the best reason for joy

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20

Jesus reminded His followers that the most amazing experience was yet to come. Seventy-two were sent out into the villages of Israel to spread the good news, heal the sick, and cast out demons. They were joyful at their return over the reality that demons were subject to them in His name. Of course Jesus Himself had given them that authority. They had power over the enemy and nothing Satan could do to them would hurt them. They were right to find joy. But there was a greater truth in which to truly rejoice. 

Their names were written down in heaven. The present victory of the gospel was certainly something to delight in, but the future in the kingdom of heaven was immensely more wonderful. The greatest joy would be yet to come. There would be no more need for power over the devil and his deeds… for then all will be perfect. This is what Jesus came to bring and it is the culmination of the gospel.

Oh to see that bright day! I am ready to cross the Jordan if heaven is the Promised Land. I will fight the good fight until then! But I will rejoice that in Christ I am redeemed and that my name is written down in glory’s great book.

Survivor

Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,

yet they have not prevailed against me.

Psalm 129:2

This stanza was sung in a song recounting to some extent the history of suffering by Israel. The nation began with hardship. Even the promise of a nation to come that was given to Abram was hard and long and difficult. It turned Abram into a nomad of faith. The promise took three generations to even begin to sprout into the hope of a nation, passed down from Abraham, to Isaac, and then to Jacob who was renamed Israel and fathered twelve sons who became tribes to the nation.

God used hardship, suffering, and famine to eventually settle the fledgling nation that was an extended family in the land of Egypt. And within another few short generations the Israelites became enslaved, suffering under the harsh treatment of Egyptian taskmasters. A nation in its youth, forced into servitude, kept from freedom, yet loved by God Who saw it all. And He did not let their affliction prevail. 

God raised up a deliverer in Moses who led them out of bondage. After another generation suffered faithlessly, wandering in the desert wilderness, God led a faithful generation to the land that He had promised Abram so long ago. Their afflictions and sufferings did not prevail. Their afflictors and abusers were cut down. Delivered, set free, and blessed, God made them His own.

And so it is in Christ. Those once in bondage to sin, afflicted at birth with sin’s wasting work and in want of a Savior are set free by Christ our Deliverer. We simply trust and believe the gospel, submitting to His good rule in His kingdom. Our affliction will never prevail because Christ is for us!

Nation Shaker

For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.  Haggai 2:6

The Lord Who hung the stars in space,

Who sets the seas their watery bound,

Will rise in sovereign pow’r and grace

to shake all kingdoms to the ground.

Mountains tremble at His Word;

Oceans stir beneath his hand.

No throne can stand against the Lord;

No edict apart from His command.

Nations boast of wealth and might.

Their banners wave, their armies rise;

Yet human glory fades from sight.

Fleeing like clouds across the skies.

Heavens shake and earth gives way,

Mighty nations bow in fear;

Crowns and scepters crushed as clay

When God’s appointed hour is here!

Through this shaking stands a throne,

A kingdom time cannot destroy;

The Son lays claim to a world His own,

To fill His people with His joy.

Now let the trembling nations know,

Though earthly powers rise and fall;

The Lord commands the winds that blow,

And Christ shall reign — King over all!

astonishing majesty

​And all were astonished at the majesty of God.  Luke 9:43a

They were astonished at the majesty of God displayed in Jesus healing a boy trapped by a demonic darkness. The majesty of God excels above the destructive work of the devil’s dominion. It exceeds the destruction. it rebuilds shattered lives. Jesus in majesty and power defeats the devil.

Crowds were astonished at Jesus the Healer. God’s majesty was displayed by Jesus as the blind were given sight, the deaf were made to hear again, the lame could walk, and lepers were cleansed. The majesty of God over restoring all of His creation through His Son is revealed in Jesus. He gives us a preview of the day when He makes all things new.

Jesus was majestic in His teaching. An authority that only God could have emanated from His words. And as the Living Word, the majesty of God’s truth transformed the Law, liberated hearts, and made followers of Jesus. He spoke with majesty and no one could deny His authority to speak the Word of God.

Jesus is majestic in our salvation. He predicted how He would be betrayed, tried, crucified, and raised again to life. This majestic salvation that only Jesus could provide would forever lead to His rule as Lord and Savior of the world. It is this majesty that I know every day. It is the majesty that I need each day as well.

Lord Jesus,

I worship Your majesty. To You be all glory, praise, and honor, now… and forevermore!

Amen

A verse of bane and blessing

​Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,

the fruit of the womb a reward. Psalm 127:3

This is generally true of parenting and grand parenting. Those blessed with children can find a reward in the next generation. They can see a heritage. I would always encourage young parents to believe this, trust God’s good gifts, and seek to instill godly values in their kids. The future depends on it.

But… I also know many parents who now should be reaping the heritage harvest and the fruit of their rewards but instead feel the deep pain daily struggling as this promise seems to come to them unfulfilled. There are a lot of reasons this has happened and I do not list them to excuse any mistakes in parenting or to explain away the decline of a generation. I want to talk about them so that I can share in the suffering of the saints who trust God to yet bless the next generation.

Why does the fruit turn bad? Let me briefly share two observations that I know. First, some were part of a church culture but did not have a Christ commitment. I have see many good church kids leave the church because they could not sustain a “youth group fun time” mentality which is woefully unrealistic once adulthood starts bringing responsibilities. This is shallow experience and lack of discipleship on the part of the church. Parents perhaps overly relied on programs. And fake “Christianese” cultures develop. This fake culture gets confused with real Christian faith. A few come back by the power of the gospel. Some never get past this criticism and confusion.

Secondly, some were not prepared for worldview clashes. They went off to college or the job market and a psychology course or an office supervisor wickedly attacked Christian perspectives as irrational, outdated, or abnormal. Pair that with a campus or office life of moral “free-for-all” culture and it is easy to fit in by quietly phasing out of Christian pasts. Again, some young adults return after a prodigal party. Many others, however, do not. Some even turn on their families, calling Christian upbringing toxic, uncaring, controlling, manipulative, and even evil. 

This is an epidemic among Boomer and Gen-X parents right now in the church. I have met hundreds of parents in this state. Pray! Pray for a generational heritage that has heard the truth to return to the truth. Pray for hearts to come home to the Lord!

reasons to praise

Praise the LORD!

Praise, O servants of the LORD,

praise the name of the LORD!

Psalm 113:1

Critics of modern praise music often complain about the use of repetitive language (“I could sing of Your love forever” being a favorite example unfairly cited). But there is a place for repetition in worship. The psalms do this many times. The example right here in Psalm 113:1 is repetition by amplification of a concept. I believe this literary device helps focus worship on its object: the LORD. This repetition emphasizes both the responsibility to worship God and the privilege of doing so. It reminds us that worship is a continuous action of the heart not just an occasional event. We offer continuous praise, explained in Psalm 113 starting in verse 2. God is praised now and forevermore.

We offer universal praise starting in verse 3. Praise extends from east to west (a biblical metaphor for the entire world), from the sun’s rising to its setting. Worship encircles the earth and God is worthy of global glory!

We offer humble praise as described in verses 4-9. The reasons we praise are threefold: 1) God’s majesty is exalted above us and we are His subjects. 2) God’s compassionate care provides all we need and we are His poor and needy children. 3) We are barren with nothing to bring to our relationship with Him and God brings us joy and gives us life and fruitful living in His great home.

the threat

We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.

Ezra 4:16

Smiles and offers of peace,
beneath are hearts of deceit.
Seeking to join what God had begun,
to turn turn from His purpose His restored ones.

When false friendship failed, threats arose;
Fear planting by scheming foes.
Accusations traveled to the throne,
lies to stop the work of God’s own.

Hammers fell silent, stones lay still;
earthly power opposed God’s will.
Builders withdrew, courage worn.
Hope was lost in a political storm.

Yet no decree will silence God’s Word.
Nothing thwarts the cause of the Lord.
When enemies rage, the faithful wait
for God’s purpose endures beyond earthly fate.