Welcome To The Pastor's Blog
On this page you will find insights from our pastor on many varying topics.
As you read these, it is our hope that you will be led deeper into your understanding of God's word and growth in Christlikeness.
As you read these, it is our hope that you will be led deeper into your understanding of God's word and growth in Christlikeness.
"Lord, I really just need to hear some good news today!"
July 29, 2021
Beloved,
Have you ever had those times in life when bad news piles up onto more bad news, stresses accumulate, and troubles multiply? You know, those times where you say, "Lord, I really just need to hear some good news today!", and then more bad news comes? Now, I have a bad tendency to catastrophize at times, but I'm feeling a little like that these last few days! Maybe you can relate? I am thankful that the Lord has given us the Psalms to cry out to Him honestly and openly. This morning, after receiving some heart-breaking news, the Lord led me to Psalm 143, and I hope that it both ministers to you, and shows how you can cry out with honesty in lament before our God:
David gives us a direction to go to in the hard times. He honestly pours out his struggle, but (v. 5), he remembers and meditates on the past works and faithfulness of the Lord. Why? Because He is the unchanging God. We cannot measure His goodness, and so David also ponders (v. 5). All of these verbs involve intentional focus, prayerful thinking and applying of the Lord's truths. And having done this, he also continues to cry out to the Lord: "Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit." (v. 7). And, I think it is instructive that his petitions do NOT immediately deal with his situation. [That prayer request comes later in v. 9 "Deliver me from my enemies". ]No, the first things he asks for, should be the first things we ask for in the hard times: Knowledge of His love ("Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust."), direction ("Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."), and I think the direction is more of "who I should be and how I should act" rather than merely "what should I do". And even after he has asked for deliverance from his enemies in v. 9, he follows that with a broader request to honor and obey the Lord: "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!" (v. 10).
Meditating and praying through these verses has been good for my soul this AM, and I hope they have been helpful for you - even if you are having a good week! (And I hope you are!).
I was also pointed this AM in my reading, to John Newton's letters to John Ryland Jr., a younger pastor he carried on a long mentoring letter-writing relationship with. I loved these words Newton shared: "We have reason, however, to say, 'He is good and wise; for He bears with our perverseness, and in the event shows us that if He had listened to our murmurings, and take the methods we would have prescribed to him, we should have been ruined indeed, and that He has been all the while doing us good in spite of ourselves.' If I judge right, you will find your way providentially opened more and more; and yet it is possible, that when you begin to think yourself sure, something may happen to put you in a panic again. But a believer, like a sailor, is not to be surprised if the wind changes, but learn the art of suiting yourself to all winds for the time; and though many a poor sailor is shipwrecked, the poor believer shall gain his port. O it is good sailing with an infallible Pilot at the helm, who has the wind and weather at his command!"- John Newton, Wise Counsel: John Newton's Letters to John Ryland Jr. edited by Grant Gordon (Banner of Truth, 2009), pg. 93.
What a blessing it is to know that if we were to get our way in everything, we would indeed be 'ruined'. But God is wiser and more loving than we are! He knows the end from the beginning, and His plans for us never fail! My prayer for you and myself this morning is that the Lord will more and more teach us "the art of suiting yourself to all winds for the time".
With you thankful for our 'infallible Pilot at the helm, who has the wind and weather at his command!',
-Pastor Dave
Beloved,
Have you ever had those times in life when bad news piles up onto more bad news, stresses accumulate, and troubles multiply? You know, those times where you say, "Lord, I really just need to hear some good news today!", and then more bad news comes? Now, I have a bad tendency to catastrophize at times, but I'm feeling a little like that these last few days! Maybe you can relate? I am thankful that the Lord has given us the Psalms to cry out to Him honestly and openly. This morning, after receiving some heart-breaking news, the Lord led me to Psalm 143, and I hope that it both ministers to you, and shows how you can cry out with honesty in lament before our God:
Psalm 143:4–8
"Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
Answer me quickly, O LORD!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul."
David gives us a direction to go to in the hard times. He honestly pours out his struggle, but (v. 5), he remembers and meditates on the past works and faithfulness of the Lord. Why? Because He is the unchanging God. We cannot measure His goodness, and so David also ponders (v. 5). All of these verbs involve intentional focus, prayerful thinking and applying of the Lord's truths. And having done this, he also continues to cry out to the Lord: "Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit." (v. 7). And, I think it is instructive that his petitions do NOT immediately deal with his situation. [That prayer request comes later in v. 9 "Deliver me from my enemies". ]No, the first things he asks for, should be the first things we ask for in the hard times: Knowledge of His love ("Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust."), direction ("Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."), and I think the direction is more of "who I should be and how I should act" rather than merely "what should I do". And even after he has asked for deliverance from his enemies in v. 9, he follows that with a broader request to honor and obey the Lord: "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!" (v. 10).
Meditating and praying through these verses has been good for my soul this AM, and I hope they have been helpful for you - even if you are having a good week! (And I hope you are!).
I was also pointed this AM in my reading, to John Newton's letters to John Ryland Jr., a younger pastor he carried on a long mentoring letter-writing relationship with. I loved these words Newton shared: "We have reason, however, to say, 'He is good and wise; for He bears with our perverseness, and in the event shows us that if He had listened to our murmurings, and take the methods we would have prescribed to him, we should have been ruined indeed, and that He has been all the while doing us good in spite of ourselves.' If I judge right, you will find your way providentially opened more and more; and yet it is possible, that when you begin to think yourself sure, something may happen to put you in a panic again. But a believer, like a sailor, is not to be surprised if the wind changes, but learn the art of suiting yourself to all winds for the time; and though many a poor sailor is shipwrecked, the poor believer shall gain his port. O it is good sailing with an infallible Pilot at the helm, who has the wind and weather at his command!"- John Newton, Wise Counsel: John Newton's Letters to John Ryland Jr. edited by Grant Gordon (Banner of Truth, 2009), pg. 93.
What a blessing it is to know that if we were to get our way in everything, we would indeed be 'ruined'. But God is wiser and more loving than we are! He knows the end from the beginning, and His plans for us never fail! My prayer for you and myself this morning is that the Lord will more and more teach us "the art of suiting yourself to all winds for the time".
With you thankful for our 'infallible Pilot at the helm, who has the wind and weather at his command!',
-Pastor Dave
"I Never Wanted to Follow Jesus"
May 7, 2021
Beloved,
Yesterday, I was on Pleasant Home Road on my way to the drop in for Nita Pelt. It was about 4:20 PM and as you might guess, Pleasant Home Road was very busy! To my surprise, traffic suddenly stopped in both directions right as I was near our new church property. There was no accident, nor was there any police activity that led to this stoppage. What I saw was a rescue attempt, but the object of the rescue did not want to be rescued! In fact, the object of rescue was attacking the rescuer! Apparently, a large snapping turtle had tried to cross Pleasant Home Road (maybe it had come out of our pond?) and headed to the opposite side. A man driving by must have seen it, and realized it would be killed by a car, he pulled off onto the grass strip and by the time I stopped, he was trying to grab the turtle by the shell to lift it and to get it off the road, and every time, the turtle lunged and snapped at his hands. This 'dance' went on for around 5-10 minutes. (I was so enthralled that I forgot to be impatient that it was delaying me!). Finally, the man tried a different tactic, and he managed to grab the turtle's tail, and drag it off to the side of the road. The rescue occurred despite the unwillingness and outright hostility of the one rescued!
As I thought about that this morning (having regaled my family with tales of the 'snapping turtle traffic snafu' at breakfast), it really struck me that I got to see a vivid illustration of our salvation! From birth (Ps. 51:5) we were sinful, dead in sin, unknowingly yet joyfully following Satan, children of wrath (Eph. 2:1-3), and enemies of God (Rom. 5:10). We were not looking to be saved, rescued, or redeemed!
That in turn reminded me of a haunting Red Mountain Church song from their album, "Depth of Mercy" (2003). The Song is called, "He Rescued Me". It is entirely a cappella, with only one woman's voice singing, and it is sung to the familiar tune of "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus". But I think Red Mountain Church's version is more theologically accurate! Here are the lyrics:
In order to save us, the Lord was attempting to rescue people who were unwilling, hostile, and alienated from him by nature. We did not want to be saved, or to follow Jesus any more than that snapping turtle wanted to be pulled off the road. I assume some kind of love or concern motivated that man to seek to save the turtle. We know (as we've seen in Ephesians 1 in our recent sermons) that love motivated the Triune God to save us! And in order to save us, the Lord had to change us, give us new hearts, regenerate us, and call us from death to life. We did not decide to stop being enemies of God, but instead, by His irresistible grace, He draws us (John 6:44) to Himself. Personally, I think I will now often think of that turtle being forcefully, yet lovingly drawn by his tail into a salvation he did not want, but desperately needed!
By the way, here is a link to the Red Mountain song I mentioned:
"He Rescued Me"
Romans 5:6–11"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
With you thanking God for His irresistible grace in my life,
Pastor Dave
Beloved,
Yesterday, I was on Pleasant Home Road on my way to the drop in for Nita Pelt. It was about 4:20 PM and as you might guess, Pleasant Home Road was very busy! To my surprise, traffic suddenly stopped in both directions right as I was near our new church property. There was no accident, nor was there any police activity that led to this stoppage. What I saw was a rescue attempt, but the object of the rescue did not want to be rescued! In fact, the object of rescue was attacking the rescuer! Apparently, a large snapping turtle had tried to cross Pleasant Home Road (maybe it had come out of our pond?) and headed to the opposite side. A man driving by must have seen it, and realized it would be killed by a car, he pulled off onto the grass strip and by the time I stopped, he was trying to grab the turtle by the shell to lift it and to get it off the road, and every time, the turtle lunged and snapped at his hands. This 'dance' went on for around 5-10 minutes. (I was so enthralled that I forgot to be impatient that it was delaying me!). Finally, the man tried a different tactic, and he managed to grab the turtle's tail, and drag it off to the side of the road. The rescue occurred despite the unwillingness and outright hostility of the one rescued!
As I thought about that this morning (having regaled my family with tales of the 'snapping turtle traffic snafu' at breakfast), it really struck me that I got to see a vivid illustration of our salvation! From birth (Ps. 51:5) we were sinful, dead in sin, unknowingly yet joyfully following Satan, children of wrath (Eph. 2:1-3), and enemies of God (Rom. 5:10). We were not looking to be saved, rescued, or redeemed!
That in turn reminded me of a haunting Red Mountain Church song from their album, "Depth of Mercy" (2003). The Song is called, "He Rescued Me". It is entirely a cappella, with only one woman's voice singing, and it is sung to the familiar tune of "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus". But I think Red Mountain Church's version is more theologically accurate! Here are the lyrics:
I never wanted to follow Jesus,
I never wanted to follow Jesus,
I never wanted to follow Jesus,
He rescued me; He rescued me,
No turning back; No turning back
In order to save us, the Lord was attempting to rescue people who were unwilling, hostile, and alienated from him by nature. We did not want to be saved, or to follow Jesus any more than that snapping turtle wanted to be pulled off the road. I assume some kind of love or concern motivated that man to seek to save the turtle. We know (as we've seen in Ephesians 1 in our recent sermons) that love motivated the Triune God to save us! And in order to save us, the Lord had to change us, give us new hearts, regenerate us, and call us from death to life. We did not decide to stop being enemies of God, but instead, by His irresistible grace, He draws us (John 6:44) to Himself. Personally, I think I will now often think of that turtle being forcefully, yet lovingly drawn by his tail into a salvation he did not want, but desperately needed!
By the way, here is a link to the Red Mountain song I mentioned:
"He Rescued Me"
Romans 5:6–11"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
With you thanking God for His irresistible grace in my life,
Pastor Dave
The "Great Ejection" of 1662
April 9, 2021
As most of you know, I love church history [even though there is so much of it that I do not yet have a solid grasp on]. One major event that you may not have ever heard of was the so-called "Great Ejection of 1662". This event was a direct result of the return (known as the 'restoration') of King Charles II from exile and the restoration of the English monarchy after the time of Oliver Cromwell and the Protectorate. The practical implication of Charles' coronation for the church was the restoration of the Church of England as the national church of the realm. In 1662, the Act of Uniformity was passed. This meant that every church was required by law to use the rites and ceremonies and liturgies of the Book of Common Prayer. This went against the conscience of many Puritans of Presbyterian and Independent convictions. All church officers were required to have ordination in the Church of England. So, on August 24th of 1662, all those pastors who refused to go against their consciences and (they firmly believed) the freedom they had according to Scripture, and for the sake of the purity of the Gospel, were ejected from their churches. Over two thousand ministers wound up 'ejected' from their churches and pulpits as a result. And yet, in God's good providence, even this dark event in England's church history, bore fruit that has endured.
Obviously, many of these men continued to find ways to preach, and write, and eventually started non-conforming churches, and continued to fight for the Gospel. But the last Sunday before the "ejection', August 17th, 1662, the farewell sermons of the soon-to-be-ejected ministers were all eagerly transcribed by their hearers. According to historians, on that day those churches were crowded to overflowing with church members, visitors and curious bystanders, as all these men preached their final sermons to their beloved flocks. Soon after, many of these sermons were gathered into two whole volumes for the encouragement of many.
In 2012, Banner of Truth re-released a paperback collection of some of those sermons in commemoration of the 350th anniversary of the Great Ejection, called Sermons of the Great Ejection (Banner of Truth, 2012). Included in this collection are the 'farewell' sermons of Edmund Calamy (a Presbyterian leader in the Westminster Assembly), Thomas Watson (as you may know, my favorite Puritan), several other lesser known Puritan preachers, and (another favorite of mine), Thomas Brooks. Brooks' sermon was titled, "A Pastor's Legacies" and I will let him introduce it, and quote the first part of his sermon:
"All that I shall do shall be to answer two or three questions, and then I shall leave a few legacies with you that may speak when I am not at liberty to speak to you. Question I. The first question is this, What should be the reason that men make such opposition against the gospel, against the plain, powerful, conscientious preaching of it? This is not the principal thing that I intend, and therefore I shall only touch upon the reason of it.
Men's hatred and opposition arises against the gospel: 1. Because it discovers their hidden works of darkness. They hate the light, 'lest their deeds should be reproved' (John 3:20). The gospel brings their deeds of darkness to light, and this stirs up a spirit of hatred and opposition against the gospel. 2. Because sinners under the gospel cannot sin at so cheap a rate as otherwise they might do--the drunkard cannot be drunk at so cheap a rate; nor can the opposer and persecutor oppose and persecute at so cheap a rate as they might do where the gospel does not shine in power and glory. 3. Because the gospel puts persons upon very hard service, upon difficult work, pulling out a right eye, cutting off a right hand, offering up an Isaac, throwing overboard a Jonah, parting with bosom lusts and darling sins. Herod heard John Baptist gladly, till he came to touch his Herodias, and then off goes his head. As they say, 'This is a hard saying; who can hear it?' (John 16:60), and from that time they walked no more with him. This is a hard gospel indeed, and at this their blood rises. 4. Because of the differing and distinguishing work that the gospel makes among the sons of men--it softens one, and hardens another that sits next to him; enlightens one and strikes the other blind; it wins one and enrages the other. The same sun has different effects on the objects on which it shines. The gospel puts a difference between the precious and the vile; and this the vile cannot bear. It was never good days, say they, since such and such must be saints, and none else; we have as good hearts as any, and this enrages them. 5. Lastly, it is from Satan. Satan knows that the very tendency of the gospel is to shake his kingdom about his ears. Satan and antichrist know that their kingdom must go down by the power and light of the gospel; and therefore Satan and men of an anti-christian spirit do all they can to oppose and show their hatred against the everlasting gospel; and this makes them to be in such a rage against the gospel." (pg. 31-32).
Let me modernize and make plain a couple of his points:
- The Gospel arouses hatred because it defines, reveals and condemns sin. As we read in John 3:19 "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil."
- The Gospel brings conviction of sin to those who hear it so they cannot enjoy it. Because they love to sin, the Gospel and those who preach it are a threat. The Gospel also shows the great cost, danger and debt of sin, hence the oft used phrase in ages past (I found it in lots of older Puritan and Christian wrigings) "sin at so cheap a rate". In other words, the Gospel shows the costliness of sin! It kills, brings condemnation, judgment and the wrath of God!
- The Gospel is, as Dan Doriani puts it, "Free, but Costly". It costs nothing to accept the Gospel, but it costs everything to follow Christ faithfully! We are told, therefore, to count the cost in deciding to submit to Christ. If, after supposedly receiving Christ, we consistently refuse to bear the cost, it may be a sign of false faith. Jesus frequently expounded on the cost of following Him in HIs parables.
- The Gospel brings division. Jesus said, "For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." (Matt. 10:35). By our reception or rejection of it, we reveal our standing before God. The same message that brings life, healing, forgiveness, and hope to one, brings anger, rejection, scorn, and hardening to another. Again, Jesus' description of the purpose of the parables shows this: Matthew 13:12–15 "For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ " And I hope you noticed Brooks' words about the thoughts of many that reject it: "'We have as good hearts as any' and this enrages them." Doesn't this sound like the modern equivalent of the "I'm a good person" lie that we are all prone to believe and cling to despite all evidence to the contrary! Despite the sometimes archaic language, one of the reasons I love the Puritans is that they have a great understanding of human nature and human sinfulness, and that is timeless!
- I probably don't need to elaborate on his fifth statement, as it is plainly stated. Satan knows that (1 John 3:8b) "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil." The Gospel is the powerful instrument of Satan's destruction, and he hates it, hates those who preach it, and hates those who believe it and count the cost to respond to it. The free grace that changes us, enrages and infuriates him, causing him and his unwitting followers (like pre-conversion Saul) to be 'ravaging the church' (Acts 8:3) and 'breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord' (Acts 9:1).
So, I hope Brooks has helped remind you as to why the Gospel will always breed hatred and opposition among many (even as it is 'a fragrance from life to life' for others [2 Cor. 2:16]).
With you clinging to the hope of that same gospel
Dealing With Doubt When Preparing for the Lord's Supper
March 18, 2021
Beloved,
Dealing with questions about our preparation for and partaking of the Lord's Supper, I want to explore Westminster's Larger Catechism Q. No. 172, referring to the question of those who doubt.
First, here is the full question and answer: Q. 172 May one who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation, come to the Lord's Supper? A. One who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, may have true interest in Christ, though he be not yet assured thereof; and in God's account hath it, if he be duly affected with the apprehension of the want of it, and unfeignedly desires to be found in Christ, and to depart from iniquity: in which case (because promises are made, and this sacrament is appointed, for the relief even of weak and doubting Christians) he is to bewail his unbelief, and labor to have his doubts resolved; and, so doing, he may and ought to come to the Lord's Supper, that he may be further strengthened.
This answer is wonderfully pastoral and gracious. It recognizes that many of us at times have doubts about our salvation, particularly those with very tender consciences or those struggling with persistent sins. Notice, it makes clear that it is possible to struggle in those ways and still have a "true interest in Christ, though he be not yet assured thereof". The answer also reminds us that genuine believers who struggle with assurance of their status in Christ can know that they, "in God's account hath it". How? If they have the genuine and sincere desire to be in Christ ("duly affected with the apprehension of the want of it, and unfeingedly desires to be found in Christ''). This also expresses itself in actively seeking "to depart from iniquity". Struggling and fighting against sin are positive signs of genuine faith! And the Lord's Supper is meant to be a means of grace to help us! It reminds us of the "promises made", and it is "appointed, for the relief even of weak and doubting Christians".
And so, if you are a weak and doubting Christian (as many of us are at times), what should we do as the day of the observance of the Sacrament approaches? Grieve, lament and sorrow over your own unbelief (or as the answer says, "Bewail" it!), and work against your doubts by reciting God's Gospel promises that undercut and weaken your doubts! And then know, that as you come to the Lord's Table, God in His mercy and grace, has designed it that you "may be further strengthened".
Keith Matthison, in explaining this question and answer says that it "helpfully recognizes that all Christians have doubts and that no Christian is always going to be perfectly prepared" and that "the Lord's Supper is not for Christians who have reached perfect sinlessness in this life. They don't exist. It is for repentant and repenting Christians." (Keith A. Matthison, The Lord's Supper: Answers to Common Questions (Reformation Trust, 2019), pg. 77.
The Puritan John Owen also helpfully reminds us: "Remember in particular the love of Jesus Christ, as God-man, in giving Himself for us. This love is frequently proposed to us with what He did for us, and it is represented peculiarly in this ordinance: 'Who loved me and gave Himself for me,' says the apostle. Faith will never be able to live upon the last expression 'gave Himself for me' unless it can rise up to the first, 'who loved me'. Who 'loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,' etc. (Rev. 1:5-6)." - John Owen, Discourse 13, in Twenty-Five Discourses, pg. 172.
I look forward to celebrating the Supper this Sunday with all of you, together as weak, hungry beggars invited to our King's feast!
With you bewailing my unbelief,
Pastor Dave
Beloved,
Dealing with questions about our preparation for and partaking of the Lord's Supper, I want to explore Westminster's Larger Catechism Q. No. 172, referring to the question of those who doubt.
First, here is the full question and answer: Q. 172 May one who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation, come to the Lord's Supper? A. One who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, may have true interest in Christ, though he be not yet assured thereof; and in God's account hath it, if he be duly affected with the apprehension of the want of it, and unfeignedly desires to be found in Christ, and to depart from iniquity: in which case (because promises are made, and this sacrament is appointed, for the relief even of weak and doubting Christians) he is to bewail his unbelief, and labor to have his doubts resolved; and, so doing, he may and ought to come to the Lord's Supper, that he may be further strengthened.
This answer is wonderfully pastoral and gracious. It recognizes that many of us at times have doubts about our salvation, particularly those with very tender consciences or those struggling with persistent sins. Notice, it makes clear that it is possible to struggle in those ways and still have a "true interest in Christ, though he be not yet assured thereof". The answer also reminds us that genuine believers who struggle with assurance of their status in Christ can know that they, "in God's account hath it". How? If they have the genuine and sincere desire to be in Christ ("duly affected with the apprehension of the want of it, and unfeingedly desires to be found in Christ''). This also expresses itself in actively seeking "to depart from iniquity". Struggling and fighting against sin are positive signs of genuine faith! And the Lord's Supper is meant to be a means of grace to help us! It reminds us of the "promises made", and it is "appointed, for the relief even of weak and doubting Christians".
And so, if you are a weak and doubting Christian (as many of us are at times), what should we do as the day of the observance of the Sacrament approaches? Grieve, lament and sorrow over your own unbelief (or as the answer says, "Bewail" it!), and work against your doubts by reciting God's Gospel promises that undercut and weaken your doubts! And then know, that as you come to the Lord's Table, God in His mercy and grace, has designed it that you "may be further strengthened".
Keith Matthison, in explaining this question and answer says that it "helpfully recognizes that all Christians have doubts and that no Christian is always going to be perfectly prepared" and that "the Lord's Supper is not for Christians who have reached perfect sinlessness in this life. They don't exist. It is for repentant and repenting Christians." (Keith A. Matthison, The Lord's Supper: Answers to Common Questions (Reformation Trust, 2019), pg. 77.
The Puritan John Owen also helpfully reminds us: "Remember in particular the love of Jesus Christ, as God-man, in giving Himself for us. This love is frequently proposed to us with what He did for us, and it is represented peculiarly in this ordinance: 'Who loved me and gave Himself for me,' says the apostle. Faith will never be able to live upon the last expression 'gave Himself for me' unless it can rise up to the first, 'who loved me'. Who 'loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,' etc. (Rev. 1:5-6)." - John Owen, Discourse 13, in Twenty-Five Discourses, pg. 172.
I look forward to celebrating the Supper this Sunday with all of you, together as weak, hungry beggars invited to our King's feast!
With you bewailing my unbelief,
Pastor Dave
Thankful for Sadness on a Chinese New Year
February 12, 2021
Beloved,
Some things that happen, good or bad, change your life, give you wisdom, and alter your perspective. Today is Chinese New Year. 7 years ago, I would barely have given that a thought. But now for me, it is a day of both joy and sadness. It is joy, of course, because it reminds me of my younger son, adopted from China in '15. And yet there is sadness too, knowing that he has suffered a loss of ever knowing his birth parents, of not knowing why they gave him up, and of knowing he can never find them. It is also a reminder of sadness knowing all the horrible atrocities, persecution, and oppression that have been occurring in China in the last few years, especially to the Christians there (and to other faith groups as well). Yet, I am thankful for the 'sadness'. It is part of my life, and it has expanded my horizons, increased my empathy, given me a greater vision for praying for God's work in other countries, etc. None of these things could have happened without the sad instance of a Chinese mother (or mother and father) leaving their baby in a hospital.
I say this as I'm reading another chapter in Joshua Chatraw's book, Telling a Better Story: How to Talk About God in a Skeptical Age. In this chapter, "Imagining A Better Happiness", he deals with the modern cultural assumption that 'the ultimate goal in life is to be happy'. "Rather than the good life being defined in predominantly moral terms (i.e. seeking virtue, shunning vice, and conforming to a divinely given 'way'), now the good life is often defined by the pursuit of a feeling, which is won by the accumulation of all the things you would find if one were to wield together ideal versions of a job résumé, dating profile, and Christmas list. By achieving success, wealth, power, and the right body type, we've allowed a modern combination of meritocracy and consumerism to cast an imaginative and alluring vision of 'happily ever after'......To most late-moderns, the goal of life is to make oneself happy on one's own terms." (pgs. 107-108).
On the next page, he gives the Christian contrast to this view: "...a central idea in the Christian story has always been that because of sin and the fall, which have marred both human nature and the natural world, humans will never be perfectly happy in this life. In this life, pain and suffering can't be completely escaped. Our most prized achievements will be undermined. We will fail at our most worthy endeavors. We will watch loved ones die. We will, inevitably, lose our own health. Then one day we will die.
If our joy is contingent on circumstances, we will be fragile, anxious, or on the brink of despair because we know we can't actually escape pain and loss. In response to these experiences, some have suggested seeking to avoid the pain of inevitable loss by never fully giving ourselves to anything. While perhaps safeguarding (at least in part) against the sorrow of loss, the result is a numbing of the very affections that make us human--and the more powerful the anesthesia, the more we lose the capacity for the joy we were made for.
In contrast to the secular therapeutic approach to life that seeks to escape such pain as the foundation for the good life, the Christian approach is more realistic about the inevitable circumstances of this life. Suffering is an inescapable part of our present human existence, and only by learning from our pain can we become fully human--and truly flourish. Experiencing great sorrow is not the antithesis to the good life but can instead be the result of knowing true joy. For to truly love also means to feel the pain of loss. To delight in the light within the world means you will lament the darkness. Knowing the true story, sensing the echoes of Eden and the inbreaking of God's future reign, makes us feel the pain and sorrows of our present evil world all the more acutely. As Jesus taught, 'Blessed [flourishing] are those who mourn' (Matthew 5:4). This is not a mourning that is absent of joy. Happiness in hope buoys the soul, for a better day is coming." (pgs. 109-110).
His contrast here (and again, his way of both entering 'inside' the view of the unbeliever and showing its weaknesses, then going 'outside' to the better Christian story) is helpful for us in seeking to reach others with the Gospel, to show its beauty, power, and joy as the real answers to the things they long for.
It also reminds me of a section of Ecclesiastes 7, specifically verses 2-4, "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. 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." The Preacher of Ecclesiastes is saying something similar to Chatraw's point. While sadness, mourning, sorrow and pain are never good in and of themselves, the Lord uses them for good! In mourning, we gain perspective, wisdom, a proper seriousness, and redirected affections! Merely seeking happiness in this life will never satisfy, because it is always unattainable. Mirth is enjoyable, but ultimately is an impotent anesthetic for our pain. Sadness and pain also have a way of clarifying what is important, and what is transient, and they also hopefully serve to focus us on our true hope, and cast aside our idols.
I hope that as we prepare to worship this Sunday, you will seek true joy, not in spite of the sorrows of this world, but through the wisdom you gain from them, and the knowledge that a better day is coming. We truly have a story that enables real hope!
With you seeking to lay this to heart,
Pastor Dave
Beloved,
Some things that happen, good or bad, change your life, give you wisdom, and alter your perspective. Today is Chinese New Year. 7 years ago, I would barely have given that a thought. But now for me, it is a day of both joy and sadness. It is joy, of course, because it reminds me of my younger son, adopted from China in '15. And yet there is sadness too, knowing that he has suffered a loss of ever knowing his birth parents, of not knowing why they gave him up, and of knowing he can never find them. It is also a reminder of sadness knowing all the horrible atrocities, persecution, and oppression that have been occurring in China in the last few years, especially to the Christians there (and to other faith groups as well). Yet, I am thankful for the 'sadness'. It is part of my life, and it has expanded my horizons, increased my empathy, given me a greater vision for praying for God's work in other countries, etc. None of these things could have happened without the sad instance of a Chinese mother (or mother and father) leaving their baby in a hospital.
I say this as I'm reading another chapter in Joshua Chatraw's book, Telling a Better Story: How to Talk About God in a Skeptical Age. In this chapter, "Imagining A Better Happiness", he deals with the modern cultural assumption that 'the ultimate goal in life is to be happy'. "Rather than the good life being defined in predominantly moral terms (i.e. seeking virtue, shunning vice, and conforming to a divinely given 'way'), now the good life is often defined by the pursuit of a feeling, which is won by the accumulation of all the things you would find if one were to wield together ideal versions of a job résumé, dating profile, and Christmas list. By achieving success, wealth, power, and the right body type, we've allowed a modern combination of meritocracy and consumerism to cast an imaginative and alluring vision of 'happily ever after'......To most late-moderns, the goal of life is to make oneself happy on one's own terms." (pgs. 107-108).
On the next page, he gives the Christian contrast to this view: "...a central idea in the Christian story has always been that because of sin and the fall, which have marred both human nature and the natural world, humans will never be perfectly happy in this life. In this life, pain and suffering can't be completely escaped. Our most prized achievements will be undermined. We will fail at our most worthy endeavors. We will watch loved ones die. We will, inevitably, lose our own health. Then one day we will die.
If our joy is contingent on circumstances, we will be fragile, anxious, or on the brink of despair because we know we can't actually escape pain and loss. In response to these experiences, some have suggested seeking to avoid the pain of inevitable loss by never fully giving ourselves to anything. While perhaps safeguarding (at least in part) against the sorrow of loss, the result is a numbing of the very affections that make us human--and the more powerful the anesthesia, the more we lose the capacity for the joy we were made for.
In contrast to the secular therapeutic approach to life that seeks to escape such pain as the foundation for the good life, the Christian approach is more realistic about the inevitable circumstances of this life. Suffering is an inescapable part of our present human existence, and only by learning from our pain can we become fully human--and truly flourish. Experiencing great sorrow is not the antithesis to the good life but can instead be the result of knowing true joy. For to truly love also means to feel the pain of loss. To delight in the light within the world means you will lament the darkness. Knowing the true story, sensing the echoes of Eden and the inbreaking of God's future reign, makes us feel the pain and sorrows of our present evil world all the more acutely. As Jesus taught, 'Blessed [flourishing] are those who mourn' (Matthew 5:4). This is not a mourning that is absent of joy. Happiness in hope buoys the soul, for a better day is coming." (pgs. 109-110).
His contrast here (and again, his way of both entering 'inside' the view of the unbeliever and showing its weaknesses, then going 'outside' to the better Christian story) is helpful for us in seeking to reach others with the Gospel, to show its beauty, power, and joy as the real answers to the things they long for.
It also reminds me of a section of Ecclesiastes 7, specifically verses 2-4, "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. 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." The Preacher of Ecclesiastes is saying something similar to Chatraw's point. While sadness, mourning, sorrow and pain are never good in and of themselves, the Lord uses them for good! In mourning, we gain perspective, wisdom, a proper seriousness, and redirected affections! Merely seeking happiness in this life will never satisfy, because it is always unattainable. Mirth is enjoyable, but ultimately is an impotent anesthetic for our pain. Sadness and pain also have a way of clarifying what is important, and what is transient, and they also hopefully serve to focus us on our true hope, and cast aside our idols.
I hope that as we prepare to worship this Sunday, you will seek true joy, not in spite of the sorrows of this world, but through the wisdom you gain from them, and the knowledge that a better day is coming. We truly have a story that enables real hope!
With you seeking to lay this to heart,
Pastor Dave
A Prayer For The New Year
Here is a prayer from William Jay's Prayers for the Use of Families (1866) and it is entitled, "First Morning of the New Year":
"As we have entered on a new period of life, may we faithfully examine ourselves, to see what has been amiss in our former temper or conduct; and in thy strength may we resolve to correct it. And may we inquire for the future, with a full determination to reduce our knowledge to practice: “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” Prepare us for all the duties of the ensuing year, the wisdom and strength necessary for the performance of them must come from thyself; may we therefore live a life of self-distrust, of divine dependence, and of prayer; may we ask and receive, that our joy may be full; may we live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit.
If we are indulged with prosperity let not our prosperity destroy us nor injure us.
If we are exercised with adversity, suffer us not to sink in the hour of trouble, or sin against God. May we know how to be abased without despondence, and to abound without pride. If our relative comforts are continued to us, may we love them without idolatry, and hold them at thy disposal; and if they are recalled from us, may we be enabled to say, ‘The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’
Fit us for all events. We know not what a day may bring forth; but we encourage ourselves in the Lord our God, and go forward. Nothing can befall us by chance. Thou hast been thus far our helper: Thou hast promised to be with us in every condition; Thou hast engaged to make all things work together for our good: all thy ways are mercy and truth. May we therefore be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, may we make our requests unto God: and may the peace of God, that passeth all understanding, keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
I think that these are excellent things to pray as we look to the New Year, to be prepared whether we are in plenty or want, sickness or health, suffering or prosperity, and above all to have a God-centered frame of reference as we face whatever 2021 brings.
With you seeking to live "a life of self-distrust, of divine dependence, and of prayer,"
Pastor Dave
"As we have entered on a new period of life, may we faithfully examine ourselves, to see what has been amiss in our former temper or conduct; and in thy strength may we resolve to correct it. And may we inquire for the future, with a full determination to reduce our knowledge to practice: “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” Prepare us for all the duties of the ensuing year, the wisdom and strength necessary for the performance of them must come from thyself; may we therefore live a life of self-distrust, of divine dependence, and of prayer; may we ask and receive, that our joy may be full; may we live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit.
If we are indulged with prosperity let not our prosperity destroy us nor injure us.
If we are exercised with adversity, suffer us not to sink in the hour of trouble, or sin against God. May we know how to be abased without despondence, and to abound without pride. If our relative comforts are continued to us, may we love them without idolatry, and hold them at thy disposal; and if they are recalled from us, may we be enabled to say, ‘The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’
Fit us for all events. We know not what a day may bring forth; but we encourage ourselves in the Lord our God, and go forward. Nothing can befall us by chance. Thou hast been thus far our helper: Thou hast promised to be with us in every condition; Thou hast engaged to make all things work together for our good: all thy ways are mercy and truth. May we therefore be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, may we make our requests unto God: and may the peace of God, that passeth all understanding, keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
I think that these are excellent things to pray as we look to the New Year, to be prepared whether we are in plenty or want, sickness or health, suffering or prosperity, and above all to have a God-centered frame of reference as we face whatever 2021 brings.
With you seeking to live "a life of self-distrust, of divine dependence, and of prayer,"
Pastor Dave
What Is Imputation?
Beloved,
Today, I want to share with you an important theological term (don't be scared!), and explain why it really is a practical and encouraging thing to learn. Are you ready? Here it is: imputation.
Imputation is a forensic or legal term that simply means that merit or guilt is credited to your account. Think of 2 Corinthians 5:19, "... in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them...." (ESV). If we are in Christ, our guilt is credited or imputed to Christ. So, if our sins are not counted against us, does that simply mean we are neutral? Is the record simply neither positive, nor negative? Practically, I think a lot of Christians live this way. They know that they are forgiven and that Christ has taken the punishment for their sins, but they stop there. And it leaves them often feeling guilty for their failings and sins now that they are Christians. They have a sense of never quite measuring up to God's standards. To return to our word, they sort of understand that our sins are 'imputed' to Jesus, but they may be unaware that there is a double imputation. Not only do our sins get imputed to Christ, but there is another legal exchange - His righteousness is 'imputed' or credited to us! We are not simply forgiven and neutral before God, we are now counted as righteous! This great exchange or double imputation, is a great comfort, encouragement and assurance to the Christian.
Iain M. Duguid, in his book, The Whole Armor of God: How Christ's Victory Strengthens Us for Spiritual Warfare (Crossway, 2019), says this:
"This exchange deal is particularly good news to those of us who know that our goodness isn't nearly good enough. Some may fool themselves that God ought to be rather pleased with their righteousness. They think they are doing quite nicely in obeying God and keeping his law. But others know the truth: we are miserable failures in our efforts to be good. We have not done what we ought or said what we ought or thought what we ought. As we look back over today and yesterday and last week, we lose count of the multitude of times we have failed God through lust, pride, selfishness, lies, coveting, and so on." (pg. 43).
So, where do we go as we realize this hard truth about us - even after we've been Christians a long time? Duguid does a great job showing the two ways this should both assure and challenge us. He continues: "This central truth of imputed righteousness of Christ needs to dominate the lives of Christians. On the one hand, it means that nothing I can do could ever stop God from loving me. If God loved me enough to give himself for me when I was his sworn enemy, he will certainly love me enough to forgive me now that I am his adopted child. The righteousness that comes through the cross gives us assurance and security in God's love. If I have been reconciled to God through Christ and am always clothed in his perfect righteousness, then even during the darkest nights of personal failure, when I slide right back into those sins that have the strongest grips on my heart, he will not cast me off.
This can be a hard lesson to grasp, especially if you grew up in a home where every failure was counted against you, and you were loved or rejected on the basis of your performance. But your heavenly Father is a father who always stands waiting at the roadside for the prodigal to come home, always impatient to run to meet you, always hastening to replace your filthy rags with party clothes, and always ready to slay the fattened calf for a grand celebration. He welcomes you home on the basis of Christ's goodness, not your own.
On the other hand, the righteousness that comes through the cross also means that I can never take my sin lightly and just shrug it off. I have been reconciled to God and made a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). God is now at work in me by his Holy Spirit. His purpose is to make me part of a holy people, created for good works in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10). Why, then, would I act as if I am still a part of the kingdom of darkness and plunge back into my former way of life among the prostitutes and the pigs as if nothing had happened? The righteousness of Christ, painfully won for us as the cross, motivates us to strive hard toward an obedience that fits the new nature God is working in us." (pg. 44-45).
Understanding the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us should give us that humble assurance we need, to know the Father's love for us is unchanging, regardless of our performance, because He is relating to us on the basis of Christ's performance and not ours. But it also means that on the basis of that assurance, we dependently work by the Spirit, to fight to become more and more who we are in Christ! We respond to His loving work with our response of loving and grateful obedience. We will continue to fail in this, but, as Duguid said, "even during the darkest nights of personal failure...he will not cast me off". I don't know about you, but I desperately need that reminder each and every day.
I hope this is a reminder, that theology is practical and relevant to our lives and growth in grace! So today, I urge you to rest in the righteousness that the Lord has credited to you, and the love it ensures for you, and work from that new status (instead of trying to achieve a status on your own) to grow in obedience and holiness. The good news of the gospel is good news for Christians too! You are loved! You are righteous in Christ! And you are no longer enslaved to sin, but can freely seek to obey your God!
Have a great day Beloved!
With you resting in His imputed righteousness,
Pastor Dave
Today, I want to share with you an important theological term (don't be scared!), and explain why it really is a practical and encouraging thing to learn. Are you ready? Here it is: imputation.
Imputation is a forensic or legal term that simply means that merit or guilt is credited to your account. Think of 2 Corinthians 5:19, "... in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them...." (ESV). If we are in Christ, our guilt is credited or imputed to Christ. So, if our sins are not counted against us, does that simply mean we are neutral? Is the record simply neither positive, nor negative? Practically, I think a lot of Christians live this way. They know that they are forgiven and that Christ has taken the punishment for their sins, but they stop there. And it leaves them often feeling guilty for their failings and sins now that they are Christians. They have a sense of never quite measuring up to God's standards. To return to our word, they sort of understand that our sins are 'imputed' to Jesus, but they may be unaware that there is a double imputation. Not only do our sins get imputed to Christ, but there is another legal exchange - His righteousness is 'imputed' or credited to us! We are not simply forgiven and neutral before God, we are now counted as righteous! This great exchange or double imputation, is a great comfort, encouragement and assurance to the Christian.
Iain M. Duguid, in his book, The Whole Armor of God: How Christ's Victory Strengthens Us for Spiritual Warfare (Crossway, 2019), says this:
"This exchange deal is particularly good news to those of us who know that our goodness isn't nearly good enough. Some may fool themselves that God ought to be rather pleased with their righteousness. They think they are doing quite nicely in obeying God and keeping his law. But others know the truth: we are miserable failures in our efforts to be good. We have not done what we ought or said what we ought or thought what we ought. As we look back over today and yesterday and last week, we lose count of the multitude of times we have failed God through lust, pride, selfishness, lies, coveting, and so on." (pg. 43).
So, where do we go as we realize this hard truth about us - even after we've been Christians a long time? Duguid does a great job showing the two ways this should both assure and challenge us. He continues: "This central truth of imputed righteousness of Christ needs to dominate the lives of Christians. On the one hand, it means that nothing I can do could ever stop God from loving me. If God loved me enough to give himself for me when I was his sworn enemy, he will certainly love me enough to forgive me now that I am his adopted child. The righteousness that comes through the cross gives us assurance and security in God's love. If I have been reconciled to God through Christ and am always clothed in his perfect righteousness, then even during the darkest nights of personal failure, when I slide right back into those sins that have the strongest grips on my heart, he will not cast me off.
This can be a hard lesson to grasp, especially if you grew up in a home where every failure was counted against you, and you were loved or rejected on the basis of your performance. But your heavenly Father is a father who always stands waiting at the roadside for the prodigal to come home, always impatient to run to meet you, always hastening to replace your filthy rags with party clothes, and always ready to slay the fattened calf for a grand celebration. He welcomes you home on the basis of Christ's goodness, not your own.
On the other hand, the righteousness that comes through the cross also means that I can never take my sin lightly and just shrug it off. I have been reconciled to God and made a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). God is now at work in me by his Holy Spirit. His purpose is to make me part of a holy people, created for good works in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10). Why, then, would I act as if I am still a part of the kingdom of darkness and plunge back into my former way of life among the prostitutes and the pigs as if nothing had happened? The righteousness of Christ, painfully won for us as the cross, motivates us to strive hard toward an obedience that fits the new nature God is working in us." (pg. 44-45).
Understanding the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us should give us that humble assurance we need, to know the Father's love for us is unchanging, regardless of our performance, because He is relating to us on the basis of Christ's performance and not ours. But it also means that on the basis of that assurance, we dependently work by the Spirit, to fight to become more and more who we are in Christ! We respond to His loving work with our response of loving and grateful obedience. We will continue to fail in this, but, as Duguid said, "even during the darkest nights of personal failure...he will not cast me off". I don't know about you, but I desperately need that reminder each and every day.
I hope this is a reminder, that theology is practical and relevant to our lives and growth in grace! So today, I urge you to rest in the righteousness that the Lord has credited to you, and the love it ensures for you, and work from that new status (instead of trying to achieve a status on your own) to grow in obedience and holiness. The good news of the gospel is good news for Christians too! You are loved! You are righteous in Christ! And you are no longer enslaved to sin, but can freely seek to obey your God!
Have a great day Beloved!
With you resting in His imputed righteousness,
Pastor Dave
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
Beloved, Isaiah 40:28 is one of the most well-known and well-loved verses in the Bible. "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable." While I was on vacation last week, I had a chance to think about this verse, as I read Derek Thomas' book, Strength for the Weary (Reformation Trust Publishing, 2018).
In considering that verse, Thomas writes: "In one verse, Isaiah provides us with a magnificent portrait of God. As [Alec] Motyer summarizes, 'In one way or another the fourfold Old Testament doctrine of God the Creator is represented here: he originates everything, maintains everything in existence, controls everything in operation, and directs everything to the end that he appoints.'
Open your eyes and take a good, long, hard look at God:
Lift up your eyes and see. (Isa. 40:26)
There is no one like our God.
To whom will you compare me? (Isa. 40:25)
God is in a category all His own. And knowing this brings strength and vitality.It is not strength in ourselves that is encouraged here but strength in Him--in the sovereign, all-powerful, all-wise, all-sustaining, never-tiring God.
Are you weary? Losing faith in God's promises? Tired in the heat of battle? Overwhelmed by the opposition?
Then what you need is a fresh glimpse of the majesty of God. Sometimes, we cannot see what is right before us and above us." (pg. 15).
Beloved, what you and I both need today (and every day) is a fresh glimpse of His majesty! He has revealed it to us in His word, and He has revealed it to us in His creation (Rom. 1:19-20; Ps. 19:1-6). Can you see it? If not, then consider praying something like the Apostle Paul's prayer in Eph. 1, especially verses 16–19:"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 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"
With you in needing a fresh glimpse of our Lord's majesty,
Pastor Dave
In considering that verse, Thomas writes: "In one verse, Isaiah provides us with a magnificent portrait of God. As [Alec] Motyer summarizes, 'In one way or another the fourfold Old Testament doctrine of God the Creator is represented here: he originates everything, maintains everything in existence, controls everything in operation, and directs everything to the end that he appoints.'
Open your eyes and take a good, long, hard look at God:
Lift up your eyes and see. (Isa. 40:26)
There is no one like our God.
To whom will you compare me? (Isa. 40:25)
God is in a category all His own. And knowing this brings strength and vitality.It is not strength in ourselves that is encouraged here but strength in Him--in the sovereign, all-powerful, all-wise, all-sustaining, never-tiring God.
Are you weary? Losing faith in God's promises? Tired in the heat of battle? Overwhelmed by the opposition?
Then what you need is a fresh glimpse of the majesty of God. Sometimes, we cannot see what is right before us and above us." (pg. 15).
Beloved, what you and I both need today (and every day) is a fresh glimpse of His majesty! He has revealed it to us in His word, and He has revealed it to us in His creation (Rom. 1:19-20; Ps. 19:1-6). Can you see it? If not, then consider praying something like the Apostle Paul's prayer in Eph. 1, especially verses 16–19:"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 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"
With you in needing a fresh glimpse of our Lord's majesty,
Pastor Dave
What Is Revival?
Beloved, having returned from a brief vacation last week, I am reminded that in my experience, we place great hopes in vacation to renew us, refresh us, and energize us. And I don't know about you, but I find that those hopes are often thwarted! It takes extra work to prepare for vacation. And it often takes a long time in the car or a plane to get to vacation, and likewise to return from vacation. And sometimes it feels like we need both recovery time from vacation, and extra work to catch up after vacation. (Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed our time away as a family!).
All this (and some things I have been reading), have made me ponder more about something better to hope and pray for - revival. Now, in many places in the country, particularly here in the Bible belt, 'revival' has come to mean a scheduled event, with a guest speaker and a renewed effort by a church to reach out to the community. While those are laudable efforts, with all due respect, that is NOT the Biblical picture of revival. Psalm 85:1–7 has the Sons of Korah both remembering a previous 'revival' and praying fervently for another revival from the Lord:"LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation."
Notice, there is the idea that restoration is needed, a return to a previous level of zeal, sanctification, holiness, and blessing. There is the sense of need, as the Lord's chastening hand seems to be upon His people in some way for their sin and apathy. And there is a great God-centered longing in this prayer: "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" The people of God want Him to revive them, so that their joy will be renewed in Him! They want to apprehend anew His steadfast love! They long to know the blessings of His salvation among them! Shouldn't that be our fervent prayer as well?
As I mentioned previously, the great Anglican theologian and writer, J.I. Packer recently passed away. And so, I finally cracked open a book of his that I acquired a few years ago, Seeing God in the Dark: Unraveling the Mysteries of Holy Living (Hendrickson Publishers, 2013), which is a collection of some of his shorter writings and articles. The second section of the book is all about revival, and I was struck by how much focus there actually is on revival in Scripture and it makes me want to pray more consistently and zealously for the Lord to "revive us again".
Here Packer suggests that the Lord's prayer itself is a prayer for revival!
"Christ taught his disciples to pray, 'Hallowed be thy name.' God's 'name' means God himself as he has made himself known. That which dishonours and profanes God's name is lukewarmness and deadness in the churches, the gospel belied by the lives of its adherents, and paganism triumphant in the world. That which hallows God's name is a reversal of these conditions--strong faith and victorious holiness in the churches, and the winning of lost souls to the Saviour (see Ezek. 36:20-23). To pray "Hallowed be thy name' with understanding in days of spiritual decline therefore involves praying for revival. If, then, it is right to think that the Lord will return at a time of great apostasy, does it not follow that when he comes he should find the faithful on their knees praying for revival? And does it not follow too that whenever churches find themselves weak and ineffective, whenever their defeats revale that the judgment of God is upon them for their past unfaithfulness, the saints should begin to pray for a revival? Such circumstances should bring to their lips Habakkuk's prayer: 'O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years...in wrath remember mercy' (Hab. 3:3). And the worse things are, the more earnestly should the cry for revival go up, as it did in Israel of old (See the great Bible prayers for revival in the Old Testament: Pss. 44; 74; 79; 80; 85:4-7; Isa. 63:15-64:12; Lam. 5). In these days of growing apostasy and secularism, we should be inexcusable if we were prepared to be content with anything less than revival, and did not make the cry for revival our own: 'Wilt thou not revive us again; that thy people may rejoice in thee?' (Ps. 85:6)." (pg. 56).
Isn't this really what we should continually long for and pray for? Why do we spend so much of our time, hopes and efforts on getting the right people elected, the right justices in the courts, or the right laws passed? Those are important things to be sure, but they do not ultimately change anything, and they continually disappoint our hopes and feed our fears. Why not divert some of the time we spend worrying about those things, forwarding messages about those things and complaining about those things into times of prayer for the Lord to revive His church, to renew His people, and to see a great wave of lost people come to know the Lord?
So what are the specific pictures and principles of revival that the BIble gives us? Packer suggests that there are prayers for revival (like the ones in the quote above), prophetic pictures of revival (such as Isa. 35:3-10; 40-46; Jer. 31; Ezek. 34; 36:16-38; Joel 2:12-32; Zech. 1-8), and narratives of revival (under Asa, 2 Chron. 15; Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 29-31; Josiah, 2 Chron. 34-35; Ezra, Ezra 9-10; Nehemiah, Neh. 8-10; and --foremost in importance--the revival that began with Pentecost, Acts 2-12). (pg. 57).
And then Packer sums up the main emphases of revival in Scripture:
1. Revival is God renewing the church. "Revival reaches Christians individually, no doubt, but it is not an individualistic affair; God revives, not just the Christian, but the Church, and then the new life overflows from the Church for the conversion of outsiders and the renovation of society." (pg. 57).
2. Revival is God turning away his anger from the Church. "For God's people to be impotent against their enemies is a sign that God is judging them for their sins. The cry for revival springs from the sense of judgment (Pss. 79:4-9; 80:12-14; 85:4-7; Hab. 3:2); the coming of revival is God's comforting of his people and restoring them after judgement." (pg. 57). I would add that God still loves His church in these times, but He is displeased with them for their sin, apathy, and disobedience. It is a chastening and disciplining judgment, rather than a removal of relationship. Conversely, "Revival is God manifesting himself to his people; visiting them (Ps. 80:14; Jer. 29:10-14), coming to dwell with them (Zech. 2:10ff), pouring out his Spirit on them (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17ff.), quickening their consciences, showing them their sins and exalting Christ in their eyes in his saving glory." (pg. 57-58).
3. Revival is God making known the sovereignty of his grace. "Revival is entirely a work of grace, for it comes to churches that only deserve judgement; and God brings it about in such a way as to show that his grace is entirely sovereign in it, and human plans and schemes had nothing to do with it. We can organize conventions and campaigns, but the only organizer of revival is God the Holy Ghost. Revival, when it comes, comes suddenly, unexpectedly, as at Pentecost, breaking out often in obscure places through the ministry of obscure people; God sends revival in a way that shows that he is its only source, and all the praise and glory of it must be given to him alone." (pg. 58).
So, if we do long for revival, but if only God brings revival, what is our part?
Let me close with Packer's closing exhortation:
"Two things. First, preach and teach God's truth; second, pray. Preach and teach because it is his truth, and the blessing of revival cannot reach further than the gospel has gone. Pray, because God has told us that we need not expect to receive unless we ask, and, in the words of Jonathan Edwards, the classic theologian of revival, 'When God has something very great to accomplish for his Church, it is his will that there should precede it, the extraordinary prayers of his people; as is manifest by Ezek. 36:37. [see the context]. And it is revealed that, when God is about to accomplish great things for his Church, he will begin by remarkably pouring out the spirit of grace and supplication (Zech. 12:10).'
God help us, then, to seek his face till he come and rain righteousness upon us; and to him shall be all the glory and praise." (pg. 58).
As we consider the two messages on prayer from 2 Samuel 7 and James 5 that we've heard these last two Lord's days, perhaps it is time for us as individuals and as a church, to be frequently on our knees, praying for the Lord to glorify Himself by reviving and renewing us, that we might rejoice in Him!
With you longing to see God revive us,
Pastor Dave
All this (and some things I have been reading), have made me ponder more about something better to hope and pray for - revival. Now, in many places in the country, particularly here in the Bible belt, 'revival' has come to mean a scheduled event, with a guest speaker and a renewed effort by a church to reach out to the community. While those are laudable efforts, with all due respect, that is NOT the Biblical picture of revival. Psalm 85:1–7 has the Sons of Korah both remembering a previous 'revival' and praying fervently for another revival from the Lord:"LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation."
Notice, there is the idea that restoration is needed, a return to a previous level of zeal, sanctification, holiness, and blessing. There is the sense of need, as the Lord's chastening hand seems to be upon His people in some way for their sin and apathy. And there is a great God-centered longing in this prayer: "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" The people of God want Him to revive them, so that their joy will be renewed in Him! They want to apprehend anew His steadfast love! They long to know the blessings of His salvation among them! Shouldn't that be our fervent prayer as well?
As I mentioned previously, the great Anglican theologian and writer, J.I. Packer recently passed away. And so, I finally cracked open a book of his that I acquired a few years ago, Seeing God in the Dark: Unraveling the Mysteries of Holy Living (Hendrickson Publishers, 2013), which is a collection of some of his shorter writings and articles. The second section of the book is all about revival, and I was struck by how much focus there actually is on revival in Scripture and it makes me want to pray more consistently and zealously for the Lord to "revive us again".
Here Packer suggests that the Lord's prayer itself is a prayer for revival!
"Christ taught his disciples to pray, 'Hallowed be thy name.' God's 'name' means God himself as he has made himself known. That which dishonours and profanes God's name is lukewarmness and deadness in the churches, the gospel belied by the lives of its adherents, and paganism triumphant in the world. That which hallows God's name is a reversal of these conditions--strong faith and victorious holiness in the churches, and the winning of lost souls to the Saviour (see Ezek. 36:20-23). To pray "Hallowed be thy name' with understanding in days of spiritual decline therefore involves praying for revival. If, then, it is right to think that the Lord will return at a time of great apostasy, does it not follow that when he comes he should find the faithful on their knees praying for revival? And does it not follow too that whenever churches find themselves weak and ineffective, whenever their defeats revale that the judgment of God is upon them for their past unfaithfulness, the saints should begin to pray for a revival? Such circumstances should bring to their lips Habakkuk's prayer: 'O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years...in wrath remember mercy' (Hab. 3:3). And the worse things are, the more earnestly should the cry for revival go up, as it did in Israel of old (See the great Bible prayers for revival in the Old Testament: Pss. 44; 74; 79; 80; 85:4-7; Isa. 63:15-64:12; Lam. 5). In these days of growing apostasy and secularism, we should be inexcusable if we were prepared to be content with anything less than revival, and did not make the cry for revival our own: 'Wilt thou not revive us again; that thy people may rejoice in thee?' (Ps. 85:6)." (pg. 56).
Isn't this really what we should continually long for and pray for? Why do we spend so much of our time, hopes and efforts on getting the right people elected, the right justices in the courts, or the right laws passed? Those are important things to be sure, but they do not ultimately change anything, and they continually disappoint our hopes and feed our fears. Why not divert some of the time we spend worrying about those things, forwarding messages about those things and complaining about those things into times of prayer for the Lord to revive His church, to renew His people, and to see a great wave of lost people come to know the Lord?
So what are the specific pictures and principles of revival that the BIble gives us? Packer suggests that there are prayers for revival (like the ones in the quote above), prophetic pictures of revival (such as Isa. 35:3-10; 40-46; Jer. 31; Ezek. 34; 36:16-38; Joel 2:12-32; Zech. 1-8), and narratives of revival (under Asa, 2 Chron. 15; Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 29-31; Josiah, 2 Chron. 34-35; Ezra, Ezra 9-10; Nehemiah, Neh. 8-10; and --foremost in importance--the revival that began with Pentecost, Acts 2-12). (pg. 57).
And then Packer sums up the main emphases of revival in Scripture:
1. Revival is God renewing the church. "Revival reaches Christians individually, no doubt, but it is not an individualistic affair; God revives, not just the Christian, but the Church, and then the new life overflows from the Church for the conversion of outsiders and the renovation of society." (pg. 57).
2. Revival is God turning away his anger from the Church. "For God's people to be impotent against their enemies is a sign that God is judging them for their sins. The cry for revival springs from the sense of judgment (Pss. 79:4-9; 80:12-14; 85:4-7; Hab. 3:2); the coming of revival is God's comforting of his people and restoring them after judgement." (pg. 57). I would add that God still loves His church in these times, but He is displeased with them for their sin, apathy, and disobedience. It is a chastening and disciplining judgment, rather than a removal of relationship. Conversely, "Revival is God manifesting himself to his people; visiting them (Ps. 80:14; Jer. 29:10-14), coming to dwell with them (Zech. 2:10ff), pouring out his Spirit on them (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17ff.), quickening their consciences, showing them their sins and exalting Christ in their eyes in his saving glory." (pg. 57-58).
3. Revival is God making known the sovereignty of his grace. "Revival is entirely a work of grace, for it comes to churches that only deserve judgement; and God brings it about in such a way as to show that his grace is entirely sovereign in it, and human plans and schemes had nothing to do with it. We can organize conventions and campaigns, but the only organizer of revival is God the Holy Ghost. Revival, when it comes, comes suddenly, unexpectedly, as at Pentecost, breaking out often in obscure places through the ministry of obscure people; God sends revival in a way that shows that he is its only source, and all the praise and glory of it must be given to him alone." (pg. 58).
So, if we do long for revival, but if only God brings revival, what is our part?
Let me close with Packer's closing exhortation:
"Two things. First, preach and teach God's truth; second, pray. Preach and teach because it is his truth, and the blessing of revival cannot reach further than the gospel has gone. Pray, because God has told us that we need not expect to receive unless we ask, and, in the words of Jonathan Edwards, the classic theologian of revival, 'When God has something very great to accomplish for his Church, it is his will that there should precede it, the extraordinary prayers of his people; as is manifest by Ezek. 36:37. [see the context]. And it is revealed that, when God is about to accomplish great things for his Church, he will begin by remarkably pouring out the spirit of grace and supplication (Zech. 12:10).'
God help us, then, to seek his face till he come and rain righteousness upon us; and to him shall be all the glory and praise." (pg. 58).
As we consider the two messages on prayer from 2 Samuel 7 and James 5 that we've heard these last two Lord's days, perhaps it is time for us as individuals and as a church, to be frequently on our knees, praying for the Lord to glorify Himself by reviving and renewing us, that we might rejoice in Him!
With you longing to see God revive us,
Pastor Dave