What a Great Adventure Is This Life

What a great adventure is this life.

As Christians, we are not alone.

Each of us lives in Christ and Christ lives in us (John 15.1-8, Galatians 2.20).

Jesus Christ is our context, our environment, and our companion.

God the Father is intricately involved in our lives at all times.

Why are you alive on earth right now? Only because God chose it to be so (James 4.13-16).

He is protecting us from temptations too great (1 Corinthians 10.13).

He is causing all things to work together for His purpose for us and our purpose in Him—that we change further into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8.28-29).

For these reasons there is no wasted day.

There are no meaningless hours.

Whether the hour is for love, for work, for the Word, or for rest, God is working.

Whether the body is ill, it is time to serve others, or a time to relax, God is working.

That makes life a great adventure.

So what do I want?

I want to bring God glory (2 Timothy 2.3-6).

I want to emulate Jesus Christ (Philippians 2.5).

I want to do right rather than sin (Matthew 5.6).

And Jesus Christ is here with me.

So what do I think?

I give thanks for this God and this day (1Thessalonians 5.18).

I plan for serving Him wholeheartedly (Philippians 1.20-21).

I think this life, this adventure, is great (Philippians 4.4).

I think that Jesus Christ is my Lord.

I think that this day is for me to honor God.

So what do I do?

I hunger for what I want (Psalm 119.9-11).

I study and wrestle with the Word, then I repent of the sins exposed (Hebrews 4.12-16).

I hear the Word, rejoice over God’s promises, and eagerly go into the day (Psalm 1.2-3).

I trust in God’s promises.

What a great adventure is this life.

Today I was thinking about our salvation through Jesus Christ and about my sins today. I read this from a study done a few years ago:

“The cross is the focal point of salvation.  Human sin required the just penalty of death; only the sinless Son of God could pay that price for others (Romans 6.23 and Hebrews 2.9-15).  At once, the cross of Christ is the picture of the complete provision of the Father, the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ, and the very definition of love (Philippians 2.8 and 1 John 3.16).  

The justice of God required that the penalty due for sins be paid. Paul explains that God sent Christ to be a ‘propitiation’ (that is, a sacrifice that bears God’s wrath so that God becomes “propitious,” or favorably disposed, toward us). Scripture says it was ‘to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins’ (Rom 3:25).                                       

These truths about the saving work of Christ on the cross are helpful for me when I struggle with sin.  The reminder of what Christ did on the cross and the necessity of such a price for sin (Isaiah 53.3-10, Psalm 22.14-19) puts present sins into proper perspective.  Sin is serious.  It opposes God’s Holy nature.  He hates it.  So I hate it.  I hate that I sinned today. The Holy Father punished Jesus Christ for these current sins: ‘He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities;…The Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief;…the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many; as He will bear their iniquities’ (Isaiah 53.5, 10, 11).  So here, at the foot of the cross, I repent.  I hate my sin and intend to not sin in these ways again.  I worship and give thanks to Holy God and His faithful pure Son.  ”

The conclusions today were to repent of the sins of this day; to give thanks to the Father, Son, and Spirit for their roles in redemption and forgiveness; and to worship, give thanks, and express love to each.

God's Sovereignty

Dr. Al Mohler spoke at Shepherd's Conference last Thursday at Grace Community Church. Two years prior, Dr. Mohler preached John 9 there. That night, when I heard the first sentence of that message, I realized it was the same teaching that my son, Sky, had heard not long prior at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. This preaching of God's Word had challenged and strengthened him, so I was eager to listen.

When I was a young believer at 21, I memorized the book of James while welding at work every day. The physical job left the mind somewhat free for prayer and meditation. Based on James 1.2-4, I reached the conclusion that adversity is good because it tests faith. Hard times become the environment for faith and endurance, which result in spiritual growth.

I prayed for whatever circumstances would allow me to become more like Christ, knowing they might be difficult. God answered my prayer. My broken leg required surgery but afterward had not begun to heal for many months. Doctors spoke of experimental options to stimulate growth or amputation. That season of life was rich. God strengthened my faith through passages of hope such as 1 Peter 1.6-9 and 1 Corinthians 10.13.

My heart gave thanks for the riches of the Word. The uncertain future of my leg provided a treasure: the setting to be able to pray wholeheartedly, "Lord, choose whatever you believe will allow me to best honor You." We don't get opportunities like that too often in life. The results of that year had so far been significant growth through much study of the Word, plus enduring (James 1.3: Grk hupomone - "remain under") because of God's strengthening grace and Word. My ministry to other people had become more effective. I rejoiced in that great year with the Lord. Then God graciously chose to heal that broken bone completely between months 7 and 8 after the surgery. That was a bonus.

On March 4, 2010, Dr. Mohler preached on God's sovereignty, based on John 9. During that message I realized that I had not recently prayed for whatever circumstances would allow me to become more like Christ. I had not done so since a family hardship the previous year. The truth of the Word on God's sovereignty exposed an idol in my heart. I was desiring easier times for myself and for loved ones rather than the treasures of growing in faith and knowing Christ better by remaining under adversity. 

Before going home, I parked in the desert under a bright moon and again asked for whatever trials and tests would be the best setting to become more complete in Christ. God has often caused difficult times to result in spiritual growth in our family. He did so again in 2010. How great is our God.

Riding to the conference last week, there was joy in comfortably praying for whatever God chooses: times of rejoicing in His blessings or the treasure of growing closer to Christ by enduring during difficult days. Such prayer has become a regular occurrence again.

Praise God for the outcome of the Christian's hardship: Good. Good in becoming conformed to Christ's image (Romans 8.28-29), good in finding out one more time that God's grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12.9-10), good by needing to take courage in Christ (John 16.33), and the good of pointing others to His promises more effectively (2 Corinthians 1.3-4). How great is our loving and sovereign God!

See Dr. Albert Mohler's message:

www.albertmohler.com/no-little-people-no-little-sermons-john-9/3-4-10

Hospitality

02.20.12

Last autumn Julie and I read a book together:  “The Hospitality Commands,” by Alexander Strauch (Lewis and Roth, 1993, sixty pages). We were challenged and benefitted by the well chosen Scriptures that are the focal point of the work. The applications of the Word are helpful, but more as a starting point for actions that fit the reader’s situation than as a list of things the author thinks we all should do.

Strauch’s “hospitality commands” are found in Romans 12.13, 1 Corinthians 5.11,  1 Timothy 3.2, 1 Timothy 5.10, Hebrews 13.1-2, 1 Peter 4.9, and 2 John 1.10-11. Fans of Alexander Strauch (he also wrote “Biblical Eldership,” “Men and Women: Equal Yet Different,” and “Leading with Love”) will get the exposition of Scripture they expect. All will appreciate the examples and real-life insights for improving in practicing biblical hospitality.

The author provides good explanations of concepts related to hospitality. Among them are the dynamics of family and Christian love, the place that kindness to strangers has in regard to the Gospel, and the Bible’s description of the church as the body of Christ.

On many occasions, Julie and I evaluated our own motives and actions by the Scriptures featured in this book. We also discussed practical options for better honoring the Lord in response to those truths. We have since restructured our thinking about honoring God, love, people, and priorities. So, we are just beginning a new adventure with the Lord…practicing more hospitality. Thus far we are glad for God’s grace that is helping us to open our home more, serve more practically, be more involved at the heart level, and seek to creatively love others more frequently.