More Abundantly Than All That We Ask or Think

Artwork "Eternal Weight of Glory". VerseVisions VIII Collection. Mixed media on canvas. Copyright © 2009 by Mark Lawrence. All Rights Reserved. http://www.flickr.com/photos/marketseq/4116951443/

My friend Staci posted this as her facebook status.  I love it.

"We wait impatiently for God to provide less than what he intends to. We wait for improvement when what God promises over and over again is newness."-- Reverend Andy Pelander

It reminded me of Paul who could call his life, which included being beaten, mocked, lonely, abandoned, falsely imprisoned, tortured, impoverished, falsely accused, a "light and momentary affliction" because it pales in comparison to the "weight of glory" that awaits. 

2 Cor 4
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh....16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

It also reminded me of C.S. Lewis in the "Weight of Glory":

“The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself. We are told to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses in order that we may follow Christ; and nearly every description of what we shall ultimately find if we do so contains an appeal to desire. If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Seems fitting to end this post with this:

Ephesians 3
"20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

How I Keep it Real With Jesus & Lessons Learned from Malia and Sasha, the Obama Kids

One of my prayers today:

Sometimes I feel like You have forgotten about me…like I am just a waste of breath...like I am a ghost…like my life has been put on pause while I watch from the background the lives of those around me still rolling. I feel irrelevant in Your plan, and I wonder if You or anyone remembers that I am still here. I wonder what to do and what You want from me. I wonder what it looks like to move forward in a plan I never made and never wanted. I feel guilty because deep within me I know that I am blessed far beyond anything I deserve, and I know that I have all that I need to experience the most abundant joy that supersedes circumstance. And I have even tasted that joy and I truly know that nothing has or will ever compare. But today it eludes me. It is hard for me to remember that life is far more than what I can see because what I see is bleak. It is bleak for me and it is incredibly more bleak for many others who are suffering from torture, abuse, poverty, sickness, broken relationships, abandonment, loneliness, fear, depression, and other forms of pain, grief, and loss. As I lose perspective on eternity, my sinful pride stings with the knowledge that, by the world’s standards, I am a failure. I decided to walk away from a promising career to pursue a family. Many years later, I am still childless. I wonder what I am supposed to do now. I fear I will never have a child and I wonder whether my husband and I will be okay with that. Are we still a family? Am I less of a woman? Are we less human? I am at my all time highest weight and cannot imagine that my husband finds me attractive anymore. I have still not mastered an ordered home. My pride sickens me, and yet it doesn’t sicken me enough. The sad truth is that some of my worldly failure is also a result of sin—I have failed You. I am still selfish and lazy and undisciplined with my time and resources—time and resources that are a gift from You and that could be spent at Your feet and serving those around me in Your honor. I have wanted to change, and I have begged for change. It also eludes me.


Where are you, God, and what would You say to me? I know that I am a speck of dust in the presence of the Only Majestic, Awesome, God, Wise, Loving, Righteous, Just, Creator of the World. And yet your Word tells me I am Yours. It tells me that Jesus died for this speck of dust--that you have loved and sacrificed for and redeemed this speck of dust. It tells me that I am no longer your enemy but your friend and even your child and heir. It tells me that I won’t always be broken like I am and that one day my brokenness will no longer hinder me from seeing you and being fully satisfied in you. But for now, I don’t get it and I can’t see it.

I confess I hesitated to post this blog. It exposes me. It exposes that I still believe lies and I still struggle to believe the truth of God’s promises. It exposes my pride. It exposes that I still search for ultimate significance and satisfaction in things that can never deliver.  It exposes my failure to live as I ought considering all that God has given me.  It exposes my confusion. It exposes my pain. It exposes my doubt.  It exposes my raw emotion toward God.  To many I will look the fool.  Some will judge me or think poorly of me. Some will think I am being dramatic or a downer. Some will think I am unstable. Some won't be able to relate.  Some will think I just need a dose of optimism or "happy thoughts". Some never think of such things. Some won't really care.  Some will be uncomfortable with me and won’t know what to say or do. Some will doubt my faith in God. Some will think I am not fit for formal ministry with my husband. Everyone will see that I am broken and a mess and a sinner. But in the spirit of my last post, I just want to be real, sincere, true, and honest about who I am, even if it is ugly and messy. I want to care more about what God thinks of me than about what others think.  I want to encourage others.  Maybe it will encourage even one person who can relate to where I am at, whether they are a Christian or a non-Christian. Most of all, I pray that any exposure of who I am—with my many, many warts and all—will show the world what a GRACIOUS, MERCIFUL, KIND, LOVING God who would stoop down to love me—not in some generic universal way, but in a personal way. Because Jesus is my Lord who took my sins upon Himself and was crucified because of them, I have been acquitted and I am free. I am free to be in relationship with a Perfectly Holy God who because of His Perfect Righteousness cannot tolerate sin. Light cannot live with darkness. What is pristine cannot co-mingle with mud and remain pristine. My sin and failure has corrupted me, but because Jesus paid for ALL of my sin (past, present, and future), my slate is washed clean before my God. Because of what Jesus did for me, God is no longer this distant King, but He is my Father the King.

By illustration, I am now like Malia and Sasha who are the daughters of President Obama. The world calls him “Mr. President”. The world stands back, showing deference and respect for the prestigious office of President of the United States of America. While Malia and Sasha also show Barack Obama the respect and deference due to him as their father and president, they also run into his arms. They have access to the President that the rest of the world doesn’t. As a loving father, President Obama delights in their hugs and kisses, and eagerly invites them to share their true hearts—hopes, dreams, sorrows, struggles, and even failures—with him. He wants to know them, bless them, and help them.  That is a good father’s heart. Our God is the Best Father. He is better than any earthly father. For all who acknowledge their sin and need of saving, for all who trust in Jesus’ work on the cross, and for all who submit to Jesus as Lord and first in their life, we have this kind of access to God Our Father.  It is freely available to any who would come to Him.

And so I pour my heart out to my God. I tell him where I truly am, even though in His Omnipotence and Infinite Wisdom, He already knows. He still wants to hear from me. And talking to Him comforts me because I know that He is there and I know that He cares. His Word always reminds me of who He is and what He has done and how much He loves.  Because of this, even as I write the last sentence of this post, my heart is not the same as when I wrote the first.

Helpful Scriptures:

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”


Psalm 103


Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the LORD, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Luke 12 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Ephesians 2


12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.


Romans 8


There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit………. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

1 Peter 5
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

My Good

I was about to turn 10 years old. My aunt and uncle, both of whom have always been like a second pair of parents to me, bravely ventured a road trip to Disneyland with their three kids, my sister, and me. To this day, that trip was one of my fondest memories. I was the eldest kid of the group, then came my sister Nisha aged 8, my cousin Emmi aged 7, my cousin Joe aged 5 and my cousin Lisa aged 2. My uncle drove us for hours and hours as we were all packed in their old station wagon, and I remember watching through the window--the rosy sunsets, the rolling sand dunes, the vast farmland, and the bright stars piercing through the black night. We kids listened to the radio, played games, talked, slept…and sometimes fought or cried. I remember we got to stay at motels with swimming pools, and we loved to swim in the sunshine. We visited Knott’s Berry Farm, Sea World, and of course, Disneyland. It really was a kid’s dream come true. My aunt and uncle were so amazing. I think that of them even more so now that I am an adult since I can better appreciate just how much work it would be to take 5 kids under the age of 10 on such a long road trip! Their station wagon even overheated and broke down in San Diego.  They had to buy a new one for the return trip home! Yet even this did not dampen their joy.  Only one thing bothered me on this otherwise idyllic trip. My parents had given us each some pocket money to spend on the trip. For some reason, I had my heart set on getting a t-shirt from every place we visited as a souvenir. However, every time we came to a gift shop, my aunt would not allow me to buy a t-shirt. I could not understand why. I was frustrated. I was irritated. I was disappointed. After all, it was my money. Why couldn’t I spend it in the way that I liked? (I know, I was a whiny, selfish, brat.) On one of our last days in California, I woke up to a birthday breakfast celebration. It was my birthday. Everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to me. And, as if this memorable trip was not such an amazing gift enough, my aunt handed me a wrapped present. I had no idea what the present could be. I tore the paper, and carefully opened the box. To my astonishment, there inside were all the t-shirts I had wanted to buy with “my own money”. My aunt had lovingly bought and collected them for me to present to me--free of charge--on my birthday. As you can imagine, I felt pretty convicted about being so selfish and pout-y and for assuming the worst of people who loved and took care of me so well. But I also felt humbled, grateful, and loved.

I have often thought of this story as a parallel to the way that I often relate to God. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Too often though, I forget the next verse, Romans 8:29, which gives me insight into what working for my good actually looks like and means: “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. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

I am so short-sighted in what I consider “my good”. I default to associating my good with immediate relief, with maximized pleasure now and minimized pain now--and all in the ways that I see best. As audacious as it is, I get frustrated, irritated, and disappointed with God when He does not orchestrate my life in congruence with MY concept of my own good. Why wouldn’t He give me a child? Why wouldn’t He open the eyes of my friend to see things my way (which is clearly the right way :) )? Why wouldn’t He make it easier for me to walk in holiness? Why did He let that person die? Why didn’t He bring that dream into fruition? Why? Why? Why?

Just like I forgot to trust my aunt and uncle who loved me and had always been good to me, I forget to trust my God who loves me with a PERFECT, UNFAILING, STEADFAST love and who is the DEFINITION of all that is good and right and who has never failed in His FAITHFULNESS to me. I forget to trust that His definition of “good” is infinitely greater than my definition of “good”. The good He has in store for His people is beyond what we can hope for or imagine, and yet we settle for so much less and pout when we don’t get some lesser thing than God Himself. In his sermon, the Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis insightfully observed:

Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

As Romans 8:29 tells me, God’s vision of my good is that I get to enjoy Him in relationship—unencumbered by sin—conformed to the image of Christ so that I could enjoy being with Him as His FAMILY (the scandal of which is that I don’t deserve to be with Him even as His slave!). There is no greater joy. There is no greater good for me. This good is more than worth every pain as He strips me of my self-reliance, my unworthy affections, and my empty idols and instead carves into my soul with the knife of affliction--steadfastness, character, and genuine faith—making me His in every way...and even using me (as flawed and broken as I am) to draw others into fellowship with Him too. What a God He is!

Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise!
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion.
8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!
9 Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!
10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts,
blessed is the one who trusts in you!

A Divine and Supernatural Light

This morning I read Jonathan Edwards' sermon entitled, "A Divine and Supernatural Light, Immediately Imparted to the Soul by the Spirit of God, Shown to be Both Scriptural and Rational Doctrine."  Seriously, it is really called that!:)  You can read it here: 
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/edwards_light.html

Edwards' point in the sermon is that true, saving, life-transforming, experiential knowledge of God is supernatural--it does not come from mere observation and study, but rather it comes by the gift and power of God. 

Matthew 16:13-17 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.


2 Cor 4:6 "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

The thought that God is the one who gives us the gift of truly seeing Him for who He is, actually is... encouraging!  It means that we do not need to be rocket scientists to know God in a true, saving, life-transforming, powerful way.  Even a child can know God in this powerful way.  Edwards gives us an analogy for how this supernatural knowledge of God differs from a natural or exclusively "head knowledge" of God.  He compares it to knowing that honey is sweet.  We can be told that honey is sweet, but it is something else entirely to taste with our own senses that honey is sweet.  Likewise, we can in a sense "know" in our minds that God is good by reading that God is good or by being told that God is good, but these things do not compare to the heart experience of tasting God's goodness.  This latter type of knowledge engages our head, heart, and soul--it is tasting.  This tasting comes by gift of God. 

Have you tasted? 

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

If you have not tasted, or if you are not confident that you have tasted...ASK Him for the gift of seeing and tasting Him.  SEEK Him with your WHOLE heart.  Be PERSISTENT in seeking Him in His Word and in fellowship with His people and be persistent in asking Him through prayer to reveal to you the light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Christ!

If you seek Him persistently and sincerely with your whole heart, and you ask Him to show Himself to you, you will not be disappointed:

Luke 11: 5-12 And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 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!


This passage is not about a God who wants us to beg.  This passage is not about a God who capriciously hides himself and laughs as the poor, naked, wretched, and blind creature hopelessly seeks him.  This passage is not about how our actions or persistence earn God's favor.  This passage is about God delighting in the sincerity of a heart that truly wants Him!  Of course He will answer our prayers to know and taste Him with a resounding "YES"!  Just as it pleased Him to speak light out of darkness, it pleases Him to shine the light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Christ into our hearts! 

Accordingly, Edwards rightly bids us to seek after this light!  Here are the last few paragraphs of Edwards' beautiful sermon: 

Thirdly, All may hence be exhorted earnestly to seek this spiritual light. To influence and move to it, the following things may be considered.


1. This is the most excellent and divine wisdom that any creature is capable of. It is more excellent than any human learning; it is far more excellent than all the knowledge of the greatest philosophers or statesmen. Yea, the least glimpse of the glory of God in the face of Christ doth more exalt and ennoble the soul, than all the knowledge of those that have the greatest speculative understanding in divinity without grace. This knowledge has the most noble object that is or can be, viz., the divine glory or excellency of God and Christ. The knowledge of these objects is that wherein consists the most excellent knowledge of the angels, yea, of God himself.

2. This knowledge is that which is above all others sweet and joyful. Men have a great deal of pleasure in human knowledge, in studies of natural things; but this is nothing to that joy which arises from this divine light shining into the soul. This light gives a view of those things that are immensely the most exquisitely beautiful, and capable of delighting the eye of the understanding. This spiritual light is the dawning of the light of glory in the heart. There is nothing so powerful as this to support persons in affliction, and to give the mind peace and brightness in this stormy and dark world.

3. This light is such as effectually influences the inclination, and changes the nature of the soul. It assimilates the nature to the divine nature, and changes the soul into an image of the same glory that is beheld. 2 Cor. 3:18, "But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." This knowledge will wean from the world, and raise the inclination to heavenly things. It will turn the heart to God as the fountain of good, and to choose him for the only portion. This light, and this only, will bring the soul to a saving close with Christ. It conforms the heart to the gospel, mortifies its enmity and opposition against the scheme of salvation therein revealed: it causes the heart to embrace the joyful tidings, and entirely to adhere to, and acquiesce in the revelation of Christ as our Saviour: it causes the whole soul to accord and symphonize with it, admitting it with entire credit and respect cleaving to it with full inclination and affection; and it effectually disposes the soul to give up itself entirely to Christ.

4. This light, and this only, has its fruit in a universal holiness of life. No merely notional or speculative understanding of the doctrines of religion will ever bring to this. But this light, as it reaches the bottom of the heart, and changes the nature, so it will effectually dispose to a universal obedience. It shows God's worthiness to be obeyed and served. It draws forth the heart in a sincere love to God, which is the only principle of a true, gracious, and universal obedience; and it convinces of the reality of those glorious rewards that God has promised to them that obey him.

Communicable and Incommunicable

Kristian and I recently had breakfast with our friends Bent and Joanne. While we have known them for several years, we have only recently gotten to know them well. We had such a great time with them that we actually sat there and talked with them over “breakfast” for more than 5 hours! They both are such lovely people with such generous hearts for loving the people around them. They both have tremendous gifts in counseling and listening. Every time we hang out, I always feel edified, challenged, and built up in love:

Ephesians 4:11-16 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

Over breakfast, we talked about how all human beings are loved by God and created in His image. We also talked about how Christians are being conformed to the character of Christ through the Holy Spirit and are called to live out the gospel in relationship with each other (in community).

During this conversation, Bent explained something to me that was very helpful. He talked about the communicable and incommunicable traits of God. (Bruce Ware’s online lecture through www.biblicatraining.org is an excellent place to learn more about this. You can access it here: http://www.biblicaltraining.org/lecture/th103-2). Basically, there are some aspects of God’s character that we can possess in some degree (these are the communicable aspects of God’s character). There are other aspects of God’s character that we cannot possess in any degree (these are the incommunicable aspects of God’s character).

Here is a section from the transcript from Bruce Ware’s “Attributes of God” lecture from his Systematic Theology class on www.biblicaltraining.org:

"As we take a look at this study of God, we will be using a particular classification of attributes that is a bit cumbersome, perhaps, to some, but I find it very helpful: incommunicable and communicable attributes. These are old-fashioned terms. Incommunicable attributes are attributes that are true of God alone. They are not true of any finite part of His created order. In that since, they are incommunicable. They are not communicated. That does not mean he does not tell us about them, but they are not carried over to any part of the finite creation. As opposed to that are communicable attributes. Those are attributes that are shared at least in some finite measure with a portion of the created order. There, of course, we will look at attributes like God's goodness and His holiness. Of course, we are called to be good, we are called to be holy as He is holy, and these are communicable attributes, attributes in which we participate in some finite measure.

Now there are other classifications of attributes that might be used as well. For example, a very useful one is a distinction between transcendent and immanent attributes. Transcendent means ways in which God is other than us or separate from us; ways in which God is by Himself, as it were, God over all and exalted and holy and separate. Immanent means that God is, with us, close at hand, caring, comforting, providing, a God who is for his people. Listen to Isaiah 57:15, "For thus says the high and the exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, 'I dwell on a high and holy place.'" You see there the emphasis on transcendence? He is beyond us, above us, high and holy. But listen how the verse ends, "'[I dwell] also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" God is immanent, He is with us, He is for us, He is caring and compassionate, provider and protector for His people. "

Here are some examples of God’s incommunicable attributes:

1. Creator of All Things
2. Self-Sufficient (doesn’t need anything)
3. Infinite (no beginning and no end)
4. Omnipresent (is everywhere at once)
5. Eternal (is not confined by time)
6. Immutable (unchanging)
7. Omnipotent (all powerful)
8. Omniscient (knows everything)
9. Judge of All Creation
10. Sovereign Ruler of All Creation
11. Worthy of Worship

Examples of God’s communicable attributes are things like:

1. love
2. joy
3. peace
4. patience
5. kindness
6. goodness
7. gentleness
8. faithfulness
9. self-control
10. compassion
11. mercy
12. grace
13. justice

Bent pointed out to me that many of the sins with which we struggle are related to our (delusional) attempts to trespass into God’s territory of incommunicable attributes. This made a lot of sense to me. For example, what happens when….

1. I start to think I am self-sufficient?….I ignore God and flee from community and I end up in sin and despair because I need God and His Body of believers.

2. I start to think I have power in myself to do something good or to refrain from sin?.....I fail because I cannot bear spiritual fruit or conquer sin without the Holy Spirit!

3. I start to think that I am my own master?..... I indulge myself in sin because I am selfish, and I end up feeling shame, condemnation, and alienation from God and others.

4. I start to become wise in my own eyes rather than looking to God’s Word to guide me?..... I usually end up in a big mess, overwhelmed and in over my head.

5. I start to think that I am worthy and ought to be worshipped by those around me?... I fail people & sin (and hence am not worthy). I feel empty because no one’s love and affection can take the place of God’s love and affection for me.

6. I start to think I am not confined to time?..... I am late to everything :)

I think you get the point. :)

Dear God,

Please forgive me for the ways I try to transgress into your territory. You alone are Sovereign, Perfect, All-Powerful, All-Knowing, All-Wise, All-Good, Creator and Ruler of the Universe who alone is Worthy of our worship!!! Forgive me for my delusions of grandeur. Thank you for your loving-kindness and patience with me. Holy Spirit, please fill me daily so that I may be transformed more and more into the likeness of Jesus. This can only happen by your power. Jesus, thank you for your perfect example of how I ought to live. Thank you for dying for me so that I could even have a chance to be cleansed by you and to enjoy God forever. Father, thank you for calling me out of my darkness and adopting me as your daughter. Thank you, Lord, for Bent and Joanne and for others like them who bless your Body with the Spiritual gifts that you have given them. Help us all to seek to do that, so that we, your church may build itself up in love and so that we can attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of Jesus in maturity so that we can be conformed to the fullness of Christ. We love you and ask all of this in your Precious Name. Amen.

Why I Resist Community

A very dear friend of ours (who is not a Christian) gave us the cross in this picture. It hangs on our wall and is the very first thing you see if you walk into our house and look straight ahead. I love this cross for many reasons, but one my reasons for loving it I only discovered recently...this cross looks like it has arrows pointing up and out from it. It reminds me of something I am starting to see in the Cross of Christ-- and that is Christ's death on our behalf enables fellowship with God and with the worshippers of God. This is part of our great salvation.

So why do I resist this?.....

Last night with some friends, we were talking about whether we would have made the same decisions as Adam and Eve to rebel against God with the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, or whether we would have grumbled and turned to idols like the Israelites wandering in the desert. For me, I know the answer is unequivocally “YES” because I do the same thing now. Because of selfish ambition, fear, and shame, I resist community with God and others. Because I do not seek community with God and His people (who point me back to God and enable me to honor God by imaging Him in community), I chase idols to satisfy the constant need in my heart for God.

To understand this, I need only go back to Genesis:

1) We are created to image God who is the Triune community of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Genesis 2:26-27 “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

2) God is a good God who genuinely and tenderly loves us and seeks to bless us.

Genesis 1:28-30 “And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."

Genesis 2:8-9 “And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

3) We are created for unfettered community with God and with others, and we image God in community with others:

Genesis 2: 18-24, "Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’ 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, ‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

4) Things quickly go wrong as we stop believing that God not only exists, but that He also rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). We believe the lie that God is not good and that He does not want our good. We are suspicious of the fact that God wants to be in relationship with us because of His love. We start to believe that He is holding out on us. Accordingly, we take matters into our own hands. We seek idols—things that we think will satisfy us because we no longer believe that God can satisfy us or that God even wants to satisfy us.

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. "

5) When we step out of community with God and with others, and give sin its opportunity to deceive us. We disbelieve God and the result is fear instead of faith; selfishness instead of love; and shame instead of freedom. We break fellowship with God and with each other.

Genesis 3:7-10 “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ 10 And he said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.’"

HERE IS OUR HOPE.. HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS: Jesus came to restore fellowship. He came to restore relationship between us and God, and He came to restore fellowship between men. Here it is in 1 John 1:

1 John 1:1-10

“1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

If we do not want fellowship with God and fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, then heaven has no appeal for us. Fellowship with God and fellowship with the family of God is what eternal life is all about.

Knowing all of this (and even wanting it desperately), I resist it. For all my talk of community, there is a part of me that doesn’t like it. Selfishly, I do not want to give my time and energy to others when it could be used to gratifying my own desires and ambitions. Also selfishly, I do not want to give of my heart in vulnerability and love because I know my heart will be bruised and broken. Fearfully, I do not want to be known and rejected—by God or by others. Fearfully (and selfishly), I do not believe that God or others want “good” for me. In my frenzy of fear and shame, I do not want to walk in the light. I do not want my ugly sinfulness to be exposed to God or to others. The only antidote for this is to know God’s perfect love and forgiveness and to believe it.

1 John 4:14-18 “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

I need to believe the love that God has for me, rather than being suspicious of it because it seems too good to be true…

Is it really true that there is NO condemnation left for me (Romans 8:1)?! Isn’t God a little bit mad at me because today marks the 5 millionth time I have committed the same sin?!! Is it really true that God has no wrath left for my sin and it was all spent on Jesus (John 3:36; Romans 5:9; 1 Thes. 1:10; 2 Cor 5:21)? Is there any point to going to Him in prayer? Is there any point in reading His Truth in the Word, when I see His Perfect Purity and wonder how I could possibly stand in His presence while I feel the filth of my sin? Is it really true that through Jesus, God has not only forgiven me but CLEANSED me from ALL my unrighteousness so that I can be with God (1 John 1:9; 2 Cor 5:17-19)!? Does ALL really mean ALL—like I am clean from EVERY little and big thing in my past, present, future? Is it really true that because of Jesus that I can approach the throne of grace with CONFIDENCE? (Hebrews 4:16)?! Isn’t God a little bit disappointed in me? Isn’t He going to tell me to just stop it already now?!!! And what will I do then, since I can’t seem to stop on my own? Aren’t I screwed? Is it really true that God will help me and not devour me when I go to Him and that I will find mercy and grace to help in my time of need? (Hebrews 4:16)? Isn’t there anything I can DO to become BETTER? Is it really true that I am no longer under the law but I am under grace (Romans 6:14)? Is it really true that God promises not to leave me “as is” in my struggle with sin, but He promises to use all things to conform me to the image of Jesus FOR MY GOOD (Romans 8:28)?!!

The promises and characteristics of God in Scripture do not make sense given the chasm between God's goodness and my sinfulness, but God’s Word says they are true! God’s Word says that God is truly THAT unbelievably loving! If only I could believe it. If only I could believe it, then God’s perfect love truly would drive out all fear in my heart that keeps me from walking in the light with Him and with others. If only I could believe it, I would have no reason to hide my sin and shame because I would know that my sin is paid for, God’s wrath against my sin has been satisfied by Jesus’ perfect sacrifice on my behalf, I can stand before God now with confidence, and God wants to help me be free of my sin so that I can enjoy relationship with Him without carrying the weight of my sin around with me anymore. Yet, this is really the illustration of how I live: it is as if I have gone out and committed cold-blooded murder…went on trial…was convicted…was sentenced to death so that justice could be done…God served my death penalty and did my time for me…my debt to justice has been paid for completely and I am free…I get a second chance to live differently and moreover, God Himself gives me the power to live differently….and yet, instead of enjoying my freedom to be with God and to live differently, I insist on carrying the dead body I killed with me everywhere I go! It is a hindrance to me. It impedes my ability to enjoy God in relationship.

We have the audacity to treat others in the same way—with an utter disbelief that God could be THAT good and that grace could really be freely offered to sinners. We judge others. We condemn them. We look at their sin and think, “Wow, that really IS bad!” or “You’ve really messed up big this time!” or “Really?! You have gone back to your vomit AGAIN?!” We are disturbed and disgusted by them because of their sin. We withdraw from them. We tell them that they better get themselves under control, or at least we think it. We give them a list of things they should try so that they can change. We reject them, we abandon them, and we throw them away. We move on to people who are not “lost causes”. We move on to people we like better and who make us feel better about ourselves. We move on to people who are less work and more gratification. We spit in the face of the unbelievable gospel love that God has demonstrated to us. Indeed, we handcuff the dead body to these very people for whom God has died!

Does anyone else relate to what I am saying here???????

At the root of these beliefs and behaviors, I fail to understand the gospel and what it means that God loves me! This love is demonstrated in that He died for me a wretched sinner (and I need to know the depth and ugliness of my sin and the depth and beauty of God's righteousness in order to recognize the supreme love of the great exchange--that Perfect God would die for a wretched sinner like me.) His love is demonstrated in that He has forgiven me; He has given me free access to Himself; and He is removing every obstacle of sin that keeps me from enjoying Him and His people forever! This is what the gospel is. God wants me to believe and live the gospel. He wants me to live in the freeing implications of the gospel--a life of joy and transformation in Him, and a life of freedom and faith that no longer fears walking in the light because there is no longer anything of which to be afraid! He wants me to glorify Him by bearing His image by living in a gospel way with my brothers and sisters in Christ. He wants me speak to and relate to my brothers and sisters in gospel ways (loving, serving, blessing, forgiving, forbearing, pursuing, etc). He wants me to administer gospel grace to my brothers and sisters and He wants me to receive that same grace from my brothers and sisters. In the face of the lies we are tempted to believe and the deceit of our hearts and our sin, He wants us to remind each other that the scandalous truth of the gospel REALLY IS TRUE!! This is the gospel community for which we were made, to the praise and glory of our Great God!

Dear Heavenly Father, I am desperate to believe in your love! I am desperate to be rooted and established in the love of Christ so that I might have strength with all my brothers and sisters to know the breadth, the depth, the height and the depth of your amazing love that simply surpasses all my understanding (Eph. 3:14-21!) I want to know this love and be rooted in it, so that I can be free of the sin that weighs me down and keeps me from enjoying full and free relationship with you! I want to know this love and be rooted in it, so that I could demonstrate it to others—so that your love could flow into me and out through me to others so that they too would know that you love them! I want to participate in the perfect and beautiful fellowship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I want fellowship with you and the community of those who worship you! I want to be able to walk in the light with you and with others so that I can receive help in my struggles. I want to be able to walk in the light with you and with others so that others may see that there is nothing good in me apart from you and so that they may see how amazing YOU are to love me, to change me, to work in me and through me. I want to be able to walk in the light so that I can help others to do so too so that they can be helped too and so that they can give you glory as your power is displayed in their weakness too and so that they can have joy (and we can have it together!). Please forgive me for my selfish ambition and all my selfishness. Please forgive me for my fear and lack of faith in you and what you have done and what you have told me and promised me in your Word! God, I have no hope of victory in this area of my life apart from you. I NEED you. I feel like I spiral in this area. I feel like I walk around in circles. Please give me whatever help I need in this. I do not know what help I need, but you do. Please provide it for me. I pray this for my brothers and sisters too. I pray that you would penetrate our hearts and everyday moments with the gospel. That we would really know the full gospel and that we would really believe it and live like we believe it, empowered by your Spirit and not our own strength and will power. I pray that we would truly display the gospel to the world and even the heavenly realms so that your name would be proclaimed (Eph 3:10). Pour your Spirit out onto us in increasing measure, that we might see your truth and believe it more and more everyday. Please bridge the obvious gap between my head belief, my heart belief, and my hand belief. I believe you are able to do abundantly more than all I ask for and think, by your Spirit. Please do it in me. Please do it in us. Please help us believe. I love you, Lord. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

Why Gospel Community Matters

A wise friend told me that when she leads other women it works much better when she walks in humility rather than feeling like she has something to offer. This is something I have experienced too. I still struggle with pride in it—ashamed of my hypocrisy when I can see God’s beauty and truth in His Word and I communicate it with others, but fail in living it out. My least favorite verse is: James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” I fail on that account the most. I hate that I fail, and I hate that teaching other women constantly reminds me that I do not measure up! I hate being a hypocrite.

I am a hypocrite, but God is teaching me that as He uses me to teach other women, He is just as equally using those opportunities (and those women) to teach and transform me. He is doing a double work of sanctification—in them and in me. It all re-emphasizes to me something I am learning in His Word in increasing measure in the last year and a half—we are created for community. We are firstly created to be in community with the God of community (the community of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). We are secondly created to image the gospel in community with God’s people.

Matthew 22:34-40 “But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ 37 And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’”

Two of the main purposes for community that I see in Scripture are 1) to help and build up the Body of Christ; and 2) to display the gospel to the world and even to the heavenly realms to the praise of God’s glorious grace.

First of all, it is important for us to see how important to the Church (the worldwide community of all who believe) is to Jesus. The Church is actually called the BODY of CHRIST… my Savior’s own dear body that He obtained by His own blood—see Acts 20:28! When Jesus confronted Saul about persecuting the Church, He said to Saul: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME?” (Acts 9:4) He did not say to Saul, why are you persecuting my friends or my people. In Matthew 25:31-39, Jesus says that acts of loving service done to His brothers (believers) are acts of loving service done to HIM. In John 17, Jesus says that He is one with believers, just as the Father and the Son are one. Jesus identifies with the Church as His own body! An earthly (and less powerful) analogy to this would be the way that a husband would identify with the wife he loves… when my husband was working in Alaska and our friends served and took care of me while I was home alone, my husband felt loved by those acts of service as if they were done to him. We see this concept in Ephesians 5.

Our God cherishes and loves the community of believers, and being in community is a primary way in which God administers grace to each of us who believe in Him. First, God blesses us by pouring His Spirit into us, so that we can see Jesus in His beauty and truth and so that we can love Him! His Spirit then bears fruit in us like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self control (Gal 5:22 and there are others of this type discussed elsewhere). He also graciously gifts every Christian with different spiritual gifts to be used to build up the body in love (Ephesians 4:11-16). [And we know that NONE of our spiritual gifts mean anything without the fruit of the Spirit—especially the fruit of love! (1 Cor 13). When we try to exercise some gift without the Spirit, our efforts are not honoring to God and will not prove to be fruit that lasts!] Then He entrusts us with stewarding the grace He has poured into us that is to be poured out for others. (1 Peter 4:10-11; Ephesians 3:2). For this to work, we need to be continually poured into—that is, seeking to be filled with the Spirit so that we can increasingly know and love Jesus and so that we can increasingly be conformed to His image. This happens through private times of prayer (asking for it!) and studying the Word, AND ALSO through meaningful community that brings us back to prayer and the Word. The beautiful part of the community aspect is that God administers grace to us through our brothers and sisters and He helps us—shows us the deceitfulness of our own hearts (Jer 17:9), the deceitfulness of our sin (Heb 3:13), reminds us of His love and grace through the hands and feet and tongues of our brothers and sisters, and encourages us to move forward in Him.

James 5:13-20 “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. 19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Hebrews 3:12-13 “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Paul says to the Romans in Romans 1:11-12 “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.”

In order for this to work, we need to be real, sincere, honest, and vulnerable—walk in the light.

1 John 1:5-10 “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

No matter how grand our spiritual gifting is and no matter what measure of grace we have received, we all need the Body of Christ--we need each other and we belong to each other.

1 Corinthians 12:4-31 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.”

(Note that the “higher gifts” are the ones that most edify the Body of Christ! Also note that the more excellent way is love, as we learn from the next chapter of 1 Corinthians, which is chapter 13).

We get to administer the gospel to others and we get to receive the gospel from others. Incredibly, as we are helped, God gets the glory!

2 Cor 4: 5-11 “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”

God does a work in us through community and we get to display the gospel in community. As Christians, we image the gospel in community. The primary way we do this is through the Church. (Unfortunately, in American culture the term “church” is often associated with a Sunday service. This is not the church as defined scripturally. The Church is simply all who belong to Jesus by faith.) We interact with the Church in our local expression of the Body of Christ, but we also interact with the Church in other relationships with believers. We interact with the Church through our relationships with our believing husband, wife, parent, child, brother, sister, employer, employee, governor, citizen, etc. We are called to live out the gospel in these relationships. This is why the New Testament is so full of practical ways we are to relate to one another with longsuffering, scandalous, sacrificial, pursuing, and persevering committed love. These ways of relating to one another are gospel actions. These are the ways that God has related to us in the gospel---out of His Great Love and Mercy, the Righteous and Mighty God of the Universe humbled Himself to save those of us who were His enemies--people who sinned against His Holy and Good Name--at great cost to Himself so that we could enjoy relationship with Him forever. This is how we are to relate to each other. We are called to love each other with the same love that Jesus showed us. In doing this, the world will know we belong to Jesus. This is how we display the gospel.

Jesus prayed to the Father about us:

John 17:20-26 “20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

John 13:35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In all of these Scriptures, Jesus is talking about the way believers love other believers. We are only able to have these “other-worldly” love relationships because the Spirit of Jesus lives in us. The very love between the Father and the Son lives in us through the Holy Spirit. We cannot love like this on our own, but we love like this only because the One who loved us first teaches us how and empowers us by His Spirit.

(I would like to insert a caveat here. Please do not get me wrong, we are absolutely called to scandalously love those who are outside the Body of Christ too. Not engaging with and not loving unbelievers is a grievous sin. Jesus is our best example of engaging with and loving those outside of the Church. He does this with the woman at the well, with Zacchaeus, the woman caught in adultery, etc. He was known for hanging out with prostitutes and tax collectors. Indeed, He did this with all of us. His kindness leads people to repentance. His kindness led us to repentance. Scripture contains lots of examples how are to treat unbelieving spouses, employers, employees, governments, etc. with scandalous love. Jesus even gives us many examples of how to treat our enemies with scandalous love. Let us never forget that Jesus washed Judas’ feet even though He knew Judas was the one who would betray Him. My only point is that we image the gospel the most powerfully through relationship with other believers because both we and they are connected in Christ and are empowered by the same Spirit that enables “other-worldly” love in action mutually.)

The amazing thing is that we as the community of believers (the Church) get to display the gospel to each other, to the world and even to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places!

Ephesians 3:7-13 “Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.”

The rest of Ephesians is all about how we image the gospel in community. Here are some snapshots:

Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:11-16 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

Ephesians 4:25-32 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Ephesians 5:1 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Then Ephesians goes into relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, slaves and masters, etc.

Ephesians ends with telling us how we can do this---how we can live out of other-worldly scandalous love. It tells us how we can resist the temptations and the opposition we will face from our enemy who hates gospel community. It tells us to pray, to be armed with the Word of God (which requires that we know the Word, we study the Word, and we rightly handle the Word... which we do with the assistance of those in the Body), to believe the Word of God, and to obey the Word of God.

The beautiful thing is that the community we experience here on earth is only a shadow of what is to come. One day, there will be no sin to separate us from God and one another in any way. One day, we will experience fullness of relationship with God and with each other in glorious community. This is what we are saved to. Salvation is so much more than not going to hell and getting to go to heaven. Salvation is being in an unfettered relationship with God firstly and secondly in an unfettered community of worshippers of God to the praise of His glorious grace!

This is why gospel community matters.

I want to close with these glorious words that embody the gospel community that we are called to live out on earth by God’s grace and that we will one day live out in perfection in heaven with Magnificent God and with our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. This is what we are saved to:

1 Corinthians 13:

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind;

love does not envy or boast;

it is not arrogant 5 or rude.

It does not insist on its own way;

it is not irritable or resentful;

6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

7 Love bears all things,

believes all things,

hopes all things,

endures all things.

8 Love never ends.

As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Damn Right, Hope Won!

Thank you, Jesus, for silencing Satan my accuser with your cross! Thank you that you enable those who worship you as Lord to wear white, not because of our goodness, but because of yours! Protect us from the lies and accusations of the enemy that discourage and derail us. Help us to be sober-minded and watchful because our enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking to devour us just as you warned us! Forgive me for listening to these lies and allowing them to overtake me into despair. Help us (me) to seek out, listen to, and believe your Pure, Perfect, and Beautiful Word instead! Forgive me for giving the enemy any opportunity to do this by any anger or bitterness in my heart. Thank you that you truly do remove it when I go to you! Thank you for opening my eyes with conviction and thank you for forgiving me. Thank you that you make me clean—you wipe my slate clean and give me freedom and joy. Thank you that you are changing me. Thank you, Jesus, that you are All Powerful, Mighty, and Strong. You are victorious. You are my Rescuer and Redeemer. I am safe with you. I am weak on my own, but you are strong and you make me strong. All glory belongs to you!!! Amen

Zechariah 3

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.
6 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.

8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. 9 For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10 In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.”

Revelation 5

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

9 And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scrolland to open its seals,for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for Godfrom every tribe and language and people and nation,10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,and they shall reign on the earth.”

11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

God’s Unfathomable Love in Psalm 139 (This Psalm is Balm!)

Okay, I know I am posting a lot lately. I have been very contemplative lately with so much on my heart.

I just got back from a women’s Bible study where we are going through the book of Psalms. My friend, Joanne, is leading the group. Joanne has such a heart that is vulnerable, humble, real and gracious and that desires to know and be known in true Biblical community that honors and reflects the gospel of God. She always challenges me in ways that cause me to grow where the rubber meets the road in my life. The Psalm we studied today was just like a much needed balm to me soothing the raw wounds of life. I have pasted it below. Read it.

Joanne had researched some commentaries and pointed out that this Psalm is broken into five major sections: Verses 1-6 are about being seen by God; Verses 7-12 are about being pursued by God; Verses 13-16 are about being fashioned by God; Verses 17-18 are about David’s love for God’s thoughts; Verses 19-22 are about hating God’s enemies; and Verses 22-24 are an invitation to intimate relationship.

We read the whole Psalm together and began discussing the first section. We talked about our reactions to being seen by God. The NASB translates the ESV phrase “search out” in verse 3 as “scrutinize”. Many of us were uncomfortable with the word scrutinize because it often has a critical and negative connotation in our culture. This led us to consider: what is God’s heart in this kind of knowledge of us?

Yes, He looks us on us just as we are. Nothing about us is hidden to Him. He knows us every detail of our past, present, and future. Not only does He see our actions, but He sees our hearts. He knows our deepest thoughts and motives. He knows our conscious thoughts and our subconscious thoughts, and He knows what we are going to think and say before we do. His knowledge of us is unfathomable to us—it is too wonderful for us. This knowledge is humbling to me, because I know that God knows the ugliest parts of my heart that I try to hide from others and even from myself.

Yet, He looks on me with pure, unadulterated, unconditional love. Because of Jesus, there is no condemnation for me! Jesus absorbed the Father’s wrath for my sin, and now there is only love left for me. As the rest of Psalm 139 tells me—He pursues me! He wants me! He protects me! Because I have been bought with the blood of Jesus and He is Lord of my life, the Father looks at me with love and acceptance--not because of my own righteousness, but because of Jesus’ righteousness.

Are you feeling alone? Are you feeling discouraged by your circumstances? Are you feeling ugly in your soul? I am struggling with all of these things. Yet, as the women in our group discussed today, Psalm 139 truly makes me feel loved, humbled, blessed, safe, at peace, and in wonder at the greatness of our God.

Thank you, Lord!

Psalm 139

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying downand are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,and lay your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;it is high; I cannot attain it.

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morningand dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 even there your hand shall lead me,and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,and the light about me be night,”12 even the darkness is not dark to you;the night is bright as the day,for darkness is as light with you.

13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,when I was being made in secret,intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me,when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.I awake, and I am still with you.

19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain! 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? 22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting!

Gospel Life

I believe more in the gospel today than I did on Friday for at least two reasons.

The first is a conversation I had with a godly Christian single woman who shared with me a little about what God was doing in her life. She purchased a home along with a family from her church. I saw how this woman interacted so lovingly with the children in their household. It would be a daunting thing for many people to become intertwined with the lives of friends in such an everyday way. They do life together. They go to church together. They are in community group together. They have made a financial investment in their home together. They see each other at their best and worst. They work out conflict together. I imagine that this type of arrangement would have its share of complications, but rather than running away at the first sign of difficulty, they are doing the messy work of real relationship together. They are living as the family of God. It was a beautiful thing to see the gospel at work.

Another reason why I believe the gospel more today than I did on Friday was because I heard the testimony of a sweet friend who has gone through one of the greatest periods of trial in life in the last couple years. Her child was the victim of a violent crime. She endured the illness of her child, experienced the tarnishing of her reputation, suffered great financial troubles, and was abandoned by some of her closest friends in her greatest hour of need. She has felt intense loneliness, anxiety, fear, depression, and even despair. As she shared this weekend what God was doing in her life, she unwaveringly stated that she would not exchange any of the suffering she endured because of what God did through it—He gave her a greater glimpse of His beauty and the fullness of His sufficiency for her. It made me think—what a worthy God we serve!! He is worthy of losing it all! The joy of knowing the Living God is worth any heartache that this life can bring.

I have been listening to John Piper’s sermon series on the book of Romans from http://www.desiringgod.org/. The sermon I listened to most recently was from this passage: Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” In the sermon, Piper points out that the gospel is not just the power to save non-Christians. It is the power to save believers!!

The gospel is my only hope.

The gospel is Jesus.

The gospel was not just something I needed to become a Christian. I will always need the gospel. Certainly, the gospel is that Jesus Christ came to save me, a sinner doomed to destruction by her own willful rebellion. Yes, the gospel is that Jesus took the death penalty for me, and His death bought my freedom. However, none of this would be good news, except that Jesus’ death enables me to have real and unfettered relationship with Him—Perfect God! Not only is it my only hope for salvation from hell, it is also my only hope for being reconciled to the Living God!

The gospel is the good news that I get to be with Him! The more I learn about Jesus, the more I want to know Him and be in relationship with Him—there is nothing else that brings me more joy and is worth losing everything.

Yet our kind and gracious God also wants Christians to live like we believe in the power of the gospel to forgive, forbear, redeem, transform, and unite us in Christ in all areas of our life. He delights in enabling us to reflect the beauty of His gospel in our lives. Accordingly, He is glorified in enabling us to demonstrate scandalous love to those who hurt us (like He did for us). He is glorified in enabling us to demonstrate humility and sacrifice (like He did for us). He is glorified in enabling us to have sincere and enduring love for others (like He has always had for us). He is glorified in enabling us to grow in righteousness (as He has always been righteous). He is glorified in enabling us to experience inexpressible joy in Him (as He has always experienced within the beautiful fellowship of the Trinity). Do we believe that He can and will do these things in our lives? Do we believe that the gospel works?

Here is the gospel in Ephesians 1:

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

In this passage of Scripture, I am struck by the good news that:

1) Our God can (and did) save, redeem, and mightily use a man like Paul who was murderous and hateful prior to meeting Christ. He does this same redeeming work in all of us Christians who, apart from Him, all deserve judgment and condemnation for our sin, but who are met with grace and peace instead.

2) Our God makes us faithful, which is something we could not do apart from Him.

3) Our God graciously enables us. In Christ, we have every spiritual blessing. We do not lack for anything we need.

4) Our God chose us to be His before the foundation of the world!

5) Our God chose us to be holy and blameless—we will never face judgment for our sins because Jesus did for us. We are being set free from our sin daily, and one day we will be completely free!

6) In love, He predestined us for adoption through Jesus. The God of the Universe loves us—His prodigal creation! He sacrificed His Only Begotten Perfect Son Jesus so that we who were not begotten could be His children too. He did this in love.

7) The Almighty God is glorified in extending grace! How fortunate for me, because I need His grace!

8) In Jesus, we have redemption through His blood. Jesus’ perfect and willing sacrifice on our behalf won us back from Hell. The costly price of the cross bought our ransom. Jesus' blood continues to redeem us until we are fully redeemed and with Him forever.

9) In Him, we have the forgiveness of our sins. He does not hold our sins against us. He does not unjustly overlook sin—but justice has already been paid for our sin by what Jesus endured. We are forgiven completely by trusting in Jesus!

10) He has lavished His grace upon us. He gives us the grace we desperately need in every moment of our lives to live as He calls us to live. We are not lacking.

11) He works all things according to the purpose of His will. He is in control. He is all wise and all insightful.

12) He is making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. He is not leaving us in the dark. He is revealing Himself to us daily, and it causes us to praise Him!

13) He has a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth in Jesus. Our God is a God of reconciliation and redemption! By Him and for Him all things were created.

14) We have an inheritance in Christ. Even though we are His prodigal creation, He has given us an inheritance in Christ. Our inheritance is to be with Him, unhindered by any separation!

15) God enables us to live in faith and love. He is glorified in our faith and love.

16) We get to be to the praise of His glory! He is glorified in the redemptive work He does in us! He is glorified in our faith and love, and He enables it. We get to be redeemed and He is glorified. Others get to see how marvelous He is, and so that they can come to Him too. What a deal!

17) We were sealed with the Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance. Although we are not physically with God right now, His Spirit lives within Christians. His Spirit guides us in truth. His Spirit produces sincere and supernatural fruit in us, and without the Spirit’s power, we could not experience fruit. The Spirit is able to do what our flesh cannot, and for this we know that our inheritance is guaranteed!

18) We were called to hope! There is such hope in knowing that we have been redeemed, we am being redeemed right now, and we will experience full redemption one day so that we can experience unfettered relationship with the Living God.

19) The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us! What we cannot do in our flesh, the Spirit who raised Jesus is more than able!

20) Jesus is Lord! He reigns and rules completely.

21) The church is the Body of Christ—the fullness of Christ who fills all in all. Jesus paid the costly penalty to redeem the Church. The Church is called Jesus’ own Body. The Church is not a building, gathering, club, etc. The Church is the fellowship of those whom Christ has won to Himself. The Church is precious to our God, and ought to be precious to us as the very Body of our Dear Lord, the fullness of Him who fills all and all!

Wow, what a God!