I don’t pretend to be an expert on such matters by any stretch. But I just need to vent for a few minutes…

Paul used the phrase “super apostles” to describe the leaders he is speaking about in this passage. He called these men false apostles and deceitful workmen. They denied Paul his legitimate claim of apostleship because he refused to “burden” the Corinthians while with them and instead sought assistance from other sources or from the work of his own hands. They “boast[ed] the way the world does” and “enslave[d] and [took] advantage of” the Corinthians. They asserted their authority to take from the Corinthians and proclaimed themselves worthy by commending themselves to Christ.

How applicable to ourselves today! Paul reminds us that the enemy can masquerade as “an angel of light”. Deception is so deceptive because it is so subtle. The enemy never shows his hand until he has robbed you blind. He is a master of trickery and sleight of hand. Why do we expect him to raise a banner announcing his arrival?

In Colossians 2:2-4, Paul prayed that the believers in Colossae would “reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ.” His desire was that no one delude them with “plausible arguments”. This is an important phrase. Plausible means they sound reasonable on their face and therefore can be accepted by those who do not discern and dig. There is always a sliver of truth that makes the argument attractive enough to be considered. An outright lie would be found out to quickly. The enemy has used subtly since the beginning…his tactics never change.

As I stated yesterday, false teachers and the teaching they promote is not something we only have to concern ourselves with from outside sources – the problem will also come from within. Paul called on the Ephesian elders he addressed in Acts 20 to protect the flock; he charged Titus and Timothy to do the same; and he himself did likewise. Paul had no patience – and no kind words – for those who preached “another Christ” to the churches. And he exhorted the elders of the churches to have the same mind as he.

This is no less true today. We are still assaulted by “plausible arguments” that are just as lethal and worthy of disdain as did the early church. How many times are we warned in the New Testament that this would be the case – and yet we shrink back from holding any firm stand on issues of doctrine? Those who decry debates about doctrine as unnecessary, unloving or divisive have in my view underestimated the power of the enemy as he seeks to dilute the Gospel message. It’s all about unity – and indeed it should be. But how can we be unified in anything other than truth? If false teaching proliferates unchecked for the sake of unity, that is not true unity. We are sanctified and unified by the truth. Jesus is that truth; but we must be clear about what we mean when we say that. Otherwise, we will be tossed back and forth by every wind of doctrine.

I just had to get that off my chest…

Paul never shied away from calling out false teachers. He did not worry about tone, or political correctness – his concern was preaching the Gospel and protecting the flock from false teachers. Why have we become so relunctant to do likewise? Does not the Word clearly warn us that false prophets and teachers will rise up? And that, if it were possible, even the elect will be led away by them?

More on this tomorrow, but this is really bothering me. That we seem to care so little about being faithful to the truth of Scripture in these days…the Word told us it would be this way, but it still makes me sorrowful… .

One of my favorite worship songs is “How Deep the Father’s Love For Us”. When I consider the great love God has for us, I am amazed. How vast is this love…nothing can measure it or come close to describing the riches found in God’s love. As our verse suggests, this love surpasses knowledge; and yet we can indeed know of this love.

This implies two things: first, this knowing is more than mere intellectual assent. It is not simply knowing about His love, or His great acts of mercy and grace; it has to do with experiencing those things, acknowledging them as true toward and about you. God’s love is for you in Christ Jesus. But secondly, even as we know this and come to know more deeply, we will never exhaust the depths of it. It is so wide, so deep, so high…it is more than we can ever grasp.

This brings to my mind the phrase “hungry satisfaction”, which sounds like a contradiction. But this is what I mean: even in the knowing; even in knowing that in Christ is true meaning and fulfillment; even in knowing His love is our anchor and foundation, our purpose and peace; the hearts longs to know more of this love. As we are assured of His love, we long to grow closer still.

Prayer: Father, strengthen us this day that we may know of the deep riches of Your love for us, and fill us with Your fullness we pray. Amen.

What do you think you “need” in order to make you happy? We all have a wish list; my list would run something like this: a husband, a new car, losing weight.

Now, don’t get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with any of these things. It is only when I expect more from them than they can deliver that I get into trouble… 

Consider these verses:

Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

It is not the riches that are in view in this passage, but the heart. You can be rich and desire more and more; or poor and desire to be rich. That desire can drive your actions and inform your commitments; this is what can plunge you into ruin. It is the love of money that is a root of all kinds of evil…the more you love money and are committed to it, the more you will be willing to do whatever it takes to get it. This is what we much guard against.

But I think we can move that into other areas of our lives. Calvin informs us that our hearts are “idol factories”. We were created to worship. If we do not direct that worship toward God, we will not cease to worship; we will just direct that worship to something else. Whatever becomes something we think we cannot live without, or be happy without becomes an idol to us.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, the Preacher sought to find meaning and purpose. He sought it in the accumulation of things, in seeking and fulfilling every pleasure that floated through his heart. Then he sought it in the accumulation of knowledge and wisdom. And he came to this conclusion: all is vanity, a striving of the wind. Everything done “under the sun”, done with just this temporal time and place in view will ultimately fail to fill that deepest longing, for God has placed eternity in our hearts (Ecc. 3:10). Nothing temporal will satisfy that. If we place all our hope in these temporal things, we will be disappointed.

But if we find our hope, rest, security and peace in Christ, we can joyfully praise and thank Him for the many gifts He bestows on us as we live this life.

It is the Lord who fills our hearts with that which truly fulfills us. The psalmist reminds us, “The Lord is [our] portion; apart from You [we] have no good thing.” He is the anchor for our souls, the hope that will never disappoint.

Let us hope in Him, and find our “happiness” in knowing that He is faithful to do what He has promised.

Grace and peace…

I can’t say that 2010 was boring; it was anything but that. It wasn’t all fun and games, but what year is? Life is a journey that is filled with twists and turns, and this year had its share of both. But God has been faithful to me in all things, and has brought me to a place of peace as I look forward to what lies ahead in the new year. 

Wherever this night finds you, I pray the Lord’s blessing over you as you ring in this new year. Grace and peace to you.

Happy New Year.

In the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, it is very easy to forget the reason why we celebrate. Gifts, food (my personal favorite…), parties and family gatherings can crowd out the very reason for this season. It is cliched I know to say that, but it is true. The lament of Charlie Brown a half a century ago rings true even today, and perhaps even more so: Can anyone tell me what Christmas is all about?

So instead of wracking my brain trying to come up with the right words to say, I decided to let the Word speak for Himself. Nothing expresses the beauty of Christmas any better than the words we have in Scripture, the words that herald the coming of the Living Word, the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God…in Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…

…And the Word became flesh and dwelled among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…for He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, the image of the invisible God, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power…

…In Him the fullness of Deity dwells bodily…and all things were made through Him and without Him was not any thing made that was made…He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own people and they did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God…

…for through Him God reconciled all things to Himself, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

This is He Whom we celebrate this day. May your Christmas be filled with thoughts, with praise, and with thanksgiving for the One who came and died that we might live.

Merry Christmas.

(Scripture references: John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:15-20, 2:9-10;  Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV)

http://www.whitehorseinn.org/blog/2010/12/22/jesus-according-to-o%e2%80%99reilly-colbert/

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons. – Galatians 4:4-5 ESV

My mind and heart have indeed been occupied lately by thoughts of the birth of our Savior, the Lord Jesus. I don’t think I could ever write anything that would come close to expressing the wondrous miracle of the Incarnation. It transcends our comprehension. That God would come in flesh to dwell among us; that He would die for us; that He would purchase us. This King, this Lord, that is above all others, was born as a baby in a smelly barn in a small town. His earthly parents were a poor couple from Nazareth with no social influence. The first to be told of His birth were lowly shepherds, not exactly the social elites of the day. Herod so feared this baby that he ordered all boys in Bethlehem 2 years and younger to be put to death in an effort to snuff Him out.

There was no fanfare…no parades and pagentry. So simple, so quiet, so still. And yet it was the event that changed the whole course of human history.

Kind of changes the perspective, no? We seem to always look for the big things, the spectular things, the razzle dazzle. Surely that’s where God’s power will shows itself! And indeed it does – you can’t get anymore razzle dazzle than a sea parting or a river turning to blood. But when God chose to enter our world, He did so in the most unexpected fashion. He did so quietly, unassuming. And yet, this quiet, simple event of a baby being born is the most important thing that could have ever happened.

I pray that you will all have opportunity to be still and silent this Christmas and ponder the magnficent beauty of God’s love for us. That is, after all, what Christmas is all about.

More later…

Grace and peace…

It is so important to rehearse the good things God has done in your life. When you are in the storm, opening your mouth to praise and thank Him reminds you of His faithfulness, His power, His love and His grace. How He has walked you through each test and trial. Your confidence in Him builds as you recount His wondrous power because you know: He’s done it before; He’ll do it again. Oh the peace that comes in that place. But even when things are going well, forget not the One from Whom all blessings flow, and lift of your voice! He is worthy no matter what the circumstance!

What am I thankful for this year? what will I say when it’s my turn at the table? There are so many things, I can’t even count. Most of all, I am thankful for the blood of Christ that washes me clean…for the finished work of the cross…for the God of second chances…for the grace that amazes me everyday…and for my Father who loves me with an everlasting love.

What are you thankful for?

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good – His love endures forever!  

More later…grace and peace…

Perhaps thinking about “success” is not really the best way to think about it after all. What I mean is, thinking about things in terms of personal success makes it all about me…and really, it’s not about me. I am crucified with Christ and my life is hidden in His. So, in reality, I’m thinking in wrong terms if I’m constantly focusing on whether or not “I” am a success.

So…how should I think of it. And is it wrong to strive for excellence, for success? I would say no – but again, it’s all about motive, all about the heart disposition. What is the driving force behind the desire to succeed?

My thoughts rested here for a moment: Perhaps I should think more in terms of faithfulness. Faithfulness borne out of a heart of gratitude. That moves the focus from me and places it where it should be – on the Lord. 

There are times when I am there – celebrating the Lord, living in gratitude to Him that reflects in every aspect of my life. But then there are times when I lose that focus and move away this focus. It becomes all about me and what I want and then…well, drama and mayhem ensue! But when I come back…oh the joy…

This is where the real joy begins: When my thoughts rest on the finished work of Christ. There is nothing I can do to add to that work. He has done it all! And I cannot ever be loved more or less by Him than I am right at this moment. My performance doesn’t determine that love. This is the true motivation, where the true desire to be faithful to my Lord is born. When I survey the wondrous cross…when I peer into the empty tomb…when I gaze up into the sky, knowing that someday He will return in the same way He left.

What greater motivation can there be?

More later…grace and peace…