Two moms I am most thankful for

Today is Mother’s Day 2013, and I wanted to use a post on the blog to mention two very special mothers in my life today. Here is their picture at our last family Christmas celebration…

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On the left is my mother, Janice Corbin. I am very blessed to have had a good mother who loved me and, most of all, taught me to love the Lord and His Word. In addition to those big things, she taught me countless “little things” that still shape me even to this day.  It’s a joy to me to see her enjoying my sons.  In fact, if you look closely at this picture, you will see Daniel opening Christmas presents next her. I almost cropped him out of this picture, but decided to leave him in because that captures my mom well. She’s actually holding one of Daniel’s Christmas presents. She’s a giver. She gave so much to me over the years and now she is giving to my boys.  Mom, I love you and thank the Lord for you on this day!

The other lady in this picture is my beautiful wife, Becky.  She is the love of my life and the mother of our two boys.  The sacrifices she makes for me and our boys are incalculable. In watching all that she does for our sons, I have a better appreciation of all my mother did for me. She is not a sports fan, but she certainly spends a good portion of her life at ball games because our sons are playing. In fact, she’s even been known to get excited at a few of them!  Thank you, Becky, for being a great wife and mother. I love you and thank the Lord for you on this day!

Finishing well – a personal prayer

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:6–7, HCSB)

As many times as I have read these words of the Apostle Paul, they leaped off the page to me this week. The great Apostle is about to die. He knows his time is short and as he writes to the young pastor Timothy here is Paul’s one sentence description of his life and ministry: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  Simple, yet profound.   He did not fight every battle, but he had fought the right battles – “the good fight.”  He viewed his life as a race to finish rather than a means to an end. He kept the faith, that is he stayed true to the Word of God and the gospel even when it cost him dearly.  He was faithful.  After over almost 20 years of marriage, almost 15 years of fatherhood, and 21 years of full-time ministry, that is increasingly the #1 goal I have: to finish well.  While I pray that I will have many more years to preach and serve the Lord, one day I want to be able to sum up my life and ministry in the same way the Apostle Paul did. I offer this prayer from my heart…

“Lord, with a humble heart and a recognition of how needy I am,  I ask you for wisdom to fight the good fight.  Help me to spend my time and energy on things that really matter.  Help me keep the faith by a deep walk with you and an increasing knowledge of your Word. Help me keep the faith by faithfully preaching your Word, no matter the cost or the outward results.  Help me finish the race of life and ministry faithfully. If I do nothing else for you, help me to remain a faithful husband to my wife and a faithful father to my sons.  Help me to succeed by dying faithful to you, faithful to my wife and sons, and faithful to my church. Amen.”

Two overlooked things that God has given

While I am a pastor who preaches every week and often multiple times per week, one of the great privileges of my life is to also sit under the expository preaching ministry of our Senior Pastor, Dr. Jimmy Jackson.  During his message yesterday morning, he preached from these verses…

“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:3–4, HCSB)

As he preached, he pointed out verbs in these verses that are in the perfect tense.  “Has given” in each verse is the translation of one Greek verb. The perfect tense has no exact equivalent in English. The perfect tense expresses something that happened or was done in the past, but is still in effect right now.  One Greek grammar that I have in my library says the perfect tense has as much to do with the present as it does with the past because it describes a present result of a past action.  Keep that fact in mind.

These verses are expressly for believers. They were originally written to Christians who were facing an increasingly hostile culture and who were suffering for their faith even to the point of death. To those Christians the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to remind them of two great things God had given them:  everything required for life and godliness (v. 3) and the promises of God (v. 4).  Let’s ponder those for a moment.

I believe that many Christians live their lives everyday as if God has not given them these two things. They are overlooked in way too many Christian lives.  Do you need wisdom to make a decision?  Do you need power to overcome a particular temptation?  Do you need the strength to do the right thing even though you feel like doing the opposite?  Do you need encouragement?  V. 3 says that God has given you every single thing you will ever need to live for Him.  Remember, this is the perfect tense – meaning God gave it to you in the past (the moment you became a believer) and it is still available to you right now. Think about that.

In addition, v. 4 tells us that God has given us “very great and precious promises” so that we might become more and more like Christ. Again, this is the perfect tense. God gave them to us at a point in time in the past, but they are still in effect right now. We can stand on the promises of God at all points along the way because they have once and for all been given to us.

In his message, Dr. Jimmy Jackson emphasized that the perfect tense eliminates the possibly that what God has given could run out or be rescinded. We absolutely have available to us every thing we need for life and godliness.  It will never run out, burn out, or expire. We may be living in our own strength and without prayer, but this divine power to live is available to us all the time.  It’s the same with God’s promises. He has given them and they are there, no matter if we are availing ourselves of them or not.

I’m personally convinced that many Christians overlook these powerful truths. They either do not know or they live as if they do not know that the Lord has provided everything they need to live for Him. They live in defeat overlooking the fact that the promises of God are there to claim 24/7.  As you begin this work week, don’t be a Christian who overlooks them, but rather be a Christian who lives in the power of them!

A thoughtful response to the gay marriage issue

I just came across this interview from USA Today.  The Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco gives a very thoughtful defense of traditional marriage and the life of the unborn. While I certainly would have many theological disagreements with Archbishop Cordileone, I do admire his very strong stand on these issues and his responses are well worth taking your time to read. I particularly appreciated his answer to the final question regarding the trends in the courts and in society going against him.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/21/archbishop-cordileone-gay-marriage-catholic-church/2001085/

Choosing to rejoice

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4, HCSB)

That’s a short, simple verse, but boy is it packed with meaning. First of all, the Greek word translated “rejoice” is chairete which has several shades of meaning as used in the New Testament.  According to the language tools I consulted, the word means “to greet, to be glad, to have joy…”  Rejoicing is something that all of us have done at many points in our lives.

We get what it means to rejoice. What we often miss is the source of our rejoicing. Did you notice that the Lord is to be our place of rejoicing?  Rejoice “in the Lord…” Our joy is to come from the Lord. He makes us glad. This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t enjoy life. We should enjoy our family and friends. We should enjoy our careers and the blessings of work. We should enjoy healthy recreation and leisure. We should enjoy life, but we do that knowing that life hurts and we will often be disappointed.  However, joy goes deeper than our circumstances.  True joy comes from the Lord. That is why we are told to rejoice in Him.  Many Christians are miserable right now because they are looking in the wrong places for their joy.

In this verse, we are also told to rejoice in the Lord “always.”  In the original Greek, this word means “always.”  Rejoice in Him all the time -in good times and bad. Rejoice in the Lord when the kids are doing well and rejoice in the Lord when one of them rebels. Rejoice in the Lord when things are great in your marriage and rejoice in the Lord when things haven’t been great in your marriage in years. Rejoice in the Lord when you are young and rejoice in the Lord when you are old. Rejoice in the Lord when you love your job and rejoice in the Lord when you hate your job and pray every day for another one!  If the Lord is truly our joy, then we can look to Him in every single situation of life. Think about it.

Finally, this verse teaches us that to rejoice is our choice.  Philippians 4:4 begins a series of imperatives for believers. It is no accident that rejoicing in the Lord begins the list because that is the foundation for Christian behavior. To rejoice is a choice. We can choose to rejoice in our Lord, no matter what we are facing or how we feel. We can choose to rejoice in the Lord as we finish reading a blog post!  Again, I say rejoice!

The suicide question

Suicide. Just typing the word sends chills up my spine.  On a few occasions, I have ministered to families who had a family member take their own life and I have seen up close the enormous pain and despair that comes.  A couple of weeks ago, the son of well known pastor Rick Warren took his own life. Today the community where I serve has once again been touched by a suicide. My heart has been heavy all day for this family.  It is at times like this when pastors get what I call “the suicide question.”  Most often, it comes in this way: “Can a person who has committed suicide go to Heaven?”  I really don’t know where it originated, but many Christians tell me they “have always heard” that a person who commits suicide cannot go to Heaven, no matter their spiritual commitment beforehand. It’s an issue that many Christians struggle with, and I decided to address it in the blog today.

I believe that the central issue in discussing this question is the Biblical teaching regarding justification – that is how lost sinners are forgiven of their sin and made right with God. The Bible clearly teaches that sinners are made right with God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ…

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 3:23–24, NKJV)

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:1, NKJV)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9, NKJV)

Without delving into a host of Biblical and theological issues, suffice it to say that the Bible teaches that we are justified (forgiven of our sin and made right with God) at the moment we repent of our sins and place our faith in Christ.  Justification is not a feeling, but it is rather a standing before God. It is our standing before God that is His work, not ours. Romans 8:33 reminds us that “it is God who justifies.” Furthermore, the Bible teaches that justification is a fixed, final, eternal standing before God.  In other words, we are not justified today and unjustified tomorrow depending on our feelings or behavior.  In fact, the Bible teaches that a person who is justified will absolutely and finally be glorified (made like God to live with Him forever)…

“And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.” (Romans 8:30, HCSB)

The verb tenses in Romans 8:33 are telling as well. Where I grew up, people would say, “It’s a done deal.”  That’s what Romans 8:33 says. Just as sure as God has justified a person, He has already glorified that person. They will be glorified for certain, and it is so certain that God’s Word speaks of it as if it has already happened.  Therefore a person who has given their life to Christ cannot be justified one day and then do something to lose their justification the next. The Bible teaches that a person cannot do anything to deserve or earn their salvation. That only comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  Therefore, since a person did nothing to earn or deserve their salvation, but received their justification as a free gift (Romans 6:23) then a person’s salvation is eternal and irrevocable (eternal security, “once saved always saved”). If we did nothing to earn or deserve our salvation, then we we can do nothing to lose our salvation.

What does all of this have to do with the suicide question?   I believe that once a person has sincerely trusted Christ alone for their salvation, then nothing they do can change that relationship. It’s like my own two sons. They might sin terribly and break my heart, but they will always be my sons.  Nothing they could ever do would stop them from being my sons. Why?  Because they are my sons and that is the nature of the relationship.  So it is with children of God.  Nothing a child of God can do will sever the relationship – even something as horrific as suicide.

That being said, please allow me to conclude with several important truths to help put all of this into some perspective…

1)  Suicide is NEVER a legitimate option for a believer.

The Christian worldview upholds the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death – including our own life.  While I do not believe that suicide is the “unpardonable sin” it is, nevertheless, a grievous sin.  It is a sin against God, ourselves, our family, and everyone who knows us.  While I do believe that it is possible for a true believer to reach a depth of pain and despair that is so great they take their own life, it is never right to do so.

2)  Suicide doesn’t end the pain; it just shifts the pain to others.

The guilt felt by the family left behind is often unbearable.  While the person who commits suicide often does it to relieve their own pain, it is the beginning of years, decades, and generations of pain for those who are left.

3)  There is nothing you can say.  Just be there to cry and pray with them.

When I first started out in ministry, I used to think that I had to say something profound that would relieve a family’s hurt. Then I realized the most important thing I could do was be there. No words can ease the pain for the family that is touched by a suicide, but your presence and prayers can help greatly.

Suicide is a complex issue that has no easy answers. It is my prayer that this post will help believers begin to think clearly about it and bring comfort to those who are struggling. The applications of the Bible truths we discussed apply to far more than just instances of suicide. Thanks for reading.

Run to God

Where do you go when you are troubled?  All of us turn somewhere when we are feeling overwhelmed, run down, confused, hurting, or otherwise fed up with life. Some of us turn to food, immersing ourselves in a favorite TV show, a favorite hobby,  or a host of other things.  Some run to alcohol, pornography, sex, or other destructive behaviors. Others might seek out the company of a particular friend or go to a particular place.  All of us go somewhere when we are troubled. Where do you go?

The Word of God tells us where we are to go when we are troubled…

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1, NKJV)

God is our refuge and strength, but we have to chose to allow Him to be that for us. We have to run to Him when we are troubled. The truth is that everything in us will pull against that – our emotions, thoughts, etc.  Our sinful flesh wants us to turn anywhere other than the One who can truly help and satisfy. This fact is why we must fight through our feelings and run to God our refuge even when in ourselves we desperately want to run somewhere else.  The truth is that if we are not running to God, then we are running away from Him.  Run to God when you are troubled because He alone gives peace…

“Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;” (Psalm 46:2, NKJV)

Believing God to the very end

The Old Testament life of Joseph is a favorite character study for many Christians. Recently, I preached a series of messages on the life of Joseph at our church, and I found that one less well known moment in Joseph’s life was a great blessing to me.  If you haven’t in a while, take a few minutes and read the life of Joseph as recorded in Genesis 37-50.  It will bless you.

Joseph is a great example of perseverance and overcoming terrible hurts, as well as a great example of leadership and hard work.  Joseph grew up in a dysfunctional family where his father favored him above his eleven brothers. This fact created resentment to the point where his brothers threw him in a pit and plotted to kill him.  Slightly cooler heads prevailed and his brothers decided to sell him into slavery in Egypt and tell their father that Joseph was dead. The Bible says that the Lord was with Joseph in Egypt and he eventually gets a good position working for Potipher, an Egyptian official.  However, then he is falsely accused of a crime and is forgotten about in years of imprisonment.  Miraculously, the Lord works in Joseph’s life and he eventually is released from prison and winds up running the entire country of Egypt to prepare for seven years of terrible famine. The Lord actually used Joseph to save the lives of millions of people! Finally, he is reunited with his brothers and forgives them even though he is in a position to exact revenge.  It’s a truly amazing life story!

However, it is also interesting to make note that Joseph is mentioned in the “Faith Chapter” better known as Hebrews 11.  Some preachers call this “Faith’s Hall of Fame”  because Hebrews 11 recognizes many well known (and some less well known) Old Testament believers and commends them for what they did for the Lord through faith in Him.  It’s an inspiring chapter to say the least.  Not surprisingly, Joseph is mentioned in Hebrews 11 and commended as a man who lived by faith in the Lord. It is not surprising that Joseph is mentioned in Hebrews 11, but it is surprising to read what he is commended for…

“By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.” (Hebrews 11:22, NASB95)

This is a reference to Genesis 50:22-26 where Joseph’s dying wish is that his bones be taken to the promised land and buried there. You see, Joseph’s great grandfather was Abraham, to whom the Lord had promised the land around 200 years before (Genesis 12:1-3, 15:1-7). At the time of Joseph’s death, none of these promises had been fulfilled and Joseph and his descendants all lived in Egypt, not the promised land. Yet, Joseph believed the promise of God that one day God would keep his word and bring them to possession of the promised land. As a result, Joseph basically said, “I don’t want to be buried here among unbelievers. I want to be finally buried in the promised land because one day God is going to bring us there!”

Think about all of the great things that Joseph did through his faith in the Lord. Think of all of the great things the Lord could have inspired the writer of Hebrews (whomever that may be!) to commend in Joseph’s life. Yet, the Holy Spirit chose to commend Joseph for believing God to the very end of his life by giving instructions concerning his bones. Joseph died believing the promises of God, and that is what the Lord commended him for. By the way, if you study the Old Testament, you will find that it was another 400 years before Joseph’s bones were actually buried in the promised land, but they got there!

May each of us be like Joseph and believe the promises of God to the very last breath we take on this earth!  Don’t let circumstances and the way things look right now discourage you. On the day Joseph died, nothing around him looked like God was keeping his promises, yet he died believing God – the One who cannot lie and cannot fail!   Let’s each one determine to believe God until our dying breath.

Praying for revival

“Restore us, O God of our salvation, And cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?” (Psalm 85:4–6, NKJV)

Many Bible scholars believe that Psalm 85 was written after the people of God had returned from exile in Babylon. They were back home in their land, but things were but a shell of what they had been before the Babylonian captivity. This is a great Bible prayer for revival among the people of God. While many readers of this blog will be familiar with old fashioned “revival meetings” where evangelists preach and call on people to be saved, I think it is important to point out that revival is first and foremost for the church. The people of God need to get back to a white hot devotion to their Lord and let His power work mightily among them.  Certainly, during every revival in history, many lost people have come to faith, but revival begins among the people of God.

I cannot stress enough how much we need a great revival today in America. In recent months, I have been burdened to pray for revival more than ever before in my life and ministry.  As I look around at our country, I am personally convinced that America is headed for one of two outcomes: revival or ruin.  I truly believe that the only thing that can save our country is a mighty movement of God – a revival.

This week, I had the privilege of attending a conference where Dr. Ted Rendall spoke. It was a great delight and blessing to hear and get to know this choice servant of Christ. He has served as a missionary, senior pastor of a large church, and president of a Bible Institute. He has preached all over the world and served in full time ministry in England, Canada, and the United States. He is also one of the foremost experts in the world on revival and spiritual awakening. During a break, I had a conversation with Dr. Rendall and asked him about revival in America.

“Dr. Rendall,” I asked, “From all that you know about revivals and spiritual awakening, is there hope for revival to come to America?”  Without even a pause, Dr. Rendall quickly said, “Of course, there is great hope for revival in America!”  I followed up with the logical question, “Why?”  His answer encouraged me. “Remember that as bad as things are in America, there are thousands upon thousands of preachers preaching the gospel and the Word of God, ” Dr. Rendall replied, “Think about how many Christians in America are praying for revival. As long as those things are true, there is hope for God to send revival.”

Then, Dr. Rendall looked me in the eye and offered a challenge. “The church has to get burdened and earnestly pray for revival,” he said.  A few moments later the conference resumed and our conversation ended.  However, it has echoed in my mind ever since. Count me encouraged by the hope this man of God has for revival. Count me convicted by his challenge to have a greater burden for revival.  Will you be counted too?