BIBLE MEDITATION:
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:14
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Ever feel like the little girl who was endeavoring to pray what we call The Lord’s Prayer when she said, “Our Father which art in Heaven, how does He know my name?” I have. But friend, He does know our names. He knows me. He knows you. But you say, “How could God be interested in me? The great God who made the universes how could He be interested in me like a fleck of spray in an ocean of existence?” Well, He is interested in you. You are not an accident. You are intimately known by God.
ACTION POINT:
Read Matthew 10:30. What does this tell you about God? What does this tell you about yourself?
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
When the Bible Blows Your Mind
The Bible teaches us to expect mental jolts when we think about God. It teaches us that our familiar ways of seeing things may be replaced. For example, it says, "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" (Romans 11:33). Or again, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9).
One of the reasons (not the only one) that some people reject the biblical teaching of unconditional election is that it seems and feels to them out of sync with other teachings in the Bible - like the compassion of God for people or the moral accountability of people before God. It seems to many that God can't choose unconditionally to save some and not others and then also feel compassion for those he does not choose and hold them accountable for their sin.
The problem here is that our instinct or intuition for what is right or possible for God does not fit Scripture. And the danger is that we shape Scripture to fit our feelings.
The Scriptures teach that God chooses who will be saved before we are born or have done anything good or evil (Romans 9:10-12). "It depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy" (Romans 9:16). The Scriptures also teach that we are responsible for the obedience of faith and will be judged if we are disobedient. "But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury" (Romans 2:8). We are chosen (or not chosen) unconditionally for salvation. And we are accountable for our faith (or unbelief).
As I said in my sermon on 12-8-02, I do not fully understand how God renders certain the belief of the elect and the unbelief of the non-elect. If you want to go deeper into this, I recommend Jonathan Edwards' book The Freedom of the Will. It is slow reading, but you will grow more from the effort than you can imagine.
To help you accustom yourself to living with such felt tensions (unconditional election and human accountability) consider two similar ones from the example of Christ.
First, we see Jesus weeping over Jerusalem because the things of the kingdom were "hidden from [their] eyes." But on the other hand we also hear Jesus say that God has "hidden these things."
Luke 19:41-42. And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes."
Luke 10:21. In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will."
Second, we see Jesus feeling compassion for those who were sick - irrespective, it seems of their faith. On the other hand, we know from illustrations and teachings elsewhere in the Bible that God is finally and decisively in control of sickness. So we have Jesus feeling sorry for people who have sicknesses that God's wisdom has ordained (at least for a time).
Matthew 14:14. When [their] went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Exodus 4:11. Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?"
1 Samuel 2:6. The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
Implications: 1) Don't cancel one truth in the Bible because it feels out of sync with another. 2) Don't draw emotional or behavioral implications from God's sovereignty that contradict faith, compassion, accountability, prayer, evangelism, or hard work. On the contrary, consider Colossians 3:12 and let your unspeakably happy condition as "chosen, holy and loved" produce "compassion, kindness, humility and meekness."
mail@desiringGod.org
One of the reasons (not the only one) that some people reject the biblical teaching of unconditional election is that it seems and feels to them out of sync with other teachings in the Bible - like the compassion of God for people or the moral accountability of people before God. It seems to many that God can't choose unconditionally to save some and not others and then also feel compassion for those he does not choose and hold them accountable for their sin.
The problem here is that our instinct or intuition for what is right or possible for God does not fit Scripture. And the danger is that we shape Scripture to fit our feelings.
The Scriptures teach that God chooses who will be saved before we are born or have done anything good or evil (Romans 9:10-12). "It depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy" (Romans 9:16). The Scriptures also teach that we are responsible for the obedience of faith and will be judged if we are disobedient. "But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury" (Romans 2:8). We are chosen (or not chosen) unconditionally for salvation. And we are accountable for our faith (or unbelief).
As I said in my sermon on 12-8-02, I do not fully understand how God renders certain the belief of the elect and the unbelief of the non-elect. If you want to go deeper into this, I recommend Jonathan Edwards' book The Freedom of the Will. It is slow reading, but you will grow more from the effort than you can imagine.
To help you accustom yourself to living with such felt tensions (unconditional election and human accountability) consider two similar ones from the example of Christ.
First, we see Jesus weeping over Jerusalem because the things of the kingdom were "hidden from [their] eyes." But on the other hand we also hear Jesus say that God has "hidden these things."
Luke 19:41-42. And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes."
Luke 10:21. In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will."
Second, we see Jesus feeling compassion for those who were sick - irrespective, it seems of their faith. On the other hand, we know from illustrations and teachings elsewhere in the Bible that God is finally and decisively in control of sickness. So we have Jesus feeling sorry for people who have sicknesses that God's wisdom has ordained (at least for a time).
Matthew 14:14. When [their] went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Exodus 4:11. Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?"
1 Samuel 2:6. The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
Implications: 1) Don't cancel one truth in the Bible because it feels out of sync with another. 2) Don't draw emotional or behavioral implications from God's sovereignty that contradict faith, compassion, accountability, prayer, evangelism, or hard work. On the contrary, consider Colossians 3:12 and let your unspeakably happy condition as "chosen, holy and loved" produce "compassion, kindness, humility and meekness."
mail@desiringGod.org
Sunday, November 9, 2008
More Blessed To Give Than To Receive
BIBLE MEDITATION:
“...remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35
Unhappiness comes from mirrors. Happiness comes from windows. If you want to be miserable, then think about yourself first...what you want, what people are saying about you, what you ought to have done for you, how down you feel, how good you feel. Just focus on yourself. Feeling good yet? If you are, then something is wrong. Selfishness and happiness just don’t go hand in hand. If you are thinking it is better to receive than to give, you’ll never be happy. You’ll never experience the blessing of giving that Jesus taught.
Hold out your hand and make a fist for at least one minute. Now, relax. Which feels better? Now imagine if your spirit is tight and how that will quench His work in your life.
http://www.lwf.org/
“...remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35
Unhappiness comes from mirrors. Happiness comes from windows. If you want to be miserable, then think about yourself first...what you want, what people are saying about you, what you ought to have done for you, how down you feel, how good you feel. Just focus on yourself. Feeling good yet? If you are, then something is wrong. Selfishness and happiness just don’t go hand in hand. If you are thinking it is better to receive than to give, you’ll never be happy. You’ll never experience the blessing of giving that Jesus taught.
Hold out your hand and make a fist for at least one minute. Now, relax. Which feels better? Now imagine if your spirit is tight and how that will quench His work in your life.
http://www.lwf.org/
Monday, November 3, 2008
Duty and Privilege
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord"
Psalm 33:12 (NIV)
Tomorrow, November 4th, millions of Americans will have the opportunity to elect new leaders of government. If you live in the United States , I encourage you to be among them and exercise your right to vote. I encourage you to vote for both your national and your local leaders.
While the Bible does not command us to vote, it does command us to be good citizens wherever we live. One way we can be a good citizen, honor God, and assist in guiding our nation is by voting.
As a woman, I'm honored to take part in determining the direction of our nation. Before the 1900's, women in America were not allowed the privilege to vote, and in some countries they still cannot. I look at voting for our leaders not only as my citizen's duty, but also as a privilege millions of people in the world do not have.
I take my right to vote so seriously that in 1992, while nine months pregnant and restricted to bed rest, I had my mother drive me forty-five minutes to vote in the presidential election. I allowed nothing to stand in my way of exercising my right to vote. Eight days later, I gave birth to a healthy little girl - to whom I hope to pass on my political passion for voting.
There's no doubt about it, voting is both a duty and a privilege. However, I realize that some people won't take the time and trouble to vote because they don't believe their ballot will make much of a difference. That's not true. Statistics show that many elections have come down to only a handful of votes.
What would happen if most people felt that their vote didn't really matter and didn't bother to vote? It would mean that our country's future would be decided by only a few of its citizens-- who perhaps don't hold the same convictions as yours.
Deciding whom to vote for can seem a daunting task. But voting is easier once you and I pray about it, and seek out good information about the candidates and the issues they address. The fact that there is moral haziness in politics these days indicates our need to rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance when examining the issues as well as the candidates.
November 4th is a day of opportunity for America . It's a day to stand up for what we believe in. It's a day to voice those beliefs and be heard. It's a day to take the time to vote as we honor our Christian heritage, and bring glory to God. For "blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!"
Dear Lord, in this upcoming election, I pray that You will move in the hearts of Your people in this nation to vote. I pray You will work in and through our leaders to guide and bless this nation -- may it be so in all nations, Lord! Guide us by your Spirit, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion from Micca Monda Campbell
Psalm 33:12 (NIV)
Tomorrow, November 4th, millions of Americans will have the opportunity to elect new leaders of government. If you live in the United States , I encourage you to be among them and exercise your right to vote. I encourage you to vote for both your national and your local leaders.
While the Bible does not command us to vote, it does command us to be good citizens wherever we live. One way we can be a good citizen, honor God, and assist in guiding our nation is by voting.
As a woman, I'm honored to take part in determining the direction of our nation. Before the 1900's, women in America were not allowed the privilege to vote, and in some countries they still cannot. I look at voting for our leaders not only as my citizen's duty, but also as a privilege millions of people in the world do not have.
I take my right to vote so seriously that in 1992, while nine months pregnant and restricted to bed rest, I had my mother drive me forty-five minutes to vote in the presidential election. I allowed nothing to stand in my way of exercising my right to vote. Eight days later, I gave birth to a healthy little girl - to whom I hope to pass on my political passion for voting.
There's no doubt about it, voting is both a duty and a privilege. However, I realize that some people won't take the time and trouble to vote because they don't believe their ballot will make much of a difference. That's not true. Statistics show that many elections have come down to only a handful of votes.
What would happen if most people felt that their vote didn't really matter and didn't bother to vote? It would mean that our country's future would be decided by only a few of its citizens-- who perhaps don't hold the same convictions as yours.
Deciding whom to vote for can seem a daunting task. But voting is easier once you and I pray about it, and seek out good information about the candidates and the issues they address. The fact that there is moral haziness in politics these days indicates our need to rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance when examining the issues as well as the candidates.
November 4th is a day of opportunity for America . It's a day to stand up for what we believe in. It's a day to voice those beliefs and be heard. It's a day to take the time to vote as we honor our Christian heritage, and bring glory to God. For "blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!"
Dear Lord, in this upcoming election, I pray that You will move in the hearts of Your people in this nation to vote. I pray You will work in and through our leaders to guide and bless this nation -- may it be so in all nations, Lord! Guide us by your Spirit, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion from Micca Monda Campbell
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