The Latest News https://www.graceforus.org Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:00:14 -0700 http://churchplantmedia.com/ The Gospel’s Transforming Power and Our Mission to Share It https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/the-gospels-transforming-power-and-our-mission-to-share-it https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/the-gospels-transforming-power-and-our-mission-to-share-it#comments Fri, 01 Mar 2024 19:00:00 -0800 https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/the-gospels-transforming-power-and-our-mission-to-share-it Romans 1:16
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel
for it is the power of God unto salvation
for everyone who believes.”

gospel-transforming-powerThe gospel transforms people from the inside out and God’s design and the church’s mission is to bring the good news of that transforming power to every nation, tribe, and tongue. Our aim each year is to spend time exhorting, encouraging, and equipping this church for that mission. As such, the elders have set aside March as mission ‘emphasis’ month, where we’ll spend the first 3 Sundays in March reflecting on God’s call to the local church to reach the lost.

As we reflect on local mission this month, I’d like to share with you the bulk of an article I wrote five years ago (almost to the month) also about nine people who were baptized. I think the content of that article bears repeating as we seek to be a church that reaches the nations (locally and abroad) so that we never lose sight of God’s method for reaching the lost is and always will be the Gospel. Furthermore, God’s prescription for living a transformed life is and always will be the Gospel.

Article from March 2019

Last month we had a baptism service where nine individuals wore shirts with the above bible verse, and each shared their story about how he or she came to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  

I love baptism services. I love hearing about their stories. How men and women from all different backgrounds, different cultures, and different upbringings all ultimately have the same story. They were all once blind to the glory of God in Jesus Christ and dead in their trespasses and sins. Yet in God’s timing, according to the riches of his grace, they each shared how God opened their eyes to see their need for a Redeemer, a Savior, a King. Their stories all pointed to the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

At our baptism services, we make it a point for those entering the waters of baptism to share their Christian testimonies because it’s a great reminder to each of us about how the gospel transforms lives, gives hope, redeems, sanctifies, justifies, and glorifies a people who were once enemies of God and make them beloved children of God.

We each have a story like our nine brothers and sisters. We each have a story about how God according to the riches of his mercy and grace, breathed new life into our dead, distorted and depraved souls, and each one of us rejoices that we no longer need to fear death but we rejoice in the hope of glory. Amen!

Yet, the salvation that the gospel brings is more – so much more - than a ticket to heaven and freedom from hell. The salvation Paul refers to in Romans 1:16 is a salvation that encompasses our past, our present and our future. By faith in the gospel, we have been saved from God’s wrath [1]. By faith in this same gospel, we are being saved [2] now by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and through the renewal of our minds, we shed the old man and put on the new man [3]. By faith in the hope of the gospel, we will be saved [4] from the sting of death as the perishable puts on the imperishable and the mortal puts on immortality, and we spend eternity with our Lord and Savior [5]. Amen!

If we’re honest, I think for most of us, we tend to reflect upon the first and third aspects of salvation – saved from wrath and therefore spending eternity with Christ in Heaven. I think far too many of us miss the here, now and very present transforming power of the gospel that causes inward and consequently outward change as we meditate, reflect upon, and renew our minds with the riches of the gospel’s assurance that we are forever united together with Christ, and therefore all that Christ did for us at Calvary and is doing in us now through the power of the Holy Spirit compels us towards Christlikeness.

Paul would exhort the church at Philippi with these words:

Philippians 2:12, 13
“Therefore, my beloved, as you always obeyed, so now,
not only as in my presence but much more in my absence,
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
for it is God who works in you,
both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

Brothers and sisters, we are called here and now to walk in a manner that is worthy of the gospel [6]. We are called here in this life to reckon ourselves dead to sin’s reign and rule in our lives [7]. We are called to make no provision for it [8] and to be continually working out our salvation – our progressive and continual growth in Christlikeness – with fear and trembling [9].  

In sum, it has been said that we are to work out what God has put in us…We are to live a life with our thoughts fixed on the implications of Christ’s work on our behalf.

scott-dennyLet me illustrate it this way…The movie, Saving Private Ryan, was a powerful movie of sacrifice by men who willingly set aside their own wants, desires and lives in order to find and deliver Private James Ryan from the destruction of war to the safety of home. At the end of that movie, the now aged Ryan visits the shores of Normandy, and while looking at the grave of one of the men who found him and delivered him from the dangers of war, he says, “I hope that at least in your eyes I’ve earned what you all did for me.”  It was Ryan’s gratitude and appreciation for what was done for him that led him to live a life that reflected the sacrifices made for him. In a similar kind of way, we are called ‘to walk worthy of our calling’ [10]. We are called to live in such a way that proclaims to a watching world, “I no longer live for myself, but for the one who loved me and gave himself for me!” [11]

So how do we do this? How do we walk by faith in the grace of the gospel as we confidently pursue Christlikeness? How do we ‘work out our salvation’? It begins by remembering the promise of the gospel.

Let us not forget that the promise of the gospel is that we are forever united together with Christ – All that is His is ours. As Adam was our representative head in our rebellion against God, Christ is now our representative head as beloved children of God [12]. By faith, our union with Christ is the entire basis of our salvation, our motivation to pursue godliness and our assurance that we will spend eternity with Him.

OUR UNION WITH CHRIST

(I would recommend Tony’s article in February 2024 on this topic as well) The gospel declares that by faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have a new position before God and a new potential for pursuing godliness.

By faith in the gospel we are assured that our standing, our position, before God is based not upon our works of righteousness, rather it is based upon what Christ did FOR us, outside of us. He lived a perfect life for us. He went to the cross, and suffered the wrath of God for us. He died and paid the penalty of sin for us. He rose from the dead whereby he conquered sin and death for us.  

By extension, the gospel declares that He adopted us [13]. Placed His Spirit within us [14]. Gave us new hearts [15] and new minds [16], which free us to reject sin and to pursue righteousness [17]. Our union with Christ, therefore, provides us also with new potential and new power to live in a manner that is worthy of our calling.

The new potential we possess is that we are no longer slaves to sin. We, as new creatures, are now slaves to righteousness [18]. We no longer have to say yes to lust. We no longer have to say yes to covetousness. We no longer have to give in to temptation to be angry with our children. We no longer have to feel hopeless. We no longer need to feel alone. We have new potential to say yes to purity, and yes to contentment. We can now fight to be patient with our children, and we can live in the hope and assurance that God is for us and with us even when it doesn’t seem like it. We have new potential to walk in a manner that is consistent with who God made us to be – one who worships God and loves Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

We not only have new potential but we possess new power. Philippians 2:13 reads that God is at work in you causing you to will and to do. The very power of God that raised Jesus from the dead is the very power at work in every Christian. Paul prayed that the church at Ephesus might “know the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might [19].” Paul urged the church at Ephesus “to be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might [20].”

That is in our pursuit to reject sin and to pursue righteousness, we can be confident and trust that God is at work in us! He is causing us to will and to do. He is causing us to think rightly and to do rightly. As we pursue godliness, we can be confident that the Spirit of God Himself is at work in us invigorating and energizing our believing activity to turn away from sin and turn toward righteousness.

Don’t miss that last point – He invigorates our believing activity. We must believe and reckon truths about the gospel that compel us to think rightly about our lives, our wants, our desires, our circumstances in light of the gospel, so that we might respond rightly in light of that same gospel.

We therefore must continually renew our minds with what is right and true about all that we possess in the gospel. We must also continually be renewing our minds about specific truths of the gospel that help us moment by moment reject lust, covetousness, fear, worry, anger, etc. as we seek to put on purity, contentment, joy, peace and patience, etc.

Why is renewing our minds so important? Because we become what we behold. We are called to behold the glories of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in doing so we are assured that we will be transformed by God’s Spirit from one degree of glory to another [21]. As we are transformed, we begin thinking and acting more like our Savior, which testifies of His glorious grace and the glory of the gospel.  

Furthermore, let me add this final point to the 2019 article. Because we are a transformed people, we see clearly what the world suppresses in unrighteousness [22]. We see clearly that the only hope in life and death for all of humanity is the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. During this mission emphasis month, pray for opportunities to share the gospel and then faithfully and courageously open your mouth wide when God answers your prayers.

Scott Denny is an Elder at Grace Bible Church

  1. 2 Timothy 1:9
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:18
  3. Ephesians 4:22-24
  4. Romans 5:9, 10
  5. 1 Corinthians 15:53-54
  6. Philippians 1:27
  7. Romans 6:11
  8. Romans 13:14
  9. Philippians 2:12-13
  10. Ephesians 4:1
  11. Galatians 2:20
  12. Romans 5:15-17
  13. Romans 8:15
  14. Ephesians 1:14
  15. Ezekiel 36:26
  16. Philippians 2:5
  17. Romans 6:15-18
  18. IBID
  19. Ephesians 1:19
  20. Ephesians 6:10
  21. 2 Corinthians 3:18
  22. Romans 1:18
]]>
Romans 1:16
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel
for it is the power of God unto salvation
for everyone who believes.”

gospel-transforming-powerThe gospel transforms people from the inside out and God’s design and the church’s mission is to bring the good news of that transforming power to every nation, tribe, and tongue. Our aim each year is to spend time exhorting, encouraging, and equipping this church for that mission. As such, the elders have set aside March as mission ‘emphasis’ month, where we’ll spend the first 3 Sundays in March reflecting on God’s call to the local church to reach the lost.

As we reflect on local mission this month, I’d like to share with you the bulk of an article I wrote five years ago (almost to the month) also about nine people who were baptized. I think the content of that article bears repeating as we seek to be a church that reaches the nations (locally and abroad) so that we never lose sight of God’s method for reaching the lost is and always will be the Gospel. Furthermore, God’s prescription for living a transformed life is and always will be the Gospel.

Article from March 2019

Last month we had a baptism service where nine individuals wore shirts with the above bible verse, and each shared their story about how he or she came to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  

I love baptism services. I love hearing about their stories. How men and women from all different backgrounds, different cultures, and different upbringings all ultimately have the same story. They were all once blind to the glory of God in Jesus Christ and dead in their trespasses and sins. Yet in God’s timing, according to the riches of his grace, they each shared how God opened their eyes to see their need for a Redeemer, a Savior, a King. Their stories all pointed to the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

At our baptism services, we make it a point for those entering the waters of baptism to share their Christian testimonies because it’s a great reminder to each of us about how the gospel transforms lives, gives hope, redeems, sanctifies, justifies, and glorifies a people who were once enemies of God and make them beloved children of God.

We each have a story like our nine brothers and sisters. We each have a story about how God according to the riches of his mercy and grace, breathed new life into our dead, distorted and depraved souls, and each one of us rejoices that we no longer need to fear death but we rejoice in the hope of glory. Amen!

Yet, the salvation that the gospel brings is more – so much more - than a ticket to heaven and freedom from hell. The salvation Paul refers to in Romans 1:16 is a salvation that encompasses our past, our present and our future. By faith in the gospel, we have been saved from God’s wrath [1]. By faith in this same gospel, we are being saved [2] now by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and through the renewal of our minds, we shed the old man and put on the new man [3]. By faith in the hope of the gospel, we will be saved [4] from the sting of death as the perishable puts on the imperishable and the mortal puts on immortality, and we spend eternity with our Lord and Savior [5]. Amen!

If we’re honest, I think for most of us, we tend to reflect upon the first and third aspects of salvation – saved from wrath and therefore spending eternity with Christ in Heaven. I think far too many of us miss the here, now and very present transforming power of the gospel that causes inward and consequently outward change as we meditate, reflect upon, and renew our minds with the riches of the gospel’s assurance that we are forever united together with Christ, and therefore all that Christ did for us at Calvary and is doing in us now through the power of the Holy Spirit compels us towards Christlikeness.

Paul would exhort the church at Philippi with these words:

Philippians 2:12, 13
“Therefore, my beloved, as you always obeyed, so now,
not only as in my presence but much more in my absence,
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
for it is God who works in you,
both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

Brothers and sisters, we are called here and now to walk in a manner that is worthy of the gospel [6]. We are called here in this life to reckon ourselves dead to sin’s reign and rule in our lives [7]. We are called to make no provision for it [8] and to be continually working out our salvation – our progressive and continual growth in Christlikeness – with fear and trembling [9].  

In sum, it has been said that we are to work out what God has put in us…We are to live a life with our thoughts fixed on the implications of Christ’s work on our behalf.

scott-dennyLet me illustrate it this way…The movie, Saving Private Ryan, was a powerful movie of sacrifice by men who willingly set aside their own wants, desires and lives in order to find and deliver Private James Ryan from the destruction of war to the safety of home. At the end of that movie, the now aged Ryan visits the shores of Normandy, and while looking at the grave of one of the men who found him and delivered him from the dangers of war, he says, “I hope that at least in your eyes I’ve earned what you all did for me.”  It was Ryan’s gratitude and appreciation for what was done for him that led him to live a life that reflected the sacrifices made for him. In a similar kind of way, we are called ‘to walk worthy of our calling’ [10]. We are called to live in such a way that proclaims to a watching world, “I no longer live for myself, but for the one who loved me and gave himself for me!” [11]

So how do we do this? How do we walk by faith in the grace of the gospel as we confidently pursue Christlikeness? How do we ‘work out our salvation’? It begins by remembering the promise of the gospel.

Let us not forget that the promise of the gospel is that we are forever united together with Christ – All that is His is ours. As Adam was our representative head in our rebellion against God, Christ is now our representative head as beloved children of God [12]. By faith, our union with Christ is the entire basis of our salvation, our motivation to pursue godliness and our assurance that we will spend eternity with Him.

OUR UNION WITH CHRIST

(I would recommend Tony’s article in February 2024 on this topic as well) The gospel declares that by faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have a new position before God and a new potential for pursuing godliness.

By faith in the gospel we are assured that our standing, our position, before God is based not upon our works of righteousness, rather it is based upon what Christ did FOR us, outside of us. He lived a perfect life for us. He went to the cross, and suffered the wrath of God for us. He died and paid the penalty of sin for us. He rose from the dead whereby he conquered sin and death for us.  

By extension, the gospel declares that He adopted us [13]. Placed His Spirit within us [14]. Gave us new hearts [15] and new minds [16], which free us to reject sin and to pursue righteousness [17]. Our union with Christ, therefore, provides us also with new potential and new power to live in a manner that is worthy of our calling.

The new potential we possess is that we are no longer slaves to sin. We, as new creatures, are now slaves to righteousness [18]. We no longer have to say yes to lust. We no longer have to say yes to covetousness. We no longer have to give in to temptation to be angry with our children. We no longer have to feel hopeless. We no longer need to feel alone. We have new potential to say yes to purity, and yes to contentment. We can now fight to be patient with our children, and we can live in the hope and assurance that God is for us and with us even when it doesn’t seem like it. We have new potential to walk in a manner that is consistent with who God made us to be – one who worships God and loves Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

We not only have new potential but we possess new power. Philippians 2:13 reads that God is at work in you causing you to will and to do. The very power of God that raised Jesus from the dead is the very power at work in every Christian. Paul prayed that the church at Ephesus might “know the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might [19].” Paul urged the church at Ephesus “to be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might [20].”

That is in our pursuit to reject sin and to pursue righteousness, we can be confident and trust that God is at work in us! He is causing us to will and to do. He is causing us to think rightly and to do rightly. As we pursue godliness, we can be confident that the Spirit of God Himself is at work in us invigorating and energizing our believing activity to turn away from sin and turn toward righteousness.

Don’t miss that last point – He invigorates our believing activity. We must believe and reckon truths about the gospel that compel us to think rightly about our lives, our wants, our desires, our circumstances in light of the gospel, so that we might respond rightly in light of that same gospel.

We therefore must continually renew our minds with what is right and true about all that we possess in the gospel. We must also continually be renewing our minds about specific truths of the gospel that help us moment by moment reject lust, covetousness, fear, worry, anger, etc. as we seek to put on purity, contentment, joy, peace and patience, etc.

Why is renewing our minds so important? Because we become what we behold. We are called to behold the glories of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in doing so we are assured that we will be transformed by God’s Spirit from one degree of glory to another [21]. As we are transformed, we begin thinking and acting more like our Savior, which testifies of His glorious grace and the glory of the gospel.  

Furthermore, let me add this final point to the 2019 article. Because we are a transformed people, we see clearly what the world suppresses in unrighteousness [22]. We see clearly that the only hope in life and death for all of humanity is the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. During this mission emphasis month, pray for opportunities to share the gospel and then faithfully and courageously open your mouth wide when God answers your prayers.

Scott Denny is an Elder at Grace Bible Church

  1. 2 Timothy 1:9
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:18
  3. Ephesians 4:22-24
  4. Romans 5:9, 10
  5. 1 Corinthians 15:53-54
  6. Philippians 1:27
  7. Romans 6:11
  8. Romans 13:14
  9. Philippians 2:12-13
  10. Ephesians 4:1
  11. Galatians 2:20
  12. Romans 5:15-17
  13. Romans 8:15
  14. Ephesians 1:14
  15. Ezekiel 36:26
  16. Philippians 2:5
  17. Romans 6:15-18
  18. IBID
  19. Ephesians 1:19
  20. Ephesians 6:10
  21. 2 Corinthians 3:18
  22. Romans 1:18
]]>
Devotional and Practical Benefits of Union with Christ https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/devotional-and-practical-benefits-of-union-with-christ https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/devotional-and-practical-benefits-of-union-with-christ#comments Thu, 01 Feb 2024 20:00:00 -0800 https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/devotional-and-practical-benefits-of-union-with-christ union-with-christ

In his book, The Hole in Our Holiness, author Kevin DeYoung says that “Union with Christ may be the most important doctrine you’ve never heard of.”

My experience as a pastor for these 34 years makes me think he is right. Many people in Evangelical churches have never heard of their relationship with Christ summed up as the doctrine of “union with Christ.” This was confirmed nearly every time I taught this doctrine in our discipleship course only to see inquisitive looks on the faces of those participating. The same also frequently occurs in my seminary course on the Christian life to this day.

Thankfully, more contemporary books on the subject have been written in recent years. For those interested in exploring the subject further, I suggest the very digestible Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God by Rankin Wilbourne.

Defining Union With Christ

One of the reasons Union with Christ isn’t taught in many churches is that it can be a difficult doctrine to sum up and wrap our heads around. The doctrine has tendrils touching upon all the better-known components of salvation such as election, justification, sanctification, adoption, and glorification. Nevertheless, for the sake of brevity, we may define Union with Christ as the reality that by grace through faith the Spirit makes a believer “one” with Christ. Hence, all that belongs to Christ belongs to the believer. Union confers upon every believer all of the benefits of the work Jesus accomplished on our behalf as our mediator.

This has far-reaching implications. Perhaps none greater than the fact that when a person is in Christ, the Father looks at him or her and doesn’t see his or her wickedness, rather he sees the beauty of His Son, Jesus. What a glorious comfort!

Marriage A Picture Of Union With Christ

We recently touched upon Union with Christ in our expositional study of the book of Galatians. Time kept me from developing a cross-reference from Ephesians 5. There, Paul describes the union between husband and wife as a God designed visible reflection of the greater union between Christ and the church.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound,
and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”
(Ephesians 5:31-32)

That marriage is a mystery means that since its very inception (Genesis 2) there has been a hidden meaning in it and that up until the death and resurrection of Christ this meaning has been hidden. The surprise revelation is that marriage has been designed to be a portrait of something else, something greater—the “one flesh” permanent union between Christ and the church. God intended human marriage to provide visible language to explain Christ’s relation to the church. In other words, human marriage is the copy and union with Christ is the original.

I find that reflecting upon Union with Christ as a marriage has many practical benefits for Christian living. No one developed this better than the Puritan, Thomas Watson. I offer you a few brief excerpts from his work, Mystical Union Between Christ and Saints which I have reorganized under a few headings.

For our own comfort and assurance

(1) No husband loves like Christ. The Lord says to the people, “I have loved you”, and they say, “Wherein hast thou loved us?” (Malachi 1:2). But we cannot say to Christ, “Wherein hast thou loved us?” Christ has given real demonstrations of his love to his spouse. He has sent her his Word, which is a love-letter, and he has given her his Spirit, which is a love-token. Christ loves more than any other husband.

(2) Christ puts a richer robe on his bride: “He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). In this robe, God looks on us as if we had not sinned. This robe is as truly ours to justify us, as it is Christ’s to bestow on us. This robe not only covers but adorns.

(3) Christ gives his bride not only his golden garments but his image. He loves her into his own likeness. A husband may have a dear affection for his wife, but he cannot stamp his own image on her. If she is deformed, he may give her a veil to hide it, but he cannot put his beauty on her. But Christ imparts “the beauty of holiness” to his spouse… Christ never thinks he has loved his spouse enough till he can see his own face in her.

(4) Christ discharges those debts which no other husband can. Our sins are the worst debts we owe. If all the angels should contribute money, they could not pay one of these debts, but Christ frees us from these. He is both a Husband and a Surety.

(5) Christ has suffered more for his spouse than ever any husband did for a wife. He suffered poverty and ignominy. He who crowned the heavens with stars was himself crowned with thorns.

In our sufferings

(1)  He transacts all our affairs, he attends to our business as his own. Indeed, he himself is concerned in it. He brings fresh supplies to his spouse. If she wanders out of the way, he guides her. If she stumbles, he holds her by the hand. If she falls, he raises her. If she is dull, he quickens her by his Spirit. If she is perverse, he draws her with cords of love. If she is sad, he comforts her with promises.

(2) In the case of weakness of grace. The believer cannot lay hold on Christ, except with a trembling hand. There is a “spirit of infirmity” on him, but oh, weak Christian, here is strong consolation: there is a conjugal union. You are the spouse of Christ, and he will bear with you as the weaker vessel.

(3) In the case of the disrespect and unkindness of the world: “in wrath they hate me” (Psalm 55:3). But though we live in an unkind world, we have a kind Husband: “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you” (John 15:9).

(4) In the case of the saints’ suffering. The church of God is exposed in this life to many injuries, but she has a Husband in heaven who is mindful of her and will “turn water into wine” for her. Now it is a time of mourning with the spouse because the Bridegroom is absent (Matthew 9:15). But shortly she shall put off her mourning. Christ will wipe the tears of blood off the cheeks of his spouse: “the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces” (Isaiah 25:8).

For our relationships with other believers and body life

(1) See the dignity of all true believers. They are joined in marriage with Christ. There is not only assimilation but union; they are not only like Christ but one with Christ. All the saints have this honor.

(2) See how fearful a sin it is to abuse the saints. It is an injury done to Christ, for believers are mystically one with him: “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:4).

(3) See the reason why the saints so rejoice in the Word and sacrament, because here they meet with their Husband, Christ. The wife desires to be in the presence of her husband. The ordinances are the chariot in which Christ rides, the lattice through which he looks forth and shows his smiling face. Here Christ displays the banner of love (Song 2:4). The Lord’s Supper is nothing other than a pledge and earnest of that eternal communion which the saints shall have with Christ in heaven. Then he will take the spouse into his bosom.

As we age and approach the end of life

(1) This union with Christ never ceases. “Thrice happy they whom an unbroken bond unites” (Horace). Other marriages are soon at an end. Death cuts asunder the marriage knot, but this conjugal union is eternal. You who are once Christ’s spouse shall never again be a widow: “I will betroth thee unto me forever” (Hosea 2:19). To speak properly, our marriage with Christ begins where other marriages end, at death.

(2) In the case of passing sentence at the day of judgement. There is a marriage union and, oh Christian, your Husband shall be your judge. A wife would not fear appearing at the bar if her husband was sitting as judge. What though the devil should bring in many indictments against you? Christ will expunge your sins in his blood. He will say, “Shall I condemn my spouse?” Oh, what a comfort this is! The Husband is judge.

Conclusion

Tony-NewThe doctrine of Union with Christ is profound and far-reaching and reflecting upon its meaning and implications is essential and very fortifying for the believer. However, there remains one temptation I do not want to overlook. Often, when meditating upon this doctrine, I find it very easy to find myself focusing on the benefits of this union with Christ rather than upon Christ himself. This difference can be a very subtle, but it really is putting the cart before the horse. As the saying goes, this is “focusing on the gifts rather than the giver.”

Truly, the greatest benefit comes from knowing and loving the Giver. We should be seeking fellowship with Him and trust the realization of the benefits of this union will be experienced in His timing. As Michael Horton aptly stated, “The supreme gift in this union is Christ himself… he brings his gifts with him.”

Tony Sanelli is a Pastor/Teacher at Grace Bible Church

]]>
union-with-christ

In his book, The Hole in Our Holiness, author Kevin DeYoung says that “Union with Christ may be the most important doctrine you’ve never heard of.”

My experience as a pastor for these 34 years makes me think he is right. Many people in Evangelical churches have never heard of their relationship with Christ summed up as the doctrine of “union with Christ.” This was confirmed nearly every time I taught this doctrine in our discipleship course only to see inquisitive looks on the faces of those participating. The same also frequently occurs in my seminary course on the Christian life to this day.

Thankfully, more contemporary books on the subject have been written in recent years. For those interested in exploring the subject further, I suggest the very digestible Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God by Rankin Wilbourne.

Defining Union With Christ

One of the reasons Union with Christ isn’t taught in many churches is that it can be a difficult doctrine to sum up and wrap our heads around. The doctrine has tendrils touching upon all the better-known components of salvation such as election, justification, sanctification, adoption, and glorification. Nevertheless, for the sake of brevity, we may define Union with Christ as the reality that by grace through faith the Spirit makes a believer “one” with Christ. Hence, all that belongs to Christ belongs to the believer. Union confers upon every believer all of the benefits of the work Jesus accomplished on our behalf as our mediator.

This has far-reaching implications. Perhaps none greater than the fact that when a person is in Christ, the Father looks at him or her and doesn’t see his or her wickedness, rather he sees the beauty of His Son, Jesus. What a glorious comfort!

Marriage A Picture Of Union With Christ

We recently touched upon Union with Christ in our expositional study of the book of Galatians. Time kept me from developing a cross-reference from Ephesians 5. There, Paul describes the union between husband and wife as a God designed visible reflection of the greater union between Christ and the church.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound,
and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”
(Ephesians 5:31-32)

That marriage is a mystery means that since its very inception (Genesis 2) there has been a hidden meaning in it and that up until the death and resurrection of Christ this meaning has been hidden. The surprise revelation is that marriage has been designed to be a portrait of something else, something greater—the “one flesh” permanent union between Christ and the church. God intended human marriage to provide visible language to explain Christ’s relation to the church. In other words, human marriage is the copy and union with Christ is the original.

I find that reflecting upon Union with Christ as a marriage has many practical benefits for Christian living. No one developed this better than the Puritan, Thomas Watson. I offer you a few brief excerpts from his work, Mystical Union Between Christ and Saints which I have reorganized under a few headings.

For our own comfort and assurance

(1) No husband loves like Christ. The Lord says to the people, “I have loved you”, and they say, “Wherein hast thou loved us?” (Malachi 1:2). But we cannot say to Christ, “Wherein hast thou loved us?” Christ has given real demonstrations of his love to his spouse. He has sent her his Word, which is a love-letter, and he has given her his Spirit, which is a love-token. Christ loves more than any other husband.

(2) Christ puts a richer robe on his bride: “He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). In this robe, God looks on us as if we had not sinned. This robe is as truly ours to justify us, as it is Christ’s to bestow on us. This robe not only covers but adorns.

(3) Christ gives his bride not only his golden garments but his image. He loves her into his own likeness. A husband may have a dear affection for his wife, but he cannot stamp his own image on her. If she is deformed, he may give her a veil to hide it, but he cannot put his beauty on her. But Christ imparts “the beauty of holiness” to his spouse… Christ never thinks he has loved his spouse enough till he can see his own face in her.

(4) Christ discharges those debts which no other husband can. Our sins are the worst debts we owe. If all the angels should contribute money, they could not pay one of these debts, but Christ frees us from these. He is both a Husband and a Surety.

(5) Christ has suffered more for his spouse than ever any husband did for a wife. He suffered poverty and ignominy. He who crowned the heavens with stars was himself crowned with thorns.

In our sufferings

(1)  He transacts all our affairs, he attends to our business as his own. Indeed, he himself is concerned in it. He brings fresh supplies to his spouse. If she wanders out of the way, he guides her. If she stumbles, he holds her by the hand. If she falls, he raises her. If she is dull, he quickens her by his Spirit. If she is perverse, he draws her with cords of love. If she is sad, he comforts her with promises.

(2) In the case of weakness of grace. The believer cannot lay hold on Christ, except with a trembling hand. There is a “spirit of infirmity” on him, but oh, weak Christian, here is strong consolation: there is a conjugal union. You are the spouse of Christ, and he will bear with you as the weaker vessel.

(3) In the case of the disrespect and unkindness of the world: “in wrath they hate me” (Psalm 55:3). But though we live in an unkind world, we have a kind Husband: “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you” (John 15:9).

(4) In the case of the saints’ suffering. The church of God is exposed in this life to many injuries, but she has a Husband in heaven who is mindful of her and will “turn water into wine” for her. Now it is a time of mourning with the spouse because the Bridegroom is absent (Matthew 9:15). But shortly she shall put off her mourning. Christ will wipe the tears of blood off the cheeks of his spouse: “the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces” (Isaiah 25:8).

For our relationships with other believers and body life

(1) See the dignity of all true believers. They are joined in marriage with Christ. There is not only assimilation but union; they are not only like Christ but one with Christ. All the saints have this honor.

(2) See how fearful a sin it is to abuse the saints. It is an injury done to Christ, for believers are mystically one with him: “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:4).

(3) See the reason why the saints so rejoice in the Word and sacrament, because here they meet with their Husband, Christ. The wife desires to be in the presence of her husband. The ordinances are the chariot in which Christ rides, the lattice through which he looks forth and shows his smiling face. Here Christ displays the banner of love (Song 2:4). The Lord’s Supper is nothing other than a pledge and earnest of that eternal communion which the saints shall have with Christ in heaven. Then he will take the spouse into his bosom.

As we age and approach the end of life

(1) This union with Christ never ceases. “Thrice happy they whom an unbroken bond unites” (Horace). Other marriages are soon at an end. Death cuts asunder the marriage knot, but this conjugal union is eternal. You who are once Christ’s spouse shall never again be a widow: “I will betroth thee unto me forever” (Hosea 2:19). To speak properly, our marriage with Christ begins where other marriages end, at death.

(2) In the case of passing sentence at the day of judgement. There is a marriage union and, oh Christian, your Husband shall be your judge. A wife would not fear appearing at the bar if her husband was sitting as judge. What though the devil should bring in many indictments against you? Christ will expunge your sins in his blood. He will say, “Shall I condemn my spouse?” Oh, what a comfort this is! The Husband is judge.

Conclusion

Tony-NewThe doctrine of Union with Christ is profound and far-reaching and reflecting upon its meaning and implications is essential and very fortifying for the believer. However, there remains one temptation I do not want to overlook. Often, when meditating upon this doctrine, I find it very easy to find myself focusing on the benefits of this union with Christ rather than upon Christ himself. This difference can be a very subtle, but it really is putting the cart before the horse. As the saying goes, this is “focusing on the gifts rather than the giver.”

Truly, the greatest benefit comes from knowing and loving the Giver. We should be seeking fellowship with Him and trust the realization of the benefits of this union will be experienced in His timing. As Michael Horton aptly stated, “The supreme gift in this union is Christ himself… he brings his gifts with him.”

Tony Sanelli is a Pastor/Teacher at Grace Bible Church

]]>
How to Read the New Testament in 8 Weeks https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/how-to-read-the-new-testament-in-8-weeks https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/how-to-read-the-new-testament-in-8-weeks#comments Thu, 04 Jan 2024 18:00:00 -0800 https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/how-to-read-the-new-testament-in-8-weeks read-the-Bible-2

I confess. Never have I finished a 365-day Bible reading plan in one calendar year. I often start on New Year's Day, but by late February, I slow down to a crawl and eventually give up.
 
Bible reading should be a part of the Christian’s daily routine. But in the busyness of life, we often neglect this spiritual discipline.

In frustration years ago, I abandoned all 52-week Bible reading plans. Having failed to finish a single marathon, I decided to look for a more manageable 10-kilometer event. I wanted to start with the New Testament since it fully reveals the New Covenant and the works of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I committed 15-20 minutes to reading my Bible each morning. Before showing you my 8-week New Testament reading plan, let me explain seven principles that guided my design process.

7 Principles to this NT Reading Plan

1. Alternate between narratives and epistles.

I did not want to read the four Gospels all at once. I wanted to spread the Gospels out. That way, I can spend a week reading about the life of Jesus and alternate and read a few epistles the next.

2. Read in semi-chronological order.

I did not restrict myself to reading the New Testament in strict chronological order, but I still wanted to read the earlier writings (James, Galatians) before the later ones (John’s Epistles and Revelation).

I wanted to read Christ’s advent before His second coming. I also wanted to appreciate the evolving themes of the epistles over time from 40 to 95 AD.

3. Read Acts early to provide background to the epistles.

Reading the Book of Acts early provides a historical and cultural background of the New Testament epistles. Luke and Acts are kept together since they are closely related and both penned by Luke.

4. Make epistle readings shorter than narrative readings.

Many people read about 200 words a minute. So, to get an average daily reading time of 15-20 minutes, each daily reading needed to be between 2500-3500 words in length.

I tend to read epistles more carefully and slowly, but I can read narratives faster. So, the allocated reading for the four Gospels and the book of Acts could be longer. The assigned daily readings for the epistles and book of Revelation would be shorter.

Because chapters vary in length, I could not simply say just read 4 chapters a day. Some daily readings consist of five chapters. Others include only three chapters when I considered each chapter's genre and length.

For the daily readings in the epistles, my target length was 2500 words. For the readings in the Gospels and the Book of Acts, the target was 3500 words. The maximum length needed to remain under 4000 words.

5. Do not divide books.

I did not want to read two books simultaneously, nor did I want to pause midway in one book to start another. Instead, I would rather read Luke and Acts contiguously before starting an epistle. Abruptly stopping at Acts 15 to read Galatians and James would stifle me from appreciating Acts' overall picture and flow.

There is ample opportunity to return later for further study. The primary goal of this reading plan is to help me gaze at the big picture of the story of God as recorded in the New Testament.

6. Do not divide chapters.

For simplicity, I did not want to divide chapters. Even though chapter divisions were not a part of the original text, following the chapter divisions seems natural.

At a glance, I know on the first day, I am going to read Mark’s first four chapters. If I split up readings mid-chapter, I would need to constantly reference my reading plan to identify which verse I was planning to stop.

7. Start with Mark’s gospel first.

Based on my tendency to have "dry spells" in Bible reading, I anticipate using this reading plan whenever I have neglected Bible reading for any extended period of time.

The Gospel of Mark, in my opinion, is one of the easiest books in the New Testament to read.

  • It is packed with action.
  • It highlights the most important life events of Jesus Christ.
  • It is simple to understand.

Once I have read Mark’s Gospel, even when I feel tired and unmotivated, I will have built four days of solid momentum that will propel me to completing this 8-week reading plan.

Bible Reading Plan in Action

Start the first 30 minutes of your day reading and meditating on the Bible. Treat this like you would with your morning coffee or your breakfast. Take 15-20 minutes to read the Bible passage. Take another 10-15 minutes to meditate and pray on what you have read.

Read your Bible every day. Start today. You will not regret it.

"But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night."
(Psalm 1:2)

Bible-reading

If you don't have a Bible reading plan, join me in reading the New Testament in 8 weeks. You can even read your Bible five days a week (instead of seven) and still finish the New Testament in under 12 weeks.

Download the Eight Week Bible reading plan included with the January GraceLife newsletter. Enjoy!

In addition to the Eight Week Bible Plan, we have various Bible reading plans available in our Welcome Center, located in the church lobby.

Pedro Cheung is a member of Grace Bible Church.

]]>
read-the-Bible-2

I confess. Never have I finished a 365-day Bible reading plan in one calendar year. I often start on New Year's Day, but by late February, I slow down to a crawl and eventually give up.
 
Bible reading should be a part of the Christian’s daily routine. But in the busyness of life, we often neglect this spiritual discipline.

In frustration years ago, I abandoned all 52-week Bible reading plans. Having failed to finish a single marathon, I decided to look for a more manageable 10-kilometer event. I wanted to start with the New Testament since it fully reveals the New Covenant and the works of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I committed 15-20 minutes to reading my Bible each morning. Before showing you my 8-week New Testament reading plan, let me explain seven principles that guided my design process.

7 Principles to this NT Reading Plan

1. Alternate between narratives and epistles.

I did not want to read the four Gospels all at once. I wanted to spread the Gospels out. That way, I can spend a week reading about the life of Jesus and alternate and read a few epistles the next.

2. Read in semi-chronological order.

I did not restrict myself to reading the New Testament in strict chronological order, but I still wanted to read the earlier writings (James, Galatians) before the later ones (John’s Epistles and Revelation).

I wanted to read Christ’s advent before His second coming. I also wanted to appreciate the evolving themes of the epistles over time from 40 to 95 AD.

3. Read Acts early to provide background to the epistles.

Reading the Book of Acts early provides a historical and cultural background of the New Testament epistles. Luke and Acts are kept together since they are closely related and both penned by Luke.

4. Make epistle readings shorter than narrative readings.

Many people read about 200 words a minute. So, to get an average daily reading time of 15-20 minutes, each daily reading needed to be between 2500-3500 words in length.

I tend to read epistles more carefully and slowly, but I can read narratives faster. So, the allocated reading for the four Gospels and the book of Acts could be longer. The assigned daily readings for the epistles and book of Revelation would be shorter.

Because chapters vary in length, I could not simply say just read 4 chapters a day. Some daily readings consist of five chapters. Others include only three chapters when I considered each chapter's genre and length.

For the daily readings in the epistles, my target length was 2500 words. For the readings in the Gospels and the Book of Acts, the target was 3500 words. The maximum length needed to remain under 4000 words.

5. Do not divide books.

I did not want to read two books simultaneously, nor did I want to pause midway in one book to start another. Instead, I would rather read Luke and Acts contiguously before starting an epistle. Abruptly stopping at Acts 15 to read Galatians and James would stifle me from appreciating Acts' overall picture and flow.

There is ample opportunity to return later for further study. The primary goal of this reading plan is to help me gaze at the big picture of the story of God as recorded in the New Testament.

6. Do not divide chapters.

For simplicity, I did not want to divide chapters. Even though chapter divisions were not a part of the original text, following the chapter divisions seems natural.

At a glance, I know on the first day, I am going to read Mark’s first four chapters. If I split up readings mid-chapter, I would need to constantly reference my reading plan to identify which verse I was planning to stop.

7. Start with Mark’s gospel first.

Based on my tendency to have "dry spells" in Bible reading, I anticipate using this reading plan whenever I have neglected Bible reading for any extended period of time.

The Gospel of Mark, in my opinion, is one of the easiest books in the New Testament to read.

  • It is packed with action.
  • It highlights the most important life events of Jesus Christ.
  • It is simple to understand.

Once I have read Mark’s Gospel, even when I feel tired and unmotivated, I will have built four days of solid momentum that will propel me to completing this 8-week reading plan.

Bible Reading Plan in Action

Start the first 30 minutes of your day reading and meditating on the Bible. Treat this like you would with your morning coffee or your breakfast. Take 15-20 minutes to read the Bible passage. Take another 10-15 minutes to meditate and pray on what you have read.

Read your Bible every day. Start today. You will not regret it.

"But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night."
(Psalm 1:2)

Bible-reading

If you don't have a Bible reading plan, join me in reading the New Testament in 8 weeks. You can even read your Bible five days a week (instead of seven) and still finish the New Testament in under 12 weeks.

Download the Eight Week Bible reading plan included with the January GraceLife newsletter. Enjoy!

In addition to the Eight Week Bible Plan, we have various Bible reading plans available in our Welcome Center, located in the church lobby.

Pedro Cheung is a member of Grace Bible Church.

]]>
Waiting in Hope https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/waiting-in-hope https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/waiting-in-hope#comments Sat, 02 Dec 2023 18:00:00 -0800 https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/waiting-in-hope waiting-in-hope

Christmas is fast approaching, which is hard to believe. It seems like summer was only yesterday. But here we stand on the cusp of another Christmas morning, and as that day approaches, I’ve been reflecting on waiting… just waiting… and how much patience that requires.

In my home, the arrival of Christmas usually brings with it a lot of ordering through Amazon. With those orders brings an eager expectation for the delivery to our front door usually within a 24-hour window. Within that 24 hours begins the waiting process. Waiting requires patience. But it also requires trust… trust that Amazon will make good on its promise to deliver within the time frame it promises to do so.  

I’ve found though that it is easier to wait for an expected delivery when the promise of delivery can be tracked. Technology is amazing. I can open the Amazon app and see exactly where my package is and track its progress to my home. Waiting with the ability to know when the promise will be fulfilled is not too difficult. But waiting for the fulfillment of a delivery without an Amazon app is far more challenging.

I wonder what it must have been like for Adam and Eve, as they waited for that first Christmas morning that assured a guilty, grieving man and woman that there would be a day when the curse of sin would be lifted and all things would be made right again [1]. What was it like for Adam and Eve to wait for the fulfillment of that promise? For that day to come when joy is ushered in and the curse of sin is removed. Who would be the promised Seed? When would he come?  Was their hope lifted with the birth of Cain and Abel? Was their hope dashed when Cain killed Abel as they realized they would have to continue to wait?  

What was it like for Israel who waited and waited for centuries for the coming of their Messiah… of THE Messiah…for the arrival of the Prince of Peace, for deliverance, for justice [2]. There must have been a weariness, even a hopelessness at times.

Waiting is hard especially when there is no way to know when the waiting will end. Waiting stirs up all sorts of feelings in us both emotionally and spiritually - from fear and worry to doubt and hopelessness. Waiting is hard. But, for the Christian, waiting can also be where we come to know the Lord more deeply and cultivate hope more faithfully [3]. For it is in the waiting that the Lord assures us he will strengthen, uphold and carry us AS we wait for his perfect timing and his perfect purposes [4].

How then shall we wait when there seems no end in sight?

Psalm 131 captures perfectly how we might answer that question:

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.

HOPE

Though it is at the end of Psalm 131, I believe that the final verse ‘hope in the Lord’ is where we must begin, because the foundation and basis upon which we find the strength and patience to wait is rooted in where we place our hope.  

Hope in things of this world are flimsy and feeble. They give the impression of strength and certainty, but in the end the world is shifting sand and will ultimately give way when rains come down and the floods come up [5]. And when that hope does give way - and it will - the feelings of fear, worry, hopelessness take root and those feelings lead to restlessness and discontentment [6].

But biblical hope anchors our soul to the nature, character and promises of God, and as we rest upon these wonderful truths and promises our hearts, minds, actions can’t help but reflect the restfulness promised by Christ who bids that we come to him so that we might find rest for our souls [7].

How then might we strengthen our hope in the Lord?

HUMILITY

“Oh Lord my eyes are not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high”

Humility seems obvious on the surface but in times of waiting humility can be hard to come by; for it is in the waiting that we are prone to grumble, to complain, to doubt, to fear, to worry because we believe we know best. Our timing is perfect. Our plans are foolproof and when things don’t go according to our plans we grow impatient, irritated and can soon lose hope.  

But humility admits that we don’t know all things and that we aren’t in control of time or events, and that God’s purposes in the waiting (unknown to us in the moment [8]) are better than we can even imagine [9]. In humility, we exalt the plans and purposes of God and we submit our wants and desires to his perfect will knowing His aim is our good [10].

MEEKNESS

“I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me”

With humble hearts, we must maintain a disposition of meekness and submission to God. In our waiting, we may not be able to see God’s immediate purposes, and that may lead to fear, and anxiety reigning in our hearts and minds. Yet, meekness before God places us in humble submission to God, trusting that though His ways are not our ways [11], and  that though His purposes may not align with ours, He nevertheless remains trustworthy and dependable and true. It is here in the waiting, that we trust that God is at work, molding and shaping us into the image of Christ [12].

In times of waiting, restful hope is cultivated in meekness and humility as you occupy yourself with what you know about the nature and character of God, rather than what you don’t know about your circumstances.

TRUTH

“But I have calmed and quieted my soul”

When the ground is hard and unusable, a farmer must cultivate the ground… but he can’t use his bare hands, he must use the proper tools. He must break the soil with his spade, remove the rocks and turn the soil with his plough. He must then fertilize the ground, sow the seeds, and then water the field. He then must continue to tend to his field in order for it to thrive.

Similarly, the psalmist too has cultivated the ground of his heart. His soul is ‘calmed’, which carries the idea of plowing a field and preparing it for planting. His soul is ‘quiet’ - literally still - because in the rough waters of waiting his soul is steady and fixed upon what he knows is true.

In times of waiting, we, too, must cultivate the soil of hearts and minds. We must sow truth into our hearts [13], setting our minds on things above [14] and setting our affections on the riches and blessings of being known intimately by a loving Father [15]. We fix our minds with the promise that we are not alone and that Christ is near [16]. We fix our  minds on the promises of God that are in Christ Jesus, sowing truth into our hearts and minds so that when the waiting comes our souls are still and the restlessness of the unknown is held at bay.

REST

“Like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

A hungry newborn in the arms of her mother is anxiously expecting to be fed. If you’ve had children you know. If you’ve ever seen a newborn anticipating getting fed, you know how anxious the little one is when she is waiting expectantly for food.  

The picture the psalmist is painting, though, is a child at rest in the arms of her mother. No longer worried. No longer anxious. No longer wondering when food will arrive. The weaned child is at rest in her mother’s arms because she knows that food will come in the right time and in the right way. The weaned child is at rest as she waits for food because she trusts her mother. Her mother has proven over and over and over again that there is nothing to fear, nothing to worry about, food will come. The mother says in a soft voice, “Just wait. Food is coming. I love you.”

Let me ask: Are you at rest in the arms of your Father? Are you weaned from the cares and concerns of what you cannot see, understand or control? Has He not proven over and over again that He loves you [17], that he cares for you [18], that he is faithful [19], trustworthy [20] and good [21] to you? If the answer to those questions are yes, then in humility and meekness trust that God is with you, cares for you, loves you and will meet your every need in his perfect timing. If you are unsure about your answers, then I bid you to come to the fountain of living water and find rest for your weary soul.

WAITING IN HOPE

Waiting is hard, but God is faithful to provide for us a way to have rest in the waiting - we simply need to trust Him. Waiting is hard, but better to wait restfully in the arms of our Savior [22] than clutching restlessly for answers to questions that are ‘too great and too marvelous" [23] to understand. May we all in our waiting find rest as we “hope in the Lord for this time forth and forever more” [24].

Scott Denny is an Elder at Grace Bible Church

  1. Genesis 3:15
  2. Isaiah 9:6, 7
  3. Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4
  4. Isaiah 40:31; Romans 8:28
  5. Matthew 7:26-27
  6. Lamentations 3:17-20
  7. Matthew 11:28
  8. Deuteronomy 29:29
  9. Romans 8:28-29
  10. IBID
  11. Isaiah 55:8-9
  12. Romans 8:29
  13. Philippians 4:8-9
  14. Colossians 3:1-2
  15. I John 3:1
  16. Philippians 4:5
  17. Romans 5:8; Ephesians 3:18
  18. Matthew 6:26-31
  19. 1 Corinthians 10:13
  20. Psalm 145:13
  21. Psalm 145:9
  22. Psalm 40:10-11
  23. Psalm 131:2
  24. Psalm 131:3
]]>
waiting-in-hope

Christmas is fast approaching, which is hard to believe. It seems like summer was only yesterday. But here we stand on the cusp of another Christmas morning, and as that day approaches, I’ve been reflecting on waiting… just waiting… and how much patience that requires.

In my home, the arrival of Christmas usually brings with it a lot of ordering through Amazon. With those orders brings an eager expectation for the delivery to our front door usually within a 24-hour window. Within that 24 hours begins the waiting process. Waiting requires patience. But it also requires trust… trust that Amazon will make good on its promise to deliver within the time frame it promises to do so.  

I’ve found though that it is easier to wait for an expected delivery when the promise of delivery can be tracked. Technology is amazing. I can open the Amazon app and see exactly where my package is and track its progress to my home. Waiting with the ability to know when the promise will be fulfilled is not too difficult. But waiting for the fulfillment of a delivery without an Amazon app is far more challenging.

I wonder what it must have been like for Adam and Eve, as they waited for that first Christmas morning that assured a guilty, grieving man and woman that there would be a day when the curse of sin would be lifted and all things would be made right again [1]. What was it like for Adam and Eve to wait for the fulfillment of that promise? For that day to come when joy is ushered in and the curse of sin is removed. Who would be the promised Seed? When would he come?  Was their hope lifted with the birth of Cain and Abel? Was their hope dashed when Cain killed Abel as they realized they would have to continue to wait?  

What was it like for Israel who waited and waited for centuries for the coming of their Messiah… of THE Messiah…for the arrival of the Prince of Peace, for deliverance, for justice [2]. There must have been a weariness, even a hopelessness at times.

Waiting is hard especially when there is no way to know when the waiting will end. Waiting stirs up all sorts of feelings in us both emotionally and spiritually - from fear and worry to doubt and hopelessness. Waiting is hard. But, for the Christian, waiting can also be where we come to know the Lord more deeply and cultivate hope more faithfully [3]. For it is in the waiting that the Lord assures us he will strengthen, uphold and carry us AS we wait for his perfect timing and his perfect purposes [4].

How then shall we wait when there seems no end in sight?

Psalm 131 captures perfectly how we might answer that question:

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.

HOPE

Though it is at the end of Psalm 131, I believe that the final verse ‘hope in the Lord’ is where we must begin, because the foundation and basis upon which we find the strength and patience to wait is rooted in where we place our hope.  

Hope in things of this world are flimsy and feeble. They give the impression of strength and certainty, but in the end the world is shifting sand and will ultimately give way when rains come down and the floods come up [5]. And when that hope does give way - and it will - the feelings of fear, worry, hopelessness take root and those feelings lead to restlessness and discontentment [6].

But biblical hope anchors our soul to the nature, character and promises of God, and as we rest upon these wonderful truths and promises our hearts, minds, actions can’t help but reflect the restfulness promised by Christ who bids that we come to him so that we might find rest for our souls [7].

How then might we strengthen our hope in the Lord?

HUMILITY

“Oh Lord my eyes are not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high”

Humility seems obvious on the surface but in times of waiting humility can be hard to come by; for it is in the waiting that we are prone to grumble, to complain, to doubt, to fear, to worry because we believe we know best. Our timing is perfect. Our plans are foolproof and when things don’t go according to our plans we grow impatient, irritated and can soon lose hope.  

But humility admits that we don’t know all things and that we aren’t in control of time or events, and that God’s purposes in the waiting (unknown to us in the moment [8]) are better than we can even imagine [9]. In humility, we exalt the plans and purposes of God and we submit our wants and desires to his perfect will knowing His aim is our good [10].

MEEKNESS

“I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me”

With humble hearts, we must maintain a disposition of meekness and submission to God. In our waiting, we may not be able to see God’s immediate purposes, and that may lead to fear, and anxiety reigning in our hearts and minds. Yet, meekness before God places us in humble submission to God, trusting that though His ways are not our ways [11], and  that though His purposes may not align with ours, He nevertheless remains trustworthy and dependable and true. It is here in the waiting, that we trust that God is at work, molding and shaping us into the image of Christ [12].

In times of waiting, restful hope is cultivated in meekness and humility as you occupy yourself with what you know about the nature and character of God, rather than what you don’t know about your circumstances.

TRUTH

“But I have calmed and quieted my soul”

When the ground is hard and unusable, a farmer must cultivate the ground… but he can’t use his bare hands, he must use the proper tools. He must break the soil with his spade, remove the rocks and turn the soil with his plough. He must then fertilize the ground, sow the seeds, and then water the field. He then must continue to tend to his field in order for it to thrive.

Similarly, the psalmist too has cultivated the ground of his heart. His soul is ‘calmed’, which carries the idea of plowing a field and preparing it for planting. His soul is ‘quiet’ - literally still - because in the rough waters of waiting his soul is steady and fixed upon what he knows is true.

In times of waiting, we, too, must cultivate the soil of hearts and minds. We must sow truth into our hearts [13], setting our minds on things above [14] and setting our affections on the riches and blessings of being known intimately by a loving Father [15]. We fix our minds with the promise that we are not alone and that Christ is near [16]. We fix our  minds on the promises of God that are in Christ Jesus, sowing truth into our hearts and minds so that when the waiting comes our souls are still and the restlessness of the unknown is held at bay.

REST

“Like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

A hungry newborn in the arms of her mother is anxiously expecting to be fed. If you’ve had children you know. If you’ve ever seen a newborn anticipating getting fed, you know how anxious the little one is when she is waiting expectantly for food.  

The picture the psalmist is painting, though, is a child at rest in the arms of her mother. No longer worried. No longer anxious. No longer wondering when food will arrive. The weaned child is at rest in her mother’s arms because she knows that food will come in the right time and in the right way. The weaned child is at rest as she waits for food because she trusts her mother. Her mother has proven over and over and over again that there is nothing to fear, nothing to worry about, food will come. The mother says in a soft voice, “Just wait. Food is coming. I love you.”

Let me ask: Are you at rest in the arms of your Father? Are you weaned from the cares and concerns of what you cannot see, understand or control? Has He not proven over and over again that He loves you [17], that he cares for you [18], that he is faithful [19], trustworthy [20] and good [21] to you? If the answer to those questions are yes, then in humility and meekness trust that God is with you, cares for you, loves you and will meet your every need in his perfect timing. If you are unsure about your answers, then I bid you to come to the fountain of living water and find rest for your weary soul.

WAITING IN HOPE

Waiting is hard, but God is faithful to provide for us a way to have rest in the waiting - we simply need to trust Him. Waiting is hard, but better to wait restfully in the arms of our Savior [22] than clutching restlessly for answers to questions that are ‘too great and too marvelous" [23] to understand. May we all in our waiting find rest as we “hope in the Lord for this time forth and forever more” [24].

Scott Denny is an Elder at Grace Bible Church

  1. Genesis 3:15
  2. Isaiah 9:6, 7
  3. Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4
  4. Isaiah 40:31; Romans 8:28
  5. Matthew 7:26-27
  6. Lamentations 3:17-20
  7. Matthew 11:28
  8. Deuteronomy 29:29
  9. Romans 8:28-29
  10. IBID
  11. Isaiah 55:8-9
  12. Romans 8:29
  13. Philippians 4:8-9
  14. Colossians 3:1-2
  15. I John 3:1
  16. Philippians 4:5
  17. Romans 5:8; Ephesians 3:18
  18. Matthew 6:26-31
  19. 1 Corinthians 10:13
  20. Psalm 145:13
  21. Psalm 145:9
  22. Psalm 40:10-11
  23. Psalm 131:2
  24. Psalm 131:3
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Let Thanksgiving Triumph over Complaints! https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/let-thanksgiving-triumph-over-complaints https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/let-thanksgiving-triumph-over-complaints#comments Wed, 01 Nov 2023 18:00:00 -0700 https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/let-thanksgiving-triumph-over-complaints thanksgiving-triumph

Church family, I want to consider that thanksgiving is a practice in our spiritual life that comes from God, blesses us, and brings indescribable joy to our lives. Thanksgiving is the result of recognizing the constant work of God’s grace in our lives (Philippians 1:6), and the untold blessings we have received in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Gratitude is the most natural and intentional response that creatures show before their creator, that servants show before their Lord, and that lost sinners show before their Savior.

Thanksgiving springs out spontaneously from the redeemed soul that enjoys the grace that comes from heaven. Paul, speaking of the complete work of salvation that God will do in his people despite the sufferings in this world, says: “For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God (2Corinthians 4:15).” Notice the way Paul exalts the love and grace of God in saving people. This work increases the thanksgivings that bring glory to his name. A life of gratitude springs directly from God’s work of grace in our lives, not self-imposed discipline.

Thanksgiving to God is not something human beings invented to earn divine favor. Gratitude is a commandment from heaven that God has designed to bring sinners closer to Him (Psalm 100:4). Gratitude is God’s will and desire for our lives (1Thessalonians 5:18). And who can doubt that His will is always good, pleasant and perfect?

Ray-editedThanksgivings to God are the instinctive response of the redeemed soul that recognizes divine goodness. Those of us who have experienced the wonderful goodness of God are aware that gratitudes are unforced responses in our worship. Although we know gratitude is a commandment, we cannot doubt the spontaneous answer of this act in the lives of the redeemed. All of us who have enjoyed and seen the love and goodness of God in our lives will inevitably respond with thanksgiving to God.

An excellent example of this is found in Psalm 107. Here, the psalmist begins the psalm with thanksgiving to God for his goodness (Psalm 107:1), and in the repeated refrain of the psalm, he constantly says: “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to the children of man!” Psalm. 107:8, 18, 21, 31. A necessary spiritual exercise is to frequently stop to reflect on the goodness and love of God. The spontaneous fruit of this reflection is the gratitude that will flow from our hearts and will be proclaimed by our lips.

In contrast to thanksgiving to God, we have complaints. Complaints spring from a rebellious heart that finds it impossible to submit to the will of God and not fully understand the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Complaint has been present in the story of the Bible since man deliberately sinned in the Garden of Eden. The first complaint of the human being was against God because of the woman he had given him (Genesis 3:12). Since then, it has been a recurring attitude for human beings to complain about everything and not show gratitude to God. Since the fall of humanity, we find the trace of our sin of complaint.

Like a bad habit, grumblings accompanied the people of Israel on their way to the Promised Land. As soon as God performed the miracle of delivering them with decisive actions through the plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea, they began to complain. They complained about water (Exodus 15:22-27, 17:1-7), they complained about food (Exodus 15:22-27, Numbers 21:4-9), before God (Numbers 11:1-3), by Moses (Numbers 12:1-16), and from God (Numbers 14:27). It was easier for this nation that experienced God’s mighty work to complain than to thank God constantly. No wonder God’s righteous judgment fell on this unbelieving and uncircumcised nation (Numbers. 14:28-31). Sadly, many in the churches say they have known God, but their lives are more grumblings than thanksgiving, like that of the people of ancient Israel.

Complaining also accompanied the first Christians. As the Jerusalem church grew, the inevitable problems arose within the congregation, and grumblings began. In this case, the complaints were against church leaders who were neglecting Greek-speaking widows (Acts 6:1). Thank God that this complaint gave rise to a solution for all churches in all times: The diaconate (Acts 6: 3-4). The Philippian church also had problems with this ungodly behavior, and Paul had to encourage them: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing” (Philippians 2:14). Peter also had to exhort the brothers to show hospitality without complaint (1Peter 4:9).

The complaint also accompanies us. With humility, we must recognize that in our immaturity and inability to submit to the will of God, we constantly complain about so many things all day long. It is more common for the list of your daily complaints to be longer than the list of your gratitudes. And what about the space we dedicate to our church in that list of complaints? If we pray and thank God for blessing our family in Christ instead of grumbling about it, our church would surely be more mature and glorify God more.

Have you ever considered gratitude and complaint in the life of the Son of God? The example Jesus left us in his life of gratitude should lead us to wonder if we are imitating him. Jesus shows this godly aptitude by giving thanks for food (Matthew 15:36), by God hearing his prayers (John 11:41), by giving thanks for God’s sovereign grace in saving (Matthew 11:25- 27), and by giving thanks for the celebration of his death on the cross (Matthew 26:27). How many reasons did Jesus have to complain? The answer is all the reasons that produced this fallen world. And did he complain? Not even in the moment of most significant distress (Isaiah 53:7). Instead, he took up his mission with joy to bring salvation to humankind (Hebrews 12:2).

Beloved family, we have two paths to constantly choose
through the difficulties we
encounter in this fallen world.
Thanksgiving or complaints.

What will you choose?

The gratitude that springs from a heart that has understood divine sovereignty,
love,
and infinite goodness through faith in the gospel of Christ,
or
the complaint that rises from our rebellion and incomprehension
of the plans and
character of God revealed in Christ.

With the help of God’s grace, let thanksgiving overcome a complaining lifestyle.
Please
make thanksgiving a lifestyle and not just an annual family gathering.

Let us always overcome complaints with thanksgiving, remembering what the word of God tells us: “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe…” Hebrews 12:28.

May the grace of our God be upon your life!

Pastor Raymundo Estenoz, Ph.D. is the Pastor/Teacher of the Grace Bible Church Hispanic Church

]]>
thanksgiving-triumph

Church family, I want to consider that thanksgiving is a practice in our spiritual life that comes from God, blesses us, and brings indescribable joy to our lives. Thanksgiving is the result of recognizing the constant work of God’s grace in our lives (Philippians 1:6), and the untold blessings we have received in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Gratitude is the most natural and intentional response that creatures show before their creator, that servants show before their Lord, and that lost sinners show before their Savior.

Thanksgiving springs out spontaneously from the redeemed soul that enjoys the grace that comes from heaven. Paul, speaking of the complete work of salvation that God will do in his people despite the sufferings in this world, says: “For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God (2Corinthians 4:15).” Notice the way Paul exalts the love and grace of God in saving people. This work increases the thanksgivings that bring glory to his name. A life of gratitude springs directly from God’s work of grace in our lives, not self-imposed discipline.

Thanksgiving to God is not something human beings invented to earn divine favor. Gratitude is a commandment from heaven that God has designed to bring sinners closer to Him (Psalm 100:4). Gratitude is God’s will and desire for our lives (1Thessalonians 5:18). And who can doubt that His will is always good, pleasant and perfect?

Ray-editedThanksgivings to God are the instinctive response of the redeemed soul that recognizes divine goodness. Those of us who have experienced the wonderful goodness of God are aware that gratitudes are unforced responses in our worship. Although we know gratitude is a commandment, we cannot doubt the spontaneous answer of this act in the lives of the redeemed. All of us who have enjoyed and seen the love and goodness of God in our lives will inevitably respond with thanksgiving to God.

An excellent example of this is found in Psalm 107. Here, the psalmist begins the psalm with thanksgiving to God for his goodness (Psalm 107:1), and in the repeated refrain of the psalm, he constantly says: “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to the children of man!” Psalm. 107:8, 18, 21, 31. A necessary spiritual exercise is to frequently stop to reflect on the goodness and love of God. The spontaneous fruit of this reflection is the gratitude that will flow from our hearts and will be proclaimed by our lips.

In contrast to thanksgiving to God, we have complaints. Complaints spring from a rebellious heart that finds it impossible to submit to the will of God and not fully understand the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Complaint has been present in the story of the Bible since man deliberately sinned in the Garden of Eden. The first complaint of the human being was against God because of the woman he had given him (Genesis 3:12). Since then, it has been a recurring attitude for human beings to complain about everything and not show gratitude to God. Since the fall of humanity, we find the trace of our sin of complaint.

Like a bad habit, grumblings accompanied the people of Israel on their way to the Promised Land. As soon as God performed the miracle of delivering them with decisive actions through the plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea, they began to complain. They complained about water (Exodus 15:22-27, 17:1-7), they complained about food (Exodus 15:22-27, Numbers 21:4-9), before God (Numbers 11:1-3), by Moses (Numbers 12:1-16), and from God (Numbers 14:27). It was easier for this nation that experienced God’s mighty work to complain than to thank God constantly. No wonder God’s righteous judgment fell on this unbelieving and uncircumcised nation (Numbers. 14:28-31). Sadly, many in the churches say they have known God, but their lives are more grumblings than thanksgiving, like that of the people of ancient Israel.

Complaining also accompanied the first Christians. As the Jerusalem church grew, the inevitable problems arose within the congregation, and grumblings began. In this case, the complaints were against church leaders who were neglecting Greek-speaking widows (Acts 6:1). Thank God that this complaint gave rise to a solution for all churches in all times: The diaconate (Acts 6: 3-4). The Philippian church also had problems with this ungodly behavior, and Paul had to encourage them: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing” (Philippians 2:14). Peter also had to exhort the brothers to show hospitality without complaint (1Peter 4:9).

The complaint also accompanies us. With humility, we must recognize that in our immaturity and inability to submit to the will of God, we constantly complain about so many things all day long. It is more common for the list of your daily complaints to be longer than the list of your gratitudes. And what about the space we dedicate to our church in that list of complaints? If we pray and thank God for blessing our family in Christ instead of grumbling about it, our church would surely be more mature and glorify God more.

Have you ever considered gratitude and complaint in the life of the Son of God? The example Jesus left us in his life of gratitude should lead us to wonder if we are imitating him. Jesus shows this godly aptitude by giving thanks for food (Matthew 15:36), by God hearing his prayers (John 11:41), by giving thanks for God’s sovereign grace in saving (Matthew 11:25- 27), and by giving thanks for the celebration of his death on the cross (Matthew 26:27). How many reasons did Jesus have to complain? The answer is all the reasons that produced this fallen world. And did he complain? Not even in the moment of most significant distress (Isaiah 53:7). Instead, he took up his mission with joy to bring salvation to humankind (Hebrews 12:2).

Beloved family, we have two paths to constantly choose
through the difficulties we
encounter in this fallen world.
Thanksgiving or complaints.

What will you choose?

The gratitude that springs from a heart that has understood divine sovereignty,
love,
and infinite goodness through faith in the gospel of Christ,
or
the complaint that rises from our rebellion and incomprehension
of the plans and
character of God revealed in Christ.

With the help of God’s grace, let thanksgiving overcome a complaining lifestyle.
Please
make thanksgiving a lifestyle and not just an annual family gathering.

Let us always overcome complaints with thanksgiving, remembering what the word of God tells us: “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe…” Hebrews 12:28.

May the grace of our God be upon your life!

Pastor Raymundo Estenoz, Ph.D. is the Pastor/Teacher of the Grace Bible Church Hispanic Church

]]>
Living on Purpose https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/living-on-purpose https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/living-on-purpose#comments Sun, 01 Oct 2023 14:00:00 -0700 https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/living-on-purpose living-on-purpseA friend of mine once shared a story with me about an early church father. I forget who exactly it was, and I was unable to successfully fact-check it for this article, so take this with a grain of salt. Caveats aside, I believe it is said that Ignatius would pause whatever he was doing whenever the clock tower bell rang on the hour and say, “One less hour until the day of judgment.”

I nodded a noncommittal expression towards my friend, unsure how exactly to respond. It felt both admirable and oppressive at the same time, and I felt a bit guilty about thinking it was too extreme. The oppressive aspect of that sentiment is seen more vividly in a song entitled “The Preciousness of Time” by hip-hop artist Timothy Brindle, who wrote: “No time to waste playing PlayStation or taking vacations. Today is the day of salvation.”

Are we to live every hour of every day under the constant awareness of the impending day of judgment? Should we never go on vacations or play games or take seasons and rhythms of rest in life because there are more people still to share the gospel with and there is more work to be done? I think not. God has ordained rest as well as work. We are, in fact, not the Lord, and we entrust all of our efforts and ministry in this life to him; only Christ’s shoulders are broad enough to carry that burden.

And yet, it may be said that we in comfortable America console ourselves too quickly on this front. While extreme, these anecdotes point to a truth of which I think we may need reminding: time is short, life is urgent, we should be living our lives on purpose. A particular verse jumped out at me recently that I’ve been thinking about in this regard, and I would like to share it with you. Romans 12:11 says, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”

Paul tells us it is possible to be slothful in zeal. While we may have once had a passion to know the Lord and make him known, it is possible for that fire to have died down and grown cold. It is possible for us to become spiritual sluggards, to abandon the love we had at first. Paul urged the Thessalonians to “admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” (1Thessalonians 5:14)

What does Paul call us to? He does not call us to more activity–initially. He calls us to a fervency of spirit: to have a spirit that is boiling over, on fire with zeal. A life lived in service to the Lord is fueled by a heart that is on fire for the Lord. At the beginning of Romans 12, Paul had appealed to his readers “by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” By his mercy he chose us before time began, opened our eyes, gave us a new life, forgave all our sin, granted his Spirit to dwell in us, continues to put to death sin in our lives, and carries us all the way to glory. His grace is the very realm in which we stand.

This was the driving force of Paul’s life. He was enraptured with the love of Christ for him. He says in Galatians 2:20, “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.” Or in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” Or again in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Note that he follows by adding, “If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me” Fervency for Christ leads to service.

A genuine fervency of spirit grows as our hearts comprehend more deeply the mercy of God toward us in Christ. As we consider our lives, that we are trophies of his grace, that we are not our own, but have been bought with a price, our hearts are oriented towards the glory of Christ. The burning zeal in our hearts is not to be useful, or to be meaningful, or to have a purpose, but simply that Christ would be exalted.

There is a famous story of Moravian missionaries from the 1700s. Two men from Germany felt the call of God to go to the West Indies to preach the gospel to the slaves there. They were not permitted to do so. So, they sold themselves into slavery, it is said, so that they could go and minister to the slaves. As the ship left to bear them away, they called out, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!”

What a precious statement that cuts right to the heart of the matter. Their fervent spirit was fervent about the glory of Christ because of his unfathomable mercy he freely gives to all who believe. The love of Christ compelled them into service. They did not say, “God will send someone to save those people when he pleases.” Rather, they said with Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8.)

Brothers and sisters, let us feel a sense of urgency. We mustn’t meander through life. We need to mature and grow in our walk with Jesus, to bear the fruits of the Spirit, to apply the means of grace. People need to hear and believe this gospel and know this Christ; be they spouse, kids, family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, some foreign people in a far-off land. The church needs encouragement, help, admonishing, patience. I can attest that my own fervency of spirit has gone up and down, as with all of us.

God has placed us each in a different season and context of life, family, employment, etc. Let us consider how we might serve the Lord and glorify Christ in our particular circumstances. God has also placed us in a church body together. Let us consider the needs of the church, both as individuals as well as a corporate body, both casually and formally.

Life is urgent. Let us not be slothful. Let us stir up our hearts with the gospel to be fervent in spirit. Let us serve the Lord. Let us live on purpose.

Matt Hauck attends Grace Bible Church

]]>
living-on-purpseA friend of mine once shared a story with me about an early church father. I forget who exactly it was, and I was unable to successfully fact-check it for this article, so take this with a grain of salt. Caveats aside, I believe it is said that Ignatius would pause whatever he was doing whenever the clock tower bell rang on the hour and say, “One less hour until the day of judgment.”

I nodded a noncommittal expression towards my friend, unsure how exactly to respond. It felt both admirable and oppressive at the same time, and I felt a bit guilty about thinking it was too extreme. The oppressive aspect of that sentiment is seen more vividly in a song entitled “The Preciousness of Time” by hip-hop artist Timothy Brindle, who wrote: “No time to waste playing PlayStation or taking vacations. Today is the day of salvation.”

Are we to live every hour of every day under the constant awareness of the impending day of judgment? Should we never go on vacations or play games or take seasons and rhythms of rest in life because there are more people still to share the gospel with and there is more work to be done? I think not. God has ordained rest as well as work. We are, in fact, not the Lord, and we entrust all of our efforts and ministry in this life to him; only Christ’s shoulders are broad enough to carry that burden.

And yet, it may be said that we in comfortable America console ourselves too quickly on this front. While extreme, these anecdotes point to a truth of which I think we may need reminding: time is short, life is urgent, we should be living our lives on purpose. A particular verse jumped out at me recently that I’ve been thinking about in this regard, and I would like to share it with you. Romans 12:11 says, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”

Paul tells us it is possible to be slothful in zeal. While we may have once had a passion to know the Lord and make him known, it is possible for that fire to have died down and grown cold. It is possible for us to become spiritual sluggards, to abandon the love we had at first. Paul urged the Thessalonians to “admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” (1Thessalonians 5:14)

What does Paul call us to? He does not call us to more activity–initially. He calls us to a fervency of spirit: to have a spirit that is boiling over, on fire with zeal. A life lived in service to the Lord is fueled by a heart that is on fire for the Lord. At the beginning of Romans 12, Paul had appealed to his readers “by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” By his mercy he chose us before time began, opened our eyes, gave us a new life, forgave all our sin, granted his Spirit to dwell in us, continues to put to death sin in our lives, and carries us all the way to glory. His grace is the very realm in which we stand.

This was the driving force of Paul’s life. He was enraptured with the love of Christ for him. He says in Galatians 2:20, “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.” Or in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” Or again in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Note that he follows by adding, “If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me” Fervency for Christ leads to service.

A genuine fervency of spirit grows as our hearts comprehend more deeply the mercy of God toward us in Christ. As we consider our lives, that we are trophies of his grace, that we are not our own, but have been bought with a price, our hearts are oriented towards the glory of Christ. The burning zeal in our hearts is not to be useful, or to be meaningful, or to have a purpose, but simply that Christ would be exalted.

There is a famous story of Moravian missionaries from the 1700s. Two men from Germany felt the call of God to go to the West Indies to preach the gospel to the slaves there. They were not permitted to do so. So, they sold themselves into slavery, it is said, so that they could go and minister to the slaves. As the ship left to bear them away, they called out, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!”

What a precious statement that cuts right to the heart of the matter. Their fervent spirit was fervent about the glory of Christ because of his unfathomable mercy he freely gives to all who believe. The love of Christ compelled them into service. They did not say, “God will send someone to save those people when he pleases.” Rather, they said with Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8.)

Brothers and sisters, let us feel a sense of urgency. We mustn’t meander through life. We need to mature and grow in our walk with Jesus, to bear the fruits of the Spirit, to apply the means of grace. People need to hear and believe this gospel and know this Christ; be they spouse, kids, family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, some foreign people in a far-off land. The church needs encouragement, help, admonishing, patience. I can attest that my own fervency of spirit has gone up and down, as with all of us.

God has placed us each in a different season and context of life, family, employment, etc. Let us consider how we might serve the Lord and glorify Christ in our particular circumstances. God has also placed us in a church body together. Let us consider the needs of the church, both as individuals as well as a corporate body, both casually and formally.

Life is urgent. Let us not be slothful. Let us stir up our hearts with the gospel to be fervent in spirit. Let us serve the Lord. Let us live on purpose.

Matt Hauck attends Grace Bible Church

]]>
Comfort in the Darkness of Tragic Death https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/comfort-in-the-darkness-of-tragic-death https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/comfort-in-the-darkness-of-tragic-death#comments Fri, 01 Sep 2023 13:00:00 -0700 https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/comfort-in-the-darkness-of-tragic-death As I write this, my heart is heavy. One of the families in our membership has lost a child due to a tragic accident. A toddler. Little Leannah with her sweet smiles and loud personality. Death is such a wicked, cruel, torturous enemy of humanity. With everything that I am, I long for death to be destroyed, damned to hell, never to subdue one of God’s people again.

In the resurrection of Jesus, we celebrate that death has been defeated. Yet every day human lives are lost to death’s heartless grip. How can God’s people grope for comfort in the darkness with such tragedy? How do we process death?

The Dawn of Death
Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin,
and so death spread to all men because all sinned.
(Romans 5:12)

When death strikes our hearts and households like this, it is natural for us to cry out from deep in our souls – it’s not supposed to be this way! That’s where my heart is right now. This little girl brought so much love and joy into this family and our community. But her vibrant life has been cut short. It’s not supposed to be this way.

It’s true. Not only when we have to bury a child, but it’s true for every single death from the beginning. It’s not supposed to be this way. God created man and woman and charged them to “fill the earth” and “have dominion over it” (Genesis 1:26-28). He had given them “the breath of life” in their lungs (Genesis 2:7) and gave them the “tree of life” for an eternal sustenance (v.9).

But that crafty beast, the deceiver of the saints, filled our first parents with doubts of God’s goodness to them (Genesis 3:1-5). Adam and Eve knew if they broke God’s command and ate from the one tree in the garden they were not to enjoy, that God had promised they would surely die. Death would burst into the human experience if they sinned against the abundantly gracious One.

Surely you will not die, hissed the serpent (v.4). And the rest is history. What God promised would happen, happened. “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). From that point on death would punctuate the lives of the living.

So it’s true. Death is an unnatural intruder for how things ought to be. It’s not supposed to be this way. That’s a good response to death. A right response. Every fiber in our being should cry out that there’s something wrong with death, as common as it is. Death is an awful consequence of evil, a dominating foe to life itself. We should hate its very existence, curse the day it was born, and celebrate the day of its impending doom.

I pray that as you face the sting of death, as you respond to this recent tragedy or face the death of a loved one, you will know that your tears are appropriate. Mourning and hatred for death is right. I pray that if you feel unsettled, as if something is wrong in this world, you would know that those feelings align with the truth. It’s not supposed to be this way.

I pray that you would know that your Shepherd, Jesus, understands death intimately. He is a true human being after all. He sympathizes with the pains death brings into a community and weeps along with you. The Son of God put on human flesh that he may walk amongst us, see death with human eyes and feel those eyes well up in tears as those dear to him came face to face with the enemy. And then he died. And in his death, death was defeated.

Death Defeated
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is,
the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
(Hebrews 2:14–15)

The coming of Jesus marked the beginning of the end of death’s reign. The coming King who appeared to “destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8) paved the road to victory straight through the cross. Absurd as it sounds, even foolish to many (1 Corinthians 1:18), the message of a crucified Savior King contains the power to spring life from death, defeat the devil and bring about the destruction of his enterprise.

If death is the consequence of sin (Romans 6:23), then to be freed from its tyranny, sin’s guilt must be eliminated. This is why Jesus went to the cross. His “one act of righteousness” has lead to our “justification and life” (5:18). Christ’s death has cut the cords of our bondage to death’s reign. We have passed from death to life (1 John 3:14), out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13), and can now count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God (Romans 6:11). Indeed, Jesus has delivered us from the oppression of the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15).

On the cross, our Savior King rendered the critical blow to our enemies. But Jesus did not stay dead. No. It wasn’t possible for him to be held by death’s grip (Acts 2:24). Jesus rose from the dead, confirming that our faith in him wasn’t in vain and that he indeed released us from the guilt of our sin (1 Corinthians 15:17). His resurrection gives us a living hope (1 Peter 1:3) because we have a living Savior who has conquered death. He proved it by rising from the dead.

I pray that you will find hope in the resurrection of Jesus. We don’t follow a dead religious leader. We follow a living and conquering King. Know that your soul is secure because Jesus has been raised from the dead. The same Spirit that raised Jesus is in you (Romans 8:11). He has given you spiritual life and by this same power enables you to face the darkness of trials with hope. I pray you will find comfort in the fact that Jesus conquered our enemies in his death and resurrection and that one day–oh Lord may it be soon–he will vanquish them for good.

Death Destroyed
Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One.
I died, and behold I am alive forevermore,
and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
(Revelation 1:17-18)

When trials as dark as the one we face touches a home and a church, God’s people desperately need the light of hope that comes only from Christ. Because Jesus is alive forevermore, we can be assured that we too will have life after death. Because Jesus is alive forevermore, we can be certain that one day there will be an end to death’s existence. It’s something to long for.

Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20), that is to say his resurrection is the promise of a great harvest of resurrections to come. This is how Jesus frees us from the fear of death. We no longer need to perceive death as we once did. In Christ, death is but a doorway to a life face to face with Jesus (Philippians 1:21-23). When death takes hold of one of Christ’s sheep, the soul leaves its body only to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8) and one day will put on an incorruptible body (1 Corinthians 15:53) in the resurrection. Death is not final.

Death is swallowed up in victory!
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
(1 Corinthians 15:54c-55)

What hope this should bring us! As dark of a shadow death casts, it is but a shadow. Yes, we mourn. We mourn and grieve and groan and ask how long oh Lord, but not as those who do not have hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Jesus, our Jesus, has the keys to Death and Hades. Take comfort in the fact that when we die, we will be raised in newness of life where there is no more tears, no more sorrow, and yes, no more death.

Death, our last enemy, is not only to be annulled in our resurrection, but death itself will one day be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). In the judgement before the great white throne (Revelation 20:11), Death and Hades will give up all who had died to be judged (v. 13), and then Death itself will be thrown into the lake of fire (v. 14). It will be declared from the throne, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3–4). Death will be destroyed.

I pray that as you process this recent tragedy, the death of a loved one, or your own death to come, you will do so with the comfort that Jesus stands in victory over death. Death doesn’t have the last word. Death no longer reigns, though it bares its teeth. We don’t need to be afraid. Jesus has already delivered the critical blow to our enemy and one day will finish the job. Rest in the peace that Jesus offers you. Encourage one another with these things (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

Continue to pray for the Leflers. A death like this can leave a lifelong heartache. The devil would love for this death to crush their faith. Pray for them. In the weeks to come the darkness of this cloud will lift for many of us. Yet for them, there will still be someone missing at the table.

Michael Sanelli is the Worship Minister at Grace Bible Church

]]>
As I write this, my heart is heavy. One of the families in our membership has lost a child due to a tragic accident. A toddler. Little Leannah with her sweet smiles and loud personality. Death is such a wicked, cruel, torturous enemy of humanity. With everything that I am, I long for death to be destroyed, damned to hell, never to subdue one of God’s people again.

In the resurrection of Jesus, we celebrate that death has been defeated. Yet every day human lives are lost to death’s heartless grip. How can God’s people grope for comfort in the darkness with such tragedy? How do we process death?

The Dawn of Death
Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin,
and so death spread to all men because all sinned.
(Romans 5:12)

When death strikes our hearts and households like this, it is natural for us to cry out from deep in our souls – it’s not supposed to be this way! That’s where my heart is right now. This little girl brought so much love and joy into this family and our community. But her vibrant life has been cut short. It’s not supposed to be this way.

It’s true. Not only when we have to bury a child, but it’s true for every single death from the beginning. It’s not supposed to be this way. God created man and woman and charged them to “fill the earth” and “have dominion over it” (Genesis 1:26-28). He had given them “the breath of life” in their lungs (Genesis 2:7) and gave them the “tree of life” for an eternal sustenance (v.9).

But that crafty beast, the deceiver of the saints, filled our first parents with doubts of God’s goodness to them (Genesis 3:1-5). Adam and Eve knew if they broke God’s command and ate from the one tree in the garden they were not to enjoy, that God had promised they would surely die. Death would burst into the human experience if they sinned against the abundantly gracious One.

Surely you will not die, hissed the serpent (v.4). And the rest is history. What God promised would happen, happened. “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). From that point on death would punctuate the lives of the living.

So it’s true. Death is an unnatural intruder for how things ought to be. It’s not supposed to be this way. That’s a good response to death. A right response. Every fiber in our being should cry out that there’s something wrong with death, as common as it is. Death is an awful consequence of evil, a dominating foe to life itself. We should hate its very existence, curse the day it was born, and celebrate the day of its impending doom.

I pray that as you face the sting of death, as you respond to this recent tragedy or face the death of a loved one, you will know that your tears are appropriate. Mourning and hatred for death is right. I pray that if you feel unsettled, as if something is wrong in this world, you would know that those feelings align with the truth. It’s not supposed to be this way.

I pray that you would know that your Shepherd, Jesus, understands death intimately. He is a true human being after all. He sympathizes with the pains death brings into a community and weeps along with you. The Son of God put on human flesh that he may walk amongst us, see death with human eyes and feel those eyes well up in tears as those dear to him came face to face with the enemy. And then he died. And in his death, death was defeated.

Death Defeated
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is,
the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
(Hebrews 2:14–15)

The coming of Jesus marked the beginning of the end of death’s reign. The coming King who appeared to “destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8) paved the road to victory straight through the cross. Absurd as it sounds, even foolish to many (1 Corinthians 1:18), the message of a crucified Savior King contains the power to spring life from death, defeat the devil and bring about the destruction of his enterprise.

If death is the consequence of sin (Romans 6:23), then to be freed from its tyranny, sin’s guilt must be eliminated. This is why Jesus went to the cross. His “one act of righteousness” has lead to our “justification and life” (5:18). Christ’s death has cut the cords of our bondage to death’s reign. We have passed from death to life (1 John 3:14), out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13), and can now count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God (Romans 6:11). Indeed, Jesus has delivered us from the oppression of the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15).

On the cross, our Savior King rendered the critical blow to our enemies. But Jesus did not stay dead. No. It wasn’t possible for him to be held by death’s grip (Acts 2:24). Jesus rose from the dead, confirming that our faith in him wasn’t in vain and that he indeed released us from the guilt of our sin (1 Corinthians 15:17). His resurrection gives us a living hope (1 Peter 1:3) because we have a living Savior who has conquered death. He proved it by rising from the dead.

I pray that you will find hope in the resurrection of Jesus. We don’t follow a dead religious leader. We follow a living and conquering King. Know that your soul is secure because Jesus has been raised from the dead. The same Spirit that raised Jesus is in you (Romans 8:11). He has given you spiritual life and by this same power enables you to face the darkness of trials with hope. I pray you will find comfort in the fact that Jesus conquered our enemies in his death and resurrection and that one day–oh Lord may it be soon–he will vanquish them for good.

Death Destroyed
Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One.
I died, and behold I am alive forevermore,
and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
(Revelation 1:17-18)

When trials as dark as the one we face touches a home and a church, God’s people desperately need the light of hope that comes only from Christ. Because Jesus is alive forevermore, we can be assured that we too will have life after death. Because Jesus is alive forevermore, we can be certain that one day there will be an end to death’s existence. It’s something to long for.

Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20), that is to say his resurrection is the promise of a great harvest of resurrections to come. This is how Jesus frees us from the fear of death. We no longer need to perceive death as we once did. In Christ, death is but a doorway to a life face to face with Jesus (Philippians 1:21-23). When death takes hold of one of Christ’s sheep, the soul leaves its body only to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8) and one day will put on an incorruptible body (1 Corinthians 15:53) in the resurrection. Death is not final.

Death is swallowed up in victory!
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
(1 Corinthians 15:54c-55)

What hope this should bring us! As dark of a shadow death casts, it is but a shadow. Yes, we mourn. We mourn and grieve and groan and ask how long oh Lord, but not as those who do not have hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Jesus, our Jesus, has the keys to Death and Hades. Take comfort in the fact that when we die, we will be raised in newness of life where there is no more tears, no more sorrow, and yes, no more death.

Death, our last enemy, is not only to be annulled in our resurrection, but death itself will one day be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). In the judgement before the great white throne (Revelation 20:11), Death and Hades will give up all who had died to be judged (v. 13), and then Death itself will be thrown into the lake of fire (v. 14). It will be declared from the throne, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3–4). Death will be destroyed.

I pray that as you process this recent tragedy, the death of a loved one, or your own death to come, you will do so with the comfort that Jesus stands in victory over death. Death doesn’t have the last word. Death no longer reigns, though it bares its teeth. We don’t need to be afraid. Jesus has already delivered the critical blow to our enemy and one day will finish the job. Rest in the peace that Jesus offers you. Encourage one another with these things (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

Continue to pray for the Leflers. A death like this can leave a lifelong heartache. The devil would love for this death to crush their faith. Pray for them. In the weeks to come the darkness of this cloud will lift for many of us. Yet for them, there will still be someone missing at the table.

Michael Sanelli is the Worship Minister at Grace Bible Church

]]>
Behold the Work of God https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/behold-the-work-of-god https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/behold-the-work-of-god#comments Thu, 03 Aug 2023 16:00:00 -0700 https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/behold-the-work-of-god Luke 17:11–19

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (ESV)

Luke-17vs11-19I remember the very first time I ever drank a boba tea. It was circa summer 1997, I was staying the week with my cousins in San Leandro, CA. One night, they decided to take me and my brother out for a treat. They asked if I’ve ever had “boba” before, in which I responded with a, “no”. They began to describe the delicately balanced characteristics of this sweet, chewy, tapioca pearl.

As I slowly drank my first boba tea, my eyes lit with excitement, joy, and satisfaction. I remember returning home a few days later and telling all of my friends about the wonderful experience of boba tea. Most of them probably became tired of me constantly talking about it. I became almost obsessed with this magnificent, golden, tapioca sphere known as “boba”.

Since then, I have enjoyed many boba teas. However, my excitement and joy of boba has worn off. Has the quality of boba tea gone down? Is it objectively not as good as it used to be? Or have I simply become used to it? Has the joy of boba tea worn off because of the frequency of my consumption of it?

My fear is that we may treat the work and the grace of God in a similar way. In the words of John Newton from his famous hymn Amazing Grace, “How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed”. Is it still precious? Or have we become accustomed to God’s grace in our lives that it no longer seems as precious as it once did?

Luke 2_edited-1We see and experience God’s grace and His work in our lives every single day. Never once is it short of amazing, and it's always more than we deserve. My hope in this article is to encourage you to behold the work of God in your life, and joyfully respond in worship to Him.

In Luke 17:11-19 we see a parable of types. It’s not a typical parable, as this is a not a fictional story, but rather a real-life event with real people. In this passage, Jesus is walking through a small village when ten lepers lift up their voices, crying out to Jesus saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us”. Jesus says to them. “Go and show yourselves to the priests”.

On their way to show themselves to the priests they were healed. One of the ten lepers stopped in his tracks, turned around, ran back to Jesus, and fell at His feet in worship to Him. My goal is to look at that one leper and examine how he beheld the work of God the Son, and how it resulted in his worship of Him.

First, we see the leper acknowledge the work of God. A miracle has occurred in this leper’s life. Jesus has completely turned his life upside down. Prior to this, the leper was an outcast. He was alienated from society, he was hopeless, and he was rotting from the inside out. This was a dead man walking. But then enters Jesus… A divine miracle from God changes this man’s life. As soon as this man was healed, he understood the miracle that just took place.

Beloved, do you remember the miracle that took place in your heart? Do you remember the work and the grace of God in your life? Ephesians 2:1-3 describes us very similarly to that of a leper. Just as Christ showed mercy to this leper, so too does the Father show mercy to us. You have been given spiritual life, and it is only because of the grace of God.

Like the leper, apart from Christ, you would remain spiritually dead, hopeless, and alienated from God. But by His grace, a divine miracle from God has completely healed you of your spiritual sickness. By His grace you have been given life. Let us daily remember and acknowledge this incredible miracle and gift that has been given to us by God.

Second, we see the leper turn back and praise God. This is the difference between the one leper and the other nine lepers. This leper is so overwhelmed by thankfulness for what Christ has done for him, that he must stop what he is doing and joyfully give praise to God. Sadly, I think there are many in our world who are like the nine lepers; they want to receive the goodness of God, but they do not want to stop and praise Him. They want the blessings of God, but they do not want to worship Him.

These nine lepers cried out with exuberance to be healed (Luke 17:13), but they did not cry out in praise (Luke 17:17-18). My prayer is that we would be like the one leper; that we would stop in the busyness of our lives, acknowledge the work and the grace of God in our lives, and we would praise Him for it. Sadly, I must confess that I too often go throughout the busyness of my day without stopping and acknowledging all that God has done for me. As a result, I miss out on giving the praise and worship to God that He deserves.

Lastly, we see the leper fall on his face and give thanks to God. When the leper returns to Jesus, his only response is to fall on his face at the feet of Jesus and give Him thanks. He responds in worship. Can you recognize the work and the grace of God in your life today, and will you give Him thanks for it? If anything, let us stand at the foot of the cross, fall flat on our face, and give thanks to God. There is not a day that goes by that we cannot look to God and give Him thanks for His grace in our life. Will you respond in thanksgiving to God? Will you respond in worship?

The life of this leper, because of the grace of God, changed dramatically. I imagine, later that day, he would go back to his family, friends, and everyone he knew and tell of the wondrous work that Jesus had done for him. Will that be your response? Will you tell others of the wonderous work that Jesus has done in your life? Will you behold the work of God and respond in joyful worship? Will you give thanks for all He has done for you? May His grace be as precious to you as it was when you first believed.

Luke Shelnutt is the Youth Minister at Grace Bible Church

]]>
Luke 17:11–19

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (ESV)

Luke-17vs11-19I remember the very first time I ever drank a boba tea. It was circa summer 1997, I was staying the week with my cousins in San Leandro, CA. One night, they decided to take me and my brother out for a treat. They asked if I’ve ever had “boba” before, in which I responded with a, “no”. They began to describe the delicately balanced characteristics of this sweet, chewy, tapioca pearl.

As I slowly drank my first boba tea, my eyes lit with excitement, joy, and satisfaction. I remember returning home a few days later and telling all of my friends about the wonderful experience of boba tea. Most of them probably became tired of me constantly talking about it. I became almost obsessed with this magnificent, golden, tapioca sphere known as “boba”.

Since then, I have enjoyed many boba teas. However, my excitement and joy of boba has worn off. Has the quality of boba tea gone down? Is it objectively not as good as it used to be? Or have I simply become used to it? Has the joy of boba tea worn off because of the frequency of my consumption of it?

My fear is that we may treat the work and the grace of God in a similar way. In the words of John Newton from his famous hymn Amazing Grace, “How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed”. Is it still precious? Or have we become accustomed to God’s grace in our lives that it no longer seems as precious as it once did?

Luke 2_edited-1We see and experience God’s grace and His work in our lives every single day. Never once is it short of amazing, and it's always more than we deserve. My hope in this article is to encourage you to behold the work of God in your life, and joyfully respond in worship to Him.

In Luke 17:11-19 we see a parable of types. It’s not a typical parable, as this is a not a fictional story, but rather a real-life event with real people. In this passage, Jesus is walking through a small village when ten lepers lift up their voices, crying out to Jesus saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us”. Jesus says to them. “Go and show yourselves to the priests”.

On their way to show themselves to the priests they were healed. One of the ten lepers stopped in his tracks, turned around, ran back to Jesus, and fell at His feet in worship to Him. My goal is to look at that one leper and examine how he beheld the work of God the Son, and how it resulted in his worship of Him.

First, we see the leper acknowledge the work of God. A miracle has occurred in this leper’s life. Jesus has completely turned his life upside down. Prior to this, the leper was an outcast. He was alienated from society, he was hopeless, and he was rotting from the inside out. This was a dead man walking. But then enters Jesus… A divine miracle from God changes this man’s life. As soon as this man was healed, he understood the miracle that just took place.

Beloved, do you remember the miracle that took place in your heart? Do you remember the work and the grace of God in your life? Ephesians 2:1-3 describes us very similarly to that of a leper. Just as Christ showed mercy to this leper, so too does the Father show mercy to us. You have been given spiritual life, and it is only because of the grace of God.

Like the leper, apart from Christ, you would remain spiritually dead, hopeless, and alienated from God. But by His grace, a divine miracle from God has completely healed you of your spiritual sickness. By His grace you have been given life. Let us daily remember and acknowledge this incredible miracle and gift that has been given to us by God.

Second, we see the leper turn back and praise God. This is the difference between the one leper and the other nine lepers. This leper is so overwhelmed by thankfulness for what Christ has done for him, that he must stop what he is doing and joyfully give praise to God. Sadly, I think there are many in our world who are like the nine lepers; they want to receive the goodness of God, but they do not want to stop and praise Him. They want the blessings of God, but they do not want to worship Him.

These nine lepers cried out with exuberance to be healed (Luke 17:13), but they did not cry out in praise (Luke 17:17-18). My prayer is that we would be like the one leper; that we would stop in the busyness of our lives, acknowledge the work and the grace of God in our lives, and we would praise Him for it. Sadly, I must confess that I too often go throughout the busyness of my day without stopping and acknowledging all that God has done for me. As a result, I miss out on giving the praise and worship to God that He deserves.

Lastly, we see the leper fall on his face and give thanks to God. When the leper returns to Jesus, his only response is to fall on his face at the feet of Jesus and give Him thanks. He responds in worship. Can you recognize the work and the grace of God in your life today, and will you give Him thanks for it? If anything, let us stand at the foot of the cross, fall flat on our face, and give thanks to God. There is not a day that goes by that we cannot look to God and give Him thanks for His grace in our life. Will you respond in thanksgiving to God? Will you respond in worship?

The life of this leper, because of the grace of God, changed dramatically. I imagine, later that day, he would go back to his family, friends, and everyone he knew and tell of the wondrous work that Jesus had done for him. Will that be your response? Will you tell others of the wonderous work that Jesus has done in your life? Will you behold the work of God and respond in joyful worship? Will you give thanks for all He has done for you? May His grace be as precious to you as it was when you first believed.

Luke Shelnutt is the Youth Minister at Grace Bible Church

]]>
Ekklesia https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/ekklesia https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/ekklesia#comments Sat, 01 Jul 2023 16:00:00 -0700 https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/ekklesia Ekklesia. The church. The assembly. The congregation. His church, Jesus’ church. The exquisite bride of Christ, [1] whom He loves so much He “… gave himself up for her”, [2] of which not even “… the gates of hell shall… prevail against....”. [3]

O’, the church… the glorious, sweet church. Thank God for the church. For as this world progressively feels more horrid and tastes more bitter, the church becomes increasingly lovely and enduringly savory. Yes, to love it and to savor it more.

Likenesses can help us do so. So, to what shall the church be like?  

The Household of God – Paul likens the church to “… the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and buttress of the truth.” [4] A household, a dwelling; a place where family live… with laughter, sorrow, pain, healing, nourishment, protection, love, understanding, forgiveness, care, and aid – a safe house to be just who they are… in Christ. It’s a household not of earthly, frail human hands, but of the supernatural hand of God. And this household is alive because it is “… of the living God”, [5] where “… God’s Spirit dwells… ”. [6] A holy refuge, a glorious sanctuary built with the truth, “… the pillar and buttress… ” [7] – a structural column and foundation withstanding the strength of unlimited force and weight. Put the church up against all the powers of this world and wait and see who will be the last to stand.

The Flock – Peter likens the church to “… the flock of God…”. [8] Only one flock of animal is fitting here – a flock of sheep, because sheep need a shepherd. Thus, Peter fully instructs the elders to, “… shepherd… the flock of God…” [9] (emphasis added). Sheep require defense, shelter, pasture, provision, covering, rest, direction, and each other. Forbid that one ewe should wander away by itself, for then all those necessities risk waning and wax to danger. And so, the shepherds must shepherd.

Tom_edited-1The pastors pastor, the elders elder,  the overseers oversee – they tend and herd and manage and lead and protect and feed and care… for the flock, all from supernatural will, from supernatural eagerness, with the utmost of humility under the direction of the chief Shepherd (Capital “S”), [10] Jesus, “… the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” [11] And so the church, under Jesus’ overarching leadership and supremacy, [12] is the place where the world looks on and sees love, [13] where one of the greatest longings of mankind “… never ends.” [14]

The Body – Paul again likens the church, but this time, to the body. “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” [15] The body is a whole, with connective tissue across its wholeness, a macrocosm of working parts where, “The whole is greater than the part.” [16] And the woven parts, like a picturesque tapestry, are visibly intertwined with invisible complex connection.

The external needs the internal, and the internal needs the external. Without one single part the whole is partial and incomplete. Individually they bear an image of the divine, and together bear an image of the loveliest bride [17] ever to be adorned. And while the world looks upon the church body with both appeal and bewilderment, and even sometimes hate, Christ looks upon her with gleaming eyes and undying love.

Envisioning these likenesses and experiencing their reality stimulates the Christian heart to well up with gratefulness to God for this household, this flock, this body, this church. And the deepest of gratefulness to God that she’s also safe, protected, and beloved by Jesus Christ. [18] He’s her head, and her sole union and identity are wholly wrapped up in Him. And so, there’s no more blessed place on this earth to commit, to be accountable, than the church. It’s this place where Christian gifts can all wonderfully unite, “… until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” [19]

O’ yes, Ekklesia. The church. A foretaste of heaven in the aftertaste of this world. No other gathered place on earth can substitute for this assemblage designed from heaven.  It’s a holy household, a fitting flock, a beautiful body. The church – the place where all Christians belong.  

Thomas Kruggel is a non-vocational Elder at Grace Bible Church and works in The City of San Francisco

  1. II Corinthians 11:2
  2. Ephesians 5:25b (ESV)
  3. Matthew 16:18b (ESV)
  4. I Timothy 3:15b (ESV)
  5. Ibid.
  6. I Corinthians 3:16b (ESV)
  7. I Timothy 3:15b (ESV)
  8. I Peter 5:2a (ESV)
  9. Ibid.
  10. I Peter 5:2-4a
  11. I Peter 2:25b (ESV)
  12. Colossians 1:17
  13. John 13:35
  14. I Corinthians 13:8a (ESV)
  15. Romans 12:4-5 (ESV)
  16. Euclid, Elements, Book I, Common Notion 5
  17. II Corinthians 11:2
  18. Colossians 1:18
  19. Ephesians 4:13-16 (ESV)
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Ekklesia. The church. The assembly. The congregation. His church, Jesus’ church. The exquisite bride of Christ, [1] whom He loves so much He “… gave himself up for her”, [2] of which not even “… the gates of hell shall… prevail against....”. [3]

O’, the church… the glorious, sweet church. Thank God for the church. For as this world progressively feels more horrid and tastes more bitter, the church becomes increasingly lovely and enduringly savory. Yes, to love it and to savor it more.

Likenesses can help us do so. So, to what shall the church be like?  

The Household of God – Paul likens the church to “… the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and buttress of the truth.” [4] A household, a dwelling; a place where family live… with laughter, sorrow, pain, healing, nourishment, protection, love, understanding, forgiveness, care, and aid – a safe house to be just who they are… in Christ. It’s a household not of earthly, frail human hands, but of the supernatural hand of God. And this household is alive because it is “… of the living God”, [5] where “… God’s Spirit dwells… ”. [6] A holy refuge, a glorious sanctuary built with the truth, “… the pillar and buttress… ” [7] – a structural column and foundation withstanding the strength of unlimited force and weight. Put the church up against all the powers of this world and wait and see who will be the last to stand.

The Flock – Peter likens the church to “… the flock of God…”. [8] Only one flock of animal is fitting here – a flock of sheep, because sheep need a shepherd. Thus, Peter fully instructs the elders to, “… shepherd… the flock of God…” [9] (emphasis added). Sheep require defense, shelter, pasture, provision, covering, rest, direction, and each other. Forbid that one ewe should wander away by itself, for then all those necessities risk waning and wax to danger. And so, the shepherds must shepherd.

Tom_edited-1The pastors pastor, the elders elder,  the overseers oversee – they tend and herd and manage and lead and protect and feed and care… for the flock, all from supernatural will, from supernatural eagerness, with the utmost of humility under the direction of the chief Shepherd (Capital “S”), [10] Jesus, “… the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” [11] And so the church, under Jesus’ overarching leadership and supremacy, [12] is the place where the world looks on and sees love, [13] where one of the greatest longings of mankind “… never ends.” [14]

The Body – Paul again likens the church, but this time, to the body. “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” [15] The body is a whole, with connective tissue across its wholeness, a macrocosm of working parts where, “The whole is greater than the part.” [16] And the woven parts, like a picturesque tapestry, are visibly intertwined with invisible complex connection.

The external needs the internal, and the internal needs the external. Without one single part the whole is partial and incomplete. Individually they bear an image of the divine, and together bear an image of the loveliest bride [17] ever to be adorned. And while the world looks upon the church body with both appeal and bewilderment, and even sometimes hate, Christ looks upon her with gleaming eyes and undying love.

Envisioning these likenesses and experiencing their reality stimulates the Christian heart to well up with gratefulness to God for this household, this flock, this body, this church. And the deepest of gratefulness to God that she’s also safe, protected, and beloved by Jesus Christ. [18] He’s her head, and her sole union and identity are wholly wrapped up in Him. And so, there’s no more blessed place on this earth to commit, to be accountable, than the church. It’s this place where Christian gifts can all wonderfully unite, “… until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” [19]

O’ yes, Ekklesia. The church. A foretaste of heaven in the aftertaste of this world. No other gathered place on earth can substitute for this assemblage designed from heaven.  It’s a holy household, a fitting flock, a beautiful body. The church – the place where all Christians belong.  

Thomas Kruggel is a non-vocational Elder at Grace Bible Church and works in The City of San Francisco

  1. II Corinthians 11:2
  2. Ephesians 5:25b (ESV)
  3. Matthew 16:18b (ESV)
  4. I Timothy 3:15b (ESV)
  5. Ibid.
  6. I Corinthians 3:16b (ESV)
  7. I Timothy 3:15b (ESV)
  8. I Peter 5:2a (ESV)
  9. Ibid.
  10. I Peter 5:2-4a
  11. I Peter 2:25b (ESV)
  12. Colossians 1:17
  13. John 13:35
  14. I Corinthians 13:8a (ESV)
  15. Romans 12:4-5 (ESV)
  16. Euclid, Elements, Book I, Common Notion 5
  17. II Corinthians 11:2
  18. Colossians 1:18
  19. Ephesians 4:13-16 (ESV)
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8 Lessons I Learned from Mom https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/8-lessons-i-learned-from-mom https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/8-lessons-i-learned-from-mom#comments Wed, 07 Jun 2023 16:00:00 -0700 https://www.graceforus.org/the-latest-news/post/8-lessons-i-learned-from-mom It's been more than seven years since my mother died. And though I miss her, I still think about the eight lessons I learned from Mom.

1. Invest in the Early Years.

My mother worked outside the home for over 35 years. But when I was born, she took six years off from work to stay home with me full-time. My mother was with me seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

I learned how to share and play with others in those early years. I learned to work hard. I learned to love music and sing happy songs. I learned to be hospitable. I learned about the Bible and about God and Jesus. I learned humility. I learned that being faithful was more important than being successful.

’Til this day, I am grateful that my mother instilled wisdom in me in those early years.

2. Be a Lover of All Children.

Some people ask if I had a “tiger mom.” My answer is no. My mother was strict and set high expectations. She sacrificed to ensure that I had every opportunity to succeed.

pedros-momHowever, Mom didn’t just invest in my sister and me. She poured her life into hundreds of children. She didn’t start serving other children when she became an empty nester. She began investing in other children while my sister and I were still young.

My mother taught children's Sunday school for 25 years, and during that time, she also directed children’s musicals two to three times a year. With a few other people, she started an AWANA program which continues as a thriving ministry in that church today. Hundreds of children learned about the Bible and the gospel of Jesus Christ through my mother.

Children’s brains are like sponges in their early years. My mother filled their minds with Bible verses, stories, and songs that provided a backbone grammar for them later in life.

Be a lover of all children, not just your own children.

3. Parenting Is a Lifelong Commitment.

I talked with my mother on the phone at least twice a week when I first moved away to attend college. Mom soon became my good adult friend.

She was my prayer warrior when I left the house. She prayed that God would provide me with a loving, godly wife. She prayed that I would serve God and others and not just myself. She prayed that I would faithfully use my spiritual gifts.

My mother remained involved in my life as an adult. She constantly advised me, yet she understood that I needed to make my own decisions and accept their consequences.

I gave my mother more heartache as an adult than as a child. As a parent of four children, I must remind myself that changing diapers is only the beginning. You never stop being a parent.

4. Love Your Husband (Spouse) More Than Your Children.

My parents talked constantly. They were best friends. As much as I felt loved by my mother, I also saw that my mother loved my father deeply.

My father was not always the easiest person to love. An important lesson I learned from my mother is seeing what unconditional love looks like.

Some women tell me it’s easy for them to love their children but hard to love their husbands. The most significant impact you can make on your children is to love your spouse unconditionally. By loving your spouse daily, you will impact your children more deeply than any verbal lesson you can give them.

5. Impact People for Eternity.

In the last six months of my mother's terminal illness, at least a dozen individuals shared with me the impact my mother had on their lives. These were not just grown children from my mother’s Sunday school. They were Mom’s high school classmates. They were distant relatives that I didn’t even know I had. They were acquaintances to whom my mother decided to reach out.

When dealing with friends, my mother never considered what she could get from a relationship. Instead, she asked herself what she could offer to serve the people God had placed in her life. My mother taught me to think about what you can give in a relationship, not what you can receive.

What imprint will you make on people? What will be the legacy you leave behind?

6. Redeem the Time.

My mother retired from full-time work when she was 67 years old. She was eager to retire because she had many things she wanted to do after retirement.

Unfortunately, four hours after she left her office on her last day of work, she fell ill and was brought to the emergency room. She became paralyzed from the chest down due to Guillian Barre syndrome. That same week, she found a new breast lump and was later diagnosed with breast cancer.

My mother was in good health up until her retirement, but she did not have a healthy day of life afterward.

How foolish it is to assume God will give you a long life. The life God gives us is precious, short, and fleeting. Redeem the time.

7. My God Is a God of Miracles.

My parents went on a three-week trip to Asia when my mother regained strength. On the second to last day of their trip overseas, my mother abruptly vomited and lost consciousness. She was brought to a hospital in Hong Kong, and a brain scan revealed a massive brain hemorrhage.

As a physician, I had never seen a patient survive such an extensive brain hemorrhage. A neurosurgeon rushed my mother to the operating room less than 2 hours after she had arrived at the hospital. They evacuated the bleed, and my mother woke up one day later.

Three weeks later, my mother regained the strength to return to the United States on a commercial flight. To this day, I believe this was a medical miracle. God extended my mother’s life so she could spend her final days with her family and loved ones.

8. Only What’s Done for Christ Will Last.

After she had returned to the United States, many of her friends flew to California from all over the United States, Canada, and Asia. They gathered together for a banquet celebration to say goodbye to my mother. My mother, out of character, wanted to give a speech, and in a packed banquet hall, she pleaded with her best friends to trust in our Lord Jesus. I had never heard my mother share the gospel in public. I had never seen my mother show so much strength and courage.

I spent most of Mom’s last 72 hours at her bedside. I told Mom everything I wanted to say. Mom was not perfect, but God gave the perfect mom for me.

The final lesson my mother taught me is this: “Only one life, ’twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Pedro Cheung is a member of Grace Bible Church

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It's been more than seven years since my mother died. And though I miss her, I still think about the eight lessons I learned from Mom.

1. Invest in the Early Years.

My mother worked outside the home for over 35 years. But when I was born, she took six years off from work to stay home with me full-time. My mother was with me seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

I learned how to share and play with others in those early years. I learned to work hard. I learned to love music and sing happy songs. I learned to be hospitable. I learned about the Bible and about God and Jesus. I learned humility. I learned that being faithful was more important than being successful.

’Til this day, I am grateful that my mother instilled wisdom in me in those early years.

2. Be a Lover of All Children.

Some people ask if I had a “tiger mom.” My answer is no. My mother was strict and set high expectations. She sacrificed to ensure that I had every opportunity to succeed.

pedros-momHowever, Mom didn’t just invest in my sister and me. She poured her life into hundreds of children. She didn’t start serving other children when she became an empty nester. She began investing in other children while my sister and I were still young.

My mother taught children's Sunday school for 25 years, and during that time, she also directed children’s musicals two to three times a year. With a few other people, she started an AWANA program which continues as a thriving ministry in that church today. Hundreds of children learned about the Bible and the gospel of Jesus Christ through my mother.

Children’s brains are like sponges in their early years. My mother filled their minds with Bible verses, stories, and songs that provided a backbone grammar for them later in life.

Be a lover of all children, not just your own children.

3. Parenting Is a Lifelong Commitment.

I talked with my mother on the phone at least twice a week when I first moved away to attend college. Mom soon became my good adult friend.

She was my prayer warrior when I left the house. She prayed that God would provide me with a loving, godly wife. She prayed that I would serve God and others and not just myself. She prayed that I would faithfully use my spiritual gifts.

My mother remained involved in my life as an adult. She constantly advised me, yet she understood that I needed to make my own decisions and accept their consequences.

I gave my mother more heartache as an adult than as a child. As a parent of four children, I must remind myself that changing diapers is only the beginning. You never stop being a parent.

4. Love Your Husband (Spouse) More Than Your Children.

My parents talked constantly. They were best friends. As much as I felt loved by my mother, I also saw that my mother loved my father deeply.

My father was not always the easiest person to love. An important lesson I learned from my mother is seeing what unconditional love looks like.

Some women tell me it’s easy for them to love their children but hard to love their husbands. The most significant impact you can make on your children is to love your spouse unconditionally. By loving your spouse daily, you will impact your children more deeply than any verbal lesson you can give them.

5. Impact People for Eternity.

In the last six months of my mother's terminal illness, at least a dozen individuals shared with me the impact my mother had on their lives. These were not just grown children from my mother’s Sunday school. They were Mom’s high school classmates. They were distant relatives that I didn’t even know I had. They were acquaintances to whom my mother decided to reach out.

When dealing with friends, my mother never considered what she could get from a relationship. Instead, she asked herself what she could offer to serve the people God had placed in her life. My mother taught me to think about what you can give in a relationship, not what you can receive.

What imprint will you make on people? What will be the legacy you leave behind?

6. Redeem the Time.

My mother retired from full-time work when she was 67 years old. She was eager to retire because she had many things she wanted to do after retirement.

Unfortunately, four hours after she left her office on her last day of work, she fell ill and was brought to the emergency room. She became paralyzed from the chest down due to Guillian Barre syndrome. That same week, she found a new breast lump and was later diagnosed with breast cancer.

My mother was in good health up until her retirement, but she did not have a healthy day of life afterward.

How foolish it is to assume God will give you a long life. The life God gives us is precious, short, and fleeting. Redeem the time.

7. My God Is a God of Miracles.

My parents went on a three-week trip to Asia when my mother regained strength. On the second to last day of their trip overseas, my mother abruptly vomited and lost consciousness. She was brought to a hospital in Hong Kong, and a brain scan revealed a massive brain hemorrhage.

As a physician, I had never seen a patient survive such an extensive brain hemorrhage. A neurosurgeon rushed my mother to the operating room less than 2 hours after she had arrived at the hospital. They evacuated the bleed, and my mother woke up one day later.

Three weeks later, my mother regained the strength to return to the United States on a commercial flight. To this day, I believe this was a medical miracle. God extended my mother’s life so she could spend her final days with her family and loved ones.

8. Only What’s Done for Christ Will Last.

After she had returned to the United States, many of her friends flew to California from all over the United States, Canada, and Asia. They gathered together for a banquet celebration to say goodbye to my mother. My mother, out of character, wanted to give a speech, and in a packed banquet hall, she pleaded with her best friends to trust in our Lord Jesus. I had never heard my mother share the gospel in public. I had never seen my mother show so much strength and courage.

I spent most of Mom’s last 72 hours at her bedside. I told Mom everything I wanted to say. Mom was not perfect, but God gave the perfect mom for me.

The final lesson my mother taught me is this: “Only one life, ’twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Pedro Cheung is a member of Grace Bible Church

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