Fire, Anyone?

I've been thinking a lot about something the prophet Jeremiah said.

Jeremiah was enduring some very heavy persecution. His life had become a living nightmare. He was saying what he was told. The more he spoke, the worse it got.

He said something that caused a stirring in my soul. (Jeremiah 20:7-11)

He didn't want to keep making life hard for himself, but he couldn't help it. God's words were like a 'fire shut up in his bones' (Jeremiah 20:9). He couldn't hold it in. Wow.

In my own life, I want this to be the case. There are times when I know I need to speak and say nothing. I need to take a stand on an issue or share my faith with someone who is in desperate need of Christ Jesus, yet I say nothing.

There should be in my heart a burning like a fire shut up in my bones. I should hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit and obey. I should know it's time to speak and not be able to hold it in. Even if it makes life hard for me.

Father, thank You for the examples You give us in Your Word. Thank You for putting Your Holy Spirit in me. Please help me to be still and listen. To take the focus off of myself long enough to hear You, and to speak when it is time.

God is AWESOME!

Our Living Hope

It is Easter again.

The years seem to be moving by so much faster now. I suppose that's a sign of getting older.

All these years (not that I'm all that old), all these Easters. I am amazed every time. When it is time to sit down and really think about why we celebrate Easter. The hope that we were given.

Jesus willingly went through what He did. The humiliations, the beatings, the false accusations, the insults...He took it. He had the power, the whole time, to pronounce judgement on all the earth. He could have stopped it at any point. Legions of angels at His command. All He had to do was say a word. He could wipe us out of existence with a thought.

He did not. He took it. He was our whipping boy. He was not compelled or coerced. He layed down His life voluntarily.

He did it because of the fact of His love for us. (John 3:16)

He layed down His life. But wait....there's more.

He took it up again. He took away death. (John 10:14-18)

Now, He sits at the right hand of the Father. He holds out hope for all who will believe.

For those of us who believe, He has taken away all reason for fear of anything...even death.

God is AWESOME!

In Other Words

I have learned a few Latin phrases over the years.
My favorite one is, 'Simul Iustus et Peccator'. It means 'at the same time just and sinner'.

It's basic meaning is that we have no righteousness apart from Christ Jesus. He is our righteousness.

In Christ, we are able to stand in the presence of the glory of God with no wrong in us and instead of trembling with terror in His presence, we are able to stand there with great joy. (Jude 1:24) Wow! Because of Jesus, we are able to approach the Throne of God with confidence. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

The reason I named my blog 'Beyond All Reason' is because a Holy God loves me. A fallen, sinful man. (Romans 5:8) It's just beyond all reason that He should love me. But He does.

He adopted me and invited me to call Him Daddy. (Romans 8:15 Galatians 4:6)

God is AWESOME!

Have Mercy

There is a book out there that I think every Christian should read. It is called 'The Holiness of God' by R.C. Sproul.

This book moved me to a deeper appreciation of God's mercy.

Dr. Sproul sited three major examples of God's justice. These three examples may cause people to consider how harsh God seems and to say that His actions aren't 'fair'. But if we pay attention to scripture, then the very last thing we want is for God to be 'fair'.

He is the Creator of all things. He is the Giver of life. He will have mercy on whom He has mercy (Romans 9:15-16).

The three examples were:
1) (Leviticus 10:1-2) The sons of Aaron when they submitted an unauthorized offering. In the book of Leviticus, God is very specific about how He wanted the priests to go about their work.

2) Uzza the Kohathite (1 Chronicles 13:6-10). Uzza was from the tribe of Levi, and a son of Kohath. The Kohathites were NEVER to touch the holy things.
(Numbers 4:4-15)

3) Ananias and Sapphira. You can read about them in Acts 5:1-10.

As Christians, we are to have a deep reverence for God. He is Holy. He's not your buddy. He's not 'The Big Guy' or 'The Man upstairs'. He is the Most High God.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul said to "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12-13)

He wasn't saying that we have to work for our salvation, he was saying that we need to live in reverence for God, and be obedient. We need to abide in Christ.

For a true believer, salvation is not at stake. Rewards, however, are a different story. If we do not live in obedience and reverence, and hold God as holy, we may miss out on some things in Heaven.

Moses missed out on a big thing because of his disobedience. He didn't get to enter the land that God had promised Israel. All those years leading Israel. All those years living in obedience. Just that one time Moses did not act in reverence, but out of arrogance and anger. He lost that giant reward.

Of course, we know Moses didn't lose his 'salvation'. We know he went to heaven. He was there on the mountain with Jesus and Elijah (Matthew 17:2-3).

God is a Holy God. He is a just God. And praise His Holy Name! He is a merciful God.

I want His mercy. I don't want His justice. He owes mercy to no one. He chooses mercy for us.

There are those who would stand and shake an angry fist at God, demanding He give them what He owes them. I fear for them, because they will recieve it.

God is AWESOME!

Partners in Crime

It's so good to have friends. We all have that one friend. The one we love dearly, above the other friends. The one we know that we can trust with anything.

In my case, there are several men of great integrity who I would feel comfortable confiding in. Who I feel very encouraged by.(Proverbs 27:17)

I feel honored when someone thinks enough of me to trust me with something. When someone comes to me and tells me something in confidence. They trust me.

It seems to me, that as followers of Christ Jesus, we should be able to trust each other with our burdens. We're supposed to, anyway(Galatians 6:1-2). There is no one who is better than anyone else(Romans 3:23). We all struggle with sin (Genesis 4:7; Romans 7:19). I suppose that is why the writer of Hebrews urges us not to forget to assemble ourselves together(Hebrews 10:23-25).

It is important to know that there are others who are enduring the same kinds of struggles that you are. It's encouraging to know that there is someone who understands what you are going through.

We're not supposed to go to church just to sit there once a week and coldly mouth the words of God. Our gathering together is supposed to be meaningful. It is for fellowship and for encouragement.

In finding community with others who struggle just as much as we do with sin and have endured the same difficulties in life, we lighten our load and are encouraged to keep going. We are able to move forward in a much more meaningful worship of our God. He is the One who established this system of community in the body.

In our fellowship, God reveals more of Himself and gives us a deeper understanding of who He is.

God is AWESOME!

Kingdom Work

In Matthew 6:31-33, Jesus teaches that seeking after His kingdom should be highest on our priority list.

So how do we seek the Kingdom of Heaven?
Do we go to bible college and seminary? Do we move to third world countries and minister to the poor? Should we stand on street corners and preach the gospel?

There are some who are called to do those things. We need to be faithful and pray for them.

There is another calling, a more common calling, I think. In I Timothy 2:1-4, the Apostle Paul teaches that we are to pray for others so that we can live quiet, peaceful lives. Of course, we share our faith with others and be faithful witnesses as we travel down life's road.

Prayer is a powerful thing. God instituted it as a form of communication between Him and His children. In Revelation 5:8, our prayers are described as incense.

Kingdom work can be done from a kneeling position. The gospels tell us of how Jesus would rise early in the morning and pray. John 17 gives us an inside look at one of Jesus' prayers.

One of the Apostle Paul's friends, a man named Epaphras, is described as someone who 'wrestles' in prayer for others. That is how I want to be. I have friends in ministries all over this country and around the world. I should be faithful and wrestle in prayer for them that they will be safe and affective and strengthened and refreshed daily. That they grow strong in their faith and are sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I should wrestle in prayer for those around me who are lost and groping in the darkness. That their eyes will be opened and their hearts softened. That I will be able hold up the Light of Truth and hold out the hope that Jesus offers. I should wrestle in prayer for my brothers and sisters in the local church, that they will be strengthened and refreshed daily so that they too will be able to wrestle in prayer and wield the Sword of Truth.

One of my favorite examples of how prayer helps is found in Acts 12:1-17. Christian brothers and sisters are earnestly praying for Peter, who is in prison. God hears them, and sends an angel to bust him out. It's kind of a funny story.

Prayer. It's important for Kingdom work.

Empty Smiles

I was looking at a picture of some movie stars today. They looked so happy with great big smiles on their faces. But there was something about their eyes. They just looked so....empty.

Of course, I don't know anything about them personally. They may be quite happy. This is not about them. This is about people whose lives are empty. People who don't know the Joy of the Lord.

More and more, Hollywood types and those in academia are presenting God and Jesus and the bible as mythology. 'The world' in general seems to have taken on a more atheistic point of view. Deep down, this must make life seem rather pointless. Empty.

In Psalm 1, we read that the believer is like a tree planted by streams of water and that unbelievers are like chaff that the wind drives away. They are...empty.

In Psalm 3, we see that we can sleep and not be afraid, even though there is trouble everywhere around us. Our Great God sustains us. Not so for the unbelievers. Their peace is fragile at best. Empty.

In Psalm 4, we see how God has set us apart for Himself and how, in Him, we dwell in peace and safety. The unbelievers make fun of us for clinging to our 'myth'. They love vain words and seek after lies. They are so easily deceived in their desperate search for acceptance and happiness because their hearts are so....empty.

If you are reading this, and you are one of the unbelievers, remember what I'm about to say. If you are reading this and you are a believer, then be encouraged by the words of Jude:

God is strong. He is able to keep you from falling, and can bring you into the presence of His glory with no wrong in you, and give you great joy!

Thank you, Father for giving me the gift of salvation and the great joy that comes with it. For making my heart and life so...full.