Disciples Indeed

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Pete

Got back last night from a much needed couple of days back in the homeland filling the tank with grandkids time (I think their parents were there too). But though the reserves were being replenished, the routine was unsurprisingly dismantled. Morning quiet time replaced with morning play time. Wouldn’t have it any other way. But not gonna lie, either — feels good to be hovering over my bible again this morning.

But something Jesus says reminds me that it’s not just because I’m a guy who likes routine. Less a reflection of what I might think is my commitment to spending time in His Word, but more a reminder that it is actually evidence of the gracious work He has undertaken in me.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, “If you abide in My word, You are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  ~ Jesus

(John 8:31-32 ESV)

Apparently, Jesus recognized that there were those who were disciples, and there were those who were truly disciples. Those who professed to be followers and those who really were following. Those who said they were learners and those who were committed to learning. Or as the NKJV puts it, those who were disciples and those who were disciples indeed.

And the test? The distinguishing factor? The objective reality? Disciples indeed exhibit this characteristic — they abide in His word. That’s where you’ll find them hanging out.

Disciples indeed, like sheep who having come to know the Shepherd’s voice, long to hear it again and again. They, like students who have had their minds enlightened and their hearts made alive with understanding, continue in wanting to hear afresh the Teacher’s teaching. They, like servants who have experienced the joy of laboring for a good Master, persist in wanting to know His will so that they might, by His continued enabling, do His will.

Disciples indeed are not saved by abiding in His word. But they abide in His word because they are saved. It’s not a test to pass in order to be worthy of bearing the title, “Disciple Indeed.”

Rather, it’s a trait present because of the work of regeneration that takes those dead in trespass and sin and gives them new life. Takes those who once served in the kingdom of darkness and translates them into His kingdom of light. That takes blind men and gives them sight. That allows deaf people to hear a call and then gives them ears to hear what the Savior says. That takes people who once cared little for the word of God and now compels them to want to abide in it.

Abiding in His word is not a discipline to boast in. It is a gift of grace to rejoice in. A glorious reminder that through the finished work of the cross, the glorious hope of the empty tomb, and the life-energizing ministry of the Holy Spirit, we are disciples indeed.

By His grace. For His glory.

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Letting in Idols

Posted on October 26, 2018 by Pete

They came to Ezekiel because he was a prophet of God. And they came because they were the elders of Israel. They were to lead and so they came to listen. But rather than being provided with some insight, the corruption of their inner man was identified as the problem. A big problem. Idols in their hearts led to stumbling blocks of iniquity before their faces.

Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. And the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?”

(Ezekiel 14:1-3 ESV)

The sin to beware of jumps off the page. Idols in the heart and stumbling blocks of iniquity before the face is repeated three times in the first seven verses of Ezekiel 14. Kind of hard to miss it.

And the consequences are huge! Not only does it restrain the voice of God (v.3b), but even if that voice is heard the sinful filter of having a “multitude of idols” corrupts and distorts the voice of God. Thus, through their idols, the idolater is estranged from God (v.4). Estranged from God because, in bowing before their idols, they have separated themselves from God (v.7). Sin to beware of indeed!

But here’s what I’m noodling on this morning. Before the idol ever shows up on the mantle in the home (or as shiny new objects in the garage) it’s first taken into the heart. Before the carved image or the metal cast figure is ever put on display, the object is first revered worthy of commanding one’s allegiance in the inner person–what they think about, what they talk about, what they long for, what they think will satisfy their appetites. Before it becomes a stumbling block of iniquity before their faces, it first is set up as an idol in their heart.

How important then is it to guard the heart? I’m thinkin’ pretty important!

Though, as believers, we have been given a new heart, we can still clutter it up. Allow in things to compete for its affections. Desire things that dilute its desire for the new heart Maker. Pursue things that distract from seeking first the kingdom of God. Things that, while they may be permissible, when allowed to infect the heart foster infidelity. Things that, even if they’re beneficial, when bowed down to act as a Benedict Arnold leading us into traitorous betrayal of the One who gave Himself to redeem our hearts.

Though, as believers, we have been given hearts of flesh, idol storage has a way of hardening hearts. Darkening our understanding. Distancing us from our God. Desensitizing us to what life–real life, abundant life, life to the full–is actually all about.

Allowing idols to take up resident in our hearts can’t help but lead to setting up stumbling blocks of iniquity before our faces.

O’, be on guard, O heart!

By His grace. For His glory.

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A Sanctuary

Posted on October 25, 2018 by Pete

“Elvis has left the building.” That’s the phrase once used at the end of an Elvis Presley concert to indicate that the concert was done–like, really done . . . as in, “It’s over, folks. No more music, tonight.”  The people could disperse because the king of rock and roll wasn’t coming back for an encore.

And reading in Ezekiel this morning there’s a sense of similar finality. The glory had the left the building.

From the house to the threshold (10:4), then out from the threshold to the court (10:18), and finally up from the midst of the once holy city to a mountain to the east (11:22-23), the cloud that once filled the holy of holies, the brightness that once emitted the very presence of God, the glory of God, had, quite literally, left the building.

The glory had departed and the people were dispersed. They would be scattered among the nations. The land of their promised possession in ruin, they would be sent away for an extended “timeout” to consider their ways that they might repent of their rebellion. Heavy sigh!

But here’s the thing that I’m chewing on this morning, though the glory had departed, and though they would be the dispersed, yet God would not abandon His people. In fact, they would come to know His glory in a different way, a way not dependent upon a brick and mortar temple, but through a new type of relationship.

“Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.'”

(Ezekiel 11:16)

While in exile, while trying to make it in a foreign land, though far from the holy temple site which was no longer so holy because the glory was gone, the Lord GOD says, “I will be their sanctuary for a while.”

God, through Ezekiel, reaffirmed His promise: “I will gather you from the peoples . . . and give you the land of Israel” (11:17).

God then expanded the promise: I will put a new spirit in them. Give them a new heart, a heart of flesh ready, willing, and able to obey (11:19-20).

And until the full realization of the promise, God says I will be a sanctuary. I will be the temple and will tabernacle directly with them.

For a little while, though far from home, God’s people would come to know and be satisfied with God’s abiding presence as they waited until the day of their full and complete restoration and return to the land of promise.

The glory had left the building, but the God of glory had not turned His back to His people. He would draw near to His remnant in the place of their sojourning and would be their portion, their protection, and their power. All the while, drawing out their hearts toward Him in obedient worship.

We also are people in a foreign land waiting to go home and know afresh the glory of God in all its fullness. But until then, His abiding presence through His Holy Spirit is our sanctuary, the means by which we encounter the glory, though “in a mirror dimly” (1Cor. 13:12).

What’s more, He is making us part of that sanctuary. As, in Christ, we are “being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22).

Though often, as we look around us, it may seem the glory has left the building, yet within us, through redeemed and regenerated hearts, we can know God as a sanctuary. His glory abiding with us and in us.

By His grace. For His glory.

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Eyewitnesses of His Majesty

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Pete

Crazy to say, but for most who looked on the Savior, there wasn’t much to behold. Though in Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form (Col. 2:9), He wasn’t much to look at. Isaiah said that would be the case:

. . . He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.   (Isaiah 53:2b ESV)

But though that was true for most, it wasn’t true for all. And I’m not thinking about those who with the eyes of faith beheld His beauty. Those, who through the life-giving illumination of the Spirit, believed that Jesus was worthy of worship. No, I’m noodling on Peter & Co. this morning and what they saw. For they were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain.

(2Peter 1:16-18 ESV)

Peter called it “the holy mountain.” We refer to it most often as the Mount of Transfiguration–the place where Jesus took Peter, James, and John and allowed them a sneak preview of how the King would appear one day in His kingdom. And in a word, Peter says, it was majesty.

Magnificence. Greatness. Visible splendor attesting to immeasurable power.

He who had made Himself nothing, divesting Himself of His heavenly glory in order to accomplish His earthly mission (Php. 2:6-7), for a brief time removed the pauper’s coat of human flesh and again stood in the glory that was His as God, fully God. His face shone like the sun. His clothes radiated unrestrained light. And the reminder of His eternal reign was manifest as He conferred with Moses and Elijah (Matt. 17:1-5). And Peter declares, “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”

It was life changing. It was life defining. So much so that, even at the end of his life, the faithful apostle sought to stir up weary pilgrims by “way of reminder” (2Pet. 1:13). Wanting them to be able to recall at any time the “power and coming” of the Lord Jesus Christ. That it was not some cleverly devised myth. Nor some make you feel good fable, nor some flakey Hallmark induced hope. But they had seen the majesty. And the majesty would come.

Never been on a cloud-covered mountain. Never heard a voice bellow from behind heaven’s curtain. Can’t say I’m an eyewitness. But also can’t say I’ve never seen His majesty.

I’ve beheld His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, clearly seen since the creation of the world in the things He has made (Rom. 1:20). I’ve experienced firsthand His life-giving power, having been made alive to God though once dead in trespass and sin (Eph. 2:1-5). I’ve taken in the unworldly love and grace of God as I lingered at the foot of the cross and heard the Son whisper, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing” (Lk. 23:34). I’ve wondered at the empty tomb and known, deep within, that He is alive. I’ve sensed His abiding glory through the indwelling presence of His Spirit.

And . . . I have Peter’s inspired testimony. His reminder, that he and James and John were eyewitness.

Eyewitnesses of His majesty. A majesty they saw. A majesty which we will all see.

Soon and very soon.

By His grace. For His glory.

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Great Responsibility

Posted on October 23, 2018 by Pete

Chewing on the opening verses of 2Peter this morning. And I know Peter the apostle wasn’t talking to Peter Parker (aka Spiderman for those of you with no connection to the Marvel universe), but what comes to mind as I hover over these verses is something that Parker’s uncle Ben said to him, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Now the apostle wasn’t addressing superheroes. Rather, he writes to flesh and blood people like himself who had “obtained a faith of equal standing with ours” (1:1). They had believed in the same Christ. Bowed at the foot of the same cross. Had been cleansed by the same blood. Credited with the same righteousness of Christ. Filled with the same Spirit. Had the potential to walk in the same newness of life.

In fact, says Peter, they had been granted “all things pertaining to life and godliness” (1:3). For they had been given “exceedingly great and precious promises” (NIV) so that through them they could become “partakers of the divine nature” (1:4).

What great potential! To walk in newness of life. To participate in the holy and divine!

What great power! And with that comes great responsibility.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

(2Peter 1:5-8, 10b ESV)

“Make every effort to supplement your faith.” That’s the command to obey. Pursue virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.

Not that we need to, or are even able to, merit God’s grace by our works. But without taking what we have been gifted with and making some effort to work it, without some holy determination to do and pursue holiness, we can frustrate and fall short of the potential of grace.

We need to own the responsibility and make the effort. Because Peter seems to be saying that there is no such thing as standing still or maintaining status quo. Rather, if we are not, by His grace, power, and precious promises, making the effort to move forward, we will certainly end up going backwards. We will become ineffective and/or unfruitful in our knowledge of the saving work and sustaining power of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And so we make every effort to supplement our faith. We’re not to “lose a minute in building on what we’ve been given” (MSG). Not because we’re required to undertake noble pursuits in order to merit or keep our salvation. Instead, we’re eager to respond to the promises of such a great salvation. We have a sanctified curiosity that wants to try out the power of the new life within us — knowing we’ll trip and fail along the way, but never content to go back to the old way of life.

And we believe God’s promise that “if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” Sure, we’ll always be “practicing” this side of heaven–perfection awaiting us on that day when we are free of the flesh and before Him face to face. But as long as we keep training ourselves for godliness (1Tim. 4:7-8) our faith won’t atrophy, and it will keep us from becoming ineffective or unfruitful.

Great power in Christ?  Yup, so says the Spirit through Peter this morning.

Great potential for Christ?  Yessir! Divine nature be real! That we might be effective and be fruitful.

Great responsibility through Christ?  I’m thinkin’!

All because of grace. All for His glory.

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A World At War With What We Worship

Posted on October 19, 2018 by Pete

One of those mornings when, rather than create, I go back over previous years’ posts for the day I read these passages in my reading plan and see what I was chewing on then. Ended up hovering over a devo from 2009 . . . re-running it “as is” below.

Morning routine has changed a bit since then, but not much. I chuckled at the news headline that got me bent out of shape back then–if only that was the worst thing in the news today. But what hasn’t changed, and in fact is increasingly evident, is that our world is in opposition to our Savior. What hasn’t changed is our need to beware of being drawn into a kingdom that stands opposed to our King. What hasn’t changed is that we live in a world at war with what we worship.

And what hasn’t changed is that though we are called to be in this world, we must be on guard against living for this world or living like this world.

By His grace. For His glory.

————————

So, I’m kind of a creature of habit in the morning. I get up . . . turn on my computer . . . go downstairs and grab a cup of coffee and a glass of water . . . come back up to my study . . . open my e-mail program . . . bring up Internet Explorer . . . fire up i-Tunes and put some good “devotional music” on. When the internet comes up I usually have a quick glance at the news headlines on my homepage. This morning this headline caught my eye, “Atheist ads to adorn New York subway stations.” Brother! Then I settled into my reading plan. And then, as I’m reading in John 7, I came across something that brought that headline to mind . . .

“For even [Jesus’] brothers did not believe in Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.’ ” (John 7:5-7)

Jesus had decided to lay low and stay out of Judea because of those who sought to kill Him. When it came time to for the Feast of Tabernacles, His brothers said that He should go to Jerusalem for the feast so He could show off His “works” . . . if, in fact, He really did such wonderful works. “For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly,” they said, “If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” (7:4). They didn’t believe. In fact, they mocked Him, “Go, show Yourself to the world . . . if You really have something to show it.” Jesus’ response to them provides insights as to why atheists are rallying together in New York to spend thousands of dollars to put up signs that say, “No God, No Guilt, Debaptize Now” where millions of commuters can see it each day. Plain and simply, they do it because the world hates Jesus.

Hate is a strong word. Yup. You mean, hate like in detest? Yup. Hate like in loathe to the point of wanting to destroy? That’s it. The world hates Jesus. Why? Because, Jesus says, He bears witness that, at its core, the ways and works of the world are evil. It was true then, when the religious elite were on a mission to kill Jesus . . . it’s true now, when men hang signs on subway walls in order to proclaim “No God.” The works of the world are dark . . . Jesus is light . . . “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:5).

And as I think about it, there are huge implications for us as followers of Christ. This world we live in . . . this culture we’re part of . . . is all part of a system that, at it’s core, is anti-Christ . . . not just ambivalent . . . but against the One who came to present Himself as an offering for sin, that the world might be saved. I know we’ve heard it a million times before, but really, how careful do we need to be so that we ensure that while we are in the world we are not of the world? James lays it out pretty clearly, “Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

Maybe we’d just rather not think about it . . . but we have to. There is an abiding opposition to the things of Christ around us. We need to know that . . . be aware of that . . . and be careful, lest we end up acting like enemies of God ourselves because we’ve been drawn into a system of thought that, at it’s core, hates Jesus.

Heavy sigh . . .

Father, I receive Jesus’ statement of fact this morning as a warning. Help me to be alert to the world’s subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, opposition to my Lord. Impart the mind of Christ through the Spirit that I too might testify of its evil and flee its allure. Help me to be faithful to the One who has promised to be faithful to me. For Your glory alone . . . amen.

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Think Like Jesus, Live For God

Posted on October 18, 2018 by Pete

For them, to not blend in was as good as putting a target on their back. To live like citizens of a heavenly kingdom was to increasingly be at odds with the kingdom around them. To stand out from the crowd was to invite the increasing wrath of the government. And so Peter writes to the “elect exiles of the Dispersion” to encourage them to keep on keepin’ on by providing some “big picture” context for their current persecution.

He reminds them of their living hope and the “salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

And he reminds them of their calling. That they are a chosen people, a spiritual house, a holy nation. As such, they were to be holy because their God is holy.

But honestly, holiness only increased the difference. It only made them stand out more. And standing out hadn’t been working out so well.

So Peter also reminds them of their Savior. And that their call to suffer, even for doing the right thing and the holy thing, wasn’t unlike Christ’s suffering for them. Though He had committed no sin, though there was no deceit found in His mouth, though there was no accusation that could legitimately stand, when Jesus suffered unjustly He entrusted Himself to Him who would, one day, judge justly.

So Peter says, think like Jesus.

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

(1Peter 4:1-2 ESV)

And it’s the phrase “ceased from sin” that’s got me thinking this morning. Peter encouraged these believers that, if they could adopt the mind of Christ and be willing to suffer in obedience to God, then sin would cease and desist. That it would come to an end. That they would be released from it.

Not that they would become sinless this side of heaven, but that sin would no longer be the great dictator of their lives. That the flesh–the old man, the natural woman–would no longer be the navigator setting the paths down which they sojourned.

Instead, Peter indicates there could be a turning point in a believer’s life when, having chosen to suffer for Christ, “human passions” would be supplanted by “the will of God” as the soul’s internal GPS. True north would be reset. Their own desires giving way to God’s direction. Their lusts having less influence over their lives as His purposes became more interwoven into their plans.

Again, not about being without sin. Not talking of perfection. Instead, about no longer being compelled, or impelled, or propelled by “evil human desires” (NIV). About no longer being “tyrannized by what you want” (MSG). About increasingly living out our days for what God wants. And this all possible when, through the enabling of the indwelling Spirit of God, we remind ourselves of the sufferings of Christ and seek to “arm ourselves with the same way of thinking.”

Think like Jesus, live for God.

Not wanting to be overly simplistic, but isn’t that in essence what Peter says will happen? Isn’t that the cause and effect being laid out here? The command to obey and the promise to believe?

I’m thinkin’ . . .

Only by His grace. Always for His glory.

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Eating is Believing

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Pete

The crowd came looking for a meal. Jesus wanted to give them more. They longed to partake again of everything they had eaten the previous day. Jesus invited them to participate in a feast that would secure all their tomorrows. They wanted some sort of sign–like manna in the wilderness (they were kind of fixated on food). Jesus seized the opportunity to talk about another heaven sent bread–one that not only dealt with the hunger and thirst for the day, but also satisfied one’s hunger and thirst for eternity.

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.”   ~ Jesus

(John 6:35 ESV)

Quit fixating on yesterday’s loaves and fish, He said. Stop romanticizing about yesteryear’s manna in the wilderness. Instead, look to Me, the bread of life, “who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (6:34).

And it choked the religious elite in attendance. They heard Jesus say, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” and they grumbled among themselves (6:41). They muttered, “From heaven? Isn’t this Joseph’s son? We know his parents. He’s from Nazareth. That’s nowhere near heaven!” (6:42) And they argued about what He meant with the word picture He would not let go of, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (6:52)

So what did Jesus mean? If He really is the bread of life (and He is) then how can someone feed on His flesh? It’s really a matter of simple math.

We know that if A=B, and B=C, then A=C. If two things result in a same third thing, then the two things are equal as well. So let’s do the math . . .

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.”

“Whoever feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life.”

~ Jesus (John 6:47, 54a ESV)

Believing Jesus = Eternal Life. Feeding on His flesh and drinking His blood = Eternal Life. Therefore, Eating is Believing.

To partake of the living bread from heaven is to believe in the incarnate Son of God sent from heaven.

And to believe in Him is to abide in Him and have Him abide in us (6:56). To believe in Him is to live forever (6:51, 58), death but a temporary interruption for our bodies as, for those who feed on Him and drink of Him now, He will “raise them up on the last day” (6:54b).

He is the Bread of Heaven. And He is the One we believe in and feed on. And that, my friend, is food worth chewing on. For that is eternal life.  Amen?

Eating is believing.

By His grace. For His glory.

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A Full-Time Job

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Pete

They pursued Him not because of who He was, but because of how they had benefited from what He did. They were among the more than five thousand fed on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Those who had gut-busted (“eaten as much as they wanted”) on fresh bread and fine fish. Those who, when they woke next day from their food induced comas and realized Jesus was gone, went after Him. But Jesus, knowing their hearts, called them out: You’re not seeking Me, but the sign. And that, because you were stuffed.

So, the One they called Rabbi schooled them:

“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal.”   ~ Jesus

(John 6:27 ESV)

And while they weren’t totally picking up what Jesus was laying down, they understood enough to get that, while the bread and fish of yesterday was really good, the idea of food forever sounded even better. And it led to a probing question. And it resulted in an unexpected answer.

Then they said to Him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

(John 6:28-29 ESV)

They needed to do the cost/benefit analysis. They were willing to cross the sea in order to get more of the bread and fish, what would they need to do in order to get some forever food? And the work required, said Jesus, the deed needed, the effort to be put forth, the business needing to be occupied with, was to believe.

That’s it? Just believe? Yup! That’s it.

And, as I chew on it, though we may not think of believing as work in the classic sense, I’m realizing it’s a full-time job.

Believing in the Son of Man isn’t a once-and-done deal. Sure, we may have once believed and received eternal life, but think about how much we are called on to continue to “walk by faith, and not by sight” (2Cor. 5:7) as we make our way home.

When we feel like we’ve stalled and stagnated, that we are no longer growing in Christ, we need to work at believing that it really was God who began a good work in us and that He really will bring it to completion (Php. 1:6). When we seem to be in a constant battle with the same old temptation(s) and wonder, “What’s the use?” we need to remind ourselves that there really is no temptation we’re up against that “is not common to man” and that God is, in fact, faithful and will not let us be tempted beyond our ability (1Cor. 10:13). And then, when we do get tripped up in sin and falter and fall for the umpteenth time, we need to labor at believing that if we confess our sin . . . AGAIN . . . that He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin . . . AGAIN . . . and that the blood shed on the cross really is sufficient to cleanse us from all unrighteousness . . . AGAIN (1John 1:9).

And the “work” list goes on. Believing that, somehow, His strength really will be made manifest in our weakness (2Cor. 12:9). That pursuit of this world really doesn’t yield any lasting benefit, but that investing now in the kingdom of heaven really is laying up treasure in heaven (Lk. 18:22, 1Tim. 6:17-19). That all things really do work together for God’s good purposes (Rom. 8:28).

“This is the work of God, that you believe . . .

Reminded this morning that faith is the enduring food of eternal life.

And so, says Jesus, work to believe. And that’s gonna be a full-time job.

Amen?

By His grace. For His glory.

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A Grace Thing

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Pete

Those who have known grace should show grace. I buy that. Those whose sins have been forgiven because of the finished work of the cross should forgive the sins of others. Makes sense to me. Those who have been blessed should bless. Ok, I’m in. Those for whom Christ suffered unjustly should be willing to suffer unjustly, as well. Um . . . let me think about that one a bit.

For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

(1Peter2:19-20 ESV)

“A gracious thing,” Peter calls it. A charis quality. Enduring suffering and sorrows which have come upon you through no fault of your own. Doing good and yet not being treated very good. That, says Peter, is a grace thing in the sight of God.

As I think about it, there is really so much about “the call” that I’m good with signing up for. Called out of darkness. Called into light. Called to be set apart as saints. Called to be holy. Called to be a messenger of good news. Called to be adopted as a full heir in God’s family. Called to receive an inheritance in heaven. Who’s up for that call? Who’s ready to drink abundantly from that fountain of grace? This guy!

But called to suffer? And that, unjustly? Not as intuitive as to how that’s a grace thing.

What makes it a grace thing, I think, is because it’s done “mindful of God.”

Those Peter wrote to were suffering because they were Christians. They were on the run for their faith. And while going into exile might have gotten them out of the frying pan for a season, they were still in the midst of a growing fire . . . and the flames were only going to increase–for some, literally! Because they had responded to God’s grace and goodness, they were now the subjects of the enemy’s hate and harassment.

But to endure such unfair circumstance, when mindful of God, is a grace thing. To trust in the provision of the Great Provider in the midst of trial is commendable before the Creator. To remain faithful to Him who is always faithful, is pleasing to the Father. To hang in there, even when it hurts, because you really believe that He will never leave or forsake, nor will He let you be tried beyond your ability to endure, is, in and of itself, a sweet-smelling sacrifice to the Savior.

Not sure the grace thing becomes an easier thing when mindful of the Lord, but it does display His strength in our weakness. It evidences the reality of mercies that are new every morning. It’s a reminder that greater is He that is in us than those who are against us in the world.

It really is a grace thing.

By His grace. For His glory.

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