The Reason for Christ
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe... Romans 3:21-22 NIV
I have written several times about the reason for Christ. In some cases I have railed against the idea that Christ came for us to selfishly acquire riches. But if you have been blessed with abundance, you should honor the Lord with your wealth (Proverbs 3:9). Furthermore, if I have ever said that Christ came to make us good, then please forgive me for this grievous error. I have observed that even with Christ in my life, I am only mildly good; if there is such a thing. But the Bible reminds me that good (or mildly good) is only a fallacy of an arrogant mind. No one is good except God (Matthew 19:17).
So the call to follow Christ is neither an opportunity to gain wealth nor a chance to achieve superior morality. Bonhoeffer said that Christ calls us so that we may no longer be the wicked or the good, but to be the justified and sanctified.
First and foremost, Christ came to reconcile, justify and to save. And for this ministry of Christ, I am most grateful indeed. The Law does not make us a part of God’s family, nor does perceived goodness, but only the blood of Christ.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
Family
Family
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:10 NIV
I have been driving Honda Accords since the late 1980's. I have gotten used to the slumberous and numb handling of my Honda. But one day my brother Jerome loaned me his BMW 5 series. It was exhilarating! For starters it was ten times more powerful than my Honda. It handled the way a car should. And as much as I enjoyed driving the “Ultimate Driving Machine”, I couldn’t wait to return it. I drove it about 3 blocks and I started getting paranoid. All I could think about was returning it to its owner, unharmed. I respected the owner and more than anything else, I did not want to abuse his trust. I wanted to return his property exactly how it was given to me. I wonder if we have been as careful with the people of God as I was with Jerome's BMW?
I don't think we should be as nervous around other believers as I was behind the wheel of the Beamer. I don't think we should walk on proverbial egg shells around other believers either. We should be free to be ourselves around each other. We have to be willing to humbly accept and give correction, otherwise, how will we be able to sharpen each other (Proverbs 27:17)? And we should be cognizant that we have to bear each others troubles (Galatians 6:2). And shouldn’t we forgive each other as God always forgives us (Colossians 3:13)?
I think we should handle our brothers and sisters in the faith with care. We should treat them with grace, as we are recipients of that same godly grace. Let every word and act be tempered with love. Our love for each other will act as a sign to others that we belong to Christ (John 13:34). God has loaned me every brother and sister in “the Faith”. They are the sole property of God our Father. And as I deal with my faith-siblings, I need to consider whether I am going to return them to the father in good condition or if I have caused dents, scratches and damages.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:10 NIV
I have been driving Honda Accords since the late 1980's. I have gotten used to the slumberous and numb handling of my Honda. But one day my brother Jerome loaned me his BMW 5 series. It was exhilarating! For starters it was ten times more powerful than my Honda. It handled the way a car should. And as much as I enjoyed driving the “Ultimate Driving Machine”, I couldn’t wait to return it. I drove it about 3 blocks and I started getting paranoid. All I could think about was returning it to its owner, unharmed. I respected the owner and more than anything else, I did not want to abuse his trust. I wanted to return his property exactly how it was given to me. I wonder if we have been as careful with the people of God as I was with Jerome's BMW?
I don't think we should be as nervous around other believers as I was behind the wheel of the Beamer. I don't think we should walk on proverbial egg shells around other believers either. We should be free to be ourselves around each other. We have to be willing to humbly accept and give correction, otherwise, how will we be able to sharpen each other (Proverbs 27:17)? And we should be cognizant that we have to bear each others troubles (Galatians 6:2). And shouldn’t we forgive each other as God always forgives us (Colossians 3:13)?
I think we should handle our brothers and sisters in the faith with care. We should treat them with grace, as we are recipients of that same godly grace. Let every word and act be tempered with love. Our love for each other will act as a sign to others that we belong to Christ (John 13:34). God has loaned me every brother and sister in “the Faith”. They are the sole property of God our Father. And as I deal with my faith-siblings, I need to consider whether I am going to return them to the father in good condition or if I have caused dents, scratches and damages.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Praise God!
Praise God!
The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior!
2 Samuel 22:47 NIV
Some years ago I surveyed several Christians with the question; “What area of your faith walk would you like to learn more about?” Hands down, the answer was “prayer”. And, that answer bewilders me. I have observed that when life gets tough, believers get on their knees and seek God with immense fervency. I have experienced the strength of their prayers when they have interceded on my behalf. They don’t need additional training about prayer. These people know how to call upon the Lord.
I have prayed in front of congregations of varying denominations and in small groups. I have interceded for others in private and on street corners. Prayer has yet to be an issue for me either. But praise... well for some reason, I am just now coming to the realization that praise is incredibly important and far too often overlooked. You really can't have a thriving prayer life and ignore praise.
The thing I have to remember is that no matter the ups and downs, one should always worship the Lord. And if you have trouble finding a reason to praise God, start at the beginning of your faith-life. The beginning is the cross-work of Christ. For me, the cross is not only what compels me to keep following God, but it is a source of praise and extreme gratitude. As long as the Lord gives me breath, His praise will always be on my lips (Psalm 34:1).
The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior!
2 Samuel 22:47 NIV
Some years ago I surveyed several Christians with the question; “What area of your faith walk would you like to learn more about?” Hands down, the answer was “prayer”. And, that answer bewilders me. I have observed that when life gets tough, believers get on their knees and seek God with immense fervency. I have experienced the strength of their prayers when they have interceded on my behalf. They don’t need additional training about prayer. These people know how to call upon the Lord.
I have prayed in front of congregations of varying denominations and in small groups. I have interceded for others in private and on street corners. Prayer has yet to be an issue for me either. But praise... well for some reason, I am just now coming to the realization that praise is incredibly important and far too often overlooked. You really can't have a thriving prayer life and ignore praise.
The thing I have to remember is that no matter the ups and downs, one should always worship the Lord. And if you have trouble finding a reason to praise God, start at the beginning of your faith-life. The beginning is the cross-work of Christ. For me, the cross is not only what compels me to keep following God, but it is a source of praise and extreme gratitude. As long as the Lord gives me breath, His praise will always be on my lips (Psalm 34:1).
Sunday, January 6, 2013
New Every Morning
New Every Morning
I work with a person that has a habit of giving the rest of us weekly warnings. About two out of five days each week she says, “I am letting all of you know… I am in a bad mood today. So if I yell at you, you’ve been warned.” Most of the time, we ignore her warnings because she is miserable on the other three days of the week too. And I hate to admit it, but I used to be the same way. That is, I used to be like that until I found inspiration in the scriptures.
I confess that everyday is not perfect for me either. But I find that I am able to successfully face the challenges of the day as long as I invite God to be a part of it. I literally start the day with three words, “Good morning Father.” In Lamentations 3:23 it says, great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning (NLT). I awake each morning with the understanding that the failures and pitfalls of yesterday have expired. I can’t allow those things to follow me into the next day. Even if I was capable of maxing out the capacity of God’s faithfulness and mercy, both have been sufficiently refilled for today. It is always an amazing encouragement to me to know that I am not bound by yesterday’s failures. Every morning is a new and fantastic opportunity for embracing God’s ways, seeking forgiveness, pursuing a close relationship with God and enjoying the day that the Lord has placed in front of me. When I start my day with God in mind, I think I am putting everything in its proper position. If you place God first, and live righteously, He will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33).
I work with a person that has a habit of giving the rest of us weekly warnings. About two out of five days each week she says, “I am letting all of you know… I am in a bad mood today. So if I yell at you, you’ve been warned.” Most of the time, we ignore her warnings because she is miserable on the other three days of the week too. And I hate to admit it, but I used to be the same way. That is, I used to be like that until I found inspiration in the scriptures.
I confess that everyday is not perfect for me either. But I find that I am able to successfully face the challenges of the day as long as I invite God to be a part of it. I literally start the day with three words, “Good morning Father.” In Lamentations 3:23 it says, great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning (NLT). I awake each morning with the understanding that the failures and pitfalls of yesterday have expired. I can’t allow those things to follow me into the next day. Even if I was capable of maxing out the capacity of God’s faithfulness and mercy, both have been sufficiently refilled for today. It is always an amazing encouragement to me to know that I am not bound by yesterday’s failures. Every morning is a new and fantastic opportunity for embracing God’s ways, seeking forgiveness, pursuing a close relationship with God and enjoying the day that the Lord has placed in front of me. When I start my day with God in mind, I think I am putting everything in its proper position. If you place God first, and live righteously, He will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33).
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