Grace for the Race

I have a word of unimaginable encouragement for you today that comes from a passage you may be very familiar with, yet many miss the impact of a significant portion of its message.

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

(Romans 5:8)

If you have spent much time in church, you are probably familiar with the second half of the passage. It surely is tremendously encouraging to know the awesome, almost incomprehensible truth that “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

But we must be careful not to miss the encouragement that comes just before that! The key word in the first half of Romans 5:8 is “demonstrates,” because it is written in the present tense. The Holy Spirit of God clearly intended to instruct us that God is continually demonstrating His own love for us in our lives.

It would seem to have made better sense if Paul had written “God demonstrated” in the past tense, just like “Christ died.” Since Christ “died” for us in the past, you might well think that “demonstrated” would be the best choice of words. But Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Spirit, kept this word in the present tense; he did so for our ongoing encouragement.

To see the verse in context, Paul was addressing the suffering and persecution the Roman Christians were going through before he declared God “demonstrates” His on-going love.

We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And 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 5:3-5)

Paul was reminding the Christians then—and all of us today—that God’s love is continually poured into the lives of His people. Paul knew the only way the Roman Christians would be able to deal with the horrific persecution they were facing was to be reminded of the ever-present, continually-poured-out love of God. Scripture is telling us that the love of God in Christ Jesus is invested in the lives of His people 24/7. God takes no time out and no days off; He never slumbers or sleeps; He demonstrates His love for His children moment by moment.

It is one thing to keep in view the love God demonstrated on the cross, where Jesus took our place and paid the penalty for our sin. But as glorious as that truth is, it is another thing altogether to realize that God demonstrates His love for us in countless other ways with every beat of our hearts! Christian, don’t miss the eternal encouragement that is found in experiencing every ounce of God’s eternal love for you as a profound, present-day reality.

So . . . is this the confession of your life? It will be if you keep Paul’s profound pick-me-up in view and remember the unchanging fact that God demonstrates His love for you with every breath you take.

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

People often ask me, “How can I know that I am in the will of God?” I’m happy to tell them that the answers to the most important aspects of God’s will are clearly outlined in the Scriptures. The more we marinate in and meditate on the Scriptures, the better we will understand God’s will for our lives. To be sure, the Bible does not tell us which car to buy, what job to take, or which person to marry. But the Scriptures do give us a solid framework for making the best possible decisions that will bring us the most happiness and give the greatest glory to God.

Jesus modeled this truth for us throughout His entire earthly existence. Perhaps, there is no better place to see this than in His wilderness experience and His thrice times utterance: “IT IS WRITTEN!” For every attack the devil threw His way, Jesus countered with the Word of God . . . and every counter conquered His adversary.

What was true for Jesus then is true for us today. But we cannot counter with the Word of God unless we know the Word of God; we cannot know the Word of God unless we are reading the Word of God.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

(Romans 12:2)

Being a disciple of Jesus goes far beyond mere behavior modification. It is simply not enough to refrain from doing what those in the world do. Our minds must be renewed to the point where our hearts are reoriented, which results in our will being realigned to the will of God. This is the work of His Holy Spirit, yet God calls us to take part in this process of renewal. We must discipline ourselves to read the Word of God, to attend church, to pray, and to serve.

Think about it this way: God has given us the great privilege of participating in the process of growing to maturity in our faith. To be sure, it is all of grace, but God empowers us to play our role. The more we play our role, the better we can discern God’s will for our lives. As the Spirit of God transforms us from the inside out, our will begins to align with the will of the Almighty. We make decisions that are both pleasing to God and beneficial to others . . . all others.

So . . . how are you doing in living out God’s will for your life? Could you use a little tune-up in the area of the renewing of your mind? If so, simply follow the prescription provided in the Sermon on the Mount:

ASK . . . SEEK . . . KNOCK!

Remember, “Everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). Ask God to work in you to will and to act according to His good purposes, and then determine to do your part in drawing closer to Him. And do you know what? As you do these things, you will be right smack in the middle of God’s will!

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

Back in the days when I was focused on personal development, I read the one of the best-selling business books of all time, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Mr. Hill’s philosophy went beyond helping one become financially wealthy to helping them succeed in any line of work and to be and do almost anything they wanted. At the time, I remember thinking, “Not a bad read!” But after God saved me, I found a much better read, one that empowers the reader to go beyond riches . . . to righteousness.

As image bearers of the Almighty, we have the mental capacity to think about whatever we set our minds to consider. And in so doing, we set a course that will either lead us in the direction God wants us to go or the direction we would rather go.

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:5-6)

The apostle Paul made a remarkable statement here: What we set our minds on determines, to an altogether unsuspecting extent, the issue of life and death! When was the last time you thought about that? Over and over again, the Bible tells us to take control of our thoughts and explains that we have been given the power to take control of our thoughts because we have been given the mind of Christ.

“For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

(1 Corinthians 2:16)

Here Paul was quoting an Old Testament passage, Isaiah 40:13, to tell us that we have the capacity to think the thoughts of God when it comes to His plan and purpose in this world.

Make no mistake, the mind of man is the exact opposite of the mind of Christ. Man’s mind is man-centered, always thinking how to expand the cause of man’s little kingdom. Man’s mind is rooted in self-protection and self-satisfaction.

But every Christian believer has received the Holy Spirit of God and thus has the ability to rise above the thoughts of mere mortals and to think as the Master thinks—thoughts rooted in self-sacrifice and self-denial. This is the thought process of those who “Think and Grow Righteous.”

So . . . what have you been thinking about lately? Where do your thoughts go when you do not choose to set them on what the Spirit of God desires? Let’s close with one more exhortation from the inspired pen of Paul that will help us rise above the challenges of daily living as we think and grow righteous.

Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

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

Baseball legend Yogi Berra once said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it!” The phrase “fork in the road” is often used metaphorically to describe those deciding moments in life when a major decision must be made. Is this the person I want to marry? Is this the career I should pursue? Should I make this move to another state?

How do you deal with the many forks in your road of life? I hope you heed the Bible’s advice:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes . . .  (Proverbs 3:5-7)

Here is the key that unlocks the door leading to the life God is calling us to live. And the reason this is so profoundly true lies in the fact that much of what you and I consider to be “understanding” is actually misunderstanding . . . simply because our understanding is broken! Often we don’t see things as they truly are, but rather as we want to see them. Our interpretation of what is going on around us is just that: our interpretation. That is why we must look above and beyond ourselves and seek out the wisdom that will carry us through every fork in the road and onto the straight path God has prepared for us.

Notice that Scripture is not telling us to turn away from understanding. That is the siren song of the world, which frequently tells us to “Follow your heart.” That is devastatingly bad advice! Scripture says flatly that our hearts are “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV). And we’re supposed to follow our hearts?!

God’s wisdom book of Proverbs never instructs us to follow our hearts, but rather urges us to “Incline our hearts to understanding” (Proverbs 2:3); exhorts us to “Buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding” (Proverbs 23:23); and reassures us that “Understanding will guard us” (Proverbs 2:6). In the passage featured today, we are told to turn away from our “own understanding,” which simply means an understanding that is the product of our own conclusions, drawn apart from the wisdom of Almighty God.

Now, to trust in the Lord with all our heart is to trust Him even when we cannot trace Him. To be sure, we cannot see things from God’s perspective. He sees everything, from beginning to end, and He knows what is best for us. God’s perspective is eternal, and therefore He guides us into what is eternally best, which is often not what we feel to be best in the moment. When Solomon penned Proverbs 3:7, saying, “Do not be wise in your own eyes,” this was another way of saying “Do not be a fool”—one who keeps his or her own counsel when infinite Wisdom is at our disposal.

What God would have us do at every fork in the road is to prayerfully consider which path He would have us take. That big promotion at the office might give us more income but take away significant time with our families. A particular course of study might land us a high-paying job, but may very well not be work that brings us joy and may not be where God wants us to serve.

To be faithful at the fork in the road requires us to look to the Faithful One. This requires time in His Word, time on our knees, and time with other godly people who will often provide perspective we do not have. Make no mistake, understanding that comes from above will keep us on the straight and narrow here below. You have His Word on that!

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

How well did you sleep last night? Did you spend the night tossing and turning? Perhaps you hit the “snooze” button a few times this morning and still got out of bed feeling like you needed more rest? Today I’d like to give you a word of encouragement about your sleepless Savior:

I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber . . . (Psalm 121:1-3)

When was the last time you thought about Jesus staying up all night just to watch over you? Perhaps we would all toss and turn a little less and awake feeling far more rested if we kept this Gospel truth before us. The psalmist tells us that our help comes from the One who refuses to slumber or sleep.

So . . . where have you been looking for your help lately? Think about this for a moment: the Creator of the universe, the One who created you, cares so much for you that He never sleeps! That means He is always working. Jesus assures us that “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working” (John 5:17). Jesus is working for you; Jesus is working in you; Jesus is working through you. Every night . . . all night . . . your Savior is sleepless on your behalf.

To be sure, this thought of the Creator and Sustainer of all things, the Alpha and the Omega, watching over us day and night, is a thought almost too much for our finite minds to comprehend. The love that sought us, caught us, and bought us—the relentless, pursuing love of God in Christ Jesus—never takes a moment off or calls for a time out. Jesus is watching over each and every one of us, twenty-four hours a day, seven days each week, 365 days each year, year after year after year, from everlasting to everlasting! Our God has promised us, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

When God sent Moses back to Egypt to lead His people out of bondage, He instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh, “Let my people go, that they may serve me!” We are all called to be servants of our Most High God. That is why we are here on this earth: to serve and glorify our God by doing what He has called us to do. I truly cannot think of any greater encouragement in our service to God than knowing that He is in constant service to us!

The next time you find yourself experiencing one of those “sheep-counting” moments late at night, remember that your Savior will never slumber; He will meet you in your place of deepest need in this life and in the next. You have His Word on it!

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

You may remember the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids movie trilogy about a scientist father who accidentally reduces his family to the size of insects with his electromagnetic shrink ray. Today I’d like to offer a word of encouragement about a different kind of shrinking, the kind that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This supernatural shrinkage causes us to decrease while our Lord increases.

He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30 ESV)

These words are contained in the final discourse of John the Baptist in the New Testament’s fourth gospel. God raised up John to be the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ. To say that John’s ministry was “successful” would be an understatement of gargantuan proportions. And yet we can find no selfish ambition or self-centeredness in John anywhere. When asked who he was, John made it clear that he was totally content to be what he was not. He asserted that he was not “the Prophet” or “Elijah” or “the Christ.” John was utterly devoid of any narcissism as he played the divine role God had called him to play as a “voice of one crying out in the wilderness” (John 1:23 ESV).

John the Baptist possessed the supernatural strength to shrink because he had Jesus. His identity was in his Messiah, not in his ministry. He found his significance only in his Savior. His purpose in life was rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ. John was just like the apostle Paul when it came to his understanding of life: to live was Christ . . . and Christ alone. John’s heart beat for nothing smaller than Jesus, right up until it beat its last at the hands of the sword of the wicked King Herod.

Only those who have their identity in Jesus can say, “He must increase and I must decrease.” John found joy in this truth, the kind of joy that simply cannot be shaken by outward circumstances. John’s joy was an inside job, created by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

One more thing about this incredible shrinking man. John the Baptist said he was unworthy to untie the laces of Jesus’ sandals, a job that only a gentile slave would be required to do prior to washing his master’s dirty feet. This godly man, of whom Jesus said, “Among those born of women there is no one greater than John” (Luke 7:28), considered himself lower than the lowliest slave in comparison to the King of kings and Lord of lords.

How is it with you? How are you doing in the area of decreasing? And is Jesus increasing in your life? Remember that these two actions—decreasing and increasing—go hand in hand. Jesus will not increase in your life if your life is too full of yourself. But the more you decrease, the more He will increase; and that, beloved, will make your joy complete!

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

Today I’d like to lift up a biblical model that comes from the life of the One who was constantly engaged in what I call “errands of eternal encouragement.”

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. (Acts 10:38)

Jesus spent His short time here on this earth in the ministry of going around doing good. Wouldn’t that be well said of all of us . . . that we poured out our lives going around doing good? I want to call your attention to a few particulars that can be a source of great inspiration to you today, right where this finds you. Jesus went around doing good . . .

INTENTIONALLY – Jesus was intentional about everything He did, especially as it related to going around and doing good. I have always found it remarkable to find these words at the beginning of John’s account of Jesus meeting the woman at Jacob’s well: Jesus “had to pass through Samaria”! Whatever the reasons that Jesus had for going through Samaria, which certainly included His divine appointment with the Samaritan woman, He passed through intentionally. It was no accident or a random roll of the dice that Jesus met this woman and offered her the gift of eternal salvation; our Lord’s entire life was marked by doing good intentionally.

PERSONALLY – Jesus went around doing good personally. He could have sent any or all of His disciples on His behalf to do all the good He intended to do, but He did not. He went around personally. He spoke with the woman at the well; He traveled for days to raise Lazarus from the tomb; He dined with Zacchaeus in his home; and He recruited the fishermen on the shoreline. Jesus personally touched the eyes of the blind and the skin of the leper; He changed water into wine at the wedding at Cana; He cleansed the temple in Jerusalem; and He talked late into the night with the religious leader Nicodemus.

Our Lord Jesus Christ engaged in His errands of eternal encouragement both intentionally and personally. He not only left us with a picture of encouragement but also with a model to follow. We must be intentional about going around doing good, or we will simply never find the time to get around to doing it! And make no mistake, it is one thing to have a good thing done on your behalf; it is another thing altogether to do good and do it yourself.

If we are to be models of our Master in living out the truths of the Gospel, we must not grow weary in our well-doing (Galatians 6:9). We will look for ways to meet people in their place of need and we will do the work ourselves as much as it is within our power.

In only 3 ½ years, how busily was our Lord engaged in the lives of others! But don’t miss this important truth: He often retreated to quiet places to spend time in prayer with His Father in heaven. He was always operating in the strength of His Holy Spirit, and if we are to live lives marked by going around doing good, we too should often retreat to spend time in prayer with Jesus.

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

We have a responsibility to pass on the exalted truths of God from generation to generation. And that includes not only proclaiming His hand of mercy, but His hand of judgment. The combination of these divine attributes provides us with a full-orbed picture of God’s eternal plan of redemption, offering important life lessons for Christian believers

.Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers? Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten. (Joel 1:2-4)

The Word of God instructs us to be students of God’s story. And the only way we can be students of His story is to read it, meditate on it, and come to know it. God inspired the prophet Joel to urge parents to take the time to know God’s story and to pass it along to their children.

The locusts Joel referred to were agents of God’s divine judgment on His people for their rebellion and disobedience. And when the destroying swarms of locusts were understood to be an instrument of redemption in the hands of God, His people would respond in repentance and return to their God. This is the pattern throughout the Old Testament history of God and His people: things would go well for a while; the people would grow complacent and turn away from God; God would send judgment; and the people would repent and return to God.

So . . . how well are you at telling God’s story to those around you? Are you spending adequate time in the Word each day to know it well enough to tell it? Sadly, many in the church today neglect the rich history of God’s story in the Old Testament. Yet the New Testament doesn’t make sense without the Old! It has been well said that “The Old Testament is revealed in the New, and the New Testament is concealed in the Old.” Both the Old and New Testaments make up one single story of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The key is to see the Bible as a metanarrative—one single, overarching story—from beginning to end. Scripture is not comprised of 66 disconnected books offering stories with moralistic messages to keep us in line; it is the incomparable saga of God’s redemption and His pursuing love for rebels on the run. And God wants us to know it so well that we can share it with our children . . . so that they will share it with their children. With all the “stuff” we can pass along to our kids, there is nothing more important to give them than the story of our Savior.

Finally, in telling God’s story to our children, we are also to share how our story intersects with it. We can share the lessons we have learned in life from both our victories and our defeats. And we should explain how, through it all, God has loved us with an everlasting love that would lift us out of the ashes of defeat, dust us off, and send us back into the game of life. Now that is a story worth telling, over and over and over again!

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

The word masquerade can be used to describe a false outward show or façade, pretense, or a hypocrite’s masquerade of virtue. Perhaps you may have attended a masquerade party where people dressed up wearing masks (false faces) and costumes which conceal who they really are.

And, sadly enough, we often fail to see the masquerade that takes place in ministry . . .

• Selfish ambition masquerades as sacrificial service
• Self-love masquerades as Savior love
• Little kingdom work masquerades as Big Kingdom work

Here is a story from Scripture which provides a great example of a spiritual masquerade:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

Mary and Martha were both serving their Lord. They were making preparations to receive Jesus and His disciples for a time of food and fellowship. Mary knew when to exchange her service for sitting at the feet of Jesus; Martha, on the other hand, did not. Yes, Martha was serving the Lord, but her service had taken the place of her Savior.

It is so easy to be busily satisfying the needs of self while simultaneously masquerading as a sold-out servant for our Savior! If you are a regular follower of this blog or a member of Cross Community Church, you are familiar with this statement: Good things become bad things when they become ultimate things! God gives us so many good things to enjoy in life—from family to friendship, money to ministry. But when we take any of the good gifts God has given to us and make them into ultimate gifts in our minds, they have become bad gifts that turn our affections away from God.

How do we keep this from happening—not only in ministry, but in every area of life?

Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)

Here is the key that unlocks the door to authenticity in all our activities: seeking first the kingdom of Christ and His righteousness. Jesus must be our first priority. He is to sit upon the throne of our lives. He is to be the Alpha and the Omega of everything we do—our first thought and our last thought. When we are more focused on our Savior, we are less focused on ourselves. When our Savior—not our service to our Savior—is truly our highest priority, then our service will be pleasing and acceptable in His sight and will also meet us in our deepest place of need.

So . . . are there any areas in your life that are masquerading as something other than what they truly are? When Jesus becomes a means to an end—any end—we miss the most important aspect of our calling. At this level of living, we don’t find our satisfaction in loving Jesus, but rather in what we get by serving Him. Yes, we love Jesus, but we love the stuff we get from Him just as much . . . if not more.

It is only when we have our priorities in order as Mary did, who knew her Savior was always more important than her service, that we will be able to rise above the masquerade and rest in our Master.

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

I have always tried to eat healthy. Now, there are some uncharitable souls who might say that it would be more “healthy” if I ate less, but that is a topic for another time. When I was a boy and my family was sitting around the dinner table, it would not be unusual for me to fill my plate with a heaping portion of “seconds” . . . only to get halfway through Round Two and find myself feeling very full indeed! At that point, I would look guiltily up at my mom, who would smile gently and say, “What’s wrong, son? Were your eyes bigger than your stomach?” What she meant, of course, was that my helping of “more” looked great to my eyes, but it was actually a great deal more than my stomach could actually take in!

I have often recalled Momma’s words in recent years—not at dinner time, but, oddly enough, when doing the work of ministry, especially since planting Cross Community Church in March of 2012. I long ago lost count of the number of times I dove headlong into multiple ministry projects, utterly confident that they were all great things to do. They looked great—and indeed, they were great—but together they were actually a great deal more than I could accomplish! In my stubborn determination not to admit that my eyes had been bigger than my “stomach,” I have frequently heaped my “to-do” plate far too full. I’ve worn myself down at times; worse still, I’ve worn down my wife, my family, and those who share in the work of ministry with me.

But thank God! He has not left me to myself. He has surrounded me with good and godly people (beginning with Kim, my beloved wife) who tells me, “Tommy, there is more to life than increasing its speed!”

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What does the worker gain from his toil? (Ecclesiastes 3:1-9)

What a question the wise preacher left us with! We see here a beautifully balanced portion of Scripture, which makes it crystal clear that our time—all of our time—is in the hands of the Almighty. Each one of us has been given the same amount of time: 24 hours each day, 168 hours each week. That is God’s gift to us. Our gift back to Him is in how we use it.

We are to understand the biblical truth that says,

A life without balance . . . leads to an unbalanced life!

So . . . how do we keep our eyes from getting too big? The key is to keep them fixed on the Author and Finisher of our faith. We can get so focused on ministry that we can miss our Master. What we must remember is there is a time for serving and a time for sitting; if we neglect the latter, the former will suffer . . . and so will everyone around us!

I thank my God for bringing people into my life who remind me of this incredibly important biblical truth. And I pray that this word of encouragement will be a reminder for you to maintain that biblical balance too.

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