C. S. Lewis on Heaven

There is no need to be worried by facetious people who try to make the Christian hope of "heaven" ridiculous by saying they do not want "to spend eternity playing harps." The answer to such people is that if they cannot understand books written for grown-ups, they should not talk about them. All the scriptural imagery (harps, crowns, gold etc.) is, of course, a merely symbolic attempt to express the inexpressible. Musical instruments are mentioned because for many people (not all) music is the thing known in the present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity. Crowns are mentioned to suggest the fact that those who are united with God in eternity share His splendour and power and joy. Gold is mentioned to suggest the timelessness of Heaven (gold does not rust) and the preciousness of it. People who take these symbols literally might as well think that when Christ told us to be like doves, He meant that we were to lay eggs.

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Why Believing in the Sovereignty of God Matters

This is so good that I am including it verbatim from the DGM online site.   

By John Piper September 16, 2009

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What we mean by the sovereignty of God is captured in paragraph 3.2 of The Bethlehem Baptist Church Elder Affirmation of Faith. The dozens of biblical passages used to support this paragraph are found in the online version.

3.2 We believe that God upholds and governs all things—from galaxies to subatomic particles, from the forces of nature to the movements of nations, and from the public plans of politicians to the secret acts of solitary persons—all in accord with His eternal, all-wise purposes to glorify Himself, yet in such a way that He never sins, nor ever condemns a person unjustly; but that His ordaining and governing all things is compatible with the moral accountability of all persons created in His image.

Why does it matter whether we believe this? Ten reasons.

1. The good news of God’s substituting his Son for us on the cross depends on it.

“Truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” (Acts 4:27­-28)

2. The perseverance of the saints in the fear of God depends on it.

“I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.” (Jeremiah 32:40)

3. Progress in holiness now, and the final perfecting of the saints in the end, depends on it.

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

“But you have come to Mount Zion . . . and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect.” (Hebrews 12:22-23)

4. The assurance of God’s final triumph over all natural and supernatural evil depends on it.

“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’” (Isaiah 46:9­-10)

5. The comfort that there is a wise and loving purpose in all our calamities and losses, and that God will work all things together for our good, depends on it.

“Though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love. . . . Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?” (Lamentations 3:32-38)

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20)

6. The hope that God will give life to the spiritually dead depends on it.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

7. Well-grounded expectation of answered prayer depends on it.

“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.” (Romans 10:1)

“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. . . . For the promise is for . . . everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:38-39)

8. Boldness in the face of seeming hopeless defeat depends on it.

“Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” (2 Samuel 10:12)

“Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him.” (2 Chronicles 32:7)

9. Seeing and savoring the revelation of the fullness of God’s glory depends on it.

“But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ . . . What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power . . . [acted] in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy?” (Romans 9:20-23)

10. Praise that matches the fullness of God’s power, wisdom, and grace depends on it.

“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. . . . We will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.” (Psalm 115:3, 18)

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.” (Psalm 96:4)

The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is an anchor for the troubled soul, a hope for the praying heart, a stability for fragile faith, a confidence in pursuing the lost, a guarantee of Christ’s atonement, a high mystery to keep us humble, and a solid ground for all praise. And oh so much more. O Lord, turn this truth for the triumph of your saving and sanctifying grace.

Confident and comforted with you,

Pastor John

Why Decadence Drives Out Faith

“Take care lest you forget the LORD your God . . ." (Deut. 8:11)

Much of the following is found in Christianity Today by Philip Yancey, in an article, "Forgetting God: Why decadence drives out discipline." Yancey asked Europeans what they thought of when he said the words "United States?" Invariably, he says, he received these three responses, wealth, military power, and decadence. But, he avers:

European nations, with their Christian roots, tend to manifest similar characteristics, which run counter to the teachings and example of Jesus, whose life was marked by poverty, self-sacrifice, and purity. No wonder followers of other religions, such as Islam, puzzle over Christianity, a powerful faith that nonetheless produces the opposite of its ideals in society at large [emphasis mine].  

What accounts for this strange development?

Yancey cites Gordon Cosby, founding pastor of Church of the Savior in Washington, D. C. "He noted that high-commitment Christian communities begin with a strong sense of devotion, which expresses itself in a life of discipline. Groups organized around devotion and discipline tend to produce abundance, but ultimately that very success breaks down discipline and leads to decadence."

How timely is this for us to hear today? John Wesley warned about this himself:

I do not see how it is possible, in the nature of things, for any revival of religion to continue long. For religion must necessarily produce both industry and frugality, and these cannot but produce riches. But as riches increase, so will pride, anger, and love of the world in all its branches.

Yancey continues: 

Americans who go on short-term mission trips to third-world countries often return with glowing reports about the fervency they found among believers. Eager faith in the midst of poverty and oppression contrasts sharply with the complacency and self-centeredness in our land of plenty.

Is it any wonder that Jesus warned about too much attention to money, and declared great blessings on the poor, urging all Christians to be "poor in spirit." We certainly cannot serve two masters, though I think many in the church try. Who among us does not hear the siren call luring us after mammon every day?

The words from Deuteronomy that began this post summarize it well:

11 When you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, . . . 17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth. 

19 And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. 20 Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God (Deut. 8).

Battle-Borne, Not Battle-Worn

Never underestimate the value afforded those who battle the enemy of the faith. The depth of a man's character is in direct proportion to the length of years he's borne the conflict. . . and endured. So, the apostle, John refers to his mature believers as "fathers" who have "known him who is from the beginning" (1 John 2:13, 14). They've walked with God for years. As we are wont to say, "they had a track record" with regard to their life with God. Not easily diverted from their pilgrimage, they have established themselves as those who have "bounced back" after a fall (or many), having borne the heat of the battle, and having therefore, gained immense experience in the process. And there is something to be said for experience! After all, Moses was 40 years old before being ousted to the back side of the desert! Then, another 40 years would pass before God would call to him from the burning bush (Exodus 3) to lead Israel out of Egyptian bondage. Eighty years of training--failing & "faithing"! In fact, Hebrews 11:27 says that Moses "endured as seeing him who is invisible." In the face of the very visible Pharaoh, Moses moved forward seeing the face of God as immensely superior. That did not happen over night. Eighty years of preparation DOES count for something. 

We need to encourage the saints of God to pursue their Christian lives with endurance. Stay in there. Let nothing throw you off course. "Keep on keeping on." And does it get tiring? Yes! But, and this is vitally important, there is a great difference between being tired IN the battle and being tired OF the battle. We do not want to grow tired OF the battle itself, for it is the greatest fight in which a person will ever engage, the battle for truth, the conflict of the ages, the warfare of Christ and for the gospel! Yes, we may grow tired IN the battle, but as we often say after a long day of good, hard, work . . . it's a good kind of tired.

What we need is men of God--both male and female! Yes. "Be watchful. Stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong" (1 Cor. 16:13). That's it! By God's infinite grace, and through faith. Anything is possible, indeed, everything. Stand strong! Endure. And find Him faithful as has every Christian soldier through the ages.

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"Know Thy [Sinful] Self"

Among the many things that stir in our hearts at Easter, one of the most pernicious is our own sinfulness. It's one thing to know that sin sent Jesus to the cross; it's quite another for me to feel each pang of Jesus-denying vice that rises in my heart. The first can be relegated to the objective, to a subject to be studied, and even one with which we may readily agree. The other (MY Jesus-denying iniquity) is something I must face subjectively. In other words, this is no theory; this is a fact and in MY LIFE! I sin! And to claim otherwise is absurd! Paul admitted, "If I want to do right, evil lies close at hand" (Romans 7:21). Spurgeon warns that this very issue blew away the disciples that night in the garden of Gethsemane.

He never deserted them, but they in cowardly fear of their lives, fled from him in the very beginning of his sufferings. This is but one instructive instance of the frailty of all believers if left to themselves; they are but sheep at the best, and they flee when the wolf cometh. They had all been warned of the danger, and had promised to die rather than leave their Master; and yet they were seized with sudden panic, and took to their heels. It may be, that I, at the opening of this day, have braced up my mind to bear a trial for the Lord’s sake, and I imagine myself to be certain to exhibit perfect fidelity; but let me be very jealous of myself, lest having the same evil heart of unbelief, I should depart from my Lord as the apostles did. It is one thing to promise, and quite another to perform. (Morning & Evening Devotions, March 27)

Resurrection conquers sin, but does not release us from sin's effects upon us. My point here is that WE MUST REALIZE THIS IF WE ARE TO BE RIGHTLY PREPARED. Not do be prepared is to invite failure. Again Paul warned the Corinthian church, "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12). I would be the last to denigrate the awesome work of God in the sinner's life, conquering sin in full. But by the same token, I would not teach contrary to Scripture that the believer is therefore free from all sin. Be prepared. Know your own frailty. And throw the full weight of your dependence on the Lord . . . ALWAYS!

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The Wonder of Prayer!

William Jay of Bath, England lived from 1769-1853, a marvelously productive period in the history of the Church. He preached from the age of 16 to 84, and saw both Wesley and Spurgeon! Of him, Spurgeon exclaimed, "O for more Jays. we would give some two or three dozen of the general run of doctors of divinity for one such a Master in Israel as William Jay of Bath." Please read the following which shows Jays' heart and his gift of exhortation. . . 

Prayer is the breathing of the desire towards God. Words are not essential to the performance of it. As words may be used without prayer, so prayer may be used without words. He that searcheth the heart 'knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,' and when we cannot command language like some of our fellow-christians, it is well to be able to say, 'Lord, all my desire is before Thee, and my groaning is not hid from Thee.'

The expediency, the necessity of prayer, results from our indigent [impoverished] and dependent state. We have enemies to overcome--and how are we to conquer them? We have trials to endure--and how are we to bear them? We have duties to accomplish--and how are we to perform them? We need mercy and grace to help us --and how are we to obtain them? God has determined and revealed the method in which He will communicate the blessing He has promised. "For all these things will I be inquired of by the house of Israel. Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you. Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find." And, as He is a Sovereign, and under no obligation to favor us at all, He has surely a right to appoint the way in which He will be gracious; but, in this appointment, His wisdom appears as conspicuous as His sovereignty; and His goodness as clearly as His wisdom. Nothing can be so beneficial to us as prayer is, not only by the relief it obtains, but by the influence it exerts; not only by its answers, but by its energy. Beyond everything else that is instrumental in religion, it improves our characters, it strengthens our graces, it softens  and refines our tempers, it contributes to our spirituality, and promotes our holiness. The more we have to do with God, the more we shall resemble Him. "It is therefore good for us to draw near to Him."

From: The Christian's Present For All Seasons, ed. by D.A. Harsha, published by Solid Ground Christian Books. 
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Unique Connection to God-A Personal Confession

A believer is never as original in his pursuit of God as he is when he is in prayer. No second-hand faith, prayer brings one into immediate relationship with Jesus Christ. He need not "borrow" from men's thoughts or live vicariously through others (even good men) who delves into the innermost recesses of the Spirit by watchful waiting on Him. 

I say this as a minister of the gospel, a pastor whose privilege it is to plumb the depths of God's Word as my calling! And, Oh, what a sweet calling it is! Still, my tendency is to daily read the Bible, confer with authors in my library, and scour the internet for the latest on the subject at hand. These are good, and perhaps necessary--in their place. But their place cannot--may I say it--take the place of prayer. Prayer accomplishes something which all the study in the world cannot. It connects us to the Creator directly, opening up the Spirit-pipeline of his grace. The life-giving blood of Jesus Christ flows through the vein of prayer. 

Learned In the Fires of Failure

How do I know this? Because of my frequent failure in regard to prayer! What happened? Over time, though successful in delving into the truth of Scripture or hearing the wisdom of others, I am guilty of not stopping and listening to the original tones from the mouth of God, tones meant for my ears only, tones which are guaranteed to lead me into that place known only by myself. I'm just sharing my heart experience. But if I were to locate them in a Scripture, perhaps a good one would be Psalm 25:14. "The friendship [or, "secret counsel"] of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant." In other words, God talks personally to the one who isolates himself apart from all other occupations turning his sights to God alone.

Does this make sense to you? Have you experienced something similar? I say to you what I must often say to myself, put down that book, turn off the computer, sit down, be still, and listen. Really LISTEN. 

Amazing . . . the voice of God.
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