Hope for the Wretched!

In 1772, at the age of 47, after a ‘colorful’ life, John Newton penned the words of a beloved hymn celebrating the ‘Amazing Grace’ of God.  His poem was born of his own spiritual awakening.

He knew the depths of sin and the pain of terrible regret so when he wrote of God’s grace that ‘saved a wretch like me’ they were heartfelt words. His Christian mother died when he was 7 and his sea-faring father, gone 2 to 3 years at a time, left him in the care of another family. Sent to a boarding school, he experienced emotional and spiritual confusion, and by his own confession - a lack of moral conviction and self-discipline. In 1744 Newton was  taken by force into service in the Royal Navy. He soon found himself disgraced and traded for a man from a passing merchant ship, a slave vessel.

Thus, began his career in the lucrative and horribly cruel business of human trafficking . In time he became the  captain of several slave ships where eventually the horrors of human suffering became too much to bear. After a disabling stroke, he left the sea, married a woman who turned his heart to Christ.  A changed man, he led Bible Studies in his home, and was eventually ordained as an Anglican pastor.  Later in life, he joined William Wilberforce in opposition to the slave-trade and England abolished slavery as a result.  Yes, he is a shining example of “Amazing Grace,”  a man bent on destruction, separated from God, transformed into a man of love for God and others.

The second half of my own life has been a celebration of the amazing grace of God.  Relieved of fear, I found a Loving Father, a good God who is ‘for me, not against me.’  The revelation of the Scripture declares to us that “now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known … This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith." (Romans 3:21-27, NIV)

That passage is complex, but what words of hope are wrapped in those words. We are made right with God in spite of our failures, our wretchedness. We are bought back from slavery into which sin carried us, freed to live with joy and hope. God is just and merciful in the same moment, restoring us to the purpose and calling for which we are created, to be own children, to share in His love, to live forever in His home. And we do not come to this place because we are good enough, smart enough, or ‘churchy’ enough. It is a GIFT we receive, by faith.

If you live under a cloud of guilt, if shame drives you to try to achieve things in life to compensate for past failure, if you struggle to know that God is loving and good - pray for a revelation of GRACE. Yes it is tranformational truth! "God saved you by His special favor (grace) when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT)   

Remember the disgraced preacher named Jonah? He ran from the call of God, selfishly willful. But God did not abandon him. He pursued him and dramatically changed the course of his life. The preacher prayed from the low point of his life - “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.” (Jonah 2:8-9, NIV)

John tells us that "From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:16-17, NIV)  Moses’ Law showed us the holiness of God and the grace of Jesus provided us a way to know Him, without shame and fear, to love our Father who loved us first. 

“I have no song to sing, but that of Christ my King;
to Him my praise I'll bring forevermore.
His love beyond degree,
His death that ransomed me;
now and eternally.” (John Peterson)

May the grace of God shine in your heart and mind.  Meditate on the truth of the inspired Word, our word from the Word today. "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. … Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:8-9,13, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Amazing Grace

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind but now I see!

 

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my fears relieved.

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed.

 

The Lord has promised good to me,

His Word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be

As long as life endures.

 

Through many dangers toils and snares

I have already come.

'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.

 

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease.

I shall possess, within the veil,

A life of joy and peace.

 

When we've been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun,

We've no less days, to sing God's praise,

Than when we first begun.

 

John Newton

© Words: Public Domain

Useful

Every morning I enjoy my coffee from a pottery mug, a plain hand-made item, a gift from a friend that I have used every day for years. It holds just the right amount of coffee, the grip fits my hand.  It’s function matters most to me though when I think about it, I appreciate the the artistr, too! It is useful!  Here’s the question that formed my thoughts this morning - Am I willing to be shaped, formed into someone who is useful to God, to others?

Many of the Scripture writers speak of us as being shaped like pottery by God’s hand.

Job, in the depths of his anguish, prays "Remember that you molded me like clay. " (Job 10:9, NIV)

Isaiah says " O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." (Isaiah 64:8, NIV)

Jeremiah is less comforting in his words. "But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel." (Jeremiah 18:4-6, NIV)

Paul writes of God’s purposes in shaping us. "Clay doesn’t talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, “Why did you shape me like this?” Isn’t it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans?” (Romans 9:20-21, The Message)

To become useful, we must submit ourselves to the shaping hand of the Master Potter, a process not always pleasant.  Do you rejoice to be useful in the purposes of God?  Do you choose joy in whatever He does in you and through, ready to be faithful to His purpose no matter where or what? Or do you complain about how God is shaping you, resisting His efforts to mold your life?  I am certain of this - every one of us can be useful in the plans of God but not until He has formed us.  A lump of potter’s clay has potential, but it is nothing until it is put on the wheel, squeezed, pressed, spun, and shaped. 

Even when the object has taken shape it is not yet useful.  There is a firing process. Under extreme heat, the clay hardens, not just dried, but changed by the fire!   We, too, are generally not readily useful to God or others until we have experienced the ‘fire’ of life, faith brought to maturity through difficulty, character revealed by the inevitable moments of pain and/or uncertainty. That mug I use each morning would be worthless, crumbling to dust with the firing process but fire made it strong and beautiful.

The lie of our age is that we only find the highest joy in unrestricted self-expression.  Our culture has substituted “I” for “we,” turning Self into the god we worship with fervor. The tragedy discovered too late is the emptiness of a life devoted to Self, to pleasure, to achievement, to reputation, even to service done for our own gratification. Solomon, near the end of his life which was an enviable one by many measures, mourns his mistaken focus on self-fulfilment - seeking great legacy, chasing unbridled pleasure, engaging in endless philosophy -  with the famed words - "So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 2:17, NIV)   His chorus is “Vanity of vanities!”

What a contrast we find in Paul who gave himself to the Potter, ready to be shaped and useful. At the end of his life he anticipates God’s rich and eternal return on his investment -  "I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return." (2 Timothy 4:7-8, NLT)

Let the Potter form you, dear friend, into someone who is useful, beautiful in your own way, not just because of who you appear to be, but because of the Spirit within!  The word from the Word is worthy of our meditation today. I hope it speaks to you as it does to me, urging faith and surrender to the Potter’s hand. "For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." (2 Corinthians 4:6-7, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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The Potter's Hand

Beautiful Lord,

Wonderful Savior,

I know for sure,

All of my days

Are held in Your hand,

Crafted into Your perfect plan.

 

I'm captured by Your holy calling,

Set me apart, I know You're drawing

Me to Yourself.

Lead me, Lord, I pray.

 

Take me! Mould me!

Use me! Fill me!

I give my life

To the Potter's hand.

Call me! Guide me!

Lead me! Walk beside me!

I give my life

To the Potter's hand.

 

Darlene Zschech

© 1997 Wondrous Worship (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

 

Better than You?

The old movie was a tragic story of pride. An older sergeant realizes the war effort was lost and tried to preserve as many lives of his men as possible from the futile final efforts of the battle. An younger officer, newly arrived, wanted to return home with medals and glory, leading him to foolishly send men into meaningless engagements. It was a dramatic illustration of a destructive impulse that is common among us.

Pride in our place, face, or race creeps up on us, infecting every thought like a virus. Paradoxically, pride often grows out of a lack of genuine self-esteem, feelings of inferiority, or repeated rejection.

I believe that more Christians shipwreck on the rocky shores of pride than because of lust, greed, laziness, and apathy combined! 
Pride insists “I’m right” and cuts off those who ask questions.
Pride wears the masks of ambition or rigid discipline that produces many good works. 
Pride says “I am better than you.”   

God warns that "Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor." (Proverbs 18:12, NIV) James teaches that the gateway to grace is found in humility. "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.” (James 4:7, NLT)

We tolerate pride as the ‘acceptable’ sin, calling it by many other names.  It is most difficult to discern in ourselves but plainly obvious in others It blinds me to my own foibles but gives me the eye of an eagle to see the stains on another’s character.

Pride corrupts our desire for excellence by convincing us that we work, not to serve our purpose or use our gifts, but instead to prove our worth.  It will rob us of the ability to enjoy our place causing us to constantly compare ourselves to others; envying some, treating others with disdain. The appeal to Eve in the Garden was built around it. Solomon was deceived by it.  It finds a home among the rich and the poor, the powerful and the servant.

This sin, according to Isaiah, was in the heart of the most noble angel and caused his banishment from the Presence of God. “How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’ Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths. Everyone there will stare at you and ask, ‘Can this be the one who shook the earth and made the kingdoms of the world tremble?" (Isaiah 14:12-16, NLT)

There is only one way to defeat pride- making the choice to worship, confessing that we are owned by our Creator, saved only by our Savior, and kept by the work of the Spirit.  Serving others is a good choice, but even the choice to take second place or to do that which is of low esteem can feed pride’s ravenous appetite. Only quiet confession, kneeling and waiting before the Lord, allows the Spirit to break us out of the grasp of prise. When the Spirit whispers a warning to our heart about a proud attitude, when need to find a quiet retreat. When we find ourselves looking desperately for affirmation, craving a word of praise, we know that we are but a step from pride and it is time to find a place with the Lord where He renews our joy in serving for His honor.

Our model is Christ Jesus of Whom the Scripture says, "Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names." (Philippians 2:4-9, NLT)

Want to know if pride has taken root in you?  Here are some ways to come to a better understanding of yourself.

-Will I readily accept correction?

-Am I quick to take offense?

-Do I spend much effort to conceal my flaws?

-Do my words encourage?

-Will I celebrate the successes of others?

Kneel before you stand. Listen before you speak. Give trusted friends permission to speak ‘truth’ to you at all times.

Take this word from the Word and let it preserve you from this subtle sin.

"Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. It is better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud." (Proverbs 16:18-19, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Jesus Keep Me Near The Cross

Jesus keep me near the cross

There a precious fountain

Free to all a healing stream

Flows from Calv'ry's mountain

 

In the cross in the cross

Be my glory ever

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river

Near the cross a trembling soul

Love and mercy found me

There the Bright and Morning Star

Sheds its beams around me

 

Fanny Jane Crosby

© Words: Public Domain

This is not what I hoped for

This Monday morning I am looking out on a bright, beautiful day, from a place of comfort, living in security.  In comparison to millions of people I am rich, living an enviable life. But, I also have known disappointment, setbacks, and unexpected developments in my life. In my pastoral ministry more than a few persons have shared broken hearts with me, telling me about situations in their own lives that were not what they hoped for, unforeseen developments that have left them wondering if they will ever know joy again. 

Are you struggling with loss of hope today? 
Is tomorrow hidden in shadows of disappointment?

The story of Hannah, the mother of Israel’s great prophet, Samuel, knew that kind of disappointment. She desperately wanted a child, but year after year she was unable to conceive. Her husband loved her, tried to comfort her with his affection, but still she "was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord." (1 Samuel 1:10, NLT)  When she took her tears to the holy tabernacle to pray, even the priest, Eli, misjudged her!  “Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!” “Oh no, sir!” she replied, “I’m not drunk! But I am very sad, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord." (1 Samuel 1:12-15, NLT)   Such anguish!

When John, the disciple that Jesus loved, was an old man, the pastor in Ephesus, the Romans sent him into exile on the rocky island called Patmos to silence him. It is not a stretch to think that he felt some disappointment. There he was, in a cave, alone.  But, the old disciple got up on the Lord’s Day and the Bible says, he was ‘in the Spirit.’  He was given the visions of the Revelation, wild and wonderful pictures of God’s ultimate triumph over Evil!  Jesus came to John there and we read this line from the first chapter. "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last." (Revelation 1:17, NIV) 

His submission in heart and mind, his willingness to let God be God, allowed him to experience the touch of the hand of Jesus. I wonder if he would have received the same glorious visions if he had stood on that rocky shore screaming at the heavens about the injustice of it all?  Could he have known the comfort of the touch of the Lord if he wrapped himself in a blanket of bitterness fed by disappointment with God? I think not!

I find no place in the Bible that tells me that I cannot weep, that a Christian must live above disappointment.  Days come when tomorrow is hidden by the fog of frustration, when the ache in the soul is too deep to express beyond a groan. Those moments bring us to a moment of decision. We can become embittered or we can become broken.

A bitter person blames God and cuts himself off from the touch of the Father’s hand.

A broken person kneels in humble worship.

In the song of the broken, the 73^rd Psalm, the singer reminds us to look upward in faith. "I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. … Yet I still belong to You; You hold my right hand." (Psalm 73:21, 23, NLT)  We must remember that we are not secured by our grip on His hand, but rather by His grasp of my hand.

Disappointment can bring a depth to our love of God and others. David’s song reminds us that broken hearts are open to God’s healing. "I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice." (Psalm 51:17, The Message)

When tempted by bitterness, reject it. Instead, let your heart break. And, my prayer is that you will feel the tender, comforting touch of the hand of your Father.

Spend a few moments meditating on this word from the Word, letting the picture language form in your mind and feed renewed faith in the Father’s care. "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. On the very day I call to you for help, my enemies will retreat. This I know: God is on my side. O God, I praise your word. Yes, Lord, I praise your word. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?" (Psalm 56:8-11, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Don't Stop Praying

What's your impossible
Your I need a miracle
What's got you barely hanging by a single thread
What looks so hopeless now
What weighs down your heart with doubt
You beg for a breakthrough
But no sign of breakthrough yet
When you've cried and you've cried
'Til your tears run dry
The answer won't come and you don't know why
And you wonder if you can bow your head
Even one more time

Don't stop praying
Don't stop calling on Jesus name
Keep on pounding on heaven's door
Let your knees wear out the floor
Don't stop believing
'Cause mountains move with just a little faith
And your father's heard
Every single word you're saying
So don't stop praying

He's close to brokenhearted
Saves those who are crushed in spirit
The Alpha and Omega knows how your story ends
When you've cried and you've cried
'Til your tears run dry
The answer won't come and you don't know why
When you wonder if you can bow your head
Even one more time
Do it one more time

Don't stop praying for the prodigal
Don't stop praying for the miracle
Hallelujah hallelujah and amen
Don't stop praying that addictions end
Don't stop praying for deliverance
Hallelujah hallelujah and amen
Don't stop praying for the sickness healed
on't stop praying for His power revealed

Hallelujah hallelujah and amen|
Don't stop praying for the kingdom come
Don't stop praying that his will be done

Hallelujah hallelujah and amen

 

Jeff Pardo | Matthew West

© BrentHood Music; Meaux Mercy; My Story Your Glory Music

CCLI License # 810055

Love me, let me love you!

 

Oh, what a thing is love, not to be confused with romance, sex, or desire! At some level we all want to know we matter to someone, to have formed a close bond with another, don’t we?  A thrilling experience, a concert enjoyed, a book read, a movie watched, a quiet dinner - all of these are made indescribably better when  shared with someone or even in a group. Why? Because humans are social creatures. We live in families, we work in teams, we discover purpose through worship and fellowship. We form churches, unions, marriages, political parties, and neighborhood associations - without thinking much about why we do those things.

As the old song says, “Love is a many-splendored thing” but it is complicated, frequently disappointing, and always costly thing, too!  Everyone has known the pain of a failed friendship. Too many experience the dissolution of a marriage that began so beautifully.  An angry word is spoken, a misunderstanding blows in like a summer thunderstorm, offense takes hold and soon turns into wall that is strong and tall. A friend becomes an enemy and her words that wound leave us bloody and confused. Love  can morph, almost mysteriously, into a bitter hatred. Even familial love fails! Sons and mothers do not speak over some relatively insignificant slight. Lovers who once could not stand to be apart for a moment become enemies who actively desire the destruction of each other.

After getting a broken heart, too many choose to refuse to take the risk of loving deeply again.  C. S. Lewis wrote of this - “If you want to keep your heart intact, you must give it to no one — not even an animal. Wrap your heart carefully 'round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket — safe, dark, motionless, airless — it will change: Your heart will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

We who follow Christ Jesus, the Lord of Love, must not choose to lock ourselves away from love. Instead, we choose to love radically, just as He loves us. We will choose to love those who are unlovely. We will willingly forgive even those who are hard and cruel. We will look for ways to build up, not to tear down.  Difficult? Yes, it is. Costly?  Look no further than Jesus who loved and got crucified for it.  Love is not easy, but oh what wealth we find both in giving and receiving love.

One of the best books I have ever read on the complicated subject of human relationships is titled, Bold Love, (NavPress, 1993, Dr. Dan Allender). One of his assertions is that genuine self-less 'love is not natural.'  Shocked? Me, too. We do not like to admit that we are selfish, capable of living without genuine love.  We like to think that we are loving, generous, and unselfish but a closer look at our lives frequently reveals a less pleasant truth.

Left to our resources, we will love only when another pleases us or complies with our desires or makes us happy. When someone disappoints or fails us, we will be tempted to write them out of our lives. Who hasn’t read those popular posts on social media that urge us to discard those who make life complicated, to shut out those we have labled ‘toxic.’   Some will even resort to cruel and manipulative strategies designed to force the other person to comply or feed the Self!  So much for loving deeply!

Allender writes, "There is an enormous drive in the fallen human personality that impedes the process of learning to love and an equally powerful force outside of every person that labors to destroy every effort to love. ... Complacency and presumption work hand-in-hand to blind even Christians to the importance of love and inherent battle involved in learning to love. IF we are to learn to love, we must begin with an acknowledgment that love is not natural and that love's failure is not easy to admit."   

Simply said, sin and selfishness work inside of us and the Devil works outside of us- conspiring against love's birth and/or survival.  But, when the Spirit lives in us, through faith, assuring of God’s love, we are changed, inside out.  Then, too, there is the false belief that love does not need daily care. Neglect allows it to cool until it dies, all the while we live in denial of the truth!

One of the amazing things about knowing and loving Jesus, and being loved by Him, is the discovery of an ability to love boldly!  “We love,” the Scripture says, “because He loved us first.”  (1 John 4:19, NLT) His love for us defeats our fear of loving and being loved so that we are able to experience that kind of love that defies human description.  We must not read that familiar passage about the depth of God’s love casually or quickly. It is the seed of transformation of our minds and hearts in the profound declaration of the love of our Father.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." (John 3:16-17, NLT)  Insert your name for ‘the world.’  Let that sink in!

Is love challenged in your life?

Before you form a fist and attempt to force a change,
go to your knees! Let the Lord of Love, love you!

Before you pray, "God make them change!"
give the Holy Spirit full access to your heart and mind and let Him change you,

Before you walk away, expressing hatred through cool contempt,
ask God to help you love others - the same way that He loves you.

Love is a force for change that is more powerful than any weapon ever devised by human beings.

Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it today.  "Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God—for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other." (1 John 4:7-11, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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And Can It Be

 

And can it be that I should gain

An interest in the Savior's blood

Died He for me who caused His pain

For me who Him to death pursued

 

Amazing love how can it be

That Thou my God shouldst die for me

Amazing love how can it be

That Thou my God shouldst die for me

 

He left His Father's throne above

So free so infinite His grace

Emptied Himself of all but love

And bled for Adam's helpless race

 

'Tis mercy all immense and free

For O my God it found out me

'Tis mercy all immense and free

For O my God it found out me

 

Long my imprisoned spirit lay

Fast bound in sin and nature's night

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray

I woke the dungeon flamed with light

 

My chains fell off my heart was free

I rose went forth and followed Thee

My chains fell off my heart was free

I rose went forth and followed Thee

 

No condemnation now I dread

Jesus and all in Him is mine

Alive in Him my living Head

And clothed in righteousness divine

 

Bold I approach th'eternal throne

And claim the crown through Christ my own

Bold I approach th'eternal throne

And claim the crown through Christ my own

 

Charles Wesley, Thomas Campbell

CCLI Song #25280

© Words: Public Domain; Music: Public Domain