This is a very rare occurrence. I am sitting at home on the couch in an empty house on a Sunday morning while the church of Jesus Christ that meets at an Eau Claire location called Calvary gathers to worship.

I’m sick. I’ve got a bad cough from heavy nasal and chest congestion. I chose not to be with God’s people today for their benefit. Pastor Josh, with two days’ notice, is preaching today what may be his first Palm Sunday sermon ever. I can’t wait to watch it on live stream and worship from home with my family of Christ followers.

I came down with this virus last Monday night, the evening before we left on our mission trip to South Dakota with a crew of men and women who worked diligently to serve one of our supported mission organizations. It was a great trip, but for the second (or is it third now) year in a row I got sick for the trip. These spring colds hit me every year at the same time.

As I sit here the Lord is filling me with a desire to be productive, so I am writing this blog post today to introduce to you the next four days of devotionals the Holy Spirit has given me. We will be taking a one week break from our study of the Psalms to focus on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sin. Specifically, we will be looking at the blood of Jesus which was shed for our sins.

In preparation for the week, I want you to consider this interesting idea. During the last week of Christ’s life on the earth in His pre-eternal state, we have recorded for us in the Gospel accounts four times that Jesus shed His blood. Each of these occurrences has a specific application to an aspect of sin and its consequences. Starting tomorrow we will look at each of these events and discover some incredible truths about the precious and powerful blood of Jesus Christ. It will be a week of praise as we experience the freedom we now have because of the grace of God that was poured out on us through the shed blood of Jesus.

So go to your Bibles today and find the four places Jesus shed His blood, and let the Holy Spirit be your teacher as we prepare to dive into the subject of our total forgiveness and reconciliation to God made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the shedding of His blood.

Rules of Refuge

Monday, March 23, 2015

Psalm 7:1  O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge;

Tomorrow I leave on a mission trip with a team of men and women from our church. We will travel to South Dakota to the home base of an international mission agency that spreads the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the Island of Mindanao in the Philippines. We will be doing some renovation work on the Bible Camp that sits on 20 acres of land on the edge of Watertown.

The director of the ministry will not be there. He is currently in the Philippines preparing to hand out diplomas to the graduates of the Bible College that we support there. He is also travelling to various tribal regions to visit churches and encourage pastors who live in some dangerous locations. You see, the enemies of the Gospel have chosen portions of Mindanao as their next land to conquer. Our director has already travelled through one area where insurgents attacked a military convoy and killed several soldiers.

But none of those dangers really matter when we truly know that God is our refuge and that He has called each one of us to risk everything, including life, to bring the priceless gift of grace to lost people. Not many of us will be martyred physically, but we are all called to be willing to be. Most of us cringe at verbal rejection and shy away from saying or doing anything that results in alienation from friends and family. Maybe we don’t really understand what it means to take refuge in God.

Psalm 7 is a response to a verbal attack on King David’s life that is recorded in 2 Samuel 16. Take a moment to read it. It will challenge us to consider how to respond with godliness to the attacks of people against the righteousness of God.

In response to this event, David lays out the rules of refuge if we are to truly rest in God’s righteousness.

1. Turn to Him rather to our own solutions – vs. 1
2. Recognize that our solutions don’t end well – vs. 2
3. Take time for self-evaluation and make sure everything we have done is an honest reflection of God’s righteousness. David goes so far as to invite justice upon himself if he has done wrong – vs. 3-5
4. Trust God’s justice – vs. 6-7
5. Do everything in line with God’s righteousness, and let God constantly test our hearts and minds – vs. 8-9
6. Let our emotional responses be absorbed into the emotional responses of God, who feels what we feel – vs. 10-11
7. Trust God with the outcome, including any and all consequences that are deserved – vs. 12-16
8. Praise the Lord and give Him thanks – vs. 17

Here’s a challenging thought: if we are not doing all of the above – if we are in any way breaking even one of these rules of refuge – can we really say that the Lord is our refuge?

Pastor John

God is Gracious

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Psalm 6:2  Be gracious to me, O Lord…

Somewhere back in the 18^th century a man named John Newton wrote one of the most beloved songs of the Christian church. It is simply entitled Amazing Grace. Three centuries later Chris Tomlin took that song and added a chorus to it. When sung together it is one of the most powerful expressions of worship based on God’s grace that I get to sing. Take a moment and listen to it.

https://youtu.be/Jbe7OruLk8I

Sometimes in the midst of trials we forget or ignore the grace of God. We do not recognize that even the trials of life are expression of God’s grace. John Newton recognized that truth when he wrote, Trials are medicines which our gracious and wise physician prescribes because we need them; and he proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires. Let us trust in his skill and thank him for his prescription.

When we are caught up in the emotions and pain of life’s trials, we can cry out to God, Be gracious to me, O Lord. But we will only do that if we first recognize some key principles of truth:

1. That we are not deserving of God’s response. God’s graciousness is available only to those who confess their helplessness. (vs. 2a)
2. That God is fully capable of bringing about a glorious outcome. (vs. 2b)
3. That God is Sovereign and determines the conditions and terms of the outcome.
4. That God determines the timing of the outcome. In Psalm 6:3 David asks, But you, O Lord – how long?
5. That God’s steadfast love never ceases and is always working for our salvation. (vs. 4)

One of the great blessings of being a part of a church that understands the graciousness of God is that the members of Christ’s body minister to one another in times of need. Last night when I arrived at the church for our Wednesday night activities, there was a note shoved under my office door. Now I must confess that notes shoved under doors generally produce anxiety.

When I opened the note from one of my dear sisters in the Lord, it blessed my heart. It encouraged me to sing songs to chase the clouds away, and then quoted the words to a Psalm-Song.

• I will call upon the Lord, Who is worthy to be praised. So shall I be saved from my enemies. I will call upon the Lord.

My mind immediately kept singing – The Lord liveth, and blessed be the Rock and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

I was so encouraged. The Lord had shown His amazing grace to me through a fellow member of His body. How blessed I am to be a part of a real church that understands the grace of God.

So call out to the Lord. But be prepared. The expression of His grace may come from an unexpected place.

Pastor John

The Whole Trip was Meaningful

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Psalm 5:11 (ESV)   But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.

In case you’ve missed the pattern of the last week, we are taking little day trips through the Psalms, stopping at spiritual scenic overlooks along the way.

Today, the whole trip was a scenic overlook. The fifth Psalm is a panorama of the current circumstances of my life. I’m not going to share the details with you, but I am going to let you in on what God said to me.

First, when life makes us groan, it is to the Lord alone that we turn and to Him alone do we pray. (verse 2)

But prayer is so much more than just speaking words into the air. Prayer is motivated by the confidence we have that there is a God and that He cares to hear what we have to say. (“you hear my voice” – verse 3a)

And prayer is more than simply what we have to say; it is the relinquishing of our rights to control the outcome as we present the circumstances to God as a sacrifice, and then wait for Him to reveal His purpose. (“I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch” – verse 3b)

When I pray, I am put in touch with the character of God. I am made keenly aware of the purity and holiness of His nature, and the contrast between those who know Him and those who don’t. Those who don’t know Him will not dwell in His presence.

• For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. (vs. 4)
• The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. (vs. 5)
• You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. (vs. 6)

But those who know Him and have been transformed by His marvelous grace will enter His presence with joy.

• But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. (vs. 7)

Those who know Christ will be led according to the righteousness of God when we are willing to walk in His ways even when we are opposed for doing it.

• Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. (vs. 8)

I can trust God with the justice that is coming because of the sinful behavior of others.

• For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. (vs. 9-10)

Right now, in the middle of it all, because I take refuge in my God and not in the strength of my own life, I can rejoice and sing for joy, because God has me covered and He also has the outcomes covered. Not just covered – but covered with His favor!

• But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield. (vs. 11-12)

I lift up my head to the Lord so the light of His face will shine on me.

Pastor John

He’s Shining On Me

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Psalms 4:6 (NIV) Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?” Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.

One day many years ago – I mean MANY years ago – when I was in high school, I remember trying to encourage a friend who was going through a very difficult time. I only remember one part of the conversation, but it went like this: “Jim, keep your chin up,” to which he responded, “Why? Doesn’t that just make it easier for someone to hit?”

Yesterday in Psalm 3 we discovered the great truth that God is the shield around us and the lifter of our head. But many times we don’t want our head lifted because we are afraid it makes us a bigger target. Sometimes, in the midst of looking up and taking a public stand for God’s righteousness, we set ourselves up as targets for those who have a downward look at circumstances. But we must not be tempted to remove our focus from the face of God.

Look at what David says in Psalm 4.

• God has given us relief in the past when we have been in distress, so we can call on Him again. (verse 1)
• People with a downward look will always be around to turn what is honorable about looking at God into something shameful, and will find some form of satisfaction in vain words and lies. (verse 2)
• But our confidence and security does not come from the way others look at us, but rather from God’s look at us. (verse 3)
• Based on our confidence in God, when the false accusations of others cause us to be angry, we don’t have to respond in kind, but can instead be silent, fully trusting the faithfulness and righteousness of God. (verses 4-5)
• When we maintain our upward look, we discover an incredible truth – God is looking at us and shining His light upon us, producing joy and peace! (verses 6-8)

In 1632, Alexander Grosse wrote a booklet entitled Enjoying Christ, and in it he says, “where Christ reveals himself there is satisfaction in the slenderest portion, and without Christ there is emptiness in the greatest fullness.”

No matter how much the world offers and provides, it never satisfies. But no matter how small the blessing of God, there is total satisfaction. “Look up, and let the light of the face of God shine upon you.”

When the many ask for good, they are asking in terms of human good. They want riches and pleasure, power and fame, protecting and personal gain. But of what value are any of those things unless there is peace and security in the soul? It has been said that it is better to be a wooden vessel filled with choice wine than to be a golden goblet that is empty.

“Look up, and let the light of the face of God shine upon you.”

When we look up and are overcome by the light of the face of God, we are filled with a glory that cannot be found in anything this world offers.

When the discouragement and despair of life’s circumstances have forced your focus downward and inward, “Look up, and let the light of the face of God shine upon you.” 

When hope has been dampened and destroyed by unfulfilled dreams and goals, “Look up, and let the light of the face of God shine upon you.”

When you reach the point of believing that nothing good will ever again show up in your life, “Look up, and let the light of the face of God shine upon you.”

When you feel as though you have no more strength to fight the battles of life, then listen to what David says in Psalm 44 – It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. 

So “Look up, and let the light of the face of God shine upon you.” If you have no peace in your soul, then receive the blessing God gave Aaron the High Priest for all the people – “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” 

“Look up, and let the light of the face of God shine upon you.” 

Pastor John

Keep Your Head Up

Monday, March 16, 2015

Psalm 3:3 (ESV)  But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

How do you react when you see something coming at your head? I instinctively duck. Even when I see a slight movement out of the corner of my eye, like my wife reaching for something, I duck. No, she has never hit me and I have no reason to fear her, but my first reaction is for self-protection. When I see a bird fly in front of the windshield of my car, I duck, even though there is no danger that it can hit me. My natural response to impending danger is to put my head down and get out of the way. Life is primarily lived on the defensive.

The same may be true of our spiritual lives – we tend to live on the defensive. We are consistently afraid of the evil that surrounds us in the world. When things are going great, we are anticipating their collapse. When things are fine, we wonder when reality will return and things will get worse. And when things are terrible, we cower in fear of what more might happen. We believe that when one bad thing happens, two more are on the way because bad things always happen in threes. We have a permanent downward bend in our spiritual spine from keeping our heads down.

I’m learning to keep my head up in my physical training throughout the week. My trainer is a stickler for maintaining a solid core by keeping my head up when I am exercising. Keep the back straight and the core muscles engaged by keeping your head up and looking forward. That’s good advice for all of life.

God intended us to live with our heads up, but it’s only possible if the core is strong. A strong core gives us the balance we need to look up without falling over. (Personal experience)

In Psalm 3, King David was in a terrible spot in his life. He has been evicted from Jerusalem by the rebellion of his son Absalom who wants to be king. He has fled to a cave. He cries out to God, O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! He has heard the gossip about him as people say, “God will not deliver him.” He is tempted to believe them. But, he proclaims his faith in God with this incredible statement of hope – you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. Notice the three things David proclaims as truths that show the strength of his core:

1. God is a shield around us– the shield of faith is not one-dimensional protecting only one direction of attack – God’s shield is all around us. Charles Spurgeon, the great British preacher, explains it this way – God’s shield is a protection which shall surround a man entirely, a shield above, beneath, around, without and within. Oh what a shield is God for his people! He wards off the fiery darts of Satan from beneath, and the storms of trials from above, while, at the same instant, he speaks peace to the tempest within the breast. God protects us from every direction.
2. God bestows glory on us– it is glorious to find joy in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. It is glorious to see the future glory God will bestow upon us in His presence one day. It is most glorious to realize that we are experiencing the glory of His presence in our lives today, and nothing can separate us from His love. No matter what the world is saying about us, God is with us!
3. God lifts up our heads – When we have been shamed, God lifts our head in honor. When we have been sick, God lifts our head in health, with the ultimate healing coming in His heavenly presence. When there has been sorrow, gladness comes in the morning. When we have fallen, there is restoration and reconciliation. When we appear defeated, there is victory, for we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. In all these respects the Lord is the lifter up of our head.

So when life throws things at your head, stop ducking. I know it’s hard to conquer the natural reactions of the flesh. Even though I know the windshield will protect me, I still instinctively duck when I see something hurling towards it. But I immediately lift my head because the shield has done its job. We may still instinctively duck from spiritual attack, but with the shield of God around us, and His glory in us, He lifts our head to face any danger, because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Lift up your head and face the day with confidence. God has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor John

I Need To Laugh More

Thursday, March 12, 2014

Psalm 2:4 (ESV)  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

On my trip through the second Psalm today I pulled over and spent some time in verse four, focusing on the laughter of God. We don’t often think about God in terms of the joy and laughter he experiences. I know I have more of a “let’s get down to business” attitude about God. I know I need to lighten up a little bit. I miss some great moments of joy because I tend to stay too focused on getting things done. How about you?

God laughs for two very different reasons. First, He laughs and rejoices over our lives when He sees the wonder of His Son in us. Zephaniah 3:17 says, “For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song.” 

Isn’t that incredible? Our lives, when filled with His Son, cause God to break out into song. Our lives bring rejoicing to heaven. All of the praise that is being expressed to God in heaven is stopped so that God can laugh and sing for joy over the lives of people who have been redeemed. One of my favorite songs from several years ago expresses this thought so beautifully. It is called His Favorite Song of All, and was sung by the group Phillips, Craig, and Dean. Take an extra moment at this scenic overlook to carefully read the words to this song.

He loves to hear the wind sing as it whistles through the pines on mountain hills
And He loves to hear the raindrops as they splash to the ground in a magic melody
He smiles in sweet approval as the waves crash to the rocks in harmony
Creation joins in unity to sing to Him majestic symphonies, but
His favorite song of all is the song of the redeemed
When lost sinners now made clean lift their voices loud and strong
When those purchased by His blood lift to Him a song of love
There’s nothing more He’d rather hear or so pleasing to His ear
As His favorite song of all

And He loves to hear the angels as they sing” Holy, Holy is the Lamb”
Heaven’s choirs in harmony lift up praises to the Great I Am
But He lifts His hands for silence when the wicked, saved by grace, begin to sing
And a million angels listen as the newborn soul sings, “I’ve been redeemed!”

‘cause His favorite song of all is the song of the redeemed
When lost sinners now made clean lift their voices loud and strong
When those purchased by His blood lift to Him a song of love
There’s nothing more He’d rather hear or so pleasing to His ear
As His favorite song of all.

God not only loves to hear us sing the song of redemption, but He joins us in singing it and laughing with joy that our lives have been redeemed from the hands of the enemy.

The second reason God laughs is when He considers the futility of man’s plans to overthrow Him. This is the reason He is laughing in Psalm 2. He can’t help but laugh at the feeble attempts of people to enthrone themselves as rulers of their own lives and the lives of others. No matter how powerful they think they are, and no matter how much temporary success they may have, the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. (Psalm 37:13)

Now for some personal application. Since the Lord who laughs has taken up residence in our lives, should we not also laugh for the same reasons God does? Of course the obvious answer is “YES!” We laugh and rejoice and sing when we hear of another person who has received Jesus Christ as their Savior. That’s easy. But what about laughing in the face of suffering, hardship, pain, and persecution? How do we respond when people turn against us and seek to overthrow us? I bet most of the time it’s not with laughter.

I’m not advocating laughing in the face of our enemies, but I certainly will not succumb to their outcomes when I know that when God is for us, who can stand against us (Romans 8:31).

I want to learn to laugh in the face of adversity, because I know that God is still on the throne, and all things will work out for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

I want to respond to the realities of life with the eternal reality that nothing can separate me from the love of God because I am in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39) Like Job, I want to laugh at destruction and famine (Job 5:22)

So let’s hear your best laugh…Come on, you can do better than that. Laugh it up. God is on the throne!

Pastor John

I’m a Tree

Tuesday, March 11, 2015

Psalm 1:3 (ESV)  He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Well, my first sightseeing trip in Psalm one was a short one. I only made it to the first part of verse three before I found a scenic overlook to enjoy. (Please see yesterday’s blog for an explanation if you wonder what I am talking about.)  As I paused at verse three, I was fascinated with a couple of spiritual lessons God started to show me.

First, I’m like a tree. If the description of a blessed man in verses one and two is true of me, and I am taking consistent delight in the law of God and meditating on it, then I am a tree. I’m not a reed that bends in the winds of circumstance. I am not a bush that holds close to the ground for stability and security. I am a tree that reaches to the heavens with a structure that withstands the storms and branches out to provide shelter for those who live around me.

Second, I am a chosen tree, for I was planted. I am not here by accident. I am hand-picked and hand-planted by the hand of God. The Master Gardener chose me when I was only a sprout, and placed me in His chosen location where He knew I would flourish.  He placed me in the perfect place where I would be constantly watered by streams flowing directly from His heart. I am nourished by the stream of grace, and the stream of mercy, and the stream of love, and the stream of identity, and the stream of security.

Third, I bear fruit. It may be seasonal, but I will bear fruit. There will be times of refreshment and revitalization needed, but even those times are a part of the fruit-bearing process. Even when it appears that I am placid, I am planning and preparing to produce. Everything about me is to be focused on bearing fruit. Every activity, whether it be watering my soul in His Word, or expanding my influence through the growth of new branches of relationships, I am designed to bear fruit. The Master has provided me with everything I need to bear fruit for Him.

Fourth, I am never dormant. The nature of Christ in me provides daily life that never requires the loss of leaves. I am not deciduous, but dedicated to daily life. In Christ I am ever-green, showing signs of life even when fruit is not visible. I have no need to take a break from following Christ and serving Him for I do not do it in my strength, but in His. I do not depend on the nourishment falsely advertised by the world as sufficient and sustaining. I depend wholly on the streams of living water coming from an eternal Source. I constantly represent eternal life.

Fifth, and finally, a tree like I just described has no other option but to prosper. A tree that is chosen by God, planted with a purpose, and nourished by living water, will always produce prosperously. My problem is that I choose to define prosperity in human terms and according to human circumstances. But when I see the tree of my life from God’s perspective, it is always prosperous.

Wow! That was an amazing scenic overlook. And we are just getting started. Tomorrow we will take a trip into Psalm 2.

So what did you learn from Psalm 1? Leave a comment and let all of us be blessed by how God blessed you.

Pastor John

Sightseeing Trips are Best

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Psalms 1:1 – 2 (NIV) Blessed is the man… [whose] delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Eight years ago, following a one year devotional study of the Psalms with the staff of the church, I wrote a series of devotionals on the Psalms. I think I want to do that again. The challenge is to keep them short and relevant. Volumes of books have been written on the Psalms. Charles Spurgeon’s classic commentary on the Psalms entitled The Treasury of David is seven volumes long. But the plan I came up with back then will work again. Here’s why.

Years ago I discovered a secret to reading God’s Word so it actually had an impact on my life. I learned this system from observing the way I got the most enjoyment out of traveling in the car with my family. Most of the time I am pretty detailed about time schedules and trip planning. When we are going on a vacation or a trip anywhere I plan out everything, from the starting time to destinations to arrival times, focusing mainly on the route we will take to get there. My enjoyment of the trip depends on sticking to the itinerary. But one summer I remember a particular trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where I thought I was on the road I had planned to take. It turned out I was wrong, and we had gotten off onto a backwoods gravel road that took us through some wilderness territory that was a little bit scary but provided some wonderful memories. From that moment on, I developed a more adventurous spirit toward traveling. In fact, whenever we would get in the car to go anywhere, I would always plan alternate routes. Whenever I would take a road other than the main ones, my kids would say, “Dad’s on another adventure.”   They still make fun of me to this day. But I love taking the back roads and just driving without a timetable or a specific destination. I love the signs along the way that say “scenic overlook.” I love to pull over and spend some time there and see what I can see. Then, when I get home, I have something on which to meditate. I have created memories that are meaningful.

That’s how I want to read God’s Word. Most people read the Bible according to the trip itinerary method. They have a predetermined number of chapters they have to read each day so they can arrive at their destination by the end of the year. Unfortunately for most of us who have used that method we discover that when we arrive at the end of the trip we don’t remember much of what we saw along the way. When we focus on the destination the trip becomes irrelevant. But when I read God’s Word according to the “sightseeing” method, I not only learn a lot more but I enjoy the time a lot more. All of a sudden I start seeing lots of “scenic overlook” signs – verses that are just inviting me to stop and take in the full vision of what God intended for me at that moment. Sometimes my sightseeing trips through God’s word are very short, and other times I get quite a distance from my starting point – but every trip creates memories that are meaningful. I have learned to meditate on what God has revealed at each stop.

Leisurely trips are a lot more fun for me than destination based trips. I know that most of us are so busy that we don’t take very many leisure trips any more, but don’t let that philosophy enter into your devotional time. Take delight in the Word of God. You don’t have to be reading it to be meditating on it day and night. It only takes one verse to challenge your mind for the rest of the day, and sometimes longer. The key is to let God take you to His scenic overlooks. That’s what I’m going to do for the next 170 devotionals. I’m going to take a daily leisure trip through one Psalm, with multiple stops in Psalm 119, and find one scenic overlook to enjoy on the trip. As you join me in this trip, your scenic overlooks may be different than mine, and when they are, write to me and tell me what God has shown you. I love having alternate routes to take and hearing stories of new sights to see along the way.

So for tomorrow, grab your water bottles and your cameras, buckle up, and open your hearts as we start out on an adventure through the Psalms. I’m already excited about what we will discover.

Pastor John

Love Motivates Perseverance

Monday, March 9, 2015

 2 Thessalonians 3:3 – 5 (NIV) But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

In 1972, NASA launched the exploratory space probe Pioneer 10. According to Time magazine, the satellite’s primary mission was to reach Jupiter, photograph the planet and its moons, and beam data to earth about Jupiter’s magnetic field, radiation belts, and atmosphere. Scientists regarded this as a bold plan, for at that time no earth satellite had ever gone beyond Mars, and they feared the asteroid belt would destroy the satellite before it could reach its target.

But Pioneer 10 accomplished its mission and much, much more. Swinging past the giant planet in November 1973, Jupiter’s immense gravity hurled Pioneer 10 at a higher rate of speed toward the edge of the solar system. At one billion miles from the sun, Pioneer 10 passed Saturn. At some two billion miles, it hurtled past Uranus; Neptune at nearly three billion miles; Pluto at almost four billion miles. By 1997, twenty-five years after its launch, Pioneer 10 was more than six billion miles from the sun. And despite that immense distance, Pioneer 10 continued to beam back radio signals to scientists on Earth. Perhaps most remarkable is that those signals emanate from an 8-watt transmitter, which radiates about as much power as a bedroom night light. The signals take more than nine hours to reach Earth. The final, very weak signal from Pioneer 10 was received on January 23, 2003 when it was 12 billion kilometers from Earth.

The Little Satellite That Could was not qualified to do what it did. Engineers designed Pioneer 10 with a useful life of just three years. But it kept going and going. (How many of you just saw a bunny with a drum?) Pioneer 10 has accomplished more than anyone thought possible. It just keeps doing what it was designed to do.

When we consider the reasons we tend to give up and quit in various areas of our lives, we must dig deep enough to reach the primary cause. When we do we will discover that there is one thing lacking that has caused us to not persevere, and that thing is love. Follow along closely here. We have been designed by God to love. But let’s make sure we are defining love correctly. Love, according to the Designer, is a choice to sacrifice one’s own well-being, preferences, and pleasure for the sake of what’s best for another. God demonstrated that kind of love to all of us when He sent Jesus to die for us while we were still in our sin (Romans 5:8). Since we have been created in the image of God, and God is love, then the compelling force behind everything we accomplish is to be love. If we quit before we reach the conclusion, then we really didn’t love what we were doing. We don’t quit on what we really love.

This may sound like an oversimplification to some of you, but in reality it is as deep and complex as it needs to be. We have not persevered because we have not truly loved. We have given up on marriages, friendships, careers, and goals because we chose to pursue our own well-being, preferences, and pleasure rather than those of the person or plan we claimed to have loved. When times got tough we chose to move into self-protection mode. In other words, we chose to love self more than anything.

If Pioneer 10 had been given the right to choose, it would have had limitless options when it was launched. “Space – the final frontier.” But the designer programmed in only one course. Our Designer has programmed in one true course for us as well. When the choice was made to follow Jesus, the Designers course was to become our only course. But we have wrongly reserved the right to continue to choose between God’s course and all the optional courses offered by the world. That’s why we can’t persevere. That’s why Jesus warned us that we are not worthy to be His disciples if we put our hands to the plow and then look back at other options. We have chosen self-love as the best course for life, and we change our course as often as we change our minds. “Keep your options open” has become the buzzword of Satan that grabs our attention. The bottom line is that we are in love with us, and not truly living in the love of God.

But God has designed us for something much greater, and He has given us an earthly example to follow. Jesus Christ, because of His sincere and undying love for the Father, persevered to the point of shedding His blood to accomplish God’s purpose. In today’s Scripture passage Paul says, May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. It is love for God, and the complete trust in God’s love for us that compels us to persevere as Christ did. So the next time you’re considering giving up and quitting on a person, a goal, or on God, check your heart. You’ll probably find that you have lost your first love, and your love for self has become the compelling force that drives your decisions. Fall to your knees and repent, and come back to the Designer’s love. He knows how far you will be able to go.

Pastor John