no escape

If they dig into Sheol, from there shall my hand take them;

if they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down. Amos 9:2

No one can escape the fate God has decreed. Sinners have been running and trying to hide from God since The Fall in the Garden of Eden. We’ve been wrapping our loins in fig leaves and hiding among the bushes. But God always sees. He knows. His righteousness shines a flood light on our dark disobedience. His truth exposes our error.

We cannot descend into the coldest cavern of the earth to hide. We cannot ride the fastest rocket into space to avoid God. There is no place to escape His gaze, evade His justice, or outpace His coming wrath. We will be seen, known, and every sin will be accounted for.

Sinners instead need to run to Christ and not from judgment. In Jesus all my descent into sin and hiding was carried to His cross, there to be borne and to be held subject to wrath and justice… and grace. I can only ascend to heaven because Jesus will carry me there by His mercy, grace, and righteousness. I must always embrace a Savior and cease my soul’s failed covert operation of running. I instead run to a Savior and not from a Judge. I run to life and not from death. I run to deliverance and not to judgment. I run to salvation and a home and am saved from separation in hell.

essential elders

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— Titus 1:5

God wants an orderly local church. And this little pastoral postcard of Titus provides a kind of bullet point checklist of what that looks like. Paul left Titus on Crete to make sure the local churches in each town were kept in order. It took time. The first task on the checklist: elders needed to be appointed for each town’s local church. And that sort of leadership training and development takes deliberate effort and serious time commitment for the trainer and the candidates.

Some thoughts about elders from this first priority in the first chapter of Titus:

1. Local churches need a plurality of elders to truly be a New Testament church. That is why your Bible Study or your “home group” or your “household” are not local churches. It is popular today to avoid this biblical pattern. It is perilous as much false doctrine and practice erupts from such places. No surprise… they aren’t biblical in structure. Titus was commanded to appoint a plurality of elders in each town.
2. Elders are proven leaders at home (Titus 1:6). The fruit of their leadership is shown at home and backs up character, commitment, and calling.
3. Character predominates elder qualification (Titus 1:7-8). In the long list is nothing about organizational acumen, business success, or charisma. It is all about the character of Christ.
4. Word skill is essential as a teacher (Titus 1:9). The primary call of the elder is to teach the Word and direct the life of the church around it.
5. Elders will face opposition by false teachers within the church (these false teachers are always non-qualified by the first three things on the list). They face persecution from outside the church (Titus 1:9b-16).

God, help us to raise up and appoint Your qualified and called men for Your local churches! Amen

my grateful prayer

For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. Psalm 86:13

A wealth of grace has been poured over my soul by Your faithful love to me, O God! Like David, I too am loved by a covenant-keeping God Who has given all to save me from death. Jesus, You poured out Your life in love for my soul. Could there be any greater display of love? I was Your enemy, far from God, enslaved to sin, and rebellious to Your holy truth. And yet You came to save sinners and fully paid my sin-debt with Your sacrifice.

My soul is saved from hell by Your redemption, proven forever by Your resurrection from the dead. I am loved. I am saved from the penalty and power of sin. I am given new life and will inherit eternal life. Sin and death no longer master me! Your steadfast love has captured me and in the New Covenant celebrated at Your table I feast as I remember Your great love, Lord Jesus!

Amen

Seek Me

For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live…” Amos 5:4

A gracious God

stands ready to forgive

”Seek me and live!”

…but you did not believe

In mercy

He will full pardon give

”Seek me and live!”

…but you did not believe

Look to a cross

at what Jesus did

”Seek me and live!”

…but you did not believe

”Come to me…”

Jesus patiently says

”Seek me and live!”

He stands ready to forgive

”Seek first my kingdom”

Holy gifts He gives

”Seek me and live!”

believe and be His!

Eternal life

to His people instead

”Seek me and live!”

beat death and truly live

A perfect life

remade in Him

”Seek me and live!”

Oh, that you will believe!

rejecting sound doctrine

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Paul describes the motivations people have in rejecting the preaching of the Word as he exhorts Timothy to faithfully continue to do so with patient teaching. There are five characteristics of those who reject the clear exposition of God’s Word when there is Christ-centered, gospel-saturated, doctrinally driven preaching.

1. They don’t endure. They want quick and easy answers, will not work at listening to the truth, and applaud platitudes and Reader’s Digest condensed talks.
2. They want something novel and exciting that is the opposite of sound doctrine. Itching ears are tired of hearing gospel truth. They trade the wonder in salvation with wandering to new and opposite message.
3. They collect teachers like Pokémon cards. It’s about the latest craze and the accumulation of novel messages and messengers. They focus on men, not the message.
4. They suit their own passions. False teaching de-emphasizes sin and exalts the flesh. It craves affirmation and not confession.
5. They turn away from truth. This implies that they hear it and reject it. The gospel is both replaced AND ignored by choice.

Lord,

help us stay true to the command to preach the Word, always ready with clear exposition of the text, gospel application of the text, and Christ-centered focus in the truth of the text!

Amen

R E S T O R E

Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved! Psalm 80:3, 7, 19

Remember, O God that we are dust.

Redeem us from the pit.

Return to us our joy.

Restore us, O Lord God.

Everyone has turned away.

Even the righteous stumble.

East winds scorch and parch us.

Eternal power must save us.

Spare us, O Lord God!

Sanctify us to Yourself.

So many are our sins.

Salvation belongs to the Lord!

To return to You, our hope…

To know again Your peace…

To prosper in You love…

These things we desire.

Over sin You have dominion.

On our side, You help us.

Overcome the weights that sink us.

Overpower sin, death, and hell.

Remember us again in mercy.

Redeem us and make us Your possession.

Return to us in power and glory!

Restore us, God, is our heart’s cry.

Each of us in great need,

equal with inability to save ourselves,

ever aware of Jesus, our only Savior,

eternally we will sing Your praise!

moral incompetence

“They do not know how to do right,” declares the LORD,

“those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.” Amos 3:10

What an indictment! God says of His people Israel that they do not know how to do what is right. The nature of the covenant God made with them was that they would be a nation uniquely devoted to Him. By keeping His law they would show God’s holiness and love to the world. They were meant to be a holy light to the nations to draw them to God. Even though they possessed the covenant and had God’s Law they failed miserably. They had become incapable of doing good… instead hoarding violence and sin in their actions, character, and national reputation.

Israel’s failure proclaimed by God through the prophet Amos reminds us that sinners cannot keep God’s Law under their own power. That is why Christ came to perfectly fulfill God’s Law. This proclamation reminds us that sinners cannot do right. That is why the righteousness of Christ needs to be applied to us. Sinners are filled with iniquity. That’s why we must be clothed in Christ’s righteousness. We do nothing good. That’s why we come to Christ in repentance, confession, and faith so that His work transforms us as we turn FROM wrong to embrace His righteous gifts!

Lord, “They do not know how to do right…” But transformed by grace through faith, Christ’s righteousness can live in Your redeemed elect. And that is really true in me by faith! Thank You! Amen.

Creeps in households

For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:6-7

Paul warned Timothy that men driven by selfishness and sin will infiltrate the church. The danger is not of a full assault. The danger is a household trickle that turns into a bigger debacle. And in my experience through four decades of loving the local church, this is the most insidious and common way that error enters the church. It starts small. It hits households first. A false teacher finds a susceptible home and emphasizes the exclusivity of their “doctrine”, the uniqueness of the belief, and attacks orthodox truth in the gospel.

But notice what Paul says… by abandoning apostolic doctrine the false teachers never come to truth. They usually have a personal reason to downplay sin, deny the need for confession and repentance, and claim secret insights that the rest of the church “didn’t get” for thousands of years. And then they LOVE to flip the script saying that ALL THE REST OF CHRISTIAN TEACHING is wrong. Only their little household has it right.

In the end such heresy is opposition to truth, corruption of the mind, and a disqualification of saving faith (2 Timothy 3:8). That’s right… denying the gospel for salvation and sanctification is the mark of unbelieving, hell-bound false teaching. In the end it gets nowhere but judgment (2 Timothy 3:9). So be on the guard! Know biblical theology. Look out for the creeps in the households!

how firm a foundation

But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19

Faith in Christ rests on a foundation of truth that is under assault by false teachers. There are two pillars of a foundation mentioned by Paul to Timothy in this verse. And these are under attack. I’ve seen it all my ministerial life. Knowing and believing these pillars leads to joyful Christian practice that honors our Savior. Refuting the attacks that try to land on these pillars defends the truth of the faith once and for all delivered for the saints.

FIRM FOUNDATION PILLAR ONE: “The Lord knows those who are his.” This is the sovereign grace of God in action. It is more than election to salvation. This is intimate, sovereign knowledge that works for our good and the glory of God in both triumph and trial. God knows us, saves us, and within His sovereign grace directs every part of our lives as Christians. Any person uncomfortable with a God Who is in total control is speaking against a God Who is clearly sovereign in BOTH salvation and sanctification, in our difficulties as well as our delights. Such a denial is a false profession of the faith of the apostles. God saves and knows His own at all times and in all ways.

FIRM FOUNDATION PILLAR TWO: “Everyone who names the name of the Lord departs from sin.” Confession of sin is the mark not only of our entrance into salvation, but also in our working out of it in sanctification. We ruthlessly repent of sin. The gospel is for every day until THE DAY when we are with Christ. To deny my constant need to repent, confess, and trust in Jesus is to, like Satan, let pride rule in my heart. Christians must readily and consistently repent. We must put to death what is earthly in us. We depart from sin, never holding a light view of it, for even the erring thought sent our Savior to the cross.

”How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent Word. What more can He say than to you he has said, to you who to Jesus for refuge have fled!”

not ashamed to suffer

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God… 2 Timothy 1:8

In a day

where the name

of my Savior

is mocked and defamed

I am not ashamed

to claim His name

as Christian

In some way

every day

the world scoffs

and heaps shame

on whose who claim

the holy name

of Jesus

But today

I will stay

bolding speaking

the gospel same

as the apostles proclaimed

true to His name

a preacher

So I pray

in the name

of the Lord Jesus

and unashamed

I will stay

faithful in His way

of suffering

Fear not… the Lord has done great things!

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things!. Joel 2:21

In a promise that a land that had once been laid waste by a locust scourge would blossom anew with abundant provision of food, there is this command to “fear not”. Yet fear would be the first natural response. There had been famine: Fear not! There had been failure in all the farms of a nation: Fear not! There was extreme hardship: Fear not! There was real suffering: Fear not!

Why this command in the face of pain? Because the promises of God are certain. They are greater than any pain. He will take care of His people. God will honor His promises. His Word will succeed. His care will prevail. He has done great things!

It is a great, loving, and powerful God Who calls and empowers us to “fear not”, to be glad and rejoice in His goodness, and to remember that He does great things. He always has done great things. He always does so even now. God always will do great things for those He has rescued from sin and called His own.

Lord,

I will rejoice, be glad in You and reject fear. Although there have been real seasons where my life has been stripped bare by what the locusts have devoured, You have been faithful to sustain and restore. I never lost it all. You do great things! The pastures grew back green, the tree now bears fruit, and the vines yield wine in abundance. You are great in saving me and all those who trust Christ. You, Lord Jesus, are my sustaining vine now and forever! Amen

“different” doctrine is false doctrine.

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 1 Timothy 6:3-5

Christian leadership MUST take false doctrine seriously… whether it is prosperity theology, outright denial of the deity of Christ, or a false gospel that emphasizes either the extreme of legalism or the excess of lawlessness. Those drunk on false teaching will exhibit these characteristics according to Paul’s warning to Timothy:

1. They are conceited (1 Timothy 6:4). They are full of themselves. They are proud. They judge others by a false standard and condemn all the rest of Christianity, reviling the truth in their disdain of scriptural orthodoxy. They are full of conceit, and well… full of… other stuff.
2. They understand nothing (1 Timothy 6:4). Yep… Paul says false doctrine advocates are… well… dumb. His words. Inspired by the Spirit of God. They. Are. Stupid.
3. They are contentious (1 Timothy 6:4-5). They see themselves as the only ones who get it right. Everyone else is wrong. They live in constant friction (again those are Paul’s words) with other Christians… a sure sign of doctrinal division and unorthodoxy and frankly, rejection of the gospel. Why? The Apostle John says true Christians “love the brothers”.
4. They give into depraved (sinful) minds because they refuse the truth (1 Timothy 6:5). Again, this is Paul speaking with strong words. They relabel sins that they struggle with. Sins become “mistakes”, or “misunderstandings”, or “difficulties”, or “poor decisions”. They fail to confess their daily need of the sustaining gospel because… well… see point 1! Conceit keeps them depraved. They try to live under their own power, deprived of the eternal power of the truth of the Word of God, the grace of forgiveness over confessed sin, and the Spirit of God’s fruit born out in their redemption.

Sadly, these kinds of Christian defectors are increasingly given cyber-influence and social media platforms that only harden their conceit as they pontificate their loathsome brand of bull.

I have seen two types of regular responses to my call as a church leader to point out false doctrine. One response: looking at the Word, reading it for what it says, coming to the conclusion that the point of view once imbibed was unbiblical and wrong. Praise God, the Spirit of God and the Word of God bring repentance from sinful false doctrine and love for the truth!

The second response is not so good. Scriptural examination is refused. This saddens me, because the false doctrine espoused is tied so often to deep personal misery. In real life, heresy looks a lot like the four things Paul says here. And these four things DO NOT bring joy. Heterodoxy creates a living hell that despairs of life in this world and loses out on loving God and loving people well. And so I pray that the Spirit of God will do work to break through the refusal of truth and that in His mercy He will call to repentance all who have strayed from the truth.

church leadership

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. 1 Timothy 5:21

What was so important that Paul invokes the reminder of the constant presence of God the Father, Christ the Son, and unseen angel forces? Answer: The call for Timothy to stay impartial and clear-headed in administering the conduct of church leadership. He needed to keep some clear rules, avoid prejudicial thinking, and remain impartial.

What were the “rules” about elders?

1. Those who were gifted preachers should be supported when possible (1 Timothy 5:17-18).
2. Any charge of sin against an elder needs to be established with the evidence of multiple witnesses (1 Timothy 5:19).
3. Elders clearly caught in unrepentant sin should be rebuked before the other elders and the church (1 Timothy 5:20).
4. Appointing elders should be a careful process to maintain doctrinal and personal purity (1 TImothy 5:22-25).

Lord,

Leadership is so very important in Your church. May the men I serve among see their task as the most important leadership ever. May we labor to support gospel preaching, seriously guard our hearts and Your church, and make the right choices for gifted elders to continue leading Your Church, Lord Jesus!

Amen

commands to teach

Command and teach these things. 1 Timothy 4:11

C - Conduct yourself with the authority of scripture so that you speak confidently.

O - Over every aspect of life let God’s Word have complete clarity to overrule.

M - Many men will despite what God commands; Make it clear they will answer the King meekly.

M - More will be needed than you have to give… immerse yourself in the scriptural river’s motion.

A - Admonish those with the gift of teaching to keep to sound doctrine alertly.

N - Never give up for you save yourself and your hearers nonetheless.

D - Doctrine is only divisive for those who despise.

T - Train yourself to teach through public reading and private tutoring.

E - Encourage elders to lead from the Word enthusiastically.

A - Admire the progress as God honors faithfulness to His Word’s accomplishments.

C - Closely watch your life and your doctrine so that you don’t crash.

H - Hear from God in His Word and make God says what you always herald.

serve well

For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 3:13

Those who serve the church well are promised two unique blessings. I have had the unique joy of serving as a pastor in local church leadership for over thirty seven years now. My adult life and vocation has been, is, and I pray I may faithfully finish as a shepherd to the church of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In that lifetime of ministry I have seen so many serve the Lord well. No one is perfect. But deacons who give themselves to the Lord and to others create beauty in ministry!

They have the blessing of thankful recognition as they are the hands and feet of Jesus. I have witnessed this as deacons have fed the hungry, comforted the sick, ministered to the dying, wept with the grieving, assisted the impoverished, and encouraged the saints to join them in service. I’m beyond grateful for the ways deacons carry the daily load of helping the church gather safely and with joy, adorning the gospel with good works as we deal with a world in broken need.

They also gain the blessing of personal growth by their service. I have seen men and women grow as disciples through service. I have seen elders raised up from faithful deacon service. I’ve seen women recognized for their nurture and wisdom as they have faithfully cared for others with sacrifice and love. Jesus gains worship when men and women “serve well”.

The world needs faith and truth.

For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 1 Timothy 2:7

The “this” here in verse seven, which is the reason Paul was appointed and called by Jesus Himself into apostolic ministry to the Gentiles, is twofold. First, God “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). God’s love for the world, forever shown in the death and resurrection of Jesus, required that the gospel go into all the world. God called Paul and gifted him for this task. Paul was a global-thinking, Great Commission, gospel preacher.

Secondly, Jesus “gave Himself as a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:6). The very nature of the atonement required global commitment from the church. Paul was the first to model this kind of serious life-shaping obedience to the gospel call. He built his ministry team around this truth. He traveled, preached, planted churches, taught, and suffered for the sake of a world-wide vision of the gospel, knowing Jesus died to call all people to His saving grace.

Lord,

May the vision of my heart be as wide as the gospel clearly is. May my soul long for what You desire so that all can come to a knowledge of repentance and faith in the gospel. Give this world faith and truth, I pray! And may Your church thrive making disciples all around the world in this generation.

Amen

shame, Name, and fame

Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O LORD. Psalm 83:16

When God judges the wicked it is meant to draw them to recognize the power, authority, and glory of His name. It is a work of God to make Himself known so that wicked sinners opposed to God might repent and turn to Him. He shows His rule by disgracing and showing wicked humanity His power so that people might repent and believe in Him.

There is one outstanding Old Testament example of this: Ninevah under the warning sermon of Jonah. God had plans to shame Ninevah… to destroy the city and thus the empire. Jonah walked through the city reluctantly proclaiming God’s warning. And Ninevah sought God’s name. The city repented, acknowledged God’s authority from palace to stable, and sorrowed over sin. God saw it and chose to be merciful to them. God will shame sinners so that they might seek Him.

Lord with all authority over everything,

You rule the nations of this earth. Even now would You bring fame to Your name by judging with shame? Shine Your gospel light through the proclamation and lives of Your church to expose wrong, destroy the works of evil, shame the wicked, and show Your glory. Bring this wicked and rebellious planet, people group by people group, enemy by enemy, city by city, to the shame of their sin and to repentance we pray! May the shamed seek Your name!

Amen

first in line

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 1 Timothy 1:15

Paul’s humble attitude toward his own need for salvation was that Jesus came to offer salvation for sinners, and Paul was standing first in line. He was the foremost sinner in the greatest need. He did not judge others as more sinful than he was. Those days had passed. Once a Pharisee… once a leader of the Jews… once a judgmental persecutor of Christians, Paul now saw all that as part of His sin résumé and not anything to be celebrated.

Paul is showing us here how to see ourselves before the cross. We are the first in line to humbly admit our great need and unworthiness. We are first in line to confess sin and our need of a Savior. We are first in line to be aware of our lostness and our need for divine direction. We are first in line to express praise and gratitude for the salvation that we have in Christ. We are first in line to joyfully share the good news with all the rest of the sinners around us.

Lord,

May I humbly see my sin as putting me at the top of the list of those needing Your grace. I hold no sin secret, dear, or tightly to my heart. I am a sinner, foremost in need, foremost to receive, foremost to declare Your saving grace to other sinners!

Amen

global gospel, global God

Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations! Psalm 82:8

It is unbiblical, disobedient, and disrespectful to a sovereign God to assign His blessing or rule to only one nation or people group. God rules the world. God loves the world. God judges the world. The gospel is a global hope, the church is universal, multi-cultural, and Christians should be concerned with every soul on earth. No person on this planet is beyond God’s sovereign and absolute rule. No parliament can overrule Him. No president orders Him. No army will stand against His hosts. No sinner can defy His holiness. God has inherited all the nations and knows exactly what He will do for them for our good and His glory.

One of the problems with any nation claiming exclusivity as a “Christian” nation is that such a claim creates a conundrum in God’s sovereignty. All nations are under the rule of the King of Kings. Some may not accept it. Most people in the world scoff at the notion. Still, God rules the nations and will always do so. He judges us all. So let’s not forget then that praying “God bless Russia” is equally as important as “God bless the USA”. God will rule and bless all people. The gospel is global. We make Jesus know by preaching the good news everywhere to everyone.

God of this globe, Rule us all. Convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Turn nations to You! Turn leaders to You! Turn cities to You! Save now! Rule now. Judge the nations, Your inheritance!

Amen

Remember the chains.

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Colossians 4:18

Living for Jesus

has joys and pains

sometimes a witness

puts us in chains

No persecution

will silence us

even a prison

is a church with Jesus

No bars of iron

make it impossible

to tell what He’s done

in the truth of the gospel

Telling about Jesus

bring His kingdom gains

often the witness

comes with cold chains

He brings joy in the sorrow

He delivers our pains

there is hope for tomorrow

remember the chains

Grace will be with you

as you sing the refrains

of mercy and forgiveness

Remember the chains

how we are holy

In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Colossians 3:7-8

There are two parts to sanctification (Christian holiness) that the New Testament clearly teaches. Paul is particularly clear instructing churches in his epistles on how it works. The first part of our holiness is positional. It is God’s part and is the biggest and most important part. Upon faith in Christ the old sinful self has died with Christ and new life comes in Christ (Colossians 3:3; Ephesians 2:4-9). We do nothing except believe the gospel. Jesus does it all. The Father sees us as forgiven and clothed in Christ’s righteousness. The Holy Spirit indwells and protects us as God’s beloved holy ones.

We are also called to live in that holiness by actively repenting of sin (putting sin to death) and obeying the call to live in holiness (Colossians 3:5-6; Ephesians 2:10). This is what is known as practical sanctification. We were created for good works to walk in them, pleasing to the Lord. This is why exhortations are always found in the letters of the New Testament. We work out (not work for) our salvation (a possession guaranteed by Christ) with fear and trembling (an attitude of love, reverence, and fear over sin’s destructive influence) (Philippians 2:12-13). God gives the gift of sanctification. We open it with obedience and use it through surrender to Christ’s Lordship so we can live like Jesus calls us. And though we grow in it, He holds us in the forgiveness of the gospel as we stumble forward, confessing, repenting, and obeying (1 John 1:9).

To be Christian is to live the forgiven and the forgiving life. It is to repent and to keep confessing. It is to be cleansed and to seek cleansing. It is to be made holy and to pursue holiness as we seek to be holy as He is holy. Anything less is confusion and lawlessness. Anything more is legalism.

the fruit of thanks

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

I received Christ Jesus the Lord

when I heard the gospel Word

and trusted then in what I heard

I began to walk with Him as Lord

Roots began to deeply grow

as His truth I sought to know

listening to gospel taught I show

His grace revealing where to go

Built up, growing in what I believed

established in the gospel I received

knowing it was what Jesus alone achieved

that has kept me living the truth perceived

The fruit of thankfulness abounds

as with joy God’s Spirit surrounds

my life in gratitude resounds

with gospel songs… true peace I’ve found

Jesus… Lord and Savior dear

receives me, loves me, always near

teaches me in His Word ever clear

glory now and always… I will not fear

Rooted, established, Savior bought

growing, thankful, gospel taught

I can live now as I ought

in the victory that Jesus fought

ultimate rule

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16

Jesus is Creator, Controller, and King. Paul’s great sermon in Colossians one — the pre-eminence of Christ — is firm on these facts. Everything that exists, both physical and spiritual, was made through Him and is for His purposes. Nothing in the entire universe is outside of Him. It all bows to Christ’s control and pales in the magnificence of His glory! Everything that is seen and unseen submits to only one authority: Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Paul specifically focuses on authority in this verse. Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth just as He claimed in His last words to His disciples at His ascension (Matthew 28:18). Paul uses four words to express the complete nature of the authority of Jesus Christ:

1. Thrones — All earthly kingdoms, countries, and kindreds belong to Jesus. No human outranks Him.
2. Dominions — no realm of rule encircles Jesus. His empire universally surrounds everything that is.
3. Rulers — a term referring to spiritual forces. No angel or demon has more spiritual power. All submit to His power.
4. Authorities — a term for any human power and influence. Jesus’ jurisdiction supercedes all man made institutions.

O Lord over all, we submit only to You! Rule over us! Lead us in this present age! Bring Your Kingdom rule to bear in Your people. Break Satan’s principality apart! Show us the folly of human politics, positions, and purposes. Bring kings on their knees before you, judges into Your justice, lawmakers under Your law, and armies under Your command. Come quickly Lord Jesus so that Your Kingdom rule comes, Your Kingly will is done on earth as in heaven.

Amen

getting “reasonableness” right

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; Philippians 4:5

Reasonableness (epieikes). appropriate (by implication) mild: — gentle, moderate, patient. seeming, suitable, equitable, fair.

Reasonableness is crucial for maintaining community; it is the disposition that seeks what is best for everyone and not just for oneself. ESV Study Bible

Why be reasonable in this way?

The Lord is at hand emphasizes the fact that Jesus will surely return as judge and will hold us responsible for our deeds. ESV Study Bible

Reasonableness is the corporate characteristic of the Christian church whereby the experience of being loved by fellow believers creates an atmosphere where everyone seeks the best for one another. It is what happens when the exhortation of Philippians 2:3-4 (… in humility count others more significant… look not only to self interest but also the interests of others…) is obeyed and enculturated among believers.

Sadly, the Church is often very unreasonable. We twist preferences and opinions into hard convictions. We make dogma from our differences. We turn ourselves upside-down in our selfishness! We appoint worldly concerns as the standard of judgment over one another. We exalt self-interest over corporate care, love, and gospel proclamation. We miss out on community and the divisiveness of a fallen world destroys unity and scars the beauty of the Bride of Christ. We are called to live out Philippians 2:3-4; 4:5. Let’s look out for each other! Let’s repent of our divisions and selfishness! Let’s be reasonable!

Press on… hold true.

Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Philippians 3:16

This short verse provides some powerful insight. That insight is unlocked when we look to the context to answer two questions about this exhortation.

1. What is it we have obtained? If we back up to Philippians 3:12, Paul says there is an ambition that was his daily pursuit in following Christ. He was seeking to obtain it… and wasn’t perfect about the pursuit… He just kept pressing on to make it his own because Jesus first made Paul His own. It was a goal that was always in front of Paul—one he daily chased wholeheartedly. The process was repeatable: Forget yesterday with its losses, failure, problems, or short gains. Strain forward to the goal and press on knowing that in following Jesus one day Paul would hear an “upward call” that would bring him into final and ultimate communion with God in Christ (Philippians 3:13-14). This journey and any gains in it were what was attained.
2. What does it mean to hold true? The word translated as “hold true” is a military term. It describes soldiers marching in formation… keeping step with their orders… stepping in rank and file as the commander directs them. It is a word to describe direction, purpose, and obedience. When we hold true, we are directly obeying the command of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The bottom line for me is this: every day I discipline my thinking and actions to follow Jesus. His grace DOES change and empower me to do this. Only His sanctification enables me to hold to what is attained. Only His power enables me to press on. Only His orders determine my direction. But I must also frame my attitudes and my choices under only one authority: The words and wishes of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Then I can press on. Then I can march until that upward call. Then I can hold true to His direction. Then I can eventually attain all that He has always had for me.

two humble servants

I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.

Philippians 2:28

After a call to Christian humility, character and service (Philippians 2:1-17), Paul gives three real life examples of men who sought to embody these characteristics. First to come out in the text is Paul’s own experience of imprisonment as he was “poured out” for the sake of the believers in Philippi. He suffered so with rejoicing, calling them to rejoice with him that the gospel advanced in such sacrifice. Paul then commends the contributions of two other men who served with him… men known to the Philippian church.

Timothy. This young man had “proven worth”. Paul saw Timothy like a good son in the faith, an heir to Paul’s ministry legacy and a fellow servant of the gospel. He wanted to send Timothy because he knew the young man would cheer the souls in the church and also cheer Paul with a report back. Timothy embodied self-denial and love for others that Paul called Christians to in Philippians 2:3, 20-21. Timothy’s humility and joy were contagious.

Epaphroditus. Another ministry partner that the Philippians had sent to Paul became a faithful friend and servant alongside Paul. When it came to the gospel, he was a hard worker, a soldier, a messenger, and a minister. And through his own sickness and hardship God spared him so that he could return to Philippi as a servant who risked his life to complete the gospel call upon him.

May their examples enlighten our own humble service to the King. Lord, may I be a servant of Yours of proven worth, of hard work, of comfort, and of commitment. May I pour out, encourage, and risk whatever it takes to make the gospel known today. Amen

Yearning

For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:8

When I am not with you

i definitely miss you

separated as we must be

circumstances do not have me free

and yet there is a longing

to return to the belonging

of fellowship as one

because of what Christ has done

will bind our hearts together

in His church forever

My soul desires to live

with those whom Christ forgives

The affection of our Lord

the direction of God’s Word

binds us to one another

makes us sisters and brothers

the gospel binds us near

to the heart of God so clear

His truth sets us free

we are one through eternity

so I long to be with you

I yearn to worship beside you

one day before God’s throne

finally together we will be His own

brighter than dark cosmic powers

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

We have this vivid and sobering reminder from Paul’s closing remarks to the Ephesian church that the gospel advances against a grim kingdom of death beyond what our eyes can see. We are called to stand against the devil’s own war plans (Ephesians 6:11). It requires defensive spiritual armor and skill with God’s Word, the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:13-17). It means we seriously implore the Almighty God of Heaven to help and protect us, keep us alert, and to embolden us with gospel proclamation (Ephesians 6:18-20).

Yesterday was a shocking display of the intensity of that spiritual battle as a bold Christian voice that actively interjected the gospel with clarity in the deepest and the darkest of our current cultural conflicts was cut down by the cosmic powers of this present darkness. Political motivations aside, the gospel is still very much the light, God’s truth still is a burning bright spotlight against the forces of evil, and if anything, the gospel declared and lived by that voice will only grow. A clear contrast between darkness and light can be seen.

The question for us becomes this: Will we don the armor of God, stand firm, boldly love others by declaring through gospel conversations the liberating truth of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and pray like the battle-commanded soldiers we are called to be?

Wisely under control

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5:17

It is wise to be under the control of the Holy Spirit. Paul already says to live as wise people in an evil day (Ephesians 5:15-16). He is going to go on to say in this passage that Christians aren’t controlled by substances or worldly influences, but are instead filled with the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:18). The result of that wise control of the Spirit turns Christians into singing, thankful, submissive, grace-filled, peaceful saints who in the wisdom of God show the power of God and the salvation of God to the world (Ephesians 5:19-21).

If I want to be wise, I must let the Word of God and the Spirit of God dwell richly within me. I must let the outflow of that life bring me joy, worship, thanksgiving, and unity in the church community. I must look carefully at how I choose to live… not selfishly, but spiritually. I must drink in the work of the Holy Spirit of God to be transformative where God has placed me.

And so, Lord, I pray now that I would let the Spirit of God now shining the clarity of Your Word given to me for today help me to live wisely under Your control. I worship. I sing to You the song You give. I am thankful for the joyous salvation I have in Christ. I seek the vibrant love of Your community with fellow transformed, Spirit-filled saints. Amen

beyond how I think I feel

When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.

When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Psalm 94:18-19

How I think about my life is more than just a rational exercise. I “feel” my way through my day. I may plan my agenda but I cannot plan my feelings and emotional responses. I cannot plan for the unexpected misunderstandings, frustrations, moments of disregard, and inevitable emotional bumps and bruises that might accompany a day’s experience. These things come from family, friends, co-workers, ministry partners, and people to whom I wish to display my love and care. Even my closest loved friends and family can impact positively or negatively with actions or with inactions how I will perceive myself and my experiences. It is part of being human. An important part of how I think is how I feel.

I love the observations in these two verses of Psalm 94. They describe two types of regular feelings that come our way. The first is a feeling of “out of control” uncertainty: “my foot slips”. Notice that the psalmist “feels” like he is losing control… losing footing… losing direction. Yet underneath that feeling he finds by faith a greater assurance: God’s faithful love upholds even in the uncertainty. God’s faithfulness can remedy my loss of emotional balance and my fear of instability. Let’s face it, I know I am a control freak when it comes to what I want. Most people are. I need to know God holds me even when the footing starts to get slippery and I am not in control!

The second feeling is anxiety: “the cares of my heart are many”. In the grip of fear we can forget God as pulses pound and thoughts race a million ways to disaster. Yet we are reminded to KNOW that God comforts, consoles, and cheers the soul. Neither uncertainty nor anxiety can remove us from God’s faithful and constant care. God holds us up. God cheers us up. God will direct our thoughts beyond how we feel if we have faith to trust Him and His Word!

many years and many days

So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 11:8

Many years in which to rejoice

such is the gift of life

Many years to discover

the joy and meaning in life

Many years to remember

past joys and pains

Many years to experience

warm sunshine and cold rain

Many days in those years

will be dark and dreary

Many days of toil and sorrow

long nights unhappy and weary

Many days full of questions

pointless nights with nothing to show

Many days where sickness weakens

endless long nights of the soul

Let me remember in these years, Lord

the joys You have given, the victories won

In Your perspective in my darkness

I will still trust that You have overcome

without You with me in all times

this life would feel worthless and vain

but in Your grace both light and darkness

are gifts of goodness through both joy and pain

futile minds

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

Ephesians 4:17

There are four characteristics of Christ-less, futile thinking that are no longer the way that Christians should think. They are the practice of minds without Jesus. Paul describes them in Ephesians 4:18.

1. ”They are darkened in their understanding…” An unregenerate mind is dark. The very disposition of an unbeliever cannot approach the light of God’s holiness. Our culture is thus dark and ruined as collectively sinners only have dark thoughts. And it is getting even darker.
2. “…alienated from the life of God…” Not only is life outside of Christ devoid of light, it is also cut off, cast out, alienated of life. The mind of humanity is death bound as a result of sin. It is void of any hopeful, life-giving thought. It is a zombie brain. It creates a culture of death.
3. “…because of the ignorance that is in them…” The unregenerate mind is spiritually uneducated. It cannot know God unless God draws the thoughts of the ignorant to the truth of His revelation. Only the gospel can begin to address what humans need in order to know God fully and possess eternal truth.
4. ”…due to their hardness of heart.” Hard hearts reject God. Hard hearts are trapped in the stone crypts of sin. Hard hearts are encased in the concrete of rejection of God, addiction to the domination of sin, the blinding limitations of Satanic assault and worldly lies, and the worship of self.

There is only hope in salvation in Christ. Only the gospel hammer, the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God), and the Holy Spirit’s enlightening and enlivening ministry will break through futile thinking of hearts like these.

constant quest

…then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.

Ecclesiastes 8:17

It is impossible to fully know the mind of an almighty, all-wise, infinitely holy and eternal God. We will always be learning about Him… striving to know Him. We are given souls that live forever, but we are finite still and have a beginning. God has no beginning nor end. His mind always has been. And once He began His work it was impossible for created things to be greater than the Creator. We just have to accept that God exists, that He is in control of all facets of everything that is, and that He lives with us now and calls us to Him forever.

We cannot “find out the work” that God has done because it is all bound up in His eternal decree. We can accept it. We can believe what He reveals in the heavens and on earth. We can believe with the most clarity what He has revealed in His Word and in the Living Word, Jesus Christ. We can know God as He reveals Himself… but He will always be infinitely above us.

Faith simply abandons frustrating intellectualism in favor of satisfying worship when we accept this. We praise God and in faith trust God. We constantly exercise this by the work of His Spirit illumining scripture to us as we get glimpses of His glory at work in the universe and in our individual lives. In that way a rewarding quest is always our endeavor.

effective gospel preaching

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…

Ephesians 3:8

There are three attitudes Paul displays in this short verse that must comprise an effective preacher of the gospel.

1. Humility in relation to the rest of the church. Paul calls himself “the very least of all the saints.” He doesn’t claim to be an apostle or even the least of the apostles here. He claims to be just the very least of all the saints. The preacher is the lowest member of the congregation. It wasn’t his superior attitude or boasting in his calling that led him to preach. It was this humble need for the gospel himself. Effective preachers are not above the gospel. No… they are in need of it the most and preach from that great need.
2. Grace is the gift. The very act of preaching the gospel is an act of grace. Paul did not “deserve” to proclaim it. God graciously gifted him to do so. Grace outpoured both in the message and the messenger.
3. The message is of infinite value. Paul didn’t compose cheap, easy, and pithy thoughts. To him, the majestic gospel that was given to him to preach was of the highest value. It had a wealth with no end. The riches were unsearchable. You could not place a value on the grace of God in Christ. Paul was enriched by the preaching as he enriched others spiritually by faithfully proclaiming the inexhaustible riches of Christ.

Lord, may I humbly proclaim through the grace given to me the unsearchable riches of Christ! Amen

Who does what God does?

For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?—

the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.

Psalm 18:31-32

God protects, secures, rescues, and strengthens His saints. That is the theme repeated stanza by stanza in Psalm 18 as David celebrates his deliverance by God from Saul’s relentless quest to kill him. In so celebrating. David is also recognizing his unique giftedness by God as the anointed king over Israel. And the God Who saves is the God Who calls and equips. David was rescued. David was strengthened. David was declared king and made blameless by a faithful, gracious, true King of Israel, the LORD his God.

These major themes are also known now through the gospel for believers in Jesus:

• God rescues. In Jesus our greatest enemies, sin and death, are no longer threats. Clothed in Christ’s righteousness and given eternal life, we are rescued.
• God protects. We are forever sealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. Nothing takes away from what God has given in salvation.
• God equips. His Word and His Spirit teach us to follow Jesus and live out God’s unique call on us.
• God is worshiped. He gets the glory because He did it all as we believed Him! In grateful praise we too marvel: “For Who is God, but the LORD!”

It has got to get better than this.

This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind?

Ecclesiastes 5:16

Yes, Preacher, these words are very true. I couldn’t agree with them more at the moment. Nothing on this earth will give true satisfaction. It is all meaningless in and of itself. Try to make money? It fritters away and creates unhappiness. Seek fulfillment in relationships? People will misunderstand you, use you, are mostly self-absorbed, and will turn on you when they aren’t particularly feeling happy with life (you will do the same to others by the way). Live for pleasure? Nah… it is fleeting… adrenaline wears you out, experiences flatten out to dull sameness, food only fills you to the next meal, and sex is probably the biggest deceptive and manipulative experience way overrated by the world. Solomon is right: You come into this world naked and confused and you leave the same way.

That is the perspective life gives without factoring in the deepest truth: God’s perspective and wisdom. Only by His redeeming work in Christ can worth come to anything we know. There are still all the same human let downs from wealth, relationships, pleasure, experience, and sex, but there is a better truth over all of them. You realize that it is PEOPLE who let you down, not God! And you realize, like I too often see in myself, that you let people down too. Even the ones you desire to care for the most. It is humbling.

Ecclesiastes takes a look through the broken glass of life’s messiness. And what do we see beyond it? A cross bringing redemption, hope, and a kingdom that will never disappoint us! Jesus is better… so much better!

from far and near

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

Ephesians 2:17

All of us are far from the cross when we first hear the gospel. We are drawn to it in so many ways that we may never have really consciously connected at first. Some people start out closer than others. But God is doing this great gathering through the church proclaiming the gospel. Paul’s teaching to the Gentile Ephesians emphasizes how they started out far from Christ: pagan worshipers of multiple false gods, Gentiles, removed from Israel, and distant from the God of the Bible. Whereas Paul as a Jew was closer by virtue of believing in God, having the Old Testament, knowing the Law, even living in the region where Christ preached, died, and rose again.

Yet the cross did not reward one circumstance over the other. Even though Gentiles were far from God, the cross draws them near. Jesus reached all the nations. He commanded His disciples to preach Him to the world… to every ethnic group without exception. He came to draw all people to Himself and in that way to bring the world together. The gospel makes peace among the nations. No human will ever achieve this.

Drawing near to Jesus, repenting of sin, submitting to the King and His Kingdom, receiving new life, dying to self, and living in the Spirit directed by God’s Word all bring saints together. No section of the globe is hidden from the powerful, unifying gravity of the gospel. Both far and near unite in Jesus. The gospel is designed to be the unifying center of the human experience. Christians know this and if anyone harbors a vision of exclusion, they are not in Christ.

O worship the King!

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness

Psalm 45:6

This verse is quoted at the beginning of the book of Hebrews to show us that Jesus is the King Whose throne is forever and Who rules with an upright scepter. He is the Great King. He is God on His throne. Jesus rules with righteousness over all His kingdom. He always has. He always will. He does so now.

So every day I am called to live out my allegiance. I can bow my knee to the King of Kings and submit to wherever He chooses to send me in His royal service. Or I can make myself what I am not, the ruler of my own selfish realm. Bowing before Jesus’ eternal throne makes a difference for eternity. Defying His scepter leads ultimately to frustration, destruction, failure, and pain. My narrow kingdom of self never lasts beyond brief, momentary, temporary highs. My selfish kingdom inevitably topples on precarious wants and pleasures.

Your throne, O Christ my God, is forever and always. Your scepter has an always expanding, never ending authority of righteousness, mercy, grace, love, and justice throughout the universe. There is no end to Your great rule. Command me, my Master and King! I bow to You. I seek to serve You. Your throne is my heart’s dwelling place… Your presence my great pleasure… Your service is my devotion. Amen.

Cycles

All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full;

to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.

Ecclesiastes 1:7

My life has cycles…

ups and downs

ins and outs

highs and lows

the streams still flows

Endless cycles…

day to night

dark to light

life to death

breath to breath

Healthy cycles…

wake and sleep

hunger and eat

sick or fine

these cycles are mine

Ordained cycles…

work and rest

pain and jest

hell or heaven

by God are given

Saving cycles…

drought or rain

joy or pain

judgment with grace

I see in Christ’s face

remembering rewarding and redeeming relationships

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers

Ephesians 1:16

There are people for whom I am extremely grateful, for whom I offer praise to God that He has placed them in my story. Some of you might even read these thoughts right now. I remember these people, gifts from a wise and gracious God, in my prayers.

THE FAMILY. God has blessed my life with family, many of whom are also family in Christ. Mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, children, and grandkids… all of whom God has used or is using to shape my soul. I look back realizing that many of my best soul-shapers are gone from daily influence, some to their eternal home… waiting for me to get home with them. I miss them but feel them still in their past words and actions… still shaping me by God’s wisdom. I thank God for family He has given.

THE FAMILY OF GOD. Of immeasurable importance to my life is the spiritual home God has given me in Christian community. The relationships are diverse: brothers and sisters, mentors, teachers, deep friends, those I have served alongside, and those I have served. And I am embarrassingly wealthy with people who care for me and care with me. I have discovered community that cares both in seasons of grief and in wild kingdom celebrations. These relationships I rejoice in! I am pointed to the right steps in following Jesus together with these fellow family members. I will not cease to give thanks to God for all these rewarding relationships.

Your plan

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.

Psalm 33:11

Your plan, Lord

lasts forever

upholds the heavens

sustains the earth

gives new birth

Every generation stands

by Your plan

Your power, Lord

confounds nations

rulers rise or fall

strictly by Your call

war or peace

are in Your reach

All nations are frustrated

by Your rule

You bless, Lord

Your people

as they worship and obey

what You clearly say

You choose to display

Your amazing grace

Your plans for hope

to the people You chose

spiraling down

There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

Proverbs 30:11

In Proverbs 30:11-14 there are four classes of societal sin that bring ruin to families, communities, and cultures. The list looks something like this:

1. Generational disrespect (Proverbs 30:11). Honoring parents is a vital command throughout scripture. It serves as a base for a civil society because family is the foundation to all human community. When generations disrespect, hate, cut-off, cancel, and punish parents there can be no future grounds for civility. It’s one thing to have a safe and holy limit due to sin by parents. It’s another thing altogether to personally punish, judge, and reject parents. My heart weeps often alongside many Christian parents who experience this kind of treatment from kids who have turned from faith and bought the lie that Christianity is the big problem with society.
2. Self-righteousness (Proverbs 30:12). Many of those who cancel family members do so out of a twisted sense of self-righteousness that rejects God’s design. It is virtue-signaling political correctness and it erodes community as well. It creates an attitude of zero dialogue or healthy compromise.
3. Arrogance and pride (Proverbs 30:13). It is not surprising that “pride” is the one word motto for those taking up the rainbow flag of resistance against God’s created order. New morality looks down on godly values. Sin always will be prideful since it started in the arrogance of Lucifer who thought himself bigger than God.
4. Greed and abuse (Proverbs 30:14). Personal gain at any cost ruthlessly destroys true loving care of the neediest among us. We are seeing this at so many levels. Sadly often in the church now. I can’t help but see a downward spiral here starting at rebellion, moving to self-righteousness for justification, fueled by arrogance that is stoked by communities of similarly minded sinners, leading to appalling apathy toward the most vulnerable… children and the poor, and ultimately destructive to our world by creating chaos and pain.

Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! Only the cross can redeem this broken mess. Only those who cling to the hope of the gospel will be delivered from these ruinous four destroyers.

the rewards of radical risk-taking

Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well.

Romans 16:3-4

It’s risky business to labor in the spread of the gospel and make disciples in a world that is hostile to Christian redemption. Romans 16 is a “who’s who of thank yous” to men and women who labored at the building up of the church in Rome with significant effort. Even though Paul had not even met some of them, they were known by reputation and he applauded their service. Among them were Prisca (Priscilla elsewhere in the New Testament) and Aquila, mentioned several times in the book of Acts as a pioneering, church-planting, disciple-making, leadership-generating, power couple.

Paul says of them that they risked their necks for his life. They put themselves in danger for his sake. He was grateful for their “fellow worker” contributions to the spread of the gospel in his ministry. He was thankful for their commitment, sacrifice, and willing service. Their impact was felt in “all the churches of the Gentiles.”

Risky ministry makes an impact. Prisca and Aquila are proof of it. We know it from church history in the Book of Acts and by their commendations in the epistles. One Christian couple made ripples across the Roman Empire all the way to its center along with Paul. Simple, sold-out, committed, and radical kingdom priorities continue to globally impact our world today!

the only hope of salvation

Oh, grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!

Psalm 60:11

If we are in need of salvation (and we definitely are), we can only find it beyond ourselves. Humanity is beyond helpless. Our most noble notions of morality, truth, and civil society are hopelessly warped by sin. It is foolish to think we can save ourselves. A court composed of criminals has no authority to impose penalties or to declare innocence and reprieve for a world of criminals! We are that broken. Vain… worthless… impossible… is the salvation that comes from man.

Our only hope is if God saves us. Imperiled as we are by the endemic evil of our sin, we need God (Whom we have offended in every way) in grace and mercy to intervene in our mess. He must help us. He must save us. And in Jesus, He has!

Human efforts at salvation sink us lower in the mire. We cannot sustain enough “good works” to counteract our desires for selfish promotion, prideful rebellion against God, or independence from God’s sovereign control. We cannot do “works of righteousness” to match up to God’s holiness. A theocracy demanding morality will never produce a holy society for this very reason: we spiritually are dead! Dead people cannot do anything.

This is where the gospel is our only hope. Only the grace and mercy of God as mediated through Jesus’ completed sacrifice to atone all sin can help us. His resurrection to defeat the power of sin and death will bring real and complete salvation in a new life that He must give to us. Only when we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness (one that is given to us and not manufactured by us) can we be taught to deny ungodliness and worldly lust and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age. That is our only hope when all of mankind’s efforts fail.

raging fools

If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs and there is no quiet.

Proverbs 29:9

It is useless to debate a fool. Why? They are self-deluded. They trust their own mind, their own sinful, selfish logic, and they will not listen to God’s Word or heed wisdom (Proverbs 28:26). And we live in an age of raging fools. Social media has given rise to the opinionated raging fool who in 30 second reels laughs at wisdom, stirs up a following of fools, and places his foolishness on the same level of argument as ancient wisdom. It is “skibidi toilet” argumentation and fools will not quiet down. The best way to engage them? Don’t waste your time in direct conversation.

Wisdom calls us to clear and careful communication. We appeal not to feelings or mockery in our proclamation of God’s truth. With foundational, factual revelation from God, given to us objectively by the Creator of the universe, imbued with unparalleled authority as the Word of God we simply speak TRUTH. We need not deride others with foolish fleshly methods ourselves. The truth of scripture is the lion roaring through the streets scattering fools with its fierce facts and consequences.

Since fools only rage, we instead keep proclaiming the gospel. We let truth speak for itself. We let the Holy Spirit help us lift the Sword of the Spirit clearly and accurately. He will by God’s sharp revelation divide truth and error, soul and spirit, wisdom and foolishness.

God of peace

May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Romans 15:33

My prayer today anew; May the God of peace be with you.

In a world chaos strewn; May the Lord bring peace to you.

Relationships broken in two? May God grant peace to you.

Worry all around you? May the God of peace sustain you.

Unsure as to what to do? May God’s peace assure you.

Confused by pain and suffering too? May the peace of God comfort you.

Tired and weary through and through? May the rest of God’s peace relax you.

My prayer for my own soul too; May the God of peace be with you.

You will keep in peace the mind stayed on Thee.

You will bless with peace all who rely on Your mercy.

Lord pour Your peace now upon me!

May the God of peace be with me.

May the God of peace be with you.

You must not trust some people.

Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.

Proverbs 25:19

Some people should not be trusted. Their lives speak much louder than their promises, and once you see that pattern, you cannot in good faith believe them. Their past character (clearly not transformed by the gospel) is the best indicator of their present condition and future performance. Of course, the gospel can change all of this when a person becomes a new creation in Christ. But simply saying they believe is not enough for the trust. The transformative work will bear fruit. When it does not, it may just be further reason to hold on trust. Such a person is called “treacherous” in this proverb.

So what does that term “treacherous” mean? It means they have hurt by their actions in a selfish way. The root meaning of the Hebrew word is “cover”. A treacherous, untrustworthy person “covers” what they don’t what others to see. Now, here is the scary part… we all tend to this to a degree in relationships. Adam and Eve attempted to cover and hide when God first confronted them after the fall… evidence of their treachery for sure. We will show people what we think enhances us, diverting them to what we think they want to see of us. But treacherous people do this pathologically and without remorse. They are in a constant game of masquerade and spin, cover-up and concealment, hide and seek. And they might charm you by appealing to your preferences while personally using you for their gain and sinning against you without your knowledge. And once you realize what has happened you grasp the true meaning of “treachery” here in this proverb.

This bit of wisdom arms us for stronger relationships. Once you encounter a treacherous “coverer”… a deceiver… a manipulator… a sin-motivated lying hider… do not under any circumstances trust them with any depth. BEWARE! The relationship will become a rotten toothache if you trust them. You will slip in your journey with them. Watch your step. Interact with cautious distance. Do not lean in. Love must dictate that the relationship only can have the bare minimum of trust. You are doing them no favors by helping them perpetuate their cover-ups. This proverb guarantees you will be hurt in time of trouble. Yes, you should still care about them. You may still truly love them if they are an inescapable part of your life. You cannot however truly build an honest relationship with a person whose lies constantly cover what is a treacherous heart.

on passing judgment

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Romans 14:10

Paul knew that Christians can fight over minor disagreements and lose sight of the bigger picture. Those fights disfigure the Bride of Christ. When hate and judgment are the culture of a local church there is no way that a gospel of grace is drawing unbelievers to the Savior. Christian fights are an oxymoron and a mark that the Devil has won the day. That is why Paul preaches about Christian liberty and the appeal of strong and weak consciences within the assembly here in this chapter.

I cannot despise my brother in Christ… ever. I must seek to understand his conscience. But what about a church member in open sin? It is love that reaches out to admonish such a person. You do not hate the person but you do recognize the damage of sin and urge them to repent in the light of the judgment of God. It isn’t hateful to call a friend to repentance. Why? For the same reason Paul appeals to unity here in Romans 14: We will all one day stand in judgment before God.

Love lives with differences of conscience, Spirit-informed opinion, and preference. Love also confronts when a clear line of sin has been crossed. Love restores when past unfair judgment has hurt the church. Love restores when repentance moves a Christian to the gospel. Love respects that Jesus is our Judge… not ourselves.