The Loving Discipline of the Father

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” | Hebrews 12:5b-6

Christians, we should count it as joy when the LORD disciplines us, because His active discipline in our lives is evidence that He loves us and treats us like sons.

It's not easy. Most of us would probably prefer to receive a dose of easy grace, without the side of loving discipline...but the author of Hebrews tells us that the absence of discipline can actually be considered an absence of love. Therefore, when we read the beautiful words of scripture, "For the LORD disciplines the one(s) he loves..." we find comfort, because God's discipline is always loving and is always used to heal, help, and sharpen. Always for his glory and always for our blessing.

God's Word promises Christians that they will continue to grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ. One of the primary ways this growth comes about is through the loving discipline of the Father. 

And how much do we need it? We are sinners, engulfed in self-centered and destructive behavior. As God's adopted sons and daughters, He cannot allow us to continue to live such reckless and destructive lives. God's aim is, and always has been, to be glorified in and through His image bearers. This can only happen through His correcting work; as he reshapes mankind into the image of His Son. #GrowOn

Accepting the Instruction of Others

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. | Proverbs 19:20-21 (ESV)

One of the worst mistakes we can make is to turn away from wise instruction. There are many excuses we make for rejecting the wise counsel of others, but the passage above makes it clear that accepting instruction is a gateway through which wisdom is gained. The reality is that even if we don't care for the messenger or their method, the message given to us by others is an important component to our personal and spiritual growth.

Therefore, instead of shrugging off the instruction of others, Christians should be quick to listen and pray. Even if the instruction is critical or unfair, there may be tidbits of information that God is trying to help us see in the criticism and/or instruction we receive from others.

Below are (5) reasons why we reject wisdom. These are areas that we need to be aware of and make war against, if we desire to gain wisdom and please the LORD.

Pride:

This is one of the most intrinsic of all of man's sins. Pride manifests itself in many different ways (i.e. self-righteousness, self-pity, self-centeredness etc) and is typically the root behind most sinful behaviors. The main destructive force behind pride is that it elevates self above God and others. A natural consequence of pride is that we begin to reject the instruction of anyone who doesn't meet our expectations or anything that feels like criticism instead of praise.

Pride goes before destruction,
     and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Proverbs 16:18

Defensiveness:

This is closely tied to pride. Whether it's self-centeredness or self-pity, when we listen to the instruction of others through the earphones of defensiveness, we begin to reject the wisdom as a mans of protecting our own ego. Defensiveness is one of the most destructive forces at work in relationships. It places us in a position of self-preservation and places others in the position of offenders. In turn, we become victims of the victimizers and we naturally reject anything that others say as we internally build our argument, defending our choices as just, fair, and good.

But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger | James 1:19

Impatience:

Impatience is another manifestation of pride. When we are not patient and graceful in listening to the instruction of others, we are not engaged in what they are truly trying to share with us. We cannot learn from those who we do not take the time to listen to. Many men could have been spared destruction if they were intentional about listening to and applying the wisdom of others.

Also, impatience is a direct rejection of God's timing. Scripture tells us that God, who began a work in us, will continue his work in us until it is completed at the day of Jesus Christ. This means that on this side of heaven we are always a work in progress. Impatience reveals an unwillingness to accept the progressive sanctification that God promises his children in his word.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. | Philippians 1:6

Indifference:

Indifference to instruction is extremely destruction. A man who rejects wisdom, because of laziness or indifference, is robbing himself of the wisdom God desires him to receive. Again, pride plays a role in indifference. When we become satisfied with the status quo we are ultimately shaking our fist in contempt at the work of the Holy Spirit. If we're not growing, we're dying. That's our reality. Either we're active in our pursuit of wisdom or active in sins destructive work in our lives. There is no neutral ground. There's no such thing as treading water in sanctification.

Oswald Champers said, "It is a most disturbing thing to be hit squarely in the stomach by someone being used of God to stir us up— someone who is full of spiritual activity. Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The real danger in spiritual laziness is that we do not want to be stirred up— all we want to hear about is a spiritual retirement from the world."

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. | Hebrews 10:24-25

Contempt:

Contempt is defined as feeling that [something or someone] is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn. Again, the root of this line of thinking is pride. When we treat instruction or the person giving it with contempt we are ultimately setting ourselves up to fail. If accepting instruction is the pathway to wisdom, then rejecting instruction must have the opposite effect.

The reality for many people is that they reject horizontal instruction (i.e. criticism from other people) because they deem that person "unworthy" to share truth with them. We judge people based on their shortcomings and therefore convince ourselves that we don't have to listen to their instruction. But if we're only willing to receive instruction from those whom we see as "worthy" then because all men are sinners, there will always be a reason for us to reject the admonishment of others.

Paul didn't say, accept the admonishment of those worthy of giving it to you. To the contrary, he simply said admonish one another in all wisdom. This means that regardless where a person is at in their own faith walk (or battle with sin) as long as they are doing so from the word of God...all of our brothers and sisters in Christ bear the responsibility and authority to give us instruction. And we bear the responsibility of allowing them the ability to do so.

One of the most prideful choices we can make as Christians, is to deny a person the ability to speak truth into our lives because we don't consider them worthy enough. Proverbs 16:5 tells us that those who are arrogant in heart are an abomination to the LORD...be assured, [they] will not go unpunished.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. | Colossians 3:16 

Husbands: Your Love is Your Reward

Husbands, your reward for loving your wife well is not how she chooses to respond to you in return; on the contrary, your love for her is your reward!

God's word tells husbands to "love [their] wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Eph. 5:25). And here is the good news;

God gives husbands the grace they need, to love their wives as Christ loves his church. 

Therefore, it is in this exchange—God giving a husband grace the husband giving his wife love—that a husband will find his ultimate reward. If this reasoning seems circular, that's because it's intended to be. As John Piper says, "God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in him."

If your hope (in loving your wife) centers on God's expectation of you instead of your expectation of your wife, you will find joy in loving your wife, regardless how she chooses to act towards you, in return. #GrowOn #LoveWell

Let's Be Clear: The Priesthood of All Believers

The notion of the priesthood of all believers (1 Pet. 2) by no means negates the important and biblical roles within the local church. It also does not denigrate the calling and office of pastor/elder/overseer or that of the deacons (1 Tim. 3 & Titus 1). Instead, this biblical conviction reveals to us that laypeople have vocations and callings of their own that also entail holy responsibilities, authorities, and blessings.

Because of Christ, all believers—like the priests of the Old Testament—may come into the presence of God through the blood of the Lamb. All believers can handle holy things (such as the Bible) which was at one time denied to the laity. All can proclaim the Gospel to those who need its saving message.

"The priesthood of all believers means that all Christians enjoy the same access to Christ and are spiritually equal before Him. The priesthood of all believers did not make everyone into church workers; rather, it turned every kind of work into a sacred calling" 

Source: Gene Edward Veith, God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life

When Breaking Fellowship Becomes the Best Option

Christians, there may come a time when breaking fellowship becomes the best option. Where disagreements on secondary issues affect our ability to effectively achieve our primary aim. We see an example of this, in Acts 15, when the apostle Paul parted ways with his dear friend and ministry companion, Barnabas.

However, what is also important to remember is that neither of these men lost their focus on Jesus Christ or the greater mission of The Church. In their choice to part ways, they never lost their love or deep respect for one another and the gospel continued to spread throughout the world.

Brothers and sisters, we are but simple vessels for the fame and glory of Jesus Christ. We don't work for our own glory, but instead for the glory of the only one who deserves it! While we may differ on certain secondary doctrines, and while these doctrines may be important enough to break fellowship over, we agree on what is absolutely essential:

"Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God." | 1 Pet. 3:18

Therefore, go and make disciples...together!

#GrowOn #TheWordSpeaks #TrueCommunity

A Moral Vision for Your Family.

Men, do you have a moral vision for your families , a zeal for the house of the Lord, a magnificent commitment to the advancement of the kingdom, an articulate dream for the mission of the church and a tenderhearted tenacity to make it real? You can't lead a godly woman without this. She is a grand being! 

There are hundreds of such men in the church today. And more are needed. When the Lord visits his church and creates a mighty army of deeply spiritual, humble, strong, Christlike men committed to the word of God and the mission of the church, the vast army of women will rejoice over the leadership of these men and enter into a joyful partnership. And that will be a grand thing. 

John Piper | Doctrine Matters

God's Common Grace - The Christian's Fuel for Godliness

Even though some people choose to bite the hand that feeds them, God still chooses to feed them. Without the common grace that God freely gives to everyone, humanity would be completely lost physically, mentally, and morally. This is true for all people, regardless if they recognize it or not. However, this is especially apparent for Christians, because they know the TRUE SOURCE of all things in this life and the life to come, namely, Christ. Christians should be willing to do anything necessary to obtain (i.e. work out - Phil. 2:12) godliness because we know how much we need it and we know the Living God who can and will provide it to us freely. #GrowOn #TheWordSpeaks

Be Holy: A Command With Eternal Significance

Have we become indifferent to our sin and apathetic to the notion of personal holiness? Scripture never tells us to make peace with our sin, nor does it encourage us to embrace the inevitability of sin in our lives. God’s word doesn’t persuade us to give up and simply accept our sinfulness as an intrinsic part of who we are. Instead, the scriptures say that “by the Spirit” we are to "put to death the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13). Sin should never be treated as a neutral foe, and certainly not as a friend. Sin is our enemy! Therefore, we are encouraged, throughout scripture, to wage war against the sin that remains in our lives. Holiness is not a recommendation, it's a command; a command with eternal significance (1 Pet. 1:15).

Bringing Truth to the Light

There is great freedom in bringing things to the light. When things are exposed to the light, the enemy loses his power to destroy. One of the worst lies people are convinced to believe is that there is more grief in sharing the truth then in hiding it. While it may be true that, at times, it is difficult to share the truth...the truth always liberates. When we choose to keep things in the dark, rather than exposing them to the light, it is an indication that we fear people more than God. But God will never bless a lie or a willful omission; on the contrary, truth that is known and hidden becomes judgment.

Marriage is Primarily About Jesus

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. | Colossians 1:16-17 (ESV)

How to Eliminate the "What About Me" Attitude.

Life By the Spirit (Adam Dolney - May, 2014)

You may have missed it the first time, but please don't miss it again. Below is the video presentation of our latest men's breakfast, where Adam Dolney shared the passage of scripture that he's been chewing on for quite some time. Listen and be blessed! #GrowOn


PILLARS Men's Breakfast - May 2014 with Adam Dolney from Alex Marquez on Vimeo.

God Uses Your Inability for His Glory

When God calls people he doesn't look at their usability. Instead, he looks at his ability to use their inability for his glory. #GrowOn
— Harbor Pillars (@harborccpillars) May 21, 2014

The Eternal Significance of Family Worship

"The Christian family was the bulwark of godliness in the days of the Puritans; but in these evil times hundreds of families of so-called Christians have no family worship, no restraint upon growing sons, and no wholesome instruction or discipline.  See how the families of many professors are as dressy, as godless as the children of the non-religious!  How can we hope to see the Kingdom of our Lord advance when His own disciples do not teach His gospel to their own sons and daughters?" | C. H. Spurgeon

Men, I'm going to ask you a challenging question? What are you doing to intentionally protect family worship in your home? 

It's interesting to me, to see that the trivialization of the Christian family was already an issue in England in the 1800's when C.H. Spurgeon penned the statement above. Sadly, when we look at our culture today, we can clearly see this generation suffers from the same indifference to the Christian family. The evidence of this in our own homes is clear; our family is being pulled in a hundred different directions while we watch in disbelief as the precious time we once shared together slips through our fingers. So again I'll ask you the question, what are you doing to intentionally protect family worship in your home?

We understand the importance of our responsibility to train our kids in holiness and even if we don't Proverbs 22:6 is a stern reminder of this responsibility. We understand that our primary duty as husbands and fathers is to shepherd our wives and children. But sometimes knowing the truth and living the truth seem so incompatible with one another.

My prayer for each of us is this; as the activities which pull our families apart begin to pick up and our kids want to be involved in more and more things...that we will do our part (as the shepherds of our home) to protect family worship and discipleship within our homes, at all costs. 

As men, we bear the primary responsibility of shepherding our children's hearts. No doubt, one of the roles of a shepherd is to provide for our children, but our responsibility doesn't end there. We can't simply say, "I put food on the table and a roof over their heads" and then check out on the other responsibilities of a shepherd. A faithful shepherd "protects" the flock God has entrusted to him. To me, this means that we must be intentional about our family worship and discipleship efforts in our home and we must also be willing to put a fence (read: defense) around these things in order that nothing (not even good things) gets in the way of them.

Take a look at an average week for your family. What are you investing the majority of your time into? Maybe it's soccer, baseball, yard work, dance, Scouts, or something else. Now don't get me wrong...these are not bad things in and of themselves...but like anything else, they can easily be distractions from what our primary investment should be as a family, namely, spiritual growth and discipleship. As we continue to let our family worship take a backseat to other activities, we must also recognize that we are still teaching our children something about God in this decision. The problem is, the lesson they are learning from us is that their time with God doesn't really matter that much. And when they leave the home and go to college or somewhere else...these lessons will begin to play out in their own lives and decisions. Homework or time with friends will take priority over the time they invest into their own spiritual growth. When our children grow up and have families of their own, the legacy we left them with in regards to family worship will no doubt play out in their own families. Are we teaching our children well? Are we leaving them a legacy that we can be proud of?

Gentlemen, please don't let this challenge fall on deaf ears. The reality is that laziness or indifference in this area of our shepherding responsibilities could easily have eternal consequences. One day we will give an account to God for how we chose to shepherd the children he placed under our watchcare and protection. So again I'll ask you this question; what are you doing to intentionally protect family worship in your home? Please take the time to honestly answer that question, before it's too late.


For His Glory,

Jason

The Primary Purpose of Marriage.

Self-Centered Regret vs. God-Centered Repentance

The Fear of the LORD - An Introduction

“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.” | C.S. Lewis

There is much that can be said about the fear of the LORD. In fact, I would argue that there is much that should be said regarding this subject. Fearing God is something the Bible certainly isn't silent on, but unfortunately fear is a word that most people probably don't understand—in the biblical sense—and therefore view it in a negative light.

Try it some time. Ask a person for their definition of fear. For many people the idea or feeling that the word FEAR invokes in them will more than likely be negative. However, the Bible speaks candidly about our need to fear God, and passages like Proverbs 9:10 which says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom..." seem to give us the impression that fear is a good thing. 

"Fearing God...is the sobering recognition that He is not to be trifled with." | Daryl Wingerd

I'll be taking the next several blog posts to talk about this topic in greater detail. The hope is not only to help us reshape our understanding of FEAR from a biblical perspective, but it is also to show the beauty and blessings which come when, out of reverence for his glory, we choose to live with a healthy fear of the LORD.

Happy Reading.

Jason

Masked Men

Where you understand that God is aware of all of your sinful rebellion and has loved you anyway, you have been set free to not pretend you're more than you are. If you don't get Jesus, like you don't get that he knows, you don't get that all the thoughts of your mind, all the desires of your heart are known by him, and he loves you anyway…you don't get that…you will be forced to pretend you're more than you are, and that's exhausting. It's exhausting.

There's this weird thing that happens in church life, all churches everywhere, it doesn't take you long to put on the "clothes" of the church you worship at. You understand what I'm saying? I'm not talking about how we dress, because we're all over the map here. I'm saying it doesn't take long to go,

"Oh, I need to have my Bible. It probably needs to be in ESV. I need to have a journal, take some notes. I need to learn certain phrases: It's okay to not be okay, gospel-centered, worship, community service. I need to learn phrases. I need to learn at what part of the song we raise our hands. I need to learn…Do I pat my chest? When do I do the pat-chest thing?" 

Then to begin to mimic the actions of a congregation and, in so doing, to compare yourself spiritually with the Joneses to where you measure up, and where you feel you're not measuring up, you just pretend that you are, and so you tend to regurgitate truth rather than walk in it.

Source: Affections Matter - Matt Chandler

The Authority of Scripture Over Our Lives

"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work." | 2 Timothy 3:16-17

With those verses in mind, listen as Matt Chandler shares an always relevant truth from Acts 20:26-31:

People Desire Authentic...Not Counterfeit

"Deep down, we all desire authenticity. We may settle for counterfeit, but the illusion quickly wears off leaving us with little more than smoke and mirrors. Intentional efforts to be genuine, even if we don't look quite as polished as we'd like to, will always pay richer and longer-lasting dividends for ourselves and those who we are in relationship with." 

Some Thoughts on Holiness & Integrity

Question: "O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?" (Psalm 15:1)

Answer: "He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart..." (Psalm 15:2)

To many people, even some inside the church, talk like David's from Psalm 15 sounds legalistic and oppressive. However, for those who love God and therefore hate sin, it shouldn't. Christians are called, throughout scripture, to be holy as He is holy. Holiness is our pursuit. Holiness is our aim. It's what we're being saved for. God is setting us apart, for his glory, to be used for his holy purposes.

Pastor and author Sam Storms makes the following statement, 

"Obedience to the righteous commands of God is easy for those whose hearts have been gripped by grace and whose lives are empowered by grace (Dt. 30:11; Mt. 11:29-30; 1 Jn. 5:3)...David [in Psalm 15] is not talking about how to get saved. Rather, he is describing what it is to be saved. These moral declarations are not conditions for acceptance with God. They are the consequence of it. Thus, David is not talking about requirements for entrance into the kingdom on the part of those outside, but about enjoyment of the King on the part of those on the inside.

In His article, The Essence of Integrity, Storm continues:

Of what, then, does integrity consist? I've listed below what I regard as the ten foundational characteristics of a person with integrity. There may well be more than ten, but I cannot conceive of any less than ten.

1. A person of integrity fulfills his/her promises. Being true to one's word, especially when doing so is costly (in terms of money, convenience, physical welfare, etc.) is a core characteristic of integrity.

2. A person of integrity speaks the truth, is honest, and does not lie.

3. A person of integrity is a person of sincerity. That is to say, a person of integrity hates hypocrisy.

4. A person of integrity manifests a wholeness of character, including kindness, compassion, mercy, and gentleness.

5. A person of integrity is committed to the pursuit and maintenance of justice and fairness.

6. A person of integrity loves as, when, and what God loves.

7. A person of integrity is humble. He/she shuns pride and haughtiness.

8. A person of integrity is law-abiding. He/she plays by the rules, both in the Bible and the law of the land.

9. A person of integrity is fundamentally altruistic. That is to say, they are committed not simply to laws and rules but to people.

10. A person of integrity manifests a high degree of consistency. That is to say, he/she is not always changing the principles on the basis of which they live, unless compelled to do so by the Bible or rational persuasion.

On Church Leadership: Character & Natural Abilities

Many people will say, "if they are gifted leaders, let them be used," but Paul tells the church in (1 Timothy 3 & Titus 1), "let us first examine their character and then use their leadership gifts to bless the church." 

Why does it matter? Because, Paul understood rightly that a person's character paves the way for their natural abilities to be rightly used by God, for his glory. The measurement of a person's character as the qualification for leadership is essential, especially in the church. The chief end of the church is to glorify God and rightly display Christ's image for the world to see. God is literally making his appeal to the world, through his Church (2 Corinthians 5:16-20).

While the pragmatic approach to leadership cares more about a person's ability than their character, Paul instructs the church to care first about their character and then about their ability. Many gifted leaders have fallen from grace, due to moral failures, because the church failed to examine their character before setting them free to use their natural leadership abilities.

Instead of saying, "I want to be used by God in his church" try saying "I want to be the kind of person God can use in his church." 

Living Out God's Design (Matt & Lauren Chandler)

A Man's Legacy

Men, do you know that right now you developing a personal legacy that will continue to affect people long after you are gone? Question: Is the legacy you are creating what you want to leave with your wife, children and the world? If not, there is no better time to change that legacy than right now.

The Greatest Treasure

"As a culture, present-day Christianity has redefined spiritual maturity. The reformers knew we were saved to glorify God. We moderns live to be blessed...We're so committed to discovering and applying God's principles for making life work that we no longer value intimacy with God as our greatest blessing. We're more attracted to sermons, books, and conferences that reveal the secrets to fulfillment in everything we do than to spiritual direction that leads us through affliction into the presence of the Father." | Larry Crabb -- The Pressure's Off

A Walk Through Holy Week - Post #5

After readying himself through prayer and receiving the blessing of spiritual strength from the LORD, Jesus hears muffled sounds in the distance and looks to see the dim light of the torches. As expected, the arrest party has secretly come in the cover of darkness. Peter, James, and John awake just in time to see their Rabbi betrayed with Judas' kiss. Startled and afraid, Peter quickly grabs his sword and strikes Malchus, the high priest’s servant, and cuts off his right ear. But Jesus says to Peter, “Put your sword [away]; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” And thus begins the most unjust and unmerited arrest and trial in the history of the world.

The trial has been assembled hastily and witnesses haven’t been screened well. Testimonies don't line up. Council members look disconcerted. Jesus is silent as a lamb. Irritated and impatient, Caiaphas cuts to the quick: “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God” (Matthew 26:63).

The hour has come. Charged in the name of his Father to answer, Jesus speaks the words that seal the doom for which he had come to endure (John 12:27): “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64).

Then in an act of both manipulative dramatics and law-breaking (Leviticus 21:10), Caiaphas tears his robes and with those gathered at the Sanhedrin declares, “what further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.” (Luke 22:71). And with that statement, the Council had the verdict and sentence they had been waiting for. They declared Jesus guilty of blasphemy and sentenced him to death, but they would need the help of Rome because they didn't have the authority to carry out capital punishment.

What happened next was "a game of political chess" between Pilate, Herod, and the Council. All of them acting as authorities, yet none of them realizing that they were merely pawns in the plan God had established before the foundation of the world. Pilate tried to appease the Council's thirst for blood and justice by having Christ flogged and humiliated...but humiliation wasn't enough. They wanted him dead and nothing would keep them from achieving this end. Pilot even tried to offer Jesus's release as the year’s annual Passover pardoned prisoner, but the Council refused his effort by saying, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” (John 18:40). Their hearts were so hardened by their hatred for Jesus, that they were willing to free a murderous thief instead of Jesus.

[But] the triune God has the Council, Pilate, and Satan where he wants them. They would have no authority over the Son at all unless it had been given [to] them from above (John 19:11).

Unknowingly, they were all carrying out the plan God had already set in place. They were helping Jesus drink the cup he came down from heaven to drink. It was for this very purpose that Christ became flesh. The Son of God was born...to die. By the Council's unjust and shameful actions and Pilot's cowardly efforts to wash his hands of it all...God's will was being carried out. Once again, God was turning what men meant for evil into good, as they "unwittingly collaborated in executing the only innocent [man] who could possibly grant sinners life."

The rest of the story is one we're well familiar with. Christ's cross was strapped to his already lacerated back and he was forced to carry it to the top of Golgotha. Unable to physically handle the task, a man from the crowd was chosen to help him make the trek. Hung between two thieves, Christ endured more ridicule from the crowd as they mocked him while the centurions cast lots for his garments. In the ultimate act of humility and unconditional love, Christ looked down from the cross at those who mocked him. His heart continued to break for them as he pleaded with his father to have mercy. His words equally sad as they were true, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Suffering both from physical pain and thirst, Christ asked for a drink. Physically he was exhausted, but his deeper pain was spiritual. Carrying the sin of the world on his shoulders he was separated from his Father for the first time and last time of eternity. Christ mustered just enough strength to say..."It is finished." And indeed it was. Christ successfully drank the cup his father had set before him, and God received his son's death as payment for the sins of the world.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. | Rom. 3:23-35

A Walk Through Holy Week - Post #4

"And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." | Luke 22:44

Matthew's and Mark's gospels say that Jesus went off three separate times to pray alone. Before he left, he asked his disciples to pray that they might not fall into temptation. Each time when Jesus returned he found Peter, James, and John asleep. Isn't that amazing? I believe we can gather two things from the disciples choice to sleep instead of pray. First, they must not have understood the reality of what was about to happen to Jesus. While he foretold of his death, their choice to sleep instead of pray reveals that they more than likely didn't understand what was about to happen to their LORD.  Secondly, the disciples inability to stay awake reveals that they were were living in the flesh. When Jesus returned to his disciples after praying alone he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:40-41). It was the disciple's flesh that was weak and Jesus knew that only by the Spirit could they find the strength and endurance they would need to resist temptation. And as we will later see, their lack of preparation would lead them to fall to all sorts of temptations (i.e. fear, deceit, doubt etc).

We all grow weary, both physically and spiritually, but just as he did for Jesus...the Holy Spirit is able to provide us the strength to endure even when our bodies physically can't do it on their own. Christ, found himself at a point of extreme agony. So what did he do? He prayed. Luke's gospel tells us that his sweat became like "drops of blood" falling to the ground. If anyone needed rest, it Jesus. And yet he knew better. He knew what he needed most could not be found in the comforts of physical rest. The strength Christ needed to endure "the cup" set before him could only be found in God himself...so he prayed.

And what can we take from Jesus' prayers? According to Matthew, the first time he prayed he said, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Mark 26:39). His desire was for God to provide another way. Jesus knew what he was about to endure. It was for this purpose that "Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). Christ came to die, but it was not death which caused Christ such agony. It was something far worse than death. Something Christ had never endured for all of eternity. Separation from his Father. Christ knew he would be taking on the wrath of God, that the sins of the world would be placed upon him. He also knew that because of sin, he would be separated and the loneliness and anguish of that separation would be far more than Jesus' physical body could handle. But the cup couldn't pass from Christ. This was the only way sin and death could be defeated and God's justice satisfied. So, instead of removing the cup from Christ...God sent an angel to come alongside Jesus to strengthen him (Luke 22:43).

Realizing that "drinking the cup" was the only way to reconcile a relationship between God's and man, Christ's second prayer took a very different tone. The second time he prayed he said, “My Father, if this [cup] cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done” (Mark 26:42). The prayer was no longer relief from the agony, but instead that God's will be done. Christ's situation didn't change, but his perspective did. No longer was he left with simply agony. The angel of the LORD had given him strength to endure, and to see and embrace the future grace and glory. This was God's will, and Christ desired to live and die for his Father's glory.

"Jesus did not go on praying for the cup to pass. He went on praying for success in drinking it." | John Piper

Evidently, by the time Jesus was done praying in Gethsemane, the Father had not only made clear that there is no other way than the cross, but also that this way would succeed. The Lamb would have the reward of his suffering. He will “see his offspring; he will prolong his days; the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he will see and be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:10–11).

Surely this is why Hebrews 12:2 could say, “For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross.” Beneath the terrors of present agony was the taste of future joy. The angel had come, “strengthening him” — clarifying, confirming, connecting the coming joy. -- source: DesiringGod.com

A Walk Through Holy Week - Post #3

Today is "Holy Wednesday" also knows as "Spy Wednesday" by many, because the dark and secret plot to kill Jesus is starting to take shape. Yesterday, the chief priests, scribes, and elders were humiliated by Jesus, who compared them to wicked tenants in the parable he told in the temple (Matt. 12:1-12). The hatred in their hearts towards Jesus was growing stronger and stronger as they sought ways to defame him and minimize his influence over the people. However, their efforts continued to fall short, and because they feared an uprising among the people Jesus continued to gain favor and converts. Something had to happen to stop Jesus. These men needed a different way to get to Jesus that could be done secretly. They needed a closer connection to him. They needed a spy.

Enter Judas Iscariot. Judas was one of Christ's twelve disciples. He traveled with Jesus throughout his ministry and was very close to him. But he was also caught up in a grave sin, one which would eventually lead to his own demise. He was the treasurer and "keeper of the moneybag." But the Bible also said that he was a greedy man who was dishonest and a thief. One piece of evidence occurred when Jesus was reclining at a table in the house of Lazareth, Mary, and Martha. Mary approached Jesus, and began to wash Christ's feet with expensive perfume and dry it off with her hair. It is in this story that we get a clearer picture of Judas' heart and motives:

Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the money bag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” | John 12:1-8

In John's gospel we are told that Judas' concern was not for the poor (as he claimed), but was instead concern that he wasn't able to embezzle money from the sale of the expensive ointment which was being "wasted" on the feet of Jesus. John surmised that Judas' heart was hardened by the sin of greed and the evidence we have in scripture, shows that Judas was willing to do anything to fulfil his desire. Even betraying the Messiah. And in the gospel according to Mark, there is no subtle transition between the exchange Judas had with Jesus while Mary was washing his feet and his effort to fulfill his greedy passions.

Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him. | Mark 14:10-11

And just like that, the evil plotters had their spy. One of Jesus' inside men was willing to betray him for the small price of (30) pieces of silver, the going price of a slave in Jesus day. Game. Set. Match. Or so they thought. Little did they know that their actions were simply a small piece of a much greater story God had begun to tell before the foundations of the world. Christ came to earth to die for the sins of the world. Those plotting against Jesus needed someone (like Judas) to turn Jesus over to them and for it to be done in secrecy so it wouldn't start an uprising. However, God knew the evil in their hearts and the evil in Judas' heart as well, and he used the sinful desires of these men to accomplish his plan of redemption. And once again we see, what men mean for evil, God will use for good...to accomplish his holy purposes.


Why the Insult of Betrayal? (David Mathis - DesiringGod.org)

Why would God have it go down like this? If Jesus truly is being “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23), and his enemies are doing just as God’s hand and plan “had predestined to take place” (Acts 4:28), why design it like this, with one of his own disciples betraying him? Why add the insult of betrayal to the injury of the cross?

We find a clue when Jesus quotes Psalm 41:9 in forecasting Judas’s defection: “He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me” (John 13:18). King David knew the pain not just of being conspired against by his enemies, but betrayed by his friend. So now the Son of David walks the same path in his agony. Here Judas turns on him. Soon Peter will deny him, and then the remaining ten will scatter.

From the beginning of his public ministry, the disciples have been at his side. They have learned from him, traveled with him, ministered with him, been his earthly companions, and comforted him as he walked this otherwise lonely road to Jerusalem.

But now, as Jesus’s hour comes, this burden he must bear alone. The definitive work will be no team effort. The Anointed must go forward unaccompanied, as even his friends betray him, deny him, and disperse. As Donald Macleod observes, “Had the redemption of the world depended on the diligence of the disciples (or even their staying awake) it would never have been accomplished” (The Person of Christ, 173).

As he lifts “loud cries and tears” (Hebrews 5:7) in the garden, the heartbreak of David is added to his near emotional breakdown: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9). He is forsaken by his closest earthly associates, one of them even becoming a spy against him. But even this is not the bottom of his anguish. The depth comes in the cry of dereliction, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

But more remarkable than this depth of forsakenness is the height of love he will show. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends, even when they have forsaken him.

Men & Idolatry

A Walk Through Holy Week - Post #2

As Jesus and his disciples made their way back to the temple in Jerusalem on Holy Tuesday, they passed the fig tree he had cursed the day before. Peter noticed that this fig tree was withered and mentioned it to Jesus. Jesus took the opportunity to share a truth about faith, forgiveness, and prayer. Pressing on towards the temple, Jesus and his disciples were met by the chief priests, scribes, and elders who asked Jesus by what authority he was doing these things. Knowing the purpose of their question Jesus said to them,

Mark 11:29-30

“I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.”

After careful deliberation, knowing that Jesus' question had placed them in a conundrum, the chief priests, scribes, and elders decided to avoid giving an answer to Jesus' question. Because of their avoidance of his question, Jesus refused to answer the question they had raised.

Mark 11:31-33

[31] And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ [32] But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. [33] So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Jesus then proceeded to teach through a very pointed parable (Mark 12:1-10) about a man who planted a vineyard, invested into it, and then leased it to tenants and left for another country. The vineyard flourished and when harvest time came the land owner sent a servant to the vineyard to gather some fruits. Instead of giving the servant fruit from the vineyard, the tenants beat him and sent him away empty handed. The land owner then sent another servant and he too was mistreated. This continued, with the landowner sending servants...and each time the tenants either beat or killed the servant. Finally, the land owner sent his son, saying to himself...‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So the tenants killed his son and threw him out of the vineyard.

Then Jesus asked and answered the following question (Mark 12:9-11) of those whom he was teaching (including the chief priests, scribes, and elders):

What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture: 

“‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

Jesus' question, from Psalm 118:22-23, was already known to be a messianic passage. Therefore those listening knew what Jesus was saying in his parable. The stone refers to the Messiah (i.e. Jesus) and the builders are the leaders of Israel. The word, rejected, echoes the theme of the persecution of the prophets of God (Neh. 9:9–35; Acts 7:1–53) by Israel and it's leaders. What Jesus is saying is that the "faithful" in Israel will accept the Son as the rightful messenger, heir, and cornerstone of the messianic kingdom (Jer. 31:26; Zech. 4:7) while the others will reject him. He is also saying that the vineyard, which is the inheritance of Christ, will now be given to others (i.e. Gentiles) because Israel (the tenants) has rejected their God (the land owner) seeking only his blessings (the vineyard) instead of a relationship with him.

Upon hearing these words, the anger and hatred of the chief priests, scribes, and elders towards Jesus grew. They wanted to arrest him (and more than likely kill him) but they were fearful because he was growing in popularity and influence among the faithful in Israel. So, instead of arresting him...they sent Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians to try and trap Jesus in an intellectual debate with questions about taxes, marriage, and the greatest commandment. But Jesus answered each question with wisdom, truth, and grace...gaining favor among the people and gaining hatred from those who sought to destroy him.

With another tension-filled day behind them, Jesus and the disciples begin to head back to Bethany. They stop on the Mount of Olives to rest, giving them a wonderful view of Jerusalem as the sun begins to set behind it in the west. The disciples marvel at the size and the grandeur of these impressive buildings, but Jesus tells them that a day is soon coming when not a single stone will be left upon another. He goes on to explain that his followers will experience increasing persecution and tribulation, leading up to the final Day of Judgment. But their task is to remain vigilant and persist in faith.

Tuesday is now done. But Friday is coming. This is not the flannel-board Jesus some of us learned as children. This is the real, historical Jesus: fully in control as he responds with grace and truth to traps on all sides. He knows what he is doing. And he knows what is coming. Every word and every step is for the fame of his Father’s name and the salvation of those willing to pick up their cross and die with him. [1]

 [1] The Escalating Conflict - DesiringGod.org

A Walk Through Holy Week - Post #1

Reflecting on Palm Sunday and today (Holy Monday) I can't help but think about how quickly shouts of praise turned to shouts of "crucify him!". But why the change of heart? How can a people rejoice at the coming of their King on Sunday, and within days turn on him to the point of calling for his execution? I think scripture makes it fairly clear. The people didn't understand who Jesus was or what he truly came to do for them. The Jews looked at their oppression as one mainly of physical bondage. However, Jesus knew the real issue was mainly one of spiritual oppression. The crowds welcomed Jesus on Sunday, because in their minds he was going to liberate them from the oppression of the Romans (much like Moses did from the Egyptians) but Christ didn't come to save them from men, but instead from the wrath of God because of their sin.

On Monday, the day after the streets were filled with people shouting, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"...Christ entered the temple and made efforts to cleanse it by turning over tables of the money changers and running the wicked people out the doors. This was the first step Jesus took towards his own crucifixion. He knew full well that his efforts to "purify worship" would not be received well by the Pharisees or those who were simply seeking God's favor because they had earned it by their efforts and self-righteousness. While just the day before these people were rejoicing in the "coming of the LORD," the reality is that their hearts were not open enough to see that God cares far more about the inward (condition of the heart) than he does the outward appearance of obedience. Jesus took intentional steps towards cleaning his Father's house, which had been turned into a den of robbers who were filled with greed and vein worship. Christ warned people to "wake up" and see that they were nowhere near where God desired them to be. He didn't want their sacrifices...he wanted them! He wanted their unadulterated affection not ritualistic practices of purification.

While more often than not, today's church celebrates Palm Sunday as a joyful event...today my heart is filled with sadness, because I see the truth. In many ways, the Church today still struggles with the same sin as the people so long ago. The reality for many of us is that if we would have been there, back on March 29th 33AD, we would have welcomed Christ to the city with shouts of praise...because of our selfish hopes and desires...and without the Holy Spirit, our passion for Christ's triumphant entry would have just as quickly turned to shouts for his crucifixion, because his efforts to purify for himself a people began by telling us that we are sinners who need to turn away from our evil and towards repentance.

Jesus knew the hearts of the people. He knew that they weren't truly seeking to honor God, but were instead looking to honor themselves. They didn't want Jesus...they wanted his blessings. But Jesus knew that the true blessing is and always has been God, not the gifts that he gives. The people weren't satisfied with God, they wanted the gifts and not the giver. How quickly did they turn on the one they so eagerly praised on Palm Sunday? How quickly do people still turn from Jesus today, when they realize that he requires repentance and a contrite heart...when we figure out that Jesus didn't come to give us what we want, but instead what we need? And sadly, for far too many people, this gift simply doesn't meet their expectations.

Jesus Knows What Is in Man (John 2:23-25)

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

True Christian Community

True Christian Community (koinonia) says, "I gladly lay down my rights...for your good."

I probably don't have to tell you this, but I'm going to anyway. We are selfish people! Now, before you get offended let me take ownership of my own self-centeredness. We can try to hide behind our "goodness" but deep down if we're willing to be honest with ourselves we have a constant desire to get what we want, and more often than not that desire comes with an expectation that other people meet our needs.

So here's the rub. When you look at your life and, more specifically, your relationships are you in them primarily for what you can give or what you can get? Now before you too quickly provide the cookie-cutter answer that you know is "right" take a moment to dig a bit deeper to find the real answer. It is my personal belief that if (and it is a big if) we are willing to be honest with ourselves our focus in our relationships is usually centered on our needs and desires being met instead of meeting the needs and desires of others. You don't believe me? Here's a quick test. Think back to your past (3) arguments and then answer these questions:

1. What was the argument really about?
2. Did I have expectations of the other person that weren't met?
3. Evaluating the emotions I was feeling at the time, what was the primary emotion behind them?

Again, if we're willing to be honest...I believe our answer to these questions will prove that most of the time it is selfishness that drives the negative interactions we have with others.

For those of you who may still be lost, let me try to make the connection for you. Picture this: a man comes home from work to a house that's less than clean and kids that are going crazy. His wife asks him how his day was and with a shortened tone of voice he responds, "fine." You see where I'm going with this right? More than likely you've been on one side or the other of these types of interactions a hundred times of more. So why was his response back to his wife, short? Was it because he always talks in one word sentences, or was it because his expectation of a clean and less rambunctious house wasn't met? Only he knows the answer to the question, but I'm hoping this analogy helps connect some dots for you.

But for Christians, this way of "doing business" ought not be the case. As Christians, we are not living in relationships built on contracts which say, "if you do this for me then I will do that for you." Instead, we are living in covenantal relationships which say, "I gladly lay down my rights for your good and God's glory." This means that even if others are not meeting our needs, we live in such a way that we strive to bless them and encourage them. This means that even if Christ gave us the freedom and liberty to do certain things (i.e. drink a beer, eat bacon, watch R rated movies or hang out at the beach) if these things cause our brothers or sisters to stumble in the faith, then as a blessing to them...we choose not to partake in these things. It's an intentional effort to live selflessly for the blessing and encouragement of others. This is how Christ lived among his disciples, this is how his disciples and the apostles encouraged the early church to live, and this is how local churches are still called to live, today.

May the words from John Piper and the audio clip from Matt Chandler (below) be the hammer and chisel we need to help us kill the the sin of selfishness that remains in our lives and hearts. May we learn to find joy in living for God's glory and the blessing of others, even at the expense of our own freedoms and expectations.

"The root of our sinfulness is the desire for our own happiness apart from God and apart from the happiness of others in God. All sin comes from a desire to be happy cut off from the glory of God and cut off from the good of others." | John Piper

Jesus. The Cure for Addiction.

"When Jesus becomes your treasure, nothing else will ever satisfy you again."

How do you overcome a pornography addiction? Believe it or not, it's not by finding the perfect method to modify your behavior. It really comes down to one simple thing...finding your satisfaction in Jesus Christ.

When we love Jesus more than ourselves, we begin to develop a love for the things he loves and a hatred for the things that he hates. This will include the sins that we have been enslaved to for years or even decades. The liberty Christ offers to us isn't simply the ability to remove sin from our lives. It's far greater than that brothers. Jesus not only helps remove the worldly pleasures that we have so easily accepted and settled for, he also fills those voids with what we were created to find our ultimate satisfaction in, namely himself.

If you truly desire to be set free from the chains of addiction...don't focus your attention on the behavior itself but instead invest your time, energy, and effort into Jesus Christ. When Jesus becomes your treasure, nothing else will ever satisfy you again.

How to Respond When You Falter (By: John Piper)

For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. | Romans 7:19

Christians do not live only in defeat. But neither do we live only in perfect victory over sin. And in those times when we fail to triumph over sin, Romans 7:14–25 shows us the normal way a healthy Christian should respond.

We should say:

- I love the law of God (verse 22).
- I hate what I just did (verse 15).
- Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death (verse 24)?
- Thanks be to God! The victory will come through Jesus Christ my Lord (verse 25).

In other words, no Christian wants to live this way — in defeat. No Christian settles to live this way. But if we do live this way for a time, we shouldn't lie about it.

No hypocrisy. No posing. No boasted perfectionism. No churchy, pasted smiles or chipper superficiality.

God save us from blindness to our own failures and the consequent quickness to judge others.

God help us to feel worse about our own shortfalls than the failure of others.

God give us the honesty and candor and humility of the apostle Paul in this text!

Original Post: Solid Joys

Our Greatest Loss is Our Greatest Gain.

When God expelled them from the Garden of Eden, the greatest loss Adam and Eve experienced was not the blessings of the garden. The consequence for their sin was far greater than material things. They lost the blessing of God's presence. They lost the one thing they were created to fully enjoy forever, namely complete and unadulterated intimacy with their Creator. When we struggle to "get back to the garden" what is the true goal in our efforts? Are we seeking the blessings of a prosperous and abundant life or are we seeking an intimate relationship with God? How we answer this question will reveal a great deal about the truest desire of our hearts. Do we desire God more than we desire his blessings? Do we love God more than we love ourselves?

The Good News of the Gospel

 The good news of the gospel is this: God confronts our primary problem (sin) and offers us the only sufficient solution, namely his grace purchased by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The (12) Minute Challenge

Gentlemen:

I have a challenge for you. Give me (12) minutes of your time by choosing to listen to the sermon clip below, from Matt Chandler, and then try to convince me that you've spent 12 better minutes today.

Ready, set, go!

The Disappearance of Discipline

"We must face the fact that many today are notoriously careless in their living. This attitude finds its way into the church. We have liberty, we have money, we live in comparative luxury. As a result, discipline practically has disappeared. What would a violin solo sound like if the strings on the musician's instrument were all hanging loose, not stretched tight, not disciplined? " | Author: A.W. Tozer

Winning our Brothers Back

"Every conversation about sinfulness and rebellion against the Lord that calls people to repent is about winning our brothers back. It's not about being right. It's not about justice. It's not even about being justified. It's about concern for the soul of our brother and sister that would make us enter into an uncomfortable situation and risk the relationship for the reward of winning our brothers and sisters back, because in light of eternity, this confrontation is of utmost importance." | Matt Chandler

Are We Hypocrites?

"The hypocrite (Greek- hupokrites) was originally an actor. Theatrical make-up in those days took the form of a mask which the actor wore. On it would be painted the character and the mood which the actor portrayed. It might be a smiling face which hid the sad heart of the actor behind it. It might be a face of virtue which hid behind it a life of vice. In acting there can be a great discrepancy between the part which is played and the reality of the life which lies behind it… The same can be true of faith. We can profess much and possess little. Indeed there is always the temptation in Christian fellowships to pretend to be something other than what we are." | Sinclair B. Ferguson

Our Unlimited Capacity for Self-Deception

"No one enjoys being cross-examined, or accused of having something wrong in their lives. But as we grow as Christians we come to the painful recognition that we have an almost unlimited capacity for self-deception. We slowly learn that we need to be stopped in our tracks by God. He uses Scripture to do this…We cannot reach our destination if we are travelling in the wrong direction." | Sinclair B. Ferguson

The Heart of Biblical Training

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. | 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

"By being trained in righteousness, the man of God is made competent or proficient by the Scriptures, which equip him for every good work. It's the training in righteousness that leads to the proficiency, but the proficiency here is not a particular skill—such as being able to teach clearly, or lead a small group, or whatever—but a quality of character and behavior based on the sound doctrine of the Scriptures."

"The heart of training is not to impart a skill, but to impart sound doctrine. Paul uses the language of training to refer to a lifelong process whereby Timothy and his congregation are taught by Scripture to reject false religion, and to conform their hearts and their lives to sound doctrine. Good biblical training results in a godly life based on sound, health-giving teaching."

Source: The Trellis and the Vine - Colin Marshall and Tony Payne

A Relevant Thought on Marriage From an Old Reformer

Here's a relevant thought on marriage from an old reformer:

"Join together in frequent and fervent prayer. Prayer forces the mind into sobriety, and moves the heart with the presence and majesty of God. Pray also for each other when you are in secret, that God may do that work which you most desire, upon each other's hearts." | Richard Baxter - The Mutual Duties of Husbands and Wives Towards Each Other

The Greatest Gift a Husband Can Give to His Wife on Valentines Day.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. | Eph. 5:25-28

OK gentlemen, Valentines Day is tomorrow. Are you ready? Now, before you answer...ponder this thought with me for a moment. While our culture leads us to think that this holiday of love is all about material things (i.e. flowers, chocolates, jewelry etc), I truly believe it would be in our best interest to consider something else. Even though this holiday doesn't belong solely to married Christians, I believe it's as good a time as any to be intentional in considering what marriage is truly all about.

Paul gives husbands quite a challenge in his letter to the Ephesian church: 

"Love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her..."

So here's a question, are our efforts to love our wives rooted in this challenge? How often do we approach "loving our wives" as an act of service? Paul challenges us to give ourselves up for her, but what does that really mean? Based on the context of this passage, namely Christ and the church, I believe Paul is challenging husbands to be intentional in their efforts to put aside their own desires for the sake of their wives. If you're still struggling to grasp this concept, let me try a more blunt approach to help make the connection for you; stop being selfish!
I hate to break it to you boys, but as a Christian your primary goal in marriage is not to have your needs met by your wife. Instead, it is an intentional effort to offer up your life (give yourself up) as a means by which your wife will grow in her holiness (sanctification) and her love for Jesus Christ. In his book, The Meaning of Marriage, Tim Keller says the following,

“Falling in love in a Christian way is to say,'I am excited about your future and I want to be part of getting you there. I'm signing up for the journey with you. Would you sign up for the journey to my true self with me? It's going to be hard but I want to get there.”

While the blessings of eternity will certainly begin to manifest themselves on earth, ultimately we are being readied for a future hope. That's right, earth is really nothing more than a training ground for eternity. As Christians, we are alien residents in this world. God is making his appeal to the world through us, but ultimately it's for a future hope and eternity with him forever! When we begin to look at life through this lens, we start to see that marriage is one vessel God created as a means of our purification, and based on the Paul's words above, Christian husbands are called to play a significant role in the spiritual well being of their wives.

I'm sure to many of you, I'm still speaking in intangible terms. While you might be getting glimpses of what I'm trying to say, you still don't understand what it means to you, specifically. So, because we are a bit more dense than our feminine counterparts, I'll try to speak in more practical terms. Take a moment to reflect on your life. Think about a typical week in the life of [insert your name here]. How much of your week is based on your own selfish agenda and priorities? Yes, you work...and that's a good thing...but how much time are you spending at the office? Is the amount of time you are spending there primarily about your wife and family, or is it primarily about fulfilling your own desires? God wired us men to work. He placed Adam in the garden "to work it and to keep it" (Gen. 2:15). But because of sin, men are drawn towards work not only because God has commanded them to do so, but also because in their work they find a sense of purpose and fulfillment. It's not wrong to take pleasure in our work and accomplishments, but like anything else, work can become an idol. So again, why are you working? Is it for God's glory (and your family's blessing) or your own?

Next question. How do you spend your time? God has given us everything to be used for our joy and his glory. However, we are also commanded to be faithful stewards of everything he has given to us. And what has he given to us again? Everything!

Stewardship can be summed up like this: using what God has loaned to us, for His Glory. Therefore, our gifts, our influence, our money, our knowledge, our health, our strength, our time, our senses, our reason, our intellect, our memory, our affections, our privileges as members of Christ’s Church, our advantages as possessors of the Bible – all, all are talents [1] and are on loan from the Lord, entrusted to us for a while to use in serving Him [2]. So, the way in which we spend our time matters to God.

Now before you get mad at me...I'm warning you that I'm about to step into an area that many of you will find annoying. I'm not going to make absolute statements here, but I will be throwing out some things that I'm hopeful you will seriously ponder.

You know that three hour football game you like to watch every Sunday...is that a faithful use of your time? You know that extracurricular activity you partake in (with the boys) at least once a week...is your wife being blessed and is God being glorified in this? Again, before you grab your torches, pitchforks, and pals...please understand that I'm not pointing fingers here. I'm simply trying to be faithful in asking sharpening questions. You alone know the answer to these questions and I'm simply encouraging you to be faithful in answering them for yourself. There are plenty of things like bowling leagues, softball leagues, sports packages on cable, and even Church activities that I was guilty of doing over the years, for myself. Of course none of these things were intrinsically bad, but for me they were sinful because I was using them for selfish gain and the rest of my family was paying the price. Only when I finally took the time to evaluate how I was choosing to use the time God had given me, did I start to realize how self-centered I was truly being.

Gentlemen, the list can go on and on. I won't bore you with a longer diatribe on this subject than I already have, but instead I choose to leave you with a challenge. Valentines Day is tomorrow and the temptation is there to let this holiday come and go without taking time to evaluate the job we're doing as Christian husbands. Before you mindlessly follow the long line of men into the local flower shop tomorrow, take a moment to evaluate your marriage. Are you really being a faithful and godly husband? Are your efforts as a husband rooted in an intentional choice to give yourself up for your wife, for her blessing and God's glory? Instead of buying your wife some chocolates that she probably doesn't want or spending money on flowers that will be dead in a few days...why not give your wife a gift that will last for eternity? Lay down your life for her as an act of true love and commitment. Lay down your selfish desires and choose to lead her by serving her needs instead of your own. Show her Jesus by loving her more than you love yourself. If you choose to do this, I promise you that you will bless her far more than anything else ever could. And the good news is that the blessings of this choice will last for eternity!

The primary goal of Christian marriage is not social status and stability, as it was in ancient cultures, nor is it primarily romantic and emotional happiness, as it is in our culture today. Paul points husbands to Jesus’s sacrificial love toward us, his “bride.” But Paul does not stop there; he goes on to speak of the goal of that sacrificial love for his bride. It is “to sanctify her” (verse 26) to “present her to himself” in radiant beauty and splendor (verse 27a), to bring her to be perfectly “holy and blameless” (verse 27c). He wants the new creation for us! He wants to remove all spiritual stains, flaws, sins, and blemishes, to make us “holy,” “glorious,” and “blameless.” | Timothy Keller

So I ask the question again. Valentines Day is tomorrow, are you ready?




1. J.C. Ryle
2. John MacArthur