“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Hebrews 3:8, 3:15, 4:7, quoting Psalm 95:7)

It is a simple yet forceful command, one with tragic consequences if ignored.  When you hear God speak, “do not harden your hearts.”  In other words, do not ignore God.  Listen.

Listen.

Do not just hear the words presents, listen.  Listen to the message being presented.  Heed the warning.  Follow the directions.  Trust in God and do as He says.

Why?  God sets things very straight forward in Scripture.  With God, life is seen in terms of darkness (sin and evil) and light (good, righteousness, God!).  There are no shades of gray.  Evil is evil, good is good.  And we are instructed to “abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9, ESV). 

The world lives at odds with the ways of God.  We are constantly being bombarded with messages and temptations and avenues to sin.  I’m afraid my little boy is going to be pushed into puberty at an early age just seeing the magazine covers in the supermarket checkout.  Every time we turn on the TV, hop on the Internet, drive down the highway… opportunity to sin knocks. 

The problem with sin – one problem with sin – is that it diverts our attention away from God.  We think a little sin here or there is no big deal, but that thinking begins to accumulate in our thoughts until we find our spiritual engine isn’t running nearly as clean as it once did. 

You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. – Galatians 5:7-10 (ESV)

The drift away from the Lord can be subtle.  But, the very second we begin to put anything before God – even things we consider “good” – then the drift away has begun. 

Here is a little exercise that I think would benefit every believer, to help us stay on course.  We teach our son that, before crossing the street, he needs to stop, look and listen.  Before we take off in our lives, it would be wise if we did the same:

STOP: take a moment and consider where you’re going.  Ask the Lord, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalms 139:23-24, ESV).  If you think God doesn’t know, read Psalm 139.

LOOK: look around you.  How are you spending your life – your time, your talent, your treasure?  Where does your passion lie?  Where is God leading you?  Does what you think, what your believe, what you do and what God says all line up?  In short, what is important to you?

LISTEN: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”  And if you seek the Lord and ask Him, you will hear His voice.  “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:8, ESV).

Today I want to encourage each of us to listen.  Listen to what God is saying. I mean really listen.  Listen by spending time in God’s Word.  Listen through prayer.  Listen for that still, small voice.  And follow God’s lead.  Trust me, He’s speaking.  Bluntly, sometimes we just need to shut up and listen. 

Yet another phrase I ought to have tattooed on my forearm: shut up and listen.

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” – 1 Peter 1:8-9 (ESV)

Joy is such a wonderful gift of God for those who believe in Jesus.  Regardless of circumstances, despite troubles and hardships, no matter what life throws at us, we can have joy.  We can be overwhelmed by joy, our hearts flooding over with cheerful, calm gladness, joy “inexpressible” – beyond words.

Why?  Because Jesus transcends circumstances.  Because…

“…we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”  (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, ESV)

You see, we face trials and troubles to strengthen our faith.  The Lord is greater that any problem, any illness, any disaster, any trial, any worry, anything.  And because He loves us so, we can rest in Him, wait patiently on Him, through any situation, with the full confidence that God is in control of the outcome, and His will is going to be done.

And His will is far better than anything we could ever do on our own.

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace” (Psalms 37:4-11, ESV).

Be filled with the joy of the Lord!

If you are facing difficult times, this psalm is for you.

If life is getting you down, this psalm is for you.

If you need some encouragement, this psalm is for you.

If you need a reminder of the great, immeasurable love of God, this psalm is for you.

If you need the promise of the Lord’s great might, this psalm is for you.

If you need courage to face the day ahead, this psalm is for you.

If you’re not sure which way to turn anymore, this psalm is for you.

If the road ahead seems bumpy and rough, this psalm is for you.

If you are hurting, this psalm is for you.

If someone you know is hurting, this psalm is for you.

If you are a human being, this psalm is for you.

Please take a moment, prayerfully consider sharing this psalm with someone who is hurting and in need of a boost of God’s Word.  Let them know God loves them, God cares, and God is there.  And so are you.

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5  You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge —

10  no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.

11  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. 1

4 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.

15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Psalms 91:1-16 (ESV)

(Jesus said,) “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.  But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” – Matthew 24:32-37 (ESV)

There are a lot of ways to get someone’s attention.  One is to pin a date to the return of Jesus Christ and announce it on billboards across the United States.  I like to joke that, when we get to Heaven, how hilarious it would be if someone asked the Lord, “What about those billboards that announced when you were supposedly coming back?” and He replied, “You know, ironically enough, I was going to come back on that date, until…”

All joking aside, as we studied John 1:19-28 at our Men’s Bible Study earlier this week, I marveled at the expectancy for Messiah the Jews held.  It had been around 400 years since God last spoke to His people through a prophet.  One would think, after that many generations, all that silence would have dulled the zeal for a promise still not fulfilled.   I find their expectancy astounding – especially when compared to our generation.  Today, believers have the Holy Spirit indwelling us.  And we can hardly wait for a stoplight to turn green or a line at a fast food drive-thru!

There are two points I want to make today.  One is the lesson of the fig tree, reiterated in Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins:

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” – Matthew 25:1-13 (ESV)

Verse 13 makes the lesson pretty clear: be prepared and watchful.  Be expectant!  The Lord is returning and, while there is no way of knowing the exact time or day of His return (not even via billboard), we can trust God in all things and know that His ways – and timing – are absolutely perfect.

While this covers eternal life, what about the here and now?  Well… Scripture makes clear that we should expect God in our everyday lives as well!  No matter what we face in this life, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit Who is always with us.  Just as God lived among His people the Israelites in the desert, so He remains and abides with His children today.  This is why the author of Hebrews could boldly remind us of the promise of the Lord made in Deuteronomy: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, quoting Deuteronomy 31:6).  So have no fear!  Be bold! 

So… let me ask you.  What are are you expecting today?  Whether we’re looking at our day-to-day lives or considering the eternal perspective, the answer should be the same:  JESUS!  Take heart and be watchful.  Expect God to do His will and know that His ways are greater. 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:5-8 (ESV)

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31-32 (ESV)

I’ve been thinking a lot about truth lately.  It seems to be one of those subjects that keeps coming up – sometimes in the peripheral of life, sometimes bulls-eye in the center.  Truth can be tricky to perceive.  As flawed human beings, we have a tendency toward self-interest, which causes us to skew the truth to fit our needs.

However, we do have a source of absolute truth.  And, yes, at the risk of being labeled “narrow-minded,” I will state emphatically and without reservation that there is such a thing as absolute truth.  And it is found in the Word of God, the Author of Truth Itself.

So… as I ponder the subject of truth, I wonder if the opposite is a lie, or an opinion.  It seems to me that both fit.  That does not mean that all opinions are lies.  But… just because one holds an opinion does not mean it is truth.  Truth has no sliding scale: there are no levels of truth, nor is there any such reality as something being true for one person but not for another.  Truth is truth.  Period.

Absolute.

So… consider this.  Jesus came into the world “to bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37, ESV).  As disciples of Christ (disciples being people who should be striving to emulate Jesus in our lives), it only stands to reason that we should want to be as accurate and pure in our teaching as possible.  Sticking to Scripture and the truth it contains is vital.  Consider this warning from James:

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well (James 3:1-3, ESV).

There are plenty of opinions being expressed out in the world of Christendom.  I write what I write today to say this simply: please make sure that what you are hearing is the whole truth of Scripture, not just scratching for tickling ears.  I am grateful for churches where the Truth is presented, where comfort is found but not at the expense of the truth of the Gospel.  God’s Word will not always be comfortable.  Sometimes it will be convicting (which should never be confused with condemning).  Sometimes the truth will be challenging.  But always, always, always, the truth will point us toward Christ.  Not toward simply what we want to hear, but what we need.  The truth leads us to God – without flash and flair.  The truth is found in what Jesus said and modeled for us.  The truth is revealed through the Bible, the Word of God Himself.

Abide in the truth – in God’s Word and Jesus’ Way – and the Truth will set you free.  Free from sin.  Free from guilt.  Free from misguided teaching.  Free indeed.

This post feels quite incomplete.  I realize it only skims the surface and hits the obvious. But it needs to be said.  I hope to delve deeper into the subject of truth in future posts.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:1-5 (ESV)

J.I. Packer, in his classic book Knowing God, refers to the opening section of the Gospel of John as “the deep end of theology.”  To truly mine the depths of these words – to fully unpack the impact of the simple word Logos and how, in one word, John reaches both Jews (by tying Jesus to creation and Creator) and Greeks, with their idea of Logos being the force that makes the world go ‘round – would take a much longer piece than is reasonable for a blog post.  (There are times I feel like my rambling tests those boundaries the way it is, brevity not being my gift.)  Truly, the concept – and I do not like the limitations / connotations behind the word “concept,” but it is the best I can come up with at this early hour – of Christ as the Logos, as presented in John’s Gospel, is beyond the grasp of a simple fisherman (a clear indicator of Who the True Author is here).

When I read John’s prologue (John 1:1-18), many messages about Who Jesus is ring out loud and clear.  One that has particularly stuck in my craw lately is the centrality of Jesus Christ.  In fact, I’m not sure that it is enough to say Christ is at the center of it all.  I believe it just might be best to say Christ is the center.

Consider the other Gospels for a moment.  Mark starts right off the bat with John the Baptist and his role in preparing the way for Jesus.  Luke begins with the set-up for the birth of Jesus.  Matthew does good Jewish theology by legitimizing Christ through genealogy.

But John…

John shows us Jesus all through history – and beyond.  His life did not begin in a manger in Bethlehem.  As you read John 1:1-18, understand that the apostle is telling us that the Word – the Logos – is Jesus Christ.  In other words, “In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God.”  “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, ESV).

Jesus is God Incarnate – the Creative Word, the Logos, in flesh, walking and living among us (“dwelling,” just as God did in the tabernacle with the Israelites).  Jesus provides all of us with the perfect example of how we are to live our lives.  He teaches us what it is all about, what it all means.  Most importantly, He became the sacrifice for our sins.  Without Christ, there is no life.

Without Christ, there is no life.

Let that marinate for a bit.

Right now, I am speaking to Christians.  And I am going to be as direct with you as I have been with myself lately because, frankly, sugar-frosting the message does nobody any good.  If you really saw Christ as the pivotal point in your life, the hub around which all of your existence orbited, how would you live?  How would that play out in your daily, everyday, mundane routine?  Would it still be mundane?  Would life be boring?

How would you approach your job?  Would it be a curse because of the junk you deal with, or a blessing because of what it provides?

How would your home look?  Would the stress level go down?  Would you be better equipped to cope with the spouse and the kidlets and the critters and the dripping faucet and the garage door that sounds like a freight train every time it goes up and down (and, yes, I apologize to my neighbors when we leave at 5:30 in the morning…)?

How would your church look?  How would your calendar look?  How would your checkbook look?

What would you watch on TV tonight?  What would you do with your evening?  Your weekend?

Would you be more purposeful with your assets (and I do not mean merely money)?  Would you be more purposeful about your approach to life?

What if you saw yourself as Christ sees you.  Would you stop striving for perfection and realize the only true perfection comes from God?  Would you see that it is the Lord Who enables and equips and ease up on yourself a bit?  Would you stop beating yourself up for the sins that Christ has already forgiven?  Would you stop worrying about a mistake made?

How would you view the disaster, the sadness, the stress and the troubles that come to each of us at some point in our lives?  How would you view this earthly existence in the light of an eternal perspective?

What would be important to you?

If you lived recognizing the reality that Christ is the center – if we truly saw Him as the definition of our lives, letting His presence indwell and permeate every aspect of our existence  – how would that look?  Would we be better equipped to accept trouble when it strikes?  Would the fruit of the Spirit be present in our lives?  Would people see us and be drawn to Jesus through us?

I’m not writing these things to condemn or criticize anyone.  How hypocritical would that be!  Nor am I saying we should try to be perfect.  In fact, just the opposite.  I am saying that Christ is the center of existence – He is life!

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” – John 14:6-7 (ESV)

And I am saying this: the simple fact that Jesus is God Incarnate – Jesus Who loves us, loves you and I personally with a depth beyond our grasp, not just as an arbitrary concept but personally… that reality alone should be enough to make us leap for joy, “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained” (Philippians 3:13-16, ESV).

And what have we attained?  Eternal life through Jesus Christ, Who is the center of it all.

Somehow this feels incomplete.  I could go so much farther, so much deeper.  And will, God willing, in future posts.  But for now… have a blessed day.  Consider Christ at the center of every decision, every word, every action today.  And watch Him work through your life!

“Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved…” – John 13:23 (KJV)

It occurred to me during our men’s Bible study this morning.  We’ve started a study of the Gospel of John and were going through background material. We were discussing the Apostle John, talking about how alike he and Peter were when he was younger and the fact that John seemed to mature quicker.  The point came up that, in his gospel, John never refers to himself by name.  He always calls himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  Just at that moment, as we looked at the scene at the Last Supper where John is reclined against Jesus, it struck me.

John so closely identified himself with Jesus that he truly surrendered all to the Lord – including the very definition of who he was.  He was no longer the former fisherman John, son of Zebedee and Salome and brother of James.  He was no longer one of the “Sons of Thunder.”  All of that former life was gone.  He was a new creation, so thoroughly identified in Christ that he humbly referred to himself simply as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  John isn’t being boastful, or claiming himself better than the others.  He is simply stating fact: he is recognizing that the love of Christ defines who he is.  After all, the true mark of a disciple is to live a life as close to your Lord as possible.

We all claim an identity.  For some of us, it is our career that defines us.  Perhaps it is our place of birth, or religious or political affiliation.  Inwardly, we often define ourselves by our self-image – whether healthy or unhealthy.  But, the simple fact of the matter is, if you are truly a Christian – a follower of Jesus Christ who seeks to do His will and follow His precepts and walk in His love – then you are defined by the Lord as a disciple whom Jesus loves.

You are not identified by what you do for a living. 

You are not identified by your former glories, or your past failures.

You are not identified by any restrictions you feel society has imposed on you.

You are not identified by what somebody said you were.

Shame does not identify you.

Guilt does not identify you.

Mistakes do not identify you.

Hear me, beloved… Christ defines you.  Your identity is found in the Lord Jesus Christ!  What exactly does that mean?  It means, if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior have confessed your sins and repented (which means turned away from your sin and turned to Christ to save you and guide you), then you have a new identity.  The old you has disappeared in the shadow of the cross.  It means you are redeemed, reborn, redefined.

It means you are loved, beloved.  Drop the old identity and let Christ so redefine you that the world knows you are His.  You were once a slave to your old identity.  Now, in Christ, “he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him” (1 Corinthians 6:17, ESV). 

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, ESV).

Maybe you used to be identified by one of the sins listed in verses 9 and 10 above.  But, if you have turned your life to Christ, you have a new identity (verse 11)!  You are CLEAN.  You are FORGIVEN.  You are FREE FROM THE PAST.  Most of all, you are BELOVED, a child of the Most High God, Maker of Heaven and Earth. 

And if you haven’t accepted Christ, what’s stopping you?  It’s never too late – not as long as you draw breath.  There is no sin too bad that God cannot forgive, no life so far gone that God cannot restore, no person out of the reach of Jesus Christ. 

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:19-23 (ESV)

“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (ESV)

It is a question that has been discussed and debated and argued for eons: what exactly was the thorn in Paul’s side?  I’ve heard many explanations – some plausible, some ludicrous.  In the end, the answer is simply that we do not know.

And maybe – just maybe – that is the point.  Maybe it is supposed to vague, for now.  I love how the absolute truth and reality of the situation is presented without the details about the thorn.  In doing so, Paul has made this passage of Scripture very widely applicable (as verse 10 shows us it should be).  After all, the thorn isn’t the object of the lesson. 

The grace and power of Jesus Christ is the lesson.

Everybody has a weakness.  Indeed, if we were totally honest, we’d probably confess to more than one.  And, right now, it would be easy to sit here and tell all of you about the pain that’s been keeping up at night.  But the pain isn’t the point.  The illness (or astheneia, which the ESV renders as “weakness,” is more literally translated as sickness or disease) that has befallen us isn’t the point.  Nor are the slings and arrows we suffer for the sake of Christ (yes, “slings and arrows” is Shakespeare, not KJV Bible).  Likewise, the difficulties of life, the troubles and tragedies every human faces and one point or another, are not the point.

The point is that we have Jesus (or, more to the point, Christ has us).  No matter what we are dealing with, He is there.  God is keenly aware of what each of us is going through and He is ever present in the lives of His children.  Everything has it’s season.  There are situations God puts us in and situations we bring on ourselves.  Sometimes God is teaching and preparing us through our hardships.  Sometime we are an example to someone else.  What is important is to remember that we are to focus on the grace and power of our Loving Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who provides just what we need, just when we need it.  However choppy the waters you are sailing, no matter how deep and painful the thorn, the Lord will see you through it.  Rely on His strength, not your own.  Even when it makes no sense.  Especially when you want to give up.  Rest in the grace and power of God through Jesus Christ!

(Jesus said) “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:27-30 (ESV)

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)

Tonight I was praying, asking the Lord what I should write about – for guidance and just the right words to touch someone’s heart in a very real way.  It is my prayer every time I sit down to write.  Then I looked on Facebook and saw a friend of ours had posted Philippians 4:6-7 on their wall.

Over the past twelve years, I don’t know how many times I have written on this passage.  But it is one of those passages of Scripture that we should never forget.  Why?  Because the peace of God is assurance in His love and care for our lives – yesterday, today and eternally.  And it isn’t just for us, lest we become nothing more than consumer Christians.  It is the peace that transforms us from heavily burdened people to joyful sojourners, a light to others – especially when we facing troubles.  People will see the peace of Christ at work in our lives and wonder, “Hmmm… what do they have that I am missing?”  The peace of God expressed through our lives takes Christianity from dogma to reality when viewed by others.  It strengthens and encourages fellow believers and attracts (or at least befuddles) non-believers.

So… tonight I want to begin digging into this passage and find hope for what we’re facing in life.  Understand, please, that these words come from the heart of a man who has wrestled with anxiety and doubt, knows what it is to go nights on end with very little sleep, and worry about life.  If this sounds familiar to you, read on as we unpack the Good News that is crammed into these few short verses…

1.: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”  Spring 1999 was a low time in my life – very low, very stressful, very tough all around.  We had been without a solid church family for five years.  In fact, this was – although we didn’t have a clue at the time – the last months of five years of self-imposed exile in the Chicagoland desert (a long story for another post).  We had just gotten involved in a church because of an amazing connection through some friends of ours (which is an even longer story).  One Wednesday evening, we were at a church service and the pastor was preaching on this passage from Philippians.  He was aware of what I was going through at the time and I was sitting in the pew, feeling (and I assume probably looking) particularly sour that night.  The pastor was talking about being glad, caught sight of me, walked over to where I was sitting and – index and middle fingers sticking out – reiterated the words “BE GLAD!”, punctuating his point by poking me so hard in the chest that he left two fingertip bruises on me that remained as a reminder for a few days. 

Look at what Paul is saying… “Rejoice!”  He says it not once, but twice.  Rejoice!  Now… when Paul repeats himself – whenever you see a point repeated in rapid succession anywhere in the Bible – take notice.  Pay attention.  An important point is being made.  Paul is telling us, be glad!  When should we be glad?  Always!!  Not when circumstances are happy.  Not when life is peaches and cream.  But always. 

An important point: rejoice comes from the Greek word χαίρω (chairō).  Despite being translated as “rejoice” – a word that, in English, indicates some sense of excitement – chairō actually denotes a more peaceful prosperity of soul, what Strong’s calls “calmly happy or well-off” (Strong’s G5463).  It is the manifestation of the peace of God in our countenance, our actions, our reactions, our example.  And Paul says that, as Christians, that is our “reasonable” (re)action to life. 

That seems perhaps far-fetched.  After all, isn’t it only reasonable to worry – worry about our kids, about the economy and the state of the world, about our jobs, our security, etc. etc. etc.?  Not according to Jesus:

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV)

What is more reasonable – being twisted up in knots over situations we have little or no power to change and being unable to think straight because we’re nerve-wracked, guilt-ridden and exhausted from anxiety, or trusting in the ability, might, love and grace of the Eternal Creator God Who exists outside of every barrier that hems humanity in?  Personally, it took beginning to realize that God loves me – me, sinful, useless me – despite my failures and faults to begin getting some peace in my life.  Not only that, but understanding exactly what the agapē love of God is (and that I could never earn it or deserve it, which is fine because I didn’t have to!) helped me to see that the peace of God is, in fact, the reasonable response to whatever situation I face in life. What have I to worry about?  “The LORD is at hand.” 

Do I succeed in keeping God’s peace all the time?  Hardly.  But, that’s ok.  I keep coming back to God and His Word.  It isn’t a matter of losing faith, but of being human and needing the reassuring reminder from time-to-time of my Father and His love for me.  After all, even Peter had his thorn to keep him tuned in.  Sometimes we need a bruising thump in the chest to remind us that God is at hand.  Rejoice and be a light by letting others see your reasonable response of God’s peace!

Which is where we will leave this for tonight.  We’ll pick up on verse 6 next time around.  Rest well, be at peace, and know you are loved and blessed.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” – Colossians 3:15 (ESV)

Peace.  It is a word that goes beyond the absence of struggle or war or trouble.  According to Stromg’s Lexicon, the Greek word εἰρήνη (eirēnē) means quietness, prosperity of one’s soul.  It also refers to being joined as one.

Think about that as you look at the words “peace of Christ.”  What does that mean to you?  It says to me, “Be so at one with Jesus Christ that He rules and reigns over your heart, and there you will find stillness and rest.” 

Likewise, and the verse continues, we are to be unified with Jesus as the body of Christ.  It is corporate as well as individual.  We are called to live at peace in unity with other believers, in the common bond of love through Jesus Christ.

One of my favorite promises for our life on earth is, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27, ESV).  Let me ask you: what is robbing you of peace today?  What has you unsettled?  Whatever it is, remember: the peace of Jesus Christ is yours.  It belongs to every believer.  Have faith and rest in Him. 

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8  Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:7-8a, ESV).  Don’t give in to the temptation to worry, doubt or be anxious.  Accept in faith that God is firmly in control.  Let go of the troubles that draw you away from the Lord.  Drop them, “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” (1 Peter 5:7-9, ESV).

Do it tonight.

Do it now.

And be thankful.

You are loved.

You are loved.