Category: Word of Encouragement

Word of Encouragement

Thomas Brooks on Humility

We are taught in Scripture “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”- James 4:7

This outstanding quotation from Thomas Brooks will grant us a better understanding of what this means. He commented:

“Humility is both a grace, and a vessel to receive grace from God. There is none that sees so much need of grace as humble souls. There is none prizes grace like humble souls. There is none who improves grace like humble souls. Therefore God singles out the humble soul to fill him to the brim with grace when the proud is sent away empty.”

“Why are the best men the most humble men?”

1) Humble souls are great debtors to God for His grace because they know of their great need of more of Christ.
2) In this life humble souls have only a taste for God more than anything else.
3) Humble souls are in touch with their own sinful hearts and know that their hearts deceive them and so listen and gain wisdom from God and others, while the proud are often self-deceived and foolish.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Charles

The Beatitudes: “Blessed of God”

Introduction to the Beatitudes

Today we will begin a study on the ‘Beatitudes’ from Matthew chapter five.  The Beatitudes teach us of the blessedness, or covenantal happiness we have as the people of God because of God’s salvation and His continued working in his people.

In the past, the ‘Beatitudes’ have been falsely interpreted by some as being the steps one attempts to climb in order to be a Christian.  We should never interpret the ‘Beatitudes’ in such a way.  The ‘Beatitudes’ are simply what those who have been gripped by the grace of the Lord Jesus and have been saved by his precious blood will begin to look like.

In other words, the ‘Beatitudes’ are the characteristics of Christ-likeness that will gradually be manifested in the believer’s life.  The ‘Beatitudes’ are, if you will, “Attitudes of Gratitude” for the work that Christ has already begun in us, and knowing that this work will continue until the Day when Christ returns for us (Phil. 1:6).

The term ‘Beatitudes’ may sound like a new Beatles-like rock band or a new reggae band making it into mainstream music.  However, the term has nothing to do with a rock or reggae band.  The term ‘Beatitudes’ come from the Latin translation of makarios, a Greek word meaning “happy” or covenantally “happy”.  When the Bible was translated into Latin from Greek, the word makarios was translated as beatus, thus the reason they are called beatitudes. An example of true makarios or covenantal happiness is revealed in Psalm 1.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

The “Blessedness” of the Beatitudes

You could say that the ‘Beatitudes’ that are taught by Christ in Matthew 5:1-12 are a summary of the righteous life, hopes, desires, struggles, and praise of all of the Psalms (more on this as the study develops!).  As Psalm 1:6 says:

“The LORD knows the way of the righteous”.

The ‘Beatitudes’ could very helpfully be summarized as the ‘way of the righteous’.  The opposite of the ‘Beatitudes’ is to walk in the counsel of the wicked, stand in the way of sinners, and sit with the scoffers in this fallen world.  The path of the righteous is much different, and so a lot more narrower than the broad way of the wicked that leads to destruction (Matthew 7).

The “blessed”-ness of the ‘Beatitudes’ should not be misunderstood as our own American way of defining happiness.  The “blessed” or happy come from “delighting in the law of the LORD” (Ps. 1).  The “blessed” that is spoken of is “covenantal blessings” or “covenantal happiness”.  As Moses went up on Sinai to bring down the Law to the people of God in the Old Covenant, so Jesus is going up on the mount, as One Who is greater than Moses, to bring down the Law that will be fulfilled by grace.  When Moses told the people about obedience to the Law in Deuteronomy 28, he spoke of their lives as being blessed by their obedience.  Notice in Deuteronomy 28:9, that keeping God’s commandments is described as “walking in his ways”.  This is the “blessed walk” of Psalm 1 and the “narrow path” that Jesus describes in Matthew 7.

JESUS: the Blessed Keeper of the Law

The people of God in the Old Covenant who were awaiting a Messiah, an Anointed King to rule over them and all the earth, were awaiting one who would enable them to love and keep the Law of God (Ezek. 36).  By the time the Messiah, the Christ comes to them, the majority of those who call themselves “God’s people”, are trusting in their own righteousness and their own works of the Law, rather than looking to God for grace and mercy (cf. Phil. 3:4-11).  In other words, many of those who called themselves by the Name of the LORD were not poor in spirit, mourning over their sins, being meek, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, nor building Christ’s Kingdom through peace rather than their own might and power!

Jesus wants His people to know that he has not come to abolish the Law of Moses, but to fulfill it! (Matthew 5:17).  The people of God must be humbled and forsake any attempt at earning their own righteousness through works!  Jesus is the Blessed Keeper of the Law spoken of in Psalm 1!  The people of God are to trust in Messiah and His fulfillment of the Law, they are to “live by faith”.  The Messiah was to be cursed for their sins against God’s holy law and to offer the blessings of His Law-keeping Spirit to them so that they might have new hearts!  The Apostle Paul would explain this later in his letter to the congregation at Galatia.

Galatians 3:10-13: For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us- for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”-

Jesus wanted to clear up the wrong teaching and thinking of his people when he came and this is one of the reasons why Jesus climbs the mount to give a sermon that will change the lives and thinking of those who have ears to hear!  This Jesus will turn their world upside down with one sermon.  In fact, when Jesus completes the Sermon on the Mount, the crowds are amazed at his teaching with authority!

“I’m Beginning to Look a Lot Like Jesus”

So what does one who has been saved by grace through faith, one who has been purchased and bought with a price by Christ’s blood, what does one of these people look like who walk the narrow path, who live by faith in Jesus, and who are blessed?  What are their characteristics?

Jesus said they are characterized by being poor in spirit; mourning; being meek, yet not weak; hungering and thirsting after righteousness; merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.  Jesus is not teaching that “if” you become all these things, then you will be a follower of Christ.  Rather, he is saying “if you are a follower of Christ” then this is what you will look like.

It is like the hopes and aspirations we have for our own lives as well as the lives of our children.  We pray and hope that we, as well as our children, even our family name will mean something in the big scheme of history.  We pray that we as well as our children will become something worthwhile and helpful in our little worlds.  Well, Jesus is saying that this is not only a mere hope or aspiration, but it will become a reality as we follow close to him by his grace.  We will become what is revealed as “blessed” in the ‘Beatitudes’.  This is great news for sinners!

Kingdom Living in a Fallen World

Before we begin our next study with the poor in spirit, allow me to sum up all of the ‘Beatitudes’, further illustrating how they relate to the Psalms in the Old Testament.  Let’s read Matthew 5:1-12, then we will proceed with our introduction to the ‘Beatitudes’.

Matthew 5:1-12: Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Notice that Jesus notices the crowds, but he specifically addresses the disciples (5:1, 10-12- 2nd person plural, speaking to those persecuted, not the whole crowd).  Jesus seems to be primarily speaking to his disciples, but the crowds are listening in.  Jesus is turning his listener’s world upside down as he usually did through his teaching.  In order for him to explain the way of the Kingdom of God, it is no surprise that it was directly opposite to the ways and thoughts of this world.

To summarize what Dr. Sinclair Ferguson calls “Kingdom Living in a Fallen World”, Jesus begins to teach the covenantal happiness, or blessings that come with being his follower.  He begins with the poor in spirit.  Before we can even follow Jesus we must be totally dependent upon the grace and the mercy of our Heavenly Father if we are to be saved.  Then he speaks of mourning.

Mourners are those who do not expect constant joy and fulfillment in this world.  Rather, they are those who know what it is like to suffer.  They know things are not as they should be and they await a day when all of creation will be renewed (Rom. 8:18-25).  They mourn for their own sins, not only totally dependent upon God for salvation, but totally repentant before God as they grow in their salvation.  Those who mourn also are offended because God’s holiness is offended by the sins of man, including themselves.

Then Jesus says “Blessed are the meek”.  Now what the world may call “weak”, Jesus describes as meek.  The meek know that they are citizens of two kingdoms and that ultimately all of their rights here on this earth should be given up and surrendered to Jesus, the One who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but Who made Himself nothing, even dying upon a cross meekly for his people!  The meek are not weak, they have just learned to suspend some of their rights and strength for the sake of love and considering others better than themselves.

Then there are those who pursue righteousness.  They know that the only thing that will truly satisfy is to be like Christ their Savior.  So, they pursue, they strive at being Christ-like, by hungering and thirsting for his righteousness!  They want to be like their Master!

Then there are those who are merciful, because they have experienced the deep, kind, undeserving mercy of God!  They want to show the same mercy to others.  They want justice, but they lovingly want to walk justly and love mercy because it is a reflection of God’s mercy to them.  Then there are the pure in heart who love what God loves and learns to hate what God hates.  They know that God is continually purifying and sanctifying their hearts as they rest and depend upon His mercy and love to them.

The peacemakers know that their peacemaking is a double-edged sword.  Their ultimate goal is to share the peace they have with God because of Jesus Christ with others.  Knowing, however, that others who are not at peace with God and actually war against God will not accept their “terms of peace”.  Rather, they will persecute and say all kinds of evil against them because of Jesus.

In all of this, Jesus says “Rejoice and be glad for great is the reward of those who are like this!”  The ‘Beatitudes’ are ultimately pictures of Christ and pictures of what we as Christ’s people will begin to look like.  By the power of Christ’s Spirit, Christ will continue to be formed in us so that we will be presented to Christ when he returns as a pure, lovely, righteous Bride who will live with Christ forever!

Next: “Blessed are the Poor in Spirit”


In Christ’s love,

Pastor Charles

Martin Luther on Idolatry

Martin Luther came to understand the gospel from his study of the books of Galatians and Romans.  In 1520, Dr. Luther wrote a book entitled ‘Treatise Concerning Good Works’.  This most important book (or “treatise”) is still extremely relevant today.

Read carefully this quotation that reveals all of our “sin underneath the Sins” that we commit each day and how we are to understand God’s graciousness by faith alone!  He is commenting on the first commandment (I have inserted a few brief comments in Luther’s quote):

God says:  “You shall have no other gods before me.”

Luther on Our Common Idolatry

“All those who do not in all their works or sufferings, life and death, trust in God’s favor, grace and good-will, but rather seek His favor in other things or in themselves, do not keep the first commandment, and practice real idolatry, even if they were to do all the works of all the other commandments, and in addition had all the prayers, fasting, obedience, patience, chastity, and innocence of all the saints combined…

If we doubt or do not believe that God is gracious and pleased with us, or if we presumptuously expect to please Him through our works, then all of our compliance with the Law of God is pure deception, outwardly honoring God, but inwardly setting up self as a false savior…

…Note for yourself, then, how far apart these two are: keeping the first commandment with outward works only, and keeping it with inward justifying faith.  For this last makes true, living children of God, the other only makes worse idolatry and the most mischievous hypocrites on earth…

…And as this first commandment is the very first, highest and best, from which all the others proceed, in which they exist, and by which they are directed and measured, so also its work, that is, the faith or confidence in God’s favor at all times, is the very first, highest and best, from which all others must proceed, exist, remain, be directed and measured…”

Christ has come to free us from idolatry to sin so that we might serve God out of gratitude for the grace that He has bestowed upon us. Christ is the only one who has ever kept the first commandment and loved God with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength. Christ Jesus died under the curse of the Law for idolaters who repent and believe the Gospel of grace.

In the Gospel the righteous obedience and perfection that God requires of all man, God provides in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.

Through faith alone, all the righteousness that Christ Jesus possesses in Himself is ours through imputation, as it is received by faith alone. Now we live freely by God’s grace and Spirit doing all that God commands us to do willingly and lovingly, yet imperfectly, and only in reliance upon His grace.

Let us say with the Apostle Paul:

I want to be found in Christ by faith alone… “Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” – Philippians 3:9-11 ESV

Love in Christ,

Pastor Biggs

Meditating on the Future Life with Cyprian and Perkins

In the day-to-day, never ending blinding blitz of lightning-fast bandwidth, bustle, busyness and buzz, do not allow yourself to forget to be hopeful of heaven. Meditate on the future life. Take time to think about heaven and your future home. Think on your Savior and the reality that he is awaiting you.

Today’s quotations on meditating on the heavenly life are from Cyprian and Pastor William Perkins.  Cyprian was a Latin church father who converted from paganism a little more than 12 years before he was martyred for his faith in Jesus in AD 258.  He has had a great deal of influence in what was a very short ministry.  Perkins was a Puritan preacher and pastor at Cambridge in England, who died in 1602.

In these quotations, both men are encouraging us to have abundant hope concerning the Day of Christ’s return.  Cyprian teaches us to “meditate on the future life” as Calvin later put it so well, and Perkins encourages all people in this world to give heed to the fact that Jesus said: “I come shortly.”  As the people of God, are we watching soberly and alertly for Christ’s return?  Do you anticipate it?  Our constant struggles with our sins can cause us to cling all the more tighter to Christ’s forgiveness and awaken our our desires to hope passionately for the Day when we can permanently put off our flesh and be like him- – fully redeemed!  (1 John 3:1-3). These struggles with sin and difficult frustrations in our life help us to be homesick for our true home!

In the day-to-day, never ending blinding blitz of lightning-fast bandwidth, bustle, busyness and buzz, do not allow yourself to forget to be hopeful of heaven.  Meditate on the future life.  Take time to think about heaven and your future home.  Think on your Savior and the reality that he is awaiting you.

Cyprian of Carthage

“Let us consider, beloved brethren, that we have renounced the world, and are passing our time here as strangers and pilgrims.  We embrace the day which assigns each to his home, which restores Paradise and a kingdom, us who have been plucked from the world and set free from worldly snares.  Who would not hasten home?  Paradise we count our fatherland, and the patriarchs our fathers (Heb. 11).  Why should we not hasten homewards to salute our parents?

There the mighty multitude of dear ones await us- -the crowd of parents, brothers, sons, longs for us, already secure of their own safety….  How great the joy to us and to them, of beholding and embracing each other!  What the blessedness of these celestial realms; without fear of death, and possessed of an eternity of life, how supreme and abiding the joy and felicity!

There the glorious choir of apostles; there the crowd of exulting prophets; there the innumerable throng of martyrs crowned because of victory in conflict and suffering; the compassionate rewarded, who, obeying their Lord’s command, transferred their earthly inheritance to a heavenly treasure-house.  To these, brethren most beloved, with eager desire let us hasten, longing to be speedily with them and with Christ.  These our desires and purposes, let our God, and our Lord Christ, behold, who will give the larger reward of His glory to those who after Him have had larger desires for it.”

William Perkins

“The daily persuasion of the speedy coming of Christ is of notable use; for, first, it will daunt the most desperate wretch that is, and make him tremble in himself, and restrain him from many sins.  And if a man belong to God, and yet be a loose liver, this persuasion will rouse him out of his sins and make him turn to God; for who would not seek to save his soul, if he were persuaded that Christ is now coming to give him his final reward?

Secondly, if a man have grace and do believe, this persuasion is a notable means to make him constant in every good duty, both of piety to God and of love towards his brethren.  Thirdly, this serves to comfort any person that is in affliction and painful struggles; for, when he shall believe that which Christ has said, I come shortly, he cannot but think but that his deliverance is soon at hand; for at His coming He brings perfect redemption to all His people.”

“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book…. The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”- Revelation 22:7, 17

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Charles

Forgiven and Forgiving, Loving Little and Much

Jesus says: “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven- for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”  –ESV Luke 7:47

What is your estimation of yourself? I’m not speaking in terms of estimating your financial worth or estimating your value to others in this world. What is your estimation of yourself before God? Do you consider yourself “pretty good” or “a decent person” or “righteous compared with others”? Or are you sinful? Are you one who has been greatly forgiven?

We must remember that the Bible teaches us that all fall short of the glory of God. All of us are born and conceived in sin, and therefore we have no righteousness before God from our very conception (Psa. 51). Not only that, but we have no interest or desire for God in our sinful condition, and so we sin against God in our words, thoughts and deeds (Gen. 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Eph. 2:1-3).

We should never say that we realize that we have a few faults but nothing more. It is not just that when we fail now and then we see our faults, rather our faults reveal our true sinful condition. We are sinners not merely because we possess sinful faults, we have sinful faults because we are by nature sinners.

Our sinfulness is first a condition of how we fare before God’s holiness. Before God we do not measure up, although we might look the other way and try to measure ourselves by others (of course it will be those who are not as righteous as we are in our estimation). But the Bible tells us that our predicament is so sinful that even our best works of righteousness, our best prayers, our best goodness before God is as filthy rags worthy only of rejection before God’s holy face (Isa. 64:6).

If we are conceived in sin, and we constantly commit actual sins throughout our lives because we resist God and selfishly want to live for ourselves, and our best religious efforts are tainted by sin, and are never acceptable before God, what are we to do?

How can we ever love God and others, if we find ourselves in this sinful predicament?!

God demands perfection of all human beings (Matthew 5:48). Everyone says: “Nobody’s perfect!”

But that’s the problem. No one’s perfect and yet God demands perfection.

Good news! The righteous perfection God requires of us, He provides for us by faith alone in Jesus Christ. By faith alone, we receive Christ’s perfect righteousness to cover our sins. This is God’s gift (Eph. 2:6-10).

So there was One who was perfect: Jesus Christ the Righteous One, the Beloved Son of God.

Look to Jesus Christ who is the very righteousness of God! Jesus Christ is the full revelation of the righteousness God requires of all mankind, and Jesus Christ is the full and gracious revelation of the righteousness God provides for all who believe!

In Christ, by faith alone, we find the love of God and the forgiveness of sins.

This is why we must learn to estimate ourselves rightly before God. If we are ever to love Christ and others as we should, we need to estimate ourselves rightly. If we are ever to repent daily, in a manner consistent with our sinfulness, we need to estimate ourselves rightly before God.

As we understand the great love and mercy and forgiveness of God in Jesus Christ, so we learn how much we are forgiven of our sins in Him and for His sake, and we learn how to love.

In the passage from Luke 7 (36-50) that I quoted above, we see Jesus as the Savior of sinners, seeking and saving the lost. Jesus accepts an invitation to go to a Pharisee’s house to point out his pride and prejudice, and his dire need of a Savior from sinful self-righteousness.

A notoriously sinful woman (probably a prostitute) enters into Simon the Pharisee’s home, rushing toward the only person who can and will forgive her, and makes her humble submission to Jesus, showing her faith and love for Christ in her actions.

This sinful woman knows that her only hope is found in the mercy of Jesus Christ; she desires only to worship Him who is worthy and to be a recipient of His grace alone.

Contrastly, the Pharisee Simon, with pride and prejudice, criticizes Jesus in his mind for not being a good prophet (v. 39) because he thinks Jesus is unaware of her sinful position and actions in the world.

Simon the Pharisee is unaware of His need of the righteousness of God found in Christ alone. He compares himself with a notoriously sinful woman to puff himself up, and to find through comparison with another sinner a righteousness of his own making.

Because of this woman’s humility and right estimation of herself before a holy Christ, her “many sins” will be forgiven by Jesus because she recognized her sinfulness and came to him alone for forgiveness.

The woman is not seeking to compare herself with other sinners who may be more wicked than her. Rather, she is concerned first with her own heart before God; this is true faith and repentance in Jesus Christ!

Jesus uses this story to show that all sinners are debtors to God, and if one truly understands their condemnation under God’s holy law, that is if they have a right estimation of themselves before God, then they will be humbled and realize their great debt to God that they cannot pay back.

Simon the Pharisee understands that the woman is showing great love for her debt being forgiven, but he doesn’t understand his own debt to God as a Law-breaker- -that he too, is a debtor with a large debt.

Because of his pride and prejudice against Jesus and his teaching (and not to mention the sinful woman), Simon doesn’t feel the weight of his debt before God; nor does he understand that debts before God are only cancelled in Christ Jesus through faith alone!

It is important to note in Jesus’ story that it is not the love in action that brings the forgiveness, but it is the cancellation of the debt or the forgiveness that brings forth love and gratitude.

Jesus is not teaching that we are saved and forgiven by our love, but that our love for Christ and others shows that we have truly been forgiven!

Our love reveals and demonstrates through praise and worship of Christ, and the love of others, that we have a right estimation of ourselves before God, and that we realize we have been recipients of God’s grace and mercy- -apart from any works, or anything good that we have done.

The woman does not merit her forgiveness through her loving actions toward Jesus. Rather, she shows that she has been forgiven and because of the forgiveness she has already received by God’s grace through faith in Christ, she shows forth this forgiveness in true love.

Jesus says:

“Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven- for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” – v. 47.

People of God: If we daily remembered how much we have been forgiven by God for our many sins, we would be more loving toward others, more worshipful before God, more humble, more serving, more forgiving, less proud, less critical of others, less judgmental.

We would consider others more significant than ourselves, and we would experience deeper repentance before God. Do you find yourself growing in your understanding of just how much you have been forgiven? Do you find yourself seeing Christ as more lovely and beautiful as a Savior as you grow in understanding the depths of your sinful heart?

The Christian life is not about becoming more like Simon the Pharisee: full of self-righteousness and self-importance.

Rather, the Christian life is about growing in our understanding of the sovereign and amazing grace of God that saved a wretch like me, and that helps us to realize that before God we have all been worse than sinful prostitutes in our words, thoughts and evil deeds!

And yet God has grace and mercy upon us in Jesus Christ!!

It is important to ask yourself if you are more like Simon than the sinful woman here in this passage.

Do you separate yourself from sinners (in the wrong way) because you believe you are more righteous, not understanding the forgiveness that you have received from God? Do you engage in constant comparison of yourself with others? Are you always needing to prove your righteousness before others?

Or do you worship and serve Christ like the sinful woman, and being humble like Jesus, do you extend a hand of forgiveness to even the most wretched sinner whose sins are many?

Jesus does not say: “For he who has loved little, has only received little forgiveness.” He says: “For he who is forgiven little, loves little,” implying that we must have a right estimation of ourselves before God and understand our great debt, realizing the wickedness of our own sins before we truly show forth genuine Christian charity in our lives for God and our neighbor.

The Pharisee in his own presumptuous self-righteousness considered before God that he only needed forgiveness for a few sins in his estimation, and for that reason his love for God was so slight in demonstration and action. In fact, I would say that the Pharisee’s best prayers, righteous works in his own strength and flesh were abhorrent, and as filthy rags before God’s holy face!

What is your estimate of your own sins?

Do you truly realize how desperately wicked your sinful heart is before God (cf. Jeremiah 17:9-10)? Do you consider yourself to be a “pretty good person” and not comparatively as bad as others?

OUR ONLY HOPE IS JESUS CHRIST; THE SAVIOR OF SINNERS. ARE YOU DESPERATELY SINFUL AND WICKED?

Come to Jesus; he will give you rest and relieve you from your slavery to sin! If the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed! (John 8:32).

And you who are forgiven much will love much!

Love in Christ,

Pastor Charles

“Redeeming the Time”- Time and Wisdom- Part 2

We learned in part one of the vital importance of Christians seeking God for wisdom on our use of time (see: Here for first part).

Ephesians 5:15-17 teaches us:

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,  making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.“- ESV

As Christians, we are called to see every moment of time as a new opportunity to serve and glorify God in our life, because God has shown His loving grace and mercy to us in Jesus Christ.

In Christ, we have a new and living hope in Jesus Christ and His resurrection from the dead (1 Peter1 :4ff). We have wisdom in Christ Jesus, and we can be confident that because He will never leave us nor forsake us, He will help us to redeem our time for God’s glory.

Christ gave up every moment of time that He was given to live and die for God’s beloved children. Christ redeemed His time where we had constantly failed. Only Christ has lived in time perfectly, loving God and neighbor as Himself, fully glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.

As new creations in Christ, we can seek to do just the same with the grace He has granted to us by the Spirit. The Spirit creates; the Spirit re-creates, renews, and gives new hope and opportunities.

Seeking to understand how we spend our time is getting wisdom:

ESV Ephesians 5:15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise…

How are we to “walk”? Ephesians 4:1: “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received…”

This is to walk wisely with regard to our time in this world.

We are to do this “carefully” (5:15): Peter O’ Brien writes: “The adverb rendered ‘carefully’ signifies something done accurately, precisely, or after close attention has been given.” (O Brien, PNTC, Letter to the Ephesians, 380).

If we do not concern ourselves with our time, then we are fools.

From Screwtape to Wormwood: “In modern Christian writings, though I see much (indeed more than I like) about Mammon, I see few of the old warnings about Worldly Vanities, the Choice of Friends, and the Value of Time. All that, your patient would probably classify as ‘Puritanism’—and may I remark in passing that the value we have given to that word is one of the really solid triumphs of the last hundred years?” (Screwtape Letters, pgs. 50-51).

Do you understand this? Fools do not think about their use of time; fools waste their time.

So how do we get this wisdom? One way is to understand how we waste time, then to consider how God teaches us to redeem it.

Time Wasted

God is to be served using our time wisely, but we can so easily waste time!

How do we waste time? What are our “time robbers”?

The Notorious BIG Time-Robbers of History

  • Sloth and idleness
  • Excess of sleep
  • Inordinate adorning the body with clothes and health
  • Possessions and entertainment
  • Needless parties and feastings and gluttony
  • Idle talk; “chatting”
  • Bad company; “vain and sinful company”
  • Excessive worry about earthly cares and business
  • Ungoverned sinful thought-life
  • The “Master-Robber”: An unsanctified, ungodly heart!

Why is this THE master? The BIG ROBBER?!

We must remember that wasting time, acting foolishly in relation to our time reveals deeper problems of our heart.

Remember that behavior is merely the fruit; the heart is the actual root.

Too busy too pray; too busy to take time away to rest; to busy to meditate on the LORD?

Something deeper is wrong.

What you’re spending your time doing may be idolatrous –and probably is- -you are most likely doing it more for yourself than for God and others.

If you find yourself filled with anger,anxiety, worry, busy-ness, exhaustion, bitterness, envy, and self-pity- -these are produced by the flesh and by folly. These are not results or fruits of time well-spent.

Wasted time will produce the works of the flesh; we are seeking and never finding what we’re truly looking for and need in Jesus alone.

As Richard Baxter in his Christian Directory wisely warned parents (and all in positions of authority) about redeeming the time for ourselves, and seeking by God’s grace to teach our children and others under our care how to redeem their time; he wrote:

“Time must be redeemed from smaller duties, which in their season must be done, as being no duties, when they hinder greater duty which should then take place…

…It is a duty in its time and place to show respect to neighbors and superiors, and to those about us, and to look to our family affairs; but not when we should be at prayer, to God, or when a minister should be preaching, or at his necessary studies! Private prayer and meditation, and visiting the sick, are duties; but not when we should be at worship, or about any greater duty which they hinder” (Part 1, Chapter V).

Baxter is teaching us to remember wisely to make the distinction between what is important and what is urgent. Every morning we have much urgency: a busy schedule, emails to answer, calls to make, places to go, etc. But what is most important? How do you make the distinction prayerfully between the important (seeking God, prayer, bible reading and meditation, and service for others), in the midst of urgency?

If you haven’t made the distinction, then perhaps you are already exhausted, and your life feels very meaningless at times, even as a Christian.

The first step is realizing that there is a difference between the important of seeking and knowing Christ Jesus in the midst of a busy world, and knowing the urgent that can probably wait!

In other words, if we are not making time to worship God; to seek him in prayer and meditation each day; or whatever spiritual duty we must have, because we are busy and overly scheduled in other activities, then we are ultimately wasting time!

Your busy-ness- -your exhaustion is not from Christ! Christ promises rest for the weary; he encourages you to come to him and he will give you rest.

I have heard a wise man tell me, and I will try not to forget it:

“God could not and would not give you more in a day than you could do; if you do have more than you can do, then God could not nor would not have given to you.”

Others may have given it to you; you may have given it to you; but God has not given it to you.

In Jesus we find rest from all the other things we so desperately and foolishly pursue.

Like Martha, there is one thing that is needed or truly necessary for you to do.

ESV Luke 10:40-41: But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things…

Prayerfully ask each day: “What is the one thing needed, O Father? Grant me the wisdom to discern things that I don’t really have to accomplish; help me to serve you wholeheartedly in all I do while resting in Jesus Christ.”

Lest you be driven by something or some desire that is greater than your desire and love for God.

God will grant you wisdom to know the difference between what he has given to you and what you and others have given to you that will overwhelm and exhaust you (James 1:5ff).

Modern Time Robbers:

Biggest time wasters according to website ‘Productivity 501’:

Surfing the web. Maybe that doesn’t count, though, since most folks actually do know they’re wasting time. Biggest time waster without knowing it is being chatty. For real. Chattiness is a total time sink! (be wise and careful my Facebookers friends! :-))

Top ways to waste time (not necessarily sins, but unwise and can be huge time-wasters): BIG 5 [TV,TEXTING, GAMES, INTERNET, and OVERSLEEPING].

Watching Television; texting; video games; internet; oversleeping; Not having specific plans for a day (organization- “Teachers without daily plans will not teach” is what I was told); procrastination; worry; being busy but not accomplishing anything (no agenda, etc); Not learning from mistakes.

Read more: http://www.productivity501.com/interview-biggest-time-waster/257/#ixzz0pc3Zmilx

One of the big problems that has not been taught to young people today is a good use of time, and all who are parents, teachers, and examples, need to consider this. Have we taught those in our care to ask these questions:

“How do I manage my time? How should I think about my time?”

Since I was young, I have been haunted by the song “The Cat’s in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin.

It has always made me think about time, but worry about it as well. The song is an important reminder of how we live our lives will most likely be our heritage, our legacy left to our children:

Are we too busy with our time to invest it as we should in the proper relationships with younger people?

“My child arrived just the other day.
He came to the world in the usual way.
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay.
He learned to walk while I was away.
He was talking before I knew it, and as he grew
He said, “I’m going to be like you, Dad.
You know I’m going to be like you.”

My son turned ten just the other day.
He said, “Thanks for the ball, now come on let’s play.
Can you teach me to throw?” I said, “Not today,
I’ve got a lot to do.” He said, “That’s OK.”
And he walked away and he smiled and he said
“You know I’m going to be like you, Dad,
You know I’m going to be like you.”

The final verse says:
I’ve long since retired and my son’s moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
I said, “I’d like to see you, if you don’t mind.”
He said, “I’d love to, Dad, if I could find the time.
You see, my new job’s a hassle and the kids have the flu,
But it’s sure nice talking to you, Dad.
It’s been real nice talking to you.”
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me,
He’d grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.

Did I show my children the importance of their time?

Did I pray for them and others in my congregation and family to know the importance of being wise with their time?

Did I keep show them the importance of wisdom with my time in both work and my rest?

Did I make a distinction between the urgent and the important?

“You know I’m going to be like you, Dad, You know I’m going to be like you.”

God wants us to live with an urgency regarding out time; we must make the most use of it by his grace.

How do we “redeem” exagorazo the time? How do we make the most use of the time?

The Apostle Peter says “The end is at hand”. Same sense here:

Live as if it is your last day; it may just be!

ESV 1 Peter 4:7-11: The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

ESV 1 Corinthians 7:29-31: This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

One translation of “make the most use of the time” (Eph. 5:16): “…Buying up the present opportunity.”

ESV Colossians 4:5 Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

“Buying time”; we speak sometimes with those trying to get some more time; we say: “He or she’s just buying time” (this is the gist here and in Daniel 2:8).

The idea on “buying time” is based on the fact that we know we live on “borrowed time” as we also popularly say.

We use the term “buying time” to say that we would like to have more time to make decisions, respond, etc. (Incidentally, we also use the term “killing time” which means to waste it!).

“Buying time” has to do with using the time that God has given us- -and using it wisely.

Wisely using our time is pleasing to the LORD (Eph. 5:10- “…And  try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord”).

Let me say it this way: Jesus has bought us time. God’s grace has bought us or given us the time we call our life.

We can use it for Him and others, or we can waste it on ourselves.

“Buying time” means as ESV: “making the best use of time” or taking advantage of the time we have.

But how?

  • Know God’s “dream” and goal for your life: Christ-likeness. Don’t waste the time he has graciously given you.
  • Know that God has called you to serve him faithfully. Don’t waste the time he has graciously given you.
  • Know the brevity of your existence and yet the great legacy you can leave behind (mediate on Psalm 90).
  • Know your end and destination.

ESV 2 Corinthians 5:6-10: So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Acts 17:26-31: And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’;1 as even some of your own poets have said, “‘ For we are indeed his offspring.’2 29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

We will all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ

Heaven or hell?

Know the comfort that will come from being wise about your time, especially in your time of death.

Leave a legacy of Christ-centered love and service to your family and friends.

Prayer and meditation on God’s Word: What keeps you from it? What distracts you? UNPLUG to the best of your ability.

Seek to learn the difference between the needed and the “urgent”: Do not become a slave to the urgent (You’ve heard of the “tyranny of the urgent”?). The urgent is usually a disguised demon who is yelling 🙂 in your ear that you “MUST” do this or that (but it is because it means too much to you).

The Holy Spirit calls you near, to share with you the gifts and grace of God deep within the quietness of your soul.

We cannot be fully delivered from the busy-ness of our time; but we can be delivered from the awesome tiredness of our souls by resting in Christ!

I think Paul would tell moderns to UNPLUG if done in excess. Quit your texting; turn off your cell phone and your PC now and then; try just sitting quietly with bible open before God,seeking God for wisdom, and allowing the peace that passes all understanding to come to you by God’s Spirit.

We live at the end of all things; let us live like Christ will return today.

The “No-Nonsense-ness” of Solomon:

He “had it all”- -wisdom and riches and long life- -and it tempted him to be foolish. He realized that all of what we have is but additions to our burden of the brevity of life.

Oh, that we might get to the “No-nonsense” of Solomon and see clearly what truly matters:

ESV Ecclesiastes 12:1, 13-14: Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them” ….The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Not for our sake, but for the sake of our Lord.

We have been redeemed from this present age to live for Christ.

He has redeemed us by His blood in order that we might make known the coming salvation and judgment of the world.

We are not our own; our time is not our own; time is not on our side; Jesus is!!

Fear of God should motivate us; but what should really motivate us is the love of Jesus Christ!

We should remember that our time is given to us NOT to live for ourselves, but ultimately by love, we are to live for Christ and others.

How can we best please him?

ESV 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Richard Baxter wrote: “However it be now, I can tell you, at death, it will be an unspeakable comfort, to look back on a well-spent life; and to be able to say in humble sincerity, My time was not cast away on worldliness, ambition, idleness, or fleshly vanities or pleasures; but spent in the sincere and laborious service of my God, and making my calling and election sure, and doing all the good to men’s souls and bodies that I could do in the world; it was entirely devoted to God and his church, and the good of others and my soul” (Part I. Chapter V).

What if you knew you only had one year to live?

How would you live?

What if you knew you only had one week to live?

How would you live?

What if you knew you only had one day to live?

How would you live?

What if within the next hour you were dead?

How would you live?

How would you live?

The end is at hand…Christ stands ready to receive, forgive; he will return.

He has redeemed you; now go in His grace and redeem the time you have left.

The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of Heaven breaks;
The summer morn I’ve sighed for—the fair, sweet morn awakes:
Dark, dark hath been the midnight, but dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Charles

“Are You Humble?”- Drawing Near to God

Wisdom on humility from Thomas Charles and Richard Baxter.

The Bible describes humility as a character that the Holy Spirit develops as well as a response to God that is commanded (see James 4:6ff; 1 Peter 5:6-9).

Here is wisdom from two great teachers of Christ’s Church to encourage us to seek humility by God’s grace in Christ alone!

Thomas Charles

“While the truly humble looks to everyone for assistance, the spiritually proud, instead of showing the humble deportment of a disciple who wants instruction, is swift to speak, and slow to hear, as if everybody wanted his teaching. Whatever deference is paid to him, he looks upon all as his undoubted right: and those who acknowledge not his merits, he treats as weak and ignorant fools.” – Thomas Charles

Richard Baxter asks some penetrating questions to help us to discover hidden pride within our hearts.

These questions are not in order to discourage or condemn us, but to show us of our great need of Jesus as a Great Savior. Let us worship God that He has given to us our Lord Jesus who is committed to us and will never leave us nor forsake us. When we confess our sins, Jesus gently and tenderly embraces us and forgive us of all of our unrighteousness. Won’t you go to him?

The Psalmist wrote that it is good to draw near to God (Psalm 73:28). You and I will only draw near to God as we understand our pride, confess it, and move toward God in humility. What kind of sacrifice does God require: Humility, and contrite, dependent hearts.

Read carefully:

Richard Baxter:

“Are you a person of worth in your own eyes, and very sensitive about your esteem with others?

Are you one that values much the applause of the people, and feels your heart tickled with delight when you hear of your great esteem among others, and are you much dejected when you hear men slight you?

Do you love those best who most highly honor you, and does your heart bear a grudge at those that you think undervalue you, and entertain mean thoughts of you, though they be otherwise people of godliness and honesty?

Are you one who always must be right?

Are you ready to quarrel with every person that lets fall a word in derogation of your honor; one who has the presumption to disagree with you?

Are your passions kindled, if you or your words are criticized?

Are you one that honors the godly that are rich, and think of yourself highly, if they value or honor you, but look down at those who are the godly poor, and find yourself ashamed to be their companion?

Are you one that cannot serve God in a low, as a well as a high place, and think yourself fit for offices and honors, and loves God’s service best when you get preferment?

Are you unacquainted with the deceitfulness and wickedness of your own heart, or know yourself to be vile only by reading or by hearsay, and not by experience and feeling of your vileness?

Are you ready to defend yourself, and maintain your innocency, than to accuse yourself, and confess your faults to God and man?

Can you hardly bear a reproof, correction or criticism from others?

Are you readier in your discourse and conversation to teach rather than to learn,–to dictate to others than to hearken to their instructions?

Are you bold and confident of your own opinions, and not suspicious of the weakness of your understanding?

Is your spirit more disposed to command and govern, than to obey and be ruled by others?

Are you ready to censure the doctrines of teachers, the actions of your rulers, and the character of your brethren, and to think, that if you were a judge, you would be more just, or if you were a minister, you would be more faithful in doctrine, and more faithful in overseeing, or if you had had the management of other men’s business, you would have carried it more wisely and honestly?

If these symptoms be undeniably in your heart, beyond doubt you are a proud person; pride has seized your heart, which is the principal fort of your person.

There is too much of hell abiding in you, for you to have any acquaintance with the grace of heaven; your soul is too much like the Devil, for you to have any familiarity with God.” – “Saints Everlasting Rest”

What do you do when you see this diabolical pride within you (James 3:14ff)?

When you recognize this, call out for grace from God through the Lord Jesus Christ:

“…[God] gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” – James 4:6-10

What else should you do? Let Christ’s mind rule you; look to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ; Christ laid aside His glory to consider you and your salvation more significant that his glory so that he might submit humbly to death for you, even death on a hideous cross (Phil. 2:5-8):

Do you consider others more important than yourself?

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”- Philippians 2:1-4

Praise to God that he gives more grace when in humility we can recognize this devilish pride in our hearts and cry out to him in helplessness to the Lord Jesus Christ who will come to our aid, commune with us, and teach us the way of humility because He loves us.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Charles

The Apostle Paul’s Prayer of Power- Ephesians 1:15-23

The Apostle Paul’s Prayer of Power

The prayers of the Apostle Paul teach us a lot of truth about who we are in Jesus Christ.  After Paul speaks in Ephesians chapter 1, verses 3-14 concerning the great Trinitarian work of God in our salvation, he begins to pray specifically for the Ephesian Christians that their knowledge of Christ might be a powerful life-changing knowledge of God’s truth.

Pastor John Owen once said that he desired above all things not merely to know the truth of God’s Word, but truly to know the power of the truth of God’s Word. This should be the same for all of Christ’s people.

In Ephesians 1, Paul begins his prayers based upon the truth of how God has called a people to himself and the deep and precious truth of how he saved us all.  In fact, Paul ends his theological praise in verses 3-14 with the profound truth that believers are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.  We have a portion of the Spirit now and know Christ, but we await our full inheritance, so in the meantime, Paul prays for the Christians so that they will know Christ — better!  That is, he prays that Christians may know not merely the truth of Christ, but the power of this truth in their lives.

Ephesians 1:13-23 13 In [Christ] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

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

Notice a few important things about Paul’s prayer here in Ephesians 1.

First of all, he “never ceases to give thanks and remember the congregation in his prayers”.  Paul put into practice what he preached.  He prayed unceasingly for others!  Oftentimes we find only the time to pray for ourselves (if we find the time to pray at all).  Secondly, he prays specifically for the Christians to grow in particular ways.  He doesn’t merely say: “Lord, bless the Ephesians”, or “Lord, be with the Ephesians”, or other famous generic prayers for others.

Rather, the Apostle Paul prays specifically that the same Father of glory who has graciously saved them will give the believers a spirit of wisdom and revelation in their knowledge of Christ (v. 17).  That is, Paul wants the Christians to know how God saved them (vv. 3-14), but also how God is saving them, or presently and powerfully making them more like Christ as he gives to them all they need for life and godliness.

Thirdly, Paul wants the Christians to know their hope to which he has called them (v. 18a), the immeasurable greatness of his resurrection power in us who believe (vv. 19-20), and the power of Christ in their lives as the Head of the Body, the Church for whom he died (vv. 20-22).  There is a good weakness and a bad weakness.  A good weakness is the kind Paul speaks of in 2 Corinthians 12, where through this weakness that God has brought into our lives, we know we can still say “though I am weak, yet I am strong”.  In this good weakness, we know that it is through our weakness that God’s strength is perfected.

However, the bad(sinful) weakness that we have as Christians is to fail to know who we are in Christ.  That is, it is weakness of a lack of true understanding of the power we have because of the Spirit of God who indwells us.  The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, dwells within us! (vv. 19-20).  Christ has been raised above all authority defeating all of our our enemies sin, hell, and the Devil!  When Christ sat down at God’s right hand he sent to us His Spirit to be with us and to transform us all.

Paul wants the Ephesian Christians and Christians today, to know the immeasurable greatness of God’s power to us who believe (v. 19).  Because of the victory of Christ over sin, hell and the Devil in his resurrection and ascension, we have the same victory.

The power of Christ is given to us and we respond by faith and gratitude in the daily dying to sin, wrestling against the sinful tendencies that constantly want to lure us off the path in our walk with Christ, and knowing that we have the ability truly to resist and to stand firm in the victory of Christ over sin and the Devil (notice Paul’s development of this in chapters Ephesians 4-6, when he speaks of “walking in the Spirit”, “keeping in step with the Spirit”, “putting on our new man”, “resisting the Devil”, and “standing firm in the full armor of God”.

As Christians, we should pray for one another.  Additionally, we should pray specifically for each other.  Even when we do not know other’s specific prayer requests, we do know that we all struggle with “bad, sinful weakness” and so we all need truly to know the power of God’s truth in our lives.  Also, we should pray this prayer of Paul for ourselves so that we might really know the power of God’s Word, the power of what it means for us to be raised from death to life in Christ.

Our greatest enemies, sin, death and the Devil have been defeated.  In fact, Christ has led these in a triumphant procession, publicly showing to all the world that his resurrection and ascension has placed him high above all authority, power and dominion, not only in this age, but also in the age to come (vv. 21-22; cf. 4:8-10).  Because we are Christ’s people, we can be assured that we have been raised from the dead (John 5:24) and that we have a great power of resisting sin and the influences of the Devil that lead us all to death.

We are seated with Christ in a truly victorious position (Eph. 2:5-6)!  We have been seated with Christ in the heavenly places and although we do not fully see our inheritance, we have a great hope as we all await patiently and expectantly the return of our glorious Savior!

As Christians, we have so much to be thankful for!  God’s immeasurably great power should be exerted toward us who are sinners, deserving only of God’s wrath!  Yet because Jesus Christ took the powerful blows of God’s wrath because of our sin, in order to defeat death and the Devil, and to offer a satisfaction to God for our sins; because of this grace shown to us while we were yet sinners, God’s power is given as a blessing to help us, to raise us to life, and by His Holy Spirit he powerfully lives within us so that we can resist sin NOW, and gratefully and obediently live for Christ!  This truth should lead us from a “bad weakness” of falling into sinful patterns to a “good weakness” of humility, awe and reverence because our God, who is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:28), has come to dwell within us who are united to Jesus Christ!

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Charles

“Redeeming the Time”-Time and Wisdom- Part 1

“IS TIME ON YOUR SIDE?” – TIME AND WISDOM/EPHESIANS 5:15-17

There was a popular song in the 60s that boasted: “Time is on my side- -yes, it is!” (We should ask the aging singer now if this is still true). Is time really on our side?

ESV Ephesians 5:15 says (paraphrase) “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the most use of your time, or redeeming your time wisely.”

In our culture, how easy it is for us to waste time, yet we are called as the dearly loved children of God to walk wisely making sure to use your time wisely.

We live in a time where time is greatly wasted. Perhaps technology and our ability to be “everywhere” in so many places at once- -mobile networks, handheld devices, iPads, iPods, iPhones, “i-need another one!” etc.

We live in a world where time is not measured by age as much as by the next edition, the next operating system, the next generation of network, or iPod, or Play station, or whatever.

We await the “next, best thing!” The “next version”- -we long to be “upgraded” “rebooted” and “reconfigured”- -but time is ticking…

Not THE END as our goal- -but the “next best thing”.

We await the next model, next generation of iPod, next mp3 download, next television show, next computer, next movie release, next…

There is a great need to understand the rhythms of life- -and our time:

Our time is short.

We don’t have a lot of time.

We need to think about the use of our time.

We are commanded to be good stewards of our time (Re-read Ephesians 5:15-17).

But how can we rightly use wisdom about using our time wisely and in a godly manner as Christians?

This too, is part of getting discernment, and shining our lights before the dying world that is passing away (Ephesians 5:7-14).

Seeking to understand how we spend our time is getting wisdom:

ESV Ephesians 5:15 says “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise…”

From Screwtape to Wormwood: “In modern Christian writings, though I see much (indeed more than I like) about Mammon, I see few of the old warnings about Worldly Vanities, the Choice of Friends, and the Value of Time. All that, your patient would probably classify as ‘Puritanism’—and may I remark in passing that the value we have given to that word is one of the really solid triumphs of the last hundred years?” (Screwtape Letters, pgs. 50-51, my emphasis).

Do you understand this? Fools do not think about their use of time; fools waste their time.

The wise in Christ seek to use their time wisely.

Richard Baxter wrote: “Time being man’s opportunity for all those works for which he lives, and which his Creator does expect from him, and on which his endless life depends, the redeeming or well improving of it must needs be of most high importance to him; and therefore it is well made by holy Paul the great mark to distinguish the wise from fools” (Christian Directory, Part I, Chapter V).

Are you wise or foolish with your time?

We should understand:

God is the Giver and Governor of All Time

What is time?

A gift from our God.

“In the beginning, God…” God created time.

God created man to live his time for the glory of God.

Man was tempted and fell and his time was now cursed:

“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) teaches.

The Psalmist wanted to be wise.

There are a certain number of days that God has granted to each of us:

ESV Ecclesiastes 9:12 For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.

A reminder of our short lives: Psalm 90:12

ESV Psalm 90:5-6, 9-12: You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: 6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers…. For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. 10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. 11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

How long will you live?

168 days?

5,475 days? (15 years old?)

9, 125 days? (25 years old?)

14,600 days? (40 years old?)

21,900 days? (60 years old?)

25,550 days? (70 years old?)

Or more…?

That’s not really much when you think about it! Even at 70 years, you only have 70 birthdays (65 you can remember, the first two and the last two are blurred!).

70 trips around the sun; 70 New Year’s Eve celebrations (maybe 60 you remember because of age, and too much champagne!)

You would hate and regret losing $5,000 or$25,000 perishable dollars to a robber in a mask. Why then do we allow 5,0000 0r 25,000 precious imperishable days to be so easily robbed without the slightest hate or regret?!

Do you think we might have been duped?

Have we been played as the fool?

God is the Giver and Governor of All Time- -in Jesus Christ, God entered time as a man to redeem us and reconcile us to Himself so that our time would be redeemed!

Let us as Christians…

Consider each moment precious as a gift from God….

To seek to make our calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:9-11) in the time we have been given…

…To seek to become more and more like Christ each day with the time we have…

…To consider on how, by God’s grace to do our best, and to do the greatest good we can with our gifts and abilities, knowing the time is short:

ESV Galatians 6:10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Let us learn with our time…

…To prayerfully watch for special opportunities and/or seasons that God has granted to us:

Time with our children when they are young, and the most eager to learn about Christ…

…To cherish the time you have with aging parents…

…Cherish the time you have left with aging spouses…

…Cherish the time you have with all of your loved ones- -you don’t know when they will be called home.

Perhaps NOW is your special time for something…what is it?

Remember that if you are not a Christian, you will never redeem your time as you should with the glory of God in mind. As Christians, we are called because God has shown His loving grace and mercy to us, to see new opportunities to glorify Him with our lives.

In Christ, we have a new and living hope in Jesus Christ and His resurrection from the dead (1 Peter1 :4ff). We have wisdom in Christ Jesus, and we can be confident that because He will never leave us nor forsake us, He will help us to redeem our time for God’s glory.

Christ gave up every moment of time that He was given to live and die for God’s beloved children. Christ redeemed His time where we had constantly failed. Only Christ has lived in time perfectly, loving God and neighbor as Himself, fully glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.

As new creations in Christ, we can seek to do just the same with the grace He has granted to us by the Spirit. The Spirit creates; the Spirit re-creates, renews, and gives new hope and opportunities.

Won’t you start now?

Is this a special time for you right now?

BELIEVE.

HOPE.

GOD IS FAITHFUL.

To be continued…

IN Christ’s love,

Pastor Charles

John Owen’s ‘Meditations on the Glory of Christ’

John Owen was a faithful pastor and theologian who lived in the 17th century in England (1616-83).  He was a prolific writer and a master theologian of God’s grace.  His complete works are available as a sixteen volume set by Banner of Truth Trust.  The two volumes to begin with if you are interested in reading Owen (and you should be!!) are ‘Sin and Temptation’ (Vol. 6), ‘The Death of Death in the Death of Christ (Vol. 10). 

 Below is a quotation from John Owen’s excellent volume entitled ‘Meditations on the Glory of Christ’.  Owen died as this book was being printed.  As Owen believed and has taught many Christians after him:

 “A continual view of the glory of Christ will have the blessed effect of changing us more and more into the likeness of Christ.  Perhaps other ways and means have failed to make us Christ-like.  Let us put this way to the test.” 

 John Owen: “Let us now consider the love of the Son, which is full of compassion.  Although sinful creatures, we were capable of being recovered.  God chose us as a way to express his divine goodness and love.  Christ took our flesh and blood, not the nature of angels (Heb. 2:14-18).  He looked forward with great delight to the salvation of mankind which would bring such glory to God.

 His willingness and delight in taking human nature were not lessened by the knowledge of the great difficulties he would have to face.  In order to save us, he would have to continue until his soul was sorrowful to death.  But this did not deter him.  His love and mercy rose like the waters of a mighty stream, for he says: ‘Behold, I come; I delight to do your will, O my God’ (Psa. 40:7, 8).  So a body was prepared for him, to give effect to the immeasurable grace and fervent love he had for mankind.

Now when we think of the glorious love of Christ, we find there is in his divine nature the love of God the Father.  But there is more, because when he exercised his love he was human also.  The love in the two natures is quite distinct and yet comes from the one person, Christ Jesus.  It was an act of inexpressible love when he took our human nature, but it was an act of his divine nature only.  His death was only an act of his human nature.  But both were truly his acts, as we read in 1 John 3:16: ‘By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us’.”

 I would encourage you to prepare your minds continually for heavenly things by meditating seriously on the glory of the love of Christ.  This cannot be done if the mind is always full of earthly thoughts.  Do not be satisfied with general thoughts of the love of Christ but think of it in a more detailed way.”

 In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Charles

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