Aren’t you so glad for the blood of Christ?

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by Jason Park

 1 John 1:7 says it “cleanses us from all sin.” This is the blessing we receive from the point of salvation on as we enter into fellowship with God (1 Jn 1:6).  

 Isn’t there so much sin left in us? So much impatience, grumbling, coveteousness, envy, impure lust, anger…so much wickedness remains (Jas 1:21).  

I saw someone tear down a public official on a live stream today. She was so incensed by this official’s actions that she publicized her home address so that people could go there and presumably protest on her front yard. Watching this person get so angry made me sad…but it also aroused pride and self-righteousness. What is she doing? turned into I would never do that. Maybe I wouldn’t act that way in public. But I can and do act that way in the privacy of my own heart while maintaining a good face.  

So, how can I think I’m better than her, or anyone else? 

I’m not! There is so much filthiness left in me. Who do I think I am? Self-saved? Self-sanctified? Sadly, I sometimes think this way when I disconnect from the reality that I am saved by grace alone.  

Jesus’ blood is the only reason I am who I am. It’s the only reason I know the gravity and evil of my sin. It’s the only reason I want to and can fight the good fight of faith. It’s the only reason I know that the sin that still dwells in my flesh will one day be no more. 

My Father is still working on me. And when I realize how insidious my sins are, then I know how much further He has to go. But He is going. And that brings so much hope and comfort in the thick of the battle. 

I hope you’re staying encouraged during this season…to fight sin with faith in His promises…to say “No” to evil by His grace…and to repent and receive His forgiveness when you fail to walk as He walks. Jesus’ blood never fails to cover, to cleanse, and to cause you to stand firm in His grace.   

Getting More out of the Bible

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by Jason Park

I’ve been in the Psalms lately for my quiet times. And each time I open to one, the Lord teaches me something new or shows me new connections, even with the psalms I’m more familiar with. This reality is true for all believers. It’s one of the Spirit’s graces to shed more light on the Bible whenever we read it. 

This ministry is so vital because left alone to read and study, we would quickly find the Bible boring and repetitive. But as the Spirit in us sheds light on a text, we see truths afresh – both in their meaning and in their applications to our lives. New layers of truth already in a passage, and new applications for our lives.  

We’re finite creatures, so we often have a hard time seeing the “more” that’s already in the Bible. But by the Spirit through the Bible…
·      we can learn new truths (John 14:26)
·      we can re-learn or remember old truths (1 John 2:20, 27)
·      we can grasp the deep things of God in the gospel (1 Cor 2:11-16)
·      we can be convicted of sin and righteousness (John 16:8-11)
·      we can discern truth from error (1 John 4:2-6)
·      we see the glory of Christ and be transformed by it (2 Cor 3:18; 4:6) 

The Spirit’s ministry in us through the Bible is immense! We should be grateful. We should rejoice. We should take comfort in His work.   

And we should be expectant. Whenever we open our Bibles, let’s prayerfully wait on the Spirit to work His Word in our hearts as we read it…as we believe it. 

He will perform nothing less than wonders.     

Satan: Fighting Fire with Water

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by Jon Buck

“…in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” ~ Eph. 6:16

As we continue thinking about ways that Satan can attack the children of God, we come to the instruction found at the end of Ephesians regarding the armor of God. 

Paul tells the Ephesian church to ‘take up the shield of faith’ to extinguish the flaming arrows that Satan shoots at us. 

The Arrows
Battle in the ancient world included archers. Arrows were often soaking in pitch and then lit on fire and shot into opposition ranks. The arrows would not only injure or kill the soldier, but would light his clothing on fire, thereby rendering him completely helpless. 

The question, of course, is what are the ‘flaming arrows’ that Satan is throwing at God’s people? 

There are a number of possible solutions to this question, but the text doesn’t give us an answer. Instead, Paul simply tells us what to do to quench these flaming arrows. 

The Shield
The word used here for the shield of faith comes from the Greek word for ‘door’. The shield being described was the height of a man, with double-thick wooden planks, covered with cow hide. 

The shields were soaked in water prior to battle, and used as defensive protection when volleys of arrows were fired. 

Faith and Doubt
Paul’s instruction to believers is to have faith—their own personal trust in God and His promises—as the means of extinguishing the arrows shot at them by Satan. 

If faith extinguishes the arrows, they must be associated in some way with doubt—doubt about God, about His character, and about His love. 

What might these arrows be?

Is God really good? 
Does God love me? 
Is God with me in this trial? 
Etc. 

But faith in God and His love for us extinguishes these doubts quickly. And the water that puts out the flames of doubt is the certainty that if God sent His Son to die for our sins, certainly He will care for us in every other way! 

So, take up the shield of faith. Remind yourself that God loves you in spite of the difficulties you’re facing. Refuse to give into doubt. And go back to the cross where your sins - past, present and future - were paid in full! 

Satan: Hungry, Roaring, Angry Lion

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by Jon Buck

“…casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith…” ~1 Peter 5:8-9

Continuing our consideration of Satan’s attacks, Peter informs us that Satan is like a vicious lion, seeking someone to devour. 

This isn’t a happy picture, is it? If you’ve ever watched a nature documentary and seen a lion attack a gazelle, lions are scary. 

Peter’s audience had seen convicts and prisoners of war devoured by lions during the Roman games. This imagery was all too familiar. 

Eating faith
Satan, however, doesn’t seek to devour the body. Instead, Peter says that the way to resist him is to stand firm in faith. In other words, Satan wants to make a meal of our faith. And in the verse just before, Peter explains the very thing that Satan wants to tear out of us. 

Satan wants us to stop believing that God cares for us! 

He wants us to doubt God’s love, to doubt God’s goodness, to doubt God’s presence and care in our lives. 

Faith and fear
Satan knows that if we stop trusting that God loves us, we will turn to anxiety, and anxiety is a breeding ground for all kinds of sins. When we are anxious, we take matters into our own hands, act in selfishness, and serve ourselves, rather than others. We stop loving others, and seek to protect ourselves. Anxiety becomes a breeding ground for all sorts of sins! 

So how do we battle this fear, and fight off Satan? Simply trust that God cares for us. He loves us. He is for us, and will never leave or forsake us! 

And, gloriously, He sent His Son into to the world to demonstrate His love for us by dying in our place while we were yet sinners. If He would do that, He will certainly care for our daily lives! 

Faith in the love of God is like a 3 inch thick glass wall. Satan, the hungry, roaring, angry lion, can’t get through, and our souls are safe! 

The Real Jesus

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by Jason Park

The Youth Group just finished our series in 1 John the other day. In that letter, John ends with one of the more curious closing sentences in the New Testament: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (5:21). Curious because he hasn’t mentioned idols one time prior to this verse. 

But as you backtrack through the letter, you realize what an appropriate conclusion it is. The idols aren’t physical statues or the idols of the heart; they’re the idols of a false Christ and a false gospel. Idols of denying Jesus as the Messiah (2:22), denying the humanity of Christ (4:2), or denying the real death of Christ (5:6-12). 

Anything that distorts the true Christ is an idol born out of a spirit of error in the world from the devil, devised to detract us from worshiping Christ in spirit and in truth – which is our salvation and the key to our joy. 

The real Jesus is the true God and eternal life (5:2). He is our Advocate (2:1). He is our propitiation (2:2). He laid down His life in love for us (4:16). He keeps. us from the evil one (5:18). The Word of life took on flesh and manifested His glory to us so that we can have fellowship with Him and with the Father (1:1-3).   

So, don’t reduce Him to a theological lesson. Don’t make Him out to be a distant, abstract deity. Don’t strip away His flesh and blood so that He’s functionally not real in your life. Don’t cheapen the glory of the real Jesus.

Instead, sink your teeth into the real Jesus everyday. How? By opening yourself up to Him in His Word. Let Him love you. Let Him feed you. Let Him so fill you with Himself that you can’t help but embody Him in your life. 

One day, all we’ve known of Him by faith will turn to sight. And the mere sight of Christ’s loveliness will change us so that “we will be like Him” (3:2). So, guard the real Jesus in your hearts, guard your affections for Him, guard your thoughts about Him…He is more than worth it.  

Satan's Scheme: Refusing to Forgive

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by Jon Buck

“…so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” ~ 2 Cor 2:11

When we think of Satan, we often conjure up images that appear in cartoons…red suit, pitch fork, pointy tail, etc. And when we think of his work in the world, we might be tempted to think of things that are overtly satanic, like the occult. 

But Satan is far more crafty than to tempt us with things that we can clearly see as satanic. He doesn’t tempt us with things that are obviously bad. Instead, he hides bad things under righteous robes. 

Paul’s wisdom
Paul understood Satan schemes, and he wanted the Corinthians to understand them, too. 

He tells them that he has forgiven an offending brother (for a history on this man, check out 1 Cor. 5:1-5) for the sake of Christ. The man had clearly repented (the ‘sorrow’ of 2 Cor 2:5). 

Rather than hold on to ‘justice’ in this case, Paul affirms their forgiveness and offers his as well, choosing to protect the church against Satan’s schemes. 

Because he understood how Satan works, he knew that holding onto a grudge against a repentant person would result in chaos and danger for the church. Temptation to self-righteousness and factionalism would be rampant. And so Paul offers his heartfelt forgiveness to that brother. 

Why Satan hates forgiveness
Why would Satan hate forgiveness? The answer should be painfully obvious. 

Forgiveness is precisely what God Himself has offered to the world through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. Forgiveness is particularly divine (Matt. 6:12, Eph. 4:32). 

When believers forgive one another, offenses are removed, and unity is established and protected. 

However, when offense remains, sin runs rampant. Pride and self righteousness masquerade as ‘justice’. Condemnation of others hides under a veneer of ‘discernment’. Eventually, unity is destroyed and the glory of God in the church is tarnished. 

No wonder Satan hates forgiveness! 

Fighting Satan
So, how can we fight Satan? We can win the battle by offering forgiveness and love to everyone who offends us. No matter the offense, forgiveness disarms Satan. Love for enemies produces peace, and a witness of the Gospel (John 13:35). 

So, if you have someone in your life that has offended you, do the very opposite of what Satan would want…Love them. Forgive them. Do for them what God has already done for you! 

How Not to be a Mule

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by Jason Park

Did you know that the idea of “stubborn as a mule” is in the Bible? It’s in Psalm 32:9. To be fair to mules, David does include horses too. He labels both animals as having “no understanding” and requiring bit and bridle “to hold them in check.” 

This image comes in the context of David’s sin with Bathsheba (vv. 3-4). Not listening to the Lord led David down a path of adultery, murder, and mule-like refusal to acknowledge his transgressions. David wouldn’t be instructed by the Lord (cf. v. 8). He believed that harboring his sin would bring him more joy than listening to God’s counsel. But he knew better. And until he repented, David’s health declined along with his soul. 

So, how can we learn from David and not stubbornly carry on like a mule in our sin? 

1.     Remember the reality of your justification in Christ (vv. 1-3; cf. Rom 4:7-8)David begins by pronouncing blessings upon anyone whose sins are not imputed to him. Paul quotes these lines in Rom 4 as he explains justification by faith. The joys of having our sins charged to Christ and His righteousness charged to us will uproot evil desires and our stubbornness in holding onto our sins. 

2.     Remember the pains of unrepented sin (vv. 3-4, 10a)David explains how his body wasted away as God disciplined him for not repenting (vv. 3-4). His sorrows were many (v. 10a). Sin brings in “a flood of great waters” that will engulf you if you don’t turn from it. Remembering that helps curb our hearts in a moment of temptation. 

3.     Remember the love of God for you (vv. 7, 10b)God has delivered us (v. 7b) in His lovingkindness. His steadfast love surrounds us (v. 10a). The joy of all joys is that God takes stubborn mules like us and transforms us into submissive servants. He also covers all our sins against Him and gives us Christ’s perfect righteousness. Reveling in that love will change our hearts so that we seek righteousness and repent quickly when we need to.  

We can be like mules. But we don’t have to be. Remembering these three truths will help us stay open to God’s instruction and correction.    

Leading by Example In COVID

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by Jon Buck

As a dad, I long for my kids to be obedient to God. I want them to be avid readers of God’s word. I want them to follow Christ. I want them to be good citizens. I want them to love others. Etc…

The desire for obedience to God is a good thing! God wants us to obey Him, and we want our kids to obey Him out of love, as well. 

However, our sentiments may be counteracted by our own actions. 

Example
Just as Lakers’ fans raise other Lakers’ fans, our examples of life to our kids will eventually bear fruit in their lives. 

But of course, these examples aren’t always a direct one-for-one correlation. I’ve lately been helpfully corrected by my dear wife for texting in the car. I was in a ‘safe’ and ‘empty’ section of the road, and checked my text messages on my phone. But my wife pointed out that to do that was still a violation of the law. 

And she was right. 

I am obligated by God to obey the law. The law says to not text and drive. I broke the law. I chose to disobey God BY disobeying the government. 

Impacts
Interestingly, this interaction has led me to think more about how my life impacts my kids far more than my words. I appeal to them to be submissive to their authorities (myself and their mom) and to obey from the heart. But if I choose areas where my submission is optional, what am I actually teaching them? 

And this extends beyond simply submission. 

If we tell our kids that reading the Bible is good, but they rarely see us having quiet time, what are we teaching them? 

If we tell our kids that ‘a soft answer turns away wrath’ but then yell at every bad driver on the freeway, what are we actually teaching them? 

If we tell our kids that we should ‘love our enemies’ but then complain about situations at work, what are we actually teaching them? 

Life in the Spirit 
Paul tells us that if we ‘walk by the Spirit we will not carry out the desires of the flesh’. During this season of COVID, when temptation to be fleshly is high, how much more critical that I walk according to the Spirit, living in Him, and obeying His commands. 

I can’t possibly keep my life free from hypocrisy in any other way. Unless I walk in the Spirit, I will carry out the desires of the flesh. It may not be precisely where I’ve talked with the kids, but the examples will play out, nevertheless. 

The Spirit’s Work - Part 4

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by Jon Buck

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
~ Eph 4:30

(There are many more things to say about the work of the Holy Spirit, but this post will be the last for a bit.)

The Holy Spirit communes with our spirit to encourage us that we are children of God. He communicates this to us through the Word, which reveals the Lord Jesus to us in our hearts. 

As we learn more about God’s love for us through the word, the Spirit takes those truths, and helps us to trust them more and more. 

However, what happens when we sin? Does the Holy Spirit leave us? Does He turn His back on us, or get angry with us? 

Doubt and fear
If the Holy Spirit’s work is to communicate God’s love to us, and this is understood by faith, sin becomes a great faith-killer. 

When we sin, doubt begins to infect our hearts. We stop trusting that God loves us because we feel guilty for our sin. These feelings of guilt and sorrow over sin are right, when we have not yet repented. 

However, after we repent, we often continue to feel guilty. What’s more, our guilt leaves us struggling, unsure of God’s presence or care. 

These feelings, however, are not based in fact. The Holy Spirit never leaves us. There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). God is not angry at us—in fact, He has forgotten our sin already (Heb 10:18). He will never leave us or forsake us (Heb 13:5). 

The Spirit’s grief
So then what does happen to the Spirit in those seasons of our sin? The answer is simple—He is grieved. 

As a parent, we understand the feeling of loving someone who is not responding to our overtures. In the same way, the Spirit is seeking to encourage us about our position as God’s children. 

However, our doubt, caused by our sin, keeps us from Him. We are like spoiled kids with our arms crossed, turned away from Him. And He is reaching out to us with love and grace and kindness. 

And as we live in this doubt, the Spirit, Paul says, is grieved. He is saddened by our lack of faith. He is saddened that we aren’t trusting God’s Fatherly love! 

So—what’s the answer? Faith! He is still communicating God’s love to us. Our response must be to trust that love—to believe the Gospel! 

From Christ to Obedience

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by Jason Park

As the youth group is coming to an end in our series in 1 John, I thought it would be helpful to unpack the heart of John’s message in this letter. 

The letter has traditionally been explained as a series of tests to determine if you’re saved or not. While this view is true to an extent, it doesn’t line up with the actual contents of the letter. We get a better grasp of John’s intent when we look at the beginning and end of the letter. 

1:1-3 is about John’s firsthand interaction with the incarnate Christ. 5:18-20 is about three gospel-facts that believers know. 1:4 ends with John stating that he’s writing the letter so that our joy may be made complete. 5:13, the purpose statement of the whole letter, syncs up with 1:4 by stating that the letter is written so that believers may know that they have eternal life. 

In between, John unfolds Christ: His nature, His work on the cross, and their implications for our lives. There are only thirteen imperatives in the letter. Most of the commanding occur implicitly (e.g., 3:3 - “And everyone who has this hope purifies himself, just as He is pure”). 

That approach fits with the overall focus of the letter on the person and work of Christ. Certainly, if you fail to believe truths about Christ or you don’t love believers at all, you’re not a believer. But John’s push is for us to grasp the grandeur of Christ the God-Man and His propitiating, love-sacrifice for our sins (1:7; 2:1-2; 3:5, 16; 4:2, 9-10; 5:5-8).  Because when we grasp these truths, we will abide in Christ and love one another for a lifetime. 

So, we need to “let that [the gospel] abide in you which you heard from the beginning” (2:24). When that occurs, we abide in the Son and in the Father (2:25) – we have fellowship with the Godhead, which is what we were made to experience (1:3). And when we abide in Christ, we will practice righteousness (2:28-29). 

Obedience is not burdensome; it’s liberating; it’s joyful. Because we want to give ourselves to the One who gave Himself to us. Think of it - the true God and eternal life (5:20) died for my sins. How can I not do whatever He asks of me? 

The Spirit’s Work - Part 3: Revealing Jesus

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by Jon Buck

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 
~ 2 Cor. 3:17-18

We’ve seen that the Holy Spirit works to remind us that we are children of God, and that we have been united into a family. 

Paul, however, adds some additional clarity to what that activity looks like on an experiential level in 2 Corinthians 3:18. 

Beholding
Paul tells us that ‘we all’—that is, all believers—are beholding the glory of the Lord. This glory is ‘seen’ in Paul’s words, but that ‘seeing’ is in the heart, with spiritual eyes. 

Later, in 4:4, we find out that the light of the glory of the Lord that we are seeing in our hearts is the Gospel. That is, that in believing the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins, we ‘see’ this glory in our hearts. 

The reality of the Gospel—that is, that the Lord Jesus Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us—is the place where we see God’s glory in our hearts. This happens for us individually and personally. Just as Moses saw God’s glory in the wilderness, we can see His glory as well. Ours, though, happens spiritually rather than physically. 

Freedom to see
In Exodus 34:34, Moses’ practice of placing a veil over his face is explained. When he would go in to meet with YHWH, he would remove his veil. When he would go back out among the people, he would veil his face, because it glowed. 

Paul takes this imagery in 2 Cor. 3:17 and explains that the Lord, YHWH, is the Spirit. The Spirit works to offer freedom (liberty in the NASB). 

But from what does the Spirit offer us freedom? The answer is connected with the veil. The heart of unbelievers is hard—it doesn’t want to see God because it is enslaved to sin. 

The Holy Spirit removes the veil of hardhearted unbelief, and reveals the glory of Jesus in His Gospel love for His people, seen most clearly at the cross. 

What does it mean for us? It means that we have unrestricted access, through the Holy Spirit, to see and enjoy the beauty and glory of Jesus (Heb. 4:14-16). 

You, Christian, are free to enter into His presence at any time! You can see Him. You can behold His glory. You can be filled with JOY in knowing He loves you. 

Why? Because the Spirit has set you free to see Jesus by faith in the Gospel!

The Power in Prayer

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by Jason Park

Upon calling the Colossian saints to be devoted to prayer with alertness and thanksgiving in Col 4:2, Paul asks that this church pray for his missionary team in Col 4:3-4. 

This seems basic enough. But step back and realize what’s going on in this request. 

The apostle Paul is asking for a regular church to pray that God will open up a door for him to preach the gospel with clarity. 

The writer of 13 inspired letters… …the one uniquely tasked by God to preach the gospel to the Gentiles…the theologian whose works form the basis of our theology…this man asks a church to pray for the very endeavor he was called by God to fulfill.  

You would think Paul had everything he needed to fulfill his mission. And he did, but not in a self-reliant sense. He understood the magnitude of his apostolic work. So, he acutely felt the need to enlist more aid. And the best aid of all was (and continues to be) prayer

Though he was called to go to the Gentiles with the gospel, Paul needed prayer for God to open doors for evangelism. Though he was taught the mysteries of Christ by Christ Himself, he needed clarity from heaven to speak the gospel rightly. You could say Paul needed God more than anyone else. 

We give him to much credit if we elevate the man and forget the massive power behind him: the power of God. Every aspect of his ministry was dependent on God. And being imprisoned for the gospel drove that sense of dependence like a nail deeper into his heart. 

How much more do we need to realize our dependence on God! We cannot open a door, have a clear gospel-thought, or boldly speak forth Christ apart from God’s power. We are at the mercy of His sovereign grace not only for ministry, but for all things. And yet, what a wonderful position to be in! Embracing that position brought much fruit to Paul’s life. It will bring much fruit to ours. 

Now more than ever, we all have an open door…to pray boldly for God to work in and through us in these unprecedented times so that people would see their need for Christ. As we are called to represent our Master, we are commanded to pray so that our Master’s power would flow down into us so that we can carry out this call in a worthy manner. 

He is our power in prayer. So, let’s draw on Him and wait for Him to act. 

The Spirit’s Work - Part 2

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by Jon Buck

In the last post we saw that the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to communicate to us that we are the children of God. This activity by the Spirit in the heart of a true Christian is called a ‘testimony’, and points us to God as our Father. 

As we believe this reality, our hearts are ‘walking in’ the Spirit, and we generate the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). 

But the Spirit also does many other things as a byproduct of this reality. 

Unity in the Spirit 
The Spirit of God gives the church unity. Paul encourages the believers in Ephesus to maintain the unity of the Spirit (Eph. 4:3). The implication, of course, is that the Spirit in each believer creates unity between the members of the body. 

This unity is familial—brothers and sisters in Christ are united together into a single family of God as they are adopted by Him through the blood of Christ. 

And this unity that the Spirit creates is threatened by sinful actions, but most especially by a lack of love. 

In a parallel text (Col. 3:14), Paul says that the perfect bond of unity is love. This should not be surprising, since love is the first fruit of the Spirit. 

Love in the family
But this all begs the question - where does love come from in order that the members of the family love each other? 

The answer throughout scripture is that love comes from God! 

1 John 4:10 makes it explicit that God loves us, and that is the ‘power generator’ for our love for Him and for others. 

And so, the Spirit’s work in telling us we are sons of God does not stop there! He unites us into a family, reveals the love of God to us, produces a love for God and a love for others in us, and unites us together in that love! 

The Need to Pray

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by Jason Park

Is this what your prayer life looks like?

1.     Just do it.
2.     Keep it up for a week.
3.     Fail to pray as you ought to.
4.     Confess your failure.
5.     Get back at praying.
6.     Rinse…Repeat. 

Certainly, this process is a caricature. But caricatures work because they resemble the real thing.  

So, here’s my question: is this what our prayer lives look like? Or worse yet, do we have prayer in our lives? And whatever our answers may be to these questions…Why? 

Here are some common answers to the “why” question:
It doesn’t work.
I don’t think God listens to me.
God has never really answered any of my prayers.
I don’t know what to say to God.
I don’t know how to pray. 
I just don’t feel like praying.
 

This post can’t address all these answers, but it’ll attempt to address the heart behind devoted prayer – which is what the NT models and exhorts (Col 4:2). 

Most of us probably struggle at one time or another with the bare fact of praying at all or at least giving adequate time to it. The pressures of life squeeze out Bible reading and prayer. And in the rush to get things done, prayer gets dropped. But if you knew that you were going to die tomorrow and your doctor gave you a pill guaranteed to save you, would you take it? Of course you would!  

That’s how we should view prayer. It is our lifeline because it plugs us into the source of all life, love, and light – to God Himself. We are to pray without ceasing not merely out of duty, though it is that, but out of desperation, because we are walking buckets of need. It’s hard to see that reality, let alone admit it because our money, our success, our comforts, and our general well-being falsely masks our real condition: we’re needy children.  

If having the Spirit of Christ, the Bible, and the church were enough, why is prayer commanded? It’s commanded because that’s what God uses to work in and work out everything else that we’re called to be and do. Prayer works in that tension between our position in Christ and our progress in Christ. 

Prayer is what drives Scripture into our hearts so that we don’t sin and love righteousness. Prayer makes truth come alive to our souls so that we savor Christ more and not the idols of this world. Through prayer, God grants more of His Spirit, deliverance from sin, open doors for evangelism, our daily sustenance, a greater heart-sense of His love for us, and so much more. And corporately, prayer is what binds the church together because you can’t pray for someone regularly that you don’t love.  

Prayer is necessary. But when we realize how much blessing it yields, then our duty turns into delight because we see another dimension of prayer: it’s an open invitation from our loving Father to ask Him to do for us what we cannot do…to do for us all He’s promised in His binding Word.   

On May the Fourth, We Ask, “Why Star Wars?”

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by Jon Buck

George Lucas’ 1977 film Star Wars: A New Hope began a 4-decade-long empire that has spun off a plethora of side hits. These include a host of movies, cartoons, Disney theme parks, hundreds of action figures, among countless others. Lucas Films, George’s production house, sold for $4.05 billion in 2012, largely as a result of the success of the movies. 

But the question that we want to consider, particularly on May the Fourth (…be with you…) is why these movies have had such a massive following for so many generations. And, let me just say, with the exception of Jar Jar Binks, I personally enjoy the Star Wars films, so this question is something of a personal evaluation. 

Good and Evil
Perhaps more than any other film series, Star Wars portrays the great battle between good and evil in a powerful way. The films trace a single family, from Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) through his children, and their children, to a final character, Rey. Throughout these generations, the fight between good and evil rages, as empires rise and fall and characters wrestle with personal weakness. 

The wars that are waging around the characters also wage within them. The personal struggles of Anakin, Luke, Ben, and Rey all reflect the struggles of the human heart against evil. And the ultimate redemption of each of these characters reveals the triumph of good over evil. 

Humanity, while fully aware of evil in the world, still retains a conscious awareness of God, and the appeal of goodness. To see good triumph over evil through weak characters is a gripping narrative to the human soul, fraught with its own weaknesses. No wonder, then, that these stories of triumph have been box office successes. 

The ‘Force’
But perhaps the most gripping part of the movie series, and the basis for the fan following, is the Force. While mostly used to levitate rocks, this impersonal existence in all life becomes the main character in the movies. 

Guiding characters and redeeming them from the ‘Dark side’ (the Force’s evil duality), the Force plays a huge role in bringing about the triumph of good. Each character is reminded again and again to ‘use the Force’ and that the ‘Force is with you’. 

This intangible, impersonal ‘thing’ that guides the plot of the movies has taken on mythic status among Star Wars fans. The Force saves the day, guides events, and brings peace, so long as characters submit to it. 

It’s not hard to see why so many love this concept. Humanity has a conscious awareness of God from birth (Rom 1:21). But sin has caused us to suppress that truth. Star Wars simply taps into that vein of truth and replaces God with an amorphous, impersonal substitute. Viewers are pulled into a world where the Force brings about every ‘good’ character’s desired results, and triumphs over evil. In this way, the force offers all the power of God for personal happiness, but without the necessary accountability for our own sin. 

God, of course, is not like this—and yet, the films touch a certain part of our hearts that know the need for these realities. 

As I said from the start, I’m a Star Wars fan. There’s nothing wrong with watching these movies, if your conscience allows. I’m just thankful that I know the REAL Force - the One who truly created all things, and is a personal, infinite, and loving Father! 

A Review – Thoughts for Young Men, by J.C. Ryle

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by Jason Park

In 1888, J.C. Ryle published twenty-one of his “sermons, addresses, lectures, and tracts” in a work titled The Upper Room. Of those twenty-one pieces, Thoughts for Young Men particularly stands out as an exemplary work that has remained stunningly contemporary.  

The pamphlet is composed of four sections all focusing on specific biblical counsel to young men. And though this work is over 120 years old, the insights are quite relevant for a modern audience. Ryle begins with Titus 2:6 – “You men likewise exhort to be sober minded – to launch into an ardent call to young men to watch their hearts carefully. From there, he alternates between the general and the special (specific): general reasons for exhorting young men to special dangers to young men, general counsels to young men to special rules for young men.  

The first half of the work is particularly strong; Ryle goes after young men. He knows young men need to seek Christ early so that they “will be spared many a bitter tear” (p. 16). He knows that the devil has it out for young men – to draw their strength (physical and internal) away from the pursuit of godly things to the pursuit of destructive vanities. And he knows how acute the peer pressure is to conform to the world’s opinions. 

In the second half, Ryle lays down practical wisdom to help young men abide in Christ and live out of that fellowship. He starts with repentance and moves on to counsel and rules (practices) related to Christ, the Bible, prayer, and fellowship – the basics of Christianity. As direct and strong as the second half is, Ryle anchors his exhortations in our living upon Christ. He writes, “To live on Christ,—to draw all from Christ,—to do all in the strength of Christ,—to be ever looking unto Christ;—this is the true secret of spiritual prosperity” (p. 41).  

Ryle speaks true wisdom for an age when masculinity is being undermined through redefinition (or outright erasure). The fact remains, our young men have the most potential – either to shine the light of Christ or to spiral down into darkness. This has always been the case. It just seems that the call to Christ upon young men is more urgent than ever, a fact which makes reading this classic a must. 

If you are a young man, read this book. Give it to the young men in your sphere of influence. It’s a refreshing, sobering wake-up call to consider the seriousness of the soul and the big-God realities of the gospel.    

The Spirit’s Work - Part 1

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by Jon Buck

As Christians we often hear the phrase ‘walk in the Spirit’. The problem, of course, is to define what that means exactly. 

We live in a day and age where the Spirit-filled life has been boiled down into ‘hearing the voice of God’ or ‘having an impression’. These things are not life in the Spirit. In fact, quite the opposite—‘impressions’ and hearing voices are generally dangerous! 

So what is life in the Spirit? What does it mean to ‘walk by the Spirit’ (Gal. 5:16)? What does it mean to be ‘filled with the Spirit’ (Eph. 5:18)?

Crying out
The answers to these questions begin with the question of what the Spirit of God is doing in the hearts of God’s people. 

In two important passages, the Apostle Paul teaches us what the Spirit is constantly doing. 

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God… ~ Rom 8:15-17a

“Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” ~ Gal 4:7

Both of these texts talk about the Spirit in us. In Romans 8, Paul says that we cry out “Abba! Father!” by the Spirit. In Gal 4, Paul says that the spirit of Jesus cries out this same thing in our hearts. 

So which is it? Does the Spirit cry out, or do we? The answer is….yes! The Spirit cries and we cry because the Spirit is in us. 

And what are we crying out? That God is our Father. That we are His children! 

Now, this is not the only thing that the Spirit is doing, but it is a critical component of the Spirit’s work in our lives. 

Children of God, Bearing Fruit
The Spirit is constantly reminding us that we are children of God. That He has adopted us, and that He loves us. 

Why is this such a critical thing for us to know and believe? 

Just think to yourself—what do you feel when you really believe that God is your Father? What happens in your heart? 

Love for Him.
Joy in His Fatherly care.
Peace for the future.
Patience because of His patience with you.
Kindness that mirrors His kindness.
Goodness for His sake.
Faithfulness to Him because He is faithful to you.
Gentleness to others.
Self-control for His glory. 

In other words, what? The FRUITS of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22)

A Review – Reading the Bible Supernaturally by John Piper

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by Jason Park

Reading the Bible Supernaturally is an in-depth treatment of why we should read the Bible and how we should read it. Piper’s thesis is that “our ultimate goal in reading the Bible is that God’s  infinite worth and beauty would be exalted in the everlasting, white-hot worship of the blood-bought bride of Christ from every people, language, tribe, and nation” (p. 39). From this goal, Piper works backward from discussing the worth and beauty of God as the ultimate aim of all of God’s work and word to our being transformed into the likeness of this beauty when we see it and savor it in the Bible. 

Early on, 2 Cor 3 and 4 appear frequently, a fact which sets a wonderful tone of Christ-centeredness that pervades the whole book. To lock in on seeing and savoring the supreme worth and beauty of Christ when we read the Bible is the only way we can ever be changed into the image of Christ. And this goal of Bible reading is the Spirit’s explicit desire and activity (cf. 2 Cor 3:18).  

This is a lengthy book. But by retaining focus on explaining passages and their implications to Bible reading, Piper does believers a great service. He reminds us that the text will reveal the worth and beauty of Christ and lead us into deeper worship. The first half is deeply theological but not in a dry, academic way. It’s packed with pastoral wisdom and heart-counseling insights that rightly elevate Bible reading to its proper heights. 

In the latter half of the book, Piper details how God works supernaturally through our natural act of reading – that in using our natural gifts and abilities, God enables us to see His glories in the text of Scripture. But in our natural act of reading, we need humility, prayer, and faith. In these chapters, Piper first expounds his now-famous A.P.T.A.T., an acronym for steps on living the Christian life in the power of the Spirit (summarized on pp. 244-249). Then, he unpacks a series of prayers meant specifically to help us in our quiet times – called I.O.U.S. (pp. 251-261). These acronyms orient our hearts to God as receivers, humbling ourselves under His mighty hand so that He might help us grow in grace and see glories in the Bible.   

It’s a dense book, one you can’t read quickly or without a little engagement. But by the end, you will gain a greater awareness of how much deeper our time in the Word could be and a greater appreciation of how much of Christ’s glory there is to mine in our Bibles.  

Resources on Romans

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by Jon Buck

As you know, we’ve been working through the book of Romans as a church family. The book is designed as an unfolding of the Gospel in all its glory. A simple outline of the book is below. 

I. Introduction - 1:1-1:17
II. Sin - 1:18-3:20
III. Justification - 3:21-5:21
IV. Sanctification - 6:1-8:39
V. What about Israel? - 9:1-11:36
VI. Application - 12:1-15:33
VII. Greetings and Conclusion - 16:1-27

The book effectively explains the beauties of the Gospel, and the implications that arise from the application of the Gospel to daily life. 

Helpful Commentaries
There are a TON of resources and commentaries on the book of Romans. Many of them are extremely helpful. The list I’ll present here is by no means exhaustive, and so if your favorite writer isn’t represented, don’t take it personally. 

Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Romans Lloyd Jones’ sermons are preserved in a large set offered by Banner of Truth Trust. The books are incredible, honestly! They are not particularly technical in the original languages, so they are very accessible. 

D. Barnhouse - Romans Donald Grey Barnhouse’s sermons on Romans are also preserved. They are very helpful as well. They come as a two volume set, and provide lots of rich information for an in depth study. They are also very conversational and easy to read. 

John Murray’s Commentary Very helpful analysis. Slightly more technical, but less wordy. Not sermons - just commentary. Easy to read. However, a bit expensive, as commentaries go! 

John MacArthur’s Romans Commentary Published by Moody, this set is very helpful as well. Not super technical, but provides extremely helpful information for study and understanding. The set is available on Kindle as well! 

Tom Schreiner Romans Commentary Lest you think all good commentators are named John, Tom Schreiner has an excellent commentary on the book. More technical in the original languages, this commentary provides lots of background and helpful information. 

What you hold in your hand…

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by Jason Park

We all know that reading the Bible is essential. But why? What is unique about the Bible that demands we read it? And how should we approach it? 2 Tim 3:16-17 helps us answer these questions by offering two foundational beliefs about the Bible. 

1.     The Bible contains nothing less than the inspired words of the living God.Read through the litany of the perfections of God’s word in Psa 19:7-11. That is what we’re taking up every time we open our Bibles. 

If you don’t believe that the Bible is inspired, you will not long submit to it, because you won’t believe in its authority over your life. You will eventually default to your flesh, picking and choosing which parts to obey and which to not. And, you will minimize certain teachings that don’t agree with your deep-down desires.  

You’ll listen to other authorities – the media or your friends. And those authorities will only confirm what you really want to submit to – your own authority.  

That’s the constant battle: our self-idolatry vs. Christ’s lordship…wanting self-rule vs. humbling ourselves under God’s mighty hand. 

But this is what the Bible attests about itself, what God attests about the Bible: it contains the very words from the mouth of God. Everything hinges on this. 

2.     We need the Bible everyday for everything. The second half of v. 16 says, without Scripture you cannot teach profitably (you’ll be teaching mere human wisdom, opinions, and preferences), you won’t be reproved or corrected (you’ll be pride and blind to your own sins!), and you won’t grow in righteousness (the fruit of the Spirit will be stymied in your life).  

Read through this list: it demands that we get the Bible in us everyday because everything depends on it.  

It’s the food that sustains us (Deut 8:3). Peter says in 1 Pet 2:2 that like babies, we must long for the pure milk of the word (the gospel in that context) so that we can grow in our salvation. No milk, dead baby. No word, functionally dead Christian (not that you lose your salvation, but you’re stunted in your growth). 

So, if you don’t take in the Word regularly, you won’t be equipped – thoroughly geared up – for every good work (2 Tim 3:17), the good works God prepared beforehand so that we might live them out (Eph 2:10). We can’t fight temptation, resist the devil, grow in Christlikeness, and serve others unless we wield the sword of the Spirit, the word of God (Eph 6:17). 

And handling this sword doesn’t take a degree or locking yourself up in a room; it takes faith.  And thankfully, the word of God itself produces faith (Rom 10:17). So, as you read it, it creates and nurtures faith. And faith energizes our efforts to continue in the Word. 

So, let’s take up and read our Bibles, believing that our Father has spoken to us and that it will change our lives.