Colossians 3 [NASB]
12So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
13bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
14Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
17Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
This passage instructs Christians to ‘put on’ the new virtues fitting their position in Christ. We must not only cease to do the evil things we once did, but “we must learn to do well; not only not to hurt any, but to do what good we can to all”(Matthew Henry).
12So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
Because God has chosen us, He has made us holy in His sight. We are holy- ‘set apart’ for the Lord and for His work and have been cleansed from all unrighteousness. With this in view, we are therefore beloved of God. What was true of God’s chosen people, Israel, can now be said of the believers in Colossae, and all those who are chosen of God. Paul therefore exhorts the believers to put on the following virtues:
Compassion – love for and mercy towards one another. Kindness – “Spirit imparted goodness of heart” (William Hendriksen). Humility – lowliness, having a correct estimate of oneself. Gentleness – a meekness of spirit, “the submissiveness under provocation, the willingness rather to suffer injury than to inflict it” (William Hendriksen). Patience – long-suffering in the face of adversity.
Luke 6 [NASB]
35"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
36"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Galations 5 [NASB]
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Matthew 11 [NASB]
29"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
All of these virtues are characteristics of God which He displays to us in the work and person of Christ.
Romans 13 [NASB]
14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ...
If He has dealt with us in this way, so should we deal with those around us. Paul continues with further instructions:
13bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
We need to (in the exercise of these virtues) bear with the short-comings of those around us, remembering that they are called to bear with our deficiencies. As not yet perfected and glorified there are many areas we fall short in, and so we need to be ready and willing to endure one another. When a brother sins against us we need to be ready to forgive them. This command of Paul is strikingly similar to the Lord’s Prayer.
Matthew 6 [NASB]
12'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors...
14"For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15"But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
We are called to forgive, because the Lord has already forgiven us our sins which are far weightier than any grievances we may have between ourselves. For more on this see the parable of the ungrateful slave of Matthew 18:21-35.
14Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
Jesus taught love for one another as the fulfilment of the second table of the Law. The love for our fellow believers which Paul speaks of here is the perfect bond of unity. Bruce interprets this as “the grace that binds all these other graces together”. Henriksen comments “love then is the bond of perfection in the sense that it is that which unites believers, causing them to move forward toward the goal of perfection”.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Knowing who Christ is and what He has accomplished for us, we must therefore let His peace rule - govern or direct us. As Matthew Henry points out “We are called to this peace, to peace with God as our privilege and peace with our brethren as our duty”. There is both a peace which we have before our Redeemer and Judge, and also a peace which governs our relationships with one another. If Christ’s peace rules our hearts, we will be enabled to bear with one another and forgive one another, because we are resting in the knowledge of Christ’s forgiveness for our sins. John Wesley points out that the cause and effect of this passage could also be reversed: “And then the peace of God shall rule in your hearts -Shall sway every temper, affection, thought, as the reward (so the Greek word implies) of your preceding love and obedience”. Either way we can apply this test to great advantage: “let the individual, therefore, constantly ask himself, “Will I have peace within if I do this or do that?” Let him be sure to be at peace with God, for only then can he expect to live in true harmony with his brothers” (William Hendriksen). A body made up of many members must be at peace with itself, must exhibit spiritual oneness.
Paul adds that we are to be thankful. This theme runs through the epistle (1:3, 12; 2:7; 3:15, 16, 17; 4:2). As we are thankful for what Christ has achieved we are enabled and empowered to do these things Paul is calling us to.
16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
The peace of Christ can only rule in our hearts when the word of Christ is richly dwelling within us. This word should richly dwell - take residence, “be always ready and at hand to us in everything, and have its due influence and use” (Matthew Henry), bear much fruit. It should be read, believed, dwelt upon, it should be hidden in the hearts of the believers. For an example of right appreciation of the word see Psalm 119. As a result of this indwelling of the word we can with all wisdom teach and admonish one another. To admonish is to warn, stimulate, and encourage. We must do this in accordance with the rights and duties of our particular office, but note that all Christians are called to teach and admonish in some aspect even if they are not apostles as Paul was or teachers. One of the means of this teaching and admonishing in wisdom is the singing of God-glorifying songs. Let us not look down on this practice as less spiritual or necessary than other more “noble” pursuits. Spiritual songs “fix the interest upon the indwelling word of Christ and carry the attention away from the worldly cacophony” (William Hendriksen).
17Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Paul gives us an overarching command to close this section. ‘In the name of’ refers to “in harmony with His revealed will, in subjection to His authority, in dependence on His power” (William Hendriksen). As Hendriksen gave a test for a decision based on the peace of Christ in verse 15, so F.F. Bruce gives the following: “When faced with a situation, the believer may well ask “Can I do this ‘in the name of the Lord Jesus’ whose reputation is at stake in the conduct of His known followers? Can I thank God the Father through Him for the opportunity of doing this thing?”” We can offer our thanks to God through Him because Christ has atoned for our sins, and now lives as our intermediary. Paul ends this section by pointing us back to the one and only, all-sufficient Saviour, Christ Jesus.
These are but a few short thoughts on a huge section of Scripture, I pray that they may spur you on to put these verses into practice. God bless, Taliah.
Showing posts with label scripture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scripture. Show all posts
28 October 2010
19 September 2010
The Spirit-Filled Life
I thought this devotional from 1 John was very good and worth sharing for my entry this week. It is written by Dr. Charles Stanley of In Touch Ministries.
"By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." 1 John 2:3-6
"There was a time when I was so disheartened that it made me wonder whether I should remain in the ministry. How could I tell people that Jesus would give them peace and joy when I felt discouraged by my own failure to be godly? I understood what “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-23) meant but was never sure which of those qualities, if any, would be apparent in me from day to day.
God let me stew in my anxiety until I was fully committed to finding out if His Word was true or not. I encountered my answer in a biography of Hudson Taylor, the founder of China Inland Missions. For a long time he, too, felt that his efforts fell short of the Lord’s expectations. Then Taylor discovered that God wanted believers to take His promises literally. So when Jesus said to abide in Him, He meant that His followers were to stop striving and struggling. Instead they were to trust Him to subdue their flesh.
As a child, I was taught that a person got saved and then went to work for God. You did the best you could to act godly, think right, and speak wisely. When your best wasn’t good enough, well, you tried harder. Such an impossible expectation was wearing me out. This idea of letting Jesus Christ work through me sounded both biblical and liberating.
A grape branch doesn’t bear fruit because of its determined efforts to get sunshine; rather, it simply abides in the vine, and fruit appears. The vine does all the work. In the same way, believers are to be in union with their Savior so that spiritual fruit can grow in their life."
"By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." 1 John 2:3-6
"There was a time when I was so disheartened that it made me wonder whether I should remain in the ministry. How could I tell people that Jesus would give them peace and joy when I felt discouraged by my own failure to be godly? I understood what “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-23) meant but was never sure which of those qualities, if any, would be apparent in me from day to day.
God let me stew in my anxiety until I was fully committed to finding out if His Word was true or not. I encountered my answer in a biography of Hudson Taylor, the founder of China Inland Missions. For a long time he, too, felt that his efforts fell short of the Lord’s expectations. Then Taylor discovered that God wanted believers to take His promises literally. So when Jesus said to abide in Him, He meant that His followers were to stop striving and struggling. Instead they were to trust Him to subdue their flesh.
As a child, I was taught that a person got saved and then went to work for God. You did the best you could to act godly, think right, and speak wisely. When your best wasn’t good enough, well, you tried harder. Such an impossible expectation was wearing me out. This idea of letting Jesus Christ work through me sounded both biblical and liberating.
A grape branch doesn’t bear fruit because of its determined efforts to get sunshine; rather, it simply abides in the vine, and fruit appears. The vine does all the work. In the same way, believers are to be in union with their Savior so that spiritual fruit can grow in their life."
12 September 2010
Humility and Humiliation
Christ firstly speaks of the person who "shall exalt himself." The word exalt, Hupsoo, is related to the word altitude and has the idea of height. According to Strongs, to exalt is to lift up to the heights. The man or woman who lifts up themselves is filled with pride. They are guilty of self-exaltation. They promote themselves and promotes their own agenda. They are full of their own importance. Two prime examples from the Word are Satan and Nebuchadnezzar.
Lets take a quick look at the story of Satan's fall in Isaiah 14:12-15. Notice all the "I will’s"?
I will ascend into heaven… (vs.13)
I will exalt my throne… (vs.13)
I will sit also upon the mount… (vs.13)
I will ascend above the heights… (vs.14)
I will be like the most High." (vs.14)
I will exalt my throne… (vs.13)
I will sit also upon the mount… (vs.13)
I will ascend above the heights… (vs.14)
I will be like the most High." (vs.14)
In his pride, he exalted himself. Only what he wanted was important. Nothing else mattered.
Another example is Nebuchadnezzar. He walks in his palace in Babylon and says, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?" (Daniel 4:30). Again, his thoughts are totally filled with himself and his accomplishments.
These may be extreme examples, allowing us to remove ourselves from the picture saying, "I do not have that kind of pride; I know that all glory belongs to the Lord." In the New Testament letters Paul brings it home when describing his fellow labourers, "For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's" (Philippians 2:21). Thankfully, he does give Timothy as an exception so their is hope yet can we think ourselves 'naturally' better than the general rule of the apostolic age? If most of Paul's companions selfishly sought their own good above the cause of Jesus Christ, how can we think ourselves any better. Look at the greed, selfishness and pride of the modern church - We speak against others in order to exalt ourselves: we respond in anger when someone else is given an honor we think we should have received: we compare, criticize and contend with others who are also serving the Lord: we are quick to judge others yet glacially slow in judging ourselves. It is time to judge the pride in our own hearts.
In the next part of the this verse Jesus teaches us that the man who exalts himself will be abased. The word abase, Tapeinoo, comes from the root word, Tapeinos (commonly translated as base) meaning not rising far from the ground. To abase means to lower or bring down to the bottom. Colloquially we use the word humiliation. The second half of the verse will use the word humility but what's the difference?
Humility is self-abasement and it is primarily done before God. Humiliation is divine-abasement and it is done before all. One who is humiliated suffers what many Asian cultures refer to as losing face - a serious situation indeed. He is shamed before all.It is important to note that humiliation is a direct result of haughtiness. He is brought down to the ground because he lifted himself up. Other scriptures support this dichotomy:
Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. (Job 40:11)
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
God's wisdom is so different to that of the world's. If we exalt ourselves, God will bring us down. Self-promotion is not God’s way and those exalting themselves cannot accomplish His will.
In the second contrasting section of this verse, Jesus talks about the man "that shall humble himself." Humility is found first of all in the way we think of ourselves and others. A humble man thinks of God and others first and himself last. He carries the burdens of others but he does not expect anyone else to carry his burden (Galatians 6:2,5). He expects not to be ministered unto, but to minister to others (Matthew 20:28) The man who humbles himself "shall be exalted". Self-exaltation comes before divine-abasement. But divine-exaltation is the result of self-abasement. This is further supported in other scriptural passages;
The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility. (Proverbs 15:33)
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:10)
The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility. (Proverbs 15:33)
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:10)
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time (1Peter 5:6)
What glory to be exalted by God! Why would you seek the glory and praise of man when you can have the eternal glory of God? What is a moment of glory in this world compared to the riches available in Christ? Biblical humility is the opposite of selfishness; it is selflessness. It is not a hatred or embarrassment of self, which are both still focused on self. It is a removing of self from conscious thought. It is a life so lost in pleasing God that there is no time and no need to please self. Pleasing God brings full satisfaction beyond anything this selfish world can offer. Christian humility is a losing of self in God and in others. God and His will is our focus. This is the servant’s heart. This is the disciple’s calling.
"He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).
Please pray with me that this may ever be so in our lives.
I hope this has been of some encouragement to you and has wet your appetite to seek out God's Word for all that pertains unto life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
Looking forward to our lovely blushing bride-to-be's post next week :)
22 August 2010
The Preeminence of Christ
Over a year ago I heard a sermon on Colossians 1:15-19 that has come back to my memory many times since then. As I have been considering the insights I gleaned from this sermon, I thought I would share some of my notes and thoughts.
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross." Colossians 1:15-19
Matthew Henry adds:
"Christ in His human nature, is the visible discovery of the invisible God, and he that hath seen Him hath seen the Father. Let us adore these mysteries in humble faith, and behold the glory of the Lord in Christ Jesus. He was born or begotten before all the creation, before any creature was made; which is the Scripture way of representing eternity, and by which the eternity of God is represented to us. All things being created by Him, were created for him; being made by his power, they were made according to his pleasure, and for his praise and glory. He not only created them all at first, but it is by the word of his power that they are upheld. Christ as Mediator is the Head of the body, the church; all grace and strength are from him; and the church is his body. All fullness dwells in him; a fullness of merit and righteousness, of strength and grace for us. God showed his justice in requiring full satisfaction."
From this we are reminded that Jesus is preeminent in all things and His preeminence is past, present, and future. Jesus is the Creator of all things and the sustainer of all things.
It is worth noting that Jesus never went more than 100 miles from His birthplace of Nazareth, yet nearly 2 billion people describe themselves as followers of Christ! As Christians, we agree that Christ is preeminent, but do our lives show that Christ is preeminent? What does it mean for Christ to truly be preeminent in our lives? Luke 6:46-49 provides the answer to this question:
"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." Luke 6:46-49
We often assume that the man building his house on the sand is not a Christian, but actually, Jesus is talking about people like us. In order to build our lives on the preeminence of Jesus Christ, we must first come to Him. So often, we come to Jesus on our way to something else. We use Him as a ticket to something else. We come to Jesus with our eyes fixed on what He's going to do for us.
Jesus says, "Come to me." Saving faith is faith in Jesus. We often make His teaching more about what we can do "for Him", not what He has done for us. The rock of our faith is the person of Jesus Christ. Everything we do should be an expression of what Jesus has done for us.
Next, as we endeavor to make Christ preeminent in our lives, we must hear His words. Jesus is speaking to us, but are we hearing Him?
Luke 21:33 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."
Our doctrine should be made up of truths from the Bible. Studying Jesus' words and understanding what they mean involves effort. This is so challenging to me because I often struggle with going through my entire morning devotions without even really taking the time to think deeply about what I am reading!
"If you want to feel deeply, you need to think deeply." - CJ Mahaney
"A lot of us want an experiential, deep feeling, but feeling built on feeling is empty. Emotion and feeling need to be built on something solid and unchanging. Dig your way to the truth and then the emotions will come. You will be founded on the unchanging truth of who He is." -Joshua Harris
The third step is to put His truth into practice.
"You can know 'Christianity' backwards and forwards, but if you don't put it into practice, it is nothing. Christian doctrine is for living." - Joshua Harris
"It is not enough to have your life in close proximity to the rock. When Jesus is preeminent, He pushes other things aside. His demand on us is the greatest expression of His love for us." - Joshua Harris
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross." Colossians 1:15-19
Matthew Henry adds:
"Christ in His human nature, is the visible discovery of the invisible God, and he that hath seen Him hath seen the Father. Let us adore these mysteries in humble faith, and behold the glory of the Lord in Christ Jesus. He was born or begotten before all the creation, before any creature was made; which is the Scripture way of representing eternity, and by which the eternity of God is represented to us. All things being created by Him, were created for him; being made by his power, they were made according to his pleasure, and for his praise and glory. He not only created them all at first, but it is by the word of his power that they are upheld. Christ as Mediator is the Head of the body, the church; all grace and strength are from him; and the church is his body. All fullness dwells in him; a fullness of merit and righteousness, of strength and grace for us. God showed his justice in requiring full satisfaction."
From this we are reminded that Jesus is preeminent in all things and His preeminence is past, present, and future. Jesus is the Creator of all things and the sustainer of all things.
It is worth noting that Jesus never went more than 100 miles from His birthplace of Nazareth, yet nearly 2 billion people describe themselves as followers of Christ! As Christians, we agree that Christ is preeminent, but do our lives show that Christ is preeminent? What does it mean for Christ to truly be preeminent in our lives? Luke 6:46-49 provides the answer to this question:
"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." Luke 6:46-49
We often assume that the man building his house on the sand is not a Christian, but actually, Jesus is talking about people like us. In order to build our lives on the preeminence of Jesus Christ, we must first come to Him. So often, we come to Jesus on our way to something else. We use Him as a ticket to something else. We come to Jesus with our eyes fixed on what He's going to do for us.
Jesus says, "Come to me." Saving faith is faith in Jesus. We often make His teaching more about what we can do "for Him", not what He has done for us. The rock of our faith is the person of Jesus Christ. Everything we do should be an expression of what Jesus has done for us.
Next, as we endeavor to make Christ preeminent in our lives, we must hear His words. Jesus is speaking to us, but are we hearing Him?
Luke 21:33 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."
Our doctrine should be made up of truths from the Bible. Studying Jesus' words and understanding what they mean involves effort. This is so challenging to me because I often struggle with going through my entire morning devotions without even really taking the time to think deeply about what I am reading!
"If you want to feel deeply, you need to think deeply." - CJ Mahaney
"A lot of us want an experiential, deep feeling, but feeling built on feeling is empty. Emotion and feeling need to be built on something solid and unchanging. Dig your way to the truth and then the emotions will come. You will be founded on the unchanging truth of who He is." -Joshua Harris
The third step is to put His truth into practice.
"You can know 'Christianity' backwards and forwards, but if you don't put it into practice, it is nothing. Christian doctrine is for living." - Joshua Harris
"It is not enough to have your life in close proximity to the rock. When Jesus is preeminent, He pushes other things aside. His demand on us is the greatest expression of His love for us." - Joshua Harris
I pray others will be challenged by these scriptures, notes, and quotes!
08 August 2010
Who is God?
“There is none holy as the LORD” (1 Sam. 2:2).
To worship God properly we must know something about Him. True worship must be based on a deep heartfelt appreciation of who God is, what He has done for us, and what He has promised to do: it must be based on truth rather than the inconsistency of our feelings. “They that worship [God] must worship Him … in truth” (John 4:24). Today I just wanted to impress upon you, mainly through scripture verses, one characteristic of God, His holiness. This understanding brings the sinner into a relationship with God that is founded on Him: His character, His work, His promises.
“Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness” (Psa. 30:4).
“He sent redemption unto His people: He hath commanded His covenant for ever: holy and reverend is His name” (Psa. 111:9).
“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims … and one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:1-3).
The declaration of the holiness of God will ring out in heaven throughout eternity: “And the four beasts … rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Rev. 4:8).
What then do we do with this information? How should it change our perceptions, our actions and our attitude? Go back to Isaiah, hearing the seraphim proclaim in rapturous chorus, “Holy, Holy, Holy”. What was Isaiah’s response to this truth?
“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5).
However holy Isaiah may have been in comparison to the other Israelites, in the presence of God and His holiness Isaiah became thoroughly aware of his own utter unholiness. So many people, Christian and non-Christian alike, say they are a “good person” and therefore do not deserve the judgement of God which culminates in Hell. If only we would compare ourselves to Him, then we would gain a more realistic assessment of our own sinfulness and see how fitting His judgement is.
Understanding our sinfulness in the eyes of God is not simply a self deprecating experience that ends in despair. No, no! It leads to joy indescribable, appreciation unable to be uttered and a liberty unequalled. In Christ we are no longer held held under the bondage of our sin: we are no longer separated from our Creator. Through the saving work on Jesus Christ on the Cross the relationship God always wanted for us to have with Him is established. When He returns this relationship shall be fully consummated and we shall be as He sees us.
I hope this short study on the holiness of God has been of some encouragement to you. Doing a word study on holiness is a good place to start should you wish to understand this topic in further depth.
God bless,
Laura
PS: On a personal note let me publicly congratulate my dear sister Taliah on the birth of her second child; Elijah James. We are all praying for you and your family (hubby Shane and daughter Abigail) as you welcome this new addition into your homes and lives.
To worship God properly we must know something about Him. True worship must be based on a deep heartfelt appreciation of who God is, what He has done for us, and what He has promised to do: it must be based on truth rather than the inconsistency of our feelings. “They that worship [God] must worship Him … in truth” (John 4:24). Today I just wanted to impress upon you, mainly through scripture verses, one characteristic of God, His holiness. This understanding brings the sinner into a relationship with God that is founded on Him: His character, His work, His promises.
“Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness” (Psa. 30:4).
“He sent redemption unto His people: He hath commanded His covenant for ever: holy and reverend is His name” (Psa. 111:9).
“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims … and one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:1-3).
The declaration of the holiness of God will ring out in heaven throughout eternity: “And the four beasts … rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Rev. 4:8).
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning let songs arise to Thee!
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty—
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! all Thy saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea,
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Which were, and art, and evermore shalt be!
Early in the morning let songs arise to Thee!
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty—
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! all Thy saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea,
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Which were, and art, and evermore shalt be!
R. Heber
What then do we do with this information? How should it change our perceptions, our actions and our attitude? Go back to Isaiah, hearing the seraphim proclaim in rapturous chorus, “Holy, Holy, Holy”. What was Isaiah’s response to this truth?
“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5).
However holy Isaiah may have been in comparison to the other Israelites, in the presence of God and His holiness Isaiah became thoroughly aware of his own utter unholiness. So many people, Christian and non-Christian alike, say they are a “good person” and therefore do not deserve the judgement of God which culminates in Hell. If only we would compare ourselves to Him, then we would gain a more realistic assessment of our own sinfulness and see how fitting His judgement is.
Understanding our sinfulness in the eyes of God is not simply a self deprecating experience that ends in despair. No, no! It leads to joy indescribable, appreciation unable to be uttered and a liberty unequalled. In Christ we are no longer held held under the bondage of our sin: we are no longer separated from our Creator. Through the saving work on Jesus Christ on the Cross the relationship God always wanted for us to have with Him is established. When He returns this relationship shall be fully consummated and we shall be as He sees us.
I hope this short study on the holiness of God has been of some encouragement to you. Doing a word study on holiness is a good place to start should you wish to understand this topic in further depth.
God bless,
Laura
PS: On a personal note let me publicly congratulate my dear sister Taliah on the birth of her second child; Elijah James. We are all praying for you and your family (hubby Shane and daughter Abigail) as you welcome this new addition into your homes and lives.
18 July 2010
Choosing Joy
Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend a Christian conference promoting life and families. As I have recalled the many sessions held throughout the weekend, covering everything from Haitian adoptions to euthanasia to embryology, one small point mentioned in passing by one of the speakers has stood out to me beyond any other. The woman being interviewed, Mrs. Michelle Duggar, mother to nineteen children, emphasized the importance of choosing joy even when we don't feel like it. She recounted how, during one especially trying season, she would go around her home singing, "The Joy of the Lord Is My Strength" to remind herself of this important truth.
As followers of Christ, we have an inner joy and peace that the world cannot understand, but sometimes in the day to day tasks we can lose sight of our primary purpose and get so easily caught up in the menial tasks of the day. While I should not put on a fake front, I also should not adopt a spirit of negativity in the midst of my many responsibilities. Lately, as I juggle serving my family at home through housework, cooking, and running one of our businesses, homeschooling two of my siblings, trying to "finish strong" as a daughter and sister in my final few months in my family's home, and attempting to be a sweet fiancée to my gracious soon-to-be husband, all the while planning a wedding, I have consistently found myself in an overwhelmed state more often than not. I have felt tremendously guilty that I am not using the final months at home to their fullest.
Mrs. Duggar's words on choosing to be joyful rang true in my heart and have been a source of comfort to me. As I pondered her words of admonition, I decided to study more scriptures on choosing to be joyful, which I have included here with the hope that they may be encouragement to others as well:
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." Psalm 90:14
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4
"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you." Psalm 5:11
"...For this day is holy to our Lord. And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold." Nehemiah 8:10
"This is the day which the Lord has brought about; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
Many blessings for a joyful new week!
As followers of Christ, we have an inner joy and peace that the world cannot understand, but sometimes in the day to day tasks we can lose sight of our primary purpose and get so easily caught up in the menial tasks of the day. While I should not put on a fake front, I also should not adopt a spirit of negativity in the midst of my many responsibilities. Lately, as I juggle serving my family at home through housework, cooking, and running one of our businesses, homeschooling two of my siblings, trying to "finish strong" as a daughter and sister in my final few months in my family's home, and attempting to be a sweet fiancée to my gracious soon-to-be husband, all the while planning a wedding, I have consistently found myself in an overwhelmed state more often than not. I have felt tremendously guilty that I am not using the final months at home to their fullest.
Mrs. Duggar's words on choosing to be joyful rang true in my heart and have been a source of comfort to me. As I pondered her words of admonition, I decided to study more scriptures on choosing to be joyful, which I have included here with the hope that they may be encouragement to others as well:
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." Psalm 90:14
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4
"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you." Psalm 5:11
"Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him." Psalm 33:1
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3-4
"Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!" Psalm 32:11-12
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." Habakkuk 3:18
"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:11"...For this day is holy to our Lord. And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold." Nehemiah 8:10
"This is the day which the Lord has brought about; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
Many blessings for a joyful new week!
26 June 2010
Colossians 2:8-23
Colossians 2 [NASB]
8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
9For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
10and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
11and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
12having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
16Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--
17things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
18Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,
19and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
20If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
21"Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"
22(which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
23These 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.
-
8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
What was positively stated in Colosians 2:6-7 is now negatively emphasised in verses 8-10. Paul is saying ‘Ýou have received Christ, do not allow yourself to be carried away by anything less than what you already have which is found in Christ’.
Colossians 2 [NASB]
6Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
Through this whole section (chapter 2) Paul is showing his deep concern for the Colossian church and presents the reality found in Christ as the answer to any temptation they may face.
As Paul states earlier in the letter, the believer has been transferred out of the dominion of darkness and into the kingdom of God’s Son (Col 1:13-14) and so to be taken captive once more would be the greatest tragedy.
The things Paul warns against are the futile, empty deceptions which accompany the philosophies of men. These are not godly men but rather earthly, worldly. What fellowship has Christ or the Christian with such things (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)? We are to be taken captive only by those things which are according to Christ, firmly rooted, established and built up in them.
9For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
10and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
Here is the reality of Christ presented in all its glory. Paul has already expounded on Christ’s supremacy in chapter 1, and declared that in Him is the mystery of God and all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:2-3), but now Paul crowns this with the declaration that in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form. Hendriksen summarises the meaning of this phrase as ‘all the fullness of the indwelling essence of God is completely concentrated in Christ’ and goes on to say that this means that ‘there is no need of or justification for looking elsewhere for help, salvation or spiritual perfection’ (W. Hendriksen on Colossians).
Paul goes on to say literally ‘in Him you have attained to fullness’. Again, Hendriksen helpfully paraphrases ‘in Christ you have reached the Source whence flows the stream of blessings that supplies whatever you need for this life and for the next’. Why go to any other source when you have Christ? Why submit to any other rule or authority when He is head over all and all things have been put in subjection under His feet?
Ephesians 1 [NASB]
19b These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
20which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
22And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
F.F. Bruce puts it that ‘those who are in Christ have no need to pay respect to the forces over which He has vindicated His pre-eminence’.
11and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
12having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
As Paul has presented the supremacy of Christ, he now presents the supremacy of the ‘religious system’ (for want of a better term) which Christians now have a part in. It is as if he is saying: ‘if any religious system is presented to you, the Christian, which appears to have value or weight compare it to what we now have in Christ’. If someone speaks to you about physical circumcision then compare it to the spiritual circumcision which deals with the sanctification of the whole self by dealing with the body of flesh. The Christian has the spiritual circumcision in their baptism where they are buried and raised again. We were dirty sinners who were dead in our transgressions, and He made us alive and changed us from objects of wrath and condemnation to recipients of forgiveness and justification. Praise be to God! All of this is possible not simply through the physical action of baptism in and of itself, but ‘through faith in the working of God’.
Paul presents the parts involved in ‘making us alive’: forgiveness, setting aside the law (as the means to obtain righteousness) and the disarming of the rulers and authorities. Paul comforts the believers by setting out what privileges Christ has won in the cross. The battle with sin, death and the spiritual hosts of evil has been won for us in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Once again, all that we need is found in Christ.
16Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--
17things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
Here we begin to see more specific examples of the teachings which the Colossians were faced with. Paul has dealt with the philosophical teachings which were creeping in and now looks at the Jewish aspects of the regulations others are trying to impose on the believers. In light of the previous section Paul can say ‘therefore no one is to act as your judge’. As in Romans 8:32-34, if it is God who has justified us and who will judge us, then what can any man say regarding a way to God which exceeds the way He has outlined for us? Any man who questions the sufficiency of our salvation found in Christ is questioning God Himself because “...God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them...” (2 Corinthians 5:19 NASB). These things which people are pointing to as necessary for salvation (food, drink, festivals) take away from the all-sufficiency of Christ who came as the fulfilment of the Old Testament ‘shadows’. Paul has just listed in verses 11-15 the things which Christ’s life, death and resurrection have achieved for the believer. How can these external observances add anything at all to what we have in Him? Hendriksen points out that “if even the law of God, as a code of ceremonial ordinances and rules and as a means unto salvation, was blotted out and nailed to the cross, then surely man-made instructions regarding eating, drinking etc. must be discarded”.
18Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,
19and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
Paul uses strong language here of ‘defrauding you of your prize’. Do not let others try to make you feel inferior to them with regards to their ‘spirituality’ because this special ‘knowledge’ he claims to have is a source of pride as 1 Corinthians 8:1 says: “...Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.” Note that those who live this way have a ‘fleshly’, unregenerate mind. The false humility is a disguise for sinful pride and all of this without cause. There is no real weight behind the assertions of someone like this, and Paul exposes this to encourage the believers to hold fast to Christ.
Those who take their stand on visions they have seen have not held fast to Christ, the head and they have forgotten that in Christ “...are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3 NASB). It is “to Christ that the entire church owes its growth. The church need not and must not look for any other source of strength to overcome sin or to increase in knowledge, virtue, and joy” (W. Hendriksen on Colossians).
20If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
21"Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"
22(which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
23These 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.
Paul moves on to another area of teaching which, although it may appear to be ‘wisdom’ does more harm than good. If righteousness comes through the keeping of the Law then Paul concludes elsewhere that Christ died needlessly.
Galatians 2 [NASB]
18"For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
19"For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.
20"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
21"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."
How much more so for man-made ordinances and restrictions such as ‘do not taste’? The perfect God breathed Law was unable to secure our salvation. If we are putting our hope of salvation in anything which is ‘destined to perish’ then we are foolish.
Jesus spoke of this when the Pharisees questioned Him over the traditions of the elders.
Matthew 15 [NASB]
7You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:
8'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
9'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN'
...
17Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?
The conclusion of this section is a scathing rebuttal of any system of religion outside of the all sufficiency of Christ. Paul says that it may appear wise, but this is a thin facade which covers something of ‘no value’. Hendriksen summarises “Any system if religion which is unwilling to accept Jesus Christ as the only and all-sufficient Saviour is an indulgence of the flesh, a giving in to man’s sinful conceit, as if he, by his own contrivances, were able to perfect Christ’s imperfect work. It makes matters worse instead of better.”
Paul in this letter has continually presented Christ in all His glory as the all-sufficient Saviour of the believer and supreme One over all. He is the answer to anyone who seeks to present a different way to God. He is our hope, our assurance, and our wisdom. “In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete” (Col 2:9-10). May we take Pauls words to heart and be protected against any judge or any who would defraud us of our prize.
Colossians 2 [NASB]
6Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
God bless.
8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
9For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
10and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
11and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
12having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
16Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--
17things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
18Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,
19and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
20If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
21"Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"
22(which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
23These 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.
-
8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
What was positively stated in Colosians 2:6-7 is now negatively emphasised in verses 8-10. Paul is saying ‘Ýou have received Christ, do not allow yourself to be carried away by anything less than what you already have which is found in Christ’.
Colossians 2 [NASB]
6Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
Through this whole section (chapter 2) Paul is showing his deep concern for the Colossian church and presents the reality found in Christ as the answer to any temptation they may face.
As Paul states earlier in the letter, the believer has been transferred out of the dominion of darkness and into the kingdom of God’s Son (Col 1:13-14) and so to be taken captive once more would be the greatest tragedy.
The things Paul warns against are the futile, empty deceptions which accompany the philosophies of men. These are not godly men but rather earthly, worldly. What fellowship has Christ or the Christian with such things (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)? We are to be taken captive only by those things which are according to Christ, firmly rooted, established and built up in them.
9For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
10and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
Here is the reality of Christ presented in all its glory. Paul has already expounded on Christ’s supremacy in chapter 1, and declared that in Him is the mystery of God and all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:2-3), but now Paul crowns this with the declaration that in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form. Hendriksen summarises the meaning of this phrase as ‘all the fullness of the indwelling essence of God is completely concentrated in Christ’ and goes on to say that this means that ‘there is no need of or justification for looking elsewhere for help, salvation or spiritual perfection’ (W. Hendriksen on Colossians).
Paul goes on to say literally ‘in Him you have attained to fullness’. Again, Hendriksen helpfully paraphrases ‘in Christ you have reached the Source whence flows the stream of blessings that supplies whatever you need for this life and for the next’. Why go to any other source when you have Christ? Why submit to any other rule or authority when He is head over all and all things have been put in subjection under His feet?
Ephesians 1 [NASB]
19b These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
20which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
22And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
F.F. Bruce puts it that ‘those who are in Christ have no need to pay respect to the forces over which He has vindicated His pre-eminence’.
11and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
12having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
As Paul has presented the supremacy of Christ, he now presents the supremacy of the ‘religious system’ (for want of a better term) which Christians now have a part in. It is as if he is saying: ‘if any religious system is presented to you, the Christian, which appears to have value or weight compare it to what we now have in Christ’. If someone speaks to you about physical circumcision then compare it to the spiritual circumcision which deals with the sanctification of the whole self by dealing with the body of flesh. The Christian has the spiritual circumcision in their baptism where they are buried and raised again. We were dirty sinners who were dead in our transgressions, and He made us alive and changed us from objects of wrath and condemnation to recipients of forgiveness and justification. Praise be to God! All of this is possible not simply through the physical action of baptism in and of itself, but ‘through faith in the working of God’.
Paul presents the parts involved in ‘making us alive’: forgiveness, setting aside the law (as the means to obtain righteousness) and the disarming of the rulers and authorities. Paul comforts the believers by setting out what privileges Christ has won in the cross. The battle with sin, death and the spiritual hosts of evil has been won for us in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Once again, all that we need is found in Christ.
16Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--
17things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
Here we begin to see more specific examples of the teachings which the Colossians were faced with. Paul has dealt with the philosophical teachings which were creeping in and now looks at the Jewish aspects of the regulations others are trying to impose on the believers. In light of the previous section Paul can say ‘therefore no one is to act as your judge’. As in Romans 8:32-34, if it is God who has justified us and who will judge us, then what can any man say regarding a way to God which exceeds the way He has outlined for us? Any man who questions the sufficiency of our salvation found in Christ is questioning God Himself because “...God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them...” (2 Corinthians 5:19 NASB). These things which people are pointing to as necessary for salvation (food, drink, festivals) take away from the all-sufficiency of Christ who came as the fulfilment of the Old Testament ‘shadows’. Paul has just listed in verses 11-15 the things which Christ’s life, death and resurrection have achieved for the believer. How can these external observances add anything at all to what we have in Him? Hendriksen points out that “if even the law of God, as a code of ceremonial ordinances and rules and as a means unto salvation, was blotted out and nailed to the cross, then surely man-made instructions regarding eating, drinking etc. must be discarded”.
18Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,
19and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
Paul uses strong language here of ‘defrauding you of your prize’. Do not let others try to make you feel inferior to them with regards to their ‘spirituality’ because this special ‘knowledge’ he claims to have is a source of pride as 1 Corinthians 8:1 says: “...Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.” Note that those who live this way have a ‘fleshly’, unregenerate mind. The false humility is a disguise for sinful pride and all of this without cause. There is no real weight behind the assertions of someone like this, and Paul exposes this to encourage the believers to hold fast to Christ.
Those who take their stand on visions they have seen have not held fast to Christ, the head and they have forgotten that in Christ “...are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3 NASB). It is “to Christ that the entire church owes its growth. The church need not and must not look for any other source of strength to overcome sin or to increase in knowledge, virtue, and joy” (W. Hendriksen on Colossians).
20If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
21"Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"
22(which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
23These 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.
Paul moves on to another area of teaching which, although it may appear to be ‘wisdom’ does more harm than good. If righteousness comes through the keeping of the Law then Paul concludes elsewhere that Christ died needlessly.
Galatians 2 [NASB]
18"For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
19"For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.
20"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
21"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."
How much more so for man-made ordinances and restrictions such as ‘do not taste’? The perfect God breathed Law was unable to secure our salvation. If we are putting our hope of salvation in anything which is ‘destined to perish’ then we are foolish.
Jesus spoke of this when the Pharisees questioned Him over the traditions of the elders.
Matthew 15 [NASB]
7You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:
8'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
9'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN'
...
17Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?
The conclusion of this section is a scathing rebuttal of any system of religion outside of the all sufficiency of Christ. Paul says that it may appear wise, but this is a thin facade which covers something of ‘no value’. Hendriksen summarises “Any system if religion which is unwilling to accept Jesus Christ as the only and all-sufficient Saviour is an indulgence of the flesh, a giving in to man’s sinful conceit, as if he, by his own contrivances, were able to perfect Christ’s imperfect work. It makes matters worse instead of better.”
Paul in this letter has continually presented Christ in all His glory as the all-sufficient Saviour of the believer and supreme One over all. He is the answer to anyone who seeks to present a different way to God. He is our hope, our assurance, and our wisdom. “In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete” (Col 2:9-10). May we take Pauls words to heart and be protected against any judge or any who would defraud us of our prize.
Colossians 2 [NASB]
6Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
God bless.
20 June 2010
Overcoming the Storms of Life
Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" Matthew 8:23-27
Whether or not we are presently encountering storms in our lives, we can be certain that storms will come as we live in this fallen world. How do we overcome these storms? Do we turn to God or do we foolishly try to calm our storms in our own efforts? Are we disciples or followers of God only when He is making our lives comfortable? Do we only love the Lord when good things happen?
Some keys I have recently learned for overcoming storms in life are to acknowledge my fears, trust God to handle my fears, and grow through my fears.
First, we are to acknowledge our fears. God is always pleased when we come to Him. He wants us to allow Him to handle the storms in our lives.
Next, we are to trust God. It is interesting to note that the story of Jesus calming the storm in Matthew 8 was immediately after Jesus healed many people and performed miracles. The disciples had just watched Jesus heal a man with leprosy (Matt. 8:1-3), the centurion's paralyzed servant (Matt. 8:5-13), Peter's mother-in-law (Matt. 8:14-15), and many others (Matt. 8:16-17), yet they were still overcome with fear when the storm came. We can learn from their lack of faith.
Last of all, we should look at the storms in our lives as opportunities to grow in our faith. We must wait on the Lord to work, but we can be confident that He will either cause our storms to cease to carry us through them.
May we make it our prayer to remember to turn to the Lord in the midst of our storms, so that He will be glorified and we will grow nearer to Him as we trust Him!
Whether or not we are presently encountering storms in our lives, we can be certain that storms will come as we live in this fallen world. How do we overcome these storms? Do we turn to God or do we foolishly try to calm our storms in our own efforts? Are we disciples or followers of God only when He is making our lives comfortable? Do we only love the Lord when good things happen?
Some keys I have recently learned for overcoming storms in life are to acknowledge my fears, trust God to handle my fears, and grow through my fears.
First, we are to acknowledge our fears. God is always pleased when we come to Him. He wants us to allow Him to handle the storms in our lives.
Next, we are to trust God. It is interesting to note that the story of Jesus calming the storm in Matthew 8 was immediately after Jesus healed many people and performed miracles. The disciples had just watched Jesus heal a man with leprosy (Matt. 8:1-3), the centurion's paralyzed servant (Matt. 8:5-13), Peter's mother-in-law (Matt. 8:14-15), and many others (Matt. 8:16-17), yet they were still overcome with fear when the storm came. We can learn from their lack of faith.
Last of all, we should look at the storms in our lives as opportunities to grow in our faith. We must wait on the Lord to work, but we can be confident that He will either cause our storms to cease to carry us through them.
May we make it our prayer to remember to turn to the Lord in the midst of our storms, so that He will be glorified and we will grow nearer to Him as we trust Him!
16 May 2010
Disconnect Between Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy
Recently I have been thinking about the disconnect between orthodoxy and orthopraxy that often prevails within the church. James 1:22-25 convicted me of this in my own life:
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does."
Shortly after reading that scripture, I found the following entry, "Take the Initiative," in Oswald Chambers' daily devotional, My Utmost for His Highest:
"Add" means there is something we have to do. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save ourselves nor sanctify ourselves, God does that; but God will not give us good habits, He will not give us character, He will not make us walk aright. We have to do all that ourselves, we have to work out the salvation God has worked in. "Add" means to get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages it is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning, to instruct yourself in the way you have to go.
Beware of the tendency of asking the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative, stop hesitating, and take the first step. Be resolute when God speaks, act in faith immediately on what He says, and never revise your decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do a thing, you endanger your standing in grace. Take the initiative, take it yourself, take the step with your will now, make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges behind you - "I will write that letter"; "I will pay that debt." Make the thing inevitable.
We have to get into the habit of hearkening to God about everything, to form the habit of finding out what God says. If when a crisis comes, we instinctively turn to God, we know that the habit has been formed. We have to take the initiative where we are, not where we are not.
As believers in Christ, are we simply hearers or are we doers? Are we so cautious about avoiding exhibiting legalism that we don't even pursue "good works"? We forget that hearing involves action. According to James 1:22, if we do not take action upon our hearing, we are deceiving ourselves. We should be like Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:10, who responded to the Lord, "Speak, for your servant is listening" or Mary in Luke 1:38, when she immediately answered the angel, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said."
May our prayer be that of Hebrews 12:1-3, that we may run with perseverance as we fix our eyes on Jesus, emulating His obedience to His father's will unto death:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does."
Shortly after reading that scripture, I found the following entry, "Take the Initiative," in Oswald Chambers' daily devotional, My Utmost for His Highest:
"Add" means there is something we have to do. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save ourselves nor sanctify ourselves, God does that; but God will not give us good habits, He will not give us character, He will not make us walk aright. We have to do all that ourselves, we have to work out the salvation God has worked in. "Add" means to get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages it is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning, to instruct yourself in the way you have to go.
Beware of the tendency of asking the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative, stop hesitating, and take the first step. Be resolute when God speaks, act in faith immediately on what He says, and never revise your decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do a thing, you endanger your standing in grace. Take the initiative, take it yourself, take the step with your will now, make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges behind you - "I will write that letter"; "I will pay that debt." Make the thing inevitable.
We have to get into the habit of hearkening to God about everything, to form the habit of finding out what God says. If when a crisis comes, we instinctively turn to God, we know that the habit has been formed. We have to take the initiative where we are, not where we are not.
As believers in Christ, are we simply hearers or are we doers? Are we so cautious about avoiding exhibiting legalism that we don't even pursue "good works"? We forget that hearing involves action. According to James 1:22, if we do not take action upon our hearing, we are deceiving ourselves. We should be like Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:10, who responded to the Lord, "Speak, for your servant is listening" or Mary in Luke 1:38, when she immediately answered the angel, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said."
May our prayer be that of Hebrews 12:1-3, that we may run with perseverance as we fix our eyes on Jesus, emulating His obedience to His father's will unto death:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
17 April 2010
A Testimony of God's Faithfulness
Since my last entry, I became engaged to a godly, wonderful man. Throughout our courtship, God's great faithfulness has proven itself to me again and again and I am so excited to share our story. Although this entry is not a typical "Bible study" post, it is my prayer that my testimony of God's faithfulness may be an encouragement to others who may also be clinging tightly to His Word as they trust Him with situations in their lives.
A God-honoring marriage has been the desire of my heart for many years. Upon high school graduation, I chose to live at home with my family and prepare for, Lord willing, my future as a wife and mother. I was not interested in wasting my time dating guy after guy in hopes that the right one may come along, so I decided to allow God to entirely script my love story. I was waiting for a man to come into my life who would be willing to pursue me with intentionality, and most importantly, with my father's blessing. Living in a small farming community without many likeminded families nearby often made my years of waiting discouraging, but the Lord continued to give me the strength to trust Him and His perfect timing.
In 2007, I began a blog with one of the main purposes being to encourage younger girls to embrace their season of singleness by striving to serve their families at home, as I was also learning to do. I would have never guessed that the Lord would use this avenue to bring my future husband into my life! Providentially, in September 2009, a young man stumbled upon my blog through a fairly random Google search. He wrote about how he was struck by my life choices in regard to living at home and desiring to be a homemaker instead of pursuing our culture's more typical path of a college degree and full-time career.
During a week of emailing, I decided to Google his name to make sure his story added up and to possibly learn more about him. However, as I came upon article after article expounding on this young man's exemplary character and impressive accomplishments, I became very hopeful that the Lord may be causing him to find the slightest interest in me!
While I was enjoying getting to know him, and through his emails it became evident that he most likely was interested in me, I knew it was unwise to continue unsupervised correspondence with a young man I met online. I asked my family for their thoughts regarding this situation and decided to email Stephen telling him that I would like to get to know him better, but only with my family's guidance and approval. I was not interested in carrying on a long-term guy/girl friendship with him and felt it was important for our relationship to be intentional.
I was pretty certain that he would think I was extremely presumptuous and archaic and I would never hear another word from him. However, I was shocked and thrilled when I read the email he sent my father the following night! I was so amazed and felt so undeserving of this godly, amazing, and brilliant man's interest.
Over the following four months, Stephen and my father corresponded over the telephone and email, discussing Stephen's walk with the Lord and convictions that are of importance to our family. As I continued to read Stephen's letters that were sent to my father (I checked my parents' email address so often that I usually read Stephen's emails before my parents did!) and his incredible testimony of God's saving grace in his life, I began to desire more and more that the Lord would cause him to be the man for me.
At times this felt like an unbearably long wait. I was so eager to know what the Lord's will would be and struggled to maintain an open hand, willing to let go of Stephen if the Lord should close the door for a future relationship with him.
In my journal entries from this time, I cried out to the Lord for wisdom and acceptance of His will. When I became impatient, I was encouraged by scriptures and godly friends that encouraged me to press on and to trust that my father would clearly discern the Lord's will. The scripture that brought the most encouragement to me through this time was Colossians 1:9-12:
"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."
Two friends first prayed this verse over me, then the following Sunday, the pastor preached on this passage, and then several weeks later, at a different church, this passage was expounded upon yet again. I was given a new confidence that the Lord saw my often impatient heart and was using many avenues to show me He was in control. This verse became my prayer; that I would have the "knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (i.e. "Is Stephen the right man for me?"). Would Stephen, as my husband, lead me to live a life worthy of the Lord and pleasing to Him in every way? Would I continue to bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God as Stephen's wife? This scripture put the looming situation back into perspective. I was reminded that my purpose was ultimately to glorify God with my life, and I just needed discernment as to whether or not Stephen was the man God had chosen for me to join together with in fulfilling this great purpose.
In early January, Stephen flew from England (where he is studying) to Virginia to meet my family and me. This was when our courtship really began to progress. We spent a week seeking the Lord's will and getting to know each other better.
I can't really even begin to describe how impressed I was! We began to have a great peace about our future and, after much prayer and consideration, my father gave Stephen his full approval for pursuing marriage.
Over the following two months, our relationship grew much deeper and our hearts became closely knit as we corresponded nearly every day, discussing our hopes, convictions, struggles, daily happenings, and much, much more. My love and respect for Stephen grew abundantly and rapidly. I was so eager for his next visit.
In mid-March, Stephen flew back to Virginia to spend another week with my family and me. It was the most perfect, wonderful week! On March 15, 2010, Stephen took me on a lovely trip to Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's plantation). After we toured the home and strolled the grounds, Stephen led me to a peaceful wooded sitting area, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him!
We are so excited about our future serving the Lord together. God used His means to bring His man into my life in His timing. All glory goes entirely to the Lord. Contrary to what many advised as necessary, I did not have to put myself out there or date an endless string of guys to get the man the Lord had already chosen for me! I simply had to live the life to which the Lord had called me. My somewhat counter-cultural life as a twenty-two year old living at home, striving to serve her family, and preparing to be a wife and mother is the very thing that Stephen says first attracted him to me.
The Lord has answered my prayers for a godly husband with a man so much greater than I ever could have imagined. I am not marrying the "man of my dreams"-- my dreams were nothing compared to what God had in store for me! It is so evident that the Lord has been preparing both of us for each other for many years, shaping each of us into the one who perfectly suits and complements the other. Our vision and hopes for the future correspond beautifully.
I am so blessed to be marrying a man with a desire for us to carry out our biblical roles in our future home. He encourages me and is proud that I want to be a homemaker and helper to him and a dedicated mother to our children. I could not possibly be any more proud to be the girl at his side. I can't wait to be his wife! Stephen prays the sweetest prayers over us and will be such a wonderful spiritual leader for our future family. We both pray that the Lord will use us mightily as a couple; that we may leave behind a Christ-honoring legacy. I pray nearly daily that the Lord will mold me into an excellent wife for such a godly man.
I hope that this miraculous story of God bringing together a stay-at-home daughter from a small town and a godly man with a bright, exciting future will serve as an encouragement to you! God is so faithful and He truly will do what is best for us and brings glory to Him if we simply trust Him!
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness." Psalm 115:1
"Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him." Isaiah 64:4
A God-honoring marriage has been the desire of my heart for many years. Upon high school graduation, I chose to live at home with my family and prepare for, Lord willing, my future as a wife and mother. I was not interested in wasting my time dating guy after guy in hopes that the right one may come along, so I decided to allow God to entirely script my love story. I was waiting for a man to come into my life who would be willing to pursue me with intentionality, and most importantly, with my father's blessing. Living in a small farming community without many likeminded families nearby often made my years of waiting discouraging, but the Lord continued to give me the strength to trust Him and His perfect timing.
In 2007, I began a blog with one of the main purposes being to encourage younger girls to embrace their season of singleness by striving to serve their families at home, as I was also learning to do. I would have never guessed that the Lord would use this avenue to bring my future husband into my life! Providentially, in September 2009, a young man stumbled upon my blog through a fairly random Google search. He wrote about how he was struck by my life choices in regard to living at home and desiring to be a homemaker instead of pursuing our culture's more typical path of a college degree and full-time career.
During a week of emailing, I decided to Google his name to make sure his story added up and to possibly learn more about him. However, as I came upon article after article expounding on this young man's exemplary character and impressive accomplishments, I became very hopeful that the Lord may be causing him to find the slightest interest in me!
While I was enjoying getting to know him, and through his emails it became evident that he most likely was interested in me, I knew it was unwise to continue unsupervised correspondence with a young man I met online. I asked my family for their thoughts regarding this situation and decided to email Stephen telling him that I would like to get to know him better, but only with my family's guidance and approval. I was not interested in carrying on a long-term guy/girl friendship with him and felt it was important for our relationship to be intentional.
I was pretty certain that he would think I was extremely presumptuous and archaic and I would never hear another word from him. However, I was shocked and thrilled when I read the email he sent my father the following night! I was so amazed and felt so undeserving of this godly, amazing, and brilliant man's interest.
Over the following four months, Stephen and my father corresponded over the telephone and email, discussing Stephen's walk with the Lord and convictions that are of importance to our family. As I continued to read Stephen's letters that were sent to my father (I checked my parents' email address so often that I usually read Stephen's emails before my parents did!) and his incredible testimony of God's saving grace in his life, I began to desire more and more that the Lord would cause him to be the man for me.
At times this felt like an unbearably long wait. I was so eager to know what the Lord's will would be and struggled to maintain an open hand, willing to let go of Stephen if the Lord should close the door for a future relationship with him.
In my journal entries from this time, I cried out to the Lord for wisdom and acceptance of His will. When I became impatient, I was encouraged by scriptures and godly friends that encouraged me to press on and to trust that my father would clearly discern the Lord's will. The scripture that brought the most encouragement to me through this time was Colossians 1:9-12:
"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."
Two friends first prayed this verse over me, then the following Sunday, the pastor preached on this passage, and then several weeks later, at a different church, this passage was expounded upon yet again. I was given a new confidence that the Lord saw my often impatient heart and was using many avenues to show me He was in control. This verse became my prayer; that I would have the "knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (i.e. "Is Stephen the right man for me?"). Would Stephen, as my husband, lead me to live a life worthy of the Lord and pleasing to Him in every way? Would I continue to bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God as Stephen's wife? This scripture put the looming situation back into perspective. I was reminded that my purpose was ultimately to glorify God with my life, and I just needed discernment as to whether or not Stephen was the man God had chosen for me to join together with in fulfilling this great purpose.
In early January, Stephen flew from England (where he is studying) to Virginia to meet my family and me. This was when our courtship really began to progress. We spent a week seeking the Lord's will and getting to know each other better.
I can't really even begin to describe how impressed I was! We began to have a great peace about our future and, after much prayer and consideration, my father gave Stephen his full approval for pursuing marriage.
Over the following two months, our relationship grew much deeper and our hearts became closely knit as we corresponded nearly every day, discussing our hopes, convictions, struggles, daily happenings, and much, much more. My love and respect for Stephen grew abundantly and rapidly. I was so eager for his next visit.
In mid-March, Stephen flew back to Virginia to spend another week with my family and me. It was the most perfect, wonderful week! On March 15, 2010, Stephen took me on a lovely trip to Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's plantation). After we toured the home and strolled the grounds, Stephen led me to a peaceful wooded sitting area, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him!
We are so excited about our future serving the Lord together. God used His means to bring His man into my life in His timing. All glory goes entirely to the Lord. Contrary to what many advised as necessary, I did not have to put myself out there or date an endless string of guys to get the man the Lord had already chosen for me! I simply had to live the life to which the Lord had called me. My somewhat counter-cultural life as a twenty-two year old living at home, striving to serve her family, and preparing to be a wife and mother is the very thing that Stephen says first attracted him to me.
The Lord has answered my prayers for a godly husband with a man so much greater than I ever could have imagined. I am not marrying the "man of my dreams"-- my dreams were nothing compared to what God had in store for me! It is so evident that the Lord has been preparing both of us for each other for many years, shaping each of us into the one who perfectly suits and complements the other. Our vision and hopes for the future correspond beautifully.
I am so blessed to be marrying a man with a desire for us to carry out our biblical roles in our future home. He encourages me and is proud that I want to be a homemaker and helper to him and a dedicated mother to our children. I could not possibly be any more proud to be the girl at his side. I can't wait to be his wife! Stephen prays the sweetest prayers over us and will be such a wonderful spiritual leader for our future family. We both pray that the Lord will use us mightily as a couple; that we may leave behind a Christ-honoring legacy. I pray nearly daily that the Lord will mold me into an excellent wife for such a godly man.
I hope that this miraculous story of God bringing together a stay-at-home daughter from a small town and a godly man with a bright, exciting future will serve as an encouragement to you! God is so faithful and He truly will do what is best for us and brings glory to Him if we simply trust Him!
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness." Psalm 115:1
"Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him." Isaiah 64:4
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