Grace Realized

August 10, 2012 at 10:17 am (Encouragement, God's Word, perspective)
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There are few things that can be more frustrating than an unfulfilled promise.  They can be promises of joy, of loyalty, of friendship, or of kindness.  When something promised goes for a long period of time without coming to completion, it can lead to frustration and disappointment and grow to be a source of bitterness and sorrow. 

For the Israelites, an unfulfilled promise brought about great strife within their people.  It pulled out the worst in them, most often shown in great amounts of doubt, disobedience, and rebellion.  Throughout all of the Old Testament, particularly after they were given the Law, they were continually being measured against a standard to which they simply could not adhere.  It highlighted their depravity and how far away they were from God.  In order to have any kind of relationship with Him, they had to complete a list of steps, in addition to making sacrifices, in order to compensate for their inadequacy.  They were promised full reconciliation with God.  They were promised intimacy with Him.  They were promised freedom from the sacrifical system and the strict rigidness of the Law.  They were promised REDEMPTION. 

They waited.

They doubted.

They despaired.

They sought fulfillment elsewhere.

They came back to God and waited some more.

What they didn’t realize was that God had His perfect timing and was setting up His plan and getting all of His pieces in place.  Once everything was in order, He fulfilled Him promise far more abundantly than His people had dared to dream.  And it all happened through His Son, Jesus Christ.

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”
John 1:17

Grace realized.  What does that even mean?

Grace is a gift.  It releases us from the consequences of our disobedience to God.  It means that we are free.  Free to have a close, intimate relationship with God.  Free to love Him wholeheartedly.  Free from being enslaved to sin.  Free to do what God created us to do.  Free to have communion with Him.  Free to approach Him directly.  Free to live fully under the umbrella of his grace and truth!  We are FREE! 

What are you going to do with your freedom?  Will you choose to use it?  Or will you live as if you’re still operating under the old rules of sin? 

Unlike the Israelites, you do not need to wait generations to experience the fulness of God’s grace in your life.  You can choose to embrace the grace that Jesus is offering to pour into your life.  You can trust that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, willingly died for you so that you could be free.  You can choose to believe that His love surpasses the depth and weight of your sin and that you can experience His grace by having a relationship with Him.  If you want to learn more about what that looks like, please feel free to let me know.  I would love to talk with you!

Perhaps you’ve already embraced that grace, but maybe it doesn’t play out in your everyday life.  It is so easy to let life’s struggles stamp out the joy that comes from a relationship with Christ.  Ask Jesus to make it more real to you, to bring the realization of His grace to the front of your life.  Ask Him to help you extend that grace to others.  Thank Jesus for His fulfilled promise to you.

What does the ultimate fulfilled promise look like?  Grace realized.

 

 

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Will You Love Them?

June 24, 2012 at 4:46 pm (evangelism, Growth, perspective)
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This past week, I was privileged to be a  “studaff” ( part student, part staff) at Christian Youth In Action (CYIA), which is a week-long training camp for teenagers through Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF).  This was my 6th year with them, and as always, God hugely challenged me through the week.  Tuesday night during worship, one of the students shared something that he had written during the week and God used it tremendously to help challenge all who heard it.  With his permission, I would like to share it with all of you.

Earlier in the week, I had this nagging feeling that something was wrong.  I didn’t know what, but I knew that I should take it God in prayer.  As I began to pray my thoughts kept drifting to other things that have been happening, but I knew that I needed to talk to God about this feeling.  After minutes of prayer, I took a paper from my notebook and wrote myself this letter.

Perhaps He’s trying to get your attention.  The time that you are to be devoted solely to Him is squandered on pointless daydreams.  He isn’t angry, He simply wants your attention. 

“Child,” He seem to be calling, “Will you love them?”

You nod, “Yes, of course I will, Lord.”

He stares deep into your inmost being, “Child, will you show them that I love them?”

Again you nod your head, “Lord, you know that I will.”

All goes quiet.

“I love you,” whispers the Savior.

You tighten your throat and think of what He truly means.

The sound of a hammer clashing against steel rings in your ears.  A cry of pain, a smear of red.  Light turns to dark as the Savior draws in a rugged breath.  You take another nail and push it into His other wrist.  The falls of your hammer slowly sink the nail deep into the rough wood of the blood-smeared cross.

His eyes open for a moment as He grits His teeth together.  You stare for just a second into His brilliant eyes.

“I love you.”  The words are ragged, but they’re true.

Your hammer clatters to the ground.

“Savior,” the word trips off of your shaking tongue.  A sob escapes your throat.  You look at your blood-stained hands.  the innocent man hanging in front of you coughs through the pain. 

“Child,” He whispers, “I love you.”

You can’t help but fall to your knees.

“Child, I forgive you.”

You open your eyes and see that you’re back.  The man on the cross is gone.  Your hands look clean. 

“Child,” calls a silent voice, “Will you show them that I love them?”

You breathe in.  “Yes, Lord.”

His voice whispers once again, “I love you.”

And in a voice that can barely be heard, you cry out with all your soul, “I love you too.”

-Jason Earl (CYIA 2012)

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Christlikeness

April 23, 2012 at 12:05 pm (Encouragement, Growth, perspective, prayer)
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Father of Jesus,

Dawn returns, but without Thy light within,
  no outward light can profit;
Give me the saving lamp of Thy Spirit that I may see
  Thee, the God of my salvation, the delight of my soul,
  rejoicing over me in love.
 
I commend my heart to Thy watchful care,
  for I know its treachery and power;
 
Guard its every portal from the wily enemy,
  give me quick discernment of his deadly arts,
  help me to recognize his bold disguise as an angel of light,
  and bid him begone.
 
May my words and works allure other to the
  highest walks of faith and love!
 
May loiterers be quickened to greater diligence
  by my example!
 
May worldlings be won to delight in acquaintance
  with Thee!
 
May the timid and irresolute be warned
  of coming doom by my zeal for Jesus!
 
Cause me to be a mirror of Thy grace,
  to show others the joy of Thy service.
 
May my lips be well-tuned cymbals
  sounding Thy praise.
 
Let a halo of heavenly-mindedness sparkle around me
  and a lamp of kindness sunbeam my path.
 
Teach me the happy art of attending to things temporal
  with a mind intent on things eternal.
 
Send me forth to have compassion on the ignorant and miserable.
 
Help me to walk as Jesus walked,
  my only Saviour and perfect model,
  His mind my inward guest,
  His meekness my covering garb.
 
Let my happy place be amongst the poor in spirit,
  my delight the gentle ranks of the meek.
 
Let me always estem others better than myself,
  and find in true humility
  an heirdom to two worlds.
 
 
 
*prayer from: The Valley of Vision; The Banner of Truth Trust; 2009
**lamp photo from: http://classicinteriorlighting.com/old-fashioned-oil-lamps-for-a-new-home-fragrance/\
***stairway to Heaven photo: http://www.amightywind.com/heaven.html

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Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy

October 22, 2011 at 6:38 pm (Encouragement, General, God's Word, Growth, perspective)
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REJOICE * CONTENTMENT * EXULT * GLADNESS * SATISFY

All of those words are ones that the Bible uses to describe that incredible and incomprehensible feeling of goodness that wells up in our souls.  A feeling that is most often simply expressed as joy. 

Sometimes we are overwhelmed by it.  Sometimes we go looking for it.  Sometimes we curl up in it as if in an old, comfy sweatshirt.  Sometimes we despair in its absence.  Whatever the case, it is a vital part of our lives. 

The world has long been in search of that feeling.  There have been countless books written, poems composed, and movies produced that are all about the quest for fulfillment and being “happy”.  I remember back when “The Pursuit of Happyness” was in theaters and I went to see it with my family.  I left the cinema absolutely depressed.  I couldn’t figure out where the happiness was in it.  That movie illustrated brilliantly, however, an incredibly important thing: happiness.  Happiness, I am convinced, is not just another word for joy.  Happiness, as demonstrated in “The Pursuit of Happyness” is based solely and completely on circumstances.  It only as lasts as long as the sun is out and the flowers are blooming and life’s going swell.  I’m persuaded that what the world is searching for is something much, much deeper. 

A few days ago, I spent an afternoon going through the Bible and finding all of the passages on joy that I could.  With a little help from Nave’s Topical Bible, I soon found myself bombarded by a ridiculous amount of Scripture.  I had previously made the connection that joy had a lot to do with God, but as I began reading, I had an epiphany.

Psalm 16:8-9,11 – “I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely…You will make known to me the path of my life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

My realization was this – without God, it is impossible to experience true joy.  That hit me like a ton of bricks.  I look at my day even just today and I see how many places I have looked to be satisfied, whether in a cup of coffee, sleeping in, or a conversation with someone and the list goes on and on.  Don’t get me wrong, those things are pleasures that God gave us to enjoy, but all of those little things shouldn’t add up to equal my source of joy.  They can’t.  Do I really think that a mocha on the run is going to make everything better?  No, deep down I know that a grande Salted Caramel Mocha from Starbucks is not going to fix everything, but there are definitely times when I act like it.  If I haven’t spent some quality time with my Savior, I have no business expecting a $4 drink to fill the cracks in my heart. 

So, where does joy come from? 

Romans 5:2,11 – “Through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we exult in hope of the glory of God…and not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Chris, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

It comes from being reconciled with God.  It comes from spending time with your Father and asking Him to renew you.  It comes from the certainty of knowing that in regard to your sin, He has wiped the slate clean and that sin no longer separates you from your Creator.  And because of all of that, something very special happens.

Nehemiah 8:10b – “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 

With joy comes the strength to do life.  The strength to take each new thing as it comes, whether it’s something that makes us dance or something that makes us cry.  It gives us the motivation to dedicate each day to the Lord and say to Him, “It’s yours.  All of it.”  In that very act we find that there is strength in surrender.  That is the key to the search for fulfillment and satisfaction.  That is the answer to the pursuit of happiness.

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Just Crater-riddled Rock?

October 4, 2011 at 10:16 pm (General, perspective)
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Isn’t it funny how we can look at something over and over again and still can miss so much?  I find that with nature.  God put so many parts of Himself in creation, and yet most of the time we are blind to them.

     When I look up at a night sky, I find that I typically focus on the stars.  Normally when you hear about God and creation or God and His greatness, you often hear about the stars.  There have been numerous videos made and whole concerts/conferences based on that concept.  The stars are truly incredible, but branching out from them I see some pretty powerful imagery in a surprising place: the moon.

     My very favorite thing about the moon is that it doesn’t shine because of its own light, but because it reflects the light of the sun.  Without the sun, the moon is just a piece of cold, crater-riddled rock.  You wouldn’t even be able to see it.  God designed it that way.

     I don’t think that it’s a coincidence that the Christian life is the same way.  Without Christ, we are just pieces of cold, crater-riddled rock, full of flaws and mistakes.  Maybe there are some “bright” points about us, but once the asteroids of hurt and guilt and error hit, you can hardly see the bright spots because the scars are so numerous.  Once we receive the light of Christ, however, he turns that piece of rock into something beautiful.  It becomes alive with light and the scars begin to fade.  We were designed that way.  We’re nothing by ourselves; everything we accomplish outside of that light is worthless.

     Now, I have a question for you:  What did the moon have to do to get the sun’s light?  Absolutely nothing.  With God, the only thing He asks for in return for salvation is our belief in Who He is and what He did for us.  Also, without the light from the sun, the moon doesn’t seem to have a real purpose besides just hanging out in the sky playing target practice with asteroids.  However, with the light, the moon becomes a brilliant light in a very dark place.  Sound familiar?  Once Christ takes us and gives us His light, we can be used by Him to bring truth and clarity to an otherwise confusing and chaotic darkness. 

     This has been a timely reminder for me of how beautiful and extraordinary God’s gift of light is to me.  It is the gift that I take for granted every day that I enjoy having a relationship with my Creator.  I hope that the next time you look up at the night sky and see the moon in all of its luminous splendor, you are struck by that very special picture of how God’s light has filled your own life.

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