Three Ways God is For Us, Part One

I’ve been a Christian a really long time – since I was 15 – and yet there are days when I feel alone, as if God has forgotten about me. Maybe you feel that way sometimes, too.

For me, it’s not wise to trust my feelings when I feel this way. Actually trusting one’s feelings isn’t so smart at any time. Our feelings are a barometer for lots of things – what we ate for dinner, illness, the music we’ve been listening to, the mood of others, even our own sin. But our feelings are not a reliable indicator of what’s really true.

So as a Christian I’m better off to come to the Scriptures to determine what’s true. If I feel God has somehow forgotten about me, it’s just not true. He hasn’t. And His attention to my life is written all over the Bible, practically on every page.

For example, the eighth chapter of the book of Romans. I’ve looked into Romans 8 twice in two recent series of posts, and I’d like to do another short series, based on the question Paul asks in Romans 8:31: What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 

Now to be honest, it might feel like plenty of things are “against us.” Satan, evil people, a bad economy, even our own sin nature. But the point of the question is, if the God of heaven is on our side, committed to our good, then how can anything or anybody win? How can they be against us successfully? The answer is, they can’t!

The first way we know God is for us is An Unthinkable Sacrifice - He gave up His own Son. He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 

The sacrifice of Jesus is described two ways – negatively, what the Father did not do: “He did not spare his own Son.” And positively, what He did do: “but gave him up for us all.”

Don't Pull the Wagon Over Yet

My mother was born on a cattle ranch in a bleak part of the Midwest. When I was a boy, we used to visit my grandmother, who still lived near the old homestead. I came to know that part of the country as hot, sandy, dry, and windy, with almost no trees or water. Mom told me the winters were so brutal that a man could get lost in a snowstorm just trying to go from the house to the barn.

So I began to wonder, why did people settle here? 150 years ago people traveled west, lured by the promise of land of their own. They scraped together enough to buy a team of oxen and a wagon, and headed into the sunset. But why did they settle in hot, dry, flat, inhospitable places with no trees and no water? Knowing that they could push on to California or Oregon, why pull the wagon over and build a sod house?

I thought of all that when I read about how excited the seventy-two were when they came back from their ministry tour. The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”(Luke 10:17)

Jesus confirmed that He had given them authority over demons, but warned them not to settle for joy in earthly victories. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20, my emphasis)

We're all tempted to settle, to look for joy here, in this life. But don't pull your wagon over too quickly. Don't settle in this dry and dusty land when just ahead is the place of real joy.

It's Jesus' joy that awaits us in the place He has prepared for us. And in the meantime it's the pursuit of His presence that makes the journey an adventure instead of a daily dust storm. 

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

Christians Being Persecuted in Egypt

Please pray for the Christians in Egypt. They are being targeted, harassed, and persecuted for their faith.

Here’s a story (August 20) from the Washington Times:

Since the military removed Mr. Morsi seven weeks ago, his supporters have burned at least 44 churches and ransacked more than 20 other Christian institutions throughout Egypt...At least six Christians and one Muslim working at a Christian-owned shop have been killed since Mr. Morsi was removed July 3, human rights activists said. Nearly 900 people in all have died in clashes between security forces and Morsi supporters.

Also from Fox News:

Across Egypt, at least 60 churches have been targeted,along with Christian schools, homes,businesses and even an orphanage,according to conservative estimates. In the areas of Minya, Beni Suef, Fayoumand Assiut, Christian homes and businesses have received leaflets warning them to leave or face reprisals by Islamists, Christians said.

USA Today has a helpful story from last week, including an interactive map that shows where Christian churches and institutions have been targeted. Click here.

Neither the mainstream media in the US nor our current administration in Washington will take much of an interest in the plight of Christians in Egypt.

Please take a moment to pray for our brothers and sisters.

Five Miracles God Works for All Christians, Part 5 of 5

One of the undeniable truths about getting older is that we’re not getting better, despite what birthday cards might say. We might be getting wiser, or mellower, or funnier. But physically as we age we’re getting fatter, saggier, balder, slower, blinder, and weaker.

That’s even what the Bible says. “…our outer self is wasting away…” (2 Corinthians 4:16). The truth hurts.

But thankfully there’s more to the Bible’s assessment than our wasting away. On the other side there’s a miracle for all Christians. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians 4:16-17). 

“An eternal weight of glory” – that’s what this post is about. We’ve talked about the wonderful Romans 8:29-30 miracles that God has already accomplished in the life of all believers in Christ, and we’ve mentioned four of them already: foreknown, predestined, called, and justified.

This post is about the last one: glorified. He brings us safely home. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What does it mean to be glorified? Simply put, it means that God makes us like Him. “Glorified” means transformed on the inside and on the outside. It's what Romans 8:29-30 promises: ...he predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son...

Five Miracles God Works for All Christians, Part 4 of 5

Real miracles seem in short supply, but my hope has been to show how God has already worked five great miracles of grace in the lives of all Christians.

The miracle text is Romans 8:29-30 (with my emphasis): For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 

So far I’ve spoken about the first three: the miracles of foreknowledge, predestination, and calling. (You could click here to review: #1, #2, #3). Which brings us to the fourth miracle: the miracle of justification - those whom he foreknew, predestined, called, he also justified. God Paid Our Debt and Declared Us Righteous.

Imagine that one day you stand before God. You’ve finished your earthly life, and what lies before you is either heaven or hell. You stand in a vast throng of people, and one after another comes before the Holy God of the universe.

Though there are many, many thousands in the multitude, the judgment line moves quickly. All too quickly. You are trembling and can barely stand. Your apprehension only worsens as you see what happens as each person comes to the front.

Instantly the life of the person who stands before God is revealed and reviewed. It’s as if an enormous high-definition screen is projected into the sky, and every detail of the person’s life is laid bare.

Five Miracles God Works for All Christians, Part 3 of 5

I taught our golden retriever, Gracie, to come when she was called, and it was pretty easy. While she was still a puppy, I took her out on the front lawn and had her sit. Then I walked a few feet away and called, “Gracie! Come!” And she did.

What made it easy was that I had a long cord tied around her neck. When I called her, I began gently tugging on the cord. She was going to come because of the cord, but I wanted her to want to come. If she lost focus, or started to ignore me, I continued to call her, steadily pulling, and she came. Then I gave her plenty of attention, scratched behind her ears, and told her she was a good dog.

I kept at it, with the distance between us growing a little greater each time. Gracie, come! After a while she didn’t even notice the cord. She loved to come when I called her. Soon I didn’t need a cord at all.

Five Miracles God Works for All Christians, Part 2 of 5

San Quentin, Death Row

Miracle is a word we use lightly. I made it home during rush-hour in only 40 minutes. It’s a miracle! Or, it’ll be a miracle if the Chargers get to the Super Bowl again… 

But God is still in the miracle business and every Christian is already the recipient of five divinely-appointed, eternally-secured, destiny-altering bona fide miracles. They are summarized in one of the most beautiful portions in God’s word, Romans 8:29-30. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Last time I talked about Miracle #1: God Set His Affection Upon Us, the miracle of God's foreknowledge.

This time let's look at Miracle #2: He Chose Us To Be His. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. The word "predestined" literally means to determine ahead of time. God in His grace decreed, chose, ordained, determined that we would be saved and that we would bring Him glory not only by believing in His Son but by becoming like Him. Our God chose us long before we were ever born. 

Five Miracles God Works for All Christians, Part 1 of 5

Has God worked any miracles in your life? Maybe “miracle” makes us think of healing from illness or being delivered from a natural disaster or providing financially in times of economic stress.

But there are miracles even greater than these, and God has already performed them in the lives of every believer in Jesus.

I did a short series of posts on the promise of Romans 8:28. (Click for part 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5). The verses that immediately follow that great promise summarize the miracles God has performed for every believer. Here are the verses in the ESV, and I’ve highlighted the miracle words:

²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30

I’d like to take a closer look at each of the five over the course of the next few posts.

Miracle #1: God Set His Affection Upon Us. Those whom he foreknew… To “foreknow” means that God, before time began, before we were ever born, “knew” us with the knowledge of intimacy and affection.

The Night I Saw the UFO

My recent posts have been fairly weighty and serious. As a change of pace, a "palate cleanser," I thought I would share a story I've never told in public before.

The other day my friend and I were discussing alien abductions. What prompted our conversation was a recent report of cattle mutilations in Missouri. (I could provide you with a link, but come on, you don’t need to be reading that stuff….)

So anyhow, that made me think of all the movies I’ve seen over the years about alien abductions and all the unmentionable experiments they apparently did on us earthlings. And that reminded me of the one time in my life I encountered a UFO. Here’s the story…

While I was attending Denver Seminary, back in the Coolidge administration, I taught an evangelism course for a church near Colorado Springs. I had preached in the church a time or two, and they invited me to do a Monday through Friday series on how to share the gospel.

The sessions began every evening at 7, so I left our seminary apartment about 5:30, picked up a hamburger on the way, and headed south on I-25. I figured out a short-cut that allowed me to get off the freeway and drive through what was then rural, farming country. The sessions ran about 90 minutes, so I finished up at the church by 8:30 or so, and got home before 10.

On this particular night I was on my way back, pleasantly relaxed after having done, I thought, a decent job in my presentation and the Q & A that followed. The road I was driving was lonely and dark. Like I said, back then it was rural, with no street lamps or office buildings or traffic lights. Just me in my yellow VW bug.

I slowed down to navigate a curve on the dirt road, and happened to glance up in the night sky. It was a pretty evening, pitch black, studded with stars, but then I saw it. Maybe a half mile or so away, hovering over a field, was a series of bright red lights. I slowed down even more, and it seemed like the lights stayed put. Oh, boy, I thought to myself. This is really happening. I’m really seeing this. Who’s going to believe me?

Do All Things Really Work Together for Good? Part 5 of 5

Romans 8:28 is one of God's greatest promises: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

We've looked at the promise from several angles: who does the Lord mean to include in the promise? What makes "all things work together for good? How does God define "good?" And last time, "How much of life does the promise actually cover?"

Today, as my last post in this series, I want to talk about The Certainty of the Promise: Or to put it as a question, How sure can I be? 

This promise says something very profound. It begins with the words And we know...We (those who love and follow Christ) know something for sure. Everything we've looked at about the promise - its power and scope and meaning - is included in this personal, powerful statement. We know this is all true!

In Greek there are a couple different ways of “knowing.” One refers to experiential knowledge - becoming convinced because you went through it. The other kind of knowledge is about certainty, deep in your heart, without necessarily have experienced it. Romans 8:28 is about the second kind, the intuitive, "I know this in my heart" kind of knowing.

So the certainty of this promise doesn't come from experience. Unless you could personally go through all the challenges and trials of your life and witness the plan of God at the end, you'd never "know" this to be true. So where does the conviction come from, the certainty that Romans 8:28 is true, and true for me?

Do All Things Really Work Together for Good? Part 4 of 5

The Bible says that all the promises of God find their Yes in him (2 Corinthians 1:20). The "him" is Christ. All the promised hope and forgiveness and blessing and love and joy in the Bible comes to life, finds its fulfillment, in Jesus.

The promise we've been talking about is one of the Bible's best known and loved - Romans 8:28. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

I've tried to summarize who the promise is for, where its power comes from, and what it really means. This time let's talk about The Scope of the Promise: What parts of my life does this cover? 

It seems obvious, reasonable somehow, that “all things work together for good,” when the “all things” are good things. When we’re trying to live by God’s word, when we’re telling others about Jesus, when we’re trying to raise our families the right way—it makes sense that God will work those things together for good. But what about everything else?

• What about the hard things that come into our lives: serious illness, for example? “All things work together for good…”

• But what about the sins of others that crash through our lives like a wrecking ball? Sometimes these things happen when we're young, leaving a lifetime of brokenness. “All things work together for good…”

• Or what about financial problems. Suppose the economy doesn’t improve and we lose our house or our retirement savings are wiped out? “All things work together for good…”

• What about unspeakably terrible tragedy - like the death of a child? “All things work together for good…”

• But we have an enemy. Satan comes to "steal, kill, and destroy..." What about demonic oppression? “All things work together for good…”

• Well, what about our own messes, the bad choices we’ve made, the times we’ve sinned, backslidden, said or done things we can’t take back? “All things work together for good…”

Again, this promise certainly doesn’t mean all things are good. But it does mean that, for the Christian, there is nothing outside our Heavenly Father’s control. Not sin or Satan, not disease or death, not bad or good choices, not the rise or fall of nations, not cruelty or kindness, not governments or global economies or terrorist plots. “All things” are under His control!

And He is absolutely committed to working all things - all things! -  together for our eternal good, to the shaping and forming of the image of Jesus within us.

For next time: The Certainty of the Promise: How sure can I be?

Do All Things Really Work Together for Good? Part 3 of 5

“Oh, you lost your job? Well, all things work together for good, so God will undoubtedly give you a better job.”

“Your fiancée broke off your engagement? Well, all things work together for good, so God will provide a much better life partner for you.”

"You have cancer? Well, God will heal you if you just trust Him. Remember, all things work together for good!"

Romans 8:28 is one of the most beloved promises in the Bible. In the English Standard Version it reads. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. But misunderstanding this promise is how we throw people an anchor rather than a lifeline. God is not promising good according to our definition. A better job, a more compatible fiancée , healing from an illness, are all possible with our great God, but are not guaranteed by this promise.

In my last two posts we've looked at The Qualifications for the Promise (who can really "claim" it as their own) and The Power of the Promise. This time I'd like to talk about  The Meaning of the Promise: What is God really promising? 

The issue, of course, is what good means. All things work together for good. And the way many people define good is by their comfort. If it hurts, it’s bad, if it’s pleasurable, it’s good. Happiness, wealth, promotions, good. Suffering, setbacks, losses, bad.

But God's definition of good is the one that counts. What does good mean from His point of view? You get a clue by the end of the verse: “according to His purpose.” We’ve been called for a purpose.