Category Archives: General

Has your hope ever disappointed you?  Perhaps something did not work out the way you were hoping: a business deal fell through; a relationship headed south; perhaps sickness started testing the outer edges of your fitness plan.  When our hope disappoints us, we can be sure of one thing: we have the wrong hope.

Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  (Romans 5:5)

This “holy hope” never disappoints because God never disappoints.  God never disappoints because He is not only the giver of this hope, He is the God of hope.  Now, we need to be careful in our understanding of a hope that does not disappoint, because we sometimes do not get what we are hoping for and we find ourselves disappointed.  When we do, we can be assured of this: our hope was not a holy hope, rooted in what God wants for us.  It was rooted in what we wanted, when we wanted it, and God was gracious to halt our hope. 

Perhaps what we were hoping for was God’s purpose and plan for our lives . . . but just not within the time frame we were hoping for it to occur.  Sometimes a holy hope requires patience and perseverance—trusting in God’s timing and not ours.  God knows what is best for us and when is the best time for the realization of our hope.

Here are just a few examples of a holy hope that could not disappoint:

• Abraham hoped for decades for a son; God knew best when to deliver him.
• Moses hoped for decades for the Israelites to be freed; God knew best when to free them.
• Simeon hoped for decades for the Savior to arrive; God knew best when to send Him.

God always knows what is best for His people and His plan is always perfect.  That is why His hope never disappoints, because His hope cannot be denied or derailed.  When our hope is in Him, our hope is certain to happen.  The writer of Lamentations knew this well: “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,” he wrote, “to the one who seeks him” (Lamentations 3:25). 

When we are seeking God, our hope is a holy hope and we can be assured it will one day happen exactly as God has planned it to happen.  Think back to something you were hoping for that God finally made happen.  How did you feel?  Did you think that the time of waiting was wasted?  Of course not!  God’s timing is perfect, and He is perfecting our patience and perseverance.  Hope is not merely a good thing; it is absolutely necessary for one to live on this side of the grave. 

Years ago I read something that stuck with me: a man can live a few weeks without food . . . a few days without water . . . a few minutes without air . . . but not for a single second without hope!

What have you been hoping for lately?  If it is a holy hope—rooted in Jesus regardless of what your current circumstances may look like—the darkness of your seemingly hopeless night will, in God’s perfect timing and in God’s generous way, be followed by the hope-filled light of day. 

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

Ever curse your Creator?  We all do it from time to time; most people don’t even know they are doing it!  Now that I have your attention, consider the following thoughts within the church today:

• If only I had a better body . . .
• If only I had better looks . . .
• If only my teeth were straighter . . .
• If only I had a different personality . . .
• If only I could carry a tune . . .
• If only I had more hair . . .
• If only I had curly hair . . .
• If only my hair was a different color . . .
• If only I was more athletic . . .
• If only I was smarter . . .
• If only I was taller . . .
• If only I was shorter . . .
• If only my eyes were a different color . . .
• If only I was born into a different family . . .

The list, of course, is endless.  Did any of these resonate with you or is your curse something else not listed here?  Every time we think something like this, we are demonstrating our dissatisfaction with God’s creation of us.  Far too many in the church today worship God on Sunday and curse Him the rest of the week because they are not happy with the way He created them.  Working with the youth as much as I do, I am constantly confronted with short kids who want to be taller; bigger kids who want to be smaller; smart kids who want to be athletic; mechanical kids who want to be musical; geeky kids who want to be popular. 

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful.  I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  (Psalm 139:134-16a)

David wrote this passage in the full understanding that He was made by God just the way God wanted to make him.  When Samuel came to the house of Jesse to anoint the new king, the Scriptures suggest David might have been as handsome as his older brother, Eliab, but he was not as tall.  But the Lord admonished Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature” (1 Samuel 16:7).  It was not an accident that David looked the way he looked, because God created him that way.  Nowhere in Scripture can we find David looking to be remade by his Creator. 

So . . . what about you?  Are you dissatisfied with your Creator’s work in you?  Do you secretly wish God had made you more like someone else?  To be sure, we all struggle with this from time to time.  But the answer to rising above this kind of thinking is to be fully immersed in the truths of the Gospel.  Only the Gospel frees us to accept the way we have been fearfully and wonderfully made.  Only the Gospel frees us to embrace the way we have been knit together. 

Because we already have everything we need in Jesus, we don’t have to go looking outside of ourselves for the one thing we all crave: acceptance.  We have been made accepted in the Beloved; we are His masterpiece and fully loved just the way we are regardless of what others think about us.  The Gospel empowers us to no longer curse our Creator because we are not satisfied with the way we were made.  Made by God—for God—we fit perfectly into His plan and purpose for our lives.  And His plan and purpose for our lives transcends our plan and purpose for our lives.     

There is one added benefit to accepting the way God made us.  Resting in this truth also allows us to receive others just the way they are because they too have been made in His image.  One body, many members, all uniquely made as one-of-a-kind masterpieces in the hand of the Master!!! 

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

Ever wonder why God the Father would use flawed people to accomplish His perfect purposes in this world?  I did, and the answer God gave me was pretty simple: that’s all that’s available to Him!  “Wait a minute,” some of you might object.  “What about the heroes of the faith in the Bible—giants like Abraham and Sarah, Moses, David, Peter, and Paul?  How do they fit into this ‘flawed’ picture?”  Let’s see.

• Abraham offered his wife to two different men in order to secure safe passage.
• Sarah offered her female servant to Abraham to conceive a son.
• Moses was a murderer.
• David was an adulterer and murderer.
• Peter was willing to deny Jesus to save his own skin.
• Paul was contentious and frankly admitted that he kept on doing “the evil I do not want to do” (Romans 7:19).

These are just a few of the examples in sacred Scripture where the word “flawed” seems like an understatement of gargantuan proportions.  Yet God choose to use them all in the advancement of His kingdom in this world.  Why?  Because that’s all that’s available to Him!  A few weeks ago, I wrote that there is only hero in the Bible: His name is Jesus Christ.  Everyone else we read about in Scripture is just like all those we don’t read about—great sinners in need of an even greater Savior.

This should give you great comfort today for two reasons: first, you can take anyone you have placed on a pedestal off it and set them right back on the ground where they belong (remember, the ground is always level at the foot of the cross).  And second, you are just as qualified as anyone else to be used by God because you are no more flawed than they are.  God has been using flawed individuals since the fall in spite of their failures, and His eternal purposes are being accomplished. 

In addition to the fact that the only people available to God are flawed people, there is another reason too: God delights in working through the kind of people the world could never imagine He would pick to be on His team.

Consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

(1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

I don’t know about you, but I am reassured when I read the stories of the people who struggled with self-protection, selfish ambition, and other kinds of sin—just like I do—and yet were still used of God.  If Scripture only offered stories of those who walked on water and spoke from Sinai, it would be pretty discouraging!  Far from being inspired to excellence and a drive to serve God, I would be driven into the dust of despair.  Thank God He uses the flawed . . . of whom I am the foremost.

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

How would you answer the following question; “How do you know if you are growing in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ?”

For most people, the answer would be buried inside a list of things they do—Bible study, prayer, church attendance, service, community group participation, etc.—what we call the spiritual disciplines.  As good as it is to do these things on a consistent basis, this is not the measure of growing to maturity.  Remember, the Pharisees did all the right things, but for all the wrong reasons, and they were repeatedly singled out for the wrath of Almighty God.  Let’s take a look at the answer found in the Scriptures. 

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

(John 13:35)

May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you.  (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

We know we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers.

(1 John 3:14)

So, what’s love got to do with growing to maturity?  EVERYTHING!  It is the fruit of our growing relationship with Jesus.  It is to be the universal mark of the Christian.  More than our theology . . . more than our service . . . more than our financial support of the expansion of God’s kingdom.  Love is to be the defining mark of the Christian.  Paul made it crystal clear that we can be doing a lot of good and important things for God, and look godly to those around us, but the absence of love makes all of it absolutely worthless.   

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.  (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

What an indictment on those who refuse to love their brothers and sisters in the Lord!  And make special note that Paul did not give us a pass when it came to the unlovable.  We are to love both the lovable and the unlovable . . . those we like and those we do not like . . . those from whom we get something in return and those we do not.

Our Lord also offered some very strong teaching on this subject:

You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

(Matthew 5:43-48)

You see, when it comes to love, we don’t get a vote.  If we have been saved by the love of Christ we can do nothing but share it with everyone we come in contact with. 

Our love for others makes our God attractive and provides an accurate picture of who He is.  Remember, God is love; if we are His children, we too will show love to others—all others—regardless of the cost or circumstance.  To be sure, none of us can do this in our own strength.  We are far too selfish and self-centered to love unconditionally.  But thank God we don’t have to!  He has given us all the grace we need to unconditionally love all those He brings into our lives.

I cannot think of a better way to close today’s message of encouragement than to return to the “Love Chapter” and peer behind the curtain of Christ-like, unconditional love to see if our love looks anything like it. 

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hope all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

Remember, when you give this kind of love to others (albeit inconsistently and imperfectly), all you are doing is giving to them what you yourself have already received and continue receiving on a moment-by-moment basis from the One who bought you with His precious blood.  So, what’s love got to do with it—from the bedroom to the boardroom?  EVERYTHING!

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

What have you been clinging too lately?  Where in your life are you currently investing your time, talent, and treasure?  What you do with these three “T’s” reveals a great deal about what’s most important to you.  Jonah spoke powerfully to this issue: “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs” (Jonah 2:8 NIV).   

When we cling to anything smaller than God, we are clutching what is absolutely worthless in light of eternity.  Sure, the physical things of this life might promise to meet you in your place of need, but in the end, they are never able to deliver on their promises.  Did that new car really give you more confidence in life?  Did that bigger house really bring you greater happiness?  Did that better job really provide you a deeper sense of significance?  Did cosmetic surgery really manufacture greater self-worth?  I could easily compile a long list of the vacuous promises dangled before us by the world . . . but they cannot and do not deliver, because God never designed the physical world to do for us what only He can do. 

God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.  (St. Augustine, Confessions)

A restless heart will never find contentment in anything smaller than God.  God, who fashions the hearts of all men (Psalm 33:15), made our hearts to be restless and fretful until we find our rest in Him.  Nothing in the created world is big enough to satisfy our deepest desires and redeem us from our discontent.  As the wise preacher said in the book of Ecclesiastes, everything under the sun—that is, everything in the created order—is all vanity, a chasing after the wind.  The world offers nothing that truly satisfies; clinging to created things is enslaving.  They capture our attention, rule our hearts, and shape our lives.  What was once a list of wants morphs into a list of insatiable needs that drive us to the conclusion that we simply cannot live without them.

And what we believe we cannot live without we will do anything to get.  We will compromise our values.  We will cut corners.  We will shade the truth.  We will love things and use people.  We become slaves to the stuff of this world, seeking to find life in things that can only deliver death.

So . . . have you been clinging to any “worthless idols” lately? 

Clinging to the Creator is freeing.  He is the only place where we can find what we need and where we actually need what we find.  God is gracious to leave us wanting when we are clinging to created things, because that emptiness will eventually drive us back to the only place where we can find meaning and purpose: in Jesus Christ!  If God allowed the stuff of this world to satisfy us, we would only grow into a fraction of the people He is calling us to be.  But God loves us too much to let anything other than Christ fill the God-sized void that is inside of all of us. 

Remember, clinging to the Creator or created things is always a choice, and the choice is always ours.  We can seek after and cling to all the things we think will make us happy and won’t . . . or we can seek after and cling to the only One who will: the Lord Jesus Christ.   

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

Deep inside of every human being is the need to discover the answer to this penetrating question: What’s the point? There are, of course, only two possible answers: the first is you; the second is God.

So . . . what’s the point of your life?  Is it you? Or is it Jesus? 

When you are the point, life becomes all about your success . . . your fulfillment . . . your happiness . . . your significance.  Your goals are rooted in what you want and how you want your life to work out.  The key question you continually ask and order your life around is, “What’s in it for me?”  When you become the point of your life, you point only to yourself.  As I’ve often said, at this level of living you have shrunk the size of your life down to the size of your life!

On the other hand, when Jesus is the point, life becomes all about the advancement of His kingdom, regardless of the cost or circumstance.  The key question you continually ask and order your life around is, “What’s in it for the King and the advancement of His kingdom?”  Jesus becomes the point of your life, and when He is the point you point to Him.

This might be a moment for some self-examination.  Is what you are currently doing advancing the cause of His kingdom?  Or are you busy building your kingdom?  Are you the point of your life or is Jesus the point of your life?

Only the transforming power of the Gospel can keep Jesus in His rightful position as the point of life.  Grace empowers you to live for another King and His kingdom.  You are able to look past your own good and live for the good of others and the glory of God.  Your life expands beyond the borders of your own cares and concerns to the cares and concerns of Christ.  This is living large for a glory beyond your own.  This is “big living,” lived by “big Christians,” who are living doxologically—living coram deo, before the face of God—living for the glory of God.  Everything in life becomes an act of worship and echoes in eternity. 

Adam and Eve lived this way in the Garden . . . until they changed the point of life from God to themselves.  Instead of pointing to their Creator, they pointed to the creature (themselves) and plunged all of creation into a catastrophic cosmic fall, where the entire created order turned inward and plummeted downward.

Apart from Jesus, we are every bit as willful and rebellious and self-absorbed as our first parents.  But after Jesus shows up, we have the ability to make Him the point of our lives once again.  The grace of the Gospel enables us to point up to Jesus and out to others.  In doing so, we live the way we were originally designed to live—for God and His magnificent glory.

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

I am convinced that there is something we all want more than anything else in this life, and that thing is CONTROL!  More than power . . . more than prestige . . . more than position . . . more than pleasure . . . more than prosperity . . . more than anything else, we want control.  The more control we have, the better we feel.  We mistakenly believe that when we are in control our lives will work out better—with much more order and far less uncertainty.   

Webster’s defines a “control freak” as someone whose behavior indicates a powerful need to control people or circumstances in everyday matters.   Because of a lack of trust in others, a control freak moves beyond the borders of what would be considered a normal and rational desire for some measure of control in life.  It gets even worse for the Christian control freak.  Their desire to control life is the clear and present evidence of a lack of trust—not only in others, but in God Himself.  This can be seen in a single area of life or in many areas. 

Control freaks always know the right way and best way of doing things; when you are not doing it their way, they let you know about it!  They try to criticize you into their control.  They try to condemn you into their control.  They try to conform you into their control.  Their right way of doing things becomes the only way of doing things, and when you resist their controlling demands, they judge you for your “controlling” nature. 

They see the world as black and white, because without any grey areas they have more control over things.  Their narrow and dogmatic field of vision of the world around them helps them to manage their lives, while at the same time micro-managing the lives of everyone around them.  My friend and pastor, Tullian Tchividjian, says Christian control freaks “make up formulas and anxiously follow them to control their manufactured lives.” 

If any of this is resonating with you like it is with me, I want you to know there is a cure for the Christian control freak in you . . . and it is only to be found in the defiant grace of the Gospel.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.  (Romans 12:3)

Only the defiant grace of the Gospel can free you from the overwhelming need to try and control everything in life.  The defiant grace the apostle Paul had been given through the Gospel allowed him to not think so highly of himself and step down from the throne of his life, allowing Jesus His rightful place.  Defiant grace propelled Paul to the periphery of his life, where he could clearly see that the only One who has any control over anything is the Lord Jesus Christ.  The more Paul surrendered control of his life to Christ, the less controlling he became in the lives of others. 

You see, there is a Christian control freak who is truly faithful to the truths of the Gospel: it is the person who is controlled by the Spirit of Christ in every area of life.  For such a man or woman, their most passionate and profound desire in all-the world is to be under the control of the only One who knows what is best for us in every area of life.

Make no mistake, only the defiant grace of the Gospel can free you from the overwhelming need to be controlling, because Jesus has everything under His control—from the biggest dream you have in life to the smallest detail.  The DNA of every human who has ever lived all the way back to Adam and Eve in the Garden, is one of control.  And it is only the transforming power of the Gospel and the defiant grace it delivers that can free us from our desire to control life.  Defiant grace delivers you from the notion that you are not just the smartest person in the room, but the only smart person in the room! 

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

There is a great deal of confusion within the church today regarding carnality and the Christian life.  This is rooted in the Lordship debates of the 1980’s and popularized by many prominent dispensational authors, preachers, and teachers.  Many mistakenly believe that there is such a thing as a “carnal Christian”—that is, they believe that a Christian whose life is marked by carnality (worldly, earthly, fleshly) may well continue in this condition that is permanent and permeating every area of life.

Make no mistake; we are all carnal at times.  We chase after the things of this world, seeking to satisfy the flesh rather than the Spirit.  The Christian who denies this bitter truth is sadly mistaken.  But the notion that there are three classes of people is a wicked error and a denial of the truths of the Gospel.  There are those who separate mankind into these three groups:

• Natural (unsaved with self on the throne)
• Carnal (saved with self still on the throne, living like the natural man)
• Spiritual (saved with the Savior on the throne of life)

There are only two kinds of people in this world: saints and ain’ts . . . believers and unbelievers . . . those who are in Christ and those who are not . . . those who have Jesus as both Savior and Lord and those who do not. 

Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.  Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.  But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  (Romans 8:5-10)

Paul makes it crystal clear that there are only two categories of individuals, those who are saints and those who are “ain’ts.”  Saints are of the Spirit; ain’ts are of the flesh.  Saints are on the way to eternal life; ain’ts are on the way to eternal damnation.  There is no such thing as the carnal Christian!  This is simply a mythical characterization that has been used as a license for sin and an excuse to continue in a state of rebellion against God. 

You simply cannot receive Jesus as Savior without receiving Him as Lord.  To be a Christian is to surrender all of life to the rule and reign of Jesus.  It is to desire in every area of life to live in such a way that brings honor and glory to Jesus.

This does not, however, mean that the Christian will live without any signs of sin.  Indeed, 1 John 5:10 says bluntly that “If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”  Those who are saved still sin.  Those who have surrendered to the Lordship of Christ also surrender, at times, to the sinful self.  There is a constant battle going on inside for control of the heart, but the heart has been transformed by the grace of God and is now a lover of righteousness rather than sin.  Sin no longer reigns, but it still remains throughout the life of the believer—throughout the process of sanctification and growing more Christlike.

The Westminster Confession of Faith states, “This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man; yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part; whence arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.”  To be sure, saints will act like ain’ts, but in acting like ain’ts they are still saints!   

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

Far too many in the church today are locked behind the bars of countless self-constructed prisons because of one simple reason: they have forgotten the truth of their current position.  When you forget who you are positionally (a child of the Most High God), it becomes impossible to live out your faith practically. 

Brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.  For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.  (Galatians 4:31-5:1)

The apostle Paul said that we have been released from prison: “For freedom Christ has set us free.”  Our Lord Himself said that he had been sent from heaven “[T]o proclaim liberty to the captives . . . to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18).

Jesus has set us free from the law as a means for salvation.  In other words, we no longer have to go on trying to save ourselves.  Jesus has already accomplished this for us in His perfect obedience to the will of the Father in both life and death.  Our relationship (position) with Jesus has unlocked the prison doors leading to a life of freedom, faithfulness, and joy . . . if we would but walk through the open door!

Because Jesus performed perfectly on our behalf, we no longer have to spend our lives running on the performance treadmill, seeking God’s approval, affection, and blessing.  We already have these because of our position in Jesus.  Understanding our positional truth frees us from our performance prisons. 

Now imagine a slave who has been set free after having spent his entire life behind bars.  Freedom would be uncomfortable.  Freedom would be unnatural.  Freedom would be unnerving.  Freedom would be, well, unbelievable.  When the prisoners are set free, they need to develop the capacity for their freedom and that is only accomplished by believing, NOT by doing. 

In the same way count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

(Romans 6:11)

In this context the word count does not imply something to do, but rather, something to believe.  Paul says what we believe is more important than what we do.  We need to believe the truth of our position in Christ—that we are dead to both the power and the penalty of sin.  You see, the harder we work at making ourselves free—DO, DO, DO!—the more bound we become. 

Our position in Christ means we are no longer slaves to the ruling power of indwelling sin. Because of what Jesus had done for us, sin is no longer our master . . . Jesus is!  And with Jesus as our new Master, we have been given the power to live out practically what we are positionally (Romans 8:13).  William Romaine said it well: “No sin can be crucified either in heart or life, unless it be first pardoned in conscience, because there will be want of faith to receive the strength of Jesus, by whom alone it can be crucified.  If it be not mortified in its guilt, it cannot be subdued in its power.”

If you don’t believe you are dead to sin’s guilt, you cannot trust Christ for the strength to subdue its power in your life!  And if you cannot trust Christ for the strength to subdue sin’s power in your life, you will forever remain locked behind prison bars, chained by guilt and gripped by sin.  Only the Gospel sets captives free to live a life of unimaginable joy for the glory of God and the good of others. 

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

You may recognize the title of today’s message as a play on the words from one of the most memorable lines in cinematic history.  In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and her companions were confronted with many dangers on the road to Oz; at one point they cried out in fear, “Lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!” 

We Christians face many dangers on the road to our heavenly destination, but unlike the characters in Dorothy’s dream, the Gospel empowers us to cry, “Lions and tigers and bears, Amen!” We will walk “through many dangers, toils, and snares” on this side of the grave, but the Christian is empowered to cry “Amen” instead of “O my!” for two important reasons: the promise of the dangers and the power in the dangers.

THE PROMISE OF THEM

The first thing every Christian must remember is that we have been promised to encounter a lifetime of lions, tigers, and bears.  We should not be surprised by the dangers and difficulties that beset us, because we live in a fallen and broken world as fallen broken people.  If our Lord received a crown of thorns for His head, should we expect to receive a crown of glory for ours?  He was betrayed; we will be betrayed.  He was falsely accused; we will be falsely accused.  He was slandered; we will be slandered.  He was abandoned; we will be abandoned.  He was mocked; we will be mocked.  The Bible never promised us a walk in the park!

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  (John 16:33)

It has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.  (Philippians 1:29)

Be sober-minded; be watchful.  Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  (1 Peter 5:8)

We should not be surprised by the many lions, tigers, and bears we face on a daily basis because we have been promised them in Scripture.  The Christian faith is forged in the fiery trials of life.  We need not fear them nor flee them because of . . .

THE POWER IN THEM

Once we understand the promise of life’s challenges, we need to rest in the power to face them.  We do not face our problems, challenges, and difficulties alone and we do not fight them in our own strength.  Our power is in the person of Jesus Christ.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us.

(Romans 8:37)

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(1 Corinthians 15:57)

I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  (Galatians 2:20)

So . . . what lions, tigers, and bears have you been facing lately?  Have you been surprised by the number of them or their ferocity?  Faith in the focus of our faith (Jesus Christ) will help us overcome our fear of every opposition to our faith.  Because God has ordained all things (Romans 11:36), no matter what storms beset us, we can rest in Him.  He is not only with us in the storm, He sent the storm for two important reasons: for His glory and our good.

By the way, when Jesus warned, “In the world you will have tribulation,” He didn’t stop there!  He added, “But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  That is a promise that equips us to move from “Oh my!” to “Amen!” . . . no matter how fierce the trials facing us!

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