Knowing God

I am in the middle of J.I. Packers book "Knowing God".  It has been a refreshing tool that continues to cause a greater desire for God's word.  It has also caused me to ask myself questions regarding my thankfulness for the Holy Spirit's ministry in redemptive work and, my daily sanctification.  Below are a few highlights that I have been chewing on so far this week.  I pray that these highlights are an encouragement to you as well.

"Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul."

"To be preoccupied with getting theological knowledge as an end in itself, to approach Bible study with no higher a motive than a desire to know all the answers, is the direct route to a state of self-satisfied self-deception. We need to guard our hearts against such an attitude, and pray to be kept from it."

"Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life’s problems fall into place of their own accord."

"Many have said what pride they felt in rendering personal service to Sir Winston Churchill during World War II. How much more should it be a matter of pride and glorying to know and serve the Lord of heaven and earth!"

"John Owen and John Calvin knew more theology than John Bunyan or Billy Bray, but who would deny that the latter pair knew their God every bit as well as the former? (All four, of course, were beavers for the Bible, which counts for far more anyway than a formal theological training.) If the decisive factor was notional correctness, then obviously the most learned biblical scholars would know God better than anyone else. But it is not; you can have all the right notions in your head without ever tasting in your heart the realities to which they refer; and a simple Bible reader and sermon hearer who is full of the Holy Spirit will develop a far deeper acquaintance with his God and Savior than a more learned scholar who is content with being theologically correct. The reason is that the former will deal with God regarding the practical application of truth to his life, whereas the latter will not."

"Surely something is amiss here. How can we justify neglecting the ministry of Christ’s appointed agent in this way? Is it not a hollow fraud to say that we honor Christ when we ignore, and by ignoring dishonor, the One whom Christ has sent to us as his deputy, to take his place and care for us on his behalf? Ought we not to concern ourselves more about the Holy Spirit than we do?"

All quoted texts are taken from J.I. Packers - Knowing God
Image by: le vent le cri

Matthew 5

My time in the word landed in Matthew 5 recently.  This section of scripture has been titled "The Sermon on the Mount" and rightly so as Jesus is sitting down on a mountain teaching.  Jesus is speaking to the crowds of people that had been following him from:  Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan (4:25).

You can read Matthew 5 in its entirety just follow this link to Bible Gateway:  Matthew 5

Jesus is restating the law and adding greater clarity to it.  He is showing himself to these crowds as having words equal to God's in the Old Testament.  Look at the way he speaks "You have heard it was said", "but I say to you".  His words are authoritative, and he takes his audience from what was said in the giving of the law by God and increases it.

I was most convicted about my thought life, and heart towards others.  It is not just your outer actions that incur transgression of the law, but what you act on in thought.  This truth (that inward thoughts incur transgression) is sobering if you are not a believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  If you are looking to yourself as the means of being right with God it is impossible.  The only person that had a perfect thought life is Jesus, and you must have His righteousness to be accepted by God.

The Gospel is powerful:  Those that turn from their sins and place their trust in Jesus as the all sufficient savior of their soul receive something - His righteousness.   I pray for the day that this message (the gospel) will be spoken to the indigenous tribal people in Papua New Guinea.  How about you - have you heard the message of the Gospel?

Picture taken by: ccarlstead

Revelation 6:16

My bible reading today was in Revelation 6 - The start of the judgement of mankind at the hand of Jesus Christ.  This book is a reminder that time will end, judgment will arrive, and no man will escape.  Reading vs16 is always profound to me:

16 and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;

Unlike all the movies where the world is ending; this judgement is specific.  The judgement that mankind can currently think on:  The world ending itself, or mankind causing the end through poor care of nature.  The end of the world in scripture however is judgement at the hand of a person.  So specific in fact that all mankind in the midst of the initial tribulations will desire to be hidden from the one that is bringing the judgement.  This "one" who is bringing judgment is Jesus Christ, not "God" in a general sense.

What is incredible to me is that the world will know that the Lamb (Jesus Christ) is specifically judging them.  So... All mankind will know Jesus Christ, the question is how:  As judge or redeemer?  In light of this, am I effectively taking hold of opportunities for evangelism?

Scripture from:  Biblegateway.com
image by: elycefeliz

1 Peter 1:1-5

The book of 1 Peter opens with Peter's audience.  He is writing to a scattered group of chosen believers that have come under persecution.  These are people that no longer resided in their former places of birth or common place of residence.  No doubt they were discouraged, downcast, and sorrowful.

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, [a]to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace [b]be yours in the fullest measure.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

This section of scripture is a prayer of Peter; praising God for his work in the salvation of his people.  It reminds believers that God is the one that: Chooses, sanctifies, causes new birth, gives believers an inheritance in his son, places this inheritance of salvation in heaven, and guards us with faith for future final salvation.

I cannot help but see how involved God is in the salvation of His people.  There are no active roles played by the saved sinner in their salvation, God is doing everything.  If you are a believer in Christ it is not your doing - it pleased God to save you.

God has called people for himself and he preserves them to the end because he determined it from the beginning.  This section of scripture is humiliating for my proud heart, but God humbles me so I can see his immense glory.  I hope this section of scripture is as much of an encouragement to you as it is to me.

photo by:  Toni Verdú Carbó

Numbers 15:30-31

Question to think on:  Are you thankful for Jesus Christ?

The book of Numbers was written to the Israelites by Moses over 3400 years ago.  God's law had been given to Israel, the tent of meeting had been built, worship of the Lord was underway, and yet the people continued to rebel against God.  When they arrived at the promise land, spies were sent out and the majority of the spy's reported back that they would not be able to defeat those in the land.  As a result of hearing this Israel continued to grumble at the Lord.  God's response was 40 years of wandering in the desert for Israel rather than entering the promise land.

Israel was commanded to love the Lord and obey His commandments - but their hearts were far from Him.

Numbers 15:30-31
30 But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt will be on him.’”

This commandment is directed towards a particular individual "the person who does anything defiantly".  This is a person that knows the commandments of the Lord but chooses to disobey them.  The consequence of this persons actions when caught, is being cut off (death).  If you read just two verses down there is an example of this command being carried out.

I could not help but identify myself with the one that is deserving of death; choosing sin rather than God's commandments and incurring judgement.  This is the place where all of mankind walks - knowing what is right but choosing wrong (sin).  Rest assured that God WILL judge all for their individual sin before Him and condemnation will follow.

But... for those that are sorrowful of their sin, desire to turn from it, and trust in Jesus Christ's death, burial and resurrection on their behalf WILL be saved.  I am more thankful for the Gospel after reading Numbers 15 - because Christ bore my defiant willful sins on the cross in my place.

photo by:  ryk neethling

1 Timothy 6:11-12

Every duty in life has responsibilities that go along with it:  Work, school, parenting, sports.  Yet each of these tasks on a daily basis come to an end.  Your daily responsibilities eventually come to a close.  In contrast a person that follows Jesus Christ has responsibilities that are never put down, but pursued indefinitely (at least until glorification).

I found myself unable to sleep recently, reading in candlelight at 1:00 in the morning.
The text:  1 Timothy 6:11-12.

11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Paul has just contrasted the false teachers pursuit of worldly desires and charges Timothy to pursue the true riches of righteousness.  Paul charges Timothy to "flee these things" and pursue righteousness things.  He then tells him this pursuit is the good fight of faith.  Beleivers in Christ are to pursue this good fight until Jesus Christ returns.  Unlike work, school, parenting, or sports - you must endure.

Summary of the text:

A man of God is a fighting man - that continually presses himself towards an unending pursuit of that which God deems righteous.

Do you have a desire for this pursuit?  How are you aiding or hindering this pursuit?

Leviticus 10:1-3

Having a right perspective on the holiness of God.

My reading today took me to Leviticus 10, and in particular vs 1-3.
10 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “It is what the Lord spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.’” So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.

This passage is early in the book of Leviticus, and the Lord has been giving Moses commands on how worship/sacrifice is to be done in the Tabernacle   Nadab, and Abihu had brought fire before the Lord that was "strange", possibly not from the alter (6:13) that was continually to be burning.  The point here is they transgressed what has been commanded in their priestly duties.

God's response was the immediate death of Nadab and Abihu.  My response to reading, why would they deserve immediate death?  These were the sons of Aaron, he is a father - surely he must be saddened, and angry with the Lord's response.  In reading vs3 we are brought before the reason; the holiness of God was at stake.  After hearing Moses - Aaron kept silent.

The Lord had specific ways that worship was to be performed before Him in the Tabernacle.  Zooming ahead to the land of today, do you see the inescapable holiness of God at the cross?  I can't help but think on His holiness demanding justice for sin, and His perfect wrath being poured out on His son Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:23

Have you labored over work diligently only to see the result of that diligence producing no value because it was all wrongly placed diligence?

Paul is writing to the believers in Colossee.  He spends the majority of Chapter 2 walking them through who they are positionally before God because of Jesus Christ:  They had received a circumcision made without hands (the purifying of their hearts vs11), they had been buried with Christ in baptism (vs12), they had been raised with him with the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead (vs12), God made them truly alive to him (vs13), and the record of debt towards God was canceled (vs14).

But just like the believers in Colossee we who would identify ourselves as believers and disciples of Jesus Christ can so easily fall into the deception of a self made religion.  At the end of Chapter 2 we find that they had submit themselves to regulations (rules) Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch.  Now there is benefit in these things but not if you are looking to them to for holiness if life.  Reading to the end of the chapter (vs23c):

23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

Rules are of no value in killing the flesh (indwelling sin).  Pursuing holiness in life and fleeing fleshly sin needs to be pursued by 2 verses into Chapter 3.

3 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

If I am a believer in Jesus Christ, and desire a pursuit of holiness of life am I thinking on the things that God has done for me in Jesus Christ (things above)?  Am I thinking on where I positionally stand before God as a result of these gospel realities?

I pray that you have a day filled with thinking on the gospel, and what God has positionally done for those in Christ because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.