Tag: sanctification

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Lord, I Cry Out for Mercy

krisshetter

First published September 17, 2020 as part of the His Works Project series.

She was rarely “late.”  With each passing day she began to worry more.  She and her boyfriend knew better but they were young, just 15 and 16.  They frequently met up for sex while his mother was at work.  And they didn’t use protection.  So, five days after she should’ve started her period, she found herself sitting on the toilet, with a small Tupperware bowl waiting to catch her urine.  She had never been to a clinic before and had called to see if they could do a pregnancy test.  As she sat there, she prayed.  

She wasn’t a church-goer.  In fact, her parents never spoke of God.  Yet she regularly was moved to pray.  She didn’t know what it meant to trust God or receive justification through faith in Jesus.  She just knew she needed to pray.  She had prayed for a lot of things over the years.  For her mom to stop hitting her.  For her dad to speak to her.  For her brother to stop tormenting her.  She didn’t know if God was listening but she kept praying. 

As she sat there praying for mercy – because that’s what would have to happen – she swore she would change her ways.  She made empty promises, begging to not be pregnant. And just as she began to capture a sample, her period started.  God had not only granted her mercy but also mercy on her potential child.  For had she been pregnant she most assuredly would have aborted it.

That girl was me.  I didn’t deserve His mercy.  I was regularly living in sin and creating my own rules, my own false sense of ‘righteousness.’  I deserved the punishment.  I deserved to have to face a difficult choice and live with it for the rest of my life.  But He showed mercy. For 39 years, I’ve remembered that day as if it were yesterday. But how many times have I failed to show others that same mercy?

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.  Mercy triumphs over judgement.” James 2:12-13

I recently listened to a podcast about refusing to settle for mediocrity. It prompted me to examine how well I understood the words we Christians use so often. We sit in church, listen to podcasts, and read devotionals, but how often do we hear theological terms without fully understanding them? So I started a list.

  • Righteousness: living in a way that reflects God’s truth through our words and actions.
  • Sanctification: the process by which the Holy Spirit molds us into the image of Jesus.
  • Justification: being declared righteous before God through faith in Jesus Christ.
  • Grace: simply put, God’s favor and kindness toward us.
  • Mercy: not receiving the punishment we deserve.

Writing these definitions gave me a clearer understanding of the amazing work God does in us through His Holy Spirit. But most of all, I kept coming back to mercy.  I understood that God forgives us each time we fall into the traps of sin.  We all have been in the situation Paul lamented when he wrote the following:

“Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.  For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.  What a wretched man I am!” Romans 7:21-24

Each and every day we find ourselves sinning – worried about money, hoarding our gifts, being judgmental and unkind to others, unforgiving of our loved ones or even strangers.  Gossiping, stealing, or even hating or causing injury to others.  There is only one being to have ever walked this earth that didn’t need God’s grace, forgiveness and mercy – Jesus.

Charles Spurgeon wrote in his prayer “Deliver Us From Evil” about mercy:

“We come for mercy, great God.  It must always be our first request, for we have sinned against a just and holy law of which our consciences approve.  We are evil, but Your law is holy and just and good.  We have offended knowingly.”

I knew having sex outside of marriage was wrong.  I knew having unprotected sex outside of marriage was stupid.  And yet I did it time after time.  God gifted me with mercy over and over.  He also gifted me with mercy when He delivered the right man to me to become my husband.  I didn’t deserve him.  I was a mess.  After 31 years of marriage I still thank God my husband has stuck with me as I unlearn old patterns from when I was outside of God’s justification. And I know now, it’s time for me to pick up my part of the bargain.

“Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7

I’m grateful that God flipped this admonition.  He has done it with so many of us.  He has shown us the mercy we didn’t deserve.  We need to pass that glorious gift along to others.  There are those in our lives that we hope to fail, that we wish ill will, that we hope will “get their just due.”  Aren’t we thankful that God doesn’t think the same about us?

For about two years I worked as a substitute in a high school office. There were two positions like mine. When the other position was filled with a young woman I was encouraged by her enthusiasm.  She was full of ideas and brought a cheery face to the job.  And then she started being late every day.  At times she wouldn’t even show up.  When she did show up, I would find her on Facebook or on personal phone calls.  Her failings impacted my job.  I became bitter because, hey, I was just a substitute.  Why should I have to make up for her issues when she was an actual employee?  I found myself driving to work dreading what was to come.  I actually prayed she would get hit by a bus so I wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore.  Yes, I did that.

The situation became so difficult that I considered quitting, but doing so would have left people I cared about in a bind. Three months in, I sat at an intersection on the way to work.  It was a long red light.  The Holy Spirit descended on me in the car.  I had my Perspective Change Moment.  What I should have been doing all along was praying for God to intervene positively in her life.  I could have left her to do two people’s jobs and/or complain endlessly to the supervisor, but I needed to show mercy and love.  So, I prayed every day for the next week that God would resolve the problem.  For God to help her.  For God to take control.  The peace that came over me was amazing!

After that one week she resigned.  And a good friend of mine who had been a finalist for the job previously was hired.  God is good.  God is forgiving.  God, thankfully, is merciful.

To quote the explorer Christopher Columbus, “I am a most noteworthy sinner, but I have cried out to the Lord for grace and mercy, and He has covered me completely.  I have found the sweetest consolation since I made it my whole purpose to enjoy His marvelous presence.”

To whom do you need to show mercy?  How has God been merciful to you?

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Tasting God’s Goodness

krisshetter

First published April 21, 2025 as part of the On Being Sanctified series

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 1 Peter 2 :1-3

When out walking the other day, I was contemplating the good gifts of God.  Gifts I long to experience daily.  Peace, love and joy are a few that spring to mind.  Weirdly enough this pondering made me think of southern buttermilk biscuits.  Yes, biscuits. 

For the past, I don’t know, 20 years or so I’ve been on this quiet pilgrimage to make and eat the perfect buttermilk biscuit.  A good spicy, pork gravy on top isn’t so bad either.  But that elusive biscuit keeps calling my name.  I’ve tasted many a biscuit from California to South Carolina and Texas to Missouri.  A few biscuits found their way onto my plate in Louisiana and Georgia.  None have met my dreams and expectations. 

I’ve made a number of attempts to make such a mythical biscuit.  I’ve even come pretty close with a famous lifestyle influencer’s recipe.  The process, which took a few days, included chilling various ingredients, grating butter, and what seems to be the most important part, carefully yet not over handling the rolling and cutting of the dough.  My neighbors were gifted much of my last batch which met with mouthwatering approval.

So here we are, wondering what biscuits have to do with God’s gifts?  Well, let’s back up a bit.  In our sanctification journey we’ve looked at the importance of knowing who God is, who we are in God, and knowing God’s character and promises.  Then we took on the challenge of how trials take us down bumpy roads.  Yet, they lead us to greater trust in how all that knowledge comes together for our good.   This week we’re cooking up ways to live the life we yearn for each day.

So, let’s start this week with a question: What do you most want out of your short life here on earth What do you yearn for each day you wake?

In the July 24, 2023 edition of CNBC’s “Make It,” therapist Charlotte Weber wrote of the nine things people want most in life.

  1. To be loved
  2. To be understood
  3. To have power
  4. To have and give attention
  5. To have freedom
  6. To create
  7. To belong
  8. To win
  9. To connect

If you answered my questions with yearnings such as a desire for marriage, children, money, or even the perfect biscuit, you could probably attribute any of those with something on Ms. Weber’s list.  But here’s the thing, her ingredients to attaining those nine desires are all temporary. A spouse who loves you, a friend who understands, a situation where you have power and win.  Getting attention and belonging may last for a day, a month or a season.  And freedom?  From what?  There are rules everywhere we go!  None of these ingredients are bad or even frowned upon by God.  But they are temporary fixes.

My biscuit journey made me realize we make commitments large and small to the things of this world for which we yearn.  I had to submit to the rules of biscuit making.  And if I plan to fulfill my goal, I need to be obedient to that cause.

I want to give you a recipe for the big life goals Ms. Weber revealed which, when followed, last throughout eternity. You’re probably not going to like it. But it’s a recipe that been tested for thousands of years and those who have tasted it all agree it is good. You might have guessed it — submission and obedience to God.

“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16

Let’s be honest, when anyone talks about obedience and submission a little red flag goes up in our mind.  Unfortunately, so many Christian teachers and pastors these days seem to blame our lack of obedience to the Lord on our western culture.  Here’s a Bible pro-tip: humans have struggled with obedience since the third chapter of Genesis.  We need to stop blaming modern culture and realize it’s a human problem that spans all time and location.  The Israelites didn’t live in western culture yet I recall a few times where they had kings that “did evil in the sight of the LORD” and were found very wanting.

We do, however, love to compound our basic disobedience to God by being fearful of disobedience to man.  Nowadays that means we’re to be a planet saving, animal loving, anti-capitalists it seems.  We are asked, “Are you using recycled containers?”  If not, you’re killing the planet.  Have you given enough money to the homeless?  They are destitute because of you!  Have you ethically sourced your jacket?  If not, you’ve probably destroyed an entire rainforest.  The food you eat, the leisure activities you enjoy, the car you drive – you’re being called every day to submit to new worldly rules.  And if you don’t comply, then you can’t possibly be a good person and be happy!  How could you, you planet destroyer and animal hater?  Submit to the modern rules and feel good about yourself!

You may throw up your hands and call the recipe for eternal happiness and joy impossible. But as Christian author Kevin DeYoung writes in his great little book, “Impossible Christianity”, “When genuine discipleship becomes impossible, hell often becomes impossible as well.” In other words, when we believe failure is the norm, we forget the reality of hell.

And I don’t know about you but hell is not what I’m yearning for when I’m done here. I also know I want lasting, deep peace and joy. It’s true that what we all yearn for in the now will only be a shadow of what is to come in eternity. Jesus reminds us that He knows we can’t do everything perfect and need to lean on Him all the time. We seek holiness as a life goal and know it’ll take the Holy Spirit to do the work in us. Urging us, teaching us, and even admonishing us.

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14

The world wants to tell Christians God’s only ingredient for the world is love.  They conveniently leave out that God is also to be feared and revered.  And separation from God, which is what Jesus was experiencing on the cross when He said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” is what we call “hell.”

Our disobedience tells God we don’t revere Him and instead revere ourselves.  We want to be the author of our own recipe.  So, while we have declared our faith in Jesus Christ, we continue to turn away from the holiness He so desires for our life.  To the unbeliever it must be confusing to see us acting this way!  

This holiness is not impossible. And while perfection may be our eternal goal, in all honesty we won’t achieve it here on earth. But like my biscuit-making journey, we need to keep hungering and thirsting for it.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6

This week’s question: When you hear obedience and submission, what is your reaction?

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Coat of the Holy Spirit

krisshetter

First published March 3, 2025 as part of the On Being Sanctified series

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:1-4

As I’m writing this my BSGs (Bible Study Girls) are working in the book “Now and Not Yet,” by Ruth Chou Simons. We’ve just completed a week-long study on Joseph’s life found in Genesis 37-50. Joseph’s story is one of those known by believers and non-believers far and wide, mostly because of that coat. You know the one – of many colors that his dad Jacob made for him. That coat became a visual reminder of Joseph’s favored son status amongst his brothers.

Most of us know Joseph’s story: his jealous brothers sell him into slavery after he shares a dream about ruling over them. In Egypt, he rises in Potiphar’s household but is falsely accused and thrown into prison. Yet God continues to favor him. After interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams of coming abundance and famine, Joseph is placed in charge of Egypt’s food supply. Years later, his brothers come seeking food, unaware they are standing before Joseph himself. The story culminates in forgiveness and reconciliation.

At the end of the study week, three things stood out to me: 1) Even in the worst, he made it the best.  2) We don’t hear of God telling Joseph what to do.  And 3) Joseph’s walk with God seemed woven into who he was.

I pointed out to the ladies that the first time you even hear Joseph speak God’s name is when he rebuffs the wife. He said it would be a wicked and sinful thing against God. After that even in jail while interpreting dreams, you don’t get Pauline-like statements about suffering and perseverance for God. But when asked by Pharaoh if he could interpret the dreams he said, “I cannot, but God will give Pharaoh the answers.” And when Joseph finally revealed who he was to his brothers he made the amazing statement, “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” Genesis 45:5

From favored son to dropped into a well to die.  From slavery to Pharaoh’s trusted servant.  From betrayed to forgiving.  Joseph had God embedded so deeply in him that each trial, each good thing, was of God.  It was as though he wore God as a comfortable, favorite coat.

You have to think as the years went by while in Egypt, he thought of the brothers who tried to kill him.  As he sat rotting in jail for years, of that beautiful, multi-colored coat.  We now can read the full story, but Joseph himself never knew what was to come.  He only knew God was with him.

Raise your hand in all honesty if you would be plotting your revenge or how you would turn your backs on your family (or friends or neighbors or fellow church members) after being treated so terribly.  All the while waiting to hear God’s voice telling you what to do or how to feel about it all.

When the time came to stand face to face with his brothers it wasn’t anger and bitterness that he expressed.  He could look back at the betrayal of Potiphar’s wife and how it led him to years in jail all to be worked out by God.  He saw how God had used even his slavery to save countless lives.  God didn’t have to reveal some new great truth to him.  He slipped easily into wearing God’s goodness in the trials.  He saw that God was sovereign, and he trusted Him.  God was teaching him to persevere, leading him up to redeeming his family with forgiveness.

We’re the fortunate ones to have the entire story of the Bible laid out in front of us.  We get to see the work of an even greater Joseph – Jesus.  We see how His Father asked Him to wear a different coat – – one lined with all the blackness of our sins.  His suffering and perseverance redeemed all humanity.  His gift to us?  The Holy Spirit residing in us for our time here in this world.  So like Joseph we too can wear the living God each day.  We wear a majestic, wise, and powerful inner coat: the very presence of God’s Spirit within us.  Having Him be a natural way of life for us – obeying, trusting and persevering.

Friends, we were sanctified by the blood of Jesus. Giving us justification to stand before God in peace. He has clothed us in white, having removed that dark punishment of death. We are being sanctified right now by the Holy Spirit guiding us through the hatred or lack of love we experience, the lies told about us, the tragedies and trials. He bathes us each in God’s glorious light that we might shine it out to the world! And what is all this for? We will experience our final sanctification when we are glorified and the purple robes of kings are placed on our shoulders. When we face our LORD and He says to us, “Welcome home, good and faithful servant!”

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2.

Until then, God purifies us.  He is making you holy, “hagiasmos” or set apart. Walk like Joseph through your day, wearing not that cheap, shiny, sparkly coat of the world, but rather the coat which envelopes you inside and out with the Holy Spirit. He will make you more valuable than any favored, earthly treasure. He will clothe you in something more precious than gold.

This week’s question: What’s been the most confusing or challenging part of your Christian journey?

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Pruning for Fruitfulness

krisshetter

First published April 14, 2025 in the On Being Sanctified series

“In all this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6

You may have learned at some point that wildfires actually can be positive for burning out old, dead wood and allowing for new growth.  God’s trials are our great refinery.  Every one of us experiences it.  But only Christians have the promises and therefore the hope for truly brighter days.  Only we have the guiding, comforting light of the Holy Spirit to remind us He is always with us.

As the faithful we are led to forgive those who persecute us.  Not only forgive but to love.  The fruit of our faith is joy, peace, patience, love, gentleness, kindness, self-control and faithfulness (Galatians 5:22).

If during a trial you don’t have this fruit you have to ask yourself if you have truly surrendered to Christ.  Or are you, as Pastor Tim Keller once said, “Sitting in God’s seat”?  Meaning, are you the arbiter of “the ways things should and must be?”  Are you so angry, sad or distraught when, after you’ve determined what is best in your life, that it all goes so differently?  You’re sitting in God’s seat. 

The secular world says, “There is no future so I must have all my happiness in the ‘now.’” When that inevitable trial or suffering comes, the worldly are thrown into despair.  They think life should always be good.  As followers of Christ we should and must put our ultimate happiness in the eternal.  When suffering comes to us it is to be expected because we live in a fallen world.  On the flip side, when life is good, we should be thanking God for what is actually the “unusual.”

This garden we are all in has a lot of gopher holes that have been dug out by the world who live by fleshly desires.  Greed, selfishness, hatred, unforgiveness, unkindness, sexual immorality and more are the result of Satan’s pull on mankind.  And it all slams against us at one time or another.  Trying to pluck us from His hands.

He gives us this beautiful promise: “And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Jesus said this to the apostles as He sent them out to spread the seeds of the Gospel because He knew what they would face. Death and persecution would follow them everywhere.

Is this all to just “get through” safely to eternity?  In one way, yes.  But remember those fruits?  We don’t have the fruit of fear and drudgery and timidity.  We have the fruits of what so many seek through self-help books and psychology.  Our trials help us learn to persevere and grow closer to God in trust.  They show us that He is truly worthy of all our praise.  He provides and protects until He calls us home.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

So again, I ask, have you come out stronger in your trials?  Has your faith beautifully blossomed?   If not, it’s time to reflect.  To ask yourself if you missed God in the suffering and in the calm.  If you missed an opportunity for peace in the pain.  If you still seek to control outcomes and sit in God’s seat? Are your roots at the surface or are they grounded deep in the love and knowledge of God?

You will face something difficult again.  He is trustworthy and has a plan for you.  Through your tears, ask Him to reveal Himself at work.  In your anxiety ask Him to make your path straight.  In your heavy burden take up His offer to turn it all over to Him.

I promise you, because I have seen Him at work through many people, including myself, you will see your faith grow by leaps and bounds.  And the world will have a difficult time pulling your deep roots from God’s rich soil.

This week’s question: What promise of God have you relied on during difficult times?

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The Shepherd’s Pursuing Love

krisshetter 
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.” Psalm 23:1-2

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

In the last week of my BSG’s study on the Book of Ruth, Pastor Alistair Begg asked, “When have you, like Ruth, wondered, ‘Why?’ about God’s providence and generosity?” It was interesting that most of our group answered with the negative in mind—“Why did this terrible thing happen?” But Pastor Begg was actually pointing to Ruth’s honest confusion in response to unexpected kindness. In Ruth 2,

“I (Boaz the farmer) have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”

At this, she (Ruth) bowed down with her face to the ground.  She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

She wasn’t questioning punishment; she was marveling at kindness in light of her position.

Chosen With Love

My own “why” answer to the study question was along the same lines—a question I often thank God for in my life: “Why did You choose me when I didn’t even know You? Why have You blessed me so richly and changed me for the better?”

In past posts, we’ve talked about the importance of remembering. For me, it has been essential to my sanctification. When I look back on my life “before Christ,” I remember the ways I sought comfort apart from God, especially in sexual immorality. To that I added anger, unforgiveness, pride, and selfishness. And I still at times, now that I am “in Christ,” ask: why?

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:10-11

And this is His answer: He loved me while I was still a sinner (Romans 5:8). Just as He loved you, dear friend—not after you cleaned up your act, but before. Before you were even born. It’s hard to grasp that kind of love, isn’t it? Maybe that’s why so much of the world rejects it. It can’t possibly be true—and yet it is.

Our Loving Shepherd

As I considered today’s post, I thought about simply including all of Psalm 23—the familiar “The Lord is my Shepherd” psalm. I’ve always found it interesting that it’s so often associated with death, when it speaks so richly about life and love; the good life held in the arms of our loving Shepherd.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever." Psalm 23:6

What a comfort to know this love. A God who loved us before we were born and who follows us all the days of our lives!  A Shepherd who protects and provides for His sheep—and His sheep know His voice. This God is Jehovah-Raah: the Lord is my Shepherd.

No matter how long we’ve walked with Christ, we can look back and see moments we’re grateful He loved us—even then. Some are blessed to have known that love early; others, like me, recognized it later. Either way, His timing is perfect. As I’ve slowly grasped what His love means, chains have broken, wounds have healed, and my love for Him has grown year by year.

In a post from a while back, we talked about God the Creator. On the sixth day, He crowned His creation by making humanity in His image and declared it not only good, but very good. And with that began a love story—a love that never leaves us or forsakes us. When we turn our backs, He still calls, “Come back to Me, your Shepherd.”

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:26-33

How beautiful is this picture of God’s love for us—to be held secure for all eternity. Today, let us rest in the love of God: the One who defines love, who is Love; the God who loved you then, loves you now, and will love you forevermore.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come before You with a humble heart, recognizing that Your love is the foundation of all existence. Your love is beyond measure, beyond comprehension, and it surpasses all human understanding. I am in awe of Your boundless love that extends to every corner of creation.

Lord, I pray that Your love may envelop me completely. Fill every fiber of my being with Your unconditional and transformative love. Let it penetrate every thought, every word, and every action. Help me to experience the depth of Your love in every aspect of my life.

I surrender myself to Your love, knowing that it is the greatest force in the universe. Thank You, dear Lord, for the immeasurable gift of Your love. May it be my constant source of strength, joy, and peace. I offer this prayer in the name of Jesus, who embodied Your love fully. Amen.

Author Unknown, Bibleversesnow.com

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The Unchanging God in a Changing World

krisshetter

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

A few years ago, my Bible Study Girls were asked to create a faith growth chart.  We were to mark where we thought our faith was at say 5-10 years ago and then where it was at the time of the study.  As we shared our charts it was great to see that all of us felt we had grown in our faith lives.  We also all showed times where we plateaued.  As Christians, we call this being sanctified by God.  We were justified with God when we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior.  We are currently being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.  And one day we will be glorified when we see Christ again.  That’s Christian growth.

Our lives, believers or not, are filled with changes.  Changes in our bodies, beliefs, relationships, financial situations and more.  We are reflections of all of God’s creations – we are born, we live and one day we die.  Returned to the dust.  In this way we are wholly divergent from our Creator.  A Creator who is immutable, never changing.

“Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end.”  Psalm 102:25-27

Progressive Teaching vs Biblical Teaching

Liberal thinking, in politics, religion and society, is that everything changes.  Everything grows above and beyond yesteryear.  That thinking gives us “progressivism.”  Liberal pastors and bible teachers believe the Bible is a dusty book with old fashioned rules and ways of living.  They pick and choose what us “modern believers” should follow as we become more advanced.  But in holding to that interpretation they also have to believe that God is ever changing.  Which the Bible makes clear He is not.

God doesn’t change His mind.  Why?  Because He is omnipotent and therefore already had all the information needed to form His thoughts.  God doesn’t seek to improve because that implies He wasn’t perfect to begin with.  God doesn’t have a growth chart – He is beyond time.

“The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand forever.” Isaiah 40:10

So while King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3 accurately shows there’s a season for everything — life and death, joy and sadness, and a time to be born and a time to die — God does not exist by those constraints.  And for that we should be eternally grateful.

A Steady Hand

For much of my life I was waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop.  In other words, when things were good, I just knew they’d take a turn for the worse.  Unfortunately, when things were bad I just figured they’d also get worse.  As my faith chart has soared, I can rest in the truths of God’s Word.  He has a plan for us for all eternity, and it is good.  He won’t pull a rug out from under me.  He is the Rock I can count on.  His truth is something to which we can hold fast.  Let’s remember the words written about 3,000 years ago: “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Ps 100:5)

We look around us and can believe things seem so much worse than “before.”  We look in the mirror and see new lines and wrinkles.  The seasons outside our windows come and go.  Instead of despair we can look to the immutable God and see a steady hand guiding us to something better.  A hope that we should pray all those whom we love would have.  We build our life on His steady hill so as storms come and go, we are not rocked or defeated.

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5

Friends, His Word is true, good and never changing.  While culture may have been different in biblical times, man’s propensity to sin carries on for thousands upon thousands of years.  There’s scripture that says something like, nothing has happened to you that hasn’t happened already to someone else.  It’s good to remember that because then we can look to God and see just how He has always wanted the situation resolved.  The answers were carved in stone, then papyrus, then on a printing press, and now in our hearts.  The same words of the Old Testament were read by Jesus.  And His words by believers almost 2,000 years ago.

We don’t need a “new word” or a shiny new god.  We need to rest in and believe the everlasting, unchanging God who rules the world with wisdom, grace and justice.

Everlasting (Psalm 90) by Sovereign Grace Music

O God, before the mountains were brought forth
Or days of spring and summer filled the earth
From everlasting, You are God

We dwell beneath the stars in ancient skies
A thousand years are nothing in Your sight
From everlasting, You are God

And all our days are held within Your hands
Your perfect love and favor have no end
We rest within the wisdom of Your plan
Everlasting God

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A wooden cross before a mountain sunrise with the text God's Holiness.
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Be Holy Because I Am Holy

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“There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” 1 Samuel 2:2

“For it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”  1 Peter 1:16

According to a recent New York Times article, people are joining the Roman Catholic Church in surprising numbers. This Easter, the Archdiocese of Detroit received 1,428 new Catholics into the church, its highest number in 21 years. Similar numbers can be seen in other archdiocese across America.  But it’s not just Catholics seeing this surge among young people, especially young men.  Conservative branches of all Christianity across many countries find their numbers swelling after years of loss.

While I can’t see myself ever becoming a Catholic, I understand the draw.  I love visiting grand churches.  On our recent visit to Santa Fe, New Mexico we popped into the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis Assisi.  A beautiful and stately church founded in 1714, it was dedicated in 1887.  It contains all the elements of grandeur – stained glass, colorful mosaics, glittering gold sacrament pieces, hand painted wood beams and more.  Every cathedral I have visited left me with the intended emotion – a sense of God’s splendor and holiness.  The rituals, liturgy and historicity of the Catholic church all envelope you in something other-worldly.  A stark contrast to my reformed Presbyterian church which, while nicely constructed, lacks that same grandeur.

I believe that’s why so many young men are turning to this more structured religion.  That sense of holiness of God and His awesome power and might are more easily grasped in such a setting.  While at my church I can forget reverence and holiness until the service begins to unfold.  My church is “just a building.”  But it’s a building where we come to honor, learn about and serve our Holy God.

A Holy God Sanctifies

“Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.”  Leviticus 19:2

When God spoke these words to Moses, He had already spent several chapters of Leviticus instructing the Israelites on how to remain set apart from the ungodly world.  From defining pure and impure sexual relations to bathing during a woman’s period and how to make sacrifices for sin, God was setting them on a path to holiness or sanctification.  He defined Himself as Jehovah-mekoddishkem, the God who sanctifies.  Following this statement in Leviticus 19:2 began the famous list of commandments Christians know so well today.  But why?

Have you ever been in the presence of someone you really admire or someone famous?  Many of us in those situations begin to compare our worthiness to them.  We stand there in awe and wonder, having a desire to be just like them.  Now transfer that to standing before God – the creator of all things seen and unseen.  He commanded Moses to remove his sandals when approached on the mountain.  Moses wasn’t allowed to see God lest he die from the magnitude of God’s glory.  

Yet God, as I’ve written previously, constantly seeks us.  Constantly draws near to us in relationship.  But we are not worthy to have our sandals stand on His same ground.  So, He sent His only Son to complete the first cleansing step.  A sacrifice for our sins and a covering of righteousness only accomplished by the blood of Jesus.  We can stand in God’s presence with our hands wrapped in Jesus’ who intercedes for us, lest we are overcome by God’s holiness.

Then, through our obedience and love for God, His Holy Spirit lives in us; transforming us, sanctifying us through His “rules” which set us apart from the world.  Sets us closer to Him.

Aligned With Our Perfect God

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.  The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8

Friend, God is perfect.  Jesus is our holy, high priest who stands for us before our blindingly awesome and glorious God.  Our faith is not a set of rules or rituals to follow.  It’s a desire to be close to our holy God.  It’s our chance at bringing us in alignment, and therefore giving us eternal peace and rest, with the only God who loves us and blesses us richly.

Each day we should seek holiness.  Through our words, actions and thoughts the Holy Spirit prunes our dead pieces of the old self and encourages new blooms.  I, for one, want to be one of those saints singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD God,” when Jesus returns.  To see His holiness in all its majesty and glory.  I don’t need stained glass to seek that — only Jesus.

“There should be as much difference between the worldling and the Christian, as between hell and heaven, between destruction and eternal life.” Charles Spurgeon

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Our Wise and Sanctified Souls

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"But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." Jude 1:20-21

You began your journey on the road of the sanctified life by professing your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior.  You may not even have realized what that meant but, you took the step.  You began reading your Bible, going to church, seeking others of faith.  Your Knowledge Basket filled little by little.  Your soul became refreshed and watered at rest stops along the road by the Word.

The inevitable pothole leaps out at you suddenly.  You may even veer off the road a bit.  Your soul takes a beating with heartache and loss.  Your sins become a glaring, flashing red light.  But you look in your Trials Basket and remember God will never leave you or forsake you.  (Deut 31:68) You recall Him telling us to ask in His will and you shall receive.  (Matt 7:7-9)

The verses you so carefully plucked and memorized tell you the Holy Spirit is your strength and He has a plan for good.  We learn such jewels from Proverbs as, “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.” (Prov 26:11)

You pick up and dust off your bruised soul and get back on the path, gathering experience after experience. Confirming over and over the truth of God’s Word.  The truth that He sees you and knows every hair on your head. (Luke 12:7) You remember each time a new pothole jumps at you to pray for His hand on your life.  You affirm to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding, and He will make straight your paths.” (Prov. 3:5) 

You come to a fork in the road.  To the left you see what appears to be an open, empty road.  It’s just you and the path.  It looks so easy to take.  To the right you see broken down souls trudging outside the path.  Ones who are weary and thirsty; ones who are lost.  Ones who are being deceived.  Souls who are in need.  But you also see the Holy Spirit ahead, like a busy traffic cop beckoning you forward.  

You must ask yourself, “Do I turn left, lock my doors and enjoy the blessing of salvation by myself?” Or, do I choose to submit myself to the entirety of God’s teaching?  Will you choose to fill your Stewardship Basket? To love your neighbor, to share the Gospel with your family and friends, to give your time, talents and treasure to those in need for the glory of God? (Matt 22:39)

God’s path calls for us to submit ourselves wholly to Him – not just part.  The “easy path” so often doesn’t turn out all that easy.  It’s a mirage, set up by the devil to deceive.  James tells us a partial faith is “double mindedness.” (James 1:8) And that person shouldn’t expect anything from God.  1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  It means we take all God has gifted us and we turn it back into glorifying Him to others in need.

As our soul matures along this road, we choose.  Yes, we choose which fork to take.  We choose to submit every sin, every action, every word, every need and every gift for His Kingdom.  When we do, God continues filling our Submission Basket with new experiences and new revelations.  We trust in Him and He gifts us the best road trip snacks – peace and the security of our eternal future.

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal." Isaiah 26:3-4

My friends, humans are the only created beings to which God has blessed this amazing opportunity of sanctification.  The animal kingdom obeys God’s plan instantly upon birth.  They do what they are made to do.  Yet, those actions are limited in scope.  We have so much more opportunity to glorify God with what He has given us!

God has placed us on this road to travel and gather.  Each mile marker brings us new insight into Him, the world, and the adversary.  Wisdom is not a far off mirage.  No, the jewels of wisdom sit firmly in our baskets which have been gathered along the way.

“Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies.

I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.  

I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.  

I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word.  

I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me.

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”  Psalm 119:98-106

One day I will be an “old soul.”  Right now, however, I’m working my way down the road of life.  Making mistakes and re-submitting my life to Christ each day.  Forgetting to pray and rely on God’s sovereignty then having a friend ask me, “Have you prayed about that?”

I can feel my soul growing wiser, growing more at peace.  I want my roots to run deep in His Word so I bear good fruit for others to enjoy along the path. (Matt 7:17-18) But most of all I want to be ever thankful that Jesus took it upon Himself to build this path toward the heavenlies.  

A Path Freely Given

He didn’t have to.  We need to remember that fact when others abuse what Jesus did for us.  When they complain when we re-affirm Jesus is the only Way.  God didn’t have to make a way at all.  Not only did He build it, He gave us the full recipe, He gave us a guide.  All so we can make it safely home.

As I write this my 86 year old, cancer riddled, atheist dad has come to live with us before he travels his final path.  I’ve had many friends concerned for how hard this will be.  It is hard at times. Especially at 2:00 am when bed clothes and sheets need changing. Or when I must choose to forgo activities dear to me. But I am at peace.  

I realized this the other day.  It’s a peace I’ve prayed for a lot in my life.  I never expected during a trial such as this that peace would be what God gifted me on this road.  

The other day, I took my dad for his first ever mani/pedi experience to fix his old crusty toenails.  He loved it.  When I sent my Bible study sisters a photo of him in the salon, one commented: “I love that you are loving on your dad this way!  A foot washing like Jesus would do today!” 

It struck me that I have been sanctified for a time such as this. (Esther 4:14) Blessed with the opportunity to take the fork to the right and share the love, mercy and salvation message of Jesus Christ with my father.

My friends, I pray that you too will have many opportunities to do the same.

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Our final question: What’s the best lesson you have learned so far on your sanctification journey?

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The Well-Travelled Soul

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“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.”  Ephesians 1: 17-19

Have you ever heard someone young described as having an “old soul?”  It usually describes a young person who seems to think and act much older than their actual years.  Or someone who enjoys music, art, crafting, etc. from years past.  I’ll be honest, I cringe when I hear this phrase.  Because usually the person they describe just seems naturally more introverted.  Not shy, just one who enjoys quiet.  Quiet time and quiet activities.

In reality, all Christians must travel the highway of sanctification to attain true and deep wisdom.  We gather it along the road in our baskets little by little with each trial and tribulation and heartbreak.  Each time we act in God’s will, not the way of the world, we find another fruit in that basket.  When we get to the end of our sanctification road, our dents, scratches, repairs and maybe even a little duct tape, will be our trophies of gathered wisdom. 

I bring the “old soul” view up because it flies in the face of what the sanctification road means for a Christian.  Worldly wisdom can only get us so far on this journey.  We, however, seek the wisdom gifted by Christ Jesus.  The wisdom that comes from the different steps we have discussed thus far: knowledge of our LORD, submission to the LORD, the experiences of trials, and the stewardship of all He has given us.

King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:3-4, “Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.  The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.“

In other words, we learn a lot more about life, ourselves, others, and God when we face sadness and hardship.  So that supposed 10 year old “old soul,” if raised in a modern society, has yet to gather much in their basket of life.  

Worldly Wisdom vs. Godly Wisdom

What’s the difference between worldly wisdom and God’s wisdom?  If you study Proverbs, you’ll see the best worldly wisdom has to offer actually comes directly from that book!  The worst is highlighted throughout the Bible with names such as greed, lust, selfishness, pride, and vengeance.  Worldly wisdom so often focuses on the “me” and not the “thee.”

The world tells us it is wise to go along with our loved ones’ sins.  “Go along to get along.”  “Don’t judge.”  God’s Word flies in the face of this when He tells us: “My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.” (James 5:19-20 the Message)

We are likewise reminded when we share the freedom message of Christ Jesus it may separate us from those same friends and family—a worldly unwise move.  In light of this, we hold on to the truth that this is yet another act of submitting; which brings us closer to God’s wise plan for our lives.

The world tells you it’s wise to have sex outside marriage.  Why?  Apparently so you know more about sex and can pick a good sex partner in marriage.  And besides they say, it’s your “right” to have a little fun.  The Bible tells us “There’s more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, “The two become one.” Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us lonelier than ever—the kind of sex that can never “become one.” (1 Cor 16:19-20 the Message)  The promoters of sexually immoral behavior call abstinence before marriage unwise.  Yet God’s wisdom tells us to value this gift as precious.

My friends, besides standing with Jesus at the end of my life, my end-goal on this journey is wisdom.  When to keep my mouth shut and when to speak.  When to help others and when to be wary of fools.  Recognizing good character and keeping far afield of pigs who want to steal my pearls.  Remaining calm when the world says to panic.  A knowing that forgiving those the world says I should hate actually heals my own soul.

This week’s question: What’s something you have become wiser about in your journey of life?

Next week we’ll take one last look at our sanctification journey as we wisely travel the road home.

For more study on wisdom check out these series: “31 Days of God’s Wisdom” and “Enjoy Life: From Meaningless to Meaningful (a study of Ecclesiastes)

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Laborers In His Garden

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“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”  Colossians 3:23-24

In my own sanctification journey, I thought that I’d come to a good place to not have to work so hard at doing God’s work.  When my mom died last year, I was suddenly given the role as faithful steward in caring for my dad.  A new “garden” had been planted for me to tend.

There’s quite a lot of weeding and tending going on right now in this new garden.  The Holy Spirit allows me plenty of opportunities to go backwards in my journey.  Seemingly endless doctor visits, hours long emergency room trips, and being the mental keeper of all the various issues he has at this time.  On top of it, I did the one thing I never wanted to do but realized we had to do  – place my dad in a short term health facility while he receives ongoing medical treatment.  

God rarely seems to give us these more difficult tasks to perform alone.  He has blessed me with wonderful family and friends who have pulled on their gardening gloves as well.  An opportunity to make this a community garden filled with love, compassion, humility and service.

Each day, after tending this garden I give thanks to the Lord for all He has given and shown me.  I give thanks for the friendly staff at all the places, even when things don’t go as planned.  I give thanks for the knowledge He gave me about His character – that He would never leave me or forsake me.  Thanks for the Holy Spirit teaching me patience, kindness and compassion.  And I give thanks for each opportunity to share the Gospel and God’s Word with my atheist father.

You may recall I wrote a few weeks ago that during Covid I sought the advice of a Christian counselor in answering the question: How do I honor my mother and father who have rejected me?

 I never dreamed He would answer my question with the great responsibility He has now gifted me. He gave me baby steps to steward my new self, given through faith in His Son.  He planted forgiveness and love in me to tend. 

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” – Matthew 25:21

My friends, on this journey we are never done in our gardens until our last breath.  Until then we are to plant the seeds with our children, grandchildren or the children at our churches.  We tend to our gardens by helping others see the weeds growing in their lives – and we ask them to help us in turn.  

We may even need to spray for those pesky bugs in our midst.  Pastors, teachers, and elders who try and introduce words counter to the truth of God.  And we join together to celebrate the harvest.  Friends, families, and acquaintances who ask to be baptized in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In my favorite “go to” book of the Bible, James, we are reminded to be faithful stewards of God’s garden.  Faithful doers of the Word so that the Word is not forgotten, in ourselves and in others to come.  

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do."  James 1: 22-25

Jesus lamented the lack of garden laborers in Matthew 9:35-38 when He said, “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.”  The Lord is signing up people like you and me for the most important job in the history of mankind.  People who know the Word, who have experienced His presence in times of trial, people who are obedient to His Word.  

It’s time to gather your tools and get to work.