February 11, 2016 | Glorification Illustrations

“This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” 2 Timothy 2:10 (HCSB)
Recently I was honored to teach on some glorification passages in 2 Timothy. As always, the letters I received were insightful and encouraging. A few shared very intriguing illustrations of what they were learning that I think will motivate us all:
From a college student in Oklahoma:
“You are correct in [that] we often fail to emphasize our glorification, which Paul says is the reason he’s even running! I greatly appreciate the reminder. I used my own example of this when talking to our college group … I moved into a house a mile from campus and got a bike so I could ride to class. Often times when it’s windy and cold and I’m going uphill, that mile hurts and it’s exhausting! But if I don’t keep pushing, I will be late to class, and many of my classes have an attendance grade. Because of that motivation, I keep pushing through the pain and go to class anyway. This is how glorification should be. If we remember that there are eternal consequences for our faithfulness, we may not be so quick to get off the bike.”
From a businessman in Frisco:
“That [text] gave me a fire in my belly to go after the spiritual disciplines and invest my time seeking godliness. While thinking about the bema seat rewards, it struck me that all of this effort I am putting into the disciplines and my relationship with God almost equates to a retirement plan.”
From a physician in Indiana:
“In the endurance race to our glorification, I am running every day – physically and spiritually. By God’s grace, I continue to endure with my eyes on the prize!”
Filed Under: Weekly Email

January 21, 2016 | Guard Through the Spirit

 

“Guard, through the Holy Spirit who lives in us, that good thing entrusted to you.” 2 Timothy 1:14 (HCSB)
How exactly does one fulfill God’s command to us in 2 Timothy 2:14? Counselor Bob Hornstein shares this great insight:
“We must surrender to the Spirit’s power to overcome sin and be transformed daily into His likeness.” – Bob Hornstein, Validate!
Bob continues with an illustration from aviation. An airplane guards it’s passengers and cargo as it transports them, overcoming the natural tendency to crash and spill. In the same way, the Spirit guards us by over-powering our natural “gravity.” He writes:
“The law of aerodynamics can suspend the law of gravity. If an airplane has the right thrust, it can become airborne…As long as a plane has power, it continues to suspend the power that gravity has over it and stays aloft. If the power source is removed or shut off for some reason, gravity takes over and the plane crashes.
“It is the same spiritually. The power source of our spiritual “flight” is determined by the surrender and obedience of the believer…We surrender to the power of the Spirit moment by moment by faith throughout the day, and the Spirit empowers our lives to be holy and productive for Christ and His kingdom. If we disconnect from the Spirit’s power, we will immediately begin to live in the flesh (resources of self).
“…It is not more power that we need. It is our willing and faithful surrender to the filing of the Spirit’s control every moment, day after day, as the only way to sustain the power to overcome the [natural pull] of temptation and sin. It is also how God gets glory through our lives. It is His strength, wisdom, love and fruit that is seen, not ours. – Bob Hornstein, Validate!
Filed Under: Weekly Email

December 24, 2015 | Good News. Great Joy.

 

“The angels said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10 HCSB)
I was uplifted this week by the following reminder from my friend Dan Bolin:
The message of the angel was clear: Jesus’ birth was “good news” and brought “great joy.” (Luke 2:10)
Sometimes we lose sight of the goodness of the news. We focus on the problems and pain of our lives and lose the good news perspective. In his gospel, John records the heart of this good news when he says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17) That is good news!
And sometimes we lose sight of the joy of the news. In his first epistle, John goes on to focus on the great joy: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (I John 3:1a) That is great joy!
Good news and great joy indeed!
Filed Under: Weekly Email

December 17, 2015 | Let Us See

 

“When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”  (Luke 2:15 HCSB)
Invite a friend
AJ Rinaldi, a pastor at our church, tipped me off to a fascinating study. Carol Pipes, editor of Facts & Trends, summarized research by LifeWay:
 
“In a recent poll of 1,000 Americans, LifeWay Research found six out of 10 Americans typically attend church at Christmastime. But among those who don’t attend church at Christmastime, a majority (57 percent) say they would likely attend if someone they knew invited them.
 
“Regular churchgoers may assume the rest of America has already made up their mind not to attend church,” said Scott McConnell, vice president of LifeWay Research. “In reality, many would welcome going to a Christmas service with someone they know.”
So please invite someone to church this coming fourth Sunday of advent or on Christmas Eve. They are waiting to be asked.
Filed Under: Weekly Email

December 10, 2015 | The Law Shows Our Christmas Need

 

“What then should we do?” the crowds were asking him.”
(Luke 3:10 HCSB)
Leviticus in 3D
John gets the attention of both crowds and religious leaders by doing the most loving thing possible: he shows people’s universal need for salvation. His basis is the Old Testament Law; in fact, John comes across as a living book of Leviticus. As I said recently in a discussion with one of our pastors, “John is like Leviticus in 3D.”
Of course, John doesn’t abandon people in their need. Luke 3:18 tells us that he preached good news to them; that is, he pointed people to Messiah Jesus, “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” That Messiah is the solution for my need and yours, as He paid the perfect sacrifice price for our sin and rose from the dead so that we who trust Him could follow Him in eternal life.
At Christmas, it is especially wonderful to share that good news. However, we mustn’t forget what God teaches us through John – people need to see their destitution first. Without recognizing that I have violated God’s Law, I cannot apprehend why Jesus came. Without understanding that I am rightly slated for judgment, I won’t ascertain my desperate need for salvation in Jesus alone.
The crowd asked John what to do was because he successfully led them to understand the reality and severity of sin. In fact, Luke 3 is fascinating snapshot of this work. The Baptizer keys in on three related arenas of sin: sharing, stealing, and coveting. Alluding to Leviticus 19, Deuteronomy 15, Exodus 20, and Isaiah 58, John exposes how each and every person is ultimately incapable of genuine generosity. We all covet and steal. We don’t naturally share sacrificially.
That truth reveals our need for rescue. Wonderfully, God meets our need in Jesus, who empowers us to truly give as He does. My prayer for us this holiday is that we will love people enough to kindly expose the truth about innate human selfishness – in a phrase, that the term “Black Friday” should be used in reference to the sootiness of every soul. Then, we can share the gospel of Jesus, who changes us into genuine givers like Himself.
Filed Under: Weekly Email

December 3, 2015 | Two Notes

 

“Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
(Matthew 2:11 HCSB)
Two notes arrived at the same time in my inbox today. One was a reminder about the many people being baptized this Sunday at Frisco Bible Church. The second was a note re: “Giving Tuesday.”
Reading the letters in quick succession, I was struck by how they are connected. Without God’s people giving to His work in His church, the good news is stifled and the baptisms dry up. Thanks, Lord, for all those who honor you with wise and sacrificial giving – on Tuesday and every other day.
Filed Under: Weekly Email