How God guides us

This Sunday I'll be preaching on "Our plans and God's will" from Ruth chapter 3. In my preparation, I came across a classic text from J.I. Packer, who mentions five ways God guides us in decision-making, and what we must be willing to do to know God's will. I won't be able to cover all of these on Sunday, so I hope you are encouraged to read them here...

"If we want God to guide us, our attitude needs to be right. Here are some guidelines as to how we can play our part in arriving at right decisions:

First, we must be willing to think. It is false piety, super-supernaturalism of an unhealthy pernicious sort that demands inward impressions with no rational base, and declines to heed the constant biblical summons to consider. God made us thinking beings, and he guides our minds as we think things out in his presence.

Second, we must be willing to think ahead and weigh the long-term consequences of alternative courses of action. Often we can only see what is wise and right, and what is foolish and wrong, as we dwell on the long-term issues.

Third, we must be willing to take advice. It is a sign of conceit and immaturity to dispense with taking advice in major decisions. There are always people who know the Bible, human nature, and our own gifts and limitations better than we do, and even if we cannot finally accept their advice, nothing but good will come to us from carefully weighing what they say.

Fourth, we must be willing to be ruthlessly honest with ourselves. We must suspect ourselves: ask ourselves why we feel a particular course of action will be right and make ourselves give reasons.

Fifth, we must be willing to wait. "Wait on the Lord" is a constant refrain in the Psalms and it is a necessary word, for the Lord often keeps us waiting. When in doubt, do nothing, but continue to wait on God."

James Packer, Your Father Loves You, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986, Page 13.

More than we asked for

Three of the four gospels give us the account of Jesus meeting Jairus and an unnamed woman suffering from a mysterious bleeding disease (Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; and Luke 8:40-56). Jairus is a synagogue ruler with a 12 year old daughter who is very sick and near death. He comes to Jesus with one request: "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." (Mark 5:23) Time is of the essence. Jesus is going to have to act quickly if Jairus is going to receive the one thing he wants--sparing his daughter from death, and himself from the grief and fear of losing his precious child.


While Jesus is on the way to help the little girl he is thronged by large crowds of people. In this chaotic mass of humanity is a woman who also has one desire, though she feels she can get it from Jesus without actually asking for it. While Jairus has been enjoying the life of his daughter for the last 12 years, this woman has been in misery. She has gone to doctor after doctor, spending all she had to find healing for persistent bleeding. In that Jewish culture her problem was more than physical. Bleeding (especially if it had to do with her regular cycle as a woman) made her ceremonially "unclean" and unable to participate with the community in worship and fellowship. Her uncleanness would make others ceremonially unclean if she touched them. 12 years of having people avoid you could not have been easy. If she remained silent about her condition and interacted with others, she risked their anger if they found out afterwards ("Now you've made ME unclean! Why didn't you stay away from me!?"). 12 years of this must have left quite the emotional and psychological wound. Yet, all she wants from Jesus is an anonymous physical healing. "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed," she said to herself (Mark 5:28).


As the woman pushes through the crowd (creating the potential for an angry mob if they discover who she is), she gets what she wants. She touches the edge of Jesus' clothes and is instantly healed. "She felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering." (Mark 5:29) Jesus realizes instantly that healing power has gone out from him, but instead of hurrying on to deal with a dying girl, he stops and insists that the woman make herself known. Jesus doesn't do this to embarrass her. He wants to give her more than she asked for because Jesus knows she needs more than she asked for. Yes, she has her physical healing, but her emotional wounds are still bleeding. Jesus has her testify to the crowd in his presence, and then provides what is still lacking: "Go in peace and be free from your suffering." She only asked for physical healing, but Jesus gives her more than that.


All this delay with the woman proves costly to Jairus. Word comes that his little girl has now died. If only Jesus had not wasted time Jairus could have had the one thing he asked for. Yet Jesus is now going to give Jairus more than he asked for, not less. Jesus tells Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe." Jesus goes to see the now dead 12 year old, and, in the presence of Jairus and Jairus' wife, Jesus miraculously raises her from the dead. All Jairus had asked for was physical healing to avoid the fear of death. Instead, Jesus takes Jairus beyond death and back again to life. A physical healing would have been a temporary respite from fear of death. Jairus will have to face that fear in the future with the impending death of his spouse, a family member, a friend, or even his own death. Jairus is given a reason for faith in Jesus that overcomes death. “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) Jairus could now answer, "Yes!" to this question.


It makes me wonder...I ask God for many things in my prayers. When I don't get what I want could it be that the Lord is in the process of giving me MORE than I asked for? Could it be that I don't really know what I really need? That God's love for me refuses to settle for less, and goes deeper to address my ultimate fears, wounds, and needs?


"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6) However, prepare yourself to get more than you ask for from the God who loves us and knows us better than we know ourselves. "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Biblical Repentance

I regularly tell my congregation that we are "forgiven sinners" to remind us that we are in Jesus' Church by grace, not by self-righteous works. Everyone is a "lost sinner" at some point, but we become forgiven sinners when we give up trying to earn salvation, and by faith receive Jesus' righteousness for our unrighteousness.

However, that phrase is not meant to make us complacent about our sin. We must avoid the wrong motive that says, "Let's sin so that grace may abound--God will simply forgive me of anything, so it doesn't matter what I do!" So we, as forgiven sinners, must still feel the weight of our sin, confess it, and repent (turn away from it). And we must do this regularly, not as a matter of earning God's favor (I didn't earn it in the first place, and I can't earn it later on), but as a matter of gratitude and love, in response to God's undeserved and faithful love to us.

So how do I recognize when I am repenting in the truest Biblical sense? I came across this thoughtful list by Jared Wilson at The Gospel Coalition website:

12 SIGNS OF GENUINE REPENTANCE

1. We name our sin as sin and do not spin it or excuse it, and further, we demonstrate “godly sorrow,” which is to say, a grief chiefly about the sin itself, not just a grief about being caught or having to deal with the consequences of sin.

2. We actually confessed before we were caught or the circumstantial consequences of our sin caught up with us.

3. If found out, we confess immediately or very soon after and “come clean,” rather than having to have the full truth pulled from us. Real repentance is typically accompanied by transparency.

4. We have a willingness and eagerness to make amends. We will do whatever it takes to make things right and to demonstrate we have changed.

5. We are patient with those we’ve hurt or victimized, spending as much time as is required listening to them without jumping to defend ourselves.

6. We are patient with those we’ve hurt or victimized as they process their hurt, and we don’t pressure them or “guilt” them into forgiving us.

7. We are willing to confess our sin even in the face of serious consequences (including undergoing church discipline, having to go to jail, or having a spouse leave us).

8. We may grieve the consequences of our sin but we do not bristle under them or resent them. We understand that sometimes our sin causes great damage to others that is not healed in the short term (or perhaps ever).

9. If our sin involves addiction or a pattern of behavior, we do not neglect to seek help with a counselor, a solid twelve-step program, or even a rehabilitation center.

10. We don’t resent accountability, pastoral rebuke, or church discipline.

11. We seek our comfort in the grace of God in Jesus Christ, not simply in being free of the consequences of our sin.

12. We are humble and teachable.

As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.

– 2 Corinthians 7:9-11

The difference between Religion and the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Tim Keller has an excellent summary of the difference between religion and the Gospel of Jesus Christ in his book/curriculum, "Gospel in Life: Grace Changes Everything." This is a great way to remember that when we are called to repent, it's not just from obviously bad actions, but also from actions that often appear good, but are spoiled by our inner motivation of self-righteousness, pride, or fear. We can do all the right stuff for all the wrong reasons. Here's the list:

RELIGION: "I obey; therefore, I'm accepted by God."
GOSPEL: "I'm accepted by God; therefore, I obey."

RELIGION: Motivation is based on fear and insecurity.
GOSPEL: Motivation is based on grateful joy at being fully loved.

RELIGION: I obey God in order to get what I want from God.
GOSPEL: I obey God to get God--to delight in and resemble him--because God is all I ever wanted.

RELIGION: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I am angry at God or myself, since I believe that anyone who is good deserves a comfortable life.
GOSPEL: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I struggle, but I know all my punishment fell on Jesus and that while God may allow this for my training, he will exercise his Fatherly love within my trial.

RELIGION: When I am criticized, I am furious or devastated, because it is critical that I think of myself as a "good person." Threats to that self-image must be destroyed at all costs.
GOSPEL: When I am criticized, I struggle, but it is not essential for me to think of myself as a "good person." My identity is not built on my record or my performance, but on God's love and actions for me in Christ.

RELIGION: My prayer life consists largely of petition, and it only heats up when I am in a time of need. My main purpose in prayer is to control my circumstances and environment.
GOSPEL: My prayer life consists of generous stretches of praise and adoration. My main purpose is fellowship with God.

RELIGION: My self-view swings between two poles. If and when I am living up to my standards, I fell confident, but than I am prone to be proud and unsympathetic to failing people. If and when I am not living up to standards, I feel humble but not confident--I feel like a failure.
GOSPEL: My self-view is not based on my moral achievement. In Christ I am simultaneously sinful and lost, yet accepted in Christ. I am so bad that he had to die for me, and I am so loved that he was glad to die for me. This leads me to deep humility and confidence at the same time.

RELIGION: My identity and self-worth are based mainly on how hard I work, or how moral I am--and so I must look down on those I perceive as lazy or immoral.
GOSPEL: My identity and self-worth are centered on the one who died for me. I am saved by sheer grace, so I can't look down on those who believe or practice something different from me. Only by grace am I what I am.

Love Economics

I've been reading Tim Keller's book, "The Meaning of Marriage." It's excellent, not only for a Biblical understanding of marriage, but for any follower of Christ who wants to grow in loving our neighbors as ourselves. Here's a powerful excerpt on finding fulfillment and happiness on the other side of serving the needs and interests of others before our own:

"The gospel, brought home to your heart by the Spirit,  can make you happy enough to be humble, giving you an internal fullness that frees you to be generous with the other even when you are not getting the satisfaction you want out of the relationship. Without the help of the Spirit, without a continual refilling of your soul's tank with the glory and love of the Lord, such submission to the interests of the other is virtually impossible to accomplish for any length of time without becoming resentful. I call this 'love economics.' You can only afford to be generous if you actually have some money in the bank to give. In the same way, if your only source of love and meaning is your spouse, then anytime he or she fails you, it will not just cause grief but a psychological cataclysm. If, however, you know something of the work of the Spirit in your life, you have enough love 'in the bank' to be generous to your spouse even when you are not getting much affection or kindness at the moment...The deep happiness that marriage can bring, then, lies on the far side of sacrificial service in the power of the Spirit. That is, you only discover your own happiness after each of you has put the happiness of your spouse ahead of your own, in a sustained way, in response to what Jesus has done for you." (Tim Keller, "The Meaning of Marriage," pp. 57-58)

This is why I think 1 John 4:19 ("We love because He first loved us.") is not simply a chronological statement, but an ongoing reality of having our core, foundational need for love met by God, which then frees and empowers us to love others. Without experiencing God's first love each day, we inevitably fall back into the sinful mode of trying to use or manipulate people to get out of them what we want--which ultimately only God can provide. We cannot truly love others in a sustained way unless we have our need for love met first by God. This is true in marriage and in every other human relationship.

Faith Partners

I had a energizing conversation this morning with a member of our church who is one of our "Faith Partners." We had matched him up with a partner a little while ago and that new friendship is growing and bringing increased spiritual rewards. It's so good to see how God works through people to encourage, instruct, and support us as we seek to follow Christ.

One particular bit of information he shared was some mentoring material he happened upon at a weekend conference put on by FamilyLife. On their website is additional material, including the link below which gives mentors (what we call Faith Partners) practical help for faithfully supporting people in their particular struggles. I'd recommend it to every believer, because whether you signed up or not to be one of our Faith Partners, the Lord intends to use you to speak into the lives of other people. I think this resource could help in that process: http://mentor.gofamilylife.com

Paul wrote to Philemon, "I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people." (Philemon 6-7) That summarizes well what we mean by Faith Partners. If you'd like to become a Faith Partner, or if you'd like to have someone partner with you, just let me know. We'll help you make a great connection!

Images of the Atonement

One of the ways we express our love for God and all people is through evangelism--telling people the gospel, or good news, of who God is and what he has done for us. One key in doing this intentionally is to know how to express it in a compact way. Jesus did this so well through the use of parables, stories, and word pictures. I've been studying some of these Biblical images that give us an immediate idea of how Jesus' death and resurrection save us, and I'll try to post some of them here.


Why do we need to be saved, and how does Jesus resolve our problem of sin? There are many images in Scripture to help us think about it--financial issues, slavery, military battles, family life, legal dramas, home construction, ownership of valuables, employment struggles, farming problems, medical diagnosis, and sacrificial images.


Let's start with what I call "financial imagery." There are several references to the world of finance in the Bible that help us understand spiritual truth, including the following: Matthew 18:23-27; Luke 7:41-43; Matthew 10:8; Colossians 2:14; Revelation 21:6. The Matthew passage is most detailed:

“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt. But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.” (Matthew 18:23-27, NLT)


The idea here is our sin has racked up an incredible debt, drawn off of God's common grace to us. We are borrowing from God every day for everything we are and do. Even our next breath and heartbeat are on loan, especially because our sin deserves immediate death. Think about Adam and Eve. God said they would die if they ate the forbidden fruit. And they did die...eventually. God loaned them many years of life as an act of grace. But we continue to sin, wasting what we borrow, until our debt reaches epic and overwhelming proportions. We are unable to pay (and sometimes we are in denial to think we can "pay it all" if we just have more time, and try harder to be "good enough"). We deserve punishment. Yet God (the king), chooses to forgive our debt and set us free.



One interesting point about this image, which is familiar to many, is that we often forget that the King graciously forgives, but in so doing the King must actually ABSORB the loss we have incurred. We tend to under-appreciate the magnitude of what the King is doing for us. Anyone can say, "Your debt has been wiped off the books and forgiven," but someone is actually losing money that is rightfully his. Jesus didn't just tell me, "I forgive you." He also absorbed the loss I created.


This gives some idea why Jesus had to suffer on the cross. The forgiveness of sins is not simply an acknowledgement that our wrongs won't be held against us. It also means that someone has to suffer the loss created by my sinful actions that I cannot re-create. That Jesus was willing to do this for me should only grow my love for him and exalt the glory of his character as the God who truly is love.