Monthly Archives: February 2013

We have all heard about cannibalism—the ritualistic eating of human flesh by another human being. But did you ever hear about Christian cannibalism? If not . . . let the Scriptures explain:

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:13-15)

The apostle Paul is providing us all with a stern warning against Christian cannibalism—biting and devouring one another—which means that we all must act the part of a cannibal from time to time.

So . . . when was the last time you played the role of a Christian cannibal? When was the last time you found yourself as the “main course” on someone else’s plate?

How easy it is for us to bite into the brokenness of another! How quick we are to devour the differences and difficulties in others! The problem of Christian cannibalism is just as prevalent in the church today as it was in the church of Galatia. We bite and devour each other in our marriages. We bite and devour in our friendships. We bite and devour in our associations. Sadly, it is a meal we indulge in far too often and enjoy far too much.

The only cure for Christian cannibalism is to feast on the Gospel. Without daily doses of the Gospel, we eventually find ourselves consuming and being consumed by each other. Only Gospel love liberates us from our natural tendency to feast on our family of faith. Only Gospel love transforms us from biting others to blessing them . . . from devouring others to delighting in them! Only Gospel love will replace a critical spirit with a compassionate soul.

When Christ’s love is the foundation upon which we build our lives, we begin living for the glory of God rather than our own personal gain. We no longer have to make every point. We no longer have to win every argument. We no longer have to try and “fix” everyone around us. We no longer have to lift ourselves up by putting others down. We can simply rest in our redemption, knowing that God is working all things together for the good of those who are His (Romans 8:28) and working to conform all those who are His to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29).

And along the way He wants us to feast on the truths of the Gospel—not on each other!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The next time you find yourself frustrated by failure—either yours or somebody else’s—remember that both of you are still under construction, as Scripture clearly attests:

I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.  (Philippians 1:6 ESV)

To know that God is not finished with us yet is to know an incredibly comforting truth! Until we get to the other side of the grave, we all will be under construction . . . a work in progress . . . and that means we all will make mistakes along the way.

I preached on this text some time ago and my oldest son, Brock, must have paid close attention to it. The next day, as we were working through a “minor” issue that all parents of 16 year-olds go through, Brock reminded me: “Dad, God is not finished with me yet!”

We all need this Gospel-reminder daily. Because God is the One who began the work in us and is also the One who will complete it, we can rest in our redemption, knowing the power for positive change is found in the promise itself, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). What God promised to do—to bring us to completion—He will carry out. Nothing can stop Him. Nothing will get in His way. Now, to be sure, it may not happen the way we expect it to happen or within the time frame we would wish for, but what God began He will most certainly complete!

I think we find this truth easier to swallow when it comes to applying it to ourselves . . . but it is much more difficult to apply to others! All too often the patience we’re willing to lavish on ourselves suddenly turns into impatience when it comes to the lives of others. Or we may lapse into allowing fear to overcome our faithfulness, and we end up becoming a source of tension and discouragement, rather than peace and encouragement. And so we need a daily dose of Gospel-sanity, just like the one the apostle Paul gave to his Philippian brothers and sisters.

Remembering that everyone is under construction is the key to accepting their place in their story, knowing that it is God who is writing it. How freeing to know the pen is in the hand of our God! He alone is responsible for completing what He started. And what He has said, that He will bring about; what He has planned, that He will do (Isaiah 46:11).

The Gospel tells us that the same grace that saves also sanctifies. God does not raise us from death to life by saving grace and then expect us to make progress by the spiritual sweat of our brows. Yes, there is much for us to do along the way to glory. God identifies the “spiritual disciplines” (Bible study, prayer, church attendance, service, etc.) as the means He is pleased to use in completing what He began in us. But we must remember we are not completed by the good things we do; we are completed by the good God who calls us to do them.

Only the Gospel frees us to see ourselves as we truly are—broken and incomplete sinners in daily need of our Savior—as well as seeing all others as they truly are . . . broken and incomplete sinners in daily need of the Savior. We are all under construction!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

There is one thing we all have in common: BURDENS. Everyone who is still breathing is carrying burdens. But we are not called to carry them alone.

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

Here we see a great blessing that can easily be missed: the blessing of shouldering up under the burdens of another. We can be so caught up in our own lives that we miss a ministry opportunity right in front of our noses. How often we are busy being busy and miss the blessing of burden-bearing in the life of someone who truly needs our help.

Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’”  (Luke 10:30-35)

The priest missed it . . . The Levite missed it too . . . But not the Good Samaritan. There are a few remarkable things in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. First, the two characters who should never have missed the blessing of burden-bearing were the priest and the Levite. Both knew the Law of God and what it required of them, yet both of them went out of their way to keep from helping someone in great and obvious need.

Next we find the person least likely to respond appropriately (that is, biblically) was the Samaritan. Samaritans were a mixed race (unlike the priest and the Levite who were the pure descendants of Abraham) and they were generally despised by the Jews.

To the priest, the injured man was problem to avoid. To the Levite, the injured man was an obstacle to get past. But to the Samaritan, the injured man was a person to come alongside of and shoulder up under the weight of his burdens. The priest missed the blessing; the Levite missed the blessing; but the Samaritan received the blessing of burden-bearing in the life of a complete stranger, treating him like a neighbor.

Let’s take a look at the conclusion our Lord drew from this story:

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “go and do likewise.”  (Luke 10:36-37)

The ultimate burden-bearer was the Lord Jesus Christ. He bore the impossible burden of the Law’s demands. He bore the horrific burden of the Cross. He bore the unimaginable burden of the wrath of Almighty God. And He bore these burdens for you. Jesus gave us the perfect model of burden-bearing and made sure there is no confusion about how we are to view His model. He told us: “Go and do likewise.”

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

In our high tech / high speed world, we tend to be going so quickly that we can miss the little things that bring big blessings. When was the last time you took in a sunrise? How about a walk along the shore with the waves gently washing over your feet? Perhaps a family meal without any outside distractions, like phones or TV?

The Wise Preacher has a word of wisdom for you and me today.

I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.  (Ecclesiastes 8:15)

Finally! A word of wisdom that tells us there is more to life than increasing its speed! God has given us this gift of life to be enjoyed. Gladness is to fill the heart as much as food and drink fill the stomach. If we don’t take the time, time will take us, and it will take us to a place we never intended to be.

We all know what it is like to be living a life that is demanding, depleting, even incredibly discouraging at times. That is why God has commended the enjoyment of life to everyone who is living it. And that includes you! There is great enjoyment to be found in the mundane moments of life, because there is a great God right in the middle of it. God is in the soothing sound of ocean waves, the refreshing smell of a cool breeze, and the unexpected greeting of an old friend.

Life in Christ is for enjoyment, not enslavement! Joy will accompany us in our toil when our toil is being done for the glory of God. Sure, some days seem like they drag on forever, without any visible signs of fruit. We find ourselves careening from wall to wall . . . and we have countless bumps and bruises to prove it. But through it all, God says we are to enjoy the journey just as much as we look forward to enjoying our promised destination.

Take a moment to think about some of the “little things” you may have been neglecting and missing out on. There really are no mundane and ordinary moments in life. Time is short! Life is fleeting. Eat, drink, and be glad—make the little things big—and joy will accompany you in all your toil throughout all the days of the life God has given to you.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Having worked with athletes for the past few decades, I have put a great deal of thought and study into nutrition for peak performance. The term “breakfast of champions” suggests that the athlete is starting the day off right, with proper nutrition that will propel him or her through the day at the highest levels of performance. Did you know that there is a breakfast of champions for Christians, regardless of what athletic prowess they may or may not possess?

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go for to you I lift up my soul. (Psalm 143:8)

Here the psalmist gives us the formula for the biblical breakfast of champions, and it is found in the Gospel of God alone. What a way to start each day, hearing in the morning of the steadfast love of our splendid Savior! The psalmist rises to begin the day—not with excitement about the daily news or stock market reports—but with the joy and comfort of daily experiencing the love of God. The psalmist puts his trust in this Gospel truth.

Let us acknowledge the Lord;

let us press on to acknowledge him.

As surely as the sun rises,

he will appear;

he will come to us like the winter rains,

like the spring rains that water the earth. (Hosea 6:3)

A breakfast buffet of God’s unfailing and unconditional love is the best way for those who are in Christ to start the day! It is like manna from heaven at the start of a new day. It is like fresh dew in the early morning covering the grass. It is like water from the fountain of Living Water that slakes the thirst for the entire day. Scripture tells us that the only way each day will be what God wants it to be is to begin it in the presence of God.

I know from personal experience the difference it makes starting the day with some “alone time” with God. When I’m too rushed, it’s not long before I am running on empty . . . and empty is not a good place to be! The common response from those who rush headlong into the day is, “I really didn’t have time.” Well, the truth is, none of us has the time NOT to do it.

When we start the day with God, we start the day with the fuel for excellence. We make better decisions and go in better directions. Think about it this way: is it better to start the day with fresh fruit or frozen toaster pastries? Starting the day off on the wrong foot has a tendency to keep us heading in the wrong direction. But when we begin the day reflecting on the grace of God, resting in His steadfast love, and responding to His call in our lives, we are supernaturally charged to live each moment for the glory of God and the good of all others.

How about you? How are you doing in this area? The “breakfast of champions” is the Bread of Life, and He is available to you 24/7. Start each day with the One in whom you trust! And on the days you don’t . . . relax! Jesus will be waiting for you when you return.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

When was the last time you found yourself in a “hard place,” not knowing which direction to turn? Perhaps you went to work, only to learn that you would be looking for a new job the next day. Maybe your doctor called you to give you bad health news personally . . . because the news was that bad. Possibly your family is in turmoil, with a child headed off to the far country or your spouse headed off to the couch.

To be sure, hard places are hard . . . hence the phrase “hard places.” But for the Christian, those places are not without hope, because whatever hard place you may find yourself in, you will find the Holy One there with you.  He is the friend who loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17), the friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).

God went with Moses into the hard place of Egypt to confront Pharaoh. God went with David into the hard place of taking on Goliath. God went with Peter into the hard place of his courtyard denials of Jesus. God went with the apostle Paul into the hard place of preaching to his pharisaical friends.

Often we are brought into these hard places to wean our hard hearts away from self-love to Savior love. The hard places are designed to teach us to depend more on God than we do on ourselves. Moses had to depend on God when he stood before Pharaoh. David had to depend on God when he took on the giant. Peter had to depend on God to be redeemed out of his denials. And Paul had to depend on God when preaching to those he once persecuted with.

O Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.  (Psalm 3:1-4)

These words of the psalmist are words of comfort for all those who find themselves in the hard places of life. The foes of the faithful are many, and they will stop at nothing to turn our hearts away from God. And that is why we need to preach the Gospel to ourselves every day—to be constantly reminded that we are never alone in the hard place. And as we marinate in the truths of the Gospel, we realize that Jesus took the hardest place of all in our place. He willingly and lovingly took our lash . . . our nails . . . our cross . . . our separation from the Father.

So whatever you are facing today, and no matter how high the odds are stacked up against you, remember that Jesus is your Hope in the hard place. Let’s close with these words recorded by the prophet Jeremiah, words which bring great hope in whatever hard place we may find ourselves.

“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  (Jeremiah 29:11)

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.  For some, it’s a day of love and romance.  For others, it’s a day of emptiness and loneliness.  And there are those who think of Valentine’s Day and sneer, “I could care less!”  Regardless of where this finds you today, there is a biblical “Be Mine” that I would like to call to mind, and it will meet you in your deepest place of longing and need for intimacy and love.

I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.  (Song of Solomon 7:10 ESV)

Because we were made by God for God, our deepest longings can only be satisfied when we are in an intimate, personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  After reading the verse above and marinating in it for a moment, how does it make you feel to know you are your Beloved’s and His desire is for you?  If that doesn’t light the fire of your faith, I can assure you of one thing: your wood is wet!

To be the object of the Almighty’s affection is to be the object of a love that is eternal, unwavering, and unconditional.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.  (Ephesians 1:4-7)

Before God ever breathed life into Adam and Eve . . . He chose you to be His! He determined before the creation of the world to set His love on you and adopt you as His child. When Jesus told Nicodemus that God “so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16), He was not speaking of some vague, large, indeterminate group of people. God so loved you that He gave Jesus to die . . . for you! And He determined to do so because of His great love for you; He did it freely, “in accordance with his pleasure and will.” Indeed, if you have trusted in Christ’s atoning death on your behalf, you are your Beloved’s and His eternal desire has always been for you!

This stunning Gospel truth is what shatters our worthless idols and lesser loves that attempt to divide the affections of our heart.  Only the Gospel will deliver us from the countless cheap imitations we seek to use as replacements for the “love of God” and the “God of love.”

But this is not for you!

You were sought, caught, and bought by the precious blood of the Lamb, who refused to come down from the cross to save Himself because He wanted to save you.  When God said, “Be Mine” to you through the crosswork of Christ, He not only had already made room for you in heaven, He had made room for you in His heart.  To know that Jesus not only lives in your heart but that you live in His is to know a truth that truly transforms.  It transforms a bad day into a good day; a cold day into a hot day; a rainy day into a sunny day.

If you have a “special someone” to share Valentine’s Day with, praise God for such a good gift.  But whether you’ll be buying flowers and cards this week or not, you should praise God for an even greater gift: the gift of that “special Someone” who will never leave you nor forsake you, no matter what you do or don’t do.

Let these words from the apostle Paul to Timothy bring you a special blessing today: “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).  When Jesus said to you, “Be Mine,” He meant what He said . . . and He meant it forever!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

In a world marked by a lack of peace between nations, among countrymen, and even within families, the Gospel gives us the picture of the true peace that passes all understanding.

He himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.  (Ephesians 2:14-18)

Here we see that peace is not a process; peace is a person, and His name is Jesus Christ. Without Christ there can simply be no peace. Conflict will never be ultimately resolved through some prescribed peace process, because peace is more than the mere absence of conflict and outward hostility. Peace is a “oneness,” a wholeness that will only be found through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Without this oneness, every peace process inevitably breaks down and before long we find ourselves in the middle of a new battle.

Peace among nations will not last without the Prince of Peace in the center of it . . . just as peace within families simply cannot last without the Prince of Peace in the center of it.

Why? Because peace without the Person of Jesus Christ it is built upon shadow and not the Substance. Shadows are superficial and short-lived and do not hold up under pressure. Only the Substance of the Savior can support the weight of unrest and conflict that lies deep within the heart of every human being and bring to it permanent peace. It is impossible to live in peace at any level—among nations or within families—without first having peace in the person of Jesus.

Paul tells us that the One who is our Peace preached peace to those who were far away and those who were near. In a word, His promise of peace is offered to EVERYONE! No one is beyond the reach of our Prince of Peace. God doesn’t play favorites; you don’t have to clean up or “get right” before this peace is in your possession. As Jesus said so succinctly, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Matthew 9:12).

• Did you veer off to the wrong side of the tracks? He will make you right!
•  Dis you wander off into a far country? He will bring you near!
•  Have you fallen down and out? He will lift you up and in!

His peace is available to anyone and everyone who trusts in Jesus, who gives us access to the Father by the Holy Spirit. If this finds you in the middle of a season of great peace, thank Him today! And if this finds you in the middle of a season of great unrest, conflict, or distress, go to Him today and receive His peace. Then go to others whom you know are struggling and tell them about the One who can bring permanent wholeness, regardless of the problems they are facing. You’ll be glad you did. They will be too!

“Peace I leave with you,” Jesus said; “my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

We have all experienced that sickly feeling of shame when someone found out something about us that we wanted to keep hidden away in the shadows.  We all have skeletons hanging in our closets which, if exposed, would lead to shame on steroids!

Yet there is One who knows everything about us and still loves us, unconditionally.

Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.  Could this be the Messiah? (John 4:29)

These words from the stunned Samaritan women who met Jesus at the well have been recorded in sacred writ to give us comfort . . . and a dose of Gospel sanity.  Jesus knew everything about this woman who was living a sinful life.  And He knows everything about you.  There is nothing hidden from the view of our Lord (Hebrews 4:13); He even knows the sins you haven’t committed yet!

And yet, in spite of being fully known, we are completely loved.  With every right to condemn the Samaritan woman, Jesus offered her comfort that she could find in no other place.  This woman had been married and divorced . . . married and divorced . . . married and divorced . . . five times! And on the day she met Jesus at the well, she had apparently given up on the institution of marriage altogether and was living with a sixth man out of wedlock.

Jesus could have shamed her in a supernatural way.  But He did not.  Instead of shame He saved her from her sin-filled past.  He spoke to her of the living water that He had to offer. Instead of sending this woman away on a guilt trip, she went away filled with the joyful Gospel grace that transforms.

The Samaritan woman came for water from Jacob’s well; Jesus sent her home with living water that would slake her thirst for all eternity.  And He has done the same for all those who are His.  The Gospel frees us from shame and skeletons and sets us solidly on the Rock of our Salvation.  Think about this Gospel truth for a moment and then marinate in it for the rest of your life!

FULLY KNOWN . . . COMPLETELY LOVED!

Jesus knows our every thought and lustful longing.  He knows our every self-absorbed and self-centered deed.  He knows every gangrenous, gossipy, graceless word we have ever spoken.  And still He loves us in a way that always redeems and never ridicules.

The Samaritan knew for the very first time that she was fully known without the accompanying guilt and shame.  She came to the well at a time when she did not expect to meet anyone who would know her.  What a Gospel surprise she got that day!  She came to draw water and Jesus drew her to Himself.

Her skeletons were finally exposed, but instead of those old bones crackling they were crushed.  Her shame was given room to strike, and instead it was shut up for the rest of her life.  She was free!  There was now no condemnation for her.  Jesus had set her free and she was free indeed.

So to it is for everyone who has trusted in Jesus. Our Savior covers the shame and crushes the skeletons.  Oh what a Savior we have in Jesus! Oh what a Gospel He has given to us!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!