In reading Acts 2 in combination with a Martyn Lloyd-Jones devotional, I was struck today by my overwhelming debt and need of the Holy Spirit. Without exaggeration, everything in my spiritual life and my walk with Christ is dependent upon and was given by God through the Spirit. Here is a short, non-exhaustive list:
- a recognition of my sin and need for a Savior
- the willingness and ability to turn from my sin and to Jesus
- a certainty that God hears and answers my prayers
- the confidence that all of God's promises are "Yes" in Jesus
- a complete assurance that nothing can separate me from the love of God in Christ
- a full realization that because of Jesus I am not condemned but loved, adopted and redeemed
- the knowledge that whatever I've been given by God, I've been given to share
- a growing sense that the same Spirit that walked with Jesus is walking with me
- the conviction that any use of the grace gifts without the Spirit is an empty exercise
I could go on, but the ache of my heart is first to say to God, and to the Spirit in particular, I am sorry for relegating you to second class status, for trying to do things on my own that were never meant to be done on my own and for slipping into a mind set that you are some kind of force. You are in fact the third person of the Trinity and deserve the respect, worship and glory of God.
My second ache is to ask myself, and any who may read this post, what am I doing in operating on my own strength? There is no point, no purpose and no lasting effect in anything I do on my own. It is botched from the start, since it has my glory as its goal, plus it is limited in its scope because it has my vision as its guide and once it is done it is incomplete since it has my power as its source.
So today and, I pray, every day, I'm seeking to think and speak, act and react, in the power of the Holy Spirit, third person of the Trinity, for the glory of God.
To God Alone Be The Glory
Showing posts with label trinity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trinity. Show all posts
Friday, January 3, 2014
Friday, January 4, 2013
New Year, new grace
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Lam 3:22-24
This is an often quoted passage of scripture and, I feel, often misapplied. My goal here is not to debunk any particular misapplication of these verses but instead take a moment to reflect on the grand truths they contain. And I also want this to be, in a sense, a statement of my writing theme (themes actually) for the foreseeable future.
Here are the the glorious realities that Jeremiah lays out in the middle of his lament over the destruction of Jerusalem (Imagine every home and business in your town (including your own) being totally destroyed and then singing this kind of praise to God!)
God's love is certain and forever - we cannot out run it or ruin it.
God's mercy (and grace, flip sides of the same coin) are not limited to an event or experience but are unlimited and are continually renewed - we cannot sin beyond God's grace and we cannot exalt ourselves beyond our need for his mercy.
God's faithfulness is great, in fact greater than we realize - we need each person of the Trinity - Father, Son and Spirit - intervening in our lives constantly to keep us from falling into oblivion
God's provision for us is complete and sufficient - all we need, whether we admit it or not (God makes the rain fall on both the righteous and the unrighteous) comes from God and rests in his love and faithfulness.
Our response is hope and faith and praise - Scriptural images abound, but my mind continually returns to the tax collector in Lk 18:13 "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner"
There is a lot here and perhaps my goal of having a more focused writing theme has been blown out of the water. And yet, as I reflect on the themes of these three verses, I see a lot of overlap and much that compliments the other. In the end, I think it boils down to the grand theme of the love of God reflected in his grace and mercy and manifested most powerfully in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
To God Alone be the Glory
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Basking in the "Godness" of our Salvation
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Tit 3:4-7)
In preparing for an upcoming message on the power of the Holy Spirit in our salvation, I was drawn to Titus 3:5. However in quickly scanning the surrounding verses I was struck once again by the otherness of our salvation. Or maybe its better to say the "Godness" of our salvation.
I could break down each verse and highlight things like the goodness and kindness mercy of God, the richness of the grace of Jesus, cleansing and renewing (dare I say resurrecting) power of the Holy Spirit. I could highlight that our salvation really occurs in spite of ourselves, like little children who are rescued from dangerous, even life threatening peril without even realizing we were in danger. I could draw out the cooperative effort of the Trinity in saving us or the fact that our salvation doesn't just get us in, but places us in the exalted position of heir, one of God's beloved children.
I could do all of the above in this post, but my heart has a different bent right now. I simply want us to bask in the enormity of what God, in all of his trinitarian fullness, has orchestrated and accomplished for us. In reality Titus 3:4-7 is like a picture of the Grand Canyon. It is awesome to behold and is compelling to consider. But it pales to actually being there. No picture, no movie can replace actually standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon and just soaking in its enormity. No description, no topographical map can communicate the depth and scale of being in the inner canyon and actually feeling as small as we really are.
And what is true of one small part of God's incredible creation is true of the apex of His work in the lives of his people. Today, can we take 5 minutes and simply (or profoundly) step into God's salvation? For 5 minutes can we take our eyes off ourselves and put our eyes on the Father of mercy, the Son of grace and the Spirit of power? For 5 minutes can we get lost in the enormity of God and His amazing, incredible, boundless love?
May this be the beginning of a journey that will take us to the very heart of God.
To God Alone be the Glory
In preparing for an upcoming message on the power of the Holy Spirit in our salvation, I was drawn to Titus 3:5. However in quickly scanning the surrounding verses I was struck once again by the otherness of our salvation. Or maybe its better to say the "Godness" of our salvation.
I could break down each verse and highlight things like the goodness and kindness mercy of God, the richness of the grace of Jesus, cleansing and renewing (dare I say resurrecting) power of the Holy Spirit. I could highlight that our salvation really occurs in spite of ourselves, like little children who are rescued from dangerous, even life threatening peril without even realizing we were in danger. I could draw out the cooperative effort of the Trinity in saving us or the fact that our salvation doesn't just get us in, but places us in the exalted position of heir, one of God's beloved children.
I could do all of the above in this post, but my heart has a different bent right now. I simply want us to bask in the enormity of what God, in all of his trinitarian fullness, has orchestrated and accomplished for us. In reality Titus 3:4-7 is like a picture of the Grand Canyon. It is awesome to behold and is compelling to consider. But it pales to actually being there. No picture, no movie can replace actually standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon and just soaking in its enormity. No description, no topographical map can communicate the depth and scale of being in the inner canyon and actually feeling as small as we really are.
And what is true of one small part of God's incredible creation is true of the apex of His work in the lives of his people. Today, can we take 5 minutes and simply (or profoundly) step into God's salvation? For 5 minutes can we take our eyes off ourselves and put our eyes on the Father of mercy, the Son of grace and the Spirit of power? For 5 minutes can we get lost in the enormity of God and His amazing, incredible, boundless love?
May this be the beginning of a journey that will take us to the very heart of God.
To God Alone be the Glory
Monday, February 13, 2012
Christ's death / Our assurance
(The following was excerpted from a sermon I preached on 2/12/2012. The full manuscript is here. The audio can be found here. SDG)
So, we have four reasons that Jesus chose to die.
1) Jesus died because we are his sheep. vv11-13
2) Jesus died because He knows us. vv14-16
3) Jesus died because the Father loves him v17
4) Jesus died because He has the authority to die (and to live again) v18
But what do we do with these truths? How can we take them with us into the rest of our lives? Here are just a few quick items that I pray the Spirit will press upon your hearts.
First, remember that Jesus was speaking both to build our confidence and to bolster our assurance. We must realize that whatever comes our way, He died for his own, for us who by grace have put our faith and trust in him. The hardships in your life are not a surprise to him. The temptations that seem to derail your walk with Christ are not insurmountable obstacles to him. Remember that he died to secure your eternal redemption.
Second, rest on the reality that Jesus’ death was intentional, purposeful and born out of love. We are too quick to view Jesus’ death as just a point in time event. While it was that, it was (and is) so much more. The Father, Son and Spirit planed your redemption before the world began. They have been acting throughout history to bring the cross and the Christ together. They have been working everyday of your life, first to bring you to faith, and second to build you up in Christlikeness. And they are laboring now toward the restoration of all things. As Paul asks in Romans, if God is doing all this, will He not, along with Christ graciously give us all things? On top of that, if Christ has done all of this, what in all of creation could possibly separate us from the love of God that is in Christ?
Third, we need to rely on the fact that all of this, our salvation, sanctification and glorification, the redemption of all things, the restoration recreation of the universe all hinges on the magnificent and incomprehensible love of God. Jesus’ love for the Father sends him to the Cross. The Father’s love of Christ accepts, approves and is filled out by Jesus loving submission. The love of the Shepherd for his sheep compels him to protect them and preserve them despite the cost to his very life.
Finally, we are both recipients and responders. The Bible is God’s story of creation, redemption and restoration. From Genesis to Revelation, we are simply recipients of God’s unmerited favor. Jesus did the heavy lifting. In reality, He did all the lifting. And yet, God expects a response to his grace. We need to receive it. We need to own it. We ought to revel in it. We ought to run with it. But whatever we do, we dare not reject it.
But I would remiss not to reiterate that the security of Jesus’ sacrificial death only applies to His sheep. If have not surrendered your life to Him, if have not accepted the free gift of his grace, neither I nor the Bible can offer you any assurance. Yet the Bible is clear: today is the day of salvation. If the Spirit is pressing on your heart, if the love of Christ has hemmed you in, if you are experiencing a gut wrenching hunger for this kind of assurance, let go of your tightfisted grip on a self-righteousness that can never save and reach out to embrace the magnificent gospel of grace and the Savior who chose to die so that you could live.
Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He has laid down his life for us. We are safe, we are secure. We are free to live and serve and die for the one to has our lives in the palm of his hand.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
To God Alone be the Glory
So, we have four reasons that Jesus chose to die.
1) Jesus died because we are his sheep. vv11-13
2) Jesus died because He knows us. vv14-16
3) Jesus died because the Father loves him v17
4) Jesus died because He has the authority to die (and to live again) v18
But what do we do with these truths? How can we take them with us into the rest of our lives? Here are just a few quick items that I pray the Spirit will press upon your hearts.
First, remember that Jesus was speaking both to build our confidence and to bolster our assurance. We must realize that whatever comes our way, He died for his own, for us who by grace have put our faith and trust in him. The hardships in your life are not a surprise to him. The temptations that seem to derail your walk with Christ are not insurmountable obstacles to him. Remember that he died to secure your eternal redemption.
Second, rest on the reality that Jesus’ death was intentional, purposeful and born out of love. We are too quick to view Jesus’ death as just a point in time event. While it was that, it was (and is) so much more. The Father, Son and Spirit planed your redemption before the world began. They have been acting throughout history to bring the cross and the Christ together. They have been working everyday of your life, first to bring you to faith, and second to build you up in Christlikeness. And they are laboring now toward the restoration of all things. As Paul asks in Romans, if God is doing all this, will He not, along with Christ graciously give us all things? On top of that, if Christ has done all of this, what in all of creation could possibly separate us from the love of God that is in Christ?
Third, we need to rely on the fact that all of this, our salvation, sanctification and glorification, the redemption of all things, the restoration recreation of the universe all hinges on the magnificent and incomprehensible love of God. Jesus’ love for the Father sends him to the Cross. The Father’s love of Christ accepts, approves and is filled out by Jesus loving submission. The love of the Shepherd for his sheep compels him to protect them and preserve them despite the cost to his very life.
Finally, we are both recipients and responders. The Bible is God’s story of creation, redemption and restoration. From Genesis to Revelation, we are simply recipients of God’s unmerited favor. Jesus did the heavy lifting. In reality, He did all the lifting. And yet, God expects a response to his grace. We need to receive it. We need to own it. We ought to revel in it. We ought to run with it. But whatever we do, we dare not reject it.
But I would remiss not to reiterate that the security of Jesus’ sacrificial death only applies to His sheep. If have not surrendered your life to Him, if have not accepted the free gift of his grace, neither I nor the Bible can offer you any assurance. Yet the Bible is clear: today is the day of salvation. If the Spirit is pressing on your heart, if the love of Christ has hemmed you in, if you are experiencing a gut wrenching hunger for this kind of assurance, let go of your tightfisted grip on a self-righteousness that can never save and reach out to embrace the magnificent gospel of grace and the Savior who chose to die so that you could live.
Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He has laid down his life for us. We are safe, we are secure. We are free to live and serve and die for the one to has our lives in the palm of his hand.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
To God Alone be the Glory
Monday, March 21, 2011
Whoever Finds Me Finds Life
"For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD," Proverbs 8:35
In reading through Proverbs 8 today, I was again struck by the reality that the Holy Spirit is a person. To be sure, I am a trinitarian as they come, but it is easy, too easy, to relegate the Spirit to a some kind of secondary status. He is like an athlete who comes off the bench to make the game winning play. We are glad he was there, but it was the starters that got us to the final seconds. That may be our perception, but that is far from God's reality.
As time allows I would respectfully ask you to thoughtfully read Proverbs 8. Absorb the fact that "Wisdom" is speaking. Wisdom speaking? Really? Does that mean wisdom is not a commodity to be handed out like candy at a parade? Maybe the truth of it is that Wisdom (i.e. the Spirit) is a person we come to know and to emulate, thus becoming wise. (See Prv 13:20). Beyond that, consider passages like Eph 1:13-14 or 1 Cor 2. The Holy Spirit has been given to us so that we may have the wisdom of God and the mind of Christ.
One last thought. Even though the Holy Spirit, by the nature of his role in the Trinity, is the "behind the scenes" person, we must strive to not commoditize him. There is so much in our walk with Christ that would be impossible without the Spirit (dare I say all of it!) so we must give him the respect and praise that is he is due! And as we stretch our puny minds to even grasp these realities, we can praise and thank the Spirit that we are able to grasp even a small part of of the grand reality of God.
To God Alone be the Glory
In reading through Proverbs 8 today, I was again struck by the reality that the Holy Spirit is a person. To be sure, I am a trinitarian as they come, but it is easy, too easy, to relegate the Spirit to a some kind of secondary status. He is like an athlete who comes off the bench to make the game winning play. We are glad he was there, but it was the starters that got us to the final seconds. That may be our perception, but that is far from God's reality.
As time allows I would respectfully ask you to thoughtfully read Proverbs 8. Absorb the fact that "Wisdom" is speaking. Wisdom speaking? Really? Does that mean wisdom is not a commodity to be handed out like candy at a parade? Maybe the truth of it is that Wisdom (i.e. the Spirit) is a person we come to know and to emulate, thus becoming wise. (See Prv 13:20). Beyond that, consider passages like Eph 1:13-14 or 1 Cor 2. The Holy Spirit has been given to us so that we may have the wisdom of God and the mind of Christ.
One last thought. Even though the Holy Spirit, by the nature of his role in the Trinity, is the "behind the scenes" person, we must strive to not commoditize him. There is so much in our walk with Christ that would be impossible without the Spirit (dare I say all of it!) so we must give him the respect and praise that is he is due! And as we stretch our puny minds to even grasp these realities, we can praise and thank the Spirit that we are able to grasp even a small part of of the grand reality of God.
To God Alone be the Glory
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