Staying in the House

2 Old Testament stories are in my mind today, both highlighting our need to cling to Christ till the end.

The first is the story of the Passover's institution in Exodus 12. God commands his people to prepare a lamb, put the blood of the lamb on the lintel and 2 doorposts, and eat the lamb in the house. While they ate, the Lord passed through and killed the firstborn in every house in Egypt (v29). When he saw the blood on the doorposts he passed over that house - they were safe from God's judgment! But part of the command was to stay in the house:

"None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning," Exodus 12:22b, ESV.

What a glimpse of man's responsibility in salvation! We know that God is sovereign, even in the salvation of man, and that he initiates conversion in each soul that comes to him. But Scripture clearly teaches that man must come in order to be saved. Praise God that he draws us, but still we must come! And not only must we come to Christ, the true lamb of God who shed his blood for sinners, we must also remain in the house; that is, we must continue to cling to Christ! Again, the Lord keeps and preserves all who are his (and I'm so thankful he does!!!), but we are still commanded to endure to the end. If an Israelite had gone out of the house into the streets, he would not have been safe from the judgment of God, for God gave specific instructions for their salvation from death.

"For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end," (Hebrews 3:14, ESV).

The 2nd story that brings out this truth is in the book of Joshua. Moses has died, and Joshua is preparing to lead the people into the promised land, beginning with the conquest of the city of Jericho. Joshua sends 2 spies into the city, who enter the house of Rahab the prostitute. She hides the spies from the officials and gives an awesome declaration of faith in the God of Israel ("I know that the LORD has given you the land...for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath" Joshua 2:9, 11).

She asks the men to spare her family when Israel takes Jericho. The men agree, but give specific instructions. If Rahab's family wants to live, they must come into her house and stay there while Jericho is destroyed. And just as there was an outward sign in the Passover account (the blood on the doorposts), Rahab is commanded to hang a scarlet cord from her window:

"Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's household. Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head," Joshua 2:18-19, ESV.

Believer, we must cling to Christ with all diligence! Hide in the house of Christ's substitutionary death; Escape from God's wrath and righteous judgment to the protecting blood of Jesus Christ; and never, never, NEVER go out of the house! Live under the blood by faith. Remain in the refuge of his redemption. Stay in the shelter of his wings. Knowing all the while that it is God who keeps you!

"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."
Jude 24-25, ESV

"...who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice..." 1 Peter 1:5, 6a, ESV

To Remember...

God wants us to remember. He created us with a memory! Ever thought about that? We use computers and all sorts of technological devices that have some sort of memory. But consider the memory of man! We store images, sounds, smells, and emotions from the past for years and years. Jesus even pictured the rich man in hell remembering his brothers who were still alive (Luke 16:28). Sometimes memory is a good and wonderful thing. And sometimes there are things we would like to forget. But God has made us to remember.

Before Israel went in to possess the land God was giving them, Moses spoke to them. He repeated to them the law of God and charged them to be faithful to God alone. But he also reminded them of all their sins. He vividly told the stories of their unfaithfulness to God: there was the golden calf incident. And "at Taberah also, and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked the LORD to wrath. And when the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, 'Go up and take possession of the land that I have given you,' then you rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God and did not believe him or obey his voice. You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you" (Deuteronomy 9:22-24, ESV).

Wow, what an indictment! Is that any way to rally the troops before going in to take the land? Besides, isn't God merciful? Is Israel not his people? Why bring up past sins?

God does not cause us to forget our sins. He even brings it up from time to time. But not to rub it in our face. It is God's will for us to remember who we are apart from him, and what he's done for us! God wants us to remain humble; confident only in our God. Remembering our sin gives us a testimony to others. And remembering what God did with our sin gives us reason to rejoice!

God wants us to remember, not only our sins and proneness to apostasy, but also his mighty salvation on our behalf! We are to strengthen ourselves for new battles by remembering the Lord's victory in the past. Moses told the Israelites:
"If you say in your heart, 'These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?' you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the LORD your God did to Pharoah and to all Egypt, the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the LORD your God brought you out. So will the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid" (Deuteronomy 7:17-19, ESV).

Remembering our sins and sinfulness keeps us humble.
Remembering what God has done with our sins in Christ crucified keeps us rejoicing.

Remember who we are, and who is our God!
Give him glory today, and be encouraged to move ahead with the Lord.

Anxiety Causes Unfruitfulness

You've heard the most famous of Jesus' parables, the Parable of the Sower. In it, Jesus describes the sowing of the seed of God's word, and the different kinds of soils receiving the word. In his explanation of the parable to his disciples, Jesus tells us about one particular kind of soil:

"As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful" (Matthew 13:22, ESV).

I've never had a problem understanding the "deceitfulness of riches" part. Greed and materialism make God's word unfruitful in our lives.

But what are the "cares of the world?" I guess I always thought this was a sinful love of the world, but that's not what it says. So I looked the word up in Verbrugge's New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Abridged Edition (which I heartily recommend...thanks Luke!) and learned what Jesus is saying.

The Greek word translated "cares" is merimna. It means "anxiety, anxious interest, concern, worry." So Jesus is teaching us that an unhealthy concern or anxious interest in worldly affairs chokes God's word and makes us unfruitful!

What form do these anxious concerns take in our lives? Politics is a big one. Current events and news, sports, finance, health matters, even entertainment and pop culture ("Who's gonna win American Idol????!!!! AAARRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!!" Is this you?) Anytime we are anxious about these matters (or others) we are being choked by the thorns.

Don't quickly pass over the seriousness of this. Whether you call it outright worry, or concern or anxious interest, this is a sin that cripples one from bearing fruit for God and proving to be a genuine convert and real disciple! Worry is absolutely ridiculous for anyone who believes in the sovereignty of God. Worry is unbelief, lack of trust, fear, NO FAITH. Worry questions God's ability (even if not consciously). This is a serious matter!

So what are we supposed to do with our "cares"? The same Greek word (merimna) is used in 2 other texts that show us how God wants us to deal with anxiety.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-7, ESV).

Instead of being anxious about things in this world, we are to humble ourselves (worry is a form of pride; it takes the matter into its own hands rather than giving it to God) and cast our cares on God!

How do we cast our anxieties on God?

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV).

So God tells us to cast our anxieties on him through prayer to avoid being choked into unfruitfulness. Praise God! What a lesson, and that's just one tiny part of the parable!

Go bear some fruit!

Till the storms pass by

What can we do while we are in the storms of affliction, trouble and suffering?

Psalm 57 was written, we are told, by David "when he fled from Saul, IN THE CAVE" (introduction to the Psalm). Can you picture David hiding in the darkness of a cave, afraid for his life? Saul, jealous and filled with murderous rage toward David, is leading his armed men in pursuit. David is in the storm.

What thoughts would pass through your mind? What emotions? "Thanks a lot, God. I thought Samuel anointed me the next king of Israel?? Is the next king of Israel about to die in a cave?!"

David's heart belongs to the Lord. He is in the cave...praying.
(Jonah was in the fish...praying; Jesus was on the cross...praying.)
David cries, "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by." (v1)

David clings to God in the storm! Storms usually pull us closer to God, or give unbelievers excuse to run from him.

Next, look where David's trust is anchored:
"I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me" (v2).
David is trusting in God's sovereign plan! Oh, what peace there is in trusting our sovereign God!

Finally, David's thoughts are not self-centered in this prayer. Remember, he's hiding in a cave with an army looking for him! What's on his heart as he cries out to God for help?
"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!" (vs5, 11).

Twice David takes up this exclamation of praise while the storm is raging in his life. He knows that there is something bigger than being saved from suffering. There is MORE than my needs being met. God's glory is priority number one!!!
Does your heart beat for God's glory to be seen? Does this consume you...even in times when it's not natural to think about it?

So we've learned some important lessons from the David's storm.
1. Pray.
2. Take refuge in God till the storm passes by.
3. Rest in God's sovereignty.
4. Praise God and yearn for his glory to be seen.

Are you hiding in the cave? Are you in the storm?
Here is help!

Are you obeying Galatians 5:13?

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another" (Gal 5:13, ESV).

What freedom we have in Christ! Not under the law, not fearfully trying to please God with do's and don'ts. Free from the power and mastery of sin, free to love God and be loved!

But Paul instructs the Galatians not to use this great freedom to feed the flesh. Sadly, this instruction is necessary. Some attempt to twist the grace of God into a license to sin. We can't have Jesus plus sin. Can't serve 2 masters...

On the flip side of the coin, Paul tells us how to use our freedom! "...through love serve one another." Sounds easy, right? So how are we doing?

This is written to specific local churches in Galatia (Gal 1:2), and for us in our localities. This instruction is for believers in local churches to love other believers in those same local churches, and show that love by serving the other believers. This is where it gets difficult!

It's easy for us to think of serving Jesus, or even serving "the church" (generally speaking). But these are not just words in a vacuum. Churches are filled with real people, with real faces and real names. It's one thing to consider ourselves serving "the church." It's quite another to commit to a local group of people for years, with all their faults & personality nuances, in all the various up-and-down seasons of life; a long-haul commitment to love and serve. This is God's kind of love! It is not easy, and it does not originate in us. It is life-giving, sacrificial and costly. It is not based on feelings or convenience. In fact, apart from the life and power of Christ's Spirit working in us, it is impossible!

Think again of these instructions: "through love serve one another." Now put the real faces and names of the people in your local church family in the place of the word "another." "Through love serve Kim." This gets us down to real faith in action. Do you love the people in your local church? Are you serving them? How are you serving them? Would THEY say your are serving them? Would they say you love them?

Praise God for loving real people with real names...who have real sins. His is a particular love. Jesus propitiated God's wrath from real people, paying the price for definite sins, redeeming his beloved! Now his love is in us. In our flesh it is sometimes hard to love imperfect people. But as we remember how God has treated us at our worst ("while we were still sinners, Christ died for us," Romans 5:8), and as we receive the living Christ in us by faith, God will give us the power to love and serve his people. Praise God!
Let's get to work, by his Spirit...

Worse Than the Devil?!

Is there a sin that is worse than the devil?

Listen to what the Puritan John Owen wrote:

"Impenitent unbelievers under the preaching of the gospel are the vilest and most ungrateful of all God's creatures. The devils themselves, as wicked as they are, are not guilty of this sin, for Christ was never offered to them. They were never offered salvation on the condition of faith and repentance. This is the terrible sin of unbelievers and will greatly add to their misery in hell." (The Glory of Christ, ch. 14)

Wow.
God never offered salvation to the fallen angels. He never gave his Son to save them. When man sinned, God owed us nothing, either. He could have given us the results of our choice and a fate similar to that of Lucifer and his angels. BUT (praise God!) instead, God chose to act in love, mercy and grace to fallen man! At great cost to himself (the death of his own Son) he showed off the glory of his grace to rescue us from our dilemma. Christ died for sinful man. Christ is now offered to sinners.

In light of such beautiful grace, what a hideous sin it is to reject Christ!! What a slap in the face of God! Satan has never committed such a sin - rejecting an offer of a crucified Christ in his place - but hell will be filled with rebellious men who have done just that.

Reject him no longer! Look to Jesus and be saved!

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest...and whoever comes to me I will never cast out."
Matthew 11:28, John 6:37b, ESV

Men: Heart-Guardians of the Family

The following are the notes from my teaching at Conway Celebration Church's 2009 Marriage/Family Conference:

Text: Genesis 19. Lot’s story has much to teach about the job of men to walk in personal holiness and to protect their families from treasuring anything but Christ.

I. Progressive Sin. Lot’s backsliding:
Ø Moved tent as far as Sodom (Gen 13:12)
Ø Dwelling in Sodom (Gen 14:12)
Ø Sitting in the gate in Sodom (Gen 19:1)
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners,nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2

II. Men Affected. Lot is described as a righteous man, who does show some good works as proof. But his life is clouded with a lack of wisdom and good judgment that affect him negatively. He wasn’t affecting the culture; the culture had affected him and, therefore, his family.
...and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.
2 Pet 2:7-10
A. Righteous. Lot showed hospitality (just as Abraham did in Gen 18) to the strangers,
and even attempted to protect his guests from the lust-crazed mob.
B. Affected By Personal Sin. Lot’s actions reveal dulled senses and lack of spiritual
wisdom:

• Offered his 2 daughters to the violent, perverted mob (v8). (ESV Study Bible footnotes call this “a shocking, cowardly, and inexcusable act [even if he intended this only as a bluff, or expected the offer to be rejected]”)
• His future sons-in-law didn’t take his warnings seriously, showing a general lack of respect for him (14). Do we joke around too much, as fools, to the point that we aren’t taken seriously or respected as men of God? God has not called us to be fools, or “Homer Simpson Dads,” fulfilling the world’s stereotype of men – lazy, foolish and unworthy of respect.
• When told to take his wife & daughters out of harm’s way he “lingered,” showing his love for the worldly environment and a general disregard for his family’s physical and spiritual well-being (15-16). Amazing! We see the error in Lot easily; what about us? Do we linger with the things of God to the spiritual ruin of our families?

III. Families Affected. A man’s sins don’t just affect him, but negatively affect those around him (especially his family).

• Future sons-in-law stayed behind and were killed.
• His wife looked back and was killed; she started the escape but did not have the grace to finish. Lot had led his wife to this ungodly place and had not prevented her from falling in love with it. He had not stood guard over her affections, directing them to the Lord.
• His daughters escaped to safety, but revealed ungodly practices in the cave, and a lack of trust in God for their future.

Other examples of men’s sins affecting others: Adam, Eli & his sons (1 Sam 3:11-14).

IV. Sovereign Mercy of God. V16, vs21-22. 2 Pet 2 – “the Lord knows…”
We praise God for this care! But our goal should not be to escape by the skin of our teeth into heaven; lingering and losing loved ones along the way.

V. Men Protecting Their Families.
A. Wives. Husbands washing wives with water of the word. (What Adam failed to do)

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Eph 5:25-27

B. Children. Children are arrows to be aimed. A warrior skillfully aims his arrows;
To aim is to set the direction:
“to position or direct (a firearm, ball, arrow, rocket, etc.) so that, on firing or release, the discharged projectile will hit a target or travel along a certain path.
2. to intend or direct for a particular effect or purpose” (dictionary.com)

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. Ps 127:3-5
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Eph 6:4
For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. 1 Thess 2:11-12
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deut 6:6-9
The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. Prov 29:15

C. Protect From What? Men must protect their families from treasuring the world system; protection from Idols and Ideas! Discern what is shaping their minds and affections. Protect, shape, cover; don’t leave exposed!
· For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ 2 Cor 10:3-5
· Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect Rom 12:2

D. What Will Result if We Fail to Protect? What will we treasure if we don’t treasure
Christ? The world system: pleasures, riches (Babylon – Rev 18 & 19).
· For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt 6:21
· For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Matt 12:34
Men need to be heart-guardians, not legalism producers! Morality is not the goal; Treasuring Christ is the goal.
· Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23

E. Treasuring Christ! Raise up hearts that delight in God and his glory.
· And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matt 22:37
· Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts. Jer 15:16
· Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25-26
· And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Col 1:18
· So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God 1 Cor 10:31

1. We must MODEL this before our families, confessing when we make idols; show
our families hearts after God.
2. We must realize that this is an impossible task apart from God’s grace. He alone
can give our family members (and ourselves) new hearts that treasure him alone.