We're studying James in my home group right now. The author's main point is to point out what real faith is as opposed to fake faith. James, as the brother of Jesus is uniquely able to teach on this topic, since he lived and watched Jesus for 30 years or so before finally believing in his big brother's message. In James 2, James points out that real faith is demonstrated by actions. He points to Abraham's near sacrifice of his son Isaac in Gen. 22. Here's just a couple thoughts on this amazing display of God caring about His child Abraham.
Gen 22:2 "...your son, your only son, whom you love..." God knew that Abe had put his faith almost in his son instead of in God. That for God to take the one thing/person that was the total joy and center of Abe's life would be such a personal test of faith for Abraham. God is such a personal God who is so interested in us and our personal development
Gen 22:6,9: Isaac carries the wood, and allows himself to be tied down. Isaac is no idiot, he knows whats going on, yet he submits to his father and to the Lord. We don't hear anything about Isaac's faith in this episode but it must have been super strong too. Can you imagine being Isaac and hearing for your whole life that you're the child of promise? Talk about pressure and expectations...
Gen 22:11,12 The Angel of the Lord stops Abraham. The Angel of the Lord is a Christophany, a glimpse of the pre-incarnate Christ. It's so Jesus to intercede directly in the Human experience and make sure that Abraham is cared for. Not that God the Father doesn't love us, but I just feel closer to Jesus, and I love to see Him acting in His intercessory, caring role. It makes my view of Him feel so consistent.
The whole story is a picture of the Gospel, with the father sacrificing the son, who willingly goes to his death, with the expectation of being raised from the dead. Praise God that He loves us enough to send His Son, who willingly came to die for our sins, and then to intercede for us before God.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Brothers in Adversity (Proverbs 17:17)
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Have you ever known someone that you could go to anything with, that they would tell you the right and wrong of it, and still be there to stand by you. Had friends that were closer than your family? Known fellowship in a way that allowed your mates to drop by unannounced at any time day or night. Trusted somebody that would hold you up in your darkest times to come, because you and they'd been there before. Isn't it freeing to be in relationships like that?
I have had the privilege of such closeness when I was in college, and since then in my marriage. I long for relationships like that again. I feel like it was a glimpse of what Heaven will be like where we can fellowship with our Lord and each other forever.
I pray that I would seek to know Christ as that loving friend and brother in adversity. I pray that I can be Christ to others in this way.
Have you ever known someone that you could go to anything with, that they would tell you the right and wrong of it, and still be there to stand by you. Had friends that were closer than your family? Known fellowship in a way that allowed your mates to drop by unannounced at any time day or night. Trusted somebody that would hold you up in your darkest times to come, because you and they'd been there before. Isn't it freeing to be in relationships like that?
I have had the privilege of such closeness when I was in college, and since then in my marriage. I long for relationships like that again. I feel like it was a glimpse of what Heaven will be like where we can fellowship with our Lord and each other forever.
I pray that I would seek to know Christ as that loving friend and brother in adversity. I pray that I can be Christ to others in this way.
Proverbs 17: 14 Breaching the Dam
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
Do you remember that scene in the first Superman movie when the earthquake causes the damn to burst and the water rushes out on the town below? Or in Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers when the Ents break down the dam that Saruman had constructed and the rush of water destroys all of Isengard?
How many times have I started a small argument just to enjoy the debate and instead opened up a flood that I couldn't stop. Or when I'm a little tired or hungry I'm short with my wife or a friend and realize that I've just smashed the toothpaste out of the tube and can't put it back. I need to be wary of the destruction that a quarrel can cause and seek to smooth over the peccadilloes to save energy for the calm, well-reasoned debates that are worth having.
I must protect my marriage and my growing relationship with my children to ensure that they are not swept away in a torrent of angry, useless words.
Do you remember that scene in the first Superman movie when the earthquake causes the damn to burst and the water rushes out on the town below? Or in Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers when the Ents break down the dam that Saruman had constructed and the rush of water destroys all of Isengard?
How many times have I started a small argument just to enjoy the debate and instead opened up a flood that I couldn't stop. Or when I'm a little tired or hungry I'm short with my wife or a friend and realize that I've just smashed the toothpaste out of the tube and can't put it back. I need to be wary of the destruction that a quarrel can cause and seek to smooth over the peccadilloes to save energy for the calm, well-reasoned debates that are worth having.
I must protect my marriage and my growing relationship with my children to ensure that they are not swept away in a torrent of angry, useless words.
Proverbs 16:33 No Such thing as Chance
33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
Its amazing how many people believe in chance. Even I catch myself saying things like "good luck". R.C. Sproul explains an exchange he had once where he asks his debate opponent if chance is a thing. His opponent says of course not, its not a thing. Not a thing said faster is nothing. So why do we put so much faith in a concept that is nothing? This verse really silences the argument, and shows that God is totally sovereign, even over things that seem like random chance. Imagine His limitless power to adjust the air-currents, the resistance of the edges of the dice, even the density of the air to cause a seemingly random thing like a dice roll to happen exactly according to His plan.
This verse and its implications bring me great comfort that my life and everything involved in it (good or bad), is ordained in advance from the Lord who is powerful enough to control everything, even 'chance'.
Its amazing how many people believe in chance. Even I catch myself saying things like "good luck". R.C. Sproul explains an exchange he had once where he asks his debate opponent if chance is a thing. His opponent says of course not, its not a thing. Not a thing said faster is nothing. So why do we put so much faith in a concept that is nothing? This verse really silences the argument, and shows that God is totally sovereign, even over things that seem like random chance. Imagine His limitless power to adjust the air-currents, the resistance of the edges of the dice, even the density of the air to cause a seemingly random thing like a dice roll to happen exactly according to His plan.
This verse and its implications bring me great comfort that my life and everything involved in it (good or bad), is ordained in advance from the Lord who is powerful enough to control everything, even 'chance'.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Proverbs 15:6 - A Loving Kindness Atones
6By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil.
With unimaginable kindness, mercy, and perfect truth, God accepted Christ's atonement for our sin. To be fair, God should have destroyed Adam in the garden. Yet God showed mercy on Adam, and all of us, by providing a solution, even from the very beginning, to fulfill His justice and still provide mercy. The word lovingkindness is an older word, but I love the way it sort of personifies kindness and presents it as actively loving. How like the Father who is actively loving. He is a God continually involved in the lives of His creation.
As a result of fearing God's power to judge and execute, the saved one departs from evil. Evil here can be construed to be the ultimate evil of eternal death. But I see hope for myself to avoid practicing evil on earth by remembering the righteous wrath of God.
With unimaginable kindness, mercy, and perfect truth, God accepted Christ's atonement for our sin. To be fair, God should have destroyed Adam in the garden. Yet God showed mercy on Adam, and all of us, by providing a solution, even from the very beginning, to fulfill His justice and still provide mercy. The word lovingkindness is an older word, but I love the way it sort of personifies kindness and presents it as actively loving. How like the Father who is actively loving. He is a God continually involved in the lives of His creation.
As a result of fearing God's power to judge and execute, the saved one departs from evil. Evil here can be construed to be the ultimate evil of eternal death. But I see hope for myself to avoid practicing evil on earth by remembering the righteous wrath of God.
Proverbs 16:5 - The punishment of the Proud
5Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.
I know whenever someone rejects my kindness I get grossly offended. I'm not saying I'm God of course, just trying to connect with why He would feel this way. I know I don't ever want to be intensely averse to or loathed and detested by God. Especially since people in that category are sure to be punished according to this verse. I feel quite sad for those who's pride gets the better of them, and pray that they would be turned around.
This verse tells me to get humble about my sin problem quick, and come to the One who has solved the problem, instead of trying to solve it myself over and over. I also see this as a warning to those in the 'intellectual elite' that make it their business to arrogantly assume there is no God. Praise to Him that I, who struggles with arrogance constantly, have been saved despite myself.
I know whenever someone rejects my kindness I get grossly offended. I'm not saying I'm God of course, just trying to connect with why He would feel this way. I know I don't ever want to be intensely averse to or loathed and detested by God. Especially since people in that category are sure to be punished according to this verse. I feel quite sad for those who's pride gets the better of them, and pray that they would be turned around.
This verse tells me to get humble about my sin problem quick, and come to the One who has solved the problem, instead of trying to solve it myself over and over. I also see this as a warning to those in the 'intellectual elite' that make it their business to arrogantly assume there is no God. Praise to Him that I, who struggles with arrogance constantly, have been saved despite myself.
Proverbs 15
33The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.
How do you learn wisdom? Fear the Lord. Being wise means being able to discern which of the multitude of options available, is the right one to pick to achieve the best outcome. In the narrow sense of salvation, discerning the option of Christ as the way to achieve the best outcome of actually surviving judgment and enjoying eternity, comes from knowing that God is worthy of fear. Within that context being humble before God and knowing that He is doing the saving, not me will lead me to honor with Him in glory.
Aside from the salvation aspects that this verse conjures up, I also see my desire for honor professionally and ecclesiastically. This verse is pointing out that I need to pursue humility before I can expect to receive honor. Instead of longing for honor, which I spend a lot of time doing, I should be longing for humility.
How do you learn wisdom? Fear the Lord. Being wise means being able to discern which of the multitude of options available, is the right one to pick to achieve the best outcome. In the narrow sense of salvation, discerning the option of Christ as the way to achieve the best outcome of actually surviving judgment and enjoying eternity, comes from knowing that God is worthy of fear. Within that context being humble before God and knowing that He is doing the saving, not me will lead me to honor with Him in glory.
Aside from the salvation aspects that this verse conjures up, I also see my desire for honor professionally and ecclesiastically. This verse is pointing out that I need to pursue humility before I can expect to receive honor. Instead of longing for honor, which I spend a lot of time doing, I should be longing for humility.
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