The Battle is the Lord’s (1 Samuel 17:46-47)

This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand…and I will give the dead bodies of the hosts of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and the wild beasts…that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel and that all…may know that the battle is the Lords.

 

What a phenomenal man was David!  Out to the battlefield goes our shepherd to face the seasoned giant warrior with the faith in God that can move mountains.  His trust in the almighty to battle this giant gives us some key truths that are lacking in many believers and the church today. 

1. We battle so that people will know that there is a God in our lives. No matter the battle friends, we battle so that “all the earth will know that there is a God in…” us and our churches.  As Goliath comes against the armies of God, David is outraged that he would dare to defy the armies of God.  David’s main concern is not for Israel, it armies, his brothers, king Saul, or any other earthly thing; but rather his concern is that this army of heathen and the army of Israel seem to have no understanding that there is a God in Israel and that He is the one who battles for them. 

Christian, God battles for you!  The battle belongs to Him so that people will know that there is a God in your life.  Have you become content with sin in your life, thinking that there is no victory?  Friend this should not be!  God wants victory but He wants to bring it to you in a way that shows His glory in your life.  Christians, let’s fight sin and those things that hinder the gospel so that people will know that there is a God among us!

2. We have confidence in God’s deliverance when His glory is on the line.  This is a tough idea, but in this situation you can see how the nature and character of God are on the line.  Israel, God’s representative people, are cowering in fear.  What does this show about God?  David understand this, and approaches the man of Gath with confidence knowing the Lord will vindicate His name.  Notice that none of what David does is about Him, but it all about God. 

Friends, when we take up a battle for God’s glory and to further the greatness of His name, we can have confidence in victory in battle.  I must warn us all, that victory does not always come in the manner we would desire.  Not all get to take the head off of the giant that stands before them.  However, even steady growth in faithfulness to God in reading His word, prayer, and devotional time; help us to slay the giants of laziness, and worship of comfort. 

So I ask friends, what are your giants?  Are you fighting them so that all will know that there is a God with you?  What does you current reaction to the situation say about the nature and character of God?  Friends, fight the fight of faith in your life!  The battle is the Lords and He should be seen in your life!

Joyful New Year in Christ!

The Gospel and Church Membership

“I don’t have to be a member of a church to be a Christian,” she said.  “I mean, it’s all about politics anyway!  There was no church membership in Jesus’ day.”  These are the words of a lady I talked to  not long ago about covenanting with the body God has called me to shepherd.  It is sad so many people have taken this view of church membership.  It is even sadder that churches have allowed, and at times, given shape to this thought of church membership.  Are these statements true, and if they are true; should they be true?  That is heart of this post.

IS IT TRUE THAT YOU CAN BE SAVED AND NOT BE A MEMBER OF A CHURCH?

It is true that one can experience new birth and not be a member of a church.  I do not want anyone to think I am putting forth the notion that one must be a member of a church to be saved.  However, I would be so bold as to say, church membership is an excellent way to reflect your salvation.  Let me explain.  One large aspect of salvation is the doctrine of adoption (Romans 8).  We have been taken from the orphanage of sin and have been transferred to the family of God.  Whereas, before salvation we were orphans with no parents at all; now we are called “sons” and “daughters.”  We have a new family, a spiritual family with every believer as our brothers and sisters and God as our Father.  Whether I am a member of a church or not, this can be true of me.  However, what better way to show that this has occurred than to affirm that local gathering of believers is my spiritual family.  I affirm this by becoming of member of this family and covenanting to act as a family member.  This is why a well thought through and spelled out church covenant is so important.  A group of people, part of the church universal, gathering together to form a local church by covenanting together to walk by the gospel in every area of life.  So, you do not have to be a member to be a Christian, but if you are a Christian this a great, biblically implied way to demonstrate your salvation to the world.  

IS CHURCH MEMBERSHIP MORE THAN JUST POLITICS?

So what is church membership?  It is a Christian, out of love for God and for the family God has brought together (John 13:35), covenanting to walk holy with a local body of believers and be faithful to what the Bibles says I should do in relationship to other members of the family of God.  So, as a member and pastor, I covenant with the local church to walk in faith and repentance, and encourage others to do the same.  All actions can occur outside of this covenant.  I can give, serve, and vote (in some churches) without making this covenant.  However, church membership is not about what I do, but rather about what Christ did for me and sharing that with others.  He brought me into His family and so I want to join with my brothers and sisters in Christ and covenant with them to walk holy, to walk arm in arm, and come along side the weak and wounded from the battle.  Perhaps you think that you do not have to become a member to do make such a covenant.  I can again agree with you.  My question would be why?  I would contend that all reasons we give to not join a church are founded in a misunderstanding of God’s love and ultimately the gospel.  Consider the following:

1. I HAVE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST

I mourn over the churches and leaders who have acted sinfully and turned people away from wanting to become members.  I am frightened and prayerful for all those who lead churches, for this is a serious task for which we will be judged.  However, I would say that a bad past experience is not a reason to avoid joining a church.  First, it takes another churches fault out on the current body you are in.  I mean most people say, “I will not join because the last church I was in…”  So a person can actually punish one church for another churches actions.  Brothers and sisters, this should not be. Would we punish one child for the disobedience of the other? 

2. I DO NOT WANT TO SUBMITT TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN CHRIST, AND THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH ARE JUST SINFUL MEN

This is a great statement that just has some baggage to it.  I find that there should be no distinction in submission to the church and submission to Christ.  If the church is putting undue restraints on believers it should seek biblical mandates.  Much like we do not say, “I will only read the words of the Jesus, because all the other books were written by sinful men.”  We should not cast down church leadership because men are sinful.  So, the two points that I would make are: 1) A church should organize membership in such a way that does place undue burdens on its people; but rather makes it a joy to submit to her as in submitting to Christ Himself.  See the picture of marriage in Ephesians 5 and know that Paul is talking about the church in this passage.  2) We should not cast off leadership because they are sinful, as long as they are repentant sinners.  This brings out a good point.  All men sin.  However, all men do not repent.  All leaders sin.  However, all leaders do not repent.  Ask yourself this question: Do you struggle because church leaders sin, or because they sin and do not repent?  There is a huge difference!  Church leaders that sin, yet repent and seek the face of God for direction and grace, are a blessing to the church.  It is leaders like this that I want God to raise up in every church across the world.  Perhaps you can be one of those leaders! 

3. I WILL NOT BECOME A MEMBER BECAUSE THE CHURCH MIGHT DO SOMETHING I DON’T LIKE.

We must check our hearts on this issue.  My concern with this argument is the lack of love it shows to the other members of Christ’s body.  In other words, I recognize that this church could go down the wrong road if God does not stay at the center.  However, I am not willing to help keep God at the center by uniting myself to and living a holy life in front of, this body.  Membership is like becoming a member of a family.  One thing is for sure; if we do not become a member, there is nothing we can do to stop a church from going down the wrong road because we have kept ourselves at a distance. 

CHURCH DISCIPLINE MAKES ALL THE SENSE IN WORLD WHEN WE USE THE FAMILY ANALOGY

Doesn’t church discipline make so much more sense when we use this thought process?  Just like there is discipline in our earthly families, we have it in our spiritual families as well.  The difference is, when we become a member of a church we are saying that we have been adopted by Christ.  So, church discipline is all about bringing people to a place where they realize that their behavior is not consistent with one who has been adopted.  So I confront gossip because sons and daughters of God do not gossip.  I encourage faith, because sons and daughters of God have faith.  I demonstrate and encourage love, because the sons and daughters of God actively love. 

You do not have to be a member of a church to be a Christian, but you will never be all God intends you to be apart from a local church.  It is God’s divine means through which to make His people ready for the day of worship when there will be a multitude from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.  May we all press on to the day when we worship our Father as a family for all eternity!  Seek God in His Word while He may be found. 

God tells Israel to Destroy the Amalekites 1 Samuel 15:1-3

There are many who struggle with this passage, and understandably so.  It is a view of God in Western American culture that makes us quite uncomfortable.  As a Christian who finds total joy in the nature and character of God, I find joy and comfort in this passage for several reasons. 

1. God is actually bringing justice upon the wickedness of these people, and He has given them about 430 years to repent of their sin.  In Genesis 15:13-16 we find God telling Abraham that He is waiting until these people fill up the cup of their condemnation.  He tells Abraham that these people will persecute the nation of Israel for 400 years before He enacts justice upon them.  We read of the Amalekites treatment of Israel in Exodus 17:8 and Deuteronomy 25:17-18.  This went on for a long time! 

People struggle here because God is actually ordering the death of an entire group of people.  Why do we struggle with this idea?  If a person molested and killed several people, we would ask for his death as payment for what he did.  If a person brutally kills another person, we would call out for his death as well.  We embrace the “eye for an eye” thought process, and that is what we see here. 

2. God uses human and sinful people to enact justice.  I am so thankful that God has granted to us wise people who are set above us to determine what is right. Even though you might point out the flaws in the system, I would put our system up against any in the world as the best and most just system.  None is perfect, but some do a really good job. 

3. I also take sympathy with the innocent Amalekites.  Although I find great joy in the justice of God, my heart goes out to the women and children who were victims of the sin of their fathers.  Certainly, there were those who had never killed a Jewish person.  There were those who had never assaulted one of God’s people.  However, we know from life and Exodus 34:7-8 that the sin of our fathers greatly impacts us.  When generation after generation of sin goes on, it has a great impact on every part of that nation.  Look at our own nation!  The longer certain sins go on the more it will impact our children and their children.  This is a law in life and ought not to be our source of struggle. 

4. Finally, here is a picture of why I need Christ.  I am an Amalekite!  I have rebelled, I have sinned against God and the verdict and judgment are upon me as well.  God is going to enact justice for me sin and rebellion.  I am so thankful that God sent His Son to take the justice of God in my place.  If Christ did not take the punishment for my sin, death; I could not have life with God in heaven.  So just remember, as you read this passage, you should not struggle too much, for in it is the rationale for why Christ came and took your place.  You may just be arguing against the basis for your own salvation!

 

May Grace and Peace be with you this day! 

Marriage and the Gospel

"While remaining the foundational divine institution for humanity, which should be nurtured, cared for, and protected, marriage should not be viewed as an end in itself, but should be subordinated to God's larger salvation purposes." Andreas J. Kostenberger

As I read the book God, Marriage, and Family I was struck by this statement.  It brings out three very important things for us to remember in relationship to marriage.  The first of which is an easy thing, the last two much harder.

Marriage is a good thing!

God instituted marriage back as far as the Garden when He said that it was not “good for man to be alone, I will make him a helper fit for him” Genesis 2:18.  Marriage is a relationship with divine origins.  We all know that it is good and should be nurtured, cared for and protected.  We should make time for our spouses, care for our spouses, and protect our relationship with our spouses for God has brought them to us and has made them “fit for us.”  God has given you your spouse, flaws and all  for a reason.

Marriage is not an end in itself!

This is a little harder for us to grasp.  Unlike what most of culture tells us, marriage is not an end in itself.  We do not marry for the sake of marrying.  There is a divine purpose and reason that God gave us the institution of marriage.

Too often marriage is entered into for it’s benefits, even by Christian people.  It is entered into for the physical relationship.  It is entered into for the support, for the fulfilling of the dream of kids.  For every reason, not all of them bad, under the sun that makes marriage the end in itself.

The real issue here becomes when those benefits no longer seem real to us, then the marriage becomes a burden.  Leading to a host of sin and problems.  So what is the real purpose to marriage?

Marriage is to further God salvation purposes!

The divine reason that God gave us marriage is for His salvation purposes.  This occurs in at least three ways:

1. It occurs in the relationship itself: when we enter into a relationship like marriage we are immediately confronted with our sin.  We at least see our selfishness and our complete inability to naturally place another’s desires above our own.  We also find a helper in the battle against sin.  Not only does the relationship reveal our sin, but it also gives us a person to help us in the battle.  Someone to walk side by side with through this battle that is the Christian life.  When marriage is an end in itself, this becomes “nagging” and “…not letting me live my own life.”

2. It occurs in our kids: those who have kids have the tremendous opportunity to share the gospel with them.  The command to be fruitful and multiply relates to our desire to not only have kids, but to see our kids experience new birth and spread the gospel themselves.  However, when marriage and kids are an end in themselves, the marriage and parenting become more about fulfilling a dream, getting a good career and teaching our kids to be polite; rather than about expanding the kingdom of God (not that the former are bad things to strive towards). 

3. It occurs in a dual effort to share the gospel: every couple has different strengths.  In a marriage relationship, there is a great partnership is sharing the gospel.  Partnering together to have people over for meals, coffee, and just to hang out.  It opens a whole new world of opportunities that we can use to access people who do not know and trust Christ atonement on their behalf.  Marriage gives us a partnership for seeking out these people and sharing the truth of God’s love with them.  When marriage is an end in itself, these avenues are too inconvenient and not desirable. 

This is a great quote and thought that deserves out thoughts and attention.  Whether you are single or married, think through this idea and pray that God would guide and direct you as you seek His face.  Look to God’s Word and behold the face of the Sovereign One! 

It's been a while

It has been over a year since my last post. However, God has reminded me of the importance of putting my thoughts down in writing. One, for people to read and comment on; two, for my own thoughts to be challenged by those who disagree; and three, to help think through and articulate my thoughts more clearly. I realize, that I do not always communicate clearly. The act of writing, I am told, assists in the growth of this skill. So, moving on to the thought I would like to communicate.

There is a growing hunger in me to glorify God with my every thought, word, and deed. I want everything I do to reflect the truth of the gospel. No matter if someone cuts me off in traffic, verbally abuses me, or compliments me on something good I have done; I want my thoughts, words and actions to reflect the gospel especially in the midst of suffering. May God grant us all the ability to allow our theology to impact our behavior. Sola Deo Gloria!

Love your wives!

This morning I had a conversation with someone who struggling in his marriage. His passions have been divided for years, and now is struggling to get the feelings for his wife to return. He started seeing a counselor for the issue. I told him that what he is experiencing are the consequences of his sin.

The same pattern exists in our relationship with Christ. We get ourselves so emotionally caught up in sin, that it becomes much more difficult to repent and turn to Christ. We fall so in love with that sin and become so used to living with that sin, the idea of living without it is almost impossible. Sin destroys lives!

"Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25). What we have to do is turn from our sin and turn to God. We must deny ourselves the temporary joy of sin, for the eternal joy of walking with Jesus (Hebrews 11:5-6). God must change our hearts and make us desire to do what is right (Ezekiel 36:11). However, I meet people who sit down and ask God to change their hearts, and when He does not change them - they walk head long into sin.

This is where concurrent actions comes in. When I am tempted to be unfaithful, or simply tempted to lust; what do I do? I know and affirm what God's will for my life is and I walk in that truth. As I walk in that truth God uses my obedience to change my heart. So, once again, I am tempted to lust. I know that God's will is that I not look on a woman with lust in my heart (Matt. 6). So, I look away, or look to my wife and remind myself of what a great love God has granted me for her. Within moments the lust is gone and God has changed my heart; reminding me what a sinful person I am and how blessed I am to know Him and my wife.

What is my call today? Men, love your wives!

Even while away...

"...and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the world" Matthew 28:20

Even while away in Florida, there is a truth that strikes my heart. The American Standard Version uses some interesting language to convey Jesus ever presence with us. He is with us for all time, as the New American Standard so clearly puts it "...even to the end of the age." However, the truth is not just eternal, but also covers distance. There is no where we can go to outrun the reach of our eternal Saviour. No matter what you do or where you go, you are always under His careful watch; and in His Holy, Perfect, and Sovereign will.

I think sometimes the tendency to live differently, depending on where we are, or what stage of life we are in, is almost a subconcscious reaction. However, this truth does not allow for this kind of thinking. Jesus is with us all the time, and He is with us everywhere we go; and so we must live the same no matter the time of place. May God free us from the desire to be free from His presence.

Ressurection Power

"For is the dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised: and if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is in vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hope in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable." 1 Corinthians 15:16-19

The resurrection of Christ is the most important doctrine in all of God's Word. The whole of the Bible message points towards the passion of the Christ. If you take away the message of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, you make faith in vain. If then we make our faith in vain, we make the faith of those who have died in Christ in vain, and they are lost forever. If the hope of Christ lasts only for this life, then we are hopeless in eternity.

However, that is not the gospel of Christ this day. It is not the truth of God's Word, given to us. The truth of God's Word says that Jesus was "made to be sin on our behalf" (2 Cor. 5:21). He will killed to reconcile us to God. He was raised to show that God accepted His sacrifice (Romans 4:25). Now, He is seated at the right hand of God where He rules supremely. Chris Tomlin wrote a tag to Amazing Grace, "My chains are gone, I've been set free. My God, my Saviour, has ransomed me; and like a flood, His mercy brings, unending love - Amazing grace!" May we live knowing that our sin is gone because of the power of the resurrected Jesus Christ!

The Sovereign One

"He is before all things, and in Him all things consist (hold together)" Colossians 1:17 [translation comment NASB]

As I read through Colossians this morning I was struck by the power of Christ in the universe. The two main attributes dealt with here are His preexistence and His omnipotence (all powerfulness). He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Without Him nothing holds together. No atom, no universe, and no relationship will hold together as it should without Christ. May we live today as though He was holding all we have and are together; and may we worship Him as the preexistent, risen, God of the universe.

Welcome to my Blog

Hello,

It is a priveledge to have to come and visit this blog. This is my vision for this blog: To create a blog where people can come and talk about The Sovereign God of the Universe in a Biblical, Relational, and Glorifying manner." With this in mind it is important that scripture be used in all posts, and that all comments be made in a respectful manner. This is a place to come and share a verse and say how God has used it in your life and what He is teaching you. This is also a place to come and share about your relationship with Christ and what He is doing in and through you. May God recieve neverending glory as we embark on this journey together. Sola Deo Gloria!