his love.
The Scripture says that God who began a good work in his people will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6), so Hebrews 6 cannot mean that in some cases, God will abandon a saving work he has begun.

I want to suggest to you that these verses in Hebrews 6 teach a very important principle that runs right across the New Testament: It is possible to have spiritual experience that is not saving experience, and to be in this position is to be in the greatest spiritual danger.

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How to Intentionally Communicate the Gospel to Your Kids

Some say it’s not the quantity of time with your kids that matters, but the quality. God calls parents to be intentional about the quality of time we spend with our kids, with every bit of quantity we have. Colossians 3:23-24 tells us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

We must recognize we are on holy ground even when we are in a car, at the dinner table, or walking the dog.

Once in a while, God allows me to see an answered prayer, when in a conversation, or in the testing of my child’s faith, I see them turn to God’s Word for answers. Occasionally he allows us to see the “A-ha” moments, the breakthroughs, the answered prayers, and the brokenness that brings transformation in the hearts of our children and ourselves.

But we know that God is always working. I have faith in the promise that God has started a good work in me and my children who profess faith in Christ, and he will “bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

Do you also desire to daily communicate the gospel to each of your children, wherever you are?

Here are three intentional habits to do so:

How to Intentionally Communicate the Gospel to Your Kids
1. Saturate them with the Word of God.

God tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

I drive my kids home from school almost every day. The short ride is a time where I can not only ask about the “highs” and “lows” of school, but also share Scripture with them. Here are some examples:

When I talk to them about why there are four main types of clouds, I remind them that, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
I can share God’s truth that although the day may bring unexpected bumps, God is unchanging (Malachi 3:6).
When my children share the difficulties of living set apart for Christ, I can share that just as Abraham walked up the path to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22), we need to follow God’s commands — even when they go against what the crowd might be telling us to do.

These are opportunities to remind my kids of God’s command to not only be hearers of the Word but also doers — “to love him and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws, and his commands always”, knowing they will be blessed (Deuteronomy 11:1 NIV, Luke 11:28).

So read God’s Word to your kids — both encouraging verses, and those that show our sin and our need for forgiveness. Without knowing Scripture (the law) and the depth of our sin, they will not realize their need for the Savior (Romans 3:20).

Here are some practical ideas for how to do this:

You can read Scripture to them at bedtime, dinnertime, or even in the morning. It can be a special time where they hear God’s Word even if they can read it on their own.  
You can write encouraging Bible verses on their mirror or pack a short verse in their lunch.
You can talk about the message on Sunday after church, and talk about the passage used and how it applies to their lives.

2. Pray Scripture for them daily.

Like exercising, I need to pray for my kids more often than just when I feel like it. I need to do it daily, knowing that God commands us to pray and blesses us for it (Matthew 7:11).

There is power in intentional prayer. The Lord comes near to those who pray:

The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. (Psalm 145:18)

In Isaiah 55:11 God says that his Word “shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” So that is what I pray over my children — his Word. I pray for their awareness of their need for Jesus Christ, for his salvation from sin in their lives. I pray that they will daily die to themselves and take up their crosses for the glory of the Lord (Luke 9:23).

Let us not grow weary in praying for our children. Let us not grow faint, but every day put prayer into our schedules. Here are some practical suggestions for how to do this:

Write specific prayers down for each child and then record your praises when God answers them!
Pick specific verses for each child for the year. Pray that verse over him or her every day.  

3. Bring them to church.

Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us that going to church is not optional. It’s God’s command for us:

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

And yet, we need to also remember it’s not just the act of bringing our kids to church that is important, but also the attitude with which we bring them. I and my husband have the responsibility to communicate that church is a treasure — a privilege that we are able to enjoy every week. Noel Piper says,

The greatest stumbling block for children in worship is that their parents do not cherish the hour. Children can feel the difference between duty and delight. Therefore, the first and most important job of a parent is to fall in love with the worship of God. You can’t impart what you don’t possess. (desiringgod.com)

Reminders of Grace

Being intentional takes time, planning, and discipline, but in the end, this investment will not only bless our children, but us as well. As we recite God’s truth, pray his Word for our children, and bring them to church, we are reminding our children of the beautiful gift of amazing grace.

For Jesus Christ came to give us new life in himself. He is Lord over every moment of our lives. As we read his Word, we see how far we are from living as we ought because of our sin, and we realize we are in desperate need of his salvation. But we also grow in knowing our great Savior. For he came to free us from sin and give us real hope: the hope of living by the power of the Holy Spirit, and the hope of a life in eternity with him.

Each day as we seek his help through prayer to live for him, and worship with his people, he sanctifies us. He works to deepen our faith in him and our love for him. God has instructed us to practice these habits and he promises by the Holy Spirit to continue to work in our children and in us.

Time spent pursuing these habits will be wisely used, no matter the quantity.

[Photo Credit: Lightstock]

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Five Ways the Armor of God Protects Us Against the Enemy

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation… (Ephesians 6:14-17)

A good basketball defense takes into account the tactics and strengths of the other team’s offense. If they have good three-point shooters, your team will want to guard them more closely around the three-point line. If they have a player who excels in driving to the hoop, you will guard him extra carefully when he has the ball and can dart down the lane to score.

In a similar way, the enemy of our souls has certain tactics that he uses to knock us down in our spiritual battle.

But God knows exactly what tactics the enemy uses and gives us all of the right pieces of armor we need to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ.

God knows the tactics of the enemy and gives us what we need to be good soldiers of Jesus.
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The following is a short description of five pieces in the armor of God and how each one protects and arms us against the enemy:

1. The belt of truth renews our minds in Scripture.

Satan seeks to deceive us, causing us to believe lies about God, the world, and ourselves. We put on the belt of truth by renewing our minds in God’s truth, meaning we bring the truth of Scripture to mind when confronted with lies. This was how Jesus confronted Satan while he was tempted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). As we fasten on the belt of truth by continually filling our minds and hearts with Scripture, we tie down the loose clothing of deception to keep it from hindering us in the battle.

2. The breastplate of righteousness shields us from sin.

Satan wants us to compromise the truth by giving into unrighteous living. We are to be unshakable and uncompromising in our moral lives: “Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). When Christians live out their identity as the holy people of God, they become even more Christ-like, thus avoiding the trap of the enemy.

3. The shoes of the gospel of peace lead us to share Christ.

The enemy hates when Christians preach the gospel to others because it advances the kingdom of God and glorifies Jesus Christ. Instead of putting on the gospel of peace as shoes, he would rather have Christians be barefoot or in slippers—not venturing outside of what is comfortable to share the good news of Christ. The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). It brings peace with God to the believer (Romans 5:1) and should be heralded at all times.

4. The shield of faith protects us with God’s promises.

This protective weapon helps us “extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). The enemy constantly seeks to attack us by shooting arrows of doubt, temptation, and deception into our hearts and minds, causing us to fall and act faithlessly. By exercising our faith and remembering the promises of God, we are able to take up this all-important shield and defend ourselves against Satan.

5. The helmet of salvation gives us confidence in Christ.

The last defensive piece of the armor describes how our eternal hope in Christ empowers us in the battle. We can be tempted to doubt our salvation or worth in God’s eyes, but we must remember that we are eternally secure in the Savior’s arms and can enter the battle confident of the outcome. He has already won! Our boldness and confidence stem from the salvation Christ gained for us through his death and resurrection.

[Photo Credit: Lightstock]

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