Gospel Exploration

“All the fitness He requireth is to feel your need of Him”

“Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy”

Joseph Hart, Traditional American Melody

It is not the healthy that need a doctor, it is the sick. The deluded that believe that they are healthy will never go to the doctor. All Christ asks us is to believe the truth that we are sick and in need of a Healer. He is the only one that can cure us.

We are not saved by any works that we have done, but by the sinless life and sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our human nature inclines us to try and add to Christ’s work. The only equation that is valid in the gospel is Jesus + NOTHING = Everything. There is nothing we could do or should do in order to receive favor or forgiveness from our Lord.

Believer, do not think that you can serve the Father in some better way than He has ordained. Do not fall into the trap that salvation was a past event; Christ’s work is past, present, and future. The gospel is just as relevant to us now as it was when we first saw the light. We could not save ourselves and we cannot sanctify ourselves either.

Unbeliever, let nothing make you hesitate coming to Christ. There is none who is too sick for Christ to heal. “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

The gospel is not about being saved and trying to be better, or being good enough for Christ to be willing to save you. “For while we were yet still sinners, Christ died for us.” All He requires of us is to feel our need of Him, and to believe His promises that He is able to save to the uttermost (completely; at all times). Do or do not, there is no try. You either believe in the finished and perfect work of Christ, or you do not.

May the Holy Spirit work in us to believe the amazing grace of the gospel in a deeper way! Praise God that nothing is expected of us except to see that we are great sinners that need a great Savior, who loved us before the foundation of the world! 

Meditation

     As a resident in a first world country, I am very blessed. As a resident in a first world country that finds its roots in Christianity and considers it as the primary religion, I am even more blessed. I live in an area where there are several Bible-teaching-and-believing churches with fifteen miles from me. I go to a school where we have Chapel once a week, and there are numerous Bible studies and worship gatherings throughout the week. I probably own more spiritual books than I will ever get to read in my lifetime. I am very thankful to have so many opportunities around me to hear God's word and to worship with His people.
     But, as a girl who likes to see the whole picture - the good and the bad, the dark and the light - I like to look at the downsides of having this easy availability of God's word and all the teaching that surrounds it. So, whether you like it or not, I'm going to dive in to the pitfalls of living in a Christian-based first world nation.
I am currently reading a book called, Christian on the Mount by Thomas Watson, and it deals primarily with meditation for the believer. I have been exploring this idea and finding it to be very fruitful. I know that many people may be skeptical about using the word "meditation", because it sounds like something only hyper-religious people or hippies would be doing. I once heard meditation as being defined as having a conversation with yourself about the goodness and glory of God. I could really identify with that, because I used to talk to myself quite often (and still do, I must admit). It really excited me that I could use my odd introverted habit to the glory of God and the good of my soul.
     Another definition of meditation that I like (and that Thomas Watson uses), is that of it being like digestion. God's word is the bread, and the preaching of it is us being fed. But how will it do us any good if we do not digest it? Could you imagine continually eating food, but never really digesting it? Your taste buds would be satisfied, and you might feel good for a little while, but eventually your body would start to become sick and hungry. You would have no nourishment to go off on, because you didn't take the opportunities that you were given and use them as they were intended in the best way possible.
     On page 66 of Christian on the Mount, Watson says, "Without meditation the truths that we know will never affect our hearts. Deuteronomy 6:6 says, 'These words which I command this day shall be in thine heart.' How can the Word be in the heart unless it is wrought in by meditation? as a hammer drives a nail to the head, so meditation drives a truth to the heart. It is not the taking in of food, but the stomach's digesting it that turns it into nourishment. Just so, it is not the taking in of a truth at the ear, but the meditation on it, that is the digestion of it in the mind, that makes it nourish."
     The book of James talks about us being doers of the word and not only hearers. (James 1:22-25). Meditation is the process by which action ensues. So many times do I hear a sermon, and forget it within 24 hours. Once you digest food, then it has the ability to be used for energy and activity.
     It is such a blessing to have the availability of the preaching of the Word and its resources, but I would caution against getting caught up in the activity of going to hear the Word, but never letting it seep into our hearts and change us for real. Meditation is not an easy thing to do. It typically has to be done by ones lonesome, and takes focus and concentration. But, take heart! You will not be disappointed. "Though while we are first entering upon meditation it may seem hard, yet once we are entered it is sweet and pleasant. Christ's yoke at the first putting on may seem heavy, but once it is on it becomes easy; it is not a yoke, but a crown...The poets say the top of Olympus was always quiet and serene. Just so, it is hard climbing up the rocky hill of meditation; but when we get to the top, there is a pleasant prospect, and we shall sometimes think ourselves even in heaven. By holy meditation the soul, as it were, has breakfast with God every morning." (pg. 75).
     May we press further in and further up, dear saints! May we reach the mount to find the oasis of God's beauty and glory and peace! Praise God that He condescends to meet us and give us hope and rest!

Storytime

     Stories are great. I love stories in any form - books, real life, movies - you name it. Of late I have become much more interested in "real life" stories, ones that you hear from "real" people about their experiences and discoveries. The LORD has been taking me through a "walk by faith, not by sight" tutorial this summer and a sub-point to that could be entitled, "walk by faith, not by feelings". I have felt as though I could not feel. Deep, I know. But seriously, I believe that every Christian goes through phases where no matter how hard you pound the Truth into your brain, you just don't feel it or it doesn't affect you emotionally. You know it's true, but you don't have an emotional reaction to it being true.
    So I've been pounding away at my brain God's promises to me that "I will never leave you nor forsake you", "All things work together for good to those that love God", "He has overcome the world", etc. etc. But no matter how much my brain knows that it's true, it doesn't affect my heart. I don't know what the effects of these truths look like in the life of a believer.
     Thus I have turned to stories, to real-life enactments of Biblical truths. The story I am about to tell you is a living out of the verse from Philippians: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (4:7). That sounds like some pretty powerful peace there. It's more than I can imagine, but what does it look like? I've felt overwhelming peace before, but what about seeing it in the lives of others?
     John Rogers was a preacher and Bible translator during the early 1500's. He was the first English protestant martyr under Queen Mary I ("Bloody Mary") of England. He was imprisoned for several years before finally being burnt at the stake after being unwilling to recant his faith.
     All martyr stories make an impression on me, but there was one detail of John Roger's story that stuck in my brain and made that verse from Philippians come to life.
     On the morning that John Rogers was to be burned at the stake, he was found fast asleep. So fast asleep that he had to be shook several times to be woken up. Foxe's book of martyrs says, "who [Rogers], being then sound asleep, could scarce be awakened. At length being raised and awakened..." It was only "at length" that he could be awakened.
     This is what peace that surpasses all understanding looks like. Such peace, that would keep a man fast asleep as he awaits a painful death, can only come from the Lord of heaven and earth.
     Stories encourage us and uplift us, they open our eyes to see and our hearts to feel when the bare Truth does not pierce us. Proverbs 30:5 says, "Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him." Real life stories are the proof of God's Word. Each and every one of His promises will be fulfilled, and even though we may not be able to see them played out yet in our lives, we can see and hear the stories and testimonies of others. Praise God for the saints of old such as John Rogers that were used to give us such an excellent picture of God's Truth! May God use our lives for the same extraordinary purpose!  

Always a Student

Going on the Mission Trip to New Mexico/Texas/Mexico taught me a lot of things. One of the things I learned is that I will always be learning. Sanctification is a necessary part of the Christian life and Christ will continue to change us until we reach glory. I wrote down ten things to share with my church during the Sunday School hour this past Sunday, and I thought I would post them here for others to see. Note that I have not learned how to live out these truths in my life; I have only discovered their existence. Only by God's grace will I be able to apply them to my Christian walk. So, without further ado, here are the top ten things I learned over the past week or so.

1. I have learned that true missions consists of "ordinary" people being faithful to spread Christ's work in the "ordinary" spaces of their day-to-day lives.
2. I have learned what it means to bow as a little child before my heavenly Father, and to lovingly and fully place my trust in Him.
3. I have learned that you need no more than two minutes to share the Gospel with someone.
4. I have learned what it means to be alive because of Christ's work and the Holy Spirit living inside of me.
5. I have learned that spreading the Gospel is not a decisive premeditated act, but rather an uncontrollable outpouring of Christ's love which loved us first.
6. I have learned that we are not and not meant to be alone in the great race for missions, for Christ is with us always and His body of believers is spread across the world.
7. I have learned that the bond of being in the family of God is stronger than any other earthly bond.
8. I have learned what it feels like to be nourished by the Word of God, but to also feel an increasing hunger for its truth.
9. I have learned what it means to "let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."
10. I have learned that God is greater than I thought, more powerful than I believed, and more loving than I hoped.

These truths I have either been exposed to for the first time, rediscovered, or seen in a different light. May God give you and I the grace and vigor to possess and live out these truths in our lives. All praise to the Great Teacher!

Spaces

     Space. The final frontier. Just kidding, that's not the kind of space I'm talking about. Using the first two definitions of "space" found on dictionary.com, the "space" I'm talking about is: "the portion or extent of a three-dimensional realm or expanse in which material objects are located and events occur in a given instance." 

Our lives are made up of different expansions of space. Another word you could use for them are "circles". Many of us have our family space, our work space, our significant other space, and so on and so forth. I would estimate that each person has at least twenty different spaces that fill up their lives. All of these spaces involve people to a certain degree. 

     Let me tell you a story about how space is identified in the arts. Once upon a time, I took a dance class. We learned about four concepts that were called Line, Effort, Space, and Shape. One of our assignments was to choreograph a piece using those four concepts. The "space" concept was illustrating how much space your body did or did not take up within a room. For example, rolling up into a tight ball would take up less space than when doing a jump of some sort. It also depended upon how much space you used in the room. 

     As sinful human beings, our natural tendency is to curl up into a tight ball and not use up much of our space that has been given to us. We do not engage with the people that surround us, and we keep to ourselves as much as possible. We have our own agenda and that is all that matters to us. 

     Christians are supposed to be the most joyful of all people, for we have a hope that cannot be shaken. Shall we not dance and jump and spread the gospel to every part of every space that we inhabit? 

     What about the spaces that seem less important, possibly because they are so small or because we occupy them for so short a time? I tend to react to these spaces in the wrong way by thinking that it's not really that important to engage people if you're only going to know them for a couple weeks or maybe only a couple minutes. But in dance, every space is just as important as the others. In just a few square feet, a dancer can do something truly remarkable. Trust me, I haven't done it, but I've seen it. 

     What if we don't like the space that we've been put in? God is the one that apportions out where we are to live and who we are to interact with at what point in our lives, and so every space you have been given is according to His purpose. The preaching from last night contained the scripture passage from the book of Luke that was about Jesus healing a demon-possessed man. After being healed, the man wanted to follow Jesus in His journey, but Jesus told him to go back to his home and "declare how much God has done for you." (Luke 8:39). It goes on to say that rather than complaining about not getting to follow Jesus and do the more exciting and uplifting work, the man obeyed Jesus and went proclaiming throughout the whole city the name of his Lord and Savior.

     We are to be content with what spaces God places in our lives, and we are to use those spaces to their full extent. Just like the dancer, we can use all of our energy to spread the name of Christ throughout every last inch that we've been given, and seize the opportunities that come our way to share the gospel. 

     Very few individuals get to travel across the globe and influence thousands of people, but most of us have at least a few spaces to spread Christ's glorious story of what He has done for us. Let us use all of our space. The little spaces of our day-to-day lives are the mission's frontier.

One Liners for All Time

     So. There's this song. I have no idea what it's called. I only know one line from it, one line that consists of three words. Why? Because I have a manager at work that likes to sing out that one line quite often. It's only on his word that I believe that these three words are actually part of a song. They are: "Hearts on fire!" I wish I could insert some sort of audio clip in here so you could hear it and share in my blessed agony that comes from hearing one line from a song in your head a bit too often. Alas, you will simply have to have faith as I did that these three words actually do come from a song and in reality do have tremendous relevance to what I am going to talk about today.
     I frequently am burdened for the souls of the youngsters in my church's youth group. I pray for them often, but I always find it difficult to talk to them about the gospel because they already know it all. They have been taught well by their parents, teachers, and pastors. Some of them probably know their Bibles better than I do. It's just part of being a part of a Bible-believing and Bible-following church since you were a wee babe. And don't get me wrong; growing up in the church is a very valuable blessing to possess. But sometimes it almost makes it difficult to distinguish between those who are believers and those who are not, especially among the teenagers.
     Several of these teenagers that I know who are not professing Christians live their lives very similarly to that of a believer. They can give all the right answers in Sunday School, they speak up to pray at the end of Bible Study, they read their Bible often, and try to be loving and serving to their friends and family. This leads me almost to believe that the Lord has done a work in their lives; that they have been saved. But yet, somehow I know that can't be true.
     What distinguishes a non-Christian from a Christian? Or also, what distinguishes a Christian from the rest of the world? There are plenty of nice people out there with good hearts and upright minds who are not true believers.
     As I was pondering this question, that one line burst into my head and I heard my manager singing, "Hearts on fire!" 
     That's it - that's the difference between the believer and the unbeliever. One of them has a heart on fire and the other one doesn't. Right. So what does that look like?
     Jeremiah 20:9 says, "If I say, 'I will not mention him [the LORD], or speak any more in his name,' there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot." Christians cannot stop themselves from speaking about their Lord, for He is their all in all.
     This fire within a believer is one that can never be quenched, for it comes from the Holy Spirit: "'He [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.'" (Matthew 3:11b). Christians should be the most consistent of all people because they continually have the Holy Spirit burning inside of them.
     Another characteristic of fire is heat and warmth. Christians should be the most loving people, and those that love truly and with their whole heart, because they will love as Christ loved them.
     A use for fire discussed in the Bible was that of refinement and purging. Christians do not stay the same after they are saved, for God gives them a new heart and continues to sanctify them until they reach glory.
     True believers have "Hearts on fire!" because they have the Holy Spirit living inside of them, while unbelievers do not. This fire burns bright and powerful all their days. Let us pray as believers that we do not let the fire die down, but that the Lord would rekindle our flame. Our God is a consuming fire; let us be like him. Let the rest of the world see something different and uncanny about us, let them ask about the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15), and may we be burning to give a reason for it.
     I just want to quote from another song, one which I do know for a fact is a real song. I have listened to it a whole bunch in the last few weeks, and I just can't seem to get enough of it. It is of my own free will that it is stuck in my head, and not my enthusiastic manager's fault (of which I am now glad of). It is called "Build Your Kingdom Here" by Rend Collective Experiment. I've probably already posted about them before, but they're just so great that I can't help it. The lines from one of the verses are as follows: "Come, set our hearts ablaze with hope, like wildfire in our very souls. Holy Spirit come invade us now." This is my prayer for every believer. Let our hearts burn bright in this dark world.

Angelic Customer Service

This summer I have been working in a retail position in order to keep busy and earn money so I can continue going to school. I have never worked in retail before, so it is a new and enlightening experience. I honestly have never had a "real" job before, so I'm moving up in life. But really, I am enjoying it. I am learning lots of useful stuff about working and life and such.
One of the new experiences I have had with this job is just being around so many people - "the public" - for an extended period of time. I don't even know how many different people I encounter throughout the work day, but it's a lot. Really any customer service job will include this experience, but like I said, it's new for me. The only other time I have experienced this is in large public places, such as the airport or a theme park.
I don't get to spend very much time with these people either. I have never met them before, and yet I have to make conversation and provide good service. I would say the average amount of time I will spend with a customer up at the register is two minutes. How much impact can I really have?
At times my pondering mind is overwhelmed with the amount of stories and emotions that enter the store each day. I often wonder if any of these people are believers, and if I would ever know if they were or not. A verse came to mind the other day, from Hebrews 13:1-2, which says, "Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." I believe that this verse applies to all of life, not just in terms of hospitality. Could I have rung up an angel for their electric wine bottle opener at the register? That's a dizzying thought. Whew. But really, people entertained angels and even the Lord Jesus Christ in the Bible and did not know it. So crazy. I always think about angels in large public places, but now I think about it almost every day. This is why the writer of Hebrews says for brotherly love to continue, and for us to show hospitality (love and kindness) to strangers. Jesus commands us to "love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return...be merciful, even as your Father is merciful." (Luke 6:35-36).
Back to the stories and emotions that are a part of every person that comes in to the store each and every day. Usually you know what's going on with your friends and family, because you're closely involved with many parts of their life. You know when they're going through a hard time, and you're there beside them helping them through it. But with the people that you only encounter for two to five minutes, how much can you really help them? You have no idea where they've been, what they're going through, or how they're really feeling that day. But that's just the point. You have no idea. Doesn't that mean we should everyone with the same amount of kindness, no matter how they treat us?
There was a quote I saw on the internet a while back by J. M. Barrie (author of Peter Pan): "Always be a little kinder than necessary." That strikes me as something we should always be reminding ourselves. I don't think you can ever be too kind. That's not humanity's problem. We either think that this person doesn't deserve kindness or we are too busy or important to deal it out. As believers, we should be challenging ourselves to be kinder than we deem necessary, and to continue raising the bar. Romans 11:22 says, "Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off." May God use His Holy Spirit to work in us the eyes to see the immense love and kindness of Christ towards us, and the hands to transfer that love and kindness to each and every person we encounter in our lives.
I challenge you to be enthusiastic and energetic in your "inconsequential" and "coincidental" relationships, those that you encounter in every day life. Be kinder than necessary; don't brush people off because you believe that you'll never see them again. Be the love and kindness of Christ to all people, whether it's the Mary Kay-caked customer at the register, your annoying younger brother, or the hungover waitress at a run-down diner - or an angel in disguise.