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1 Peter 5:10, Various

Eternal Sustaining Grace!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 16, 2023

In the recent movie “The Grey,” Liam Neeson plays the lead character who leads a group of airplane crash survivors through the Alaskan wilderness. They are attacked and killed off one by one by wolves. When he’s the sole survivor, he screams into the sky at God, cursing and begging for God to do something to save him from his fate. An interesting observation is that the movie begins with his failed attempt to commit suicide. But now, life has become precious to him.  Of course, there is no answer from heaven, thus leading to his rejection of the existence of a benevolent, sovereign God. He sets out to solve his own problem with his own strength, and the viewer is left to choose the ending of the movie for himself.

I’ve known many people like that and have read about many others. They ignore, doubt, or deny the existence of God until they find themselves in a situation where they need a miracle, and then they look to the heavens and cry out for one. Someone has rightly observed that there are no atheists in foxholes. But a greater difficulty for me is why people are willing to settle for deliverance from a temporal situation when God’s sustaining grace far exceeds the short years we spend on earth. I’m always astounded by those who demand God’s grace to save them from predicaments in this life while denying or doubting the eternal nature beyond this life. Salvation from situations that spare our lives here and now are merely salvations that will eventually be denied us all. Surely, everyone knows that the mortality rate for all mankind is still 100%! It is appointed for every person to die. We all walk through the valley of that shadow of death, and there is no escape for any of us. The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us that everyman is appointed to death. Ecclesiastes tells us, unequivocally, that there is a time to die.

Yes, we live in a world that is often filled with pain and suffering. But God has promised to see us through them all. The writers of the New Testament assume that this salvation extends into eternity. Peter sees these episodes of suffering to be the instruments of Satan designed to rip our hearts away from God. They are permitted by God in order to strengthen our faith. That’s why he tells us (1 Peter 5:9-10) to “Resist him (the Devil) and stand firm in your faith.” Further, he reminds us that we are not alone in our suffering. He goes on to say we can find strength because we know “that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” (we all die eventually). Then, he lets us know that God’s sustaining grace is at work even in the midst of trials that lead to death. He guarantees us that all this suffering is temporary and that something better will take its place forever. He continues and says in verse 10, “And after you have suffered a little while, (how long? – a little while!) the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

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2 Timothy 2:1, Various

Strengthened By Grace!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 15, 2023

God’s sustaining grace is always with us. When things are going well, it’s there, and when things are going bad, it’s there. God is good all the time! All the time, God is good. But sometimes, it’s hard to see God’s sustaining grace at work when bad things happen. When someone dies before their time, when terrible things happen to innocent people, when evil people hurt others, when fires devastate a forest, when hurricanes destroy homes, or when hurricanes and fires combine to destroy whole Islands as it did with Maui last summer. It’s often hard to find God’s sustaining grace at work during those times.

Salvation is by grace through faith. I’d argue that salvation is a term that fits both our life’s circumstances in the present as well as our eternal destiny. We are saved by grace through faith. It’s our faith that God puts to the test in order to make us stronger. That’s why he “tested” Abraham’s faith in Genesis 22 when he told him to offer his only son as a sacrifice on the altar. Abraham passed the test, and his faith has been an example of what it means to trust God in all the trials of life. He had learned through his life that he could trust God’s word. God said he’d have a son in his old age, and he did. God blessed him in numerous ways along life’s path, and he learned through all the ups and downs of life that God had his best interest foremost in mind, regardless of his circumstances or what God called him to do. He walked by faith. It was God’s grace that sustained him through it all.  But it not only sustained him. It made him stronger! Paul understood this principle well. He said in Philippians 4:13, a famous verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He is speaking of persevering through all the various hardships of life. He’s not speaking of winning football games. Paul argued that he could rejoice in God in every situation of life because he understood God’s promises.  Each beating, each imprisonment, each stoning, and each persecution of every kind made Paul’s faith stronger.  But the important thing to notice is that Paul realized that this strengthening was a result of God’s grace. When Timothy was going through tough times in his ministry, Paul wrote to him and said, “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

Let me call to your attention the fact that the command “be strengthened,” or in some translations it says “be strong,” is a passive verb in the Greek text. Timothy is not the subject of the action but the recipient of it. Our strength through trials and pains and sufferings comes not from our own effort but from the reality of God’s grace at work in our lives. Bill Haynes put it this way, “Relying on God’s strength alone is something each of us must learn. The grace of God does not merely save us (although it does do that). It also continues to sustain us. It empowers our lives and gives us the ability to stand firm.” As Paul learned, through every thorn in the flesh and hardship of life, “God’s grace will prove sufficient.” Paul and other New Testament writers love to include in their salutation or benediction “grace to you” in various forms. Notice also that the Bible itself ends with Revelation 22:21. It says, “The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen!”

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1 Peter 1:7, Proverbs 30:8-9

Passing Tests

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 14, 2023

Being eternally secure regarding our eternal destiny, believers can experience joyful living despite their various trials and hardships. When life hurts, we know it’s only for a short time. An eternity of joy awaits us at the end of life’s race. So, as the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews tells us, “We are to run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Peter also wants us to know that there are some positive results of persevering through trials. 1 Peter 1:7 tells us, “So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Wright puts it this way, “Quite a bit of this letter is concerned with the suffering of the early Christians. Here, Peter states the theme that he will develop: that this suffering is the means by which the quality of the Christians’ faith can shine out all the more, and when Jesus is finally revealed this will result in an explosion of praise.”[1]

Suffering is part of life. Everyone suffers at times. Everyone undergoes trials and hardships. Some live “under” their circumstances. Some Christians have every reason to live “above” their circumstances because they know that God works out all the circumstances of our lives for good in the end. The circumstances, both good and bad, seem to be tests of our faith. Peter speaks specifically of “bad” circumstances. Commenting on this letter, Karen Jobes writes, “Suffering is a test of the genuineness of their faith in Christ, especially because they have neither seen nor presently see him. Therefore, even their suffering is an opportunity for joy because it confirms their faith and the salvation that will certainly be theirs in the end.”[2]

Karen is absolutely right here, but it seems that sometimes the greatest tests of our faith come with prosperity. Adrian Rogers closed one of his sermons, saying, “God is going to bring many of you to the tests—I mean, you’re going to be tested. Some of you are going to receive the test of poverty. I hope you’ll pass it. Some of you are going to receive the test of prosperity, and that will be even harder to pass.”[3] He prays that his congregation will pass that test, also. I like Solomon’s prayer concerning this issue. In Proverbs 30:8- 9, he prays, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal and so dishonor the name of my God.”

[1] Wright, Tom. 2011. Early Christian Letters for Everyone: James, Peter, John and Judah. For Everyone Bible Study Guides. London; Louisville, KY: SPCK; Westminster John Knox Press.

[2] Jobes, Karen H. 2005. 1 Peter. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

[3] Rogers, Adrian. 2017. “A Man and His Money.” In Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive, Jas 1:9–12. Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust.

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1 Peter 5:11

He Sustains Me

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 13, 2023

Paul, as well as the author of Hebrews, uses the analogy of a race when talking about the Christian life. It’s not a 50-yard dash. It’s not the 100-meter sprint or any other short-term effort. The Christian life is more like a marathon. It takes perseverance and understanding how to pace ourselves, and sometimes, even pit stops for water will be necessary. Along the way, there will be hills and valleys and long stretches and sharp turns. But the thing is, we’re not running it alone. God sends his sustaining grace to keep us on course and hold us true until the end. Paul told the Philippians (1:6), “God, who began a good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished…” Peter says (1 Peter 5:11), “My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that the grace of God is with you no matter what happens…”

Paul tells us (Romans 8:28) that God is the great choreographer of all life and all our circumstances. He “works all things together for good for those who love Him.” Every valley, mountain, crevice, and pasture in our lives is specifically designed by God to bring the best out in us and for us. This is God’s marvelous sustaining grace. John Piper wrote this short poem about sustaining Grace:

Not grace to bar what is not bliss,

Nor flight from all distress, but this:

The grace that orders our trouble and pain,

And then, in the darkness, is there to sustain.

He goes on to explain, “I stress this because to celebrate a grace that bars what is not bliss, and gives flight from all distress and does not order our pain would be biblically false and experientially unrealistic.” Through the long, boring stretches of life, God’s there. Through the ups and downs, God’s there. Through the sharp turns and rocky roads, God’s there. Not only is He there, but he has laid out the path. He set the course, designed the trials, and ordered the events. Piper goes on to say, “Our experience and the Bible teach us that grace does not prevent pain, but orders and arranges and measures out our pain, and then in the darkness is there to sustain.” Piper then illustrates this by telling the story of a close friend. “For example, yesterday, Bob Ricker, the president of the Baptist General Conference, spoke of precious reminders of God’s sustaining grace. Not quite ten years ago, Bob and Dee’s daughter was in a serious automobile accident. She is alive today for one reason. In the car behind her was a doctor who happened to have an air tube in his pocket. By the time he got to her, she was already turning blue. He forced the tube into her throat and saved her life. At her wedding a few years later, Bob told her: Those facial scars you have to live with—they are memorials of sustaining grace.”

 

 

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Zecharia 1:14, Luke 15:27

Return To Me!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 12, 2023

Zechariah is the largest of the Minor Prophets. It contains 14 chapters with very significant prophecies. All these prophecies are given from the perspective of God’s love for His people. Chapter 1, verse 14, sets this tone, “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong.” Out of His deep love for His people (us, too), he calls for them (and us) to return to Him. Chapter 1, verse 3 says, “Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” This same exhortation is repeated in the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi. Chapter 3, verses 6-7, says, For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. Yet from the days of your fathers, you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts.”

There’s an old Sunday school joke that you may have heard. They were talking about the Prodigal Son in the class when the teacher asked, “Was anyone sorry when the Prodigal Son returned?” After a bit of soul-searching, one little boy said, “The fatted calf.” One of my favorite stories is in Luke regarding the prodigal son. We have a copy of Rembrandt’s painting entitled “The Prodigal” hanging in our dining room. It’s just a 19-dollar reproduction in a poster format, but it’s like being reminded of my status before the Lord.

One of the most beautiful stories of the Scriptures is that of the prodigal son, the youth who left home, got into great difficulty, wasted his life in riotous living, and ended up in the pigpen. Dr. J. Vernon McGee once asked, “Do you know the difference between the son in that pigpen and the pig?” He goes on to explain that the difference is that no pig has ever said to himself, “I will arise and go to my father.” He is right; only sons and daughters can say that. That is why there will be no condemnation, no rejection by God of his children. All believers, even prodigal sons, are his children, not his enemies. God’s love for His children of Israel was passionate and strong. It’s the same with you and me. The father of the prodigal son explained in Luke 15:24 that there was every reason to be happy, “For this, my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to celebrate.”

Jesus proves Zechariah is right. God’s love is strong. Lettie Cowman, in her Streams for the Soul (1925), quoted the poem by Madame Guyon. One of the verses is important theologically. It says:

“Tonight, my soul, be still and sleep;

God’s love is strong while night hours creep—

God’s love, not thine; be still and sleep”.[1]

[1] Cowman, Lettie B. 1925. Streams in the Desert. Los Angeles, CA: The Oriental Missionary Society.

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Ephesians 2:8-10

Grace And Good Works

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 11, 2023

When Paul wrote to His young disciple, Titus, he told him that God’s grace trains us to live godly lives and makes us “zealous” for good works (Titus 2:11-14).  Doing good things won’t make a person right with God. It is by “grace” that we are all saved, as Paul instructions the Ephesians in Chapter 2:8-9. But the Grace of God that has appeared once and for all in the person of Jesus Christ is a tremendous motivation for living a life that’s pleasing to God by using our gifts to serve others. Verse 10 of Ephesians chapter 2 also connects God’s grace with living lives of service to others. Verses 8 and 9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” But we should keep reading, for the next verse completes God’s purpose for his creation: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We Christians are the creative work of Christ’s marvelous grace. Knute Larson writes in one of his commentaries, “We are new creations formed and shaped by Christ’s death and resurrection. Good works, deeds born from the goodness of God’s Spirit, characterize those who belong to God. Christians should never have to be cajoled into service, nor should they follow God’s commands as a duty. We should be zealous, eager, and passionate to please the Father by extending his goodness to others.” The places of good works and God’s favor have reversed themselves in Christ. Under a dispensation of law, we are to do good deeds so we can receive God’s favor. But under grace, it would be stated that we do good deeds because we’ve already received God’s favor. Many pastors will preach from need, “We need someone to serve in the Nursery.” Some preach out of guilt, “Ask yourself what you are doing to serve God’s people at so-and-so church.” If we respond to motivations of guilt, we must ask ourselves if this is really what God wants from us.

Grace motivates us to give grace to others in the form of good deeds. M.R. DeHaan understands Jesus’ call in Matthew 11:28-29 to be a call to unbelievers and believers. The first part, “come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” is the part for non-believers. It’s a call to rest your salvation in the hands of Jesus and trust in Him. The second part “take my yoke upon you” is for believers. DeHaan adds, “Now that you are saved, get busy and go to work, and you will find an additional rest and peace, over and above the “rest” of salvation.” He goes on, “Failure to distinguish to whom the Scripture is addressed results in confusion, and as a result we have preachers urging people to work, give up things, sell all they have to give to the poor, as conditions of salvation, which is a denial of salvation by grace. Salvation for the sinner is by doing nothing but receiving the grace of God. And then works and progress must follow.”

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Titus 1:2

Faith Versus Fear

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 10, 2023

It’s a wonderful thing to be able to rest upon the truth of Romans, chapter 8 and verse 1. We wrestle with the world, our own flesh, and the fiery darts of evil, and sometimes we fail. We are anything but “reliable.” But God is anything if “not” reliable. He does not lie, neither can he lie. Paul says, “This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began” (Titus 1:2). This truth is the only truth that will overcome the frustration, fear, and failure of the life Paul has described for us in Romans Chapter 7. It’s something we must remind ourselves of frequently. There are times when we don’t feel confident in our Christian walk. We often fail in our struggles with sin. We are frail people. If we trust in ourselves, we will surely live defeated lives. But even in the midst of what appears to be a losing battle, we can find hope, just like the Psalmists of old. In Psalm 62:5-6, David, completely aware of his sinfulness, exhorts himself, “Patiently wait for God alone, my soul! For he is the one who gives me confidence.  He alone is my protector and deliverer.  He is my refuge; I will not be upended.”

I’m sure you’ve heard the children’s chorus, “Jesus loves me. This I know because the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong.” Believing God’s truth is the source of all our hope, and life is the key to victory. It’s all about trusting God and His promises.  It’s all about our faith in God’s goodness and perfect plan and purpose for our lives. He loves us and has our best interest foremost in mind regardless of the circumstances in life He allows to reach us. “Trust me!” God said this to Adam and Eve. They failed! God said this to Abraham, and He did. This is why he’s the “father of faith.” From Abraham, God created a great nation! Not a nation conceived of the flesh, but a nation conceived by faith. I love what Augustus Strong said in his Systematic Theology back in 1907, “Faith is God’s measure of a man. Why should I doubt that God spoke to the Fathers through the prophets? Why should I think it incredible that God should raise the dead? The things that are impossible with men are possible with God. When the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth? Let him at least find faith in us who profess to be his followers.”

The evil one is like a “roaring lion” that is prowling around, looking for any that he might devour. But faith in God and God’s power always brings victory.  I read that Dwight L. Moody’s favorite Bible verse was Isaiah 12:2. It says, “I will trust, and not be afraid.” We have many great examples in the Bible of faith overcoming fear but none more direct than that of Daniel. Faith is the answer to fear, and Daniel’s faith in God was stronger than his fear of the lions. May that be our testimony as well.

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2 Timothy 1:6-7

Fan Into Flame!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
December 9, 2023

We’ve all been given particular gifts by God. We all have particular passions, abilities, personalities, and experiences that God has brought us through in order to help us become all that he desires of us. The most fulfilling aspect of the spiritual life is to find and use the gifts that God gives us to serve others. Paul writes to a young man named Timothy and says, “That is why I remind you to help God’s gift grow, just as a small spark grows into a fire” (2 Timothy 1:6). Like the oak tree, rather than the blade of grass or the dandelion, growing something that will be significant takes time. With reference to our gifts and abilities, they need to be developed. You’ve heard it said that there are three secrets to success at developing any intricate skill. The three secrets are practice, practice, and practice.

In his recent book entitled “Outliers: The Story of Success” Michael Gladwell entitles his second chapter, “the “10,000-hour rule.” He argues that to get exceptionally good at anything, it will take 10,000 hours of practice. The examples the author uses span every discipline from computers, sports, music, to acting and many others. One of the key studies performed in this area involved violinists. They had studied three groups of violinists. The first were the elite professionals that were known worldwide. The second were professionals who played in symphonies etc. The last group was talented ones that taught or played with small groups part time or as a hobby. It was found that the level of natural talent wasn’t as disparate as one would think. The real difference was in the hours of preparation. The conclusion was (I quote) that “The closer psychologists look at the careers of the gifted, the smaller role innate talent seems to play and the bigger role preparation seems to play.” The point of this chapter, and the point I’m making is that as Paul instructed Timothy, you really need to develop any talent God gives you. And development of a gift takes time and energy.

People who are passionate about something are much more likely to devote the time and energy to develop in that area. Football players, musicians, as well as accountants and administrators don’t rise very high in their field without a passion for their subject; neither do those who attempt to serve God or to even live the spiritual life of following Christ. We are called “disciples” because it truly does take discipline. I hear people often speak about ministry “fit” strictly in terms of natural ability and Spiritual gift. These are true aspects, but they do not completely define a perfect match. Passion enough to stay with the activity is the key to real success. Without passion, many lose motivation and eventually quit. Many professing Christians fall away because of a true lack of passion for the expression of the gifts that God has given them. Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6-7, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” When Paul tells the young man, Timothy” to fan his gift “into flame,” he really means, “get passionate about it!”

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