Wretched Man That I Am! (Condemnation vs. Conviction) Part 1

Do you struggle with guilt?  Do you struggle with shame?  I do.  I know that I am a Christian.  I know that I am saved by the blood of the Lamb.  Yet I still battle. I still have to be intentional about taking thoughts of guilt captive and reminding myself that though I struggle with sin, it is not now I, but Christ who lives within me(Galatians 2:20).  I have to remind myself that I possess "a righteousness that is not my own but that which comes through faith in Christ"(Philippians 3:9).  I have to remind myself that my desire to resist sin and follow Christ is the evidence that my faith is real.  I am encouraged by the fact that the Apostle Paul wrestled with these same thoughts as he worked out his salvation with fear and trembling(Philippians 2:12-13).

Wretched Man That I Am
In Romans 7:7-25, Paul speaks to the relationship between the law and sin and how it impacts us.  There is a whole lot in this passage, but the general idea is that the law makes us aware of our sinfulness and of the sinfulness of sin.  It makes us keen to our natural tendency toward sin.  It makes us aware that no matter how badly our minds want to do right, quite often, we find our flesh doing the opposite.  Paul was so disgusted by this that he called himself "wretched" in Romans 7:24.  Then he goes on to share the hope that he understood as he continues to flesh out the truths of the gospel in his rich letter to the Romans.

If we are honest, we will admit that we also are painfully aware of the struggle and tension created between guilt over sin, and the freedom that is ours in Christ not to live under condemnation.  Paul clarifies in Romans 7:25 that we wage war with the sinful tendencies of the flesh now. Yet we are also now set free spiritually from the penalty of sin through Christ Jesus and we will one day be delivered from this body of death as well.  Paul goes on, beginning with Romans 8:1, to clarify that we do not have to live in guilt over our struggle with sin because, "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

We need to remember that there is now no more condemnation and consequently, no more need to carry guilt for wrongs past, present, or future.  Yet we must remain aware of the necessity for living with conviction and being willing to live under the constructive criticism and admonition of other brothers and sisters in Christ.

What's the Point?
So why am I writing about this.  And why after some encouragement regarding condemnation and guilt do I bring a challenge regarding conviction.  Well, there are two reasons that this discussion is important.  One is our tendency to live under condemnation because we do not understand what the grace of God through Christ Jesus does to remove our condemnation and guilt.  Two is the tendency of so many sheep and shepherds to be so anti-guilt in association with condemnation, that they reject all criticism and admonition because they fear the discomfort of conviction.  I believe there is a gross miss understanding of the difference between condemnation and conviction.

Condemnation
Many struggle with living under condemnation regarding their battle with sin.  Many struggle with guilt, feeling that they are not good enough for God or that every time they sin, they have to start over gaining favor with God in order to deserve heaven.  In fact, one sect of "Christianity" teaches this very thing. This is not so.

As Paul goes on to flesh out in the rest of Romans 8, God did for us what the law working through us could never do.  He sent His Son to perfectly fulfill the law and then take the punishment for our sins, removing the guilt of believers, and making His righteousness our own.  The truth is that without Christ, we actually are not good enough.  Apart from Christ, there is no one righteous, not one(Romans 3:10).  That is why we need a savior who's righteousness was and is good enough to make all who believe, righteous in the sight of God. We can know that this righteousness is ours by the testimony of the Holy Spirit with our spirit(Romans 8:16) and the fruit of that righteousness at work in our lives(1 John 2:1-6).

If we are in fact "struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within us"(Colossians 1:29), then we can know, because of that desire to struggle and war against sin and the desire to bear fruit in keeping with repentance(Matthew 3:8, Luke 3:8), that we are in fact, in Christ.  Otherwise we would not desire to resist the sinful nature and pursue obedience to God's word.  Therefore, if we are in Christ, then we know that "neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord"(Romans 8:38-39).

Freedom
This is such freeing news.  When we possess the salvation made available through Christ, we can embrace all of the truths that scripture teaches.  We don't have to fear conviction, for it is the conviction of the Holy Spirit brought through the word and through accountability to other bible believing Christians that we are able to stay the course.  We should actually embrace conviction and admonition as that factor that motivates us to become more like Christ.

We don't have to compromise any truth in the name of feeling better about our position with Christ or feeling better about who we are.  We can know that we are in fact sinners saved by grace,  yet still struggling with sin.  We can also know that we are saints, set free from the control of sin in order to find victory over it progressively for the rest of our lives on this earth by the saving power of Jesus blood on the cross.  Christ's blood on the cross saves us and the Holy Spirit empowers us to obey.

It is a fascinating and joyous truth that we have the responsibility to obey out of the abundance of grace that God has given to those who believe.  We must obey if we truly believe but we don't have to fear stumbling because if we truly believe, we will obey.  Yet because of sin, we will never obey perfectly, which is why Jesus had to come and obey perfectly for us.  However, because of the righteousness of Christ that we possess, we will desire and strive to obey perfectly all of God's holy word.  We will not look for loopholds and justifications for satisfying the sinful desires of the flesh that God's word clearly condemns.   NO!  We are freed from the power of sin to pursue all righteousness because of Christ's death on the cross.  And we are freed from condemnation when we stumble because of that same death and resurrection.

Continuation
I know I am belaboring the point but it is a truth that many struggle to grasp.  This is such good news that I could go on forever.....but I won't.  However, I would still like to speak to the the need for conviction and accountability in the face of fear and compromise.  So, in the interest of brevity, I will continue this in a part two.  I know this has already probably been longer than what some would want to read but I pray it has helped someone and that you will stick with me as we move forward to continue the conversation.

I truly do write from a heart of love and compassion that longs to see others enjoy their greatest satisfaction through God's glory being made known via active repentance and obedience.

In Jesus name,

Josh

A Few Honest Thoughts and A Heartfelt Apology

To anyone who has ever read a Facebook post or a blog post from me.  I have some concerns.  I want to share a few experiences generally, and try to help be clear about who I am and what I am about in case anyone has concerns.  

Frequency
I have had some share that they felt there were times that I posted too heavily in general on Facebook.  I will agree. Though like many, I am sometimes limited to when I can be on, so I post more when I am on. Nevertheless, I am have been trying to allow this observation to influence how much I share publicly on FB.

Unfollowed
On a deeper level, I have experienced at least one person stating that they would not be following me any longer but that they would remain my FB friend so they could check in on pics etc. from time to time.  I respect their honesty and willingness to be upfront with me.  It did happen however because of differences in conviction regarding biblical truth.  I must admit, it makes me curious how many others may have done the same.

Offended
Now, I know that the aforementioned person stopped following me because some of my convictions offended them.  In recent weeks I have gotten the feeling that I have offended a few more.  I do not know that they have ceased to follow me but we certainly disagreed on some things.  It was not all unpleasant but I have been thinking about it lately.  Sometimes offense is unavoidable, but I do not want it to happen unnecessarily.

Blog
Another person very respectfully contacted me via FB messenger to express concerns regarding my blog content and ask some clarifying questions.  That was actually a very fruitful conversation that cleared some things up and helped the person better understand where I am coming from in some respects.  If you are reading this, thank you for giving me that chance.

Confrontation
For the record, I do not enjoy confrontation anymore than the next person.  I am afraid that some may think that I do.  It is no secret that I consider the internet to be an opportunity to witness to the virtual community as much as possible.  I realize that some may not care for that.  It is also no secret that, like everyone else, I have opinions that are heart felt and that I am not opposed to sharing with anyone who will listen.  But, while I do not get my identity or sense of self-worth from blogging or FB, let's be clear, I do not want to alienate anyone either.  One of the reasons I blog and post on FB is to hopefully influence people toward biblical truth.

Everything that I blog or post about is not controversial or inflammatory but those are certainly the topics that tend to get the most attention.  If the subject matter seems dicey or personal then it seems like people gravitate toward it.  But I never use those types of topics to try to get attention or get readers.  Nor do I want to loose readers with those topics.

At the same time, I realize that no matter how hard I may try to soften a message, biblical truth can be offensive.  Whether the topic is abortion, heaven, hell, homosexuality, or the health and wealth preachers and teaching, I know there will be those who do not like my opinion and will likely be offended.  However, I cannot, in good conscience, avoid topics or compromise truth in order to avoid conflict.  Whether in my blog or on posts that I share on Facebook, I must present the truth as lovingly as possible.

It will not be perfect, but it is in those moments that the question must be asked, "From where is the truth coming?"  Is it coming from Josh or is he simply striving to convey truth that is found in scripture.

I'm Not Perfect and Nobody Knows That Better Than Me
I can be impatient, temperamental, and not so "righteously" indignant sometimes.  Although, I promise you, no reader will see that the way that my family does.  Let's face it, unless you are on reality TV, nobody shows all their colors except for those who love them most.  I don't justify any of these unsavory aspects of my personality.  My goal is to be humble yet honest, loving yet challenging.  

My hope is that in all of this you will see, as I bring challenges and speak to the application of truth in difficult situations, that I fully understand my place in this world.  I am a sinner saved by grace as well.  I am no better than anyone else.  It is by grace that I have been saved through faith, and this not of myself, lest I should be able to boast(Ephesians 2:8-9).  Most of the time, I need what I am delivering as much as the next person. I am generally preaching to myself as much as anyone else.

Yes, I feel compelled to speak uncompromising truth and to bring challenges to any justification of sin or bad doctrine.  I cannot remain silent because I am concerned for the spiritual well being of those who may be led astray by such lies.  If someone's house is on fire, sometimes the most loving thing you can do is to scream at them to get out of there.  However, a challenging tone, in no way, speaks to the humility that I feel in bringing a given challenge.  Nor does it speak to the love with which I wish to convey the message.

Finally, The Apology
With all that said, I know there will be some that feel like I never needed to write such a post.  That if people don't like what I have to say, tough.  Or, that I am somehow undermining myself by putting all these personal thoughts out there. Then there may be those who see all that I have said as nothing more than a justification for more of the same.  And some probably just don't care one way or the other, and that's ok.  I pray that I have come across as a genuine human being that wants to positively impact other human beings for the glory of God.

Regardless of what anyone may think of me, I would like to say that I am sorry for anytime that I have come off as harsh or rude.  While I cannot apologize for the truth that is in God's word, I am responsible for conveying that truth in as loving a way as possible.  In truth it has been a tough year in many different ways and it is certainly likely that there are times, try though I might, that I have not exhibited the fruit of the Spirit in my writing as I ought.  Please except my apologies.  If you take nothing more away than this, know that I do not think of myself as better than anyone else.  It is only by the grace of God that I am what I am and that anything I do blesses anyone and brings Him any glory.

The Future
Lord willing I will be able to write a little more consistently in the back half of the year and be more transparent regarding my own challenges and faults as I address different topics.  Hopefully some will encourage you and build you up and others will step on your toes and challenge you to consider whether I have any ground to stand on.  I want you to study for yourself and see if I have lost my mind or actually have a point.

I will be striving to speak to certain topics more from the blog, verses sharing FB posts, so as to be thorough in my thoughts on the matter and hopefully avoid being misunderstood.  Also, for the record, I am open to feedback whether it be critical or encouraging.  I am certainly not beyond correction.  I would love to have an honest, biblically supported dialogue with anyone who has need to express thoughts or concerns.

I know I am just one lowly blogger in the grand worldwide blog-o-sphere.  In the grand scheme of life what I have to say may not bear very much weight.  But, since I send my thoughts out into a potentially broad audience I want to make every effort to be available to answer a concern if it will negatively impact the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As I said, I have had someone contact me in this way and it seemed to go well.  I want everyone to know that I am just as nice and caring as I hopefully come across most of the time.  And, while I may be kind of intense in addressing certain concerns, please remember that it is difficult to convey tone in writing sometimes and I don't wish to beat anyone up.  If we find that we cannot agree on something, that is ok.  We just agree to disagree as lovingly as possible.

If you read all the way to the end of this, thank you for your time and I hope you will come back and visit.

Thanks to everyone who has ever taken the time to read this blog and for tolerating another windbag on the internet ;-).

Blessings,

Josh

Happy Fathers Day!

As we approach Sunday June 15, 2014 we prepare to celebrate Father's Day.  In a world where far to many children are growing up without a father, I just wanted to share a little of my heart and suggest a couple of resources that have been helpful to me.

Nobody's Perfect
My Dad loves me.  Of that there is no doubt.  Never has been.  He has not had it easy.  He spent most of my growing up years as a Pastor and some as a teacher and both professions brought their challenges to me.  As well as many other odd jobs along the way.  He worked a lot.  Not because he was a work-a-holic but because it was necessary to put food on the table and pay the bills.  And because the Lord always called him to small churches that did not generally pay a ton.  But he did what needed to be done to take care of his family.  Mistakes were made along the way but that's life.  There are things that I learned not to do, as is true in most families and will certainly be true for my children from mistakes that I have made and will make.

But there are definitely things that I learned to do and am still observing from his example now.  For example, in forty years of marriage things have not always been perfect but, both Mom and Dad have remained faithful to their covenant vows that they made before Almighty God so many years ago.  My mom has had many medical problems in later years and Dad has worked hard to provide for her all along the way and be there for her through it all.

My brother pointed out that our Dad passed along a solid example of working hard and doing what it takes to strive to support your family, all the while trying his best to lead us spiritually and be available to parent as well.  It was a difficult task, of that I am certain.  There were four of us and we did not make it easy sometimes.  While there are things that we could look back on and wish for something different, it is not constructive.

When you become an adult and you look back, you realize that God had a plan for everything that you went through.  He gave you your parents, flaws and all, to help mold you into who He wants you to be.  So it is hard to remain bitter when you understand the sovereignty of God in all things.  And to Dad's credit, he has tried very hard to let us know that he is aware of his imperfections, often in hindsight, but when he realizes error he is humble enough to try to make things right if there is anything that needs to be made right.

I am thankful for all of the experiences that I have had, for better and for worse, because who I am today and what I understand about life and ministry is molded tremendously by what I learned growing up.  And to top it all off, I know my Dad loves me and is proud of me and the life that I am striving to live.  You can't ask for much more than that.  Thanks Pop.

Myself as Daddy
For me, becoming a dad and learning the in's and out's and do's and don'ts has definitely been an adventure thus far.  There are many things that, by the grace of God, I feel I have done pretty well with thus far.  Yet there are sooooo many things that I wish I could have a do over for.  The Lord has blessed me with two phenomenal boys ages nine and five.  Many of you know them or have met them.  They are good looking, talented, and brilliant and I see their mother and I in them, for better and for worse, every day.  There is nothing more thrilling, entertaining, and frightening than realizing that you are looking at a mini  me.  The talents and good personality pieces are good, but then there are the bad inclinations such as temper, laziness, or hardheadedness that you wish had not been passed down.

There has been a video on Facebook that shows children of all ages calling out to their daddy's.  It brought me to tears.  Though we are sinfully prone to taking it for granted, there is absolutely nothing sweeter than the sound of your children calling your name, running toward you and wrapping their arms around your leg or neck.  I love walking in the door and my children screaming my name with glee because I am home.  Just today, my youngest was out on the playground on his last day of school, but when he saw me coming, he took off and sprinted toward me as hard as he could go.  I love that.

Like every parent, my biggest fear is messing them up.  I regret every wasted moment and fear the ones to come.  I pray continually, and yet not enough, for the Lord to help me be the father that they need me to be because I know without Him, I will absolutely screw them up.

A Faithful Father
Yet there is peace, deep down, that I am not on this journey alone.  Neither are my children.  We are not dependent on each other exclusively.  Just like my Dad knew and still knows, I know as well, that we have a faithful Heavenly Father who has been in control all along.  While I played a role in conception, scripture tells me that it is God who knit my children together in their mother's womb just as He did for me(Psalm 139).  He is the true creator of me and my children and He had a plan for all of us before time began.  Not only that, but I now know that He chose me for himself and for His glory before the creation of the world.(Ephesians 1:3-6). I believe that He has chosen my children as well.  How do I know?  Call it a gut instinct at this point founded on what I know of who my children are at this point and how I see God working in their lives already.  But, at the end of the day, I know that my God is faithful and true and that nothing will happen in the life of my family that he did not ordain and that He is not in complete control of .  He is a great God and I trust Him with my life and the life of my family.

I truly don't know how parents do life without faith in Jesus.  There is an inexhaustible hope to be possessed via God's gracious gift of knowing Him and having salvation made available through His Son.  This sin-stained life is hard enough, even with strong faith in a living God.  Sometimes people still loose sight of hope and their faith can waiver.  It must be terrible to have no hope at all.  Working in a hospital, you can sometimes see the difference in the way those with a strong Christian faith handle suffering and loss compared to those who have no hope outside of themselves and what this world has to offer.

Resources
But our God is faithful and He provides resources to help us learn to be the parents we need to be.  First and foremost He gives us His word brought to life by His Spirit.  All the hope, power, and instruction that we need for life and Godliness has been made available to us through His word and by His Spirit(2 Peter 1:3-10).  

Then, as if that were not enough(which, of course, we know is not true),  He gifts people to help us understand and apply all that He has made available to us.  He sets before us flawed, examples that act as mirrors in which we can see ourselves and see resolutions to ourselves in them.  He does this in real men of God who have been where we are and He does it through stories in movies and books.

For me, a blessing of a resource has been found in the movies by Sherwood Pictures.  You may have heard of them.  So far there are four: Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and then Courageous.  In every one of these stories we have examples of men struggling to be good husbands and fathers and we see examples of God working in and through them, bringing glory to His name.

The latest one, Courageous, was most directly aimed at calling men to be men of courage.  If you have not seen it, you should buy it and watch it over and over again.  It will change your perspective on who you are as a man and how you are allowing or even better, how you are actively causing that to influence others.  It is a call to action.  It is a call to arms.  In that movie the characters make a resolution about the kind of men they want to be to their families.

They wrote a  book called The Resolution that fleshes out those commitments in a very powerful way.  The pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church, Michael Catt, wrote a book called Courageous Living that is also very powerful.  I highly recommend both of them if you are looking for instruction and inspiration as a father.  The movie and both of those books did and still do press me forward to be the kind of godly man that I know my family needs.

Wrapping It Up
One of the primary scriptures that is the theme for the movie comes from Joshua 24:15.  It essentially says, "choose you this day whom you will serve.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".   That is my heart through thick and thin.  I want to be a living example of what a man who is striving for godliness and holiness should look like for my children and for my wife.  I want to make Jesus real to them by my example.  Oh, I fail daily.  But, by God's grace I will never stop striving to that end.

I want to end this blog post with a copy of the resolution that the men made in the movie and the last speech given by the main character from Courageous, Adam Mitchell.  After experiencing tragedy and seeing first hand what the effects of a lack of commitment to being a godly man can be, he feels compelled to uncover what the bible calls men to be to those around them.  These are the thoughts and the challenge that He brings to those who would be men of courage.

THE RESOLUTION
I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my
children.
•I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the
spiritual leader of my home.
•I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my
life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.
•I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of
their minds, and all of their strength.
•I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.
•I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.
•I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.
•I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.
•I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.
•I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a
man answerable to God.
•I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His
will.
•I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for
the rest of my life and for His glory.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:15

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Josh

Death on the Cross or Death through the Cross

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  for whoever would save his life will loose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  for what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26, Mark 8:34-35) 

In this passage two things are happening.  Jesus is referencing his own death, unbeknownst to the disciples. At the same time He is giving them and us a sobering definition of what it means to be a believer and one of His disciples.  Christ gave us death on the cross so that we could live out death through the cross.

The Glory of Martyrdom

Have you ever talked through the scenario in which you have a gun pointed at your head, or maybe that of your family, and you are told to deny Jesus or they will pull the trigger?  I have had many of those conversations with other believers and overheard the same kind of conversations without being a part of them.  It sounds noble right?  There is something morbidly glamorous sometimes about the idea of being a martyr.  It happens all over the world in our day and it has been happening ever since the New Testament church was born.

It is so easy to act as if martyrdom had some glory attached to it that makes it easier because we are "paying the ultimate price".  Besides, "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord right?"
(2 Corinthians 5:8)  

There are many testimonies of the genuine faith and hope that resides with those whom live in countries where Christians are killed for their faith  However, most of those believers come to genuine faith and repentance with a solid understanding that it may cost them their life or the life of their family in a very short period of time.  I would wager that many a professing "Christian" in America would crumble and fold in their profession of faith if they were faced with such a horrifying fate.  That is because in America the "cost of discipleship" is not at the center of the message, if it exists at all.

Christianity is tied to the American Dream in this country and church goers are fed a man-centered gospel that makes salvation all about them and promises them "Their Best Life Now".  Many pastors messages are laden with pop-psychology designed to affirm positive self-esteem, rather than calling sinners to repentance and reminding them of the cost and self-sacrifice that should be expected of anyone who would call themselves a follower of Jesus.

Satan's Master Plan for America

I, along with others, believe that this positive-thinking, prosperity message is Satan's master plan for America.  You see, we are an affluent nation.  Most of us have never known the kind of poverty, sickness, and despair that people in third-world countries live daily.  So rather than threatening our lives, it is more effective to numb us to the effects of sin by relativizing truth and then give us a gospel that costs us almost nothing.  In fact, it promises us health, wealth, and happiness.  The gospel becomes all about what we can get out of professing Christ, rather than making clear the command to proclaim Christ and the cost that is associated with that.  The former is a lie.  Can there be benefits to the Christian walk.  Certainly, at times.  But this should NEVER be the motivation for obedience.

The promises of abundance and perfect health etc. that are in scripture are primarily designated for the life that is to come for every genuine believer, NOT this life.  If you look at the early 1st century church you will recognize that.  There's was one of persecution and suffering.  They may have had their basic needs met but few were living an affluent life.  In fact, their were very specific instructions and warnings given to believers who were "rich".

The first century church understood something. They knew that Jesus said in John 16:33, "In this life you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world."  Paul taught us how to view tribulation in his second letter to the Corinthians, "So we do not loose heart.  Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary afflictions is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal"(2 Corinthians 4:16-18).  

We must not be seduced into a pursuit of self-fulfillment in this life in the name of Jesus.  Certainly he intends our needs to be met and he absolutely blesses some more richly than others.  There is nothing wrong with making a living and making the most of this life with the skills, talents, and gifts that God has provided however, that should not be the central message or purpose of our lives.  

NO, He would have us die to ourselves and spend our energies and the overflow of those energies spreading the good news that apart from Christ we are damned sinners; but that because of Christ death, burial, and resurrection we can have eternal life with him in the new heavens and the new earth.  We must tell them that THERE is where the majority of the promises will be fulfilled and that it is but a heartbeat away.  This life is but a blip on the line of eternity.

Take Up Your Cross!

When Jesus used this metaphor of taking up your cross, it was not a call to be willing to die physically for the cause of Christ.  At least that was not it's only purpose.  In a manner of speaking that would be easier.  If your faith is real and you die for Christ then you are with Him.  End of story. It's a wonderful ending and while He calls many to that end, those are still the minority.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's most famous quote is found on page 99 of his book The Cost of Discipleship.  In it he says:

"When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.  It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow him, or it may be a death like Luther's, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world.  But it is the same death every time, death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old man at his call."

This was the primary focus of Christ's demands upon our lives as His disciples.  Luke, author of the gospel by the same name, adds the word "daily" to the command to take up our cross(Luke 9:23).  I think anyone who reads these words of Christ in the other gospels honestly will recognize that the idea of daily sacrifice through obedient discipleship is understood.

This is much harder in a sense than dying once.  As I said before, Jesus died ON the cross so that we could live to die daily THROUGH the cross.  To die daily means actually exercising the spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control(Galatians 5:20).  We will actually have to learn to walk by the Spirit and crucify the flesh.  We have to learn to overcome fear of man by God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit in order to share the Good News of the gospel.

Taking Up My Cross
I for one, struggle though I may, would rather take this route.  While there is more time to mess things up, there is also more time for God to glorify himself in my sanctification.  The more I become like Him and learn who He is, the better witness I can be to the world.  In addition, their is a joy that comes from learning to trust Him in obedience.  Though I am worlds away I, like Paul, want to be able to say that:

"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, 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 3:8-11)

Doxology
I hope you are both challenged and encouraged at the same time by this post.  If you were uncomfortable or offended by the challenges to the "health and wealth" teaching as part of Satan's plan of deception, I hope you will at least investigate and consider the dangers that are there.  If you have lived in fear of death or persecution or you have struggled with unresolved illness or financial challenges I hope that you have found some encouragement here. This is NOT your best life.  IT is yet to come and that should encourage you. Faithfully follow Christ now, trust in His finished work on the cross, and show forth the fruit of repentance and obedience by serving HIS best interest rather than your own, and you will enjoy an eternity of no guilt, pain or sadness.(Revelation 21:1-4)  I leave you with one of my favorite doxologies.

"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen" (Jude 1:24-25)

Coram Deo,(Living before the face of God)

Josh

13 Goin On 40: A Tale of Two Marriages

A Picture Is Worth  A Thousand Words
May 24, 25, and 26, I got to celebrate a tale of two marriages.  The first was that of my mom and dad, celebrated on May 24 and 25.  We were celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary.  The second was my own marriage to my beautiful, faithful, blessing of a wife of thirteen years.

Many of you have seen pictures on Facebook of my side of the family including pictures of myself, my wife, and my children.  That was a wonderful time of memory making that I know we will all cherish for many years to come.  Memories of children playing and looking for frogs in a pond.  Sometimes by themselves, sometimes with grown folk.  Different ages and stages were represented from toddler to grandparent, all having a really good time.

Sometimes I think the phrase, a picture is worth a thousand words is a terribly inaccurate expression.  This is because, behind some of the smiles are fussing children and scowling parents trying to get their children to hold still, smile properly, or just take one more picture without pouting about it.  But, most of the time I get it. The thousands words are truly not enough to share the multitude of experiences that each member of this family has shared.  If these pictures could speak they would tell a story.

It would tell a story of laughter and trials, peace and pain, joy and sorrow.  It would also tell a story of faithfulness and commitment; not just to each other, but to the God of the universe, Maker of heaven and earth, Savior and Lord.  In fact with out the faithfulness and commitment to the one, the other would have failed long ago.

Forty
My mom and dad got married at twenty-two and twenty-one.  Two years later they had me.  In that two years, they moved to Texas so Dad could go to seminary and by the time we left Texas to come back home I had a sister.  Back in NC Dad worked this job and that, giving me another brother along the way.  Until finally, during my kindergarten year he got his first church assignment.  By the time we moved from that town in eastern NC, four years later, my baby brother was born.  This was when his first church fired him unjustly, and we picked up and moved to central NC where we lived, and Dad pastored another church for the next seven and a half years.  The summer before my senior year, it was time to move on again and we found ourselves moving to Greensboro, NC for another church.  I graduated in 1994 and I have been there ever since.  No one was thrilled about it at the time but God knew better.  The next twenty years saw two more churches and two more heartbreaks.  It was peppered with different jobs for Dad, in between and after the churches and the graduations of the rest of my siblings.  The next twenty years also saw all of us getting married and the birth of four grandchildren.  My Dad has been a teacher of troubled children in the public school system for the last several years and seems to suit him.

This journey saw dreams and disappointments galore for Mom, Dad, and the kids.  Their are hurts and trials for families in ministry like nothing else this world has to offer.  Trying to follow God as a husband and father, especially in ministry, is not so very easy, especially when your kids don't necessarily understand and your wife does not always agree.  There were battles with bitterness, flaring of tempers, and broken hearts at times.  But ALWAYS, there was GOD.  HE held this family together.  As we strove along this journey, my Dad always tried to obey God the best he knew how in leading us through his career and in ministering to us as a family.  Mom always tried to obey God by supporting Dad even when she did not agree and by trying to keep Jesus in front of us.

As we sat around and shared some thoughts with our Mom and Dad at the celebration, we did not focus on the negatives.  We realized in retrospect that God's providence had led our family down this road to make us into who He wanted us to be.  No, the themes were centered on love, joy, and perseverance.  Through all the downs, there have always been ups.  There has always been joy, and though the thought of giving up may have crossed minds on occasion, it never came to fruition.  If there is one thing we know, it is that our parents love Jesus and have tried very hard to teach us to do the same.  It is also that they love each other and love us and we love them, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, whether rich or poor.  They did not always get it right.  In fact they dropped the ball plenty.  But what parent, husband, or wife doesn't.  One thing is for sure, God reigned in my parents hearts and by His sovereign good pleasure they are still together forty years later and being celebrated by healthy, God-fearing, God-following children.

Thirteen
As the oldest, I was blessed to be the first to get married and the first to provide grandchildren.  Six and a half years earlier I met my beautiful bride and she became my world.  So much so that what I knew of God took a back seat in some regards.  Nevertheless,  in His divine providence He saw fit to see us married. While we have always loved each other, it has been far from a perfect road thus far.  Neither of us is the same person that we met at the beginning or even that we married thirteen years ago.  But you know what.  I would not trade it.  The experiences that we have had have made us who we are today.  

That's what makes marriage an adventure.  Oh, you will hurt each other, sometimes very badly.  And, you will love each other, sometimes extremely.  Once you have children, you are then struggling with divided affections and that brings a whole other challenge.  On our journey we have seen God at work, drawing us to himself in different ways and on different time tables, yet He is faithful.

Eternity
What makes these two stories connected and similar in spite of the difference in years of marriage is Jesus.  He is sovereignly in control and at work in all of our hearts.  An eternal perspective.  In forty years, my parents are still learning and having their character developed by the God of the universe.  They are still learning to love each other and trust God in totally new ways.

For my wife and I, the last six years have been a journey of developing in service to the Lord in church together.  Now, He is pushing us out of the nest in brand new ways.  Their is a new church.  There is a new school for my oldest son.  There are new passions for serving God, both in life and at a new church, that we are both trying to understand and learn to trust God in.  And we are learning to love each other continually through these changes.  We have learned that, while there are things we would like to see improvement on and areas of hurt that we have to let go of, we have it pretty good in each other.  My wife is an amazing woman in so many ways and she blesses me continually.  I want to spend the rest of my life watching her grow into who it is that God created her to be.  If there were no other reason not to quit on our commitment there is this, God has not given either myself and my wife or my parents, permission to quit.  He provides the perspective of eternity as our guide for what is really important.

A Heavenly Marriage
Much of what is driving the relativization of truth, commitment, faithfulness, and the definition of marriage is the lack of a vital misunderstanding of God's eternal plan.  Jesus tells us in three of the four gospels that there will be no marriage between humans in heaven(Matthew 22:30, Mark 12:20, Luke 20:35-36).  You see, at the end of time, when this life ends and eternity begins there will only be one marriage that matters. This marriage will be between the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and His church.  There will be a marriage supper of the Lamb(Revelation 19:6-10).  In that moment, none of the flaws of this age will matter.

This eternal perspective of a heavenly marriage that begins now is what we must keep in mind as we read the instructions of Paul in Ephesians 5 that tell us to love our husbands and wives in the same way that Christ loved the church.  Because at the end of the day, we as believers are the church and Christ sacrificially laid down his life for us so that we could lay down our lives for each other.

This is the perspective that has held my parents marriage together for forty years.  This is the perspective that holds my wife and I's marriage together.  This is the perspective that can hold your marriage together so that one day you are able to look back on many years of ups and downs and say to each other and to the Lord,

We're Still Here!

May it be so in Jesus name.

Thanks to my Mom and Dad and to my lovely wife for helping to provide a proper example.

Love,

Josh

A Tribute to Mom's

Hello all.  I pray everyone is well and enjoying the solid arrival of spring.  The nurture of "Mother Nature", as it were, is apparent as many trees and flowers have come into full bloom and we notice new little baby animals scurrying about.  It's in this time of life and flourishing in which I believe it is most appropriate that we celebrate Mother's Day.

My Mom
I was blessed with a stay at home Mom who loved being a mom.  She had four of us, of which I am the oldest, and if she could have had more, she would have but time ran out ;-).  She raised us, to the best of her ability, in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  There were trials and tribulations.  We rarely had excess, as American excess goes these days, but we never lacked for our needs either.  She was able to take a shoestring budget and get what was needed with a special treat from time to time.  She was not perfect..but then again, who is.  One thing we all knew we never had to wonder about, was if we were loved.  She and my Dad have always conveyed their love for us in their own way, but it was never in doubt.  I am blessed to know that no matter how I have struggled to be a good son, I have always known that I had the love of my mother.  In addition, she has always been very supportive and loving toward my wife and grandchildren.  She loves them all very much.  She always is positive and encouraging and yet tries to avoid being a busybody.  And if she could, I know she would live around the corner and fight us for the right to have the kids around.  Thanks Mom!

My Mother-in-Law
What to say about your mother-in-law.  Everything nice ;-)  While the joke still lingers out there about mother-in-laws being monster-in-laws, I can honestly say I got the better end of the stick.  No mom is perfect and neither is any mother-in-law.  Like any relationship, over the last almost twenty years we have had our ups and downs.  But there is one thing I can say about my mother-in-law.  She loves her daughter. Because of this, she loves me too.  She and her husband accepted me into their family and have done a great job, in my opinion, of being encouraging and supportive, while not tending to our business too much.  Being involved in ministry and healthcare I see plenty of lack and challenges presented through lack of support in the structure of extended family.  That is not the case here.  They have always been there for their daughter and for our family as a whole.  She is also a terrific grandmother who dotes on her grandchildren as much as she can.  If she could, I know she would have us around the corner as well.  Thanks Brenda!

My Wife
My wife takes such great joy in the rearing of our children.  Through the agony of parental frustrations and the joyful moments of growth and new developments in skill and learning, mom's are integral and pour their heart into this process like no other.  My wife is no exception.  She struggles and agonizes to be patient with the challenges they present.  Yet I find myself continually at peace with encouraging my boys to recognize the incredible love that their mother has for them.  She worries over them continually as most moms do.  From the moment of their birth which was all natural, to the present, she has always had their well-being in mind and has always been jealous for their love and affection.  If I died tomorrow, I know I would not have to worry about whether my children would be cared for.  I know their mother would do whatever was necessary to provide for them and raise them well.  We share many things in common in regard to child-rearing and discipline.  I am blessed to have this woman as my partner in married life and parenting.  Thanks Babe!  I love you!

To Mother's Everywhere
I can also express appreciation that my boys have great examples of motherhood in all of their Aunts.  Even though they are not all mom's yet, the ones that are provide great examples and the one's that are not are very nurturing and I know they will be great mom's when the time comes.

Mother's tend to be very hard on themselves.  All parents second-guess themselves but mother's have a particular connection with their children that is unique to them.  Even if they are not their's biologically, all mothers are built emotionally with the same general tendencies.  Worry, self-effacement or low self-esteem and self-neglect.  Take care of yourselves mom's.  You are no good to anyone if you are falling apart.  Take care of your needs and those you need help with, tell your husband about.  Believe it or not, we want to help and we cannot read minds, contrary to popular opinion ;-).

Mom's, you need to know that if you give all you have, selflessly striving to make sure your children's needs are met physically, emotionally, spiritually, you are still going to mess up and you know what?  That's ok.  At the end of the day, when your children are loved on, warm, fed, clean, and tucked away in bed for the night, you have done your job.  Those things that they hate you for now, one day, will click and they will thank you for it.  Always remember that.  Do what's right now.  Sow discipline and teach lessons now, for the fruit of good behavior and character development down the road.  Delayed gratification is the parent's burden.

Remember Proverbs 31:10-31.  If you have read it, read it again.  If you have not, then read it for the first time.  It's not just a brand of product.  It is a strong word of encouragement for the woman who takes great pride in her character and commitment as a godly woman, wife, and mother.  It is hard work, but the provision you provide is priceless and it builds up your husband and children in ways that you may not realize for years to come.  Again I say, delayed gratification is the burden of every parent.

If you have grown children and you are looking back wishing you had done things differently...DON'T!  You cannot change the past.  However, you can start in the present doing new things.  It is never too late to make a difference.  Young women need the wisdom of the older women and older women are instructed by scripture to share that wisdom (Titus 2:3-5).  

Be encouraged.  You ARE loved!  You ARE appreciated!

Husbands and Fathers

Even when your husband and children don't do a good job of expressing it.  And we are all guilty of slacking off in that regard.  Husbands and fathers must remember to encourage their wives in their motherhood and train their children to respect and love their mothers not just through action but also through word.  Teach your children to build up and encourage their mothers and never tolerate disrespect.  If they are being hard headed, kick their butts.  They will thank you one day and your wife will appreciate it now.

Take Her Out
Husbands and Father's, below is a link to a very moving scene from the movie Mom's Night Out.  Also, I have made the entire trailer available here on the blog page if you are reading this there.  It is a really cute movie with some of the same actors from the movie Courageous acting alongside well known stars such as Trace Adkins, Sean Astin, and Patricia Heaton.  The movie was made with intent of being entertaining and yet inspiring to mother's everywhere.  I believe it would be a blessing to take your wife out to see it.  Date nights are important and difficult to make happen sometimes.  However, every effort must be made to spend time together, out, away from the children.  So check out the trailer and then take her out to see it.  Build her up, maker her feel special.  Tell her how special she is and encourage her as a mother.  She needs that from you.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=240266876169453&set=vb.146838428845632&type=2&theater

If you are a single mom, treat yourself.  Please, go out and see this movie and realize how special you are. You may not have anyone to tell you that but it is true regardless.  One day your children will look back and recognize all that you did for them and they will appreciate it.  Whether they ever say it or not.  

Single or married, know this, No one will ever be to your children what you can be to your children!

You are needed! You are special! And you are loved!

HAPPY MOTHER"S DAY!

Sincerly,

Josh

Repentance: Our Joyful Response to a Loving God

Understanding the Source of Repentance
So now we hopefully understand that the holy and just God of the universe abhors sin and must poor out His wrath against it.  We also hopefully understand that He is simultaneously a patient, loving God who keeps His promises and sent His Son as the perfect, substitutionary sacrifice as a demonstration of that love for all those whom He choose from the foundations of the world.

Not only that, but we know that God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit and all of the host of heaven rejoice when one lost sinner comes to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  We know that the Godhead aka.Trinity values one individual soul so much that we are told He doesn't stop pursuing until that lost soul is found.

What a wonderful God we serve.  What a incredible gospel we get to proclaim.  The good news that God would have been completely just in destroying every sinner that rebels against Him for all eternity, yet he chose to have a plan in place that would satisfy the cost of that rebellion so that lost souls could be saved and enjoy eternity with Him.

What a Glorious Treasure!.....or is it?
Do we really see it that way?  Do we live as if this gospel treasure, is the key to the kingdom of heaven, which Jesus says is the treasure?

Matthew 13:44-46 gives us two short parables that are loaded with truth regarding the value that we should place on discovering that we are partakers of the kingdom and the joy that it should bring.

• Read Matthew 13:44.  You can hover over the reference in blue if you are on the blog page or look it up in your bible. Observe the radical response to the man's discovery.  He finds a treasure so valuable that he is willing to sell everything to have access to it.  It says that with great joy, he sells everything and goes to by the field containing that treasure.  

• Matthew 13:45-46 tells us that another merchant of fine pearls finds a pearl of such value that he sells everything, just to buy that one pearl. 

We understand this concept.  Such value is placed on college education that people go into debt to pursue it.  Men go into debt or work and save like crazy in order to buy a ring for the woman they love.  Couples often go into debt for their dream wedding or honeymoon...or both.  Good parents certainly understand sacrificing whatever it takes for the betterment of their children.

However, scripture says that the people in these examples didn't work harder, go into debt, or save like crazy.  No, they sold everything they had.  That is how much value they placed on this treasure.  This is how valuable Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is.

Can we say our lives reflect such a value for the kingdom of heaven.  I certainly can't. At least not consistently.  In our sin, we often fail to keep before our minds eye, the value of what Christ did for us, what is available to us because of the price He paid, and how our lives should reflect that.

Repentance Is That Joyful Expression
Return with me for a moment to the story of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15:11-32.  Consider the son's response to his realization of what benefits he could gain from being part of his fathers "kingdom".  Consider his regret when he realizes all that his Father had made freely available to him and yet he had rejected it.

There are plenty of people in the world who would rather remain selfishly broke and starving both spiritually and in the flesh than to humble themselves and acknowledge their need to be taken care of.  They love the possibility of the pleasures of this world too much.  Yet this son realizes that even his father's servants were better off than he was and so he leaves all the pleasures of the world behind with the intent of going back and serving his father.  Yet he does not do it reluctantly or begrudgingly.  Once he realizes the value of his father's "kingdom" he finds joy in returning there.

That joyful return to the Father's "kingdom" or house is not fed by a hope that he will get everything He wants.  Simply the hope that his most basic needs will be met.  He does not return to his Father's house dragging behind him a cart full of worldly desires and possessions topped off with a prostitute.  No he leaves that entire life behind.  He brings nothing but his brokenness.  THAT is repentance.

Selfish Envy
Still there is another piece that needs mentioning.  Though it could be fleshed out much more than I will do it here.  Jesus intends the older brother in this story to be a representation of the pharisees.  While the pharisees were religious hypocrites, not followers of Christ, we need to recognize that, even we followers of Christ respond as the older brother does.  Did you notice how angry he got in Luke 15:25-32 when his father rejoices and celebrates at the return of his son.  He gripes that his father never did this for him.  What does the father say?  Son, it was already yours.

Even as believers, we often spend our time taking for granted the blessings that are available to us as members of our Father's house. We forget that we don't deserve those blessings.  We don't live as if they are valuable to us.  Then we have the audacity to get mad when we see people drawn into our Father's house because we don't think they deserve it.  We have forgotten that our Father brought us into this world and made these things available to us by His grace.

When you see other lost sheep being returned to the fold or lost children being welcomed into the Father's house, never get angry or envious.  Never forget that you were once lost and are now found.  You were once blind and now you see.

Repentance is Part of the Plan
God does not command that repentance is merely doing the right thing or simply ceasing doing the wrong thing.  Repentance is about being part of the plan.  It is a lifestyle.  God commands repentance as a means of bringing himself glory.  How you say?  Which do you think brings more glory to God?  Is it chasing after the world or cheerfully chasing after Christ?  Which do you think brings God the most glory?  Is it selfishly pursuing our own desires or selflessly and joyfully being part of God's master plan to gather lost sheep, and tell lost children that they can come home.  Repentance from sin and repentance toward the things of God are both fundamentally important, not only to your own salvation but to the salvation of others.  Your repentance points others to Christ.

You must realize that God could do it on His own.  You must realize that He does not need you to accomplish His purposes and yet He chooses to include you as the means by which people come to know who He is and what He did for them.  You must realize that the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ is a privilege that every believer is intended to enjoy.  Getting to be a part of watching God change hearts and lives for all of eternity is an unspeakable opportunity. When you do, you will have GREAT joy!  That's right, evangelism is a part of repentance.  You turn from proclaiming the joys and pleasures that this world has to offer and living for those, to proclaiming that the joys, pleasures, and freedom that is found in Christ.

Repentance cannot be done begrudgingly when you understand the mercy of God in it.  It can only be done with joy when you come to fully realize that it is only by His grace that you are able to repent and believe to begin with.  Repentance is REAL work.  Grace is not cheap.  It cost Christ His life and it is supposed to bring the same sacrificial living in our lives. The grace that is freely offered is intended to produce the fruit of righteous works.  Read Colossians 1:28-29, Philippians 2:12-13, and 1 Corinthians 15:10.  Hard work, performed by believers, yet totally empowered by grace from a loving, faithful God.

Repentance is not something we do simply at the point of initial confession.  Repentance is a lifelong, grace empowered privilege.  Do not take it for granted.  It is our joyful response to the glorious treasure that is Christ in us, the hope of glory

Coram Deo! (Living Before the Face of God)

Josh

Repentance: A Condemning Command from an Angry God or a Joyful Invitation from a Rejoicing Savior?

I have been listening to messages from a recent conference called Together for the Gospel.  This years conference was centered entirely around evangelism.  One speaker spoke on heaven's rejoicing at the repentance of the lost.  It is this message that is the inspiration for this post.  Sometimes as believers, all of which are called to evangelize, we get burdened with results.  We do not feel we have been successful unless we have led everyone to the Lord whom we have shared the gospel with.  The trouble is two fold.  One, we forget that it is God who brings results.  It is our job to sow seed and water that seed.  God gives the growth(1 Corinthians 3:5-7).  Two, is we forget that Jesus said, heaven rejoices over one sinner whom repents(Luke 15:7).  Just one.  While we share the gospel often and always call sinners to repentance, we need not manufacture numbers or force decisions when evangelizing.  God honors the faithful spread of His gospel, not manipulated conversions.  I want to speak to a misunderstanding of repentance by the unrepentant.  I will write a second post regarding the response of sinners when they realize the worth of the gospel and the response of believers to the sinners repentance.

A Misunderstanding
It is to the second point above that I wold like to speak here.  Both to believers and unbelievers. Repentance is generally defined, not only as turning away from sin, but turning to God.  Unfortunately, in our day, most see a call to repentance as hateful judgement.  Whether it is one fellow believer calling another believer to account for obvious unrepentant sin, or a believer calling an unbeliever to turn from their sin and put their trust in Christ for the first time, the call to repentance is not generally well received.  I believe that this is because we have a misunderstanding of the intent of the call.

Why are we called to repentance?  Is it the condemning command of an angry God that is threatening us or is it the joyful plea of a rejoicing Shepherd who died for us?  I believe this perception makes all the difference in our response.

The Answer is Both
Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, is angry.  The word of God tells us that He is Holy God that cannot tolerate sin.  In fact, Psalm 5:4-6 tells us that God hates ALL evildoers and abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.  Perhaps you may be thinking that you are a good person, that this could not possibly describe you.  Genesis 6:5  and Genesis 8:21 tells us that the intentions of man's heart is only evil continually and that it is so from our youth.  Isaiah 64:6 tells us that our righteousness is as filthy rags.  Paul reiterates this and many other parts of the bible regarding the worthlessness of man's righteousness in Romans 3:9-20.  So you see God is justified in His anger because we have rebelled against Him and deserve His just, wrathful, judgement(Romans 1:18-24).

Many like to say, "don't judge me" or "only God can judge me".  I see that second statement on t-shirts and  tattoos all the time.  It scares me.  While the final verdict and judgement will not come until you stand before God, the truth is that God has already judged sin and condemned all sinners.  That is why we need a Savior(John 3:16-17).  We must understand our sinfulness in relationship to a holy God if we are to appreciate the grace by which He saves us.

He is a loving God, righteous in all his ways.  Thus, in order to save us from our sins and still satisfy the righteous judgement that is due our sins, He sent a Savior.  He sent a Good Shepherd.  His Son.  This Son who would not only die for our sins, but would pursue those whom belong to God.  Those who were bought by the precious blood of Jesus, God's Son, on the cross.  This Good Shepherd pursues each lost sheep individually and heaven rejoices every time one is reclaimed for God's glory.

Jesus's Answer To This Misunderstanding of Repentance
Jesus explains it in three parables.
1.) In Luke 15:1-7 we are told of the value of one lost sheep.  Jesus explains that such value is placed on that one lost sheep, that the shepherd will leave the other sheep to go reclaim the one.  Not only that but afterward, he gathers all his friends and calls them to rejoice with him over that lost sheep.  In the same way, Jesus pursues every lost sheep that is supposed to be a part of His flock and upon it's return, all of heaven rejoices.  We are called to rejoice as well.

2.) In Luke 15:8-10, Jesus tells the parable of a woman who has lost one of ten coins in her possession.  She values this one coin so much that she searches the whole house for it.  When she finds it, she is so elated that she entreats her friends to rejoice with her in it's return.  Again, heaven rejoices with the Savior.

In both cases, you will notice that the owners of the sheep and the coin decide that it is not enough to let the one go and continue to enjoy the others.  No, they place such value on each, that they do not stop searching until the lost one is found.  So it is with Jesus as He pursues each of us that are lost, yet were determined to belong to Him before time began(Ephesians 1:4).

The Prodigal Returns
3.) The final parable to conclude Jesus' teaching on the value placed on sinners who repent is found in Luke 15:11-32, the parable of the prodigal son.  This parable is generally taught with great depth in a lengthy sermon because it is so rich.  At the risk of oversimplifying this parable I will sum it up just so.  It is about the Father, the sinner, and the pharisee.  The part I would like to emphasize at the moment is the Father/sinner relationship.  Rather than the emphasis being placed on the seeking out of the son, it is placed on the celebration that comes as he returns.

As you will have read, upon recognition of his dire state, the son/sinner realizes that the Father's servants are doing better than he is.  Because he knows that he no longer has the right to claim sonship, he determines that he will return as a servant and throw himself on the mercy of his master.

• Isn't this just how we view the call to repentance?  We rejected the Father to begin with because we did not understand the depth of relationship that He wanted to have with us.  Consequently, we misunderstand the call to repentance because we see God only through the master/servant relationship.

 However, when the son returns home, the Father runs out to meet him.  In fact, the son does not have the chance to unveil his plan of servitude because the Father wraps him in His arms and reclaims him as son before he gets the chance.  The Father plans the party of all parties to celebrate His son's return.

• What would happen if we viewed repentance with this understanding?  Whether you are a believer who has strayed or an unbeliever (i.e. prodigal son/lost sheep) who has been found, you need to understand that the Father will rejoice in your repentance.  He will celebrate your new life.  He will treat you not as servant but as sons and daughters.  As it says in verses 24 and 32, as an unbeliever, you were dead and now you are alive, you were lost and now you are found, if you place your trust in Jesus.

Leave the old life behind.  You will notice that when the son left his destitute life, he did not try to take any of the ways of that life with him.  He did not grab a prostitute and say maybe Dad will let me keep one of these while I serve him.  The son abandoned his old life.  He turned away from it and headed home.  This is an important part of repentance.  Scripture says that when we are in Christ, we are a new creation.  The old has past away and all things are made new(2 Corinthians 5:17).

Life in Christ

I beg you to consider this today.  Contemplate what is revealed in this teaching.  Gain a new understanding and attitude toward repentance.  It is the call from a loving Heavenly Father and a faithful Good Shepherd whom seek you out and want to celebrate your return.  A Savior that sacrificed His own life for yours. Come to an understanding that without repentance and faith in Christ, we are dead in our trespasses and sins(Ephesians 2:5).  We are living this mortal life for ourselves, to die spiritually for eternity.  

However, through faith and repentance, by the power of the Holy spirit, we are not only dying in this body of flesh, but we are dying to ourselves daily and living for Christ, obeying His commands.  In this way, we are dying now, to live for eternity.

A Pleading Ambassador

2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2 represents my purpose.  I cannot say it any better than the Apostle Paul.  It states, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  working together with him, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.  For he says, 'In favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you'.  Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation"

I will end with this.  Faith and repentance go hand in hand.  You cannot have one without the other.  If you have faith in Jesus, you will strive for repentance and obey the teachings of God's word.  If you do not care to repent, if you have no interest in applying the word of God to your life, then your faith is dead and you will not inherit the Kingdom of God.  You will spend and eternity apart from God, suffering and eternity of conscious, fiery, torment.  Longing for relief that will never come.

As an ambassador, on behalf of God the Father and Christ the Son, I plead with you this day.  Cry out to God to save you.  Have faith!

REPENT AND BELIEVE TODAY!

In Jesus name,

Amen

What DID Easter Mean To You?

DID?  What does that mean?
So, why phrase it like that.  Shouldn't Easter always mean something to us?  Why put it in the past tense. There are already so many articles and posts relating to the pre-Easter hype, I figured I would post something that I know most people will not read until at least Easter evening or later because it will not post to emails nor will I put it on FB until then.

The Question
The thought I want to present is this.  Does the meaning of Easter, and the sentimentality that even the most well-meaning of Christians attaches to it, carry over to the rest of our lives?  Does the passion with which we infuse Easter, inform the way we represent the gospel the rest of the year?

The Problem
We all know that Christmas and Easter are the only days that some ever come to a church service.  If for no other reason than that, I am not against churches putting on big productions or just making a big deal out of the Easter service in general.  I certainly think we should recognize that opportunity and make the most of it.

What concerns me is that many, many "Christians" get excited about Easter, but the rest of the year you would barely know they knew Christ by their behavior or the words coming out of  their mouths.  Or, maybe there is nothing inherently wrong in their words or behaviors but, their is also nothing obviously right.  There is nothing overtly Christian about their daily faith walk.  This is true of all of us from time to time.  It is a truth we must WAR against.

What's The Big Deal?
Matthew 10:32-33 says that, "Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men,  I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."  Granted, this is in the context of a discussion regarding persecution, but let me ask you something.  How easy is it to be excited about Jesus around Easter?  Do you find yourself being more bold around Easter regarding letting others know you are a Christian?  It is easier then, is it not? Everyone expects Christians to be excited about Jesus around Easter.  It is a Christian holiday.   So far it has not received the same wrap as CHRISTmas as far as it concerns the name Christ being in the title of so many things.  No one is asking us to have "holiday egg hunts" for example.  All of the secular associations with Easter are still labeled as Easter products or events.  Let's face it, persecution in this country does not hold a candle to the persecution in other parts of the world.  And yet we often remain silent about our faith. Why?

What Will You Do?
The real test comes the rest of the year.  Does the meaning of Easter bring as much anticipation of what God may do, and celebration of what He has done, one week after the holiday is over?  How about one month? Don't get me wrong, I have been as guilty of this as anyone, and I am as tempted as anyone else to feed the hype more around the holiday than at other times.  But is this ok?  Should the phrase, "I wish it could be Christmas all year long", not apply to Easter also?   What will you do?  Will you go back to the status quo or will you carry the momentum of the holiday forward?

Challenge
I want to challenge all of us.  I want to encourage us all to strive to remember the gospel truths that make Easter so special to begin with.  I want to encourage us to ask ourselves everyday how the gospel can inform every day of our lives and everything that we do and say in that day.

Jesus lived the perfect life that we could not live.  He died the death that we deserve to die.  He made statements that inform us as to what our Christian walk should look like.  For example, "if you love me, you will keep my commands"(John 14:15-30), and before He ascended to the right hand of the Father he gave us the Great Commission(Matthew 28:18-20).  Christ paid the price for our rebellion against the Father on the cross so that we could spend eternity with Him.  I don't think commanding us unto allegiance and obedience is to much to ask considering the alternative.

I have fleshed out the message of the cross many times and most people reading this have probably heard it in the last twenty four hours at a church service so I will not go there.  If you are intrigued by this discussion and have questions feel free to email me and we can dialogue about it.  My email is at the top of the blog page.

If you are well versed in the gospel message, then I pray that this will serve the purpose that I intend.  That is, essentially, to cause us all to contemplate our day to day representation of the gospel to others in our sphere of influence.   Let us apply the instructions of Jude 1:20-23, keeping ourselves built up in the faith with the tools that God has provided and looking for the opportunity to share the truth of the gospel with others, perhaps snatching some out of the fire.

Remember yesterday's fervor as you celebrated Christ death, burial, and resurrection and apply it to tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.  Defend always, the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints(Jude 1:3)

Doxology
One of my favorite closings from the New Testament letters is also from Jude 1:24-25.  It states, "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever, Amen."

Coram Deo (Living before the face of God),

Josh

A Conversation with Satan

Is Knowledge and Belief Enough?
What is Salvation?  What is Lordship?  Can one exist without the other?  There is a great misunderstanding among many today that all you have to do is believe in Jesus and you will be saved.  Unfortunately, too many people make confession without repentance and submission to Christs' Lordship.

Romans 10:9-10 states, "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."

Is this true?  Of course it is.  However, too often we focus on the belief part and forget what the confession is?  That Jesus is Lord.

In speaking of faith apart from works in James 2:17-19 he states, "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works."  Show me your faith apart from your works and I will show you my faith by my works.  You believe that God is one; you do well.  Even the demons believe and shudder!"

A Conversation
Let's suppose that God had a conversation with Satan about his eternal destination. It might go something like this:

God:    Satan.  Do you believe that I am the only God, maker of heaven and earth?
Satan: Yes
God:    Do you believe that I sent Jesus to die on the cross, taking on the punishment for the sins of the                     world, satisfying my wrath toward their sins, and then raised him from the dead on the third day?
Satan: Yes
God:    Do you believe that in the last days I will raise the living and the dead to be judged either innocent or             guilty based on their belief in me, and their confession of and and submission to my Lordship?
Satan: Yes
God:    Satan, will you Submit to my Lordship and serve me faithfully, obeying all the commands I have                     given you?
Satan: NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And I am going to take every soul with me that you do not save.

This would, in fact, be the end result of that conversation.  Satan rebelled in heaven.  He tried to overthrow GOD!  He has no interest in submission to Christs' Lordship.  Thus, no matter how much he and the demons know or believe about God, they will be condemned to everlasting torment in the lake of fire(Revelation 20:10).  And his goal is to take as many with him as possible.  However, whether in this life or before the judgement seat of Christ, every knee, including Satan and his minions, shall bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father(Philippians 2:9-11, Romans 14:10-12, Revelation 20:11-15).

A Passionate Plea
Please don't be one of the casualties of Satan's war against God.  You see, knowledge about God, Jesus, and the bible is not enough.  Just saying you believe is not enough. Belief without change is nothing more than mere intellectual ascent. It does not matter if you simply go to church or are actively involved with your church.  If your whole life is not surrendered to the effort of repentance from sin and the pursuit of holiness, in every area of your life, then there is reason to question the relevance of your salvation.  If you prayed a prayer once, but there really is not much of your life that looks like the disciples of the bible, then there is reason to question the relevance of your salvation.  If you lack genuine interest in God's word, embrace the ways of the world, and perceive not problem with this then you are likely in open rebellion against God and, there is reason to question the relevance of your salvation

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and you truly believe with your heart, not just your mind, it will change you.  Your thoughts and behavior will not be the same.  You will not be perfect until heaven however, 2 Corinthians 5:15-17 states that "Christ died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but him, who for their sake died and was raised.  From now on, therefore regard no one according to the flesh.  Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passes away; behold, the new has come."

Examine yourselves!
God requires surrender of this life, that you may know life eternally with Him and in Him. Examine yourself and see if you are in the faith(2 Corinthians 13:5).  If you find yourself wanting of the characteristics of a true, biblical Christ-follower, and thus you find that it is likely you are not in the faith, that can change now.

If you are Lost
God can and will save you if you are willing to die to yourself and live for Christ.  Cry out to God to save you!  He will!  Then find a local, bible teaching church, get baptized as part of your public profession of your faith, and begin feeding on the word of God.  God has given, to those whom are believers, everything needed for life and godliness by His grace, empowered by the Holy Spirit, through the study of His word, prayer, and obedience(2 Peter 3-11).  All of this fosters relationship with God.

If you are Found
If you find that you are in the faith and desiring repentance and holiness, yet there are areas of your life in which this is lacking, know this.  God does not require anything of the believer that He does not enable them to do.  In Philippians 2:12-13 Paul instructs us, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling.   For it is God who works in you both to will and to work according to his good pleasure."

Even the Apostle Paul whom wrote much of the New Testament recognized that he could not do it on his own.  In 1 Corinthians 15:10 he states, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward  me was not in vain.  On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I but the grace of God that is with me."

Conclusion
Without Christ we all will be like Satan, rebelling against God and headed for an eternity of hellish, conscious torment.  Don't be like Satan.  Pray that the God of all grace will pour that grace out on you without measure, empowering you to believe and submit, thus saving you through the blood of His Son, and empowering you to obey through the Holy Spirit, thus sanctifying you and making your calling and election sure.  Don't just know about the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, KNOW HIM! and be known by Him!  For there is no greater joy.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Wanna Save Your Marriage (Part 9) A repost of the Summary

(Hi there.  I am still very burdened by Satan's attack on marriage in today's world.  It is not new but in many ways it is gaining new ground as truth becomes increasingly relativistic and gay marriage adds a whole other dynamic.  I wanted to repost this as a reminder to us all, as we continue to be forced to contemplate biblical marriage in our day.  This is the final summary post of the series entitled, Wanna Save Your Marriage.  If it speaks to you or you think it may speak to someone else, please feel free to share.  Blessings.)

Alright.  There are so many other things that could be said but I think it is time to wrap this one up. This is officially the longest series that I have ever done.  It has been edifying to me.  I hope it has been edifying to you.  I would like to thank everyone who reads the blog, has followed this particular series of postings, and/or has provided feedback.  It means a lot and you are more than welcome to share and share alike if you feel it would be helpful.

I want to emphasize that while the material has been direct and revealing at times , I have made every effort to be biblical at every point.  Sometimes the bible can be offensive and difficult to swallow.  What we must always remember is that the bible is God's inspired, inerrant, holy word.  It must not be added to or be taken away from.  God does not require that His word conform to what people want it to say.  God requires that HIS people conform to HIS word(Romans 12:1-2).  With that said, let's review what the bible has taught us.

The biblical God is a fan of biblical marriage!
It was His idea!  He is a fan of man and woman joined together in an unbreakable, covenant union.  A covenant union that is designed to glorify God and help to populate the earth.  He created the idea, He blessed the idea and the subjects of the idea, and He said that it was good.
(Genesis 1:27-28, Matthew 19:3-9)

Biblical marriage is designed with a purpose!
What is that design?  First, it must be the union of a male and a female.  Second, the male and female should be believers.  Third, each member of the union must recognize their God-given role and the instructions for that role. Fourth, the Gospel is central. (Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:21-33)

The Gospel is central!
God's design for marriage is centered around the Gospel.  The sacrificial love of Christ for His church is the example of the kind of sacrificial love that we are expected to exhibit, one Christian to another and one spouse to the other. We must understand how we were designed as individuals and what the design of our roles in marriage are.  We must understand that just as we are dead in our sins and cannot come alive unless Christ makes us alive; none of what is expected of us in marriage can be done appropriately without the empowerment of God's grace through Christ's death and resurrection.(Ephesians 2:1-10, Philippians 2:12-13, 1 Corinthians 15:10)

Sacrificial, selfless, love is required by God.
Maybe you are struggling with a spouse who is not living up to the biblical definitions of their role. Perhaps you are struggling with an unbelieving spouse or a maybe your marriage is struggling sexually.  All of these struggles, along with all of the other above points, have been addressed in greater detail in the previous posts, scripture references and all.

What is certain is that when Jesus came to earth, He gave all while being despised and rejected by the majority.  Many say that God's love and often that Christ's love is unconditional.  This is simply not true.  The condition of God's offer of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, comes in the death and resurrection of Christ's perfect life alone, for the glory of God alone.  It is not free!  If you are a believer, you are not your own, you were bought with a price.  Christ's blood shed on the cross paid the price for the sins of the world so that eternal life would be made available.

That's right!  The love of God the Father and God the Son is not unconditional, but it is sacrificial.  God is not asking anything of you, no matter how bad it may seem, that Christ did not experience.  Jesus knew temptation.  Jesus knew betrayal, rejection, emotional hurt, and physical pain.  He understands it and He will see you through it.  As a believer, He does not expect you to do it by yourself.  As a believer, God's grace is always working in and through you to accomplish His good purposes. (Philippians 2:12-13)

I don't need Jesus, my marriage is doing fine by itself!
Perhaps, during this process, you have thought, "I have a perfectly happy marriage and I don't have to think about all this stuff.  My wife and I are good people who love each other and treat each other well and we don't even consider the application of any of this spiritual, Gospel-centered marriage hype."   Maybe.  But rest assured, whether you believe it or not, that the benevolent love of God's common grace to all people is the only thing that keeps mankind from totally annihilating themselves.  It is not because you carry all the power within yourself to do good.  God restrains any evil that does not run rampant, anywhere, including your marriage.

Happy wife, happy life is not enough!
Regardless of what you think, one other thing is true.  You can live a happy, good life with a happy, good marriage and still go to hell.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the live.  No man comes to the Father but by me!(John 14:6)

I don't want that for anyone.  This series has been a bit pragmatic in the "How to have a better marriage biblically" kind of way.  I admit that.  But, the Gospel has been present throughout.  All of it has been Christ-centered.  The reason for that is because no success in this world has any meaning eternally apart from Christ.  I have not helped you at all if you apply some of the principles found in this series and never have a relationship with a living Savior, the Eternal Bridegroom himself.  You will not be a part of the bride of Christ if you are not in a saving and surrendered relationship with the Groom that makes it all possible to begin with.

Please, go back and look at the post entitled, "Wanna Save Your Marriage?, What is the Gospel?"(Part 3).  Not for me, but for you.  Make sure you understand what the Gospel is.  2 Corinthians 13:5 tells us to examine ourselves and make sure that we are in the faith.  It is ok to assess your life in relation to biblical truth and look for areas that either point to proof of saving faith or the lack there of.  Even if you come to the conclusion that you are in fact saved, there are always areas that are not yet perfected and we should always be looking to strive for repentance in new areas of our walk in order to ensure that we are living a life worthy of the gospel(Philippians 1:27).

Find joy in the Father!
Last but not least remember, in the words of John Piper, that "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him".  As believers, the greatest way to be most at peace in trials and suffering is to keep God's glory as your ultimate goal.  The greatest way to ensure you are walking in unselfish, sacrificial love is to keep God's glory as your ultimate goal. The greatest way to ensure that you are walking obediently to God in your marriage is to keep God's glory as your ultimate goal.  The greatest way to ensure you are living a life worthy of the gospel is to keep God's glory as your ultimate goal.

The greatest way to walk with the best possible satisfaction at any given moment and to experience joy unspeakable and full of glory(1 Peter 1:8) is to remember what Christ did for you on the cross and through His resurrection.  Not only that, but to remember that, while He died for all who would believe, Jesus' ultimate goal was always the glory of His Father.(John 17:5)

Jesus always found His greatest satisfaction in the glory of God through loving obedience.  That was, and is, His ultimate goal!

If this series has helped one marriage to grow or be restored, or more importantly; if this series has helped one individual to discover a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, then it has been worth it.

If you have not read the whole series yet and you would like a fleshing out of these points, parts 1-8 can be found under the October and November tabs on the this blog page.   I pray it has been and will be a blessing.  Thank you for your time.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

Love,

Josh