Enjoying some #worship on our patio. Revelation in #creation & His #Word & in Christ at the same time. Ephesians 2:10… we’re His work through His work for His work. Our lives are also His work of #art… His #realtimecanvas. (Taken with instagram)
The stars are God’s fingerprints. The sun is a mere smidgen of his radiance. The moon is to remind us that he doesn’t sleep at night. The vastness of space proclaims the infinity of his wisdom, while the sand pebble indicates his thoroughness with the puniest details. The lion hints at his fearlessness, the bear at his power, the hawk at his keen insight. And yet, those possess only a tidbit of God’s omnipotence and omnipresence. Every tree points toward heaven; every bird has a song to sing; even every moment of wind goes in some direction. There is nothing chaotic about our beautiful designed world. All creation has a message to tell. It says, Listen, there is a God. There is a God!
Brent D. Earles
I’m a big fan of creation! It reveals God’s glory if we have eyes to see it and hearts to believe it. What a better way to walk about in this world—to be in constant wonder of inexplicable beauty that speaks of purpose and a Personal God… better than constantly wondering, explaining phenomena that speak of an impersonal universe of chance. This is what I believe the purpose of all scientific exploration is: a meticulous unfolding of the wonders of God’s glory in creation for the good of others. Like preaching is the exposition of God’s revelation in His Word and in Christ for His glory and the good of others, science is the exposition of God’s revelation in creation for the same purposes.
As an old man, the apostle John was still in awe of the fact that he had been able to experience God the Son in the flesh… John has known about the incarnation for over 50 years when he writes the letter, yet he still writes with wide-eyed wonder as he reflects…
This is the place where we find out whether the Christian’s meditation has led him into the unreal, from which he awakens in terror when he returns to the world, or whether it has led him into a real contact with God, from which he emerges strengthened and purified. Has it transported him for a moment into a spiritual ecstasy that vanishes when everyday life returns, or has it lodged the Word of God so securely and deeply in his heart that it holds and fortifies him, impelling him to active love, to obedience, to good works? Only the day can decide.
An incredible #promise. Consumption is an act of #worship. Feast on what truly fills in & through all you enjoy—it is meant to be a #gift not a #god. (Taken with instagram)
Worship begins and ends with Him, and in Him worship is sustained. Let this just over 3 minutes of Christ exultation wash over you… you’ll be happy you did.
Source: fellowshipnwa
Sin vs. True Worship & the Space Between
As I pursue deep community with my faith family—a few guys in particular, I’m grappling with and processing sin and its effects. What is the essence of its evil in daily life—particularly when it is secret or covered up or at least seems hard to share with others?
Sin is the opposite of true, holy, good, worship—worship that is a loving, God-glorifying faith response to God’s gracious, Spirit illumined revelation of Himself—ultimately and fully in Jesus Christ. Sin is still worship…it’s just worship of something less than God. Sin is turning to love and adore and value ultimately, as first priority, created things rather than the Creator. God is the only infinitely valuable and glorious Reality in the universe to be adored and praised and treasured—to worship anything/anyone else is to self-destructively settle for less than all He is for us in Christ by His Spirit and grace.
Sin’s not only an issue of the “object” of our worship—though that is primary—it is also seeking to worship God on anything less than His terms, namely our own. He is the Law-giver that condemns us all and Salvation-bringer that saves everyone who repents and puts their trust in God’s Remedy, Jesus Christ, from that righteous condemnation. The worship that is sinful is antithetical to the worship God is worthy of and requires by His very nature.
In my life, I’m noticing that there is a connection between confessing/repenting of sin to God and fellow members of His family and my capacity to worship God in spirit and in truth. I’m trying to be honest with my sin to others in God’s family—to allow myself to be held more accountable—really just to strive harder and harder by God’s grace against sin and be conformed to Christ’s image along side others that are seeking to do the same.
In this process, I’m noticing something really amazing. Being honest with others who are in Christ and are trustworthy with sin on a continual basis is liberating. Recently, it has been my experience that they remind me of the Gospel and that Christ is sufficient for me in my weakness. Sin is forgiven through faith in Christ, and Christ’s righteousness stands in the gap for me as I fall short of God’s holy standards. As they encourage me in the Lord, I’ve been led to worship God more urgently, which gives me needed ammunition against sin—namely, a glorious vision of the One True God that belittles and makes sin a silly unattractive thing in light of the True Treasure.
So, in sum, I’ve just been thinking that the space between sin, especially secret/hidden sin, and true, freeing worship is confession—more specifically, confession in the context of true, deep, abiding, biblical community. We just can’t fight sin alone as believers. And, it’s not primarily doing or not doing the good things or bad things… it’s about an honest community of faith remembering, believing, and trusting in the Gospel—the person and work of Jesus Christ—and that leading us to repentant, grateful, awe-struck worship of God and His glorious grace.
Saved by Grace…for what?
I read from four places in the Bible each day to get through each year, and I love that strategy. There is always something refreshing and challenging in one if not all the sections—two Old Testament and two New Testament. I’m in 1 Kings, Psalms, Luke, and Ephesians now.
Recently, Ephesians really caught my attention. Paul is trying to reinforce that Christians are saved by the grace of God through faith, period—nothing added. But, what really peaked my interest is a few purposes that Paul describes for being saved by grace. He says, “for by grace you have been saved,” and follows that with a few purpose statements. Here’s starting a couple of verses after the first time:
“so that in the ages to come He might show
the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ for good works
which God prepared beforehand, so that we would walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:7-10
Paul makes it clear that all Christians were all spiritually dead in our sins before faith in Christ. And… not even faith was provided by us! God even provides the faith to believe in Jesus to those who are His from the beginning. From the verses above, I see three purposes for God saving sinful people… and, saving them the way He does.
- He gets EVERY SINGLE BIT of glory. NO ONE can boast. Salvation is a miracle of God from beginning to end, period.
- That glory is wrapped up in SHOWING HIS INCREDIBLE GRACE for eternity.
- Those are the primary purposes, but God also save sinners FOR GOOD WORKS.
Christians are saved by God’s grace—not BY good works but FOR good works. This was the most important reinforcement for me. God’s glory can feel abstract at times. I know that’s the ultimate purpose, and that it’s my ultimate good and ultimate joy to be caught up in worship and awe of His great grace for all eternity.
But, day-to-day it’s important for Christians to realize that God has prepared good works for us to reflect small bursts of God’s glory here and now. So, this passage was a good reminder for me to be looking for those good works. If good works are part of why God saved me, then I should be walking in those… and I will… by His grace.
The Essence of Worship
Psalm 116 is incredible. I’m sure I’ve read this Psalm a ton, but the Word is alive. It’s a gift, especially when it’s approached with an expectant heart. The more I read God’s Word, the more I realize its life-giving power of fresh perspective. Yep…fresh perspective from words penned a few thousand years ago. Amazing.
What shall I render to the Lord
For all His benefits toward me?
I shall lift up my cup of salvation
And call upon the name of the Lord.
Psalm 116:12-13
The more I think about the essence of worship in the context of God’s Word, the more it comes down to ”need.” Psalm 116 is a Psalm of thanksgiving to God for hearing the Psalmist’s prayers and saving him. Try to think of all the answered prayer in your lifetime. Try to think of the infinite ways God expresses His grace to sinners that are here today and gone tomorrow. Even more, think of His grace to His Church… His chosen people who He effectually calls to salvation through faith in Christ…faith that He Himself provides through His Spirit. Incredible! And… humbling.
I hope we can resonate with the Psalmist here. In light of God’s grace, what can we give Him? Anything… anything at all? I hope we feel the weight of gratitude that is being expressed in these couple of verses.
God, we’ve got nothing but what You’ve given to us! Thank You. God, You are the Source… and we are in desperate need of You. That’s the essence of worship. If we give a gift to Him… it is the “cup of salvation” He has provided for us with a grateful and humble heart as if to say, “Look, Dad. Look at all You’ve done! Thank You! What?! You have MORE! And, it pleases You to give grace upon grace to ME of all people! Well, I CAN’T say no…I would be a fool to do anything but ask for more of You and Your great love”…
Constantly, we should reflect on God’s grace and live with the visceral realization of our great need for Him. Here’s a practical verse that is helpful for me to meditate on to keep this dynamic in mind as I go about my life day-to-day:
…whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving
by the strength that God supplies;
so that, in all things God may be glorified
through Jesus Christ…
1 Peter 4:11
Observations from Phillipians 2:12-18: Grumbling and Disputing are a Big Deal
I have been greatly inspired by John Piper in many ways. I listen to many of his sermons and seminars, and I read some of his books. Of course, he is not the only preacher/author that I read or listen to, but he has been quite helpful to me in the Christian life of faith. More particularly, he constantly encourages/challenges me by watching him help me and his other various listeners see what is in the Bible. He and so many other expositional preachers seek to let the Bible have it’s own say. Most of those types of sermons are mainly built on astute observations from the texts rather than robust interpretations of it. Interpretation has its place, of course, but it should not be our “bread and butter.” The Word itself, and more essentially, the God of the Word, not necessarily our assessments of Him or His Word, must be where our real spiritual, faith-building nourishment comes from.
In a more recent sermon, which was more of a personal narrative really, Piper told of his experiences in seminary. Specifically, whenever he opened a book about Bible interpretation that begun with the a phrase similar to something like, “the key to accurate/good Biblical interpretation is first, observation, second, observation, and third, observation.” Piper recalls resonating greatly with that phrase, and he added that we should not hurry off toward interpretation (what does it mean/why). “We haven’t even begun to see what’s there,” is what he said.
So, I’m trying this out a bit more intentionally. I’ll start with Philippians 2:12-18. The first thing that I notice in this section is “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work, for His good pleasure.” The Philippians are commanded to work out their salvation with reverence and humility, essentially, because God is the one that is working in them—-not just working, either, but also the initial willing that precedes the work. So, if anyone succeeds at working out their salvation…that began in and was carried out through the grace and strength of God. Pretty cool—-humbling, but really satisfying and freeing.
It seems that beginning in v. 14, Paul is giving the Philippians a picture of what that “work” that God is doing looks like. It is really interesting what he starts with. “Do all things without grumbling or disputing…” Even more insteresting are the reasons that he gives for this. What are the results of such behavior? Apparently they are: ”proving yourselves blameless and innocent children of God,” to be “above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,” to “appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life,” and to allow Paul in the coming of Christ to “glory” in his efforts for them. It seems that there is lot to doing everything without grumbling or disputing. Perhaps, we should put this command to practice.
Anyway, this section wraps up in an astounding way. Just as Paul commands the Philipians to work out their salvation in this way to confirm that God is truly willing and working in them, he rejoices in the toils he has endured on their behalf! Right after he tells them to persevere, so that his efforts won’t be a waste, he rejoices in that very work that may or may not be wasted! “But even as I am poured out… I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.” What a beautiful image. The joy of the apostle in the midst of trial is urging the joy of the Philipians in such a way that it is reciprocal… they feed each other.
I hope with all my heart that the church would do everything without grumbling or disputing, so that it would yield the vast amount of fruit that God can bring about. I pray that aspect of “working out our salvation” would produce reciprocal joy in the leaders of the church and its members in any and all circumstances, especially the most dire.
Finally, we should have all the strength and confidence and joy in the world in “working out our salvation,” if it is true (which it is!) that God, in all of his infinite power, knowledge, grace, joy, goodness, mercy, excellence, holiness, etc., etc., is the one ”willing and working” in us for the goal that He most desires—-His good pleasure, which is also ours to share in and through Christ Jesus. Let’s ”do all things without grumbling or disputing.”
