A Working Faith

I took a second listen to Pete's sermon from this Sunday on "Real Faith." There are many ways I'm reminded that I am not in control of my life right now. When I don't feel I'm in control, I am tempted to fear instead of faith, which leads to unbelief expressed in sinful attitudes and works as opposed to the good works of righteousness. This sermon was a gentle and firm call to continue in the fight for faith and good works by the grace of God and not my own willpower.
I want to grow in looking for opportunities and situations for my faith to be expressed, and not cower in fear that my faith will be tested. In reality, I don't have to look for these opportunities, because I'm living in the middle of them right now and am grateful I can see how the Lord guided me into desiring them and now in living them out. I pray that God will grow my faith and strengthen me so that I may not "grow weary in doing good" (Gal 6:9) but be refreshed in the knowledge that "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence," (2 Peter 1:3)

I took notes, well actually more like transcribed sections of, the sermon below.

James 2: 14-26

We cannot use the work of God in us as a reason not to work. Eph 2:8-10- “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” …We don’t gain our salvation by these works, but b/c we have salvation in Jesus Christ we work.

2:14-17 James is primarily talking to believers [who are] going on about the faith that they have but not demonstrating the faith that they have.

The dichotomy isn’t whether you have faith or works; the true dichotomy is whether your faith is real or it’s not. Because if your faith is real, you will have works. And if your faith is not real you will not have works.

How is your faith working today? Is it working?
Real faith is a working faith.

Vs 20-24

Real faith anticipates. It looks for the time of expression. Do you look for the time for your faith to be expressed and completed? You know when that is, right? When Jesus returns and you see him, your faith becomes sight and it’s complete. Until then, there are many small completions of our faith. And you know what they are? They’re the work that we do, because faith anticipates. It looks forward to the time of expression. It looks for the opportunity.

[my note: Do I look forward to opportunities for my faith to be tested and proven genuine? Though it may be hard work, how sweet it is to be tested and found firm in Christ! With faith, I can say to the Lord, “bring it on, I am ready to do your will.” ]

Faith looks like saying, “God give me an opportunity to demonstrate, to work.”

This is where the completion of your faith happens. It’s looking for an opportunity to be employed, to go to work, to be active, for a time of expression. It’s looking forward to that. Are you looking forward to that? Or are you avoiding it? “ohh, I hope it doesn’t come to me. Is it gonna come to me?” Well, it’s gonna come to you! So employ your faith….Are you ready to lay down your life for Jesus? Would you even welcome that opportunity to employ faith in Jesus Christ to the point of your death? If you are, I think you’ll be ready to take every opportunity the Lord gives us.  That’s what we need to be working towards, to employ our faith to that level. Don’t you want to be a friend of God? Who would you rather be called a friend of?

Vs. 25

[Rahab’s] faith went to work. Just like mine and yours must go to work. And it should give us great hope that no matter who we are, no matter where we are today dear friends – this is not a hopeless message, this isn’t a brow beating message that says “come on, get your act together people.” There is a caution in it, there is a correction in it, but it’s also meant to stir our faith and to say “listen, you’re looking at that sin, you’re looking at that situation, you’re saying ‘there’s no way!’ Well, have faith dear friend and go to work with it.” Put your faith to work. Believe. Trust.  Be steadfast. Keep walking. Take the next step. Don’t  give up. Be like Christ. Trust him. There will be grace there. Your hope in God will not be disappointed. It wasn’t for Abram. It wasn’t for Rahab. And it will not be for you and for me.

Vs. 26

Works in the name of Jesus are spiritual. A body that has a spirit is alive and effects everything around us.

Real faith is a working faith. Is your faith working? Let’s trust God to work in and through us. Let’s be Christians in this world...This is soul stirring, hopeful truth. Don’t you want to be a friend of God? Don’t you want to walk with God? This is how we can do it.

 
[Opportunity for the good work of loving others, especially when aware of the risk it requires, need not be met by fear but by anticipation for my faith to rise and stand firm whatever the cost. There is a sweet beauty in the expression of faith through works. Just as we can look to Abraham for an example of a working faith, so also I can look to his wife Sarah - 1 Peter 3:6 says: And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening." Pretty cool namesake to look up to, if I do say so myself.]

photo: old and new building (in reflection) on a walk
back from the mailbox at work, last week

The Power of God

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence - 2 Peter 1:3

Outside of heaven, the power of God in its highest density is found inside the gospel. . . Nothing else in all of Scripture is ever described in this way, except for the Person of Jesus Christ. - Milton Vincent in A Gospel Primer

I want to make the gospel of Jesus Christ my go to place and camp out there. He has all I need for life and godliness. He will help me battle my sin, humble my proud heart, walk in obedience, love others, and find great joy in learning to know him more in my days. I have the very power of God to take with me into my day - how incredible is that?!

Who has felt the nails upon His hands

Bearing all the guilt of sinful man

God eternal humbled to the grave

Jesus, Savior risen now to reign!

Behold our God seated on His throne

Come let us adore Him

Behold our King nothing can compare

Come let us adore Him!

Behold Our God

(c) Sovereign Grace Worship 2011

Mighty to Save

Milton Vincent, in The Gospel Primer:

But wonder of wonders, so great to behold,

My God chose to save me with method so bold,

What I could not render, God fully has done,

And doing, He rendered it all through His Son.

He sent Christ to die on the cross for my sin

To suffer my anguish, my pardon to win

...The Firstborn from death on that day emerged He

With power to save to the utmost degree

...And each day I'm made a bit more as I should,

His grace using all things to render me good.

Yes, even in trials God's grace abounds too

And does me the good He assigns it to do

Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. 

- Psalm 29:1-2

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

Do I doubt that the power and wisdom of God is at work in my life? Then I need to look to where it is displayed most clearly, and  hope in the God of my salvation, in whom I have all I could ever need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

photo: fortress in Salzburg, Austria 2007

Making the best use of the time

"making the best use of the time . . . be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:16-20

"Making the best use of the time," - what does this look like? Where should my thoughts and energies go right now, today? I believe it looks like getting to know God and delighting in him. "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever" (Westminster Catechism). Guess what? Today is part of forever, and I can do that right now because "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence" 2 Peter 1:3.

As I think of my future, whether the next few years, months, or even the next day, I can allow anxiousness, discontentment, purposelessness, boredom, weariness, loneliness, or hopelessness to cloud my view. I think it has something to do with focusing on my circumstances and own efforts and leaving God out of the equation. But Matthew 6:31-33 has something to say to me: "Therefore do not be anxious . . . [why not?] your heavenly Father knows . . . seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness."

Look up to God and off of myself. Look back at what He's done in my life, others lives, and at the cross. Position my mind and heart where I will be compelled to worship God, in the word, in fellowship, in service, and even in song.

This phrase, "making the best," means to "buy up, rescue from loss, or improve" the use of time. It is a metaphor taken from the merchants and traders of the ancient Near East, who aggressively pursued the best deals when they would buy, sell, or trade" (p. 19 in Shopping for Time by Carolyn Mahaney and daughters).

When I returned home from work today, I knew there was only about an hour of good daylight left. It was a beautiful day, reaching a high of 64 degrees! This is a rare treat in February, that cannot be tucked away and used later. In fact, the temperature is forecasted to fall more than 20 degrees from Friday to Saturday. So how do I "make the best" of that hour? I ask my sister to go on a walk with me, because just being outdoors is precious time I don't want to lose. And I am doubly blessed by the sun and conversational presence of my sister.

And what do I want to buy up in this short "hour" of my current season of life? Maybe wash the dishes for my mom or bake a batch of cookies for Margaret to take to school, because I am here in my family's home and enjoy swapping an office for a kitchen. And while I'm at it, I can improve my kitchen time by calling a friend to hear more details on her marriage proposal this weekend and celebrate with her before the passing of a week has opportunity to dampen any of the fresh memories. And I can think in the evening of how I want to meditate on the truth found in God's word before I start my day tomorrow, so I actually anticipate rising early and not count it a loss to say goodbye to my evening as I lay down my head.

And if any of these efforts spring from a joyful and thankful heart in God, it is all of grace. It's all because of Jesus that I can have life, and have it abundantly. Looking to my Savior, learning more of his majesty and greatness, stepping into obedience with faith, crying in desperate acknowledgment that I need him and am lost without him - this is the beauty of grace.

I want to rest at the side of my Savior, and be enamored so much by his strength and beauty that all else fades in comparison.

photo: 2/17/11

Ambition Restored

Earlier this summer I bought a copy of Dave Harvey's book called Rescuing Ambition. I've only read the first two chapters. But I think it has served me in a unique way, by just bringing up the topic.
God has used the book to restore ambition in me. It's been really interesting. All of a "sudden" (the past month) God keeps bringing up old ambitions that ring true in my heart, desires that I thought had died away a while ago. And my new favorite question to ask my friends, whether one-on-one or in a small group, is "what are some hopes, dreams, desires, and ambitions that you have?" These conversations have been so wonderful! You should try it out. When held in the right perspective, it's incredibly faith building to allow your anticipation to grow for God glorifying ambitions. And I especially enjoy the window it gives into my friends' lives and hearts.

I do not think of myself as an ambitious person. Thoughtful maybe. Cautious, yes. Ambitious? ehh, not so much. That would better describe someone like my brother, or my pastors, or my entrepreneurial and creative friends, or even my big-picture parents who are always up for a new project. But not me. At least that's how I was allowing myself to think, without even realizing that's how I was thinking. But God's been proving me wrong, by reminding me of several interests and desires that I had thought were snuffed out for whatever reasons. And here's the kicker, He's the one who has brought them back into my view. And by doing that so clearly, He's given me anticipation for how He may someday choose to draw them out. My joy is not dependent on seeing any of these blossom or come to full bloom - it is only in God and his relationship to me because of the cross. And because I am secure in his hold of me in the gospel, I am free to have a curiosity and anticipation for what he may bring about without allowing those very things to replace him and become idols in my life. Sweet!
God has used this to help me fight the ho-hum view that my existence in this life is second-rate and the only thing I have to look forward to is heaven (a bit dramatic, but sometimes that is the reality of how I live). This is not true. I have so much to anticipate in meeting my Savior face to face and living in the place he has prepared for me with the fellowship of the Body, free from the struggle of sin and free from suffering - but I also am able to get to know him in the here and now, experience his presence, see him work, and grow in love for him right NOW. He has given me his Word; He has given me his Spirit; He has placed me in his Church; He has given me all I need for life and godliness (verse).

This reminds me of a quote from Paul Tripp that I used on my first post in this blog:

But the Bible never presents our life on earth as a meaningless time of waiting for the good stuff that comes later. The biblical model of waiting is not simply about what you will get at the end of your wait, but about who you will become as you wait. God has promised you real, abundant life in the here and now. We have a Father. We have a home. We are rich. We struggle a great deal, but we can expect much as well.

So, what are some of your ambitions? Have you given that any thought lately? Have you asked anybody else what their ambitions are? I hope that God may use these thoughts to build your faith like he has mine.

photo: Linda and me; early 2008

Grace is Greater

Last Friday night I went to the first part of Paul Tripp's seminar at Covenant Fellowship Church called Your Walk with God is a Community Project. He exhorted us to dive into intentionally intrusive, Christ-centered, grace driven relationships. These relationships are the God ordained means for us to keep our identity in Christ in focus (Hebrews 10:19-31). These points also stood out to me:

There is a significant difference between being amazed at something and putting your faith in something. It's not enough to be amazed by the gospel; you must live the gospel through faith.

Second Peter 1:3 should astound you and draw remarkable faith in you. "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence." (emphasis added)

And on Monday I listened to the sermon preached at King of Grace Church when some of my family was there on an E-team July 11th.

Are you more aware of God and his goodness than your challenges, or are you more aware of your challenges than God, who is bigger than any challenge you may face? - Paul Buckley

Am I more aware of my sin than the grace of God? Do I underestimate his Spirit's power to work in me to conform me into the likeness of the Son? Then let me gaze at the Cross, where my sin indeed is real and ugly and miserable, but where my sin was taken from me and placed on the shoulders of Christ. My identity is no longer in my sin. My identity is found in Christ and His glory. Because I am in Christ, God is my Father. And in His goodness, my Father sent me His Spirit. My ugly deplorable sin still is actively working in me, each day battling for my desires. But I am no longer a slave to sin - the Holy Spirit is at work in me. God has granted me all things that pertain to life and godliness. Seeing my sin should not lead me to despair or hopelessness, but to amazement of the glorious finished work of the gospel and faith for seeing the glorious gospel continuing to work in me each moment of the day.
Though I may see the pervasiveness of my sin in even the minute details of my heart, God's grace penetrates deeper still.

photo: Charlotte, NC 2009