Christmas

There are several modern-day Gnostics who, in the name of Christ, seek to dissuade us from celebrating the birth of Jesus each December. They go to great lengths to enlighten us regarding the pagan associations of the winter solstice, the worship of Druid gods, and idolatry related to evergreen trees. They chide us, saying we are somehow playing into Satan’s insidious scheme by honoring the birth of Christ with our Christmas traditions. Don’t believe it. This old “guilt-by-association” argument condemning our celebrations of Christ must be examined from a biblical perspective (See Rom.14:1-6; 1Cor.5:9-10; 1Cor.8:4-6; 1Cor.10:25-30). To condemn our Christ-honoring praise for the incarnation each December because of some ancient pagan associations is as ludicrous as disallowing Sunday worship because “Sunday” was initially designated for the worship of “Sol” the Sun god. Historically Christians have rightly redeemed certain days, words and places for the worship of Jesus Christ. As Paul wrote when facing the critics in Corinth “Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it’” (1Cor.10:25-26). So let us utilize all we can to bring glory, honor and praise to God for the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Christmas Giving

The relationship of Christmas with gift-giving may be bemoaned by many, but the connection is a biblical one. I am not referring to the crazed run through the mall in late December or the White Elephant gift exchange at the office party, but the concept of generously and freely giving gifts because God gave us his Son to redeem us; this is the association that cannot and should not be avoided. The Bible says that our love for each other, and thus our love for God can be measured, at least in part, by our generosity and the willingness with which we give tangible gifts to one another (see 1 John 3:16-17). Being the targets of God’s love necessarily implants a desire to be the kind of person who meets the needs of others. Knowing what it is to be loved by God is an experience that the Bible says should drive us to give as freely as we have received. A redeemed heart will find increasing satisfaction in reaching out, even at great personal cost, to enrich and enhance the lives of others through the giving of time, talent and resources. So while the world may be giving gifts for all the wrong reasons (and complaining about it a good part of the time) we can piggy-back on this “gift-giving season” and give to help, benefit and encourage as a reflection of Christ and for the glory of God.

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Worship Always

The suffering of Job was intense. To bury all of your children after a catastrophic storm is doubtless a devastating pain that would cause many to shake their fist at God. Instead, as you know, Job did not. He did take on the ancient near-Eastern sign of a person in severe emotional pain (“he tore his robe and shaved his head”), but in a spectacular demonstration of true perspective, Job “fell to the ground and worshipped” (Job 1:20). He knew to think, much like Peter when Jesus asked him if he wanted to leave him, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” (Jn.6:67-68). He knew that it was God who was in control and while he brought pain, he was really the only One who could bring comfort (Lam.3:32). More than that, Job’s high view of God’s sovereignty led him to gratefully credit God with the gift of his children in the hour God had taken them away – “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away” (Job 1:21b). Job, in his dark hour of loss, had no sense of entitlement. He understood the gifts of God’s grace and was able to say as one undeserving of them, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart” (Job 1:21a). In a day when most of us have bought Satan’s lie that we are somehow entitled to the “good life,” we can learn from the first twenty-two verses of the book of Job that when, for whatever reason, God chooses to revoke, withhold or postpone his generous gifts, we can still worship him as a good God who never does wrong. May it be that in any and every circumstance we can say with Job, “May the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21c).

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Joyful Thanksgiving

Psalm 96 calls us to “Sing to the Lord” (Ps.96:1a). Regardless of our present pains or disappointments, the Bible assumes that if we are recipients of his grace and mercy, we have a lot to sing about. And the focus should not only be historical (i.e. what God did for us in years past), but our attention should also be on God’s merciful involvement which is observed to be “new every morning” (Lam.3:23). That is why the psalmist calls us to sing to him “a new song” (Ps.96:1b). The “newness” in view is not the modernity of the melody (necessarily), but it clearly has to do with the recent awareness of God’s “marvelous deeds” and manifestations of his “glory” among his people and in our lives (Ps.96:3). We could consume all of our time and attention focusing on the difficulties of the Christian life, but the Bible says that would be a mistake. Because God “is great” and “most worthy of praise” (Ps.96:4), there are many good and awesome things of which we should take note, and then, in obedience to God’s word, we must turn our hearts and our voices to him in joyful song. Psalm 96 ends as we might expect, looking forward to the day when God makes everything right (Ps.96:13), but in the meantime we should never fail to find the “right” that he is doing right now and celebrate it with glad and sincere hearts.

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Grace

God’s grace is the theme of the New Testament and yet with all this scriptural emphasis it seems we are still slow to rightly understand it. We either tend to think that it is some kind of extra credit that adds to our goodness, thus making us acceptable to God. Or we secretly tend to believe it is a “get out of jail free” card that allows us to dabble in sin without consequences. Both are obviously a perversion of what is presented to us in God’s word. Biblical grace is the immeasurable and completely unearned favor that God grants us because of Christ and in spite of ourselves. It is not an add on, but a complete replacement of our attempts at earning a place in God’s family. Once granted God’s grace is tenacious in instructing us to deny ungodliness and live holy lives – not to earn God’s favor, but in response to it (Tit.2:12). Let us always be grateful for grace, being careful to understand it as we should.

--Pastor Mike

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Biblical Tension

It has been rightly said that we should never use biblical truths in unbiblical ways. We make this costly error at times without knowing it. We may be hailing some aspect of God’s word with a resolute focus while unwittingly beginning to utilize that affirmation to deny some other forthright teaching of Scripture. Take for instance our confidence in the sovereignty of God, which is of course a thoroughly biblical and foundational truth. But, if my championing of that specific truth leads my zeal for evangelism to wane (contra 2 Corinthians 5) or my passion for prayer to be quenched (contra Luke 18), then I am using a biblical truth (God’s sovereignty in this case) in an unbiblical way. God wants us to hold to the biblical tension of asking for God to change some present circumstance and God’s indomitable plan, without denying either. This may be difficult as we mentally grapple with the various complexities of our transcendent God, but we must nevertheless. Always beware of how your deepening understanding of God’s truth may be inadvertently leading you to neglect or oppose some other undeniable aspect of God’s word. As you do, you will prove to be a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth (2Tim.2:15).
--Pastor Mike

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Truth

Truth is not always popular. Depending on the environment, statements that reflect absolute truth can be downright offensive to many. That is one reason the Bible instructs us to make sure our hearts are centered on pleasing God even before we open our mouths. We need to keep in mind the ultimate goal of our conversation so we don’t get entangled in personal arguments or some defensive tirade. Peter exhorts us to “set Christ apart as Lord” in our hearts before considering our contribution to a dialog that requires God’s truth (1Pt.3:15). That verse also clarifies that we cannot always improvise in these kinds of encounters. Knowing the volatile nature of competing world views, we should “always be prepared to give an answer.” Before we find ourselves in these situations we would be wise to pray frequently and even mentally dialog with the prevailing philosophies of our day. Lastly, when we are in the middle of that conversation and we know we have to stand up for what is true, Peter adds that we must govern our emotions so that we can speak with a decorum of “gentleness and respect.” Truth may not always be popular, but when we speak it in love, God may just use our words to accomplish his transforming purpose in others.
--Pastor Mike 

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Beauty

If only we were as concerned with our spiritual beauty, as people in our culture are with their external attractiveness. Unfortunately, like the world, we often fail to value what God finds attractive. The kudos received for losing a few pounds or getting a hair cut are seemingly more gratifying than the benefits of a heart strengthened by grace or a character fortified with patience. But you can be sure that when the Scripture highlights the comparison between spiritual and physical attractiveness, our “inner beauty” is asserted to be of “great worth in God’s sight” (1Pt.3:4). While we may not be complimented by our coworkers for a beautiful heart, we can know that God treasures the attractive spirit. He is quick to defend, support and draw near to those who, through thoughtful preparation, take the time to draw near to him by starting each day with the question “How does my spirit look today?”

--Pastor Mike

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Rejection

Rejection hurts. And unfortunately our Christianity increases the likelihood that we will encounter it more often. Part of the cost of “taking up our cross” and “following Jesus” is the harsh reality of “bearing the disgrace he bore” (Heb.13:13). As Jesus himself said: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (Jn.15:18). It is a vain hope to expect the favor of Christ and the accolades of everyone else at the same time. “Woe to you when all men speak well of you,” Jesus warned (Lk.6:26). Amid the pain of rejection, our challenge is to learn to value and cherish the approval of Christ more than the acceptance of those around us. But that, of course, is easier said than done – especially when the rejection comes from those we love. In the lyrics of his inspired song, David is resolute as he sings: “Though my father and mother forsake me, Yahweh will receive me” (Ps.27:10). While we can expect the pain, we can also anticipate the incomparable treasure of being embraced by the King of kings and Lord of lords!

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Historic Truth

Some chide us for “checking our brains in at the door” when we come to a place of trusting in Christ for forgiveness and new life. But that is not how Christianity is presented to us in Scripture. The New Testament evangelists never asked anyone to stop thinking, stop inquiring or stop analyzing the claims of Christ and the Apostles. No one was asked to just “pray about it” and “accept this message regardless of the facts.” Paul didn’t wink and ask the Roman King Agrippa and the Judean Procurator Festus to accept the amazing claims of Christ’s message and resurrection “by faith” – that is, without investigation. Instead, he challenged them with a cogent and logical presentation of the claims and closed with these words: “What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner” (Ac.26:25-26). Because the claims of Christ are true, they hold up to scrutiny and careful examination. So don’t check your brains in at the door when it comes to biblical Christianity, you’ll need them to keep researching the themes of redemption, forgiveness and new life in Christ which are rooted in the historic facts of the biblical record.

Self-Examination

The Bible often reminds us to not forget. It tells us to hang on to what we’ve learned and to build on the gains that we’ve made in the Christian life. The goal is not to be nostalgic, but to be sure to “live up to what we have already attained” (Phil.3:16) “remembering what we’ve received and heard” so that we can “obey it” (Rev.3:3). This requires purposeful times of reflection and self-examination, disciplines that are often pushed to the bottom of our busy schedules. Take some time this week to think of your progress as a follower of Christ. Think of where you were and where you are now. Thank God for the growth and memorialize the gains. Credit God with the maturity you are seeing in your life and resolve that with Spirit’s help you will not forfeit any advancements.  Remember it is only a matter of time until we see him face to face. So for now, “continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming” (1Jn.2:28).

Money

Most of us at, one point or another, have said in frustration “I hate money!” While that may sound better than the alternative which is prohibited in Scripture (1Tim.6:10), it is obviously not how God would have us live. God knows we will have to function in a world run with money. He also knows we will encounter all the problems and temptations that come with it. But God would have us master this potentially unruly aspect of life and not be mastered by it. “Master it,” not by achieving some kind of “independently wealthy” status, but by working with God’s Spirit to keep all its related temptations and frustrations from taking hold of our hearts. Because, as many can testify, a bigger income doesn’t neutralize money’s problem – it usually magnifies it!  The biblical goal is contentment!  True contentment may be an illusive aspect of godliness, but, as Paul wrote, it holds the promise of real “gain” (1Tim.6:6). Contentment is antithetical to worry, anxiety, greed and covetousness. That alone should provide us with ample motivation. So today, let’s take stock of the gifts God has given. Let us, with God’s help, untangle our hearts from the discouragement and pain that comes from a heightened focus on our financial challenges. Let us live self-controlled and contented lives that trust in God and not the things he provides.

Injustice

Unfortunately, this side of heaven we will all experience a lot of injustice – much of it personal. In this fallen world we can count on being falsely accused, mistreated, misquoted and maligned. Fortunately, none of it escapes the watchful and loving attention of our God. While our hearts may cry out for immediate vindication, God’s plan often includes that we learn to wait for our heavenly Father to straighten things out. Sure, there are times when it is appropriate to plead our case, provide a clarification or attempt a personal defense. But often that’s not possible or not appropriate. Instead, God calls us to a virtuous and faith-filled response. Peter enlists the ultimate example for our instruction when he writes of Christ’s response to the injustice of his opposition: “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1Pt.2:23). It may be difficult, but it is Christlike. It may not provide immediate satisfaction but it is the attitude God will one day reward.

Gods Forgiveness

Our theology regarding justification is often revealed by how we embrace God’s forgiveness when we sin. On the one hand, we may say that we heartily affirm the orthodox doctrine of justification by faith (i.e. that we are accepted as perfectly righteous before God by our trust in Christ, without the aid of good works), but on the other hand, when we fall into sin and subsequently call out to God in repentance, we often feel as though God’s forgiveness cannot be fully experienced until we have performed some act of penance or have done enough “time” in some kind of spiritual detention. It is important to recognize that God’s forgiveness initially granted to adopted spiritual newborns as well as to failing spiritual teenagers is granted on the same exact basis - the finished work of Christ on the cross! While there may be some human restitution to be made there is not a single ounce of relational atonement or spiritual reparation to be made to God. Christ has done it all. He paid for the sins he knew you would commit after your conversion and they have been covered by the sufferings of Christ. You cannot “earn” God’s forgiveness as a Christian any more than a non-Christian can earn it. Forgiveness is a gift of divine grace! It is embraced by penitent people solely on the basis of faith. So don’t doubt it. Embrace it, praising God that Jesus paid it all.

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Being Thankful

Being thankful to God is the essence of worship. To be specific and thoughtful about our gratitude is not only well-received by the Godhead, it is expected (Lk.17:17). We owe him nothing less than to catalog our blessings and prompt our own hearts to recite them in thanksgiving. We see this discipline in the lyrics of the Psalmist as he calls his own soul to “Praise Yahweh!” and “forget not all his benefits” (Ps.103:2). It may sound elementary to remind yourself to “count your blessings and name them one by one,” but nothing would capture the essence of spiritual maturity more than doing just that (1Th.5:18). And unlike the non-directed “thanksgiving” of our world, we must be careful and clear in our minds about the ultimate recipient of gratitude. It is not enough to passively feel thankful, we must actively direct our earnest expressions of thanks to the Giver of all good things (Jms.1:17). Though he has blessed us in countless ways, it is our responsibility to start counting anyway. As we do, God is honored, we are refreshed, and Christ’s Church is adorned with the worshipful hearts that befit his children.

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Biblical Preaching

A consistent intake of challenging biblical preaching is essential for your spiritual growth. The Bible tells us that we cannot be the maturing and discerning Christians God wants us to be unless we are ingesting thoughtful biblical exposition when we gather. Peter equated biblical preaching to the necessity of “food” in our spiritual lives (1Pet.1:25 – 2:3).  The writer of Hebrews adds that if your meals are always simple and elementary you will remain infantile in your faith (Heb.5:12-14). If you hope to be a strong, astute, useful follower of Christ, biblical preaching will be a key ingredient. While some forms of preaching may seem more palatable to our personal tastes and desires, what we truly need are sermons that challenge our thinking, lead us to honest introspection and drive us to step up and step out for Christ in a way we never have before. While this kind of preaching may not tickle our ears, it will be the type of weekly spiritual training that will reap eternal dividends as we make growth, and not comfort, the goal of our instruction.

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Future Perfection

Isaiah poetically affirms that one day “every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of Yahweh will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it” (40:3-4). This may be hard to imagine, but the Bible affirms that everything in God’s universe will eventually be put in place as it ought to be. Sometimes we struggle with the ultimate realities of God’s gracious rewards and his just retribution. At times, we think that God’s revealed plan will leave some things “out of place” or “not quite right.” But from eternity’s perspective, we can be assured that we will together affirm that God’s resolve of earth’s realities will be perfect. There will be nothing inappropriate about God’s consummation of all things. No one will be able to look to a “bump” or a “crack” in God’s settled universe. We will celebrate his grace and affirm his justice. In the meantime, we must seek to understand something of God’s perfect attributes and trust him with his future resolution. Like those who viewed the ministry of the God-man, Jesus Christ, we will certainly agree that “he has done everything well” (Mk.7:37).

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Opportunities to Witness

God calls us to always be looking for opportunities to help people understand the urgency of turning from sin to live for Christ. Paul depicts this Christian responsibility as telling the people in our world to “wake up” (Eph.5:14) – a duty not always eagerly accepted. While the thought may be intimidating, the prospects are exciting. Especially when we realize that Ephesians also reminds us that the results don’t rest on a set of well-crafted words or a skilled apologetic. Because the problem is spiritual death (and not simply an intellectual or moral deficiency), it is ultimately a work of God. As God sovereignly uses our ambassadorship, he periodically takes the reiteration of biblical truth to immediately transform and eternally redirect the lives of lost men and women. It is an awesome transaction to witness – one we wouldn’t want to miss because we weren’t looking for it. In the words of Ephesians 5, “be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (vv.15-16).  May God use you this week to make a difference in someone’s life.

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Know Your God

According to God’s word there is nothing more rewarding or more satisfying than using your mind to focus on your Creator. The Psalmist declares, “Blessed are they who seek him with all of their heart” (Ps.119:2).  Jesus affirmed that the greatest directive from the Old Testament was a supreme love for God that included “all of your mind” (Mt.22:37). When you take time to ponder the Triune God or when you seek to deepen your knowledge of the Almighty, you are engaging in the primary goal of your existence. The Bible tells us that everything about your lot in life is strategically designed to get you to do more of just that!  Acts 17 states that the time of your birth and the exact place in which you live are both sovereignly aimed at getting you to “seek God and reach out for him” (vv.26-27).  And that is not just a “pre-Christian” concern. There is so much more for us all to know about our transcendent God! Paul’s prayer for the Philippians was that these growing Christians would “abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight” about their God. So today be sure to engage your mental faculties in the ever-deepening quest of knowing more about your God.

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Rejoice

In Philippians 4:4 we are commanded to “Rejoice in the Lord always!” That is quite a remarkable command given that we had already been warned by Christ that life won’t always feel good (cf. Jn.16:33). But the directive is given and our response is expected just the same. Perhaps at some point in your Christian life you have humbly sought to implement this instruction, even when life was painful. If you have, you may have discovered that it is not only possible, it is often the catalyst of a whole new and energizing perspective. Consider the person God used to write this command. The Apostle Paul was unjustly imprisoned and robbed of his “freedom” when he was moved by God to pen these words. First century incarceration is probably not the backdrop we would imagine for a broad and direct call to rejoice in God. However, it’s true. As Paul sat in prison he was able to find strength and hope as he recounted God’s goodness and oft-overlooked reasons to be thankful (cf. Phil.1:12-30). So, no matter what is going on in your life this week, remember these words and put them into practice. It would do us well to “rejoice in the Lord always!”

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Antinomianism

From time to time we speak of the error of “antinomianism” – the belief that for Christians the rules of the Bible don’t apply. “Anti,” of course, means “against,” and “nomos” is the Greek word for “law.” “Antinomians” are opposed to the rules – they do not see them as needed or required in any practical sense. Antinomianism has always been a popular heresy, in part because we would all naturally like to hope that there are no rules for which we will be held accountable. It is also a common error because many don’t read the New Testament with care. Many passages speak of “grace overcoming law” and “Christ being the end of the law.” However, before we conclude that God’s rules don’t apply to us we must be careful to read all of the New Testament and thoughtfully discern the context in which these statements are made. There are clearly two basic components of the Bible’s rules – the old covenant’s religious ceremonial laws, and the various laws of moral and ethical conduct. When the Apostles speak of grace prevailing over the law they are plainly arguing that our imperfect attempts at keeping any set of biblical rules are insufficient to earn our justification (Rom.2–7). Secondarily, the case is made that the ceremonial laws for worship have become obsolete with their fulfillment in Christ (Heb.4–10). While we can’t earn our salvation, and we should not engage in already fulfilled ceremonies, the New Testament is clear that “grace” will always “instruct us” to live “upright and godly lives” (Tit.2:11-12). We can only do that by humbly following God’s ethical and moral instructions – i.e., keeping the rules.

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Respect the Aged

There is a little verse tucked away in the book of Leviticus that reveals an oft-neglected value among those making a claim to godliness. We often miss these seemingly obscure biblical insights because we read much of the Old Testament as wholly obsolete for our new covenant Christian lives. While it is true that Christ has fulfilled the ceremonial rules of the Mosaic Law, so much of what God revealed to the early Israelite shows us his eternal values and changeless character. Consider Leviticus 19:32, “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly.” Many would consider standing when an older person enters the room as some kind of stodgy formalism or just a cute southern tradition, but according to Leviticus 19, such gestures of respect are essential for those who desire to “revere the Lord” (v.32b). God tells us that the elderly among us should be granted our esteem, if for nothing else, because God has granted them grace to live to a “good old age” (Gen.25:8). Of course, in most cases there is much more for which they should be respected. Their many years of life-experience and accumulated wisdom should be a cause for our sincere expressions of respect (Job 12:12). So the next time a “senior” walks into your presence, may God’s value of the aged prompt you to sincerely convey your kindness and admiration.

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Strength Amid Discouragement

In the pages of Scripture, even the most godly people periodically grapple with discouragement. Circumstances inevitably lead to feelings of hurt, loneliness and dejection. God’s people are not immune to these kinds of bitter feelings, but what godly people provide is an example of what to do when we find ourselves in such dark times. In 1 Samuel 30 we read of David being personally opposed, betrayed and alone, with “everyone” turning against him. There were even rumblings among his so-called companions of secretly taking his life. David was obviously distressed and plagued with discouragement. David’s godly response is described with a beautiful simplicity. The Bible says that “David found strength in the Lord his God” (v.6). He did what we should all do in our times of discouragement – he sought God. He spent time with the Lord, seeking his perspective and his direction. In the verses that follow, we find that God was faithful to provide it. David didn’t choose to wallow in his pain, he discovered the next steps that God would have him take and he pursued God’s will with courage and determination. He gave himself to doing what was right, even amid his personal pain, and God not only consoled his heart but he changed his circumstances. May you find strength in the Lord to do what is right the next time your heart is discouraged.

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