Resting Easy This Christmas

When you don’t know what’s going on with life, God does. 

When things seem to be falling apart, God is in control.

When you can’t see around the corner and it leaves you uneasy, you can rest in God’s hand. 

Why? 

Jesus. 

God cares. 

God is involved in human affairs.

In the fullness of time, God sent His Son just like His prophets said He would.  That was part of a cosmic plan of redemption from long before time began – where God, knowing we could not save ourselves, came to Earth to eventually die in our place: a child born a Savior so we could have forgiveness of our sins by believing in Him (that He is God), by accepting what He did for us in dying in our place, and by believing that Jesus being God having taken the form of a man, rose from the dead.  It is the perfect Gift.  There is nothing like it.  In response to accepting this Gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Him, we give our lives to Him as Lord and Savior in return.  The result: the salvation of our souls.   

We don't deserve it.  We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God: our sins separate us from God because when we sin we sin against God.  But God loves us anyway . . . so much so that the provided us the opportunity to be reconciled to Him if we accept what He did for us in our place.  It's in admitting that we need a Savior because our sins separate us from a holy God, that we can humble ourselves to accept the sin-debt price that He paid for us with His death on the cross.  When we accept that wee need what He did for us, that it is the only way to be saved from the eternal consequences of our sinful thoughts, words and actions, the magnitude of which is far greater than we know, we become willing to accept it and receive His gift of eternal life in return.  

How can we make any claims on God?  We can't.  "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."  (II Corinthians 5:21)  "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  (Romans 6:23)

Some say the opposite of love is hate; but the true opposite of love is indifference.  But God is far from indifferent.  And God had a plan. 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.  He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  (John 3:16-18)

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only this but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” (Romans 5:6-11)

“And there is salvation is no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”  (Acts 4:12)

If God cares for me – and if God loves me like that, and knows what’s going on, and has a plan – I can rest easy.  I have accepted His gift of Jesus as Savior and His forgiveness of my sins.  I have made Him my Lord of my life.  And the God who planned this redemption story long in advance out of love for humanity so we could be reconciled to Him and share in His life, still actively cares for every detail of my life.  

I can rest easy in His hand. 

You can too, if you know Him.  If not, will you accept what He did on the Cross in your place, and believe in His rising again the dead, for the forgiveness of your sins – and make Him Lord of your life?  It’s the only way.  The Gift has been extended.  Will you receive it? 

Simple, Yet Profound

 

In the Bible, John 1:1-18 makes some interesting claims about Jesus and Him being God. 

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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.  In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.  He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.  

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.  john testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'"  For of His fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace.  For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten of God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.  

John 1:1-18 is the Gospel at a high level.  I've added a little more detail from Romans.    

• Jesus, being God, became man to dwell amongst us.  
• Jesus is the only perfect being to have ever walked the face of the earth (the only being to fulfill the law of Moses) -- all others have sinned against God and fall short of the glory of God.  (Romans 3:23)  We need God's forgiveness for our sins.  Our sins drive a wedge between us and God that prevents us from having the relationship with Him that He intended.    
• The consequence of sin is spiritual death (separation from God) and physical death.  (Romans 6:23)
• Through Jesus' death and resurrection, those who acknowledge He is God and His lordship over their lives, like John, and seek forgiveness of their sins, receive grace upon grace in the forgiveness of their sins and in restoration with God, being born again into spiritual life and given the right to become children of God.  
• John 3:16-18 stakes this further: the person who believes these things is saved from the wrath to come and shall have eternal life; the one who does not is judged to perdition for their sins because God designed for salvation to come through Christ.  

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.  He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

It is that simple . . . and that profound.  God became man to demonstrate His heart toward us and who He is.  In believing in who Jesus is and accepting what Jesus did for us for the forgiveness of sins and in making Him Lord of our lives, God gives us the promise of eternal life.  To paraphrase 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, we need reconciliation with God because of our sins and that reconciliation comes in what Jesus did for us.  We deserve spiritual death as punishment for our sins and that sin separates us from God.  If you accept Jesus’ sacrifice in your place you receive His righteousness in exchange for your sin.  And when you do this, because God raised Jesus from the dead, He makes you alive together with Him.  2 Corinthians 5:20-21 states.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  

Romans 5:1-11 explains this further in terms of reconciliation and our need for it. 

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have no received the reconciliation.  

Romans 3:21-28 explains this further in terms of the role Jesus plays as Savior and Redeemer by being both the Just (never sinned) and the Justifier (bore Justice for us).  It also explains why salvation has to come through Jesus Christ: being good enough (works-based salvation) is not good enough – it takes faith in Jesus Christ and what He did in our place (who He is, what He did – a faith-based salvation).  Romans 3:21-28 states,

But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe, for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.  This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.  

Where then is boasting?  It is excluded.  By what kind of law?  Of works?  No, but by a law of faith.  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.  

The Bible also explains there is only one path to salvation.  Acts 4:12: “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”  Or as Jesus, Himself claimed, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” 

In the end, as has always been intended, it is a choice: everyone has a free-will choice what they will do with this.  God in His holiness combined with His mercy and His love for us provided a Just solution for our sins – one that only He could fulfill by becoming a person and dying in on the cross in our place.  Rising physically from the dead, He defeated the physical consequences of sin (Death).  These things allowed Jesus to become the Justifier for those who believe in Him as Savior and Redeemer and to promise us eternal life.  In the process, we become reconciled to God . . . and this new found relationship then continues throughout eternity.    

It is that simple; yet it is that profound.  Will you believe?  Will you accept what He did for you on the cross believing that He is God and that He rose from the dead, and receive Him as Lord of your life?  If you do, your sins will be passed over because of the judgment Jesus took in your place, you will be reconciled with God, and you will not perish but have eternal life. 

Frankly, what do you have to lose?  

He offers this salvation freely.  It's a matter of accepting it.  

God wants relationship with us.  That only comes through Jesus.  Will you receive Him?  Will you choose to reconcile with Him and make Him Lord of your life? 

"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  and not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation." 

In Memory of Ravi Zacharias

Excellent oratory.  Singular message. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3kM6Rax1AU

Easter and Mel Gibson's "Blood Father"

The last scene of “Blood Father”, with Mel Gibson, is profound.  Throughout the movie, a recovering ex-convict does everything in his power to show his daughter that her life is valuable and worth living with that in mind.  This culminates with the ultimate sacrifice.  In the last scene, the daughter makes a stunning admission.  ““. . . when you owe your life to someone, you better live it... So I just say, “Thank you."”

Similarly, Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of England, was overwhelmed with gratitude to the National Health System for “saving his life” after being hospitalized for coronavirus. 

Easter marks a special occasion.  Jesus Christ, being God, gave His life as a man so that we could have eternal life with Him if – believing He is God and that He rose from the dead – we repent of our sins, ask for His forgiveness, and make Him Lord of our lives.  Or as it says in John 3:16-18,

For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through Him.  He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

Ephesians 2:4-10 puts this in terms of mercy and faith:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should both.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 

In the case of “Blood Father” and with the Prime Minister, the impact on the affected lives was/is tangible and immediate.  How do we demonstrate that same gratitude for something less tangible but powerful?  When we accept what Jesus, being God and man, did in our place, for the forgiveness of our sins, some things happen immediately:

• Our past, present and future sins are forgiven -- our sinful condition.  
• We become reconciled with God and active relationship with God starts.  This relationship continues throughout eternity when we die.  
• God Himself comes to live inside of us to empower us when we rely on Him. 
• God starts changing us into His likeness (His character). 
• We come to life on the inside and that abundant life grows in us throughout our lives if we let it and seek it.  
• We receive the promise of eternal life.  This propels us when all else is falling down around us and it is a source of joy, hope and peace no matter what we are experiencing.  Because Jesus rose from the dead, we too will rise again to be with God in Heaven if Jesus does not come back before we die.  This is called the "living hope" -- and it provides perspective and permeates everything we do if we focus on it.  
• We have His peace that floods our lives immediately and thenceforward when we cast our anxieties on Him with supplication and thanksgiving.  
• He makes His wisdom, grace and mercy available to us when we ask for it (and even when we don't).  His lovingkindness is everlasting and active in the moment!  
• We accept His love as we are.  His love for us is not dependent on what we do or how good we are.  We are adopted into His spiritual family with the promise of inheritance as His spiritually adopted children in eternal life.  
• God's Word, the Bible, starts to make sense to us and God reveals Himself to us through His Word.  It guides us.  
• We immediately become part of a community of people who experience these same things, through which we also experience the love of God.  This is called the "fellowship of the saints". 

For someone like me who grew up in the church and, as a kid, accepted what Jesus Christ did in my place for the forgiveness of my sins and the promise of eternal life – what is colloquially called “accepting Christ” or “being saved” or “receiving Christ” or being “born again”, my salvation experience was not one of turning from a life of despair and desolation that you hear of sometimes.  I was too young to have made a mess of my life.  But that doesn’t mean I hadn’t sinned and that I didn’t need forgiveness from God. 

I remember the first time I consciously recognized that what I wanted to do was wrong and did it anyway.  That night, my dad told me about Heaven and Hell, the consequences of my sin and my need for Jesus to forgive my sins and be Lord of my life.  I didn’t want to go to Hell. I wanted to go the Heaven.  When I made the conscious decision to seek forgiveness from God for my sins, accept what He did on the cross in my place, and surrender my life to Christ, a deep peace instantly came flooding over my soul and I knew that what my dad had described was true: I now had relationship with God, my sins were forgiven, and I would be in heaven one day – not because of anything I had done, but because I had accepted what Jesus had done in my place. 

And this “salvation” is available to you.   

The Bible describes this in terms of a legal transaction: God placing your sins on Jesus (assigning your guilt to Him) and God applying Jesus’ righteousness to you (assigning His righteousness to you).  “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  And why is this necessary?  Because one sin separates us spiritually from God: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  And because “There is none righteous, not even one.” 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” – if we would only accept that gift. 

Being a good person is not good enough.  We need something more.  Only Jesus lived a perfect life, without sin.  And He chose to pay the price for our sin so we could have His righteousness in place of our own lack thereof.  If He had not risen from the dead, He’d have been just another human beset with the human condition: we all die.  If death is a result of sin, His rising from the dead defeated the consequences of sin.  So this goes beyond mere religion.  This is bona fide relationship with a living Savior and because He rose again, and we have His righteousness in place of our sin, we too shall rise again someday.  Life has meaning beyond the grave!  Also, the life of Christ is given to us internally the moment we receive Him.  And this transforms us. 

While for me, becoming a Christian, did not entail a 180 degree turn around from a life demonstrably on the road to perdition (we are all on that road until receiving Christ – “For all have sinned . . .” and “There is none righteous, not even one” – we need the righteousness of Christ in our place), the results are the same.  As Romans 5:5-11, states,

. . . and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 

I can also look back on life and see how the same things available to me at salvation have been available to me throughout life, in relationship with God, no matter what I have done.  And my appreciation for it has only grown because I am also guilty of much more than I was as a kid when I received Christ.  My need for God’s grace – and my consciousness of it -- has only increased, and this will continue till the day I die.  I do not deserve it. 

Do you?  It is tempting to compare ourselves to others and to list the good things we do, but before a holy God?  No, we don’t deserve it. 

Will you accept what Jesus did for you on the cross, for the forgiveness of your sins, and surrender your life to Christ?  And because being God and rose again, receive the promise of eternal life? 

Your choice!  He respects your free will!  Be reconciled to God! 

When you do, the love of God is poured out in your heart and gratitude compels you.  Circling back to “Blood Father”, “. . . when you owe your life to someone, you better live it... So I just say, “Thank you."”

Or as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:14-19,

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.  Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.  Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 

And as it says in II Corinthians, 5:20-21, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Happy Easter everybody! 

He is Risen! 

He is Risen indeed! 

5

On Growth When Waiting in Place

Not long ago, hiking, I saw a hawk in the distance.  It was flapping its wings in place, not moving forward, not descending, staying aloft.  I commented on this to a passerby.  He said, “There must be an analogy there somewhere.”  I laughed.  But inside, I was agreeing with him. 

When things go wrong, there often is something I contributed to the problem, even if I am not the primary source, and I look for it.  It allows me to take control of my response and is part of making changes where I can.  I also look for contributing factors outside what I did or said, and similarly look for what I can effect and what I can control.  While the “Serenity Prayer” is useful, a book called Resilience at Work: How to Succeed No Matter What Life Throws at You, by Salvatore R. Maddi, claims there is more we can control in life than we might think.  In saying that, the book is referring both to hardy attitudes and to actions resulting from that, such as identifying what we can do in, through and to the situation, and maintaining perspective and hope for the future, and other coping mechanisms. 

But what happens when circumstances are truly outside our control.  Perhaps our actions leading up to the circumstances contributed in some way – the hawk chose to fly at a particular height in a particular direction, and who knows what led to that decision – but our current actions are limited to trying to cope in the situation and make the most of it.  That tests our patience.  That hawk flapped its wings in place, at 1500ft, for a long while.  Eventually, the wind changed, and the hawk was able to rise above and soar again. 

Often, I think of growth as getting stretched, getting knocked down, getting back up, getting back up again, getting back up again, getting back up again, getting back up again . . . and overcoming / having some success in new skills and habits developed.  What can I do when I am going through a period where I feel like I am flapping my wings, in place, like the hawk – where going backwards is not an option, where changing course is not possible, and where I am doing all I can to maintain pending a shift in the wind?  Where I may have done or said things that led to my current circumstances -- and where I may have even seen the circumstances coming and actively or passively chose not to shift course -- but where I cannot control the wind?  I think growth can also involve learning how to do well, in place.  I can make that my current endeavor.  In my experience, in those circumstances, I learn some things about myself and about life that might help when the wind shifts and I start to soar on the wind again. 

The muscles gained and emotional / mental fortitude gained flying in place are worth the effort – no matter how many times I get back up.  In the midst of it, that can be hard to believe . . . and I have to fight to maintain purpose to my actions.  It is difficult.  I have to keep the end in mind.  

So even playing the waiting game can be played well and is an exercise in resilience.  It is an exercise in maintaining emotional and mental discipline.  I am not as effective at it as I would like . . . but I get back up and try again, and again, and again . . . And when it is over, I will be stronger as a result.  

I suspect I will face this a number of times in my life.  I want to be good at it.  The good news is I don't have to do this on my own strength . . .     

“Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”  (Isaiah 4:30-31, NASB) This applies to flapping your wings in place, as well – whether or not, or independent of how long till, the situation changes.   God gives strength, peace of mind, and resolve.  Or as the Psalmist says (Psalm 23) – “You restore my soul.”