01
Jun '20
Frustrated. Angry. Tired. But Hopeful!
01
Jun '20
My wife and I read through the Bible together each year. Our reading plan had us in Hosea this morning. Two verses from Hosea 4 made me think of the United States in general and American Christianity in specific.
- Hosea 4:1 caused me to think of this land that I love: “Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.”
- Hosea 4:6 brought American Christianity (and I mean that in the loosest sense) to mind: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”
I am not making an exegetical argument. Just relating what ran through my mind as I read those verses this morning, June 1, 2020.
Frustrated. Angry. Tired.
There is no doubt that the reason my mind ran the way it did is because I’m frustrated, angry, and tired of the hate and the hysteria. Frustrated, angry, and tired of the injustice that is all too common and not at all one-sided. Frustrated, angry, and tired of leaders who are hirelings instead of shepherds, who seem only concerned with their own agenda and popularity, often at the expense of what is best for their community and this country.
I’m frustrated, angry, and tired of people who claim to care for others. People who claim they want justice. Who say they want to right wrongs, but who only perpetuate more hate, increased violence, and further suffering.
I’m frustrated, angry, and tired of the self-righteous. Pharisees are not a thing of the past, nor are they restricted to fundamentalism as many professing believers like to trumpet. Modern Pharisees do not all look alike or operate under the same banner. But self-righteous, judgmental, hypocrites who create their own standard, one they can’t hope to keep but with it condemn all others, still exist. They post on social media frequently.
BUT HOPEFUL!
I am frustrated, angry, and tired, but I’m also confident in the Lord Jesus Christ! God reigns. Heaven rules. There is no reason to be hopeless. There is every reason to be hopeful. So, I will not give in to my feelings of frustration, anger, and fatigue. Instead, I will trust my Lord and His Word. “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31)
That means instead of singing this world’s chorus, I will endeavor to see others as Christ does. I will seek to model grace and truth with my life, and graciously speak the truth with my mouth. God’s Word is truth. I will trust my Lord to renew my strength, and seek, by His grace and power, to not sin in my anger, frustration, and fatigue. I will seek to honor Christ.
The Love of God
Let’s end where we began. The theme to Hosea’s prophecy is that nothing can eclipse God’s love for His covenant people. As discouraging as the two verses from Hosea 4 quoted at the start are, Hosea 11:4 is twice as encouraging: “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.” Those marvelous words remind me of the 19th century hymn written by James Small: “I’ve found a Friend, oh, such a Friend! He loved me ere I knew Him; He drew me with the cords of love, And thus He bound me to Him. And round my heart still closely twine Those ties which naught can sever, For I am His, and He is mine, Forever and forever.”
God is love. God’s people often fail to demonstrate a whole-hearted love for Him. But God is always ready to receive and restore those who confess and forsake their sin.
If you are a believer who has succumbed to going with your feelings instead of trusting God’s promises, repent and be restored.
If you are an unbeliever, confused by all the hatred and injustice that you see, turn to and trust in the God who is love and only just. He will receive you and make you new. His grace is amazing. He is love.
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09
May '20
Saturday with Spurgeon
09
May '20
THE BIBLE’S SUPREME PLACE
“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” Ps. 119:165
Yes, a true love for the great Book will bring us great peace from the great God, and be a great protection to us. Let us live constantly in the society of the law of the Lord, and it will breed in our hearts a restfulness such as nothing else can. The Holy Spirit acts as a Comforter through the Word, and sheds abroad those benign influences which calm the tempests of the soul.
Nothing is a stumblingblock to the man who has the Word of God dwelling in him richly. He takes up his daily cross and it becomes a delight. For the fiery trial he is prepared, and counts it not strange, so as to be utterly cast down by it. He is neither stumbled by prosperity, as so many are, nor crushed by adversity, as others have been; for he lives beyond the changing circumstances of external life. When his Lord puts before him some great mystery of the faith which makes others cry, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” the believer accepts it without question; for his intellectual difficulties are overcome by his reverent awe of the law of the Lord, which is to him the supreme authority to which he joyfully bows. Lord, work in us this love, this peace, this rest, this day.
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23
Mar '20
Staying Connected
23
Mar '20
3 John 14, “But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.”
Hospitality is a joyous discipline for the purpose of godliness, because it is a purposeful means of showing and strengthening our love for one another. We live in a time of phony connectedness, where an individual may have thousands of social media connections but no real friend with whom to share a meal or meaningful conversation. New Testament churches are to be “given to hospitality,” so invite fellow church members – as well as visitors, traveling
missionaries, and those in need – over for meals and fellowship. Face to face time is the best method of encouragement.
missionaries, and those in need – over for meals and fellowship. Face to face time is the best method of encouragement.
During this pandemic, however; face to face time is difficult, even discouraged. As of right now, one of the best ways to demonstrate love for others and be hospitable is to avoid face to face time, at least in large groups, or if you are or have been feeling poorly. COVID-19 is easily transmitted and virulently contagious. Plus, it is especially dangerous to the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
But these hard facts do not countermand 3 John 4. We aren’t able to speak “face to face” like before. Still, we must speak. Take advantage of social media. Yes! It can be used for good! Make phone calls. Visit when possible. If the conditions are right. Trust that we “shall shortly see” the corner turned with this pandemic. At that time, our face to face communication will be all the sweeter. Until then, continue to greet one another. Encourage one another with “peace be to thee.” Be calm and trust God.
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21
Mar '20
Think Again
21
Mar '20
2 Corinthians 10:7, “Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.”
Think again. That’s the counsel given the Corinthians who compared Paul with other Christian leaders. That advice is still necessary because even today people try to prove their goodness by comparing themselves with others. How easy it is to think more highly of ourselves than we ought (or to think less of ourselves than we should) when we compare ourselves against other people. Don’t worry about others. Don’t seek to be men-pleasers. Think again, and desire to please God rather than men. He isn’t impressed with outward appearances but with inward realities (1 Samuel 16:7). Trust the God who is no respecter of persons, and then do likewise.
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20
Mar '20
Who Do You Trust?
20
Mar '20
Philippians 2:19, “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.”
Paul penned this epistle from prison. His imprisonment prevented him from personally visiting the beloved church at Philippi. So, he sent Timothy to encourage them. Paul trusted the Lord’s will. He said, “I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy.” Paul was confident that Timothy’s report would be positive. This is a fantastic reminder to be joyfully confident in our service to the Lord, no matter what, and to be positive in regard to our fellow believers. Trusting God doesn’t make us blind, but it should make us joyful. Trusting Him does enable us to believe the best about others. Trusting Him allows us to experience “good comfort” during uncomfortable times. Trust in the Lord Jesus!
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19
Mar '20
Appetites Dictate Directions
19
Mar '20
How’s your appetite? Are you hungry? To be more specific, what do you desire? Appetites dictate directions. Craving a burger means you won’t visit the closest Chinese buffet. Being hungry for BBQ will not land you in Olive Garden.
A rumbling tummy dictates what is pulled from the fridge or which restaurant is visited, because appetites dictate directions. Hungering for anyone or anything above God will always lead to dissatisfaction and malnourishment. God alone is able to satisfy and sustain you. Every time. All the time.
We worship what we hunger for most. That’s why the psalmist says:
“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.” Psalm 34:8-9
Don’t overlook the “ye his saints” in that passage. “Saint” is a Biblical synonym for believer; not a designation for elite, specialized believers. That is emphasized because only believers are able to eat from God’s impressive and inexhaustible banquet table. That’s not an elitist statement, because anyone can belly up to that table, just as long as you are in Christ.
Those who are in Christ have been rescued from sin’s wages, which is death, by God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Those who are in Christ have been set on a new path, headed in His direction, given a new appetite. Appetites dictate directions. How’s yours?
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18
Mar '20
Trust God’s Timeless Truth
18
Mar '20
Psalm 62:8, “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”
At all times our trust is placed in someone or something. We trust the car to get us to work. We trust our employer to pay us our wages. We trust our friends to be there for us. We trust in so many others on some level every day. This Psalm reminds us that at all times and with our entire being we should completely TRUST GOD. While there is absolutely no shelter FROM God, there is only shelter IN Him. Be wholly vulnerable with God because He will perfectly shelter you. Take a moment to think about that today.
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