For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. 4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. Psalm 63:3-4
Do you love God? Sounds like a simple question and one that could be answered flippantly. But do you really love God? Do you love Him so much that you seek to worship and submit to Him each and every minute of your day?
A friend shared a comment her adult son made to her once. He’s seems to be very angry with God. His biting comment was, “If God is so all-powerful then why does he need your worship?”
How would you answer that?
For me, I realized not too long ago that I hadn’t completely grasped the idea of loving and worshipping God. I prayed thankfulness, petition and repentance. But lacked an expression of love. It led me to ask if I loved God.
Let’s clear up one thing. God doesn’t need our worship. He doesn’t need our love. He doesn’t need anything from us. However, I ask you if you had good and loving parents, do you still love them as you’ve become an adult? If so, then why? Your answer is probably because they did so much for you. They tended to your every need as a child. Fed you, put a roof over your head, taught you, and yes, loved you.
If you didn’t have that sort of up bringing you probably don’t love your parents. You may feel a burden of obligation but love isn’t present. In fact, you may feel the hole where love should be.
Now think about what Jesus has done for you. For a reason which only God knows He chose you. Yes you. You backsliding sinner. He loved you even before you accepted Him as your savior. While you were still in the mud and muck of your sin.
He lowered Himself to being a human and didn’t count His divinity as something to lord over us while He was here. He came to save us from a terrible, painful eternity. Which all of us deserve. Every single one of us.
He went to the cross and died a bloody, humiliating death. To wash you clean before the Father. A brother, a friend, the only God who gave His life for you. That should bring you to tears of love and a desire to worship Him.
His blood and His love cover us and give us a new, beautiful life. How can we not worship a god whose very essence is love? How can we not drop prostrate and sing to all the ways that He loves us?
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18
In the advent study I’ve been working through we reviewed many of the Old Testament prophecies which came true with the birth of Christ. From Genesis 12 to Isaiah 9 and Micah 5 to Psalm 72 so much of these historical texts focus on the coming Messiah. Even the genealogical texts are there to affirm the lineage of the future King of Kings.
Some of the events foretold by the prophets have a time span gap of 500 to 800 years before they came to fruition. Surely people in their time brushed much of what they said aside thinking they weren’t speaking in the name of God because the events “never came true.”
St. Augustine, in his autobiography Confessions, is noted as being one of the first to write of and discuss the experience of time. After his conversion to Christianity in about 386 AD he wrote about time in relation to God.
“Who will lay hold on the human heart to make it still, so that I can see how eternity, in which there is neither future nor past, stands still and dictates future and past times? Can my mind have the strength for this?”
St. Augustine
In God’s eternal existence there is no past, present or future. It is all just now — just one big present moment, Augustine surmised. A bit mind blowing and hard to grasp. For us, a 500 or 800 year wait to see a prophecy come about seems almost pointless. We are creatures of our own conscious timeframe. Our past was last week or last year. The future is next month or next year.
What does all this matter to us now as we live in a broken world? In Romans 8 we are promised that the suffering we see or experience is nothing compared to the promised glory of the Lord that will be shown to us. For some that may mean we expect the results of an election to turn the tide. For others it may be a physical healing, next month. A quick completion of a war means peace will reign forever. I would imagine that during Jesus’ time it meant He was going to conquer the Romans and bring the Jewish nation back into glory.
And since Jesus’ death and resurrection we all, even non-believers, have been waiting for the greatest prophecy to be fulfilled — the return of Christ to complete His victory over evil. Those first century Christians were probably bolstered in their faith by thinking along their own human timeline. They suffered intense persecution and death, all on the promised return of the Savior. The entire chapter of 2 Peter 3 is a great read on this topic. But let me pull out this one verse:
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
At the end of the weekly advent study we were asked, “What evidence is there in the world today that Christ truly did come to reign as King over all His creation?” One member answered simply, “The existence of the Bible.” And she’s right. The Bible is filled with historical documents, proven over and over throughout history to be true. Jesus was a real man who was seen as a resurrected Savior by hundreds of people. He says the Old Testament and is prophecies are true. And as Frank Furtek of Stand to Reason once said, “I tend to believe the guy who said he would die and rise again, when he actually did rise again.”
My answer? All around us we see evil striving harder than ever it seems to fight against the will of God. Trying to erase God from our everyday lives. They are thrashing and gnashing and screaming — as they are being pressed back against the coming truth of God’s judgment day. In the face of all the unrest, anger, selfishness, and sinful behavior however, thousands are being baptized each month in the name of Jesus Christ. Masses of people are coming to the Lord knowing they want to be on the right side of the coming judgment.
Friends, the glory of the Lord was seen on the first light of day many millennia ago. He saved a remnant of His chosen people to be the first witnesses to the glory of His coming to earth to save us from our sins. One day the whole world will see His glory reign throughout the earth when He comes again. Until then we can rest in steadfastness that He is the God who fulfills all His promises, in His time, not ours.
May all Honor, Glory and Power be to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen
During the last five years or so I started gaining the dreaded hormonal weight. As a woman over 50 I’ve watched a donut grow around my waist. Being tall, I can frequently hide this mysterious weight gain but I know it’s there. So of course, I decided to try and diet my belly away. I successfully lost weight through a program called Noom, multiple times. Yes, after about a year of relishing my new body, the weight crept back on. My second stint with Noom saw the same weight loss and eventual gain. I constantly blame myself for failing to have enough self-control so I don’t become “fat grandma” instead of “fit grandma.” And while I do recommend the Noom program – which isn’t really a diet at all but rather a healthier way of looking at food – it lacks one feature that would make it complete. God.
The Christian way of self-control is not “Just say no!” The problem is with the word “just.” You don’t just say no. You say no in a certain way: You say no by faith in the superior power and pleasure of Christ. It is just as ruthless. And may be just as painful. But the difference between worldly self-control and godly self-control is crucial. Who will get the glory for victory? That’s the issue. Will we get the glory? Or will Christ get the glory? If we exercise self-control by faith in Christ’s superior power and pleasure, Christ will get the glory.”
John Piper, The Fierce Fruit of Self-Control
How many times in your life have you sought to abstain or control a behavior that is destructive or just isn’t serving you well by thinking, “I just need to say no!” ? And yet over and over you fail. Sometimes in little bits and sometimes with flair. It seems the one thing we tell ourselves over and over not to do is exactly what we find ourselves doing. But take heart, we are not alone.
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:15-20
Paul, we feel your pain. He sounds exactly like the second type of man that C.S. Lewis describes in his essay about the three types of man. The one we looked at in the last post who has a divided mind. Thankfully, Paul does not leave us in this fretful state. He makes a right turn into Mr. Lewis’ third man.
“Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” ….” Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set youfree from the law of sin and death. Romans 7:24-25 & 8:1-2
A life free from sin, death and I might add, shame. Sounds like a pretty good place to be, doesn’t it? How do we get there? How do we stop being double-minded, trying to put our weight on that wobbly rock and instead on the only solid rock we need? First, by declaring Jesus as our Lord and Savior. And secondly, turning our entire life over to Him.
You see, the third man in Mr. Lewis’ essay has done something violent. They have fiercely killed their old self. All their time, their thoughts, their actions, emotions, belong to God which means it also belongs to them because they are His. It is a daily choice to submit their all to Him. This man is joyfully obedient, not sullenly dragged to do good.
The abundant life is a choice you make day by day to embrace God who created you to be. Becoming the masterpiece God formed you to be is a lifelong process, but it is worth it because of the beautiful, unique reflection you become of your Savior.”
Charles Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life
The first time I realized the cycle of failure in not including God in seeking a better, fruit-filled life was when I attempted to stop cursing. Throughout my day I told myself to not curse. Of course, I found myself doing it more! My thoughts were placed on the wobbly rock – my own self. And cursing was what was on my mind. It wasn’t until I placed them in the Holy Spirit’s hands that I found success. When in trigger situations I turned to God, even for a brief moment. “What would He want out of me right now? Anger or love?”
“For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13
Friend, just as in all the other Fruits of the Spirit, biblical self-control is not the same as the world’s. The world says, “Try harder. And when you fail, sit in shame.” God, on the other hand, assumes you cannot be the only member in this fight of wills. He tells us to put on our full armor – His Word, salvation, peace, truth, the righteousness gifted to you, and the shield of faith. We take this armor and call it trust. Trusting in the only solid rock that can hold our weight and get us safely to the other side of the river.
When you see the words “self-control,” don’t jump to all the things you contemplated in your personal inventory and think, “I can fix this.” Instead, drop to your knees and cry out to the Holy Spirit for help. As the two of you begin a new life and new self together you will find your “have to’s” turning in to “get to’s.” Your new self allows the light of the Lord to shine on all areas of your heart and mind.
For me, I stop thinking about cursing and turn to love and kindness and gentleness. For others they stop being angry and unforgiving and experience patience and peace and joy. We stop obsessing over our needs, for our bodies, our hearts and minds and instead ask God what He wants of us. In other words, we stop growing weeds and start blooming and living a full Christian life.
Thank you for joining me on this journey through the Fruit of the Spirit! Be sure to follow the blog to receive your notice about the next series!
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:19-25
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
Romans 8:35
“Your goal in this life is to make sure you spend eternity with Christ. Your love, if it could be more than all the love of the angels, would be only Christ’s due. Look up to Him and show Him your love. Love and live! My counsel is that you come, and leave all else, that you let Christ have your whole heart. Let those who love this present world have it; Christ is the more worthy and noble portion; blessed are those who choose Him.” Letters of Samuel Rutherford, Samuel Rutherford
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
“Niagara stopped once! Owing to an ice dam thrown across the river the waters failed, the rainbow melted, the vast music was hushed. But there has been no moment in which the love of God has failed toward the rational universe, when its eternal music has been broken, or the rainbow has ceased to span the throne. There never will be such a moment. The crystal tide flows richly, and flows forever.” W. L. Watkinson
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.”Psalms 57:5
Father God, as I go about my day help me to see the world in a new light. A world that was created by you for your glory. A world so intricate and beautiful and diverse that only you, God, could’ve designed. Amen
As my dog Tucker ran along the path unencumbered with the complicated thoughts of us humans I had to stop and laugh at his simple life. Simple, in comparison to mine, but still an integral part of God’s creation.
We were on our usual trek through a local, suburban canyon which features homes on either top of the divide. Through the middle are varieties of plant life too numerous to count hiding all manner of birds, lizards, bunnies, and probably a rattlesnake or two. It even features a tiny spring welling up mysteriously somewhere along the way. And it struck me how no human on earth could create such a diverse and self-sustaining environment. We try, oh we certainly try.
There’ve been numerous attempts to create our own human-based “Eden.” In the 60s and 70s communes could be found throughout the United States, based loosely on China’s Mao Zedong’s plan for communal living. But time after time they have failed.
Although American communards worked to raise food, shared parenting and household tasks, shared financial responsibility and upkeep, the rules and organization were often lax, leading many to fail simply because there was no governing body, not enough discipline or consequence when someone did not do their part. Also, for some, drugs and sex were more important than work.
Russell Flannery, Forbes Magazine
You’ve probably heard the Romans 8 verse many times where Paul reminds us that God works for the good of all those who love Him. I can’t help but notice in so many reviews of man’s attempt to re-create what God has already made perfect that what is basically missing is God Himself.
God has already made the perfect commune for us. It’s a world that, if we were to disappear tomorrow, would continue on growing, dying, rebuilding, burning, pro-creating, flooding, blooming, blizzarding, and shining. But for what purpose? That my friends, is the ultimate pinnacle of God’s plan. In the beginning He made it for you. It’s not something we need to re-make; that would pale in comparison to the original! But it is something to appreciate in its intricately woven creation and sustainability. For that we can give Glory to God all our lives.
…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.Philippians 2:13
How glorious would it have been to live when Jesus was physically here on Earth? To sit at the Sermon on the Mount and hear His words directly from His mouth? To be in a busy marketplace and bump into Him – turning to see directly into His face? Isn’t it amazing how He spent so little time here with us yet the impact has been so astounding that even our days are marked by when He arrived? And when He ascended, the gift He left behind is something for which we can never be thankful enough.
“If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.John 14: 15-17
When you study the Bible you see how Jesus and the Holy Spirit touched lives even before the time we say God became fully human. Their presence is woven throughout the Old Testament. So it’s not as though they were created suddenly. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit all spoke the world into creation and have placed their holy hands on our lives throughout history.
So, today specifically I praise God for the gift of the Holy Spirit and for being our constant intercessor, our inner voice, our God whisperer.
It is the Holy Spirit that helps us to pray when we don’t know what to pray – because the situation has gotten so dire. It is the Holy Spirit who whispers to us to get up and do God’s work. It is the Holy Spirit who partners with us when we need rescue.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.Romans 8:26
I shared with my BSGs in the past that when I’m really stressed or worried I have a difficult time praying. My mind is so jumbled and full of negative thoughts I can’t seem to quiet it down. One of my BSGs responded saying, “I’ve just cried out, “help me!” when I don’t know what to say.” That’s great advice. It says it right there in Romans 8. The Holy Spirit will help us pray. Will give us the words to speak to God.
Friends, God is so beautiful and loving that He didn’t leave us orphans. He didn’t leave us grieving because He left us with a piece of Him inside of each of us. I once heard a Christian teacher say that we don’t need to attain patience, kindness, love, etc. We already have all those imputed through the Holy Spirit that lives in us because we believe. We just need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us release those gifts. To help us pray the words to fight back against the devil. To whisper to us “love this person right now.”
We need to believe that God has given us the access to this awesome power. And once we do that, we should pray to unleash it with all its glorious might.
emboldened.net 