I don't really know how to describe myself. Maybe you can draw your own conclusions from what you see on the blog. Happily married to Kimberly. Father of three amazing kids. Redeemed by Christ!
I have a guest post to share with you, today. It’s from my daughter, Lydia. She has written for me before. She should be writing more of these for us. I hope this will encourage you as much as it did me.
I’ve been thinking about Psalm 127— “unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” This is the first time I’ve read that verse and thought of the house as my heart. Only if the Lord is building up my heart will my labor be fruitful. If I take the analogy further and think of myself as occupying the heart and letting others in, it helps me reflect on past relationships in my life. I feel like I let people in pretty easily. Some of those people have brought gifts to the home. Some have put up paintings and played music and baked in the kitchen and read books. Some have stayed longer than others. Many have affirmed certain features of the house, and over time those features have become more emphasized and the less beautiful features have been painted over or removed and renovated. Like any house, it slowly changes over time even through the simple process of maintenance.
Of course, storms come and the house may fracture. Areas of the house that you didn’t know were weak become visible under heavy rainfall and storm. You then fortify those weaknesses for the next storm, only to find that no two storms are the same. Some storms come in the form of people. Some people enter the house restless, broken, and hurting. They make themselves at home and take every refreshment and hospitable thing you offer them, even though they brought you no gift. They take down your favorite paintings and rearrange the furniture. They never seem comfortable even though they’ve made themselves at home. Some of the changes they make are so subtle that you forget how it used to be. You start asking yourself: was that chair always there? When did I move it?
And then some of them leave with a fury—ripping things off the walls, upending furniture, shattering the windows. You quickly lock the door behind them, only to turn and see the mess they’ve left behind. It’s hard to remember how things were before they came and started changing things. Even if you put everything back in place to the best of you memory, it will never quite be the same. The pantry is drained and the paintings are crooked in the wake of such guests. The door remains locked and you begin to ask yourself: was I wrong to invite them in? Should I have asked them to leave sooner? Question after question, fear after fear. Looking anxiously out the window, jumping at every floorboard creak…Only to realize that you are not the owner of the house.
You possess no power to protect its walls. Every person that has passed through the doors has been providentially purposed to do so. God himself is both the builder and its keeper. He is constantly sanctifying and, if you will— renovating, repainting, rebuilding. Sending both storms and saints alike to sanctify its walls. He spares no expense, He withholds no mercy. “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” So, we continue to build the house, trusting the hand of the ultimate builder over our work: the God of all restoration. Yes, those storms of people might leave the house in such a way that it will never be the same. But in the hands of the Master, it will be far better for it.
When God created the world, he created time. Time sets limits. Time reminds us everyday that THE END is coming. God is not bound by time. He does enter time and space but he is not limited by it. He has set the final second. The clock ticks along declaring the end is coming.
It seems I notice more and more our faith in Christ becoming visible through gladly obeying Christ’s commands each time I read the Scriptures. Today, John chapter 13 ends in that way.
John 13:34-35
[34] 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.”
As you might know, Jesus is beginning his farewell to his disciples. Obviously everything Jesus says is important but this is the first thing he says which gives it an added emphasis.
To circle back to what he said might bring up a question—what’s new about the commandment? If we compare this commandment with loving your neighbor as yourself then we can easily spot the difference. Jesus has raised the standard of love to say—love each other the way I have loved you. These disciples have seen how he loved them and others for nearly 3 years.
His ultimate display of love is wrapped up in the farewell. He knows that he is about to lay down his life for them. He asks his disciples to do the same for each other. Why? Well, the way we know Jesus loved us was clearly displayed on the cross. So too if we lay down our lives for each other then ALL MEN will know that we are Christ’s disciples.
Of course laying down your life for each other will not likely mean physical death though it’s possible. But it most certainly means that we are dying to self. It means we are gladly serving others and their needs not just ourselves.
This extraordinary love has massive implications in the world. To make Jesus known comes not only through word but also deed. When we focus on and believe in how Christ has loved us—his enemies who are tax collectors and sinners—then we should not find it so difficult to love each other.
The difficulty in reaching people in the nation and community in which I live with the gospel is that most people seem very comfortable and really think they don’t need anything. We find ways to block out the bad news and brokenness within our own hearts.
For those who have been redeemed, we see our neediness and the evil of this world. We may wonder why the wicked prosper. We may see the foolish and arrogant rule us. We may become weary under their reign and cry out to God, “How long, O Lord?”
The reply is always this—“Not forever. Wait patiently, dear child. Trust me.”
This is a particular encouragement to do something regularly. Sometimes the encouragement is to believe a particular truth about God or be reminded of them. Certainly, there are truths that make this action something we should be encouraged to do but the focus is on God’s response to the thing we ought to do. And upon seeing how God responds that just might encourage you to do it with gladness.
As I near the end of the great book of Daniel, I noticed something I had not previously seen. The book of Daniel shows the people of God in a very favorable light. If Daniel and his three friends are representatives of how Israel trusts and obeys the Lord under dire circumstances then you might wonder why they are in exile at all.
However in chapter 9, Daniel prays a prayer of confession. However favorable we saw the people of God is now made clear and the exile makes very good sense. Obviously, this is already clear from Jeremiah which is the backstory to Daniel.
The first 19 verses of chapter 9 are the beginning words of the confession. However in verse 20, while he’s confessing, a familiar visitor comes to see Daniel. It says this—Daniel 9:20-23
[20] While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the LORD my God for the holy hill of my God, [21] while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. [22] He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. [23] At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.
You can hear the setup—while I was praying. We don’t know why until the visitor, Gabriel tells him (and us) there in 23. What he’s saying is, this is how God responded when you started confessing. The word went out and I was sent to speak with you.
Now you might be thinking, God isn’t likely to send Gabriel to see me when I confess my sins. Maybe not but why is there any need of that? Is that the motive to confess? God already knows AND he commands us to confess. We have offended the Holy God of the universe! We ought to confess!
Well, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in us! We have something greater than Daniel! However notice that before confession, Daniel was troubled and confused about the visions he had seen. But upon confessing his sins, Gabriel is sent to explain them.
Some of our confusion with God’s word is not our lack of effort but rather our lack of repentance. However, don’t miss the point of the encouragement. God loves his people and responds to them quickly and gives them aid! Be encouraged to confess even if there is no obvious return because God hears you and forgives!
Well, each morning I usually decide between one of the four places in my reading plan to use for the daily encouragement. This morning I was torn between two. Instead of picking which one I will try to tie the two together.
The first is the amazing story of Daniel 3. It is so clear that anyone can understand it. It’s so dependent on faith that it’s easy to see how hard it is to trust the Lord. But after seeing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trust the Lord in the fiery furnace we are left with exposed hearts likely wondering what we would have done.
While it may seem hard to trust the Lord whom you cannot see verses your enemies whom you can see and you can feel the ropes binding you and you can feel the heat from the furnace before you, the hidden reality and the deliverance available comes only by faith which cannot be seen. You might point out that there is no mention of faith in that story. You are correct.
However their faith is more obvious than if it had been said that they had faith. Their actions say it loud and clear. They resist Nebuchadnezzar’s command but gladly obey God’s command at the risk of their lives.
Daniel 3:16-18
[16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. [17] If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. [18] But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Not only were they delivered but those who bound them were consumed by the furnace. Furthermore, the Most High God was made known through their glad obedience. And they were promoted as rulers of the land of Babylon. That pattern should be kept in mind. This is how it ends for all who trust the Lord. Maybe not in this land but later we will rule with our King.
But what would cause a man to give up on God in these moments? It’s simply this: John 12:43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. The approval of men will deliver you in the present temporarily but even that is no guarantee. The approval of God will deliver you later in the future eternally and that is guaranteed forever.
How do you know that you have faith? What does the test scores say? What does the fruit say? What did the life of the three Hebrew boys say? Whose approval do you seek? Do you want self preservation now or later? Temporary or eternal?
Trust the Lord like these guys and know your approval rests in the finished word of Christ who trusted the Father all the way to the cross and he was raised to life eternal. And so will we if we trust him and gladly follow him.
—it’s a response to someone who gave things to you. And the things given were not earned. (For example, our paycheck is something you shouldn’t give thanks for because you worked for it).
—the response is vocalized which should be accompanied by a particular disposition toward the person who gave to you.
—the response of thanksgiving does not require that the person who gave to you be superior to you. Most certainly God is worthy of our thanksgivings everyday but other people who have given to you ought to receive a thankful response too.
—thankfulness requires that you notice these things. You must be aware of what you have been given was undeserved.
—because to be generous here, we can possibly forget. An opposite response to someone who gave is to forget the response of thanksgiving. This could be due to not stopping to think about what has occurred or there’s just too much going on in life therefore you did not remember the kind deeds done to you.
—while forgetfulness is a possibility for not being thankful, more often than not it is out of pride. We think we deserve everything and the world ought to take notice. They ought to be thankful for the opportunity to give to me kind of attitude. On a more subtle note of pride, we might abhor the gift and in doing so we abhor the giver. Now, we will likely respond with the words of thanksgiving but they are just words. The gift isn’t what I wanted or needed and we think there’s no benefit from it.
—though we could breakdown piece by piece the steps from pride to unbelief I don’t think that’s necessary. The major problem with not having a heart of thankfulness is unbelief in God. This is the root of unthankfulness. Because if we trust in the Lord, we of all people know and understand that God has been gracious and merciful to us in every respect throughout our entire life. When we turn our attention on the fact that we deserve the consequences of our sin—the miseries of this life and eternal death itself. But Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners like us. He took the death that we deserved and we get forgiveness and counted righteous by faith in him. To all who have turned from their sins and trusted in Jesus, we will be saved. From that understanding, we of all people ought to be thankful!
As I was reading along in my normal plan this morning, I read (hopefully) a summary of the sermon from this past Sunday. As I read it, I thought to myself, that’s what I was saying, I think. It was encouraging to hear this so clearly and succinctly stated by our Lord Jesus.
Here it is—John 12:23-26
[23] And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. [24] Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. [25] Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. [26] If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Faith in Christ is the dying. The fruit of the seed dying is good deeds. Hating one’s life is dying. Dying is faith in Christ. Hating one’s life is hating the things God hates. It’s also hating the guilt and shame that comes from our sin.
To die is to repent and believe in Jesus. There you lose your life but gain eternal life. But in the meantime, we serve our Savior and King. To serve Christ is to follow Christ. And to follow Christ is eventually to be with Christ. Where he is we will also be.
The result of a seed falling into the dust and dying is fruit! No fruit, no dying. No dying, no eternal life. You can have your life now and be god of your own life but just know that it’s temporary and you will eventually lose it, not save it.
The Word Is Not Imprisoned 