Grace for the Race

They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.  (Psalm 84:7)

That seems like a strange statement in sacred Scripture, doesn’t it? We know from both history and personal experience that we all go from whatever strength we have to weakness . . .  and ultimately to death.

The comfort in Psalm 84:7 is not found in our physical strength, but rather in our spiritual strength. In our pilgrimage toward the Celestial City, we actually find ourselves going from weakness to weakness physically. All the valleys, deserts, and wilderness experiences we encounter in this lifetime take their physical toll on us over the years, until one day we pass through the valley of the shadow.

But through every physical challenge we face on this side of heaven, we are strengthened by sipping from the wells of our salvation that God has set before us. You see, we have been promised every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), so as we weaken in our physical nature we are strengthened in our spiritual nature, which is being perfected as we progress toward our promised land.

Going from strength to strength is simply a matter of growing in God’s grace. We know where we are ultimately going and we know we have been given everything we need to get there. We also know that we don’t go alone . . . and that, beloved, is a source of increasing strength in the lives of the saints of God.

We can go from strength to strength because we know that He who began a good work in us will carry that work on to completion (Philippians 1:6). Nothing—not even our own failures or faithlessness—can stop God from finishing what He started in us and that truth allows us to tap into the streams of strength that flow from our Savior. One day soon, we shall all appear before God in the heavenly Zion. And on that day, we will fully realize the truth that we did indeed go from strength to strength on our way to spending eternity with our Savior.

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

Did you know that faith leaves footprints? So do doubt and fear. The difference is found in the one making the footprint. The footprints of doubt and fear are the ones we make; the footprints of faith are made by the Faithful One . . . and these are the ones that we are to walk in.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

You see, it’s the difference between walking by sight (focusing on the natural) and walking by faith (focusing on the supernatural). The Bible is full of both examples. Let’s take a look at both extremes in one passage:

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. (Matthew 14:25-32)

When you think about it, it was really no big deal for Jesus to be walking on water. He is the One who created the water and who sustains all things by His powerful word (Hebrews 1:3). But for Peter to do it was another thing altogether. For Peter to get out of the boat and walk on the water required that he walk by faith and not by sight. He needed to trust in Jesus and not himself. And this biblical account tells us that is exactly what happened . . . at least at first.

But Peter turned his focus away from Jesus and locked on to his circumstances—the winds and the waves. He began to sink as soon as he started walking by sight. What a wonderful example we have of the difference between walking by faith and by sight!

The footprints of faith are only found when we are walking in Christ’s footprints. In the natural, Peter could never have walked on the top of the water. But when he trusted totally in Jesus, he was able to rise above the natural and walk in the supernatural.

So . . . where in your life do you need to shift your focus away from your circumstances—the winds and waves of challenge—and put them back on Christ? What boat of unbelief do you need to step out of today so that you can walk in the footprints of your faithful Savior? Take that step by faith, and take it now. You’ll be glad you did.

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

In order to understand what the Bible means when it tells us we are “more than conquerors,” we must first understand what a conqueror is. Here is the basic definition:

• To overcome or surmount by physical, mental, or moral force
• To gain or secure control of by or as if by force of arms
• To be victorious, a winner

So . . . what does it mean to be more than a conqueror? Let’s take a look at the phrase in its context and see if we can find a deeper meaning.

In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

To be more than a conqueror is to be in Christ. Those who know not the Christ know nothing of this biblical truth. To be sure, they can be conquerors (as even a cursory reading of history will attest) and overcome by physical, mental, or moral force. But they cannot be more than a conqueror without Christ.

For the Christian, being more than a conqueror is their mark in this life. Regardless of the problems or obstacles they face, Christians can know that they can and already have overcome through Christ. Christians live confidently in Christ, knowing that regardless of what obstacle or enemy we face on this side of the grave, we are eternally loved and secure and can never be separated from “the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

You see, when this truth of being more than a conqueror rules our hearts, it shapes our lives. It’s not that we won’t have to face storms and sorrows; we will! But even in the midst of these trials, we know we will get through them all because of the One who loves us and laid His life down for us. So regardless of what you are going through, remember that Jesus is with you every step of the way and will bring you safely through to the other side.

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

Today’s message from the letter to the Hebrews offers a word of comfort for anyone who has been dealing with a bit of “holy heat” in any area of life.

You have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” (Hebrews 12:5-6)

In the very same way, Peter encourages us:

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12-13 ESV)

Far too often Christians perceive adversity from the Almighty as a sign of His displeasure, not His loving, fatherly discipline. Whatever “fire” you might be facing today, know this: God loves you and is using that trial to conform you into the image and likeness of His beloved Son. God is forging us in the fire of affliction, and He will not stop short of finishing what He started. Yes, as Paul said, we can be “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Notice that in the Hebrews passage above that there are two opposite odious responses to the Almighty’s fiery furnace of affliction. The first is to “make light of it.” At first glance that idea might seem a bit strange; who in their right mind makes light of affliction? Well, we can do this in two ways:

1. We miss seeing God’s hand in every storm we are facing.

2. We miss seeing the value in every storm, because we think of them as something simply to be endured.

Scripture tells us that nothing happens in our lives that does not first pass through our Lord’s nail-scarred-hands. There is no such thing as “karma” and there is no “bad luck.” There is no such thing as “luck,” period! “For from him and through him and to him are all things,” Scripture assures. “To him be the glory forever! Amen” (Romans 11:36). We are most definitely not, as Tom Hanks said in Forrest Gump, “floating around accidental-like on a breeze.” Jesus told us that not a bird falls to the ground apart from the will of the Father (Matthew 10:29). Therefore, even in the midst of the most fiery trials, we can and must trust our Master’s assurance that it is all working toward our ultimate good (Romans 8:28).

The second odious response to being forged in the fire of Omnipotence is to “lose heart.” We lose heart when we believe that God is disciplining us out of punitive anger rather than profound love. And the difference between these two motives makes all the difference in the world! If God was simply exacting His “pound of flesh” from you, all you would want to do is simply endure the storm and try to get through it as quickly as possible. But if you understand that your storm has been delivered to you from a God who loved you enough to die for you, then you won’t shrink back from the storm. Rather, you will be strengthened by it . . . which is exactly God’s purpose in sending it!

Remember, every pain has a divine purpose, which ultimately leads to the completion of what God started in you: conformity to the likeness of Christ!

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

I have learned a sound biblical truth over the years: God will only give to you what He will give through you! In other words, we are to be conduits of God’s grace; we are to be “divine distribution centers” for His many blessings.

I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (Genesis 12:2)

Abraham was blessed to be a blessing. Abraham was chosen to be one of God’s divine distribution centers, and what was true of Abraham is true of every child of God. What we have been given from the hand of God is given to flow through us to bless the lives of all those with whom we come in contact.

So . . . would those around you describe you as a conduit of God’s grace? Funny thing about being one of God’s divine distribution centers: the more that flows through us, the more that flows to us. In God’s economy, the more we pour into the lives of others, the more God pours into our lives.

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38)

When we keep in view all that God has given us in Christ, we find great joy and freedom in being divine distribution centers! The true mark of the society of saints is service to others—all others.

When we realize that the correct answer to Paul’s rhetorical question in 1 Corinthians 4:7—“What do you have that you did not receive?”—is “Nothing,” we shift from being consumers to being contributors. When we understand that the greatest return in giving is the giving itself, we hold nothing back that is in the storage room of our divine distribution centers. Everything will be moved out into circulation for the good of others and the glory of God.

Oh . . . “the good of others” includes you too! God wanted me to tell you that.

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

Most of you know that on “Good Friday” Christians remember the day a little more than two thousand years ago when the Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died an unimaginable death on a wooden cross. Why in the world would we call it “good”? Why not “black” Friday or “bad” Friday?

We call this day Good Friday simply because it was the first of a three-day weekend that initiated the most unimaginable “good” the world has ever seen—good that was accomplished by the death and burial of Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice for all of our sins . . . and then His glorious resurrection!

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

You see, that Friday was so good simply because we are so bad! The good news is nowhere near as good without unless we understand the bad news. The bad news is that we were dead in our sins and trespasses. We were on the run from God. We had no interest in things above because we were consumed with all things here below. We hated what was good in the eyes of God and clung tightly to what was evil. We did what was right in our own eyes. We were enslaved sinners in desperate need of a Savior who could free us from the reign of sin and death.

And how do we know these truths? Through the Law of God!

What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” (Romans 7:7)

The Law made it clear that we were in bondage. The apostle Paul admitted that he would not have known what sin was apart from the law. And once we understand the Law, we quickly realize that we cannot keep it, no matter how hard we try. The Law crushes our conscience and drives us to the cross.

But at the cross of Christ we encounter the good news of the Gospel of God’s grace—we receive His rescue for our ruin. God poured out His wrath and judgment on His precious, sinless Son, who took our place as our Substitute. On that first Good Friday, God demonstrated that he was both “just and the justifier” of all those for whom Christ died. What looked at the moment like a victory for the devil was actually his crushing defeat.

On Easter morning, God gave His stamp of approval on the cross work of Christ. When Jesus was raised from the dead and walked out of that tomb, He became the death of death. His resurrection on that glorious day points to the resurrection of all who have trusted in His saving work.

This weekend—and every other day of our lives—let us keep all the “good” of Good Friday in constant view.

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

Members of our congregation often ask me about how to have family times of prayer, Bible study, and worship in the home. What they are inquiring about comes under the heading of “family altar,” which is a “spiritual” way of referring to family devotions—Bible study, prayer, and worship in the home.

Now, as a pastor I would like to tell you that this is a daily practice and routine in our home . . . but I cannot. Oh, we were quite regular when we had our first child all alone for 20 months. When our second child joined the mix, we still did quite well at having regular devotions. Four years later, our third child arrived, followed in 17 months by our fourth.

Today, Brock is 17; Jenna is 15; Katie is 11; and Tank is 10. Their activities, both before and after school, in town and out of town, have made our family altar time somewhat inconsistent. It is still easy to corral the younger ones and spend time together in the Word, in prayer, and talking about the things of God. But with the older two, Kim and I have needed to do the best we can and simply trust in God to use our frequently feeble efforts.

Some might say that our kids’ faith probably get more than enough feeding simply because we are church planters and all four are plugged into service at The Cross. Brock is actually leading worship in our two Sunday morning services. And to be sure, all four of them get massive doses of all things divine throughout the week. But I need to tell you that nothing can take the place of the “family altar” for altering your family! God made that point crystal clear:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)

What was good for Israel back then is just as good for us today. God’s unchanging Word is the guide for every Christian family living in a changing world. We must make every effort to come together at the family altar before we start counting on God to supply the increase.

Kim and I have varied our methods over the years and have always worked to make devotions a part of our daily living. Children’s books of Bible stories and the “Veggie Tales” videos have been an important part of the Boland family altar over the years. The kids eventually knew the stories and videos by heart; without realizing it, they began learning the Bible lessons taught as we talked about them.

We made a point of never creating an environment where the kids felt forced to endure. Often we simply made it part of the activities of the day, like driving in the car. I would make up Bible games and call our vehicle the “Bible Bus,” asking the kids questions as we went to school in the morning. Often we would play worship songs in the car and sing along, which would often lead us into conversations about God. We even tried the singing from the Trinity Hymnal at home, but I must confess that we never gained much traction with that plan.

We even brought our family altar to our sport activities. One year, due to field availability, we were forced to hold our Little League Baseball practice for Brock and his team on Sunday afternoons. We prayed long and hard about being involved in this league, but after prayerful consideration and good, godly counsel, we set up the practice time so that the entire family could gather for a picnic and time on the park playground. The entire family was together on Sunday afternoon, and it was great fun for us all.

So, if your family altar is going to alter your family, you will need to be creative and flexible if you’re going to make it work. If this is a new or renewed activity for your family, have all the children provide as much input as possible. Ask some of your Christian friends how they are doing it—what’s been working and what hasn’t. And then do whatever you can to establish your family altar, trusting God to alter your family for the good of all of you and for His glory.

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

Sometimes we have a tendency to weigh the efforts of others on our own scales and believe we know best what everyone deserves. In our human economy, merit is the measure of what is meted out. Certain levels of performance demand certain levels of compensation. In other words, those who do more get more!

But in God’s economy, everything has been turned upside down. Take a look at this wonderful example from the Old Testament of God’s mercy overriding man’s merit, which is revealed in David’s battle against the Amalekites.

David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Ravine. They came out to meet David and the people with him. As David and his men approached, he greeted them. But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.”

David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and handed over to us the forces that came against us. Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” (1 Samuel 30:21-24)

This should be a wonderful word of comfort, regardless of your station in God’s kingdom. I often think about those “senior” saints who simply no longer have the physical vitality to engage in the more physical aspects of expanding God’s kingdom, but who are continually on their faces before our God, asking the Lord to protect His saints and equip them to continue to expand His kingdom. Our congregation at Cross Community Church is blessed to have many such warriors of the Word who spend hours before the Throne of God!

Who is more valuable in the expansion of the kingdom of God: those who are actually in the battle or those who “stayed with the supplies” and guarded them? In the eyes of both David and God, those who were “too exhausted” to participate in the battle were every bit as much true soldiers as those who actually engaged in the fight.

Make no mistake, not everyone can be on the front lines. But everyone can and must engage in the battle—doing his or her individual part, as God has ordained.

Perhaps you are a saint who has been providentially prevented from participating in the actual physical work of expanding God’s kingdom because of . . .

• Old age
• Injury
• Sickness & Disease
• Circumstance

What a wonderful truth to take with you today! An equal share for all the saints, regardless of their station in the battle to expand God’s kingdom.

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

As weight training and sound nutrition are for building a sound physical body, so the “one-another” commands in Scripture are for building a healthy spiritual body—the body of Christ! Let’s take a look at just a few of them:

• John 13:34                           Love one another
• Romans 15:7                        Accept one another
• Galatians 15:14                    Serve one another
• 1 Thessalonians 5:11          Encourage one another
• Hebrews 10:24                    Stir up one another to love and good works

To love, accept, serve, encourage, and stir up one another means we are more focused on others than we are ourselves. And this is body building by the Book—the Book—that is, the Word of God. The Gospel tells us that we not only have been given the ability to be “other-oriented,” but we also have been given the responsibility to be this way.God in Christ has given each of us great gifts in our vertical relationship with Him (mercy, grace, acceptance, love, strength, etc.), and we are directed to pass these gifts on to all others in our horizontal relationships with one another.

In physical body building, if we neglect a part of our body, it will lag behind all the others. When I worked as a fitness trainer, it was not uncommon to see men with well-muscled upper bodies and weak, underdeveloped “flamingo legs.” The same is true in the body of Christ. If we neglect someone or a group of people, we will all lag behind what God is calling us to be as one body with many members.

So . . . how are you doing with your current body building program? Are there any underdeveloped “flamingo-like” areas that could use a bit more focus? Let’s close with another “one another” command from the pen of the apostle Paul. Since the greatest of all our spiritual gifts is love (1 Corinthians 13:13), let us heed Paul’s reminder to heed our calling to Body Building by the Book!

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. (Romans 12:10)

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

“Honey, have you seen my car keys?”

“Kids, do you know where I put my wallet?”

Sorry, I forgot to get the milk at the grocery store.”

What are some of your favorites? To echo the late Jimmy Durante, I’ve got a million of them, and they are often followed by the statement, “I’m losing my mind!”

If this tracks with you a bit, I have a word of comfort for you today. As he was nearing the end of his life, John Newton told a friend,

“My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things:

that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior.”

WOW! There really is nothing as important as these two truths to remember, is there? Even after we are saved, we are still great sinners in need of an even greater Savior, who continually covers and cleanses us with His blood. John Newton wrote the great hymn “Amazing Grace” with this in view.

What would keeping these truths in view do for you? Perhaps you won’t write a great song, but you will write a great story, where Jesus is the hero and you are the one He is rescuing from danger, moment by moment.

There is another thing to remember that will be a source of unimaginable comfort, especially if you are as forgetful as I am at times. Even if you do lose your mind, you can never lose your Master!

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

What a wonderful truth! There is so much we can lose on this side of the grave . . . except the One whom we cannot afford to lose: Jesus. And if we can’t lose Jesus, it really doesn’t matter what we might lose, including our minds . . .  even our lives! To know that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is ours in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39) is to know enough to keep us going when facing any kind of loss.

So . . . do you wonder if you’re losing your mind? No worries! Just remember Newton’s two truths… “I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.”

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