Archives: Episode

Expand Your Impact by Narrowing Your Focus

 

To have significance is one of life’s basic longings; yet, most of us live in relative obscurity and wonder how important are we in the grand scheme of things? Few of us directly impact the lives of large numbers of people. Instead we touch a relatively small number of individuals. How can we make a more significant mark in life?  I believe it can happen by narrowing our focus.

If we were given the choice between preaching to a thousand people or discipling one, which would we choose? Few of us would be comfortable as that preacher, but most of us can see ourselves taking on a single disciple. Barnabas in the Book of Acts was significant enough to be mentioned several times in the Bible, but what was his main claim to fame? He was an encourager. In fact that is what his name means. He came alongside two men in his his lifetime who were operating in relative obscurity. One was Paul and the other was John Mark. God used Barnabas to help lift those men into major ministries that eclipsed Barnabas’. Paul became perhaps the greatest of all the apostles and the author of much of the New Testament. John Mark wrote one of the gospels and became a faithful co-laborer with Paul. We do not know much about anything else Barnabas went on to do. His reward and significance will be forever connected to those he helped.

Significance in life is largely measured through those we help along the way.

Barnabas was able to encourage others because he was full of faith.

When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23  When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. 24  Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. 25  Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26  When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) Acts 11:22-26 (NLT)

The ministry and art of encouragement hinges on our having faith and vision for people beyond what they currently have for themselves. With God’s help, parents can see things in their children and help them develop. Husbands and wives can do the same for each other. This is also true for others God brings into our lives. We should consider that our significance derives from helping others flourish. Our joy should be increased by making others successful. Seeing them eclipse us should be our crowning achievement.

For the majority of us personal significance will be found in how well we love, encourage, and develop those around us.

Parents’ most important disciples are their children. The future of the kingdom of God somewhat rests on the shoulders of the upcoming generations. How well parents invest in their children will have a great impact. God blessed my wife and I with four amazing children. They have expanded our impact in the world beyond anything we could have done personally. We fully expect their children and grandchildren to keep the chain going.

What if all of us decided to narrow our focus to discipling and encouraging at least one person to fulfill his or her calling in God in the coming year? How would that impact the world? What if we narrowed our focus to helping others? Perhaps we could all become like Barnabas by leaving an indelible mark on the world through the people we touch and encourage along the way.

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Satan’s Strategy to Legitimize and Normalize Perversion

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bible forewarns us that every society that refuses to acknowledge and worship God will sink into the abyss of sexual perversion. (Romans 1:21-27) The definition of perversion is the turning away from what is right, proper, or good. Any time we stray from God’s intended purpose for anything in creation, it is a perversion and turns into something that dishonors God and hurts us. This is especially true regarding sex. What God intended for great good has been used to bring incredible harm.

Satan’s strategy in the garden of Eden was first to bring into question the truthfulness of God’s words. That remains one of his chief weapons of mass destruction.

He began by asking Eve a seemingly innocuous question.

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” Genesis 3:1 (NLT)

The serpent couched an accusation inside his question. The Bible calls the devil the “accuser of the brethren” for good reason. (Revelation 12:10) In fact, God generously permitted his first people to eat from any tree of the garden, except one. Satan twisted that into God’s saying they could not eat from any of the trees, which put Eve on the defensive immediately. The penalty for eating that fruit would be death. Eve quickly revealed that she did not fully understand God’s command, which was perhaps the purpose of the probing question. She thought the prohibition also included not touching the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Perhaps Adam added that extra bit when he passed on the commandment to Eve, thinking it would strengthen what God said and make the fruit seem even more “off limits”. Whatever the case, we can safely say that it is never a good idea to add to God’s words. That is where most legalism starts.

Next Satan escalated his attack by flatly contradicting God’s warning.

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5  “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6  The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7  At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Genesis 3:4-7 (NLT)

What so quickly convinced Eve that God was a liar? Why did she so soon turn against her Creator and doubt his good intentions toward her and Adam? If we learn nothing else from this account, it is that humans are extremely susceptible to deception and more quickly accept lies than truth.

Humanity took a nose dive that day. God’s beautiful creation was perverted at its core, setting the course of history into a downward spiral which continues to this day. Only God can and will save us. In fact, that is just what he did when he sent his Son to live, die, and rise again. Jesus’ death and subsequent resurrection set in motion God’s great reclamation project which will culminate at Christ’s Second Coming, which will include the generation of a new heaven and earth. In the interim, we, the church, are engaged in a worldwide operation called the Great Commission by which God is offering to forgive us for our participation in the satanic rebellion. Those who accept his offer and put their trust and allegiance in Christ become part of God’s ever growing eternal family, those who will reign with Christ eternally.

For all practical purposes, the war was won and the final outcome determined when Jesus rose from the dead some 2000 years ago. Nevertheless, skirmishes and battles continue as human history moves toward the glorious return of God’s Son.

The Lord is working to increase his family through preaching the gospel and making disciples. Satan is likewise advocating a false gospel of humanism and  developing his own followers who will take his lie globally.

Yuval Noah Harari is often referred to as “the prophet.” He is an openly gay pro-transhumanist who is obsessed with rejecting the God of his fathers and turning humans into gods. He is the lead advisor to Klaus Schwab and has been praised by Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Silicon Valley, the New York Times, TED, Stanford, Harvard, and the World Economic Forum. He made the following statement.

“History began when humans invented gods, and will end when humans become gods.”

Let’s examine this lie. History did not begin when humans invented God. Rather, it started when God created humans. However, the last part may indeed be true. God may bring history to a close when men make their final attempt to throw off God’s rule by proclaiming themselves to be God. (Psalm 2) In the interim, Satan seeks to inflict as much damage to God’s creation as possible, dragging as many souls with him into the lake of fire as he can. One way he does this is by continually calling into question God’s Word. When we reject the Bible’s truth we have nothing upon which to stand.

In the realm of sexuality, he is especially active. The Bible says that God made us “male and female.”

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 (NLT)

For most of human history this has been a “no brainer,” but no longer. A great number of people once again have fallen for the serpent’s lie.

Now, contrary to thousands of years of historical precedent, male and female are no longer an absolute thing.

One can declare oneself whatever one wishes and even use surgery and hormone therapy to make the change look somewhat real. However, the truth is that we can never alter our DNA. Men have X and Y chromosomes, and women possess a double X. As much as we may wish and as hard as we may try, how God made us is irreversible. Some things we must simply accept and play the hand we were dealt.

Behind the push to deny and pervert how God created us is an implacable rebellion against the sovereign choice of the Creator.

Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? 2  The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. 3  “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” Psalm 2:1-3 (NLT)

Sexuality goes to the core of our identity. Today we see Satan’s hand at work in bringing confusion to gender and sexual identity. What was formerly obvious has now become complicated. The government, in an attempt to play God, increasingly demands that everyone accept and affirm the new politically correct order of things, even as we observe the obvious negative consequences. Little girls are put at risk when males self-identifying as females enter the women’s bathroom. Women are unfairly losing to men identifying as women in athletic competitions. Common people understand the insanity of these things, but governmental elites are forcing them down our collective throat.

This is a clear sign of the devil’s activity and his determination to corrupt God’s creation, demoralize the nation, and include as many as he can in his rebellion against the Creator.

Today this rebellion has escalated into a push for more laws to legitimize and normalize sexual and gender perversion and to punish those who will not accept and affirm the new order of things. Freedom be damned in the tyrannical push for new societal norms. As Larry Fink, the chairman and CEO of BlackRock, the world’s largest investment firm with $10 trillion in assets, a firm that has at least a partial ownership of almost every major corporation in the world, including the big media and Big Tech companies, has said:

“Behaviors are going to have to change and this is one thing we are asking companies, you have to force behaviors and at BlackRock, we are forcing behaviors.”

Fink believes the government has the responsibility to force compliance with mandated thinking and behaviors with businesses assisting in the process.

This is a form of fascism, an anti-God tyranny of the mind and soul which we see playing out everyday at one level or another, whether it is in the realm of medicine, sexual identity, gender, or politics.

In addition, the education establishment now is actively grooming young people to accept and adopt such thinking and behavior, often against the knowledge and wishes of parents. This is why Florida recently passed an anti-grooming law, which prohibits schools from engaging in this sort of activity. None of this should surprise us, in light of biblical prophecy.

Bob Chapek, the CEO of the Walt Disney Company, opposes the new law, calling it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. (The Left always tries to capture the vocabulary and frame the argument to its advantage.) Here are his remarks.

“I called Gov. DeSantis this morning to express our disappointment and concern that if legislation becomes law it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, nonbinary and transgender kids and families,” Chapek said. “The governor heard our concerns and agreed to meet with me and LGBTQ+ members of our senior team in Florida to discuss ways to address that… We are committed to support the community going forward.”

Satan always twists things. Rather than protecting God’s created order, the bill is framed as targeting people who do not accept or embrace God’s order for his creation.

The Left’s push is to affirm and normalize deviance from God’s intended purpose and function and to shame anyone who does not accept and affirm this perversion.

It is interesting that what formerly was called the LGBT community now has expanded to LGBTQIA+. A quick search for how many genders we currently recognize reveals that “experts” cannot agree. There are anywhere from 15 to 76, instead of just two. Where will this insanity eventually lead us?

Sin has twisted humanity. Yes, there is such a thing as gender dysphoria. Yes, plenty of people are confused regarding sexual identity and gender, but this does not mean that we abandon God’s original intention for his creation and affirm the confusion as being normal. We can affirm that we love people no matter what they think about sex or gender, but that does not include affirming their behavior.

When a society rejects God, it eventually descends into the kind of rebellion that actively recruits and encourages sinful behavior in others.

They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. Romans 1:32 (NLT)

It is vital that we who know the truth stand up for what is right. We cannot afford to bow before the anti-God forces at work all around us.

We must teach our children to stand for truth and resist the efforts to enfold them into cultural acceptance of the current rebellion against God’s created order. If necessary, we must remove them from any school system, church, or other institution that works to groom adults and children to accept these blatant attacks against God’s truth. Let’s demonstrate to our children and others who may be watching how to make a stand for truth before it is too late. God wants us to openly and unashamedly declare our allegiance to our Lord Jesus and to the truth contained in the Bible.

Taking this stand will likely be costly, but if we are not willing to make a stand, who will? If we lose freedom of speech, which has already happened to a great extent, we will find out who is still courageous enough to speak anyway.

Loyalty to Jesus includes standing for biblical truth in the marketplace, not just when giving a gospel presentation in a church meeting.

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21st Century Idolatry

 

 

 

 

 

 

Modern man prides himself in having progressed beyond the superstitions and ignorance of our forebears. Yuval Noah Harari is an influential thinker among globalists. President Obama recommended his books. He is a counselor to Klaus Schwab and a spokesperson at World Economic Forum events. Recently he gained some notoriety among conservative and Christian circles due to some quotes he made regarding the use of under the skin surveillance which may be linked to the mRNA vaccines. Mr. Harari provides us with a very good example of modern idolatry, which I define as the replacement of God with humanism.

Humanism, the belief that man is the measure of all things, began in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve decided that they wanted to be like God. (Genesis 3:5) The desire to remove the necessity of God has plagued humanity ever since. The tower of Babel was the next clear cut example of human beings attempting to be God. Before the Lord stopped that venture, he said that unless he intervened nothing would be impossible for humans. (Genesis 11:6) The confusion of languages that God afterward imposed stopped man’s progress toward self-determination for some time. Now that mankind has developed computers and gene editing capabilities, those who are considered to be global “elites” have once again begun to build their version of the tower of Babel.

Here is a relevant quote from Mr. Harari.

“There are no gods in the universe, no nations, no money, no human rights, no laws, and no justice outside the common imagination of human beings.”
― Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

The further we drift from a belief in God, the more easily people accept the notion that there is no Creator, no being to whom we owe our existence, allegiance, and worship. Once we adopt such a stance, the next step is for us to take things into our own hands as much as possible. Harari declares that there is no such thing as God, heaven or hell, or free will. According to him our actions, feelings, etc. have nothing to do with the human soul or being made in the image of God. We are simply products of mechanistic evolutionary processes and random chance. He claims that eventually authority will be transferred to artificial intelligence by way of algorithms that will understand us better than we do. In this brave new world, societal elites enabled by amoral scientists will rewrite our genetic code and attempt to create an injectable brain – computer interface that will combine biology with human engineering. Harari states that we may be the last homo sapiens because our genetic code is being rewritten. We believe this is taking place with the mRNA vaccines to some extent already. This new world will include injectable digital monitoring systems that will surveil us at all times. What could possibly go wrong in this scenario? This new world order abolishes all accountability to God.

Humanity has been Satan’s dupe for far too long; yet, we never seem to learn. He never has our best interests in mind and he is on the losing team. Those who follow him have adopted his hatred for God and are attempting to finally rid themselves of any and all accountability to the Creator. But God will have none of it. Here is what King David wrote well over 2500 years ago.

Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? 2  The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. 3  “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” 4  But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. 5  Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. 6  For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.” Psalm 2:1-6 (NLT)

Nothing Satan and his minions plan ever turns out well for them. Eventually their futile efforts will come  crashing to the ground. The Lord will return in glory to judge the living and the dead. We look forward to the day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Until then, boldly keep the faith and boldly declare your allegiance to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

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Confession of a Conspiracy Theorist

Over the past few years, I have endured being labelled as a conspiracy theorist by some, even people I consider friends, because I have openly shared my belief that the so called mRNA vaccine is dangerous and that eventually Trump will be restored to office, and not through the traditional voting process. It became clear to me that holding such positions put me outside the realm of respectability in some circles and even perhaps made me a false prophet.

The warning about the mRNA jab was based on sound reasoning and research. The reason it was considered foolish was because Big Medicine, Big Tech, the Government, and the MSM all sounded a unified chorus assuring us that it was both safe and effective, both of which now have been disproved. It is not effective or safe. The eventual damage to the health of those who received the jab is yet to be seen.

We are witnessing an erosion in trust in what have been the great institutions in our society that have held us together: the presidency, our legislatures, our voting system, the medical system, the Supreme Court, etc. What is left to us now? We have been fed such a stream of lies by the media that many throw up their hands in complete confusion and demoralization, believing that now truth is nowhere to be found. Society has accepted the mantra and truth is subjective and we must find our “own truth.” Paradoxically this turn of events has set the stage for a great return to God. Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, (John 14:6) is still the answer.

When everything around us is shaking and falling, we can run to the Rock that will hold strong. (Hebrews 12:27)

My belief that Trump will be restored is based on prophetic revelation and a deep “gut” instinct, which are much more subjective and put me and others much farther out on a limb of our own making. The jury is still out on this conviction, and I will grant you that it is taking much longer than I ever expected. I also realize that I could be wrong and, if so, am prepared to accept the consequences my error. However, I am also prepared to be right.

Sometimes we must stand up for what we believe, even if it makes us look foolish. Playing it safe is not always the best option.

For years many of us have been praying that God would uncover the hidden evil at work in our government and bring it to justice. No one I know had any inkling how deep, wide, and pervasive the corruption really was. It is still coming to light. Sometimes when we ask God to do something, when he begins to answer our prayers, we think it is the work of the devil. What we are seeing unfold before us on the world stage is God’s answer to our prayers. He is uncovering evil and will bring it to justice. I guess this belief also qualifies me as a conspiracy theorist.

Another conspiracy I believe is Romans 8:28. God is working everything out for good in the lives of those who love him and are called according to his purposes. Nothing life or the devil can throw at us will ultimately bring us harm. God will always work it for good. The Bible teaches that God is the Sovereign Lord over his creation, working all things out according to his master plan. (Daniel 4:35) That is another conspiracy that even some Christians do not believe.

The Sovereignty of God one of the most important foundational truths in the Bible.

I have noticed that many of my Christian brothers and sisters desire to be considered wise by others. They are hesitant to accept anything that seems to be too far “right” or “left.” They try to take the middle section of the road. They are afraid of being labelled as a fool. They want to have the good opinion of other moderates in the church and in the world, thinking somehow that will make them a more credible witness for Christ. This is a great deception, in my opinion.

The Christian faith is founded on one of the world’s greatest “conspiracy theories” – the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

After Jesus’ death and burial, what was then the Jewish “Deep State” spread the lie that the disciples stole his body in order to be able to say that he rose again from the dead. (Matthew 28:13) You have to admit that the Jews’ version of events is much more plausible than ours! It is completely outlandish to believe that the founder of our faith died and rose again; yet, that is what we unashamedly believe and confess, making us to appear to be fools to a skeptical world.

So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. 24  But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25  This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:23-25 (NLT)

We also believe such things as that the Bible is inerrantly true, God created the world, Adam and Eve were the first humans, Noah survived the flood in an ark, Jonah spent three days and nights alive inside a great fish, and one day Jesus will come again in the clouds with great glory as Lord of Lords to raise the dead and judge all humanity. Not one of these things seems reasonable to the modern world. As long as we do not openly declare our faith in these things in public places, but instead confine these confessions to church meetings, the world tolerates us. However, when we publicly pronounce that we hold such things to be true and others should believe likewise, we are told that this is foolish, dangerous, and unwelcome. The world does not tolerate the news that Jesus is Lord of all, just as it did not tolerate the news that the mRNA jab should be avoided.

Could it be that we are afraid of being labelled as conspiracy theorists because we have not come to terms with the outlandishness of the gospel? Do we really think that it is reasonable in the world’s eyes to believe that Jesus is Lord?

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not equating the gospel with the belief that the mRNA jab is dangerous or that Trump is coming back. Far from it. However, the gospel is every bit as far fetched in the minds of many people as the other two positions.

I have to confess that once I discern that someone is closed or antagonistic to information about the jab, I tend to stop sharing with them. I justify this by thinking that I should not throw my “pearls before the swine,” but is this really the reason? Could it be that I am simply afraid to be labelled as a fool by these people or incurring their displeasure? Could my silence be the reason that some went ahead and took the jab and now must pay whatever health consequences may come? These are heavy thoughts indeed.

Likewise, do I go silent about the gospel when I realize that someone is hostile because I am ashamed of Christ or afraid of their displeasure? Could my silence sentence them to an eternity in hell? This is far more serious than worries about health problems from a dangerous jab.

We must come to accept that bravely holding on to truth in the face of opposition is part of our calling as people of God. One of the marks of a true disciple is unwavering public allegiance to Christ and to truth in general.

Let’s break out of our false security of trying to appear wise to the world and embrace the foolishness of the gospel. Let those in the world think of us in any way they see fit. It is far more important what God thinks. He will reward our faith and allegiance to our Lord Jesus and to the truth.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NLT)
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Overcoming Abandonment

This article is related to a series entitled Wonderful Counseling.

All bondage is based on a lie.

This goes back to the garden of Eden where Satan seduced Adam and Eve to open the door to bondage and death by believing multiple lies. Satan convinced them that God did not have their best interests at heart and that disobeying him would not result in death. You know the rest of the story. Ever since then Satan, whom Jesus called the “father of lies,” has been hard at work convincing each generation to believe lies instead of God’s truth, which is found in the Bible and in the person of Jesus the Messiah.

One of the most devastating and predominant lies comes under the general category of abandonment.

Adam and Eve abandoned God when they chose to follow the interloper instead of their Creator, which resulted in God’s casting them out of the garden, sentencing them to a life of hardship, and cutting them off from the source of eternal life. However, God never truly abandoned them. In words spoken to the serpent just after the exposing of Adam’s and Eve’s sin, God gave all of us the promise that one of Eve’s descendants would defeat Satan.

And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NLT)

This is the very first Bible verse related to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of that promise. The Hebrew word translated “strike” can also mean “bruise” or “crush.” Paul wrote thousands of years later that God’s people will play a part in Satan’s ultimate and utter defeat, when he penned these words: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Romans 16:20 NLT) If I were translating the Genesis passage, I probably would word it thusly: “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Satan indeed struck Jesus at the cross, but that strike did not ultimately kill him. Instead God the Father raised him from the dead and gave him authority over all things, including Satan. Satan was defeated on the cross, but we are still in the middle of “mopping up” operations. God is using his people to finally and completely crush the devil.

The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” Psalm 110:1 (NLT)

We also learn from that Genesis verse that God has a line of people and Satan has one. God has separated out for himself people from the beginning of time.

God chose the ones who would belong to him before he created the world.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4  Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5  God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:3-5 (NLT)

This passage strikes a death blow at the lie-based stronghold named abandonment. It does not matter whether we have been abandoned by our parents, spouses, or anyone else. If we become followers of Christ, the Bible tells us that it was because God chose us, not because we chose him.

For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. John 6:44 (NLT)

No one has the innate spiritual ability to come to Christ without being drawn by the Father via his Holy Spirit. If you are a follower of Christ it is because God knew you and chose you to be his before he made the world. It means that he sent his Son to die for you and afterward sent his Spirit to draw you to Christ. He worked in you to open your heart to the gospel, resulting in your being able to properly respond in repentance and faith.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10  For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)

Once we come to Christ by faith, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee that God will complete or finish what he began on Calvary.

And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14  The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. Ephesians 1:13-14 (NLT)

Sometimes parents reject their own children. Often marriage partners become disillusioned or embittered with their spouses and abandon them.

God never becomes disillusioned with us because he knew all about us before he created and redeemed us.

There is nothing we may say or do that will catch him by surprise. When Jesus died for us, he saw us completely – the good, the bad, and the ugly, and he said a resounding “yes” to our heavenly Father’s choice of us to be in his eternal family.

Jesus will never reject or abandon those for whom he died.

Never will you hear our Lord say, “Oops, my bad. I made a mistake choosing you.” Instead he boldly declared the following words.

...those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. John 6:37 (NLT)

If you are a person who continually battles with the inner belief that you will ultimately be rejected and abandoned by those you love, that stronghold is no doubt based on past experience with disloyal people. It is likely that you participated in the lie by preemptively abandoning others before they could do it to you. You have been deeply wounded, which set the stage for believing the lie that even God will abandon you. It is not true. God will never leave you or forsake you. (Joshua 1:5 and Hebrews 13:5)

I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. 10  Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:9-10 (NLT)
 
Prayer to Overcome Abandonment

Father God, I now realize that I have believed the lie that everyone I love and even you will eventually abandon me. Forgive me for thinking that you are like people who have rejected and left me. Thank you that you chose me to be your child before you created the world. Thank you for sending Jesus to pay the penalty for my sins so that I could be reconciled to you. Thank you for sending your Spirit to work inside me to make me open to the gospel. Thank you for sending those persons who shared the good news about Jesus with me. Thank you for those you sent to pray for me and disciple me. Thank you that you sealed me with your Holy Spirit, which guarantees that you will complete in my life what you began when you will one day raise me from the dead to dwell with you forever. I now renounce the generational lie of abandonment. I repent for believing that lie and acting in accordance with it. I believe that you set me from from these things. Help me to show love and loyalty to you and others for the rest of my life. Amen.

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Finishing Well Is a Reason to Celebrate

A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. Ecclesiastes 7:1 (ESV)

Births are universally celebrated, but we find it vastly more difficult to celebrate a death. Could this be because we fail to see things correctly? Solomon also said, “It is better to finish something than to start it.” (Eccl. 7:8 ETRV) Plenty of people start the Christian life with a bang, but soon fall off the rails. I have witnessed this many times in my fifty-one years of following Christ. Jesus even said this would happen in his parable of the sower. (Luke 8:5-15)

Finishing well is a mark of a faithful person, a sign of God’s keeping grace, and a reason to celebrate.

My father, Pete Beck, Jr., finished his race well, remaining active in ministry until the very end. He remained faithful to the Lord, his wife, his family, and the church, all by the grace of God. He had a love affair with God’s Word all his years as a disciple, especially toward the end when he knew he would soon see his Lord face to face.

Soldiers who have served in combat say that one cannot  know how he or she will do under the strain of the real thing until thrust into it. That is when we find out what we are made of. Some fold while others rise to the occasion. Likewise one must go through what life throws at us in order to know how God’s grace will enable us to handle it. Someone once said that worry is imagining the future without God. That is a terrible waste of the imagination. God always makes the difference. With him as our ever present Keeper, we can survive and even thrive through anything.

I have always been something of a late bloomer. Since my parents have been blessed with such long lives, I am also late to the experience of losing one of them, something many others had to endure much earlier in their lives. As a result, I did not know what it was like to lose someone so close, even though I have watched many others go through it, including my lovely wife. In my case, I can say that so far I have not experienced what I might call deep grief. That may come, but, for now, I feel moments of wistful sadness when I think he is no longer with us. And of course if feel deeply for my mother. She and my father had a true love affair for 71 years. But once we got through that traumatic day of watching him breathe his last, I have not been under any sort of heaviness.

Call me crazy if you like, but I feel a sense of joy. Dad is with Jesus now. He did not have to suffer for any extended amount of time. He did not go through a period of debilitation. He remained active until the end. He did not become a “burden” on my Mom. He died with grace and peace. He finished well and crossed over into eternity. He made it!

Paul wrote:

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8  And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NLT)

When Paul’s demise was fast approaching, he met with some disciples who were already mourning his soon expected departure. Paul mildly rebuked them, saying he was more than ready to give up this life as an act of allegiance to his Lord. (Acts 21:13) In another passage, he remarked that he would rather die and be with Jesus than continue living; but he knew his time had not yet come, and it was more profitable for God’s kingdom for him to remain and serve others. (Philippians 1:21-26)

God gave my father many more years than he ever expected, but eventually his time to depart from this earth arrived. It was finally more profitable for the kingdom of God for him to begin to enjoy face time with his Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Lord. That time is coming for all of us.

Even though death itself is not pretty, God carefully watches over us as we go through it. For us and those we love, it is a time of leaving what is familiar and beloved. For God it is a “precious” thing, the long awaited moment of our experiencing more fully the joys and realities of God and eternity.

Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones. Psalm 116:15 (NASB)

Jesus could not wait to return to his Father. (John 14:28) He told his disciples that they should be glad for him, but they, like us, saw things from their own perspective rather than God’s. We feel loss and sorrow, but God also wants us to see his side of things.

For God and us who believe, death is a homecoming, a commencement, and a triumph because of what it opens up to us.

Jesus said that his followers would actually never die.

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26  Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” John 11:25-26 (NLT)

We should fill in our own names in place of “Martha” in the last verse. Do we really believe?

The body expires, but our spirits seamlessly transition into God’s manifest presence. Can you imagine the unimpeded joy my father felt as his last breath was exhaled and his strong heart finally stopped beating? Joy inexpressible and full of glory!

Yes, I feel our family’s loss and will greatly miss our Dad, but I cannot mourn for him at this time or maybe ever. He is finally home! One day I expect him to be part of the throng who welcomes me.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (ESV)
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The Last Three Things My Father Taught Me

My father, Pete Beck, Jr., taught me a lot over my 69 years, through teaching, correction, and example. The last three things he taught me came by example. I hope I will be able to follow in his footsteps in each of these three areas.

 
Live Fearlessly

Dad had weak lungs. Over his lifetime, I believe he had pneumonia three or four times. It seemed that whenever he caught a cold, it would end up in bronchitis. He had been diagnosed with mild COPD. In addition, he suffered from a bone marrow condition that lowered his hemoglobin levels and was 93 years old. He had just suffered a stroke and had survived carotid artery surgery. This combination of co-morbidities might incline some to “hole up” out of fear for the duration of Covid, but he and my Mom refused to live in fear. They did not deliberately expose themselves, but they continued to attend our small group meetings and other gatherings for the last two years and host events in their home occasionally, knowing that by doing so they ran the chance of being exposed. God kept them from that virus for two years until Omicron reared its ugly head. Even then they continued to live just as fearlessly as ever, even though Dad and Mom knew that catching it might kill Dad. Many in the church at large have caved to fear over the last two years, some churches even closing their doors for a while. Not my father.

He lived as he died – fearlessly by faith. This is the first lesson he taught me in his last days on earth.

Have the Courage of Your Convictions

Over the last two years, Dad and Mom thoroughly researched Covid and possible treatments. They decided in advance how they wanted to be treated, which went against the prevailing medical opinion. I personally happened to be in agreement with their viewpoint, but I did not convince them of anything. They independently arrived at their decision. When Dad contracted the virus, he stuck to his convictions, even when his condition deteriorated. I do not believe he ever wavered. This was impressive to me and taught me a great lesson.

King David wrote in the Psalms:

I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. 3  Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! Psalm 63:2-3 (NLT)

There are some things better than life, one of which is to live by faith and courage. The Bible says that some overcome sickness and death by faith, while others die in faith, never receiving in this life that for which they believed.

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14  Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15  If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16  But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:13-16 (NLT)

Faith brings glory to God, whether we get what we ask, live, or die. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Dad died in faith. I heard him testify that he was still trusting in God to heal him even when he was so weak he could hardly lift his head or turn himself in bed. That brought glory to God. When we continue to trust in the goodness of God despite everything going against us, it is a wonderful thing.

The second lesson my father taught me was that holding on to faith and the courage to live by our convictions is better than life itself.

Do Not Be Afraid of Death

At no point in his last days of suffering did I detect that he was afraid or panicking. He endured his sickness with grace, dignity, and without complaint. He must have known he was close to death. I could see it. I wondered how I would do taking care of him. Would I “lose it” if things took a turn for the worse. The answer is “no.” God gave us grace to care for him, just as God gave him grace to endure sickness and eventually to die. When we were called to the hospital to say good-bye, he was incoherent and laboring to breathe, but not looking fearful. When he finally passed, it was so peaceful that it imparted a sense of serenity to the entire process of dying.

The Bible says that Jesus endured death to set all of us free from the fear of it.

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15  Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. Hebrews 2:14-15 (NLT)

Over the years, I have counseled terminal patients to die in a way that brings glory to God. How we live and die is being watched by others.

We learned to live fearlessly and courageously by faith through Dad’s example, and we also learned how to die well by watching his exit. These are some of the greatest things he ever taught me, for which I am extremely grateful.

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The Measure of a Man: The Legacy of My Father

My father, affectionately called Papa Pete Beck, recently died at the amazing age of 93. He experienced a rich and full life, serving God for 51 of those years as a disciple and church leader. He left behind the love of his life and wife for 71 of those years, four sons, fourteen grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren, and two great-great grandsons, along with countless friends and partners in the ministry. Many regard him as a kind of legend. For us in the family he was Dad, granddad, or something similar. It is pretty difficult to be a legend among those who see you often and know you well, but he was highly respected and well-loved by his family.

I have been thinking about how to measure his life, not that any human being is truly capable of doing such a thing. What is his legacy? The first thing that comes to mind is his family. Secondly, perhaps, we should consider his many accomplishments.

What I would like to focus on in this short article is the idea that legacy can be measured by what those we mentored or fathered are able to accomplish after we are gone.

Moses did a lot in the forty years after he turned eighty. He confronted the most powerful ruler in the world and witnessed God’s power humble and eventually destroy that man in order to liberate God’s chosen people. He led Israel through the wilderness for forty long years and brought them to the brink of the Promised Land. As great as all that was, the one he appointed to take over after him accomplished even more. Joshua led God’s people to victory over the inhabitants of Canaan and oversaw the distribution of the land to the twelve tribes. Moses’ legacy has to be measured in terms of his own victories and those of his protege. If all Moses had done was bring them to the brink of the promise, he would have been somewhat of a failure.

What we accomplish through our heirs or disciples is just as meaningful, perhaps even more so, than what we personally achieve.

Another fine example of a disciple carrying on the legacy of his father in the faith is the Elijah – Elisha relationship. Elijah accomplished some amazing things during his stint as a major prophet in Israel, but he eventually came to a point when he was ready to call in quits. In a state of unbelief and despondency, God gave him three things to accomplish before his death, one of which was to pass on his ministry to a successor named Elisha. In addition, he was to anoint or appoint new kings over Syria and Israel.

Interestingly, his first step of obedience was to call Elisha to be his disciple. Elisha dropped everything to follow him and remained faithful to the very end of Elijah’s life, at which point he was granted his request to be given a “double portion” of Elijah’s anointing. Elisha was the one who anointed the two kings in Elijah’s stead. In addition, over his lifetime and in one case after his death, Elisha performed exactly twice as many miracles or signs than his mentor. Elijah accomplished more through his successor than he did through his own ministry. Elisha became an important part of the measure of Elijah’s life.

Jesus also accomplished and is accomplishing amazing things through his disciples. Jesus only spent three years in active ministry. He had no biological children who could be thought of as a legacy. Our Lord’s ministry is measured by what he accomplished through his death, resurrection, ascension in the heaven, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and his coming return as the glorious Son of Man to judge the living and the dead and subsequently rule over all creation. That might be enough, but our Lord’s purpose was always to include us. He has given birth to multitudes of disciples through the gospel, all of whom have become part of the family of God. Therefore, part of Jesus’ legacy is his heavenly family, which keeps growing. A third part of his legacy, which is also still going forward, is the ongoing ministry of the church, his disciples, whom he said would do even greater works than he was able to do in his lifetime. (John 14:12)

My father’s legacy will be proved and expanded through the ministry of those he left behind.

Now that he is gone, it is time for us who remain to pick up the baton and run with passion and endurance our leg of the race and eventually to pass that baton on to the next generation. That is the enduring legacy that will honor my father’s memory and bring glory to God.

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Part 4: The Table Has Four Legs

This is the ninth article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. I sometimes use other names for this ministry, such as Personal Prayer Ministry and Biblical Healing and Deliverance. The adjective "wonderful" is used because Jesus is the "wonderful Counselor" of Isaiah 9:6. This ministry attempts to make room for Jesus to personally counsel people by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit, with the human ministers acting as facilitators. This makes it different from most counseling. It is highly effective at teaching the recipient how to hear the voice of the Spirit and to receive his life giving words.

A strong and stable table needs to have at least four legs. Remove one leg and the table will fall over, spilling all its contents on the floor. Shorten one or more legs, and the table will lean. Experiencing spiritual freedom depends on four essentials being in place in the believer’s life. Remove one, and the process gets short circuited and will produce less than desirable results. The four “legs,” so to speak, are the following:

  • Understanding, believing, and obeying God’s Truth found in the Bible,
  • Relying on the power of God’s Spirit in our lives,
  • Having a genuine fear of the Lord, and
  • Developing a heartfelt love for God.

Believing and Obeying God’s Truth Found in the Bible

Jesus told his disciples:

…“If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NET1)

To continue in Christ’s teaching means that we study, meditate upon, and obey. When we do this, freedom is an automatic by-product. Freedom, according to the Bible, is not doing what we please, but doing God’s will. Doing what we please, if it is out of line with God’s will, always leads to bondage. Sin always produces slavery. Obedience to God through the power of the Spirit always yields liberty.

Unless a person commits himself to learning, meditating upon, and obeying God’s Word, he or she will never experience true and lasting freedom.

Prayer and ministry from others may temporarily liberate us, but remaining free depends to a great extent upon our willingness to pursue God with all our hearts. If we do not commit to reading the Scriptures on a regular basis, we are not serious disciples. If we do not read the Bible devotionally, that is, asking the Spirit to show us what he wants us to get from our reading, we are missing out on something wonderful. If we do not ask God to help us to put his truth into practice, we are only playing at being Christ’s follower. We cannot be free while persisting in behavior that produces bondage and without embracing what God says will make us free.

Living by the Power of God’s Spirit

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NET1)

God’s Spirit is in complete unity with God’s Word, just as Jesus is one with the Holy Spirit. The Word of God was inspired by the Spirit of God. For the written word to have any transforming impact upon a person’s life, the Holy Spirit must “breathe” upon it to make it “come alive” via faith, causing it to become the Living Word for us.

The Holy Spirit causes information (the written Word) to become revelation (the Living Word) that produces life and transformation (the obeyed Word).

A person must know, trust, and rely upon the inner working of God’s Spirit to experience true freedom. The Spirit lives His life through us as we trust in His indwelling power. This is a huge secret of the Christian life.

The Fear of the Lord

Thirdly, for a person to experience freedom in Christ, he or she must have a deep and abiding fear of God. Proverbs says:

The fear of the Lord is like a life-giving fountain, to turn people from deadly snares. Proverbs 14:27 (NET1)

We can have understanding of God’s Word and the reality of the Spirit in our lives, but unless we fear God, there may be little heartfelt motivation to turn away from evil. Repentance means to “change our mind”. When this happens, we acknowledge that God is right and we are wrong. True repentance produces an emotional component of heartfelt sorrow and alarm, which motivates us to change.

For see what this very thing, this sadness as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, what punishment! In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 2 Corinthians 7:11 (NET1)

While we acknowledge that our heavenly Father’s love for us is unchanging, we also realize that this same love is what provokes him to discipline us as needed when we sin. Every small child who is truly loved by his or her natural father nevertheless sincerely fears that father’s discipline, if his father is doing his duty. So we should fear God not only because he will discipline us, but also because of the law of sowing and reaping. Sin has consequences, and all of them are bad. Without the fear of the Lord, sinners go on sinning.

The fear of the Lord is our motivation to depart from evil. Without it we will never be truly free.

It is important to realize that the fear of the Lord is a work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. We cannot gin it up on our own, but we can ask God to develop it in our lives. Wise people cherish the fear of the Lord. Foolish people do not really care.

A Heartfelt Love for God

The fourth leg of the table I mention here is perhaps the most important one. Fear is a good motivation to avoid evil and its consequences, but fear will not suffice as a proper motivation to serve God. Fear-based service is akin to slavery, and sometimes develops grudging obedience. But God has made us beloved sons (and daughters). His Spirit resides in us. We are one with Him, and consequently the Spirit of God’s Son motivates us to serve God out of a heartfelt love for him.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ) — if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:14-17 (NET1)

We are to serve God as a son serves his father, out of love, respect and a vision for the future. The son knows that one day he will inherit from his father; so, everything he does to build with his father will one day result in his own enrichment. So it is in God’s kingdom. God allows us to serve out of love and gratitude, out of our respect for Him, and because he has made us co-heirs with Christ.

Love is the only pure motivation to serve God.

Freedom always has a purpose. One reason the United States is in such trouble today is because we have separated freedom from its purpose and have used it to pursue sinful and selfish ends. The reason God brought us into his kingdom is so that we can serve him, bring glory to his name, be used as ambassadors of the gospel of freedom, and rule and reign with Him forever in the new creation. Unless we understand and embrace this heavenly purpose for our lives, we will be deficient in our motivation to serve God, with a resulting lack of freedom. All of this should motivate us to love him more and more.

If we desire to experience all the freedom that Jesus died to give us, we should carefully consider the four legs of the table. If one of them is missing or not very strong, ask God to do whatever is necessary to give us strength in that area. Our future depends on it. And be sure that God is more interested in helping us than we are in getting his help. He is waiting for us to ask and move toward him, expecting his participation.

For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NET1)

Go back to Part Three: The Basis of Our Freedom

Read Part Five: The Salvation of the Spirit

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Part 3: The Basis of Our Freedom

 

This is the third article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling.

We got ourselves into the current terrible situation by turning our backs on God, as I explained in my previous article, and we can only escape with God’s help. In fact, our deliverance, healing, and restoration depend entirely upon the graciousness or grace of God; although, we do have a part to play. Without his initiative and intervention, we would be hopelessly and eternally lost. Without his continual sustaining power through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we cannot keep ourselves free. But through him, we are able to experience all that Jesus died to provide for us.

Jesus came to restore us to God’s intended way of living in complete harmony and partnership with God. It is a gloriously freeing way to live!

All things begin, continue, and end with God. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. It is crucial for us to understand that each Person of the triune Godhead contributes to what the Bible calls our “great salvation.” (Hebrews 2:3) Our heavenly Father, the first Person of the Godhead, is the One who has loved us from before the creation of the world and who planned our salvation before we ever took our first breath.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. 4 For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love. Ephesians 1:3-4 (NET1)

Abba Father is the kindest and most loving Person we will ever know.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 5 even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you are saved! — 6 and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7 (NET1)

But He is also completely just, holy, and righteous, and our sin created a huge obstacle to our ever being able to enjoy the fellowship and intimacy that Father God originally planned for us to share with Him. We distanced ourselves from Abba through our sinful breach of his righteousness, as I described in my previous article. His desire to show mercy to us stood opposed to the requirements of his truth and righteousness. How could God’s righteous anger at our sin ever be reconciled with his tender mercies?

Abba’s amazing plan manifested wisdom which is beyond human. It is…

...the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 (NET1)

Abba’s solution was for His only begotten Son, the eternal Word of God, to become a human being and offer Himself as a perfect substitutionary sacrifice in our behalf.

Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We] saw his glory — the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. John 1:14 (NET1) 

But when this priest [Jesus] had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 where he is now waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy. Hebrews 10:12-14 (NET1)

In addition, by the genius of what theologians call “identification,” God caused us to participate in Christ’s death and resurrection, having placed us “in Christ”, in whom we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings.

God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NET1)

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NET1)

To make the solution perfect, our heavenly Father sent His Holy Spirit to indwell each believer. God’s Spirit lives Christ’s life in and through everyone who is born again. He is the Great Helper and Enabler. He is our life and power source. He is the One who transforms us into the people God always wanted us to be. He is our guarantee that God will complete what he began.

Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever — 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he resides with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 (NET1)

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 (ESV)

Every great team has unity, clearly defined job descriptions, and superlative abilities. The Trinity is no exception. In fact, the very concept of team originates in God. The Father is the planner. The Son is the executor who carries out the Father’s plan. The Holy Spirit is the administrator who works behind the scenes to assure the success of Father’s plan and the Son’s execution of that plan. Another way to put it is that the Father chose us to be his very own. The Son died and rose again to ensure the outcome, and the Spirit draws us to faith in Christ through the Gospel and applies the benefits of the finished work of Christ to our lives, bringing the Father’s plan to fruition. This plan will be completed at the Second Coming of Christ, when we will experience the final installment of our great salvation, the resurrection from the dead.

Paul tells us that:

When all things are subjected to him [Abba Father], then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:28 (ESV)

God is our final destiny, the goal or end of salvation. To Him belongs all glory forever and ever.

It is extremely important to understand and believe that our salvation begins and ends with God.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NASB) 

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34  For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35  Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36  For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:33-36 (NASB)

Our salvation began with Father’s plan to bring us into his family. The conclusion will be when we receive our resurrected bodies and heavenly reward. The in-between, the time in which we now live, is also dependent on God’s graciousness; although, as I said before, we play a vital role. The coming of our Lord, his death, burial and resurrection, and the sending of the Holy Spirit were all accomplished before we were born. None of us had any “say” in that plan or the accomplishment of it.

As Paul wrote,

So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. Romans 9:16 (NET1)

Our part arises when we hear the gospel and respond. If we are among those who believe, something happened in our hearts when we heard the gospel message. The Bible tells us that it was a result of the inner work of God’s Spirit combined with the outer call of the gospel that produced in us the desire to surrender our lives to Christ. Jesus made it clear that God is the initiator, not us.

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44 (NET1)

Yes, we indeed must make the choice to believe in and serve Christ, but the mystery of God is at work beneath the surface of things, so that we can all agree that God deserves all the glory.

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. Ephesians 2:8-10 (NET1)

The reason I have gone to such great lengths to show God’s integral involvement with every aspect of our salvation is to give us a solid foundation for hope.

If our salvation rests on our shoulders and faithfulness and depends on our abilities, our will power, our holiness, or our goodness, we are in big trouble. But if our salvation rests upon the Father’s choice to love us, the Son’s finished work, and the power of the indwelling Spirit, we are in good shape.

If we are going to experience true freedom, we will need to come to terms with acknowledging and relying on the God who works through his freely given grace. We cannot approach him through our own goodness or performance. Likewise, neither our lack of goodness (apart from Christ) nor our poor performance thus far, is any deterrent to our being able to experience God’s ability to set us free. We come to God solely on the basis of Christ’s righteousness. We have none of our own. We must make it our goal to..

.. be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness — a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness. Philippians 3:9 (NET1)

Only when we learn to rely on God’s love, kindness, righteousness, grace, power and authority can we experience all that Christ died and rose again to give us. We dare not short change ourselves and “frustrate the grace of God” by trying to save ourselves. It will never work and will only leave us confused and frustrated.

Jesus did not come to help the religious and the self-sufficient. He came to save sinners who acknowledge their spiritual poverty. (Matthew 5:3)

We must answer Christ’s call and come to Him with no pretended ability to save or liberate ourselves, but with full confidence that freedom can be experienced by grace alone. Jesus said:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry. Matthew 11:28-30 (NET1)

God’s promise is that when we learn to live by faith in the power of the Spirit, believing what the Bible says is true, we will be able to live in a way that brings glory to God.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 (ESV)

If we will make it your goal to rely on God’s grace, believe his truth, operate in Christ’s authority, and live by the power of the Spirit, we too can experience freedom in Christ. That is the basis of our freedom.

Go back to Part 2: Understanding the Components of Bondage

Read Part 4: The Table Has Four Legs

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