2011...carefree

Here is one of the best messages we've heard on the subject of worry.

Grace Bible Church

Pastor Casey McNerney

January 2, 2011

what must i do...

...to be saved?

It's quite perplexing that the Bible never mentions the term asking Jesus into your heart. It never says accept Christ. Walk down the aisle. Raise your hand. Sign the card. Talk to the pastor/elder. It doesn't say ANY of those things as a recipe for being saved. In Mark 1:15, Jesus proclaimed the good news of God. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" Now, because we (society and me) are task-oriented people, we take these two items and turn them into checklist-items.

• repent
• believe

Paul Washer describes it like this: "You were saved because you repented of your sins and you believed, and not only did you do that in the past, you continued to do it even until now . . . . A proper translation of that verse He gave is this: The Kingdom of God is come. The time is fulfilled. Now, spend the rest of your lives repenting of your sins and believing in Me. Conversion is not like a flu shot. "Oh, I did that. I repented. I believed." The question is my friend––are you continuing to repent of sin? Are you continuing to believe? Because He who began a good work in you will finish it. He will finish it." (Here's the rest of the sermon.)

At the end of this quote, Washer refers to God beginning a good work in us (Philippians 1:6), which brings up another crucial point. Our wise and sovereign Creator is the One who turns us to repentance and belief. This is what transforming grace is all about. When we deserve hell, He chose us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will (Ephesians 1:5). For many years, I believed that I was saved because I had asked Jesus into my heart and life. Wrong. I am saved because God loved me and God called me to repentance and believing in Him. Wow, that is humbling. (Charles Spurgeon talks more about election here, a really good sermon.)

THEREFORE, we Christians, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28), go on a lifelong journey of being progressively sanctified with the help of the Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 say, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." Does that mean I will never again mess up? No. But I will spend the rest of my life repenting and believing Him. 2 Corinthians 13:5 warns us to examine ourselves. We are to test ourselves in the light of Scripture to see if we’re in the path, because a true Christian will be different.

the Holy One

Like a prize at the end of a race, this song "Glory to the Holy One" is at the end of R.C. Sproul's The Holiness of God. This is the next book I want to read and own. Here are Sproul's lyrics:

~~~

Seated on the ether throne,

Above all mortal view;

The King supreme in glory sat,

Bathed in refulgent hue;

Holy, holy, holy,

cried the seraph throng;

Glory to the Holy One,

Is the angel's song.

All around the mercy seat

The winged creatures sang;

Glory to our God on high,

Their poignant anthem rang;

Holy, holy, holy,

cried the seraph throng;

Glory to the Holy One

Is the angel's song.

With shielded eyes and covered feet,

The angels hovered high,

While glory shook the portal walls,

And smoke rose to the sky.

Holy, holy, holy,

cried the seraph throng;

Glory to the Holy One

Is the angel's song.

Woe is me, the creature wailed,

His face upon the floor,

dirty lips and loathsome tongue

His heart could stand no more.

Holy, holy, holy,

cried the seraph throng;

Glory to the Holy One

Is the angel's song.

Come, angel quick and purge my lips,

Make pure my soul anew;

And I shall rise and stand again,

And I will go for You.

Holy, holy, holy,

cried the seraph throng;

Glory to the Holy One

Is the angel's song.

~~~

Every knee will bow.

forgetting the fire

Do you remember how it was at first, when you made that decision to make Jesus Lord of your life? When you felt the Holy Spirit's real presence? When this indescribable fire and passion burned in your heart to serve God?

I was convicted this morning when I read Hebrews 10. Verse 32 reminded me: "Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering." Years ago, I had circled the word "remember." But I so easily forget that fire that burns so hot at first. And I'm not even experiencing "the face of suffering" and the insult and persecution these people were. That may be the problem. These Christians had been imprisoned for their faith; their stuff had been taken. In fact, they "joyfully accepted the confiscation of [their] property, because [they] knew that [they themselves] had better and lasting possessions" (v. 34).

It's been 10 days since I finished this book Safely Home with a fire burning in my heart. This is a fiction book describing the experiences of the Christian Li Quan in China. Quan's whole attitude was summed up in one question he asked daily: "Is this the day I die?" Sounds morbid, but it's not. Quan lived for Yesu. He and his family risked their lives by worshiping in secret house churches. They risked their safety, their property, their lives by owning a Bible...not to mention how risky it was to spread the Good News to other people.

Toward the end of the book, Quan's American friend visits Quan in prison. He asks Quan, "When you pray for me, what do you ask?"

Quan answers, "That you will face persecution....and that through it you will grow. That you will learn to stand strong. That you will know you are in a war, and that you will put on your armor and learn to use the sword of the Spirit, God's Word."

The American responds, "So, while I'm praying you will suffer less, you're praying that I will suffer more?"

Quan answers again, "We both should pray that the other will live in a way pleasing to Yesu. I do not wish to see my friend suffer. But I believe it may be the only way for you to learn how to serve. In house churches we have little to hope in but our God. In America, you have much to hope in besides God. None but he can bear the weight of your hope. But that is often forgotten. The test of prosperity is not easily passed."

That's precisely the problem. We're too comfortable here in America, and it's hurting us spiritually. No, I don't wish to suffer, but it would sure help me remember my first love. How easily I forget. The Church of Ephesus was judged for this in Revelation 2:4-5. "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first."

So, what can I do? Repent and stuff myself with the Word daily, actually every hour of the day - instead of merely strawberry shortcake and whipped cream. Saturate myself with "things above, not on earthly things" (Col. 3:1-2). Humble myself and have that attitude of Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:5-11). Suffering may come, and if it does, I pray that I stand the test.

vertical view

"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!"

I've spent the last few days disgusted with the world. Disgusted at how people, believers and non-believers alike, can be consumed with idols of the heart. Materialism. Pleasure. Entertainment. Food. Fame. Self. More and more lately, I am realizing how corrupted this world really is. Even the true message of the gospel is skewed. Oh, I could go on and on... and that's precisely my problem. Can you call me judgmental? Probably. But God's Word calls this worldly corruption "sin".

I looked through the book of Ecclesiastes. The side-notes say that "all of life is meaningless, useless, hollow, futile and vain if it is not rightly related to God. Only when based on God and his word is life worthwhile." Humanistic wisdom is meaningless. Pleasures are meaningless. Work apart from God is meaningless. Achievement without God's blessing is meaningless. Advancement is meaningless. Money is meaningless. All this is true, BUT the interesting thing about these passages is that the author wasn't looking only at everybody else. He was evaluating his own heart.

Second Corinthians 13:5 reminds me: "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you are disqualified." Yes, discernment is good, BUT have I been examining others instead of myself? I need to stop looking horizontally. Instead, I need to assess my heart only, looking vertically, so that I may live a purposeful, meaningful life centered on God.

urgent message

A link to Paul Washer's message was posted on Cammie's blog. It is well worth your time. Paul's message from Matthew 7:13-27 is urgent. Click here to listen. If you'd rather read it, here is the written version. With passion, Paul pleads for non-believers to see the Truth and for believers to evaluate our life, examine our hearts. (This message was for a youth audience, but it applies to all.)

Does our life honor Jesus Christ?

Do we look into the Word to find out how we're supposed to live?

Are we bearing fruit?

forbearance

for·bear·ance

|fôr-bâr’ens|

n.

bearing with

endurance

restraint

command of temper

sparing another

patience

"So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you" (Colossians 3:12-13).

When this word forbearance popped up repeatedly in my Excellent Wife book by Martha Peace, I realized that this word had not been a part of my vocabulary. It's a word rarely used and a quality rarely practiced in our society. Peace writes: "The biblical guideline to overcome differentness is 'forbearance' (Ephesians 4:3). In other words, putting up with the other person's traditions or idiosyncrasies. . . .if something is really important to your husband (and he is not asking you to sin), then you should willingly give in graciously for the sake of unity and for the sake of remaining under your husband's authority." Long quote that opens a whole new array of topics, but I'm talking about forbearance here. I had never made it a point to acquire such a characteristic.

John Piper pairs forbearance with forgiveness. Both are crucial for all relationships (husband-wife, parent-child, friend-friend, brother-sister, relationships within the church, etc.). Forgiveness says that "I will not treat you badly because of your sins against me or your annoying habits. And forbearance acknowledges (usually to itself), those sins against me and those annoying habits really bother me! If there were nothing in the other person that really bothered us, there would be no need for saying 'enduring one another.'" Here's a picture Piper paints of forbearance and forgiveness within a marriage that I HAVE TO post:

Picture your marriage as a grassy field. You enter it at the beginning full of hope and joy. You look out into the future and you see beautiful flowers and trees and rolling hills. And that beauty is what you see in each other. Your relationship is the field and flowers and the rolling hills. But before long, you begin to step in cow pies. Some seasons of your marriage they may seem to be everywhere. Late at night they are especially prevalent. These are the sins and flaws and idiosyncrasies and weaknesses and annoying habits in you and your spouse. You try to forgive them and endure them with grace.

But they have a way of dominating the relationship. It may not even be true, but it feels like that’s all there is—cow pies. I think the combination of forbearance and forgiveness leads to the creation of a compost pile. And here you begin to shovel the cow pies. You both look at each other and simply admit that there are a lot of cow pies. But you say to each other: You know, there is more to this relationship than cow pies. And we are losing sight of that because we keep focusing on these cow pies. Let’s throw them all in the compost pile. When we have to, we will go there and smell it and feel bad and deal with it the best we can. And then, we are going to walk away from that pile and set our eyes on the rest of field. We will pick some favorite paths and hills that we know are not strewn with cow pies. And we will be thankful for the part of field that is sweet.

Our hands may be dirty. And our backs make ache from all the shoveling. But one thing we know: We will not pitch our tent by the compost pile. We will only go there when we must. This is the gift of grace that we will give each other again and again and again—because we are chosen and holy and loved.

opportunity lost

A few weeks back, I wrote about a girl I'd met. Melissa is a military wife with a 6-year-old son. We visited each other and met at the pool a few times. I wouldn't call her a best friend, maybe an acquaintance. She was interested in friendship for the sake of someone to talk to and someone to buy her wickless candles. I was interested in friendship for the sake of someone to talk to and someone to share the Gospel with. Melissa is one of the friendliest girls I've met, but she is not a believer in Jesus. In fact, she is more of an astrological girl.

I've prayed for opportunities to share the Truth with her, but subtle opportunities have come and gone because my eyes haven't been open to recognize them. And even if the opportunities were right in front of me, I'm afraid that my fears and timidity would've let them slip away. One thing Chan writes in Crazy Love describing one way lukewarm people can look is: "lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion." Now, I don't think religion is a private issue, nor am I terribly afraid of rejection, but I am guilty of the fear of making others uncomfortable. The truth is, if people are living in sin, they should feel uncomfortable about that sin.

Feeling guilty about knowing this girl for two months and never sharing the Gospel with her, I came back to San Angelo on Monday with a renewed motivation. While driving, I made a plan; a plan is something I should've made long ago. I was going to invite Melissa and her son over to play. Undoubtedly, she'd ask how our trip back to Kansas went. And then I'd tell her about our baptism, which would surely lead into a discussion about Jesus.

We walked by Melissa's apartment this morning. And she's gone. Her husband's class is finished, and they've moved to Louisiana. I guess I knew they'd be moving; active duty people do that often. But I figured I'd get at least one more opportunity to share with her. Opportunity lost. But God will work in so many other ways, I'm sure. Perhaps I'll post the story of my dear friend Shonda, and how God changed her life, despite me.

opportunity lost

Shonda was a teacher, like me. We taught together in Wichita and became dear friends. She was friendly, fun-loving, had it all together and was just a dear girl, except, she didn't know Jesus. At that time, we were desperate for keeping our sanity, as our job was quite challenging dealing with kids from one of the worst neighborhoods in Wichita. Pretty focused on myself wondering how I was going to make it through the days/weeks/years, I remember praying for Shonda, probably half-heartedly, that she would come to Christ.

Our final year at Jardine came and went. I never shared the Gospel with Shonda. And then Jared and I moved to Sabetha. I offered a feeble prayer that God would work in Shonda's heart, despite my failure to do my part in witnessing.

Do you know what God did? He answered that prayer. Shonda is now a faithful follower of Jesus. Her passion and fire for serving Him is simply amazing. God works, even when we're too stubborn to let Him use us.

we are

It was my last day of school at Jardine in Wichita. The kids knew every teacher was killing time until 3:10. I gave a quiz, but this one was supposed to be fun. A 20-question true/false quiz about the teacher - Ms. Hartter, given orally. "True or false...I grew up on a farm." "True or false...My mother was born in Germany." "True or false...My great-great-great grandma was the daughter of a Belgian prince." The last question on the test was, "True or false...I go to church." A snicker came from Taylor Murphy's side of the room. He looked at me, laughed, and said, "Yeah, right!" Now, Taylor Murphy was a big, squirrely eighth grader who often got in trouble, but he taught me an unforgettable lesson. Even after spending at least 30 minutes each day with him for 10 1/2 months, he would've never guessed that I was a church-going person.

Who are we? We call ourselves Christians, but do we act like it? Do we even talk like it? At Jardine, I had apparently done neither. Pray for us - that we would walk as faithful believers. Pray for boldness to seize every opportunity to spread the Word. "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7).

finding a church

Six months ago, we started looking online for a San Angelo church. Pastor Casey suggested trying Mesquite Ridge Community Church. It is somewhat difficult to find a church online, but Casey indicated that he hadn't noticed any red flags based on Mesquite's website. We went there today. The church meets in a suite. We showed up on time but thought we were way early or way late or maybe just missed church altogether because there were only about 10 cars in the parking lot. Mesquite is a small church--probably similar in size to Ayore. This made us somewhat nervous, because we couldn't just hide in the back row. The church service was good. Songs and message. No fluff. Just meat-and-guts gospel. Isaac stayed 15 minutes in the nursery and then tried his I-need-to-go-pee trick to get out. The lady took him potty, and that's when he started wailing for Mommy and Daddy. But 15 minutes is good, especially in a new church in a new place. I remember hiding behind my mom's skirt in Illinois churches where relatives lived, dreading the moment where they'd make us go to Sunday School with kids we'd never seen before. It was grueling to have to even tell the teachers our names. Jared argues that it's good for our kids, and it was probably good for me too. He asked yesterday if I thought I benefitted from it. I told him that it took me 20 years to not mind stuff like that. Anyway, the Mesquite church was a blessing. We'll probably go there next Sunday and maybe even try Sunday School...the kids, too. :)