"And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." - Ephesians 1:9-10
We are now eight weeks into our study of "the end." As we continue to explore God's Word to discover all that He has revealed concerning the events surrounding the return of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God continues to show us that John's "Revelation" is not the mystery many thought it was. When Revelation is studied alongside other Scriptures, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, God's timetable, the signs of Jesus' soon return, and the events directly associated with it become clear. Those things that we do not yet understand, God will reveal in the future, as we continue to ask for wisdom and as we believe all that He has revealed thus far.
The verses quoted above were part of message number eight, that looked at Chapters 10-14 of Revelation. This is what I have called the "interlude" in John's visions of the end. When comparing Matthew 24:1-31 with Revelation 6-7, it is clear that these are parallel passages and that Revelation 6-7, and the following two chapters, 8-9, are chronological. The events flow from Revelation 6 through Revelation 9 without a break.
Chapter 9 ends with the sounding of the sixth trumpet, which is the second "woe" (Revelation 8:13). Chapter 10 and the first part of Chapter 11 (verses 1-13), are separate visions, then Chapter 11:14-19 continues the timeline with the sounding of the seventh trumpet: "The second woe (the sixth trumpet) has passed; the third woe (the seventh trumpet) is coming soon. ... The seventh angel sounded his trumpet ..." John's interlude includes Chapters 12-14. Then follows Chapters 15-16, the seven bowls of God's wrath. This takes place following the sounding of the seventh trumpet.
I share this here to help you see that the God who revealed these things through His Son Jesus Christ and His Spirit wants us to understand them! These things were not written to be unintelligible to those who believe. Remember, "ALL Scripture is profitable!" (II Timothy 3:16), and Revelation is part of Scripture. In the tenth chapter of Revelation, verse 7, we read, "In the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as He announced to His servants the prophets."
A "mystery" is something that is or has been hidden. "Revelation" means, literally, "uncovering or revealing." So what was it that God revealed to the prophets, but that has been a mystery to most people to this very day and continues to be? The Apostle Paul was a Pharisee before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus and was born again by the Spirit of God. His eyes were opened and the Scriptures of the Old Testament that he had studied all his life became clear: God had a plan and that plan was being fulfilled through His Son, Jesus Christ!!
What was the plan? Are you ready for this?! To bring the kingdom of God to a new earth!! "To bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ!" (Ephesians 1:10). This is what is revealed throughout the New Testament and finally in the book of Revelation. How few people understand this today - even in the visible church? We may be the last generation on this planet, yet few seem to be proclaiming the truth about what lies ahead! Jesus Christ is returning to earth, and He will gather His Church, He will bring salvation to Israel, He will pour out God's wrath on unbelievers and He will establish His kingdom on this earth for 1,000 years, ruling over the nations with a rod of iron, and finally, will cast Satan and all his demons and all who reject His reign into the eternal fire of hell. Then God will create a new heaven and a new earth and will live with those who have believed in Jesus Christ forever in a new world!!
The is the "mystery" that the prophets spoke about and that Jesus is fulfilling now in the lives of those who are truly His - who have been born again by His Spirit and who confess Him as Savior and Lord - and that He will fulfill completely when He returns. This is the future that God has planned for His people. So why is the only thing people look forward to "heaven?" It's not that heaven is not enough; it would be, if that is all that God has promised us. But there is so much more!
Paul writes to the Corinthians, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him ..." (I Corinthians 2:9). That is a quote from Isaiah 64:4, and in the context of those comments Isaiah speaks about God's creation of a new heaven and a new earth!! (Isaiah 65:17). Paul goes on to say to the believers in Corinth, " - but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit!" (I Corinthians 2:10). Yes, God has revealed to those who believe and who study His Word that the establishment of His kingdom in a new heaven and a new earth is the final goal of all that is happening in the world today. And it is in John's Revelation that God's plan comes to its final conclusion!!
It is vital that the Church understand these things and that those who know Christ become engaged in proclaiming His reign - now from heaven, and soon on the earth! People need to know the true God who has revealed Himself and His will in His Word. These things are important for families and communities and nations to grasp. The wrath of God is coming on this world and there is ONE escape: faith in Jesus Christ, the only Savior, the eternal Son of God, the King of kings and Lord of lords!
Are you one of HIS? Have you come to the Father through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, believing He suffered God's wrath against YOUR sins on the cross and that your sins are forgiven? Have you been born again by His Holy Spirit so that your desire now is to honor and glorify Him and to tell others the truth of the one true God revealed in the Bible, His Word? Difficult days lie ahead for planet earth and all who live upon it. In John's Revelation, as well as the rest of the Bible, God makes known His plan and His purposes to all who will believe. The mystery has been revealed!! God's kingdom is coming to earth! Will you face His judgment and wrath or will you rest in His love and grace, living with Him in a new world FOREVER?!
I pray earnestly for you, as you read these words, and urge you to read God's Word, to study it, to meditate on it and to find in it the one and only Savior who is able to bring you out of darkness to behold His marvelous light - Jesus Christ! If you know Him and your heart's desire is to serve Him, then spread His Word, for "how beautiful on the mountaintops are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace (REAL peace - with God!), who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'" (Isaiah 52:7).
Monday, February 25, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
"Why aren't more people angry?"
"In the temple He (Jesus) found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And He poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And He told those who sold the pigeons, 'Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.' His disciples remembered that it was written, 'Zeal for your house will consume me.'" (John 2:13-17).
Well, I'm still here! It has been a while since I last wrote. I was able to take my wife on a brief vacation last week, which required working ahead the week before and catching up now. It would have been a great trip, except she got sick the second day and is just now beginning to feel better. Being away from home and from the daily demands of ministry allows time to give thanks, to rejoice in God's gifts and to consider the importance of every day. We need to use our days wisely and time spent with those we love must have a high priority.
Having returned, I reflect on what I have seen and experienced, and seek to apply it in some way to how we live life in this country. Vacations are a privilege, not a necessity. This weekend was "mid-winter break" for many schools and the long weekend provided an opportunity for many to "get away." In another five or six weeks "spring break" will be here and many parents will feel the pressure to "do something special" with their families. It seems that we are a people who go from one "break" to another. We need something to look forward to in order to "endure" the drudgery of everyday life. This attitude shows itself in a thousand different ways as people invest their time, energy and resources in planning the next "thing." This certainly doesn't describe everyone, but it is a pattern that has become deeply entrenched into the hopes and dreams of many. Those who aren't yet able to "escape" everyday life clearly WANT to do so, while those who have been doing it for some time look for something NEW to satisfy the cravings of the flesh for MORE!
If it sounds like I am against taking vacations or breaks, as God allows and provides, I'm not. It's about balance; it's about priorities and goals. And ultimately, it's about Christ and His Church. In the passage I quoted above Jesus enters the temple only to find it being desecrated by those making exorbitant profits at the expense of those who came to the temple to worship and to offer sacrifices. They were cheating the people and using the need of those who came as an excuse to take advantage of the situation. In short, their minds and hearts were not on worship, not on God, but on money and earthly things.
Jesus was angry! I know some people can't imagine Jesus getting angry, but read those verses and tell me Jesus wasn't angry. He didn't have a "fit" of anger; He wasn't out-of-control, He didn't lose His temper, but He WAS angry that these men were not honoring God's house and therefore not honoring God! Furthermore, Jesus was angry at their hypocrisy, because they were there at the temple pretending to care about the needs of the people when they were only concerned about lining their pockets.
So, I'm wondering, why aren't more people angry today? Once in a while I tune into Christian television to see if I can find something encouraging from God's Word. God's Word is the "food" that satisfies the soul of those who desire to draw near to our Father in heaven. Through His Word His Spirit makes God known and directs and channels our thoughts where they need to be: on Him and His glory. But what I usually find on so-called "Christian" TV are people who are desperately trying to get people to "sow a seed," or "buy a miracle" or believe something that they are saying so they will buy their latest book or send a donation to their ministry. There are some exceptions, but they are few and very far between ... and it makes me angry!
Those words, "Zeal for your house will consume me," should not apply only to Jesus. They should be true of everyone who claims Christ as Savior and Lord. As the living temple of God today, the true Church is made up of every person who accepts the Bible as the very Word of God and the ONLY authority for faith and life, and who thus confesses that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him - believing that He died for their sins, rose again, ascended into heaven and is returning to judge the living and the dead. This body, this "temple," is holy to the Lord and is to receive our full commitment and involvement. The true Church is not an organization, but rather, an organism - a living body in which Christ lives by His Spirit ... in each part, each person who is "one" with Christ, and so with the Father, by faith.
And when this "temple," this "HOUSE," is abused in any way, whether by hypocrisy or false teaching or even by apathy and "lukewarmness," those who are zealous for God's house should be angry! There is a difference between worldly anger and godly anger: The first is focused on self, while the second is focused on God. Worldly anger arises because someone offended or hurt you or me in some way. There is plenty of this kind of anger. But godly anger is concerned about the honor of God, of Christ and of His body, the Church.
Peter writes, "As you come to Him, the living Stone - rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him - you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (I Peter 2:4-5). Later in the same chapter, verse 9, he writes, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." This is who we ARE as those who believe in Christ! It's not who we're trying to be or hoping to be, but who God MADE us to be. But there are false teachers and impostors in the house ... and it should make us angry!
"Zeal for God's house" must translate to zeal for Christ's Church ... the whole body ... that great multitude from every people, tribe, nation and tongue. It must mean that we stand as one upon the truth of God revealed in His Word that points to Jesus Christ. It must mean that we love people enough to call them to find their hope in Jesus Christ. Ministering to their physical, emotional, psychological needs is but a stepping stone to lead them to Christ, who is the Healer of their hearts, minds and souls. Pastors and teachers and others can and sometimes do say things that are encouraging and uplifting, but if it does not point to Christ, it is of man and it falls short of honoring the one true God who sent His Son to be our Savior and His Spirit to be our Teacher. "Zeal for God's house" must mean a zeal for the truth that is the foundation of Christ's kingdom. Jesus said that whoever hears His Word and does it builds his house upon the ROCK!
I fear for a "church" today that is not willing or able to discern truth from falsehood and lies. Cute sayings are a poor substitute for doctrine from God's Word. The prophets spoke, "Thus saith the Lord," and the true Church is built upon the unchanging Word of God. More people need to get angry when God's truth is not proclaimed, whether in your local congregation or on the many internet sites now claiming to "speak for God," or on TV or radio. Such false teaching must be exposed, not applauded; it must be driven out, not embraced; it must be rejected, not accepted.
The cost for doing so will be high. People will look at you like they looked at Jesus - like some radical who needs to be checked or controlled. The Jews demanded that Jesus show them by what authority He did what He did and said what He said. He said, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." Of course, He was talking about Himself. HE was the true temple; and by the indwelling of His Spirit, believers are living stones being built into a spiritual house for God. Our authority and responsibility to speak comes from the Head of the Church, from Jesus Himself. We need to be zealous about the Church, the body of Christ, and to build her up and defend and protect her. That requires exposing and guarding people from false teachers.
But first, you need to get angry ... maybe even at yourself. Do I love the world more than I love Jesus? Have I made the body of Christ a priority, investing myself in doing my part to make her strong, or do I expend all my energy and resources on myself and other things? John writes, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (I John 2:15-17).
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work" (Ephesians 4:15-16). Get angry! Then get to work doing YOUR part to build up the body, beginning with yourself. Get into God's Word - ready, study and memorize, listening for His Spirit and praying for wisdom. The result will be a strong and vibrant "stone" that helps to make God's house beautiful!!
Well, I'm still here! It has been a while since I last wrote. I was able to take my wife on a brief vacation last week, which required working ahead the week before and catching up now. It would have been a great trip, except she got sick the second day and is just now beginning to feel better. Being away from home and from the daily demands of ministry allows time to give thanks, to rejoice in God's gifts and to consider the importance of every day. We need to use our days wisely and time spent with those we love must have a high priority.
Having returned, I reflect on what I have seen and experienced, and seek to apply it in some way to how we live life in this country. Vacations are a privilege, not a necessity. This weekend was "mid-winter break" for many schools and the long weekend provided an opportunity for many to "get away." In another five or six weeks "spring break" will be here and many parents will feel the pressure to "do something special" with their families. It seems that we are a people who go from one "break" to another. We need something to look forward to in order to "endure" the drudgery of everyday life. This attitude shows itself in a thousand different ways as people invest their time, energy and resources in planning the next "thing." This certainly doesn't describe everyone, but it is a pattern that has become deeply entrenched into the hopes and dreams of many. Those who aren't yet able to "escape" everyday life clearly WANT to do so, while those who have been doing it for some time look for something NEW to satisfy the cravings of the flesh for MORE!
If it sounds like I am against taking vacations or breaks, as God allows and provides, I'm not. It's about balance; it's about priorities and goals. And ultimately, it's about Christ and His Church. In the passage I quoted above Jesus enters the temple only to find it being desecrated by those making exorbitant profits at the expense of those who came to the temple to worship and to offer sacrifices. They were cheating the people and using the need of those who came as an excuse to take advantage of the situation. In short, their minds and hearts were not on worship, not on God, but on money and earthly things.
Jesus was angry! I know some people can't imagine Jesus getting angry, but read those verses and tell me Jesus wasn't angry. He didn't have a "fit" of anger; He wasn't out-of-control, He didn't lose His temper, but He WAS angry that these men were not honoring God's house and therefore not honoring God! Furthermore, Jesus was angry at their hypocrisy, because they were there at the temple pretending to care about the needs of the people when they were only concerned about lining their pockets.
So, I'm wondering, why aren't more people angry today? Once in a while I tune into Christian television to see if I can find something encouraging from God's Word. God's Word is the "food" that satisfies the soul of those who desire to draw near to our Father in heaven. Through His Word His Spirit makes God known and directs and channels our thoughts where they need to be: on Him and His glory. But what I usually find on so-called "Christian" TV are people who are desperately trying to get people to "sow a seed," or "buy a miracle" or believe something that they are saying so they will buy their latest book or send a donation to their ministry. There are some exceptions, but they are few and very far between ... and it makes me angry!
Those words, "Zeal for your house will consume me," should not apply only to Jesus. They should be true of everyone who claims Christ as Savior and Lord. As the living temple of God today, the true Church is made up of every person who accepts the Bible as the very Word of God and the ONLY authority for faith and life, and who thus confesses that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him - believing that He died for their sins, rose again, ascended into heaven and is returning to judge the living and the dead. This body, this "temple," is holy to the Lord and is to receive our full commitment and involvement. The true Church is not an organization, but rather, an organism - a living body in which Christ lives by His Spirit ... in each part, each person who is "one" with Christ, and so with the Father, by faith.
And when this "temple," this "HOUSE," is abused in any way, whether by hypocrisy or false teaching or even by apathy and "lukewarmness," those who are zealous for God's house should be angry! There is a difference between worldly anger and godly anger: The first is focused on self, while the second is focused on God. Worldly anger arises because someone offended or hurt you or me in some way. There is plenty of this kind of anger. But godly anger is concerned about the honor of God, of Christ and of His body, the Church.
Peter writes, "As you come to Him, the living Stone - rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him - you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (I Peter 2:4-5). Later in the same chapter, verse 9, he writes, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." This is who we ARE as those who believe in Christ! It's not who we're trying to be or hoping to be, but who God MADE us to be. But there are false teachers and impostors in the house ... and it should make us angry!
"Zeal for God's house" must translate to zeal for Christ's Church ... the whole body ... that great multitude from every people, tribe, nation and tongue. It must mean that we stand as one upon the truth of God revealed in His Word that points to Jesus Christ. It must mean that we love people enough to call them to find their hope in Jesus Christ. Ministering to their physical, emotional, psychological needs is but a stepping stone to lead them to Christ, who is the Healer of their hearts, minds and souls. Pastors and teachers and others can and sometimes do say things that are encouraging and uplifting, but if it does not point to Christ, it is of man and it falls short of honoring the one true God who sent His Son to be our Savior and His Spirit to be our Teacher. "Zeal for God's house" must mean a zeal for the truth that is the foundation of Christ's kingdom. Jesus said that whoever hears His Word and does it builds his house upon the ROCK!
I fear for a "church" today that is not willing or able to discern truth from falsehood and lies. Cute sayings are a poor substitute for doctrine from God's Word. The prophets spoke, "Thus saith the Lord," and the true Church is built upon the unchanging Word of God. More people need to get angry when God's truth is not proclaimed, whether in your local congregation or on the many internet sites now claiming to "speak for God," or on TV or radio. Such false teaching must be exposed, not applauded; it must be driven out, not embraced; it must be rejected, not accepted.
The cost for doing so will be high. People will look at you like they looked at Jesus - like some radical who needs to be checked or controlled. The Jews demanded that Jesus show them by what authority He did what He did and said what He said. He said, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." Of course, He was talking about Himself. HE was the true temple; and by the indwelling of His Spirit, believers are living stones being built into a spiritual house for God. Our authority and responsibility to speak comes from the Head of the Church, from Jesus Himself. We need to be zealous about the Church, the body of Christ, and to build her up and defend and protect her. That requires exposing and guarding people from false teachers.
But first, you need to get angry ... maybe even at yourself. Do I love the world more than I love Jesus? Have I made the body of Christ a priority, investing myself in doing my part to make her strong, or do I expend all my energy and resources on myself and other things? John writes, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (I John 2:15-17).
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work" (Ephesians 4:15-16). Get angry! Then get to work doing YOUR part to build up the body, beginning with yourself. Get into God's Word - ready, study and memorize, listening for His Spirit and praying for wisdom. The result will be a strong and vibrant "stone" that helps to make God's house beautiful!!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
"Raising children for eternity ..."
What are we doing to our kids?! There are a lot of statistics thrown around about every generation and those who are older often look at the present generation and shake their heads, forgetting that THEIR generation had its own struggles. I grew up in the 60's so don't talk to me about a generation that rebels against authority or that is utterly and totally focused on self - that was my generation! But there IS something different about the present generation, and I fear for the NEXT generation ... if, indeed, there is one, as we watch current events unfolding in the world.
Why the concern about this generation? Because it seems that even those who claim to be Christians today are increasingly missing the God-given purpose for having children and raising children in this world: to know, love and follow Jesus Christ ... to find joy in worship and in service to God, our Creator ... and to engage in being part of Christ's body, the Church, as a community of people focused NOT on self but on loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. It reminds me of another time in history when a group of people who claimed to know the true God lost their focus and forgot to tell their children who He was ... who He IS!
"After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what He had done for Israel" (Judges 2:10).
That has to be one of the most tragic verses in the Bible, and while it has been true in some ways throughout history, the problem has never been as widespread as it is today. Fewer and fewer young people are making a commitment to Jesus Christ, and even those who do often don't want anything to do with "organized religion" or what they see as "the church." Why not? I know - many things have been said about church structures and denominations, etc. I've said a lot myself. But while pointing out what's wrong, we have to talk about what's right ... what GOD says His Church is all about. It's the body of Christ, His bride!
Thinking about the words of Judges 2:10, the responsibility for teaching children about the One true God who has sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners and to bring LIFE - eternal life - to those who believe ... the responsibility for teaching children lies with parents AND with the fellowship of believers. Someone once said, "It takes a village," but the reality is, it takes the Church! But herein lies the problem: too many even in the visible body called "the church," do not know the true God and are spending their time trying to raise children for THIS world rather than for eternity!!
Children need to grow up knowing GOD. They need to know that there is only ONE God, the God who has revealed Himself in creation and in His Word and in His Son Jesus Christ. The current smorgasbord of religions that is being offered to young people is a toxic potion that leads to eternal death. We live in a society that doesn't want to offend anyone, so parents and church leaders hesitate to say, "Thus says the LORD!" People forget that the true God is a "jealous God," who will not give His glory to another. Too many parents themselves do not believe that we have to take all of this so seriously. Let the children decide for themselves and make their own decisions.
Leaving children alone to deal with a sinful nature bent on evil is the worst form of child abuse imaginable. Children who don't know Jesus Christ will live a life without true hope, peace, love or joy and will then face the God they didn't know, finally passing into eternity to endure eternal death and judgment. That's a hard statement, but it is true. Jesus said, "Bring the children to ME!" Instead, parents often want to raise their children to be good students, to have friends, to be successful by the world's standards - to get a job, to make a living and to be happy. Is that all there is?
The national conversation in politics often declares that we should desire above all things that our children have it "better" than we did. How's that working? We are told that with the rising debt and economic woes facing us, this is the first generation for whom that is not true - for whom things might not be "better" than the last generation. All the commentators are right - the "system" is broken! But they have no clue what is really needed: knowledge of the true God and of His Son Jesus Christ. What is needed is the inner transformation that can be produced only by the very Spirit of God - that changes a child or youth or adult from a self-centered "taker" to a Christ-centered "giver." Nothing else works ... NOTHING!
Yet, what is the solution being offered today? Get rid of religion, it only causes problems. Christianity, the one TRUE religion, gets lumped in with all the others and we are told that our children should be free to choose from the smorgasbord, or not to choose, whatever they please. Yes, the pathway to hell IS paved with good intentions. Failing to understand the powerful and destructive power of sin in the very nature of every child and every person, society ... and increasingly the church, offers children and young people nothing to combat the call of the world to the indulge the worst of our fallen nature, that is already turned away from God.
The real solution is found only in the Bible, the very Word of the living God, our Creator. The Bible is NOT all about rules, it is about a relationship that God offers to all, but that will be received only by some. In His grace and mercy God has made a way for children (and people of all ages) to find meaning and purpose in this life, as they look forward to eternity - eternal life with Him. Other religions offer an "eternal life" of sorts, but only Christianity offers a personal, vital, living relationship with the Creator of the universe. Parents need to stop trying to raise "good" children for this world and start raising children for eternity!
That requires talking about eternity. It means helping children understand who God is and why He sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins on the cross. Children need to know that there is a Savior, One who tasted death in their place and who rose from the dead and is now ruling in heaven until He returns and destroys sin, death and evil for His followers and establishes His kingdom on the earth. Children need to learn these things. THEN, they will understand WHY the Church is so important, and they will have an identity that is not affected by their peers or the world. They will know they are children of the King and nothing will be able to move them from faith in Jesus Christ and devotion to serving Him. They need to be taught that God's love must be received, not taken for granted, and that life is not for self, but for Him.
So many parents don't feel like they know enough to teach their children. Why not?! Because too many have never taken the time to learn themselves. Raising children is hard work. Life is busy. There are so many activities and family time is hard to find. I have heard all the reasons ... but stop for a moment and think about this: what if you have done everything for your child that you think you needed to do and you have given them all you could, but they go into eternity without knowing God and without Jesus Christ as their Savior? But on the other hand, what if they know Jesus and know they are loved by God and live to be servants of God by serving others ... and even if they should tragically lose their lives, you are at peace because they knew their Savior and you know they are living forever in His presence?!
Let it not be said of you and me that "another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what He had done for" His people - for us ... for THEM!
Peter writes, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness (His promise to bring an end to this world and to bring judgment on those who do not believe). He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. BUT the day of the Lord WILL come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare" (II Peter 3:9-10).
Children and young people today need to be brought face to face with God and taught the only way to draw near to Him, through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. They need to be given His Word, the "sword of the Spirit," to arm them against the forces of evil all around us. They need to know the love of God and love Him back, finding in a relationship with Him as "Abba, Father," their identity and the purpose for their lives - to glorify Him! Nothing is more important or more pressing - NOTHING!
My prayer today is for parents to take seriously their role in God's plan and not to waver or be overwhelmed. The Church, the body of Christ, is called and equipped to walk alongside parents in this task of raising children for eternity. It must occupy our minds and our hearts and we must give to this task our all. May God help us!
Why the concern about this generation? Because it seems that even those who claim to be Christians today are increasingly missing the God-given purpose for having children and raising children in this world: to know, love and follow Jesus Christ ... to find joy in worship and in service to God, our Creator ... and to engage in being part of Christ's body, the Church, as a community of people focused NOT on self but on loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. It reminds me of another time in history when a group of people who claimed to know the true God lost their focus and forgot to tell their children who He was ... who He IS!
"After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what He had done for Israel" (Judges 2:10).
That has to be one of the most tragic verses in the Bible, and while it has been true in some ways throughout history, the problem has never been as widespread as it is today. Fewer and fewer young people are making a commitment to Jesus Christ, and even those who do often don't want anything to do with "organized religion" or what they see as "the church." Why not? I know - many things have been said about church structures and denominations, etc. I've said a lot myself. But while pointing out what's wrong, we have to talk about what's right ... what GOD says His Church is all about. It's the body of Christ, His bride!
Thinking about the words of Judges 2:10, the responsibility for teaching children about the One true God who has sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners and to bring LIFE - eternal life - to those who believe ... the responsibility for teaching children lies with parents AND with the fellowship of believers. Someone once said, "It takes a village," but the reality is, it takes the Church! But herein lies the problem: too many even in the visible body called "the church," do not know the true God and are spending their time trying to raise children for THIS world rather than for eternity!!
Children need to grow up knowing GOD. They need to know that there is only ONE God, the God who has revealed Himself in creation and in His Word and in His Son Jesus Christ. The current smorgasbord of religions that is being offered to young people is a toxic potion that leads to eternal death. We live in a society that doesn't want to offend anyone, so parents and church leaders hesitate to say, "Thus says the LORD!" People forget that the true God is a "jealous God," who will not give His glory to another. Too many parents themselves do not believe that we have to take all of this so seriously. Let the children decide for themselves and make their own decisions.
Leaving children alone to deal with a sinful nature bent on evil is the worst form of child abuse imaginable. Children who don't know Jesus Christ will live a life without true hope, peace, love or joy and will then face the God they didn't know, finally passing into eternity to endure eternal death and judgment. That's a hard statement, but it is true. Jesus said, "Bring the children to ME!" Instead, parents often want to raise their children to be good students, to have friends, to be successful by the world's standards - to get a job, to make a living and to be happy. Is that all there is?
The national conversation in politics often declares that we should desire above all things that our children have it "better" than we did. How's that working? We are told that with the rising debt and economic woes facing us, this is the first generation for whom that is not true - for whom things might not be "better" than the last generation. All the commentators are right - the "system" is broken! But they have no clue what is really needed: knowledge of the true God and of His Son Jesus Christ. What is needed is the inner transformation that can be produced only by the very Spirit of God - that changes a child or youth or adult from a self-centered "taker" to a Christ-centered "giver." Nothing else works ... NOTHING!
Yet, what is the solution being offered today? Get rid of religion, it only causes problems. Christianity, the one TRUE religion, gets lumped in with all the others and we are told that our children should be free to choose from the smorgasbord, or not to choose, whatever they please. Yes, the pathway to hell IS paved with good intentions. Failing to understand the powerful and destructive power of sin in the very nature of every child and every person, society ... and increasingly the church, offers children and young people nothing to combat the call of the world to the indulge the worst of our fallen nature, that is already turned away from God.
The real solution is found only in the Bible, the very Word of the living God, our Creator. The Bible is NOT all about rules, it is about a relationship that God offers to all, but that will be received only by some. In His grace and mercy God has made a way for children (and people of all ages) to find meaning and purpose in this life, as they look forward to eternity - eternal life with Him. Other religions offer an "eternal life" of sorts, but only Christianity offers a personal, vital, living relationship with the Creator of the universe. Parents need to stop trying to raise "good" children for this world and start raising children for eternity!
That requires talking about eternity. It means helping children understand who God is and why He sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins on the cross. Children need to know that there is a Savior, One who tasted death in their place and who rose from the dead and is now ruling in heaven until He returns and destroys sin, death and evil for His followers and establishes His kingdom on the earth. Children need to learn these things. THEN, they will understand WHY the Church is so important, and they will have an identity that is not affected by their peers or the world. They will know they are children of the King and nothing will be able to move them from faith in Jesus Christ and devotion to serving Him. They need to be taught that God's love must be received, not taken for granted, and that life is not for self, but for Him.
So many parents don't feel like they know enough to teach their children. Why not?! Because too many have never taken the time to learn themselves. Raising children is hard work. Life is busy. There are so many activities and family time is hard to find. I have heard all the reasons ... but stop for a moment and think about this: what if you have done everything for your child that you think you needed to do and you have given them all you could, but they go into eternity without knowing God and without Jesus Christ as their Savior? But on the other hand, what if they know Jesus and know they are loved by God and live to be servants of God by serving others ... and even if they should tragically lose their lives, you are at peace because they knew their Savior and you know they are living forever in His presence?!
Let it not be said of you and me that "another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what He had done for" His people - for us ... for THEM!
Peter writes, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness (His promise to bring an end to this world and to bring judgment on those who do not believe). He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. BUT the day of the Lord WILL come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare" (II Peter 3:9-10).
Children and young people today need to be brought face to face with God and taught the only way to draw near to Him, through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. They need to be given His Word, the "sword of the Spirit," to arm them against the forces of evil all around us. They need to know the love of God and love Him back, finding in a relationship with Him as "Abba, Father," their identity and the purpose for their lives - to glorify Him! Nothing is more important or more pressing - NOTHING!
My prayer today is for parents to take seriously their role in God's plan and not to waver or be overwhelmed. The Church, the body of Christ, is called and equipped to walk alongside parents in this task of raising children for eternity. It must occupy our minds and our hearts and we must give to this task our all. May God help us!
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
"When Shepherds Don't Protect the Flock ..."
"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!"
- Acts 20:28-31
In our Christmas letter to family and friends last month I explained briefly that the year 2012 had brought some major changes in the life of Lighthouse Community Church. I shared that Lighthouse left the Reformed Church in America and became a non-denominational congregation. One person who received our letter asked me to explain why we left the RCA, because being part of an RCA congregation that I served previously for seven years, they had not heard anything from their leadership about what was going on in the denomination. I have been struggling since receiving her question with what I should share. Knowing that some will imagine my motives for writing what I am about to write, I hesitated doing so, but after reading the latest of what is happening at Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan, I feel compelled to answer the questions that have been raised as to why we left, for the reason described in the verses quoted above.
Paul was speaking to the Elders from the church in Ephesus, and he was warning them about false teachers and reminding them of their responsibility as shepherds to protect the flock that God had entrusted to their care. To do otherwise would be to dishonor Christ and to fail in the task of guarding the flock from serious danger in doctrinal error. Doctrine is not something only for seminary students, it is the foundational teaching of truth upon which the true Church of Jesus Christ is built (I Timothy 3:15). If the Elders of a congregation allow false teaching to occur they are ultimately responsible for the souls of those who are led astray and deceived! There is no greater responsibility than guarding the sheep and protecting them from false teachers.
The ultimate reasons for our decision to leave the Reformed Church in America were, 1) our growing conviction that denominationalism separates the body of Christ by placing "labels" upon truth, rather than just proclaiming, "Thus says the Lord!", and 2) the acceptance of false teaching within the denomination, shown by the refusal to discipline those who were teaching contrary to Scripture. Ultimately, it came down to the authority of the Word of God - "Does God really say ... ?" The latest example (but not the only one) was/is the discussion concerning homosexuality. Since before 2006 the leadership of Lighthouse attempted to call the denomination to affirm its position (something that the General Synod in 2012 did by a narrow margin), and to discipline those who taught anything contrary to God's revealed will. The existence of "Room for All," a group within the RCA openly advocating for the acceptance of those openly and without repentance practicing the sin of homosexuality, and their support from pastors, elders and congregations, without any form of discipline in any Classis (a regional group of congregations), including the one we were members of, made it clear that while the "official position" of the denomination said one thing, in practice, other things were and are being tolerated.... the flock was not being protected!
Believing that God calls us to protect the body under our care, those who are confessing members of Lighthouse Community Church, we proposed an overture from our Classis to General Synod again in 2010. This overture proposed a change in the Book of Church Order that would require those who taught false doctrine to be disciplined. This should not have been necessary if the denomination stood firmly on the authority of God's Word, for the Bible already requires the elders to do so, but since that was not happening, this was an attempt to put it in writing in the Book of Church Order. The overture barely passed our Classis (51-48) and the response of General Synod in 2010 was to defeat the overture by a 4 to 1 margin. The reason given was that the Book of Church Order was not the place to make such a statement, even though the previous General Synod had stated that there should not be any changes made in the Book of Church Order until there had been more "dialogue" on the subject - a dialogue that began in 2006 and had been going on for four years.
In the fall of 2010 the leadership of Lighthouse again attempted to bring the subject up and encouraged the leadership of every congregation in our Classis to withhold payments to the various levels of the denominational structure until the stated biblical position of the church was upheld through biblical discipline. We did our best to attempt to inform the leadership of other congregations of what we had become aware of, but we were met with anger, frustration and accusations (though no one disputed the facts we presented), and following several meetings with the leadership of Classis, congregational meetings, much prayer and discussion, the leadership and congregation voted overwhelmingly to leave the denomination and to follow God's leading to become a nondenominational congregation, believing that we could serve and glorify God more completely, without the hindrance of having to explain to people why we were part of a denomination that was not standing on God's Word in all matters.
Since that time (we left our building in June, 2012, after the Classis claimed ownership of it), God has blessed in amazing ways ... but the purpose of this blog is to explain our position and to call the Elders and others in leadership in other congregations and other denominations to take seriously their responsibility to protect the flock from error. This is not about declaring that we were right and that others were wrong. God knows our hearts. Our concern, MY concern, is for the sheep under our care, for brothers and sisters in Christ who are not hearing what is going on from their leaders, and for those who are seeking Christ, who are being led astray by false teaching. There is so much that has happened in denominations like the RCA in the past fifteen to twenty years that people do not realize. In 1996 a paper was presented and passed by General Synod of the Reformed Church in America that stated that Jesus is the only way to eternal life ... BUT, because God is sovereign, we can't say for sure that He will not save those who have not confessed Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Following that, an overture was presented and passed that would have required every pastor to affirm that faith in Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to receive eternal life. After much discussion, it did pass at General Synod, but it was not ratified by half of the Classes in the denomination! Fast forward to the present, after seven years of dialogue and no conclusions regarding what the Bible says about homosexuality ... General Synod 2012 barely passed a statement affirming that the practice of homosexuality is sin ... BUT now a seminary professor at Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan, who is also an appointed General Synod professor, has written a book that turns upside down the teaching of Scripture that practicing homosexuality is sin, in the same way that lust and adultery and other heterosexual sins are sin. The author re-interprets Scripture in such a way that monogamous homosexual relationships are acceptable and he is teaching these things to students for ministry. Another professor, at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, has been teaching the same for many years, without any serious repercussions or discipline. The wife of the Director of Social Witness for the RCA is the executive director of Room for All. And where is the outcry? Instead, the leadership of Lighthouse Community Church was charged with failure to obey the Book of Church Order in leading our congregation to vote to leave the denomination, and I was charged with disobedience to my ordination vows in failing to be loyal to the RCA. My response, then and now, was "We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29).
Elders are called to protect the flock! The only place we have to stand is the authority of God's Word. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus spoke in His Sermon on the Mount about those who hear His Word and put it into practice. These build their house upon the rock. As the song says, "All other ground is sinking sand." Too many in leadership in congregations are not protecting the flock. In defense of some Elders, too many pastors have far too much control in their congregations and they are not informing their leadership of what is going on in the "structures" of their denominations. Leaders and people need to be aware of these things, but it seems that many have been deceived by the "love everybody" mentality within the visible church. True love means confronting error and sin, it means holding one another accountable, it means warning those who stray from God's truth and loving people enough to confront sin. It is not often pleasant to do so, but it is necessary. Not one of us is perfect and we need each other to show grace and forgiveness. But again, grace is not a license to sin. Leaving people who claim to be brothers and sisters in Christ in bondage to sin is not love.
Paul writes to the Galatians, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. ... You were called to be free. BUT do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:1,13). We don't "hate" those who are living a sinful lifestyle, rather, in love we call them to repentance, to experience the freedom only Jesus can bring. We, too, are sinners, saved by grace. We are all in need of God's love, grace and forgiveness; but allowing people to live in known sin brings condemnation and it leads others in the body astray. Jesus Christ came to pay the penalty for our sins, and also to redeem us, to conform us to His image (Romans 8:29, 12:1-2).
There is much more that could and perhaps should be said. If you or anyone has any questions, please email me at pastorsteve@lighthouse-ministries.org and I will be happy to answer your questions or to help you find the information necessary to inform others. We know that many believers (including many in congregations in the RCA) stand with us and are committed to sound biblical teaching, but are not being informed and are not being protected by the false teaching that has infiltrated the highest levels of education and church government within their denominations.
Elders are called and appointed and empowered by the very Spirit of God and have the most serious responsibility of any people on the face of the earth, so let me end this entry with the same words with which I began ... to my brothers who are overseers in CHRIST's Church ...
"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!"
- Acts 20:28-31
- Acts 20:28-31
In our Christmas letter to family and friends last month I explained briefly that the year 2012 had brought some major changes in the life of Lighthouse Community Church. I shared that Lighthouse left the Reformed Church in America and became a non-denominational congregation. One person who received our letter asked me to explain why we left the RCA, because being part of an RCA congregation that I served previously for seven years, they had not heard anything from their leadership about what was going on in the denomination. I have been struggling since receiving her question with what I should share. Knowing that some will imagine my motives for writing what I am about to write, I hesitated doing so, but after reading the latest of what is happening at Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan, I feel compelled to answer the questions that have been raised as to why we left, for the reason described in the verses quoted above.
Paul was speaking to the Elders from the church in Ephesus, and he was warning them about false teachers and reminding them of their responsibility as shepherds to protect the flock that God had entrusted to their care. To do otherwise would be to dishonor Christ and to fail in the task of guarding the flock from serious danger in doctrinal error. Doctrine is not something only for seminary students, it is the foundational teaching of truth upon which the true Church of Jesus Christ is built (I Timothy 3:15). If the Elders of a congregation allow false teaching to occur they are ultimately responsible for the souls of those who are led astray and deceived! There is no greater responsibility than guarding the sheep and protecting them from false teachers.
The ultimate reasons for our decision to leave the Reformed Church in America were, 1) our growing conviction that denominationalism separates the body of Christ by placing "labels" upon truth, rather than just proclaiming, "Thus says the Lord!", and 2) the acceptance of false teaching within the denomination, shown by the refusal to discipline those who were teaching contrary to Scripture. Ultimately, it came down to the authority of the Word of God - "Does God really say ... ?" The latest example (but not the only one) was/is the discussion concerning homosexuality. Since before 2006 the leadership of Lighthouse attempted to call the denomination to affirm its position (something that the General Synod in 2012 did by a narrow margin), and to discipline those who taught anything contrary to God's revealed will. The existence of "Room for All," a group within the RCA openly advocating for the acceptance of those openly and without repentance practicing the sin of homosexuality, and their support from pastors, elders and congregations, without any form of discipline in any Classis (a regional group of congregations), including the one we were members of, made it clear that while the "official position" of the denomination said one thing, in practice, other things were and are being tolerated.... the flock was not being protected!
Believing that God calls us to protect the body under our care, those who are confessing members of Lighthouse Community Church, we proposed an overture from our Classis to General Synod again in 2010. This overture proposed a change in the Book of Church Order that would require those who taught false doctrine to be disciplined. This should not have been necessary if the denomination stood firmly on the authority of God's Word, for the Bible already requires the elders to do so, but since that was not happening, this was an attempt to put it in writing in the Book of Church Order. The overture barely passed our Classis (51-48) and the response of General Synod in 2010 was to defeat the overture by a 4 to 1 margin. The reason given was that the Book of Church Order was not the place to make such a statement, even though the previous General Synod had stated that there should not be any changes made in the Book of Church Order until there had been more "dialogue" on the subject - a dialogue that began in 2006 and had been going on for four years.
In the fall of 2010 the leadership of Lighthouse again attempted to bring the subject up and encouraged the leadership of every congregation in our Classis to withhold payments to the various levels of the denominational structure until the stated biblical position of the church was upheld through biblical discipline. We did our best to attempt to inform the leadership of other congregations of what we had become aware of, but we were met with anger, frustration and accusations (though no one disputed the facts we presented), and following several meetings with the leadership of Classis, congregational meetings, much prayer and discussion, the leadership and congregation voted overwhelmingly to leave the denomination and to follow God's leading to become a nondenominational congregation, believing that we could serve and glorify God more completely, without the hindrance of having to explain to people why we were part of a denomination that was not standing on God's Word in all matters.
Since that time (we left our building in June, 2012, after the Classis claimed ownership of it), God has blessed in amazing ways ... but the purpose of this blog is to explain our position and to call the Elders and others in leadership in other congregations and other denominations to take seriously their responsibility to protect the flock from error. This is not about declaring that we were right and that others were wrong. God knows our hearts. Our concern, MY concern, is for the sheep under our care, for brothers and sisters in Christ who are not hearing what is going on from their leaders, and for those who are seeking Christ, who are being led astray by false teaching. There is so much that has happened in denominations like the RCA in the past fifteen to twenty years that people do not realize. In 1996 a paper was presented and passed by General Synod of the Reformed Church in America that stated that Jesus is the only way to eternal life ... BUT, because God is sovereign, we can't say for sure that He will not save those who have not confessed Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Following that, an overture was presented and passed that would have required every pastor to affirm that faith in Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to receive eternal life. After much discussion, it did pass at General Synod, but it was not ratified by half of the Classes in the denomination! Fast forward to the present, after seven years of dialogue and no conclusions regarding what the Bible says about homosexuality ... General Synod 2012 barely passed a statement affirming that the practice of homosexuality is sin ... BUT now a seminary professor at Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan, who is also an appointed General Synod professor, has written a book that turns upside down the teaching of Scripture that practicing homosexuality is sin, in the same way that lust and adultery and other heterosexual sins are sin. The author re-interprets Scripture in such a way that monogamous homosexual relationships are acceptable and he is teaching these things to students for ministry. Another professor, at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, has been teaching the same for many years, without any serious repercussions or discipline. The wife of the Director of Social Witness for the RCA is the executive director of Room for All. And where is the outcry? Instead, the leadership of Lighthouse Community Church was charged with failure to obey the Book of Church Order in leading our congregation to vote to leave the denomination, and I was charged with disobedience to my ordination vows in failing to be loyal to the RCA. My response, then and now, was "We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29).
Elders are called to protect the flock! The only place we have to stand is the authority of God's Word. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus spoke in His Sermon on the Mount about those who hear His Word and put it into practice. These build their house upon the rock. As the song says, "All other ground is sinking sand." Too many in leadership in congregations are not protecting the flock. In defense of some Elders, too many pastors have far too much control in their congregations and they are not informing their leadership of what is going on in the "structures" of their denominations. Leaders and people need to be aware of these things, but it seems that many have been deceived by the "love everybody" mentality within the visible church. True love means confronting error and sin, it means holding one another accountable, it means warning those who stray from God's truth and loving people enough to confront sin. It is not often pleasant to do so, but it is necessary. Not one of us is perfect and we need each other to show grace and forgiveness. But again, grace is not a license to sin. Leaving people who claim to be brothers and sisters in Christ in bondage to sin is not love.
Paul writes to the Galatians, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. ... You were called to be free. BUT do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:1,13). We don't "hate" those who are living a sinful lifestyle, rather, in love we call them to repentance, to experience the freedom only Jesus can bring. We, too, are sinners, saved by grace. We are all in need of God's love, grace and forgiveness; but allowing people to live in known sin brings condemnation and it leads others in the body astray. Jesus Christ came to pay the penalty for our sins, and also to redeem us, to conform us to His image (Romans 8:29, 12:1-2).
There is much more that could and perhaps should be said. If you or anyone has any questions, please email me at pastorsteve@lighthouse-ministries.org and I will be happy to answer your questions or to help you find the information necessary to inform others. We know that many believers (including many in congregations in the RCA) stand with us and are committed to sound biblical teaching, but are not being informed and are not being protected by the false teaching that has infiltrated the highest levels of education and church government within their denominations.
Elders are called and appointed and empowered by the very Spirit of God and have the most serious responsibility of any people on the face of the earth, so let me end this entry with the same words with which I began ... to my brothers who are overseers in CHRIST's Church ...
"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!"
- Acts 20:28-31
Saturday, January 19, 2013
"Why Churches Can't Get Along ..."
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me." - John 17:20-21
Why can't churches get along? Why can't we all just be together? I heard someone this week on Christian radio talking about some churches in his town, four churches that were all within one block of each other and who hardly ever got together to do anything. I thought to myself, "Perhaps there is a good reason for that ... but how does it appear to the world?"
Some who may read this blog know that Lighthouse Community Church became non-denominational last year (actually, in December, 2011). We left the denomination that the congregation had been part of for 95 years, believing two things: First, that God calls those who know Him to be ONE; and secondly, that denominations actually get in the way of that ONENESS, not only by sometimes straying from a solid commitment to the authority of God's Word, but also by putting up unnecessary barriers to fellowship within the body of Christ.
I met this week with a pastor of another nondenominational congregation who shared that the leadership in the congregation he serves felt the need to have a closer association with a body larger than themselves. For the past several years they have been engaged in such an association, but now there are some "issues" even within this smaller gathering of churches and some have left that association. And while the leadership in the congregation may experience some benefit from having fellowship with other like-minded believers, the congregation as a whole benefits little from such an organizational association.
So what are we to do? What did Jesus pray for and how can we promote a true "oneness" within the body? I have written about this before on this blog, but it is such a crucial subject that questions continue to be asked by many. Let me answer the question I posed above directly, and then propose some ideas from God's Word that will, I believe, at the very least get people thinking about the importance of what Jesus prayed for and what we should be working towards.
Why can't churches get along? Because those within the churches are not all ONE in Christ. The biblical word for "oneness" is different than the word for "unity," even though it is sometimes translated that way. Notice that Jesus prays, "that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you." To be "one" has absolutely nothing to do with outward, organizational unity. Rather, it requires a oneness of mind and of heart, a oneness that arises from what Jesus talks about earlier in John 17: "knowing You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (vs. 3), and being sanctified "by the truth; Your Word is truth (vs. 17)." True knowledge of God through His Word, of Jesus Christ and the way of life by grace through faith is essential to the oneness for which Jesus prayed and that He calls His Church to display to the world.
When organizations like the World Council of Churches or others get together and talk about unity, they make a mockery of the oneness for which Jesus prayed. By seeking to embrace other "religions" they deny the very truth Jesus came to this earth to proclaim and they reduce the gospel to the "example of the cross," rather than the perfect sacrifice for sin offered to all, but effective only for those who by the work of the Spirit of God put their trust in Jesus Christ alone. The only source of truth for Christ's Church is the very Word of God, found in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. Any other source of authority is the word of man and it destroys the oneness of the body of Christ.
Most people go to a church today for all the wrong reasons. Few know what the church teaches, or if they do, they have not searched the Scriptures to see if the teaching of the church lines up with what God says. Some would probably be surprised to know what their churches or denominations really believe. Others say, "Well, I don't agree with everything they teach, but I like the worship, or I like the preacher, or I like the youth ministry, or I like ..." Really?? This is how you would determine where to feed your soul and to teach your children?!!
So what do we do? We get rid of the labels and brands of churches (even "Bible-believing" doesn't always mean they believe everything the Bible says) and we begin by confessing our own sin and pride in believing we know everything there is to know. Then - and this is the most important thing - we GO TO GOD'S WORD together!! We pray, we talk, we share TRUTH - from God's Word. You might ask, "Well, hasn't that been done?" And I will tell you, "NO!" I LONG to sit down with people who receive the Bible as the Word of God and discuss our "differences." But most are afraid to do so. I am currently preaching a series of sermons on "the end." - the facts surrounding the return of Jesus Christ. For the first ten years of my ministry I didn't believe the idea of a rapture or a millennium, an antichrist and a great tribulation ... Honestly, I just accepted what I had been taught and hadn't had time, or hadn't taken time, to study what God's Word says! I was wrong.
Churches can't get along because people have accepted the labels of denominations without seeking the truth of God's Word. Seminary professors and seminaries have often turned aside from biblical truth in the name of "progressive thinking" and whole denominations have followed them. At Lighthouse, as the Bible says it should be, the Elders and all of leadership, and the people who become confessing members, are encouraged and challenged often to go to God's Word and check out what I say. Do not accept anything simply because I say it!! We put our whole Statement of Belief on this website because we want people to have the time and to take the time to compare what we say we believe with what is taught in the Bible, and we want people to ask questions or to express concerns if something doesn't seem right.
Peter wrote the following in II Peter 3:15-16: "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
Why can't churches get along? Are you ready for this? Because people are lazy and biblically illiterate and want to defend what they believe and their particular "brand" of Christianity without going to God's Word and being sanctified by the truth. I am not saying that we do that perfectly at Lighthouse, but we try, and we recognize the necessity of opening our Bibles and learning what God's Word says and being able to defend it against the attacks of those who teach doctrines contrary to God's Word.
We join Jesus is praying for the true oneness of the body of Christ, of the Church, His Bride. Where we can serve and worship with those who accept the Bible as the very Word of God, and who trust in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness and life, believing that we are saved by grace through faith, being born again by the Spirit of God ... we welcome the opportunities to come together to display the love of Christ and to share the good news of the gospel. We will not, we cannot compromise the truth of God's Word, and we call all who claim Jesus as their Savior and Lord to do the same.
There is one true Church in Allendale, Michigan, as there is in every community around the world. This body is made up of all those who confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus is Savior and Lord. God knows who these are and WE ARE ONE!! When we stop talking about "our" church and talk instead about THE Church, when we stop talking about a man-made label and talk instead about being a follower of Christ (reclaiming the name, "Christian" from those who have no idea what it means!), when we are willing to sit down together to dig into God's Word and talk about the areas where we have not come to a single understanding of what God's Word says ... then we will be used of God to bring about a true oneness in our communities that will glorify God and speak volumes to a world that desperately needs Jesus. To that end I pray, to that end I labor, and I invite you to join me ... to join US ... for we are not alone!
Why can't churches get along? Why can't we all just be together? I heard someone this week on Christian radio talking about some churches in his town, four churches that were all within one block of each other and who hardly ever got together to do anything. I thought to myself, "Perhaps there is a good reason for that ... but how does it appear to the world?"
Some who may read this blog know that Lighthouse Community Church became non-denominational last year (actually, in December, 2011). We left the denomination that the congregation had been part of for 95 years, believing two things: First, that God calls those who know Him to be ONE; and secondly, that denominations actually get in the way of that ONENESS, not only by sometimes straying from a solid commitment to the authority of God's Word, but also by putting up unnecessary barriers to fellowship within the body of Christ.
I met this week with a pastor of another nondenominational congregation who shared that the leadership in the congregation he serves felt the need to have a closer association with a body larger than themselves. For the past several years they have been engaged in such an association, but now there are some "issues" even within this smaller gathering of churches and some have left that association. And while the leadership in the congregation may experience some benefit from having fellowship with other like-minded believers, the congregation as a whole benefits little from such an organizational association.
So what are we to do? What did Jesus pray for and how can we promote a true "oneness" within the body? I have written about this before on this blog, but it is such a crucial subject that questions continue to be asked by many. Let me answer the question I posed above directly, and then propose some ideas from God's Word that will, I believe, at the very least get people thinking about the importance of what Jesus prayed for and what we should be working towards.
Why can't churches get along? Because those within the churches are not all ONE in Christ. The biblical word for "oneness" is different than the word for "unity," even though it is sometimes translated that way. Notice that Jesus prays, "that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you." To be "one" has absolutely nothing to do with outward, organizational unity. Rather, it requires a oneness of mind and of heart, a oneness that arises from what Jesus talks about earlier in John 17: "knowing You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (vs. 3), and being sanctified "by the truth; Your Word is truth (vs. 17)." True knowledge of God through His Word, of Jesus Christ and the way of life by grace through faith is essential to the oneness for which Jesus prayed and that He calls His Church to display to the world.
When organizations like the World Council of Churches or others get together and talk about unity, they make a mockery of the oneness for which Jesus prayed. By seeking to embrace other "religions" they deny the very truth Jesus came to this earth to proclaim and they reduce the gospel to the "example of the cross," rather than the perfect sacrifice for sin offered to all, but effective only for those who by the work of the Spirit of God put their trust in Jesus Christ alone. The only source of truth for Christ's Church is the very Word of God, found in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. Any other source of authority is the word of man and it destroys the oneness of the body of Christ.
Most people go to a church today for all the wrong reasons. Few know what the church teaches, or if they do, they have not searched the Scriptures to see if the teaching of the church lines up with what God says. Some would probably be surprised to know what their churches or denominations really believe. Others say, "Well, I don't agree with everything they teach, but I like the worship, or I like the preacher, or I like the youth ministry, or I like ..." Really?? This is how you would determine where to feed your soul and to teach your children?!!
So what do we do? We get rid of the labels and brands of churches (even "Bible-believing" doesn't always mean they believe everything the Bible says) and we begin by confessing our own sin and pride in believing we know everything there is to know. Then - and this is the most important thing - we GO TO GOD'S WORD together!! We pray, we talk, we share TRUTH - from God's Word. You might ask, "Well, hasn't that been done?" And I will tell you, "NO!" I LONG to sit down with people who receive the Bible as the Word of God and discuss our "differences." But most are afraid to do so. I am currently preaching a series of sermons on "the end." - the facts surrounding the return of Jesus Christ. For the first ten years of my ministry I didn't believe the idea of a rapture or a millennium, an antichrist and a great tribulation ... Honestly, I just accepted what I had been taught and hadn't had time, or hadn't taken time, to study what God's Word says! I was wrong.
Churches can't get along because people have accepted the labels of denominations without seeking the truth of God's Word. Seminary professors and seminaries have often turned aside from biblical truth in the name of "progressive thinking" and whole denominations have followed them. At Lighthouse, as the Bible says it should be, the Elders and all of leadership, and the people who become confessing members, are encouraged and challenged often to go to God's Word and check out what I say. Do not accept anything simply because I say it!! We put our whole Statement of Belief on this website because we want people to have the time and to take the time to compare what we say we believe with what is taught in the Bible, and we want people to ask questions or to express concerns if something doesn't seem right.
Peter wrote the following in II Peter 3:15-16: "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
Why can't churches get along? Are you ready for this? Because people are lazy and biblically illiterate and want to defend what they believe and their particular "brand" of Christianity without going to God's Word and being sanctified by the truth. I am not saying that we do that perfectly at Lighthouse, but we try, and we recognize the necessity of opening our Bibles and learning what God's Word says and being able to defend it against the attacks of those who teach doctrines contrary to God's Word.
We join Jesus is praying for the true oneness of the body of Christ, of the Church, His Bride. Where we can serve and worship with those who accept the Bible as the very Word of God, and who trust in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness and life, believing that we are saved by grace through faith, being born again by the Spirit of God ... we welcome the opportunities to come together to display the love of Christ and to share the good news of the gospel. We will not, we cannot compromise the truth of God's Word, and we call all who claim Jesus as their Savior and Lord to do the same.
There is one true Church in Allendale, Michigan, as there is in every community around the world. This body is made up of all those who confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus is Savior and Lord. God knows who these are and WE ARE ONE!! When we stop talking about "our" church and talk instead about THE Church, when we stop talking about a man-made label and talk instead about being a follower of Christ (reclaiming the name, "Christian" from those who have no idea what it means!), when we are willing to sit down together to dig into God's Word and talk about the areas where we have not come to a single understanding of what God's Word says ... then we will be used of God to bring about a true oneness in our communities that will glorify God and speak volumes to a world that desperately needs Jesus. To that end I pray, to that end I labor, and I invite you to join me ... to join US ... for we are not alone!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
" ... for the sake of my holy name ..."
"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name ... the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes. for I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.'" - Ezekiel 36:22-24
Israel ... the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ... "Jews," they are called by the world ... Why is the whole world talking about Israel? There is only one reason: Israel's GOD! The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
As I preached the second part of a twelve-part series on "the end." this morning, I was struck once again by the reality of this truth: we exist for the glory of God, our Creator. All who have come to know this one true God through His Word and by the work of His Spirit within us exist for this reason, and this reason alone. We say that, don't we? But do we understand that ... or do we really believe that?
For the glory of God! Five words ... we just heard the words of the angels as we celebrated the birth of Jesus, the Christ: "Glory to God in the highest!" For the glory of God: for His name's sake, for His honor. Unless you believe this, unless you know this, unless you live your life for this high and exalted purpose, you miss the grandest, most excellent, exalted, glorious opportunity that can be given to any human being ... to LIVE for the glory of God!!
What does that even look like? Has anyone ever done that? Of course, you know someone did ... Jesus did. How did He do it? He was God, in the flesh. But there's more. Jesus did not just live for the glory of God because He WAS God. He was also true man. And as He neared the time when He would offer Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for all mankind, He prayed to the Father, "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4). Jesus brought glory to God by doing what He was put here to do.
Back to Israel ... Israel was chosen by God for His glory. They rejected Him and worshiped idols. They rejected Jesus, the Messiah, and they faced God's judgment. They were exiled into the nations of the world until ... until ...
Isaiah 43:5-7: "Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth - everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
Isaiah predicted the return of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to the land God had promised to their fathers. Why? For the glory of God! Ezekiel says it in the verses quoted above. God will do all this not for Israel's sake, but for the sake of His holy name. God will show Himself mighty through the "Jews," through the people of Israel. Then the world will know that He is God, the ONLY true God, and that Jesus Christ is King and Lord. This is what "the end" points to. It is the culmination of God's plan to reveal to all mankind His power and majesty, His wisdom and glory.
And so the CHURCH exists today for THIS reason ... not the "church," not an organization, a hierarchical structure or a denomination ... the CHURCH -- PEOPLE who have been born again by the Spirit of God, who are united to Christ by faith and who exist for His purposes, for His glory. And we bring Him glory by completing the work He has given us to do. We are here to fulfill the highest and most glorious purpose of anything in all of God's marvelous creation. David writes in Psalm 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of God!" But WE are re-created in Christ to do the same.
Peter writes, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may proclaim the majesty of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light" (I Peter 2:9). Chosen for a purpose ... for the glory of God. What if we lived that way? What if we realized that while God is faithful, while He pours blessing after blessing after blessing upon His children, while He saves us through His Son Jesus Christ, God does not exist for US; WE exist for GOD! We have been created for His glory!!
Whatever God calls you to do, whatever He calls US to do, He will give us all we need as we accept our calling to bring Him glory. Are you called to bear suffering? It is for His glory. Have you been given gifts to use to accomplish great things? It is for His glory. When you are challenged to persevere, to endure, it is for His glory!
"For the sake of my holy name" ...
Tomorrow is Monday ... the people around you will know that He is Lord when He shows Himself holy through YOU, for you were created for His glory. That's a reason to get up isn't it?!
Israel ... the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ... "Jews," they are called by the world ... Why is the whole world talking about Israel? There is only one reason: Israel's GOD! The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
As I preached the second part of a twelve-part series on "the end." this morning, I was struck once again by the reality of this truth: we exist for the glory of God, our Creator. All who have come to know this one true God through His Word and by the work of His Spirit within us exist for this reason, and this reason alone. We say that, don't we? But do we understand that ... or do we really believe that?
For the glory of God! Five words ... we just heard the words of the angels as we celebrated the birth of Jesus, the Christ: "Glory to God in the highest!" For the glory of God: for His name's sake, for His honor. Unless you believe this, unless you know this, unless you live your life for this high and exalted purpose, you miss the grandest, most excellent, exalted, glorious opportunity that can be given to any human being ... to LIVE for the glory of God!!
What does that even look like? Has anyone ever done that? Of course, you know someone did ... Jesus did. How did He do it? He was God, in the flesh. But there's more. Jesus did not just live for the glory of God because He WAS God. He was also true man. And as He neared the time when He would offer Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for all mankind, He prayed to the Father, "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4). Jesus brought glory to God by doing what He was put here to do.
Back to Israel ... Israel was chosen by God for His glory. They rejected Him and worshiped idols. They rejected Jesus, the Messiah, and they faced God's judgment. They were exiled into the nations of the world until ... until ...
Isaiah 43:5-7: "Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth - everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
Isaiah predicted the return of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to the land God had promised to their fathers. Why? For the glory of God! Ezekiel says it in the verses quoted above. God will do all this not for Israel's sake, but for the sake of His holy name. God will show Himself mighty through the "Jews," through the people of Israel. Then the world will know that He is God, the ONLY true God, and that Jesus Christ is King and Lord. This is what "the end" points to. It is the culmination of God's plan to reveal to all mankind His power and majesty, His wisdom and glory.
And so the CHURCH exists today for THIS reason ... not the "church," not an organization, a hierarchical structure or a denomination ... the CHURCH -- PEOPLE who have been born again by the Spirit of God, who are united to Christ by faith and who exist for His purposes, for His glory. And we bring Him glory by completing the work He has given us to do. We are here to fulfill the highest and most glorious purpose of anything in all of God's marvelous creation. David writes in Psalm 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of God!" But WE are re-created in Christ to do the same.
Peter writes, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may proclaim the majesty of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light" (I Peter 2:9). Chosen for a purpose ... for the glory of God. What if we lived that way? What if we realized that while God is faithful, while He pours blessing after blessing after blessing upon His children, while He saves us through His Son Jesus Christ, God does not exist for US; WE exist for GOD! We have been created for His glory!!
Whatever God calls you to do, whatever He calls US to do, He will give us all we need as we accept our calling to bring Him glory. Are you called to bear suffering? It is for His glory. Have you been given gifts to use to accomplish great things? It is for His glory. When you are challenged to persevere, to endure, it is for His glory!
"For the sake of my holy name" ...
Tomorrow is Monday ... the people around you will know that He is Lord when He shows Himself holy through YOU, for you were created for His glory. That's a reason to get up isn't it?!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
"The more I seek You ..."
"You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).
Did you know that verse was there ... in Jeremiah 29??
Thousands, maybe even millions of people have memorized Jeremiah 29:11:
"I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future."
That promise was made to Jeremiah and to the remnant and exiles of Judah and Jerusalem, who were being taken into captivity in Babylon. God had told them that they would go into exile for seventy years as a judgment against their idolatry and rebellion against Him and His prophets. They had not listened to His Word and had turned to other gods. Even then there were false prophets telling the people that everything would be all right ... that judgment would not come.
It was in this context that God said in Jeremiah 29:10: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. ... for I know the plans I have for you ... plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (vs. 11). God's declaration comes to Judah in the midst of His judgment. His promise opened a window into the future. God was not done with these people. Now listen to the WHOLE promise:
"I know the plans I have for you ... plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile" (Jeremiah 29:11-14).
God speaks to a people He claimed as His own special people, but who had sinned against Him in every conceivable way. As He speaks of the future He reveals His character and His amazing faithfulness to His promises ... He tells those who are going into exile and those in exile that when they pray, He will listen; and when they seek Him, they will find Him. And He promises that their exile is not permanent. He will bring them back and will fulfill His purpose in them and through them. History reveals that God did what He said He would do ...
And God is STILL doing what He said He would do! The promises God made to the Jews in the days of Jeremiah, God also makes to those who are His people today through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. We are like those spoken of in Hebrews 11 who are "aliens and strangers on earth" (vs. 13). I think of the words of an old hymn: "Though exiled from home, yet still I may sing: all glory to God! I'm a child of the King!!!"
A new day lies ahead of us ... a new year, Lord willing. What will you do with today, tomorrow, this week, this year? Will you memorize and quote only verse 11, asking God to prosper you and to give you all you ask, all you want, for your own pleasure, your own purposes - even for your own glory? Or will you understand that there's more to the promise?!!
"Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." Through prayer and the reading of His Word and the work of His Spirit you can draw near to God, seeking Him with all your heart and finding Him to be all that He has promised. In every new day and throughout the new year you can experience God drawing you to Himself as you set your heart and mind on things above, where Christ is seated at His right hand (Colossians 3:1-2).
God is "Abba", "Father," to His children. Seek Him today. Do not pursue the idols of this world who can bring no true joy, no real peace and no lasting hope. Draw near to the one and only true God through Jesus, and know the depth of His love today and every day. He will give you hope AND a future!!
Did you know that verse was there ... in Jeremiah 29??
Thousands, maybe even millions of people have memorized Jeremiah 29:11:
"I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future."
That promise was made to Jeremiah and to the remnant and exiles of Judah and Jerusalem, who were being taken into captivity in Babylon. God had told them that they would go into exile for seventy years as a judgment against their idolatry and rebellion against Him and His prophets. They had not listened to His Word and had turned to other gods. Even then there were false prophets telling the people that everything would be all right ... that judgment would not come.
It was in this context that God said in Jeremiah 29:10: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. ... for I know the plans I have for you ... plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (vs. 11). God's declaration comes to Judah in the midst of His judgment. His promise opened a window into the future. God was not done with these people. Now listen to the WHOLE promise:
"I know the plans I have for you ... plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile" (Jeremiah 29:11-14).
God speaks to a people He claimed as His own special people, but who had sinned against Him in every conceivable way. As He speaks of the future He reveals His character and His amazing faithfulness to His promises ... He tells those who are going into exile and those in exile that when they pray, He will listen; and when they seek Him, they will find Him. And He promises that their exile is not permanent. He will bring them back and will fulfill His purpose in them and through them. History reveals that God did what He said He would do ...
And God is STILL doing what He said He would do! The promises God made to the Jews in the days of Jeremiah, God also makes to those who are His people today through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. We are like those spoken of in Hebrews 11 who are "aliens and strangers on earth" (vs. 13). I think of the words of an old hymn: "Though exiled from home, yet still I may sing: all glory to God! I'm a child of the King!!!"
A new day lies ahead of us ... a new year, Lord willing. What will you do with today, tomorrow, this week, this year? Will you memorize and quote only verse 11, asking God to prosper you and to give you all you ask, all you want, for your own pleasure, your own purposes - even for your own glory? Or will you understand that there's more to the promise?!!
"Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." Through prayer and the reading of His Word and the work of His Spirit you can draw near to God, seeking Him with all your heart and finding Him to be all that He has promised. In every new day and throughout the new year you can experience God drawing you to Himself as you set your heart and mind on things above, where Christ is seated at His right hand (Colossians 3:1-2).
God is "Abba", "Father," to His children. Seek Him today. Do not pursue the idols of this world who can bring no true joy, no real peace and no lasting hope. Draw near to the one and only true God through Jesus, and know the depth of His love today and every day. He will give you hope AND a future!!
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