Here and Now

It is time once again for reflection on the year passing and for making resolutions for the new year.  Right now, it feels like anything is possible in 2014.  I did not do everything I determined to last year, but this is the year I will.  I did not keep my resolution last year, but this year I will.  I did not go back to school last year, but this year I will.  I did not read through the Bible last year, but this year I will.  I did not change my career path to something I enjoy like I said I would, but this year I will. This is the easiest time of year to fool ourselves, isn't it? I once heard it said that a goal without a plan is only a wish.  So I wonder how many of us will set goals for 2014, and how many of us are just wishing things will be different this year... This year, I plan to make some changes.  In the past, I have endeavored to do this by setting priorities for the coming year, only to realize sometime in mid-February th...

             About two millennia ago, a little boy was born to a poor family into utter obscurity.   He was born in a cave, and spent His first night on Earth sleeping in a feeding trough.   He was the Lord of glory come in human flesh for the purposes of redeeming creation; the omnipotent God born into weakness for our sake.             About two weeks ago, in anticipation of the anniversary of that world-changing event, millions of people stampeded over each other to save a few bucks.  In order to appease a consumerist culture, retailers even decided to start “Black Friday” on Thursday and opened on a national holiday to offer better prices on the things we want.              And many of us who lament each year that far too many are forgetting “the reason for the season” took our stand.  We refused t...

Picking up where we left off yesterday: something else struck me about that same chapter in 1 Samuel (chapter 14).  God does win a great victory through the faith of Jonathon, but I don’t want us to miss Jonathon’s role in all of this. In verse six, he tells his armor bearer that they should go to the garrison of the uncircumcised Philistines because he knew that nothing would hinder God from saving by even a few (like just the two of them).  But look what happens next: Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them.   But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.”   So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes wher...

There is a story in 1 Samuel about the valiant Jonathon, son of King Saul, and his armor bearer who decide to attack a garrison, a pretty large garrison, of the Philistines.  Just the two of them.  While it may sound a bit impetuous and maybe even a bit ill-advised for two men to attempt such a bold undertaking, Jonathon says something that shows why it is neither, and which also shows his great faith: Jonathon said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised.  It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.” (1 Samuel 14:6) As you probably know, I pastor a very small church.  Now, I am not one to play the numbers game, but I would not guess that there were more than 15 adults in yesterday’s service.  Many look at that number and think to themselves that we are not a very successful church, nor will we be until our numbers increase.  ...

“We say our prayers, but have we ever prayed? Do we know anything about this encounter, this meeting? Have we the assurance of sins forgiven? Are we free from ourselves and self-concern that we may intercede? Have we a real burden for the glory of God and the name of the Church? Have we this concern for those who are outside? And are we pleading with God for His own name’s sake because of His own promises to hear us and to answer us?” - D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones “We cannot be too much in earnest about the saving even of one lost one. I believe we know almost nothing of that deep compassion and yearning love for a dying world, which, as saints,we ought ever to feel.” - Horatius Bonar Brothers and sisters, may we pray that God would break our hearts for the lost, and that he would then drive us back to our knees to intercede for them.

Here are the first 25 things (not in order) that I found that the New Testament says about faith.  How many would you say describe your faith? 1.       By faith we are saved.   2.       By faith we are justified.   3.       By faith we receive the propitiation of Christ’s blood.   4.       By faith we are counted righteous. 5.       By faith we have obtained access to God’s grace. 6.       By faith we received the Holy Spirit. 7.       Faith leads to obedience. 8.       Faith pursues the law of God. 9.       By faith we uphold the law of God.   10.   Faith encourages. 11.   Faith examines itself. 12.   It is by faith that we receive the promises of God, in fact, His promises depend on fai...