Calvary Hot Springs

Exalting Christ Through the Ministry of the Word

Thinking Out Loud

God’s Promises are Yes in Christ

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Thinking Out Loud

In the providence of God’s mercy, He subjected Himself to the welfare of the rebels who turned from and rejected Him. He did so of His own volition apart from any act on the part of mankind. By His mercy, He entered into a divine covenant with man, all conditions being met by the son of man, God’s Son, Jesus Christ. This covenant comprehensively recreates man’s existence and gives him life. It includes forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, adoption, new birth, new heart, new spirit, the dwelling of the Holy Spirit, love for God, love and acceptance by God. Salvation is comprehensive and changes the whole of man.

At the heart of God’s redemption is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the new covenant we’ve been brought into. There is nothing that can be realized in man’s redemption apart from Jesus Christ. Any gospel that conveys life apart from Christ is not the true gospel. It is not the gospel (good news) at all.

Because of this, the assurance and the security of the believer rests in Jesus… period. All the promises of God find their Yes in [Christ] (2 Corinthians 1:20). The Christian does not find his assurance and his security for salvation based on his feelings, nor from his behavior (good or bad). Assurance and security for eternal life does not come from being able to remember a time you “said a prayer,” “walked an aisle,” or “entered into a baptismal tank.” 

The believer’s hope rests in the promises of God that find their Yes in [Christ]. His indwelling Spirit then establishes us… in Christ, anoints us, and… puts his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (2 Corinthians 1:21).

Thanks be to God for the unchanging promises of His covenant in midst of uncertain times.

Soli Deo Gloria!

The Benefits of Suffering

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Thinking Out Loud

The reality of living in a broken and sin cursed world is manifested in the existence of human suffering. Sin destroys everything that it touches and because of it, the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now (Romans 8;22).

But human suffering in the hands of a holy and righteous God is actually beneficial for His people. The Bible tells us that we are called to share in Christ’s suffering in this world (our topic last Sunday). It has been granted to us that for the sake of Christ [we]… suffer for his sake (Philippians 1:29). Suffering brings maturity in faith (James 1:2-4), it produces endurance and steadfastness (Romans 5:3, 11; Hebrews 10:36), it tests and tries your faith (1:7-9) and, according to God’s purpose, it conforms you to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-30).

For the follower of Christ, suffering teaches us to rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1:9). Isn’t this what the Lord did for Paul when giving him a “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)? And isn’t this what Peter learned, having experienced his own weakness to stand for Christ (Matthew 26:34ff)?

Suffering reminds us that contrary to the deceit of sin, we were created to be dependent beings, dependent on our creator (Genesis 2). Suffering reminds us that nothing… absolutely nothing in this world can satisfy our parched and thirsty souls, but Jesus. 

Whatever you may be facing today or in the days ahead, be encouraged to act in obedient faith (don’t wait for your feelings to lead you) and count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. The benefits of suffering is good, because the God you serve… is good.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Imminent Judgment & The Gospel

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Thinking Out Loud

Understanding the book of Joshua requires the understanding that while the Lord fulfilled His promises to His people, He was concurrently fulfilling His righteous judgment upon the Canaanites. Both sides of the spectrum spectacularly exhibits God’s glory. His glory is demonstrated in His care for His people, and His glory is demonstrated in His judgment on the idolatrous people of the land. Honestly, I have never read or studied the book of Joshua and come away from it with the somberness I have in our current study on Sunday mornings. 

Of course, God is patient. Over 400 years earlier, He gave time for the iniquity of the Amorites to be complete (Gen. 15:16). But the time had come and it was clear that His wrath would not be thwarted. He commanded Israel that they were to utterly destroy them… make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. They were to devote them to complete destruction (Deut. 7:1-5). That phrase, devote to destruction is used six times in the book of Joshua, indicating an offering satisfying God’s wrath. The conquest of Jericho gives a snapshot of God’s judgment. There, they utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword (6:21). 

The truth is, it is much too easy to glance at such passages as though they describe the latest Netflix movie thriller. It’s so… sterile. But these are real life, flesh and blood people. People just like you and me pounding out a daily living. These are just like your friends and loved ones who are without Christ. These are people who not only faced God’s judgment in the physical realm, but who are facing His eternal wrath even until today.

The very fact that God’s holiness justifies and demands his righteous judgment on unbelieving mankind makes the entire matter quite sobering. The Lord IS patient… not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance… BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME! (2 Pet. 3:9-10). There is a day of reckoning when God’s righteous judgment will come. Ponder on that for a bit!

If you know Christ, you know what makes the gospel such good news is that of His own volition, God extended His mercy toward you. Through Jesus’ sacrificial work for redemption, your sin has been forgiven and you have been reconciled to God. But many have not! They remain at enmity with God (Rom. 8:5-8). Any and all who are outside of Christ will justifiably face the fierce wrath of God. This includes real, flesh and blood people, many whom we know. But until He returns, there is still opportunity for men to turn to Christ.

Is it any wonder the Prophet Isaiah (and Paul) said, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! (Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15)

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? …So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Rom. 10:13–17)

I wonder if it shouldn’t be… that each time we, as true followers of Christ rejoice in the glorious gospel of Christ that we are also soberly reminded of God’s pending judgment to come… that the world’s only hope is the gospel… and that we are the Lord’s chosen means to proclaimed it.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pray for Revival

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Thinking Out Loud

Not long ago, a brother with whom I was praying, to my surprise began to pray for a revival in America. To my shame, it had never occurred to me to do so. It just seemed rather futile at the time. However, my heart was pricked and I have not been able to put that idea out of my mind ever since. Is it right, or is it realistic to pray for revival in the United States? Have we gone beyond the point of no return? Is it too late to expect God to do a mighty work in our midst? The following are some of my thoughts on the matter. I pray that it will provoke you, not only to think about your prayer for our nation, but that it will provoke you to in fact, pray.

First off, let’s establish the obvious, we are not God! Therefore, we do not know if the US has gone beyond the point of no return, therefore we do not know whether it is too late to expect God to do a mighty work in our midst. After all, the city of Nineveh was spared God’s destruction, in spite of Jonah’s reluctance (read Jonah 4:2). Or consider the account of David praying for the life of his young child whom the Lord afflicted. It teaches us that until the Lord brings a matter to a close, we can and ought to pray for Him to intervene (2 Samuel 12:15-23). It is fair to say that we must pray for our nation and its leaders until the Lord returns.

Second, if we are to pray for revival, we do well to consider what exactly revival is, and what it would look like in America and in your own life? If your idea of revival is some sort of utopia where everyone will be at peace with one another, you’re sadly mistaken. Universal peace will take place only when the Prince of Peace sits upon His throne for a thousand years. Both biblical and secular history reveal that some of the greatest revivals have taken place in the midst of persecution against God’s people. Consider the fact that one-third of Israel will be saved in the midst of the tribulation (Romans 11:26; Zechariah 13:8). Or that the early church continued to grow even as it was scattered because of persecution (Acts 8:1-8).

Because revival is that which takes place in the hearts of God’s own, God normally takes great pains to separate the goats from the sheep, often through suffering. Even the “go to” passage for revival, 2 Chronicles 7:14, is in the context of God’s judgment on the land and on His people. Revival is God’s work in the life of His people calling them to holiness.

So although revival is desirable for the sake of God’s glory, be well aware that when it comes it may in fact cost you everything… leaving you with nothing… but Jesus.

Finally, because revival is best applied to God’s people, a more accurate prayer for the nation might be for enlightenment (use whatever word you’d like). But for genuine change to take place in the US, there must be a mighty work of God by His Spirit to illumine the eyes of the lost. Pray that men and women might be saved either one at a time or en masse. However, God uses the proclamation of the gospel to bring people to Himself (Romans 10:14-15). So a more biblical understanding and prayer for our nation would be, The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37–38. And then, having prayed for this, know that YOU are the laborers God has sent into the harvest.

It IS right to pray for revival… and it IS right to pray for enlightenment. But know that praying for revival and enlightenment is not merely a nice sentiment. Looking for the Lord to work in our nation entails acknowledgment and willingness for God to begin with you. It is knowing full well, that if revival and enlightenment is to ever take place in the United States of America, it must begin in the house of God (1 Peter 4:17-19). It must begin with… you.

Soli Deo Gloria!

My Ugly, Selfish Self… and the Gospel

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Thinking Out Loud

So our son and his family just moved to Hot Springs and are living with us until they find a place to live. It has been a joy beyond what Kellie or I ever imagined, and for this we thank the Lord. It’s been a few years since we’ve had young children in our home (three BOYS five years old and younger), so the “energy” they have has been a surprise. A pleasant surprise. I’m so thankful for parents who love their boys enough to lovingly and wisely deal with each drama with grace. It truly is amazing.

Observing the boys however, has been a bit revealing of my own heart and the bent of my flesh. It’s like looking in a mirror. At their age, these young men haven’t learned the “sophistication” of hiding their fleshly desires and motives like their Pops has. There is no facade. Their expectations, demands and motives are laid out in the open for all to see. And in seeing, I see my own heart, and it is both indicting and encouraging… because of Jesus. 

PLEASE KNOW that these boys are sweet boys who are well mannered and a joy to be around. The things I note below are realities, not just of little boys but rather of the human heart. Here are ten things regarding my sinful self which I am reminded…

  1. I tend to live my life as though the world revolves around me. Everyone and every thing is secondary to my needs.
  2. When I am hurt, the hurt doesn’t begin to feel better until I let others around me know how bad it hurts.
  3. I don’t like being told what to do… by anyone. Period!
  4. It seems easier to blame something or someone else than it is to take personal responsibility.
  5. Even though it’d be easier just to obey, resisting, procrastinating, complaining and excusing is my usual course of action.
  6. I operate on the premise that I know exactly how close to the line I can get before being chastened. Sometimes I’m wrong.
  7. Sometimes I behave differently when I think no one is watching.
  8. The world is a wonderland when everything is going my way.
  9. I have the uncanny ability to be selective with my hearing.
  10. I so much need Jesus!

The glorious truth is, the gospel not only saves us from eternal wrath to come, the gospel is in the process of saving us daily from the stronghold that sin has on us right now. None of us have yet attained behavioral holiness, but thanks be to God that His patience and grace sustains us and continues to sanctify us by His Spirit through His Word. 

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

Soli Deo Gloria!

Double Visioned

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Thinking Out Loud

As people who are justified by faith, we see this present world with a double vision. On the one hand, we long and strive for a world where love and peace prevails and where injustices are few and far between. On the other hand, we know the world’s turmoil is sourced by sin and that the only eternal remedy is the gospel. So as Christians, we must be willing to apply a band-aid on the symptoms of sin while faithfully and diligently administering God’s remedy, the gospel. The gospel compels us to do so. It cannot be an either or. It must be both. But it must begin and end with the gospel.

When ministering in the world, having an understanding of, and beginning with the gospel in mind lends to a proper perspective. It brings to the forefront God’s provision in Christ for the hurting. It gives greater meaning to meeting material needs than merely filling a belly or providing a warm bed. The gospel reminds us of God’s mercy toward us when we don’t deserve it. It reminds us of just how patient the Lord is with us in our numerous short comings. The gospel centers your focus on Christ and guards the motives of your heart. This is important because we are quick to take glory for what God has ultimately done. 

Above all, having an understanding of, and beginning with the gospel in mind keeps before us what really matters. It keeps at the forefront man’s desperate need for a Savior, and it is from this position that true compassion flows within and through you. Having an understanding of, and beginning with the gospel makes you aware of opportunities the Lord may give to plant the seed of the gospel, to articulate its truths in grace. 

We, the recipients of God’s mercy are compelled to view the world with different eyes than that of the world. We know experientially what God has provided for us in Christ and the work He so faithfully continues to carry out in our lives.

The world’s problem is sin. It’s remedy is the gospel!

In times of national turmoil (and at all times), here are a few things that we would do well to put to practice immediately…

  • Pray… for those who are hurting, that the church would behave in wisdom and grace, that in your own heart, you will think biblically (pray before you speak or post on social media)
  • Act… take any and every opportunity the Lord provides to help make a difference where you live. You may not be able to impact the lives that are at the epicenter of turmoil, but you can make a difference right where you are. There is nothing unbiblical about working to make this world a better place to live.
  • Speak… pray for and take opportunity to speak the truth about God’s divine justice, satisfied for our sins in Christ’s death, so that in turn, He might be merciful to those come to Him in faith.

A Wisdom from Godly Fear

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Thinking Out Loud

This past Sunday we learned in Joshua 9, that the Gibeonites are contrasted with every other people group in the region. While the kings in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea… gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel… the inhabitants of Gibeon… on their part acted with cunning (Joshua 9:1-4). That means that they acted wisely in order to enter into a peace agreement with Israel. Later in verse 24 we learn that they did this because they feared for [their] lives.

Fear comes at us in many ways and through a variety of circumstances. Fear, in and of itself is not an evil emotion. As a matter of fact, fear is sometimes brought about by God. The differentiating factor between healthy fear and ungodly fear is its object. Anything that grips your emotions so as to consume you with fear and anxiety, motivating you to self-reliance will rob you of peace. The object of your fear is your circumstance. It is a sin. Godly fear may grip your emotions and may consume you as well. But godly fear will motivate you to call out to God for help and will bring you to rest in Him. The object of your fear is your God (seeing God as greater than your circumstances). The peace that comes from a fear of God guards your heart and mind, even if your circumstances never change.

The kings of the land, driven by fear joined forces against God. The Gibeonites, driven by fear acted wisely, and sought peace with God and His people. Let what fear you have drive you to Christ.

The Remarkable is seen in the Unremarkable

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The Remarkable is seen in the Unremarkable

Thoughts on Luke 2

One of the remarkable features of Christ’s birth is that it is, for the most part, unremarkable. That is not to say that the incarnation was unremarkable, but the circumstances and the people involved most definitely were. It is safe to say that God’s divine providence is more often than not, carried out in the normal, unremarkable experiences of life.

For example, Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth describes the beauty of the incarnation in the midst of the chaos of displaced citizens returning home for governmental registration. God used a common man and a common woman, in a humble setting for an uncommon purpose (Luke 1-7). Or notice that the angel’s announcement of good news was made to common shepherds carrying out their normal duties with regular sheep in a regular field (8-21). Even Simeon and Anna, although noted to be devoted, faithful and reverent, were simple people living their lives in the final season of their lives (22-38).

Of course, this is not a foreign notion in the scheme of biblical revelation. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8), Abram was called out from among his own to be a people of God (Genesis 11:27-12:3), David was called from tending his sheep to be anoint king, each disciple of Jesus were called from common lives to follow Him and Paul confessed that he was humbled so that God’s strength might be made strong in weakness.

For His own glory, God’s divine providence is more often than not, carried out in the normal, unremarkable experiences of life. As God’s own, the pursuit of the Christian is to glorify Him in the normal, unremarkable experiences of life. The stay at home mom caring for her little ones, day after day, changing diapers, picking up toys, refereeing endless fights can glorify God in the midst of the fray. The working mom, waking early to get her kids going so she can get to the office on time can glorify God in the busyness of life. The laborer in a “dead-end” job can work “as unto the Lord” to add value to what he is doing. The Christian is to show forth the glory of God in every area of life even if it is, in and of itself, unremarkable.

Luke’s Christmas narrative (Luke 2) presents four factors to consider as you live in the normal, unremarkable world around you.

Practice living in the presence of God

There is no indication that Joseph or Mary realized Caesar’s required registration placed them exactly where they needed to be to fulfill Old Testament prophecy, but every circumstance they experienced was brought about by God’s providential hand (Galatians 4:4). The same might be said about the shepherds, Simeon and Anna.

The follower of Christ is to live in the presence of God, under the authority of God, to the glory of God. The theologians call this Coram Deo. It is the understanding that whatever we are doing and wherever we are doing it, we are acting under the gaze of God.

R. C. Sproul explains that…

“Living under divine sovereignty involves more than a reluctant submission to sheer sovereignty that is motivated out of a fear of punishment. It involves recognizing that there is no higher goal than offering honor to God. Our lives are to be living sacrifices, oblations offered in a spirit of adoration and gratitude.”

Determine to align your life with God’s Word

A cursory reading of Luke 2 makes it clear that God’s Word alone took each character from the norm of everyday life to experience the wonder of the incarnation. Read it carefully and notice that, outside of what God chose to reveal, nothing was out of the ordinary.

In a very real way, God’s Word transforms His people into the likeness of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18) and illumines the eyes of his spirit to know truth (1 John 2:21, 26-27). God’s Word counters the conforming influence of the world and renews the mind of the believer (Romans 2:2). God’s Holy Spirit works exclusively through God’s Word in the life of His people and apart from it, the Christian will fail to walk in the presence of God.

Live with purposeful anticipation

The testimony of Simeon in Luke 2:25-35 bears witness to a life lived in anticipation of what was promised. For Simeon, the promise that he would not see death until he saw the Messiah was a promise that gave him purpose in waking each day. He responded to God’s Spirit in his life and stayed close to the Temple, waiting for the promised fulfillment.

The writer of Hebrews rehearses the hearts of Old Testament saints awaiting God’s promise to them. He writes…

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:13–16

Rather than settling in to the creature comforts of this transitory world, the New Testament saint lives in anticipation of God’s promised return and victorious reign over all creation. The New Testament saint lives with purpose as he anticipates Christ’s glorious return.

Give yourself to holy behavior

Not much is said about Anna except that she was “advanced in years”… and that she had devoted the whole of her life to serving the Lord. After seeing Jesus, she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to those awaiting Jerusalem’s redemption. The man of the world may see this as a  said, unfulfilled life. And yet, in the scope of eternity, Anna lived a full life with purpose, to be lived without regret. When Martha complained to Jesus that Mary should help in serving, Jesus argued that Mary’s worship of Him was of greater value (Luke 10:41). Jesus said, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? (Mark 8:36). Life and labor is a part of life in this world and for most, they must be pursued, but it is holiness that sets life and labor on a different plane of eternity.

The glory of God’s divine providence in the life of His people is often carried out in the normal, unremarkable experiences of life. Thanks be to God and glory to His name. Soli Deo Gloria.