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Is Faith Enough?

Is Faith Enough?

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A Case for Simple Faith

Jesus told a story about a wayward son who wasted his inheritance on wild living and ended up destitute. Filled with guilt and shame, the young man returned to his father’s house in hopes of working as a servant—he didn’t dare believe he could return as a son. When the boy arrived home, his father rushed to greet him, threw his arms around him, and dressed him in fine clothing and jewelry. The father’s loving response far exceeded anything the son could have imagined (Luke 15:11-32).

This story is a picture of God’s love for us. He allows us to decide whether we will walk with Him or go our own way. And what do we do? Like the Prodigal Son, we wander away and find ourselves spiritually destitute. When we come to our senses, our heavenly Father eagerly welcomes us home. Our part is simple: turn back and trust Him. 

Is it really that simple? Is faith enough?

Yes, it’s really that simple. Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Ephesians 2:8-9 states it this way, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Beyond trusting Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of our lives, there is nothing you and I must do (or can do) to earn God’s love and forgiveness.

But there’s more.

The Role of Works

The Christian life does not end there, and neither does the passage. The next verse in Ephesians explains the purpose underlying God’s rich kindness: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (2:10, emphasis added).

These works are the natural result of a relationship with God, and He provides the power to accomplish them through His Holy Spirit. When we trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, the power of Almighty God is unleashed in us; He energizes us and electrifies us to live a godly life. The strengthening of our faith is a joint effort by our Savior and ourselves, but many Christians miss the importance of adding works to their faith. And without realizing it, they limit the Holy Spirit’s power in their lives.

Three Pitfalls on the Path From Simple Faith to Abundant Faith

Over the years, I’ve identified three pitfalls that limit the spiritual growth of God’s people and prevent them from experiencing His power. They are misunderstandings about the nature of salvation, works, and spiritual growth. Once these misunderstandings are corrected, believers can surge into the abundant life of faith found only in Christ (John 10:10).

1. Our faith is limited by our understanding of salvation.

The moment we truly receive Christ as Savior and Lord, we are instantly and eternally saved from the penalty of sin. From that time on, we’re gradually saved from the power of sin as we grow in godliness.

Philippians 2:12 gives this instruction: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Strong’s Concordance describes the meaning of the original word for work out as to “effect by labor, achieve, work out, bring about.”1 To the original audience, work out referred to those who worked in the coal mines. They mined out of the ground what the Creator had already placed there and then brought those riches to light.

The Christian’s role is to work out what God has worked in us by cultivating the characteristics of a godly life. Salvation from the penalty of sin is a gift. Like any other gift, it is up to us how we use it. We can leave it unopened, or we can unwrap its treasures with fear and trembling. When we demonstrate thankfulness for God’s gift by working to be more like Him, we find freedom from the power of sin.

2. Our faith is limited by our understanding of works.

Good works do not save us, but they are an essential evidence of the salvation experience. James 2:17 states, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Think of it this way: if a doctor admonishes me to eat more carefully and exercise daily, I’m more likely to follow his advice after I spot him at the gym than if I catch him in a buffet line. Talk is cheap—our actions reveal our convictions.

Work may be a four-letter word, but it is a blessing. Even the angels work! They are “sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14), and they guard God’s children (Psalm 34:7).

Before sin entered the world, God tasked Adam and Eve with filling the earth and subduing it (Genesis 1:28). He placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to “tend it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Conducting business on behalf of the Most High King is a privilege, and it brings purpose to our lives.

Knowing that Christ has redeemed us should increase our zeal to do good works while we await His return. He has equipped us with gifts and resources so that we can accomplish His will. We tend to think of stewardship in terms of money, but our responsibility extends far beyond that. We are accountable for our time and our skills as well.

One day, Christ will judge each Christian’s works (Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Enduring work will be rewarded; worthless works—those performed with impure motives—will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 3:14-15). And works performed to serve others demonstrate the presence of God’s love in our hearts (1 John 3:16-17).

God’s grace is not a license for laziness; it should motivate us to please Him. Everything we consider a “good work” for God is best understood as an expression of stewardship. The father of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther, said that a person is saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone. When God’s stewards experience saving faith, their faith produces good works for His glory.

3. Our faith is limited by our understanding of spiritual growth.

We’d like to think that walking with the Lord means our problems will disappear. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation.” Notice that He did not say “if you have tribulation”; He said we will have tribulation. Five different passages of Scripture encourage us not to “lose heart.”

This passage is from Galatians: “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (6:9). Christians have as much trouble as anyone else. The difference is that God has given us the power to overcome our problems, and we experience peace through His promises.

Learning to live an exceptional life is a process that never ends, and it often begins in times of difficulty and chaos. Consider the example of Geoffrey Bull, a British missionary who was taken prisoner when the communists overtook China in 1949. During the first year, Geoffrey was confined to a solitary cell that wasn’t much larger than a phone booth. Convinced Geoffrey was a British spy, the Chinese used all sorts of mental tortures to break him.

After more than three years, Geoffrey Bull was finally released to British authorities. He spent several months recuperating … and then he returned to the mission field. Geoffrey understood his challenges in the context of eternity. He realized they were fertile opportunities for growth in his own life and served as a testimony to others. He knew God had never forsaken him.

We must not allow our circumstances or our emotional condition to drive our commitment level. Many of us don’t pray because we don’t feel like it. We don’t read our Bibles because there are other things we’d rather be doing. In the words of R. C. Sproul,

Many of us have become sensuous Christians, living by our feelings rather than through our understanding of the Word of God. Sensuous Christians cannot be moved to service, prayer, or study unless they “feel like it.”2

Relationships require work, and if we only invest in our relationship with God when we feel like it, our spiritual life will suffer.

The Key to Growing Our Faith Is Diligence

There are no shortcuts to Christian maturity. Second Peter instructs us to give “all diligence” to growing our faith (1:5; emphasis added), and Proverbs states, “Diligence is man’s precious possession” (12:27). We bear responsibility for our spiritual growth, but God supplies the resources we need. Diligence is the key to following Him and enjoying the rewards of a life spent with Him.

We have a responsibility to grow our faith, but as we’ll see, God provides the resources we need to be successful. He even promises rewards to those who grow spiritually.

The Responsibility of Our Faith

In the language of the New Testament, diligence means “to strenuously give yourself to something.” It is associated with athletics and conveys the sweat-producing effort that leads to becoming a champion. A secondary meaning is connected to the word “lavish.” As in, to give yourself to something lavishly. This connotation stems from the Greek plays and the patrons who financially supported them. These sponsors would try to outdo each other by financing extravagant props and scenery.

A modern equivalent might be the Olympic Games. Competitors devote their lives to strenuous training in hopes of ascending the gold-medal podium while countries vie for the privilege of hosting the event. The athletes demonstrate their diligence through years of blood, sweat, and tears. The host nation demonstrates its diligence through lavish spending on opening and closing ceremonies that are carefully choreographed to showcase its strengths and disguise its weaknesses.

Have you ever shown up to an elegant event only to discover you are underdressed? It’s a terrible feeling. Imagine how much worse to show up in heaven looking like you’ve just escaped a fire. According to 1 Corinthians 3:15, that’s a real possibility! It says, at the Judgment Seat of Christ, “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” A better option is to prepare for that day so that we can present ourselves before the Lord “without spot and blameless” (2 Peter 3:14).

We must strenuously and lavishly participate in our own spiritual growth. In his final days on earth, the apostle Paul wrote to a young pastor named Timothy. Timothy was like a son to Paul, and this letter contains Paul’s final instructions to his protégé. It includes this solemn charge: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Paul’s instructions apply to us as well. Our life’s work is to rigorously study and apply God’s Word to every circumstance while eagerly pursuing spiritual growth.

The Resources of Our Faith

In 2 Peter 1, we find an astonishing statement about the resources God has placed at our disposal. “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (verse 3, emphasis added).  God hasn’t given us some things or most things, He has given us all things!

The next verse tells us where we can find these things: in the “exceedingly great and precious promises” of the Word of God. That means the Bible is a utility kit for everything we need to live with confidence in a chaotic world. There are seven basic tools in our utility kit we can use to build upon our faith.

Virtue.

This is the New Testament word for moral goodness: doing the right thing no matter what the circumstances might dictate. Virtuous people are consistent from one situation to another. Their decisions are driven by their morals, not popular opinion. Meditating on virtuous things enables us to enjoy God’s peace (Philippians 4:8-9).

Knowledge.

Our minds are like computers that are constantly processing data. What we put into them programs our decisions, which is why it is so important to spend time in God’s Word on a continual basis. It was by memorizing impressive portions of Scripture that Geoffrey Bull built mental strongholds that his communist prison wardens could not penetrate. Study God’s Word and sit under the teaching of the Word of God every week.

Self-control.

We have the power to choose our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Anything worth achieving in life is the result of diligently exercising self-control by bending our comfort to our convictions. Proverbs teaches that “it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city” (16:32).

In the book of Colossians, Paul instructed slaves to serve their masters with “sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23). We may not be indentured servants, but many of us find ourselves subject to harsh bosses and other difficult people. Responding to these situations in a way that honors God requires careful discipline and restraint.

Perseverance.

To persevere means to voluntarily and continually endure difficulties and hardships for the sake of honor. Robert Morgan, my friend and fellow pastor, has said, “We’ll never awaken to a morning in which the Lord has given us work to do or burdens to bear without providing the strength we need.”3

Prayer is, perhaps, the most difficult discipline to stick with as a Christian, but it releases God’s power in our lives and helps us achieve the impossible (Matthew 21:22; Mark 9:29; Acts 12:5-7; James 5:17-18).

Godliness.

The godly Christian is the one who is truly humble before God, who reveres and respects Him, who accepts His holy majesty and anger and judgment as well as His love. In a matter of probably hours, a man named Job lost everything that was important to him except his wife and his own life. Eventually his wife lost heart, telling him to “curse God and die!” (Job 2:9) He did not. Through it all, Job clung to godliness, and he found a pathway nearer to the tender mercies of heaven than he had ever walked before.

Brotherly kindness.

Our lives should be visibly different from the world around us in terms of our kindness. While others claw their way to the top, we should be running to the aid of hurting souls. Colossians 3:12 says to “put on” kindness as if it were clothing—it’s the first thing people should notice when they meet us.

In the first verses of Acts 28, there is a brief mention of the natives Paul encountered on his missionary journey to the Mediterranean island of Malta. These people were considered barbarians by both Greeks and Romans, but Scripture indicates they “showed [Paul and others with him] unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made [them] all welcome” (Acts 28:2).

It doesn’t take much to be kind. We are all capable of demonstrating compassion—not randomly as our culture suggests, but intentionally putting the needs of others ahead of our own for the sake of the Gospel.

Love.

Jesus said love is the defining characteristic of His disciples. “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). He also said that loving God and loving others, in that order, are the greatest two commandments (Matthew 22:36-40).

Many people think of love as a passing emotion, but Jesus described it as an enduring commitment that encompasses our hearts, our souls, our minds, and our strength (Mark 12:30). It involves our entire being. There are many ways to express God’s love to others, but one of the kindest, most loving things we can do is to share our faith.

Faith is always the prerequisite to our diligence. Second Peter 1:5-6 instructs us to add all these characteristics to our belief, but faith is the beginning of the process. If you examine 2 Peter 1 carefully, you’ll notice that grace and peace are multiplied by God in verse 2, and then we add the seven tools. God does the multiplying, and we do the adding.

We have a role in working out our salvation, but “my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

The Rewards of Our Faith

Diligently pursuing a life of godliness leads to eternal benefits. Anyone who earnestly seeks spiritual growth will not be cast away, lose their way, or stumble in their faith, and they will enjoy an “abundant” entrance into heaven (2 Peter 1:11). What is at stake is not our admittance to heaven but the quality of our journey.

There are three types of rewards that result from spiritual growth.

The reward of stability in our Christian life:

“If you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8, NIV). Old, unhelpful habits will fall away as profitable habits grow, and we will experience greater resilience through life’s ups and downs. Character is the result of persistent action, and a pattern of diligence will lead to stability.

The reward of vitality in our Christian life:

Vitality is defined as abundant mental and physical energy. It’s the ability to embrace change, not fear it. It’s living with confidence in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and allowing that hope to inspire our work and ministry.

In Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth, he wrote, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58, emphasis added). To live a vivacious Christian life is to know, as Paul did, that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

The reward of reality in our Christian life:

As we grow, we learn to connect the truth of the Gospel to the needs of people around us. Some people believe that faith promotes a fantasy world where we escape our problems, but Peter suggests that faith leads us to greater reality and greater connection with our world. We won’t be escape artists; we will be embrace artists. We will embrace the world’s problems and bring Jesus right into the center of them, which is the only real solution.

It’s impossible to overestimate the potential of God’s power at work in your life and in mine. His power is available to us to meet every need we have as we seek to live a life of godliness in an ungodly world. Experiencing that power is one of the greatest rewards of a faith-filled life.

Digging Up Faith

Travelers from around the world visit Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park to search for diamonds. The park is situated on the surface of a diamond-bearing volcanic crater, and it claims to be the only diamond-producing site in the world that invites the public to sift its soil—and to keep anything they find. A day’s pass only costs a few dollars, and stones are found almost daily.

Since the park opened in 1972, visitors have found more than 33,100 diamonds.4 Access is easy; the only tricky part is finding the diamonds. They are generally about the size of a paper match head, and they come in a variety of colors. Digging for diamonds requires a keen eye and sifting through the dirt.

Jesus paid the “price” of admission to heaven for us. Simple faith is all that is required of us, but vibrant faith requires rolling up our sleeves and digging in the dirt each day as we work out our salvation. Faith in God is more than a once-in-a-lifetime decision. It is a lifelong journey that leads back to our Father’s home, and there are pitfalls along the way. The key to an abundant life of faith is diligence. If we keep a keen eye, we will possess the tools to grow our faith; we will discover hidden gems; and we will find ourselves in the best spiritual shape of our lives.

Click here to read 4 Steps to Reviving Your Faith From John’s Letter to the Church of Sardis.


Sources:

1Bible Hub https://biblehub.com, “2716.katergazomai,” https://biblehub.com/greek/2716.htm, accessed on May 16, 2019.

2R. C. Sproul, Knowing Scripture (Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2016), 31.

3Robert J. Morgan, The Strength You Need (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2016), 12.

4Crater of Diamonds State Park https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/parks/crater-diamonds-state-park, accessed on May 16, 2019.

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Creation Care

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:28

Marine litter is a huge ecological problem. Many countries’ coastlines are littered with plastic and debris, and there is an “island” of plastic more than the twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean where currents have accumulated the debris. Fish become entangled in discarded fishing nets and lines, with bellies full of plastic debris they have swallowed.

Such images are in stark contrast to the pristine beauty and glory of Eden as presented in Genesis. Though mankind was given the mandate to “have dominion over” (that is, to care for) all of creation, we have not done a good job. When God’s mandates go unfulfilled on earth, God’s glory is diminished. And that mandate extends to our personal life as well. Paul writes that we belong to God and we are to glorify Him with our care and use of our body.

When you see opportunities to care for creation—nature or your own body—do so as a way of glorifying the Creator.

The creation is both a monument of God’s power, and a looking-glass in which we may see his wisdom.
Thomas Watson

Steadfast

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

Paul’s letter to the people at Corinth was an exhortation to remain steadfast. The church in Corinth was an undisciplined church, and he was letting them know that even though the culture around them was in flux, their faith in Jesus Christ needed to remain focused and sure. It is true for us today also. How can we remain steadfast in our faith and avoid the pressures of this ever-changing world? By devoting time each day to the study of God’s Word.

As we read the Bible and immerse ourselves in God’s truth and character, our lives are changed—we become more like Him. God’s Word is a powerful litmus test for our souls and actions. As our lives center on God, giving priority to hearing His voice and reading His Word, we become bolder in sharing our faith.

Joshua had the confidence and courage to lead God’s people into the Promised Land because He believed in God’s promise and presence. We serve the same God who said: “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

You can place your steadfast trust in Him.

When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful.
Dwight L. Moody

Ready and Willing

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9

A leper approached Jesus and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus touched the man, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed”—and he was healed (Mark 1:40-42).

That event is a beautiful example of the willingness of God. In fact, there are no instances of Jesus being asked to help or heal and Him answering, “I am not willing.” There is a place where the Bible says God is “not willing,” and that is 2 Peter 3:9. In writing about the timing of the Day of the Lord (the end of the age), Peter says God is waiting for all who will be saved to come to Him. He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Said another way, God is willing for any who want to be saved to come to Him (John 6:37; 7:37). The question is never whether God is willing but whether man is willing.

Have you responded to God’s willing invitation to come to Him?

God is far more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.
J. C. Ryle

Treasure!

I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure.
Psalm 119:162

Earlier this year, a volunteer for a charity in Arizona was going through books donated for a sale. One was an old copy of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The volunteer decided the dilapidated volume wasn’t worth saving and was about to throw it away when she thumbed through it and found a hidden chamber. Someone had used a knife to cut a hole in the middle of the book. Inside was $4,000!

That’s nothing compared to the treasure you’ll find when opening the covers of the Bible. Perhaps it would help to think of it in those terms. Use your imagination to see every word of Scripture turning to gold as you read it. Think of every promise as a precious stone. See the words about Jesus in the Gospels as sparkling like diamonds. Visualize your daily Bible study time like a miser running his hands through a chest of gold.

The treasury of Scripture will enrich your mind, refocus your goals, replace your doubts, and redirect your path—but only if you read it and heed it. Start today!

To get the best use out of [the Bible] for daily life,...Give it the best and freshest, not the most tired and dull, hour of the day.
M. S. Kimber in The Sunday School World, 1893

Hello Heaven!

I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside.
2 Peter 1:13-14, NIV

Peter wrote his final letter shortly before his execution. He wasn’t discouraged; he was looking forward to the future. He spoke of “looking forward to these things.” and “[looking] for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13-14).

Life is full of hardships and heaviness. We have the promises of God to help us in difficult days, and we have the Holy Spirit within us. We have a purpose for being here—to refresh the memory of others regarding the things of the Lord. But we’ll soon put aside the tent of our earthly body, and what a relief! Goodbye hardship and heaviness. Goodbye trials and troubles. Hello Jesus! Hello heaven! Hello golden streets, glorified bodies, endless days, and the fresh air of New Jerusalem!

During difficult times, the hope of eternity gives us strength. If you’re prone to worry yourself to sleep each night, turn your thoughts upward and close your eyes thinking of heaven and its eternal throne.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there.
Harriet Buell, in her hymn “A Child of the King”

Overcoming Temptation

Temptation. Whether we realize it or not, it is part of our past, and it will be part of our future. The moment we resolve to stand strong and walk away is when temptation grows most intense. That is why Scripture is of paramount importance. God's Word contains the answer to resisting temptation before it's too late. Consider these verses:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full–grown, brings forth death (James 1:13–15).

Some people wonder about the value of the Old Testament in a Christian's life. The apostle Paul addressed that question in 1 Corinthians 10:11—"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition." To what things was Paul referring? He listed them in verses 7–10. They are idolatry, immorality, infidelity, and disloyalty.

Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is.

With that background, Paul exhorted believers not to make the same choices the Israelites made—not to provoke God's discipline by willfully sinning. None of us is above God's discipline if we engage in sin. We must look for and take "the way of escape" God provides in every situation where temptation is found (verse 13). To think our temptation is unique is to believe a lie. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man" (verse 13). There are no "new" temptations in life.

The apostle James argued that if temptation becomes serious, it is because we have allowed it to do so. Our own "desires" entice us away from God and desire "gives birth to sin" (James 1:13–15). God doesn't tempt us, but He may allow temptation to enter our lives in order to give us opportunities to make obedient and mature choices.

Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, and He took the same means of escape that is available to us—obedience to God's Word (Matthew 4:1–11; Hebrews 5:8). Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is. There is always a righteous choice to be made if we are willing to seek it.

Victory in Him

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

To first-century leaders in the Roman world, the imagery was familiar: A victorious Roman general returning from battle leading his soldiers and their captives into the city. Citizens lined the streets applauding while the aroma of celebratory incense filled the air. Paul uses that image to say that Christ leads His followers in a victory procession through every difficulty in life (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).

The Christian’s victory is through Christ. The victory over the world, the flesh, the devil, and sin was won by the Cross and the empty tomb. He did for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We have victory now and for eternity only because of the victory Christ won for us. Therefore, if we are to experience victory in this life, it will come only as we depend on Him. As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, the life we now live is the life of Christ in us as we keep our faith in Him.

If you need a victory in your life, begin every day by renewing your faith in Christ in whom all our victories are to be realized.

The spiritual battle, the loss of victory, is always in the thought-world.
Francis Schaeffer

Faithful Fathers: Abraham

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
James 2:23

We can imagine a child writing an appreciative and sentimental memoir about her “perfect father,” understanding that “perfect” was not intended to be taken literally. But how about a book titled The Righteous Father? The patriarch Isaac could have written that book about his father, Abraham.

Righteous doesn’t mean sinless, of course. We know that Abraham wasn’t perfect. But he did manifest some qualities that every father should emulate. First, he believed the promises of God about the future God had planned for him (Hebrews 11:8-12). And when he believed God, “[God] accounted it to [Abraham] for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Again, not perfect or sinless, but in a right standing with God. Second, as a result of Abraham’s trust in God, he became a “friend of God” (Isaiah 41:8). Could any father set a more worthy example to his children or grandchildren than that of being friends with God? Living in right standing with God? That means communing with Him, walking with Him, living for Him, and above all, trusting Him and His promises.

Follow Abraham’s example as a faithful father by deepening your friendship with God.

Friendship is the marriage of affections.
Thomas Watson

Modern Idolatry

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:5

Colossians 3:1 tells us to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is.” In verse 5 we’re told to put to death the passions that come from below—"fornication, uncleanness, passion, and evil desire.” Then the Lord added the sin of greed or covetousness to the list, calling it idolatry.

That verse changes our view of idolatry. It’s not just bowing down to a small carved statue or a pagan worshiper offering incense at a shrine to Buddha. It’s the act of becoming too attached to the material things of the world—falling more in love with the things on earth than on things in heaven.

This has nothing to do with how much money you do or don’t have—a poverty-stricken person can covet just as much as a billionaire. It has everything to do with what’s at the center of our affections. Is it Christ? Is it things above? Or is it things below?

Make sure Christ is at the center of your life and that your love for Him eclipses everything else!

You don’t have to go to heathen lands today to find false gods. America is full of them…. Whatever you love more than God is your idol.
D. L. Moody

New Beginnings: Ezekiel

In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
Ezekiel 1:1, NIV

We often need fresh starts after enduring bitter disappointments. As a young man, Ezekiel had dedicated himself to be a priest. He was from a priestly family, and he undoubtedly looked forward to serving God in Jerusalem’s temple. Priests began their temple duty at the age of thirty. But when he was about twenty-five, Ezekiel was seized and taken to Babylon, and he never saw the temple again. When his thirtieth birthday came, he must have struggled with questions of “why” and “if only.”

That’s just when God appeared to him as he was among the exiles by the Kebar River. Ezekiel looked up and saw remarkable visions of God—the throne of God surrounded by angelic beings. Amid the strange and apocalyptic vision described in Ezekiel 1, God called the thirty-year-old exile to be a powerful prophet.

Oh, to see the glory of the Lord while in the midst of the disappointments in life. When we think life has collapsed around us, the God of glory appears above us. God always has a plan, and our false starts become His fresh starts.

Ezekiel is the prophet of the glory of the Lord…. Ezekiel looked beyond the sufferings of Christ to the glory that should follow.
J. Vernon McGee

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares.
Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves.
W. A. Criswell

God of Second Chances

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.”
Jonah 3:1-2

It was not uncommon in the Old Testament for “the word of the Lord” to come to God’s prophets again and again. It happened to Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, and others. And it also happened to Jonah: The word of the Lord came to Jonah the first time (Jonah 1:1) and then the second time (Jonah 3:1). With the other prophets, the “second time” meant additional prophetic utterances they were to deliver. But with Jonah, the “second time” was because Jonah had failed to speak God’s word the first time. Jonah was a disobedient prophet.

God commissioned Jonah to go east to Assyria, to the capital of Nineveh and deliver a message of judgment. But Jonah fled west toward Spain because he feared the Assyrians. You know the story—Jonah ended up in the sea where he was swallowed by a great fish. Jonah repented and called on the Lord and was delivered. God gave him a second chance.

Don’t let your past keep you from trusting God for a second (or third, or fourth) chance. The God of grace loves to forgive.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.
G. Campbell Morgan

All You Need Is Love: Forgiveness

When Jesus saw [the friends’] faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
Mark 2:5

The hardest part of forgiving another person is acting like the offense never occurred. But that is what forgiving someone means—restoring relationships to the status they enjoyed before the offense took place. It’s one thing to say, “I forgive you,” but it’s another to act like all the effects of an offense are completely erased. After all, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, love is known by its actions more than its words.

Jesus faced this dilemma when He healed a paralytic man. When He told the man that his sins were forgiven (and by extension, he was healed), He was criticized. He was accused of blaspheming by saying He had the authority to forgive sins—something only God can do. So, Jesus proved He had the authority to say, “I forgive you,” by doing something harder. He healed the man’s paralysis. After all, as Jesus explained, actions speak louder than words (Mark 2:8-11).

We cannot go through life without being hurt by others, so we should learn to forgive. Even more, we should practice demonstrating our forgiveness by our acts of lovingkindness. Look for opportunities to do both.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.
G. Campbell Morgan

A Whole Person

In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility.
Titus 2:7

In mathematics two of the basic kinds of numbers are integers and fractions: 2, 100, and 56 are integers, while ½, ¼, and 2.5 are fractions. Integers, from a Latin root meaning “whole” or “entire.” The word integrity comes from the same root; a person with integrity cannot be divided in beliefs or morality based on varying circumstances.

When the apostle Paul wrote to his young pastoral protégé, Timothy, he told him to show “integrity” in doctrine, to be incorruptible in belief and in actions. Paul wanted Timothy to hold fast to the truth of God, not allowing himself to be divided. A person of integrity obeys the whole counsel of God every day, in every circumstance. Daniel’s three friends in Babylon demonstrated integrity when they were threatened with being burned alive (Daniel 3:16-18). They told the king they would not divide their allegiance, that they would maintain their faith in God and His promises. That is integrity.

Are you a whole person or a fractioned person today? If your beliefs, and therefore your actions, have become divided, gather them back together as you commit to God and His Word.

Integrity of heart is indispensable.
John Calvin

New Earth

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
Revelation 21:1

A great misconception carried by many Christians has to do with the location of heaven. The word heaven itself implies that our eternal destiny is somewhere “up there” in the heavens. But the Bible says our eternal destiny is earthly, not heavenly. As Peter wrote, we look for a “new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

In his vision of the future, the apostle John saw that “new heaven and a new earth,” our new domain being pictured as the New Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:1-2). Somehow, at the end of the age, when Christ has returned to reign and inaugurate the eternal state, this earth will be renovated and a new earth will be the result—a new earth full of righteousness in which pain and sorrow will be absent. The beautiful imagery of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 lets us know that the new earth will be a place that reflects the glory of God throughout.

Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you if you belong to Him (John 14:1-4). The New Jerusalem, on the new earth, is that place.

Let thy hope of heaven master thy fear of death.
William Gurnall

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares.
Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves.
W. A. Criswell

The Need for Prayer

Now it came to pass in those days that [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Luke 6:12

Officially, church historians recognize seven ecumenical church councils held between A.D. 325 and A.D. 787. The first, the First Council of Nicaea, met to agree on the nature of Jesus of Nazareth as both Son of God and Son of Man, as both fully divine and fully human.

The humanity of Christ, while at the same time divine, is hard to understand. But thankfully, Scripture gives us illustrations: Like us, Jesus suffered, experienced hunger, required sleep, ate food, and had limits on His knowledge (Mark 13:32). One of the most striking and helpful illustrations of Jesus’ humanity was His prayer life. We might think that, if Jesus was truly divine, He would have had no need to pray for knowledge, guidance, or help. Yet He did, following the example of godly men like Daniel in Babylon (Daniel 2:16-18). Jesus repeatedly said that He only did what the Father showed Him to do (John 5:19), and prayer was His means.

If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to go to His Father in prayer for strengthening and guidance, how much more do we (Psalm 32:6)?

Prayer and a holy life are one.
E. M. Bounds

What Is Humility?

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5, NIV

What is humility? Is it the opposite of pride? If pride expands one’s importance, does humility deflate one’s importance? That’s the view given by most English dictionaries—a deemphasis on one’s own importance. But what is the biblical view of humility

If someone compliments you on a job well done, do you refuse to take credit or receive their compliment? Or do you graciously say, “Thank you,” in a spirit of genuine appreciation and humility? In Romans 12:3 Paul exhorts the believers not to think of themselves pridefully but rather to think of themselves “soberly”—that is, realistically or accurately. Paul’s topic is the grace given by God to each Christian to serve in the Body of Christ. We should neither overestimate the gift of God’s grace or underestimate it. Rather, we should think of it soberly and realistically—humbly—and minister accordingly. To think less of God’s gift would be to devalue it; to think realistically about it allows one to serve humbly.

How do you view yourself? With pride? With false humility? Or soberly and realistically according to the grace of God in your life?

A really humble man…will not be thinking about humility, he will not be thinking about himself at all.
C. S. Lewis

The Power of Confession

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.
Psalm 32:4

California is a dry state that needs water to be transported over many miles to population and agricultural centers. Snowfall in the winter and melting snow in the spring are critical factors in replenishing shrinking reservoirs. In periods of modern droughts, aerial photographs document the receding water levels in reservoirs around the state—shorelines growing wider and drier as water levels fall.

Such is the picture David paints with his words in Psalm 32—a drought of spiritual vitality brought on by his own sin. When he failed to confess his sin to God, his “bones grew old” and he groaned “all the day long” (verse 3). It was like his soul was being evaporated by the heat of his own guilt and shame. But then the rains of grace came and David confessed his sin and God forgave him (verse 5). And he encouraged his readers not to make the same mistake he had made (verses 9-10).

Confession and repentance reveal the access to restoration. Hiding sin does not remove it from God’s sight; but when we seek God’s forgiveness, the refreshing living water from the Father is poured out on us and we are restored—that is the power of confession.

The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession.
Richard Sibbes