The Shepherd's Voice

Hope and a Future

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For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29:10-14)

This is a well-known passage to most of us evangelicals, especially verse 11: “For I know the plans I have for you [or For I know the thoughts I think toward you]. . . “ It’s common to see this verse on paintings, photos, cards, and the like as a reminder. In the last several years, there’s also been a widespread objection to such uses of this verse. The objection? This passage was written to Israel in exile. The implication of this objection almost seems to be that it has nothing to say to us today. After all, it is found in the Old Testament. And we are living in the New Testament.

What to Do With It

Unfortunately, I voiced this objection myself for many years. Yet, isn’t all Scripture inspired by God? Isn’t all Scripture given for us, to teach us and train us? Yes indeed, for Paul reminded Timothy,

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

When Paul wrote these words, the only Scriptures they had were the Old Testament. Therefore, he attests to their validity and authority. Verse 17 is an important verse to remember here. It simply says that all Scripture is helpful in making the man (and woman) of God complete and equipped. Thus, to refuse to study and learn from the Old Testament is to be incomplete and not fully equipped.

If all Scripture is given by God for our training and maturity, then even the Old Testament must have things that we can and should learn. Even a passage like this with a specific prophecy to a specific group of people. Such is the case with this passage. It teaches us at least two things: God’s care for His people, and the fact that we are not home yet.

God Cares for His People

The first thing this passage teaches us is simply that God cares for His people. Israel had been sent away to exile because of their idolatrous ways and refusal to obey the covenant. They continually sought other gods and worshipped them. They adopted the practices of the nations around them, at times even including child sacrifice. God finally sent them away. Yet, as we read Israel was homesick. We see this in Lamentations and other writings. God must surely have felt much like a human father must feel when he has to discipline a son or daughter. In this passage, He promises to bring them back to the land He gave to their forefathers. Even though they sinned against Him repeatedly, God continued to show grace and mercy. He continued to tell Israel, through Jeremiah and others, that their time in exile would end. And then, you know what? He would judge the nation that mistreated them.

In fact, He cares for His people so much that He gave them another promise just two chapters later:

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

God’s love was so great for His people that He provided a new way for them. A way for them to be able to live obediently.

So it is with us. Sometimes God disciplines us–not to punish us, but to train us in His ways. Discipline and discipleship are closely related words. He doesn’t discipline us because He is angry. He disciplines us because He loves us and wants the best for us. And that discipline will end. He will bring us back to Himself, if we are willing. Even in our pain, He cares for us, and He has a plan for us, just as He had for them. And He has graciously included us in that same New Covenant.

We Are Not Home Yet

The other thing this passage teaches us is that we are simply not home yet. We were created for a perfect world, to live with God in communion and harmony. We aren’t there yet. Often we are like exiles and strangers in a foreign land. Often the very pain we go through reminds us of this. As the song “Blessings” by Laura Story says,

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not our home

And because this is not our home, God promises us, just as He did Israel, that He will bring us home. He will complete His work in us.

So, when trouble is all around, when darkness closes in, go ahead. Hang on to that popular verse. Because it is true. God has a good plan for you. He plans for good and not evil, to give you hope and a future.

And He promises to take you home with Him.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Desiring to Do Good

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With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thess. 1:11-12, NIV)

I’ve been studying the New Covenant a lot lately. Actually, for several years now. I’ve often asked (and been asked by others) two primary questions about salvation and the New Covenant. 1) How can one know he or she is saved? and 2) What is the fundamental difference between the Old and New Covenant? In this passage we have a key to understanding both questions.

What does Paul pray for here? He prays that the Lord would bring to fruition “your every desire for goodness and . . . deed prompted by faith.” In short, Paul is saying that the believers now have a new desire. A desire to be good and to do good. Now, we in the evangelical world often shy away from the term “good” (especially when it’s linked to “works”), because it’s often used in a vague way. Jesus said that only God is good (Matt. 19:17). Apart from Christ, no one has anything “good.” Indeed “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6).

The Foundation of Change: The New Covenant

But what about those of us who are in Christ? Are we no different? I suggest we are. The New Covenant says we are. I’ve written on this subject before and how the believer is changed, but here I want to focus on the effect of that change. We find the New Covenant in these passages:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31–34)

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. (Ezekiel 36:25–29)

In case you aren’t familiar with these passages or the New Covenant, here’s a brief background. These passages appear in the Old Testament. They were prophecies given by God to Israel and later extended to the Gentiles as well (more on this in a bit). When we take these passages together we come up with four important promises:

  • A new identity. Notice the Lord promises to give “a new heart” and to “remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” The heart, in Jewish thinking, is the center of the being, very core of the person. Whereas the old heart of stone was hostile to God, the new heart will be inclined toward Him, to love and obey Him. The person has been changed from sinner to saint.
  • A new status. The Lord also promises to “sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.” Whereas the sinner was defiled by sin, the one cleansed by God is totally clean. The person has been changed from defiled to clean.
  • A new motivation. Instead of obeying God just because the law said so, the Lord promised that Israel (and we) would now obey because the law is written on our heart. He says, “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.” Again, the heart is the center, the very core of the being. So, now our motivation is internal. The very law of God is written into our makeup! We are changed from keeping the law because it’s what we do to keeping the law because it’s who we are.
  • A new relationship. Not only is the law written in our heart, but the believer also has the very Spirit of God indwelling him! The Lord promised, “I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” As if the law written on our very hearts wasn’t enough, we are given the Holy Spirit to teach and encourage us. We are changed from us living in God’s presence to God’s presence living in us.

How do we know that these promises apply to all believers, not just Israel? Because God gave the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles on the same basis. We read this in Acts 11, after Peter visited a Gentile by the name of Cornelius and then reported back to the Jerusalem church:

As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (Acts 11:15–18)

Then we read this, in Peter and John’s testimony before the Sanhedrin:

The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him. (Acts 5:30–32, emphasis mine)

The Holy Spirit is given to all who obey the Lord and respond to the gospel. 

New Desires and Old Desires

So, we see that one who is saved is changed. He really is the new creation that Paul describes in 2 Cor. 5:17. Along with the new identity, status, motivation, and relationship comes new desires. New desires to do good. To love. To serve. The question might be (and is) asked, “If that’s true, then why do we see Christians still sin and fail to live out that change?” It’s a good and fair question.

The short answer is, the flesh. We still have the flesh, with its desires intact. The desire of the flesh is primarily to live independently of God, to “do things my way.” That’s how we operated before Christ. So, the flesh wants one thing, but our new heart and spirit want another. As Paul puts it,

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:17).

How do we distinguish between the desires of the Spirit (and our new heart) and the desires of the flesh? That is the question. We should first keep in mind the greatest commandments:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 22:37–40)

As one writer described it, these commandments tell us that we are to move toward God in loving obedience and service and toward others in love and self-giving service. Thus, anything that causes us to move away from those goals is to be resisted. This includes any desire of self-protection that would keep others at a distance. Anything, however, that seeks to move us toward God and others can be seen as a Spirit-led desire.

Many of our desires will be recognizable. We want to serve others. We want to share our faith with others. Maybe the neighbor down the street is lonely or needs practical help and we find ourselves wanting to help. Some of these new desires will no doubt surprise us. What Paul prayed for in our opening verse should be our prayer as well–that the Lord would help us fulfill every desire for good and every work prompted by faith in our life. Thus, we will both become good (according to His definition) and do good (by His definition).

Some choose to not move until God gives them a specific command, fearful of making a wrong step. This is not His way. He calls us to step out in faith, obeying the desires of the indwelling Spirit and our new heart. If we take a wrong turn in our lives, He is more than able (and willing) to bring us back to His path, teaching us along the way to listen to our deepest desires for Him.

Don’t be afraid to reach out. If you are a believer in Christ, embrace your new identity. Embrace your new desires. Pray that the Lord give you more and strengthen them. And then act on them. Then you will live out the promise:

But forget all that—
    it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
For I am about to do something new.
    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
    I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. (Isaiah 43:18-19, NLT)

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The Shepherd's Voice

The Fellowship of Suffering

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I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead (Phil. 3:10-11).

In the previous post (“Your God is Too Small”), I related my struggle to reconcile Jesus’ words about being His disciple (Luke 9:13; 14:23) and (also His) words about receiving for whatever we ask in prayer, which many in the prosperity gospel movement rely heavily on. I mentioned that to experience the power of the resurrected life, we must first endure our cross and the crucifixion of the flesh. In this process, our desires are changed to His desires.

There is, however, another part of the cross-driven life that we often overlook–and from a human perspective it’s quite understandable why we overlook it. We overlook the place of suffering in our transformation on the road to resurrection. It’s not a topic anyone enjoys thinking about. The truth is, though, that we all suffer–the just and the unjust, the righteous and unrighteous, the believers and unbelievers. For the one who follows Christ, his sufferings have a purpose. Says one writer about suffering,

God calls us to participate with Him in the process of our spiritual formation, but we do not initiate some of the most life-changing experiences in our journey. They are unexpectedly thrust upon us in the form of failure, loss, injury, illness, pain, exploitation, and unfulfilled desires. These painful experiences can shake our foundations and expose our deepest longings and weaknesses. Because suffering affects us deeply, it can also be profoundly transformative, giving us opportunities for knowing our inmost selves, deepening our experience of intimacy with God, and growing in Christlikeness.[1]

Even though our sufferings are not pointless, we cannot nor should we minimize them or try to give “pat” answers for the difficult questions that arise. But what we can do, and should do, is join the fellowship of suffering. As believers we can all relate to loss, pain, trials, and grief. Suffering not only unites us with Christ (as we share and identify with His suffering) but also unites us to one another. We are told to weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15), in addition to rejoicing with those who rejoice.

Paul often spoke of the church as the Body of Christ. In the body, when one part is hurt or injured, the rest of the body not only compensates but sends aid to that part. So it is with the Body of Christ, the church (1 Cor. 12:26). In the midst of the community of grace, the fellowship of suffering is where we find the most transformation. As we encourage, we are encouraged and transformed. As we wrestle with the difficult questions of “why?” we come, both individually and as a community to a deeper understanding of God’s goodness and the fact that “this is not the way it’s supposed to be.” The same author, speaking about suffering, says,

While we have the great promise of Romans 8:28 that God may redeem suffering by bringing good out of it for those who love Him, it is not what we want, nor should want, and it is not what God wants or originally intended. . . . [Our sufferings] remind us that we are human, that we cannot know all that we are desperate to understand, and that we desperately need God. As we grapple with doubts and questions that arise out of our own suffering, we are changed in the process and are given an opportunity to incarnate the gospel for our generation. As others witness our struggles and faith in adversity and see God’s sustaining grace bringing light to dark, painful places in our lives, they receive hope that God can be trusted in their own broken lives.[2)

What does it mean to “incarnate the gospel”? It means that we live out the very gospel. Jesus learned obedience by what He suffered (Heb. 5:8). And so we too learn obedience and the deepest form of trust by suffering. And at the end of the tunnel we find that unshakeable faith that God really is that good, and the unspeakable joy that He is with us in the midst of the darkest nights. 

[1] Dallas Willard, Keith Meyer, et al. The Kingdom Life: A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation, p. 172.

[2] The Kingdom Life, p. 172-173.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Your God is Too Small

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When the disciples saw [Jesus curse the fig tree], they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matt. 21:20-22).

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. . . . If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple (Luke 9:23; 14:26-27).

If you’ve read much of this blog over the past few years, you know that I have an inherent bent against what many call the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel. I’ve taught against it. I’ve written about it. (See “Blessings for Here and Now” for an example.) After reading much of this writing some might conclude that I am anti-faith or that my definition of faith is merely on the level of intellectual assent. But, that’s not the case.

I’ve wrestled with these issues for a long while now. Recently, they’ve begun to come to the forefront of my thinking as I think about faith and discipleship while writing my current book. The reason that so many (including myself) struggle with these issues–and why so many tend to go to one extreme or the other–is that both of the above statements were said by Jesus, and they are both true. It’s a case of having to hold two (seemingly) contradictory ideas in our heads at the same time.

If I have faith I can have anything I ask….

To be Jesus’ disciple means to deny myself and take up my cross….

I can have all I ask as long as I have faith….

I must take up my cross and deny myself….

How do we understand these two ideas? The first thing we need to remember is that Jesus often spoke in terms of a perfect reality. If we have faith, we can indeed have whatever we ask in His name. Now, we need to remember that the idea of “in His name” isn’t just tagging our prayer with “in Jesus’ name.” No, it means asking for things in His authority and according to His will and character. But, getting back to the point. While Jesus often spoke in terms of a perfect reality, we do not live in that perfect reality yet. That’s something we often forget. Even our faith is stained with the flesh and sin.

What needs to happen, then, is our faith needs to be purified. How does that happen? Through death to self. As we deny self and take up our cross, we are transformed. The flesh is crucified. Sin is progressively done away with. Our faith is strengthened. Do we not see that in older mature Christians, who have a vibrant relationship with Christ, who routinely have prayers answered?

It’s just that their prayers are not our prayers.

The one who has matured, who has died to self, does have the very resurrection power of Christ living in them–as do all who trust in Him for salvation. The process of sanctification has changed their desires, however. They no longer lust for things of this world. They know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God will provide all they need. They further know that His blessings are not for them alone but for the sake of others. 

We often want the power of the resurrection without going through the cross. To quote a popular commercial, “That’s not how this works!” We need the latter to experience the former. How do I know this is true? First is the very example of Jesus. Second, it is the exact opposite of how the world thinks.

Those who seek the blessings of this world without submitting to the cross serve a very small God. They want the “miracle” and “breakthrough” of stuff and things without the deeper and bigger miracle of being transformed into the new creation. Seeking the blessings of this life is putting God in a box, limiting who He is and how He operates. 

Those who seek the cross-driven life, choosing the path of death to self discover something interesting along the way. When they get to that place where their faith is strengthened, where they can truly say, “Mountain be removed from your place and cast into the sea,” their desires have been changed. They no longer care about the blessings of this world. They only care about Jesus, and making Him known to as many people as possible. And when that is the desire of our heart, we can be sure that God will indeed give us all we need to make that happen.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Who Are We? Christian or American Pt 2

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In the last post (“Christian or American,” 1/12/20), we asked some hard questions about the church and believers. We suggested that many parts of the American church are losing their biblical identity. We further suggested that this is because many churches have bought into the world’s ways of thinking, and that they have tied themselves so strongly to Americanism that they are now dependent on America’s greatness for their own greatness.

This, friends, is nothing less than idolatry. How do we know it is idolatry? Simple. No man, no political system is perfect, nor is he or it the savior of a nation or the world. When we automatically equate “Christian” with “the right,” “the left,” “Republican,” “Democrat,” or any other earthly label, we have begun to cross that line. Another sign is when our favorite party or politician loses and we believe “the cause of righteousness” has been dealt a blow. No man, no earthly system is perfect enough to be equated with God’s cause of righteousness. There’s only one that carries that banner: the Lord Jesus Christ. Not even the church, Christ’s visible representation on earth, is perfect enough to be idealized.

I asked this question on social media a couple days ago, and I’m going to ask it here. (For those readers outside the US, just substitute your own national parties and politicians here.)

If you are a supporter of President Donald Trump, will you accept President-Elect Joe Biden as YOUR President? Will you commit to pray for him and the incoming leadership over the next four years? Will you commit to pray good for them, that they make wise and godly decisions and come to know the Lord Jesus Christ? Will you release any bitterness, anger, and ill will to the Lord in order that your prayers not be hindered?

If you are not a supporter of President Trump and the Republicans, will you commit to pray for the (soon to be former) President and his family? Will you acknowledge that good came out of the last four years? Will you pray for the good of the outgoing administration, including that they come to know Christ? Will you commit to releasing any bitterness, anger, and ill will to the Lord in order that your prayers not be hindered?

If you cannot honestly answer “yes” to these questions from your heart, then it may be time to ask the Lord, 

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me (Psalms 139:23-24).

Who Are We?

Now we are going to return to the questions at the end of the last post. What does it mean to be a Christian? What does it mean to be the church?

In simple terms, a Christian is one who has been born again by the Spirit of God (John 3:3). He has repented of his sins and trusted Christ for salvation (Mark 1:15; Acts 16:31; 17:30-31). Being a Christian means that one is made new. Not just new in terms of better, but new in terms of something that did not exist before. Totally new. And it’s all of God, from start to finish. Salvation is by faith alone. This is the gospel. It is about sin, repentance, and faith. Any definition of salvation or the gospel that is not based on that is unbiblical.

What does it mean to be a Christian, however? What are the priorities of a Christians? This is really where the rub is, isn’t it? Because so many people say, “A Christian should [fill in the blank].” Whether it’s advocating for social/racial justice, feeding the homeless, witnessing, voting, or whatever, everyone has a thought.

I suggest that this is the central responsibility of a Christian: the gospel. Everything else a Christian does is to be centered around this. Why is this so? Three reasons:

  • Declaring the gospel is the God-ordained means of seeing people come into the Kingdom. God has not chosen to flood the world with angels to declare the message. He has chosen to use earthly, broken vessels to spread and live his message.
  • It is the last recorded command that Jesus gave to His disciples before the ascension. Often, people save the most important things they wish to say until the last. This is no different. And we see that beginning to happen immediately. Jerusalem and the surrounding areas exploded with people telling the good news of Christ. And then the good news spread throughout the known world.
  • No lasting change will ever come to this earth apart from the gospel. The best that can be accomplished is a race of highly educated, self-centered people that strive to outwardly conform to ever changing standards of a fallen society.

Beyond the gospel, a Christian’s first commandment is to love. Love God with all we are, and love our neighbors as ourselves (see Mark 12:30-31). There is little disagreement on this point between Christians. Most of us know on a basic level what these words mean (or at least we think we do).

So, the real questions here are very practical ones.

1) May a Christian engage in social or political activism (or must he do so)? 

My answer to this is, “Yes one may.” But one must not confuse these things with his first responsibility to keep faith and declare the gospel. If we succeed in pushing through a political agenda or feeding the homeless and haven’t shared the gospel, what eternal benefit have we gained? Likewise, if we declare the gospel to a starving person, but do not help him with the basic necessities, are we not simply saying, “Be warmed and well-filled. . . and Jesus loves you”? (See James 2:15-17.)

Is there a must? No. There’s no command in Scripture to actively participate in political or social activism. However, for one who has been changed and called to love justice, mercy, and faith, it is hard to imagine one’s heart and conscience not being stirred.

2) Is it possible for a Christian to support the [fill in the blank] party?

In general, yes. To say otherwise, as I have seen on social media, is to call into question the salvation of a believer, and denigrate him in front of unbelievers. This, for a Christian, is inexcusable. It places a separate requirement for salvation (or at least an evidence of salvation) on the person other than faith. Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples by our love, not by our political affiliation.

A word of caution here (hopefully a balanced word). In supporting a candidate, party, or program, the believer must be willing to critically examine the basis of his or her support. Some Christians think that abortion is the only issue that matters. Thus, if a candidate agrees with 99/100 issues that they do, but is pro-choice, they wil say, “Nope!” Other Christians see other issues just as important and tend to support based on a broader set of criteria (and often those Christians who support a pro-choice candidate are themselves pro-life. Which is right? Both are. For both sides it’s often an issue of conscience. And we are sternly commanded not to judge the conscience of another (Romans 14). Every political party and political system in this world is sin-stained and corrupt because they are led by fallen people.

No System to Work, No Easy Answers

The real problem with these questions and this debate is that Christians assume many of these answers are easy. They are not. How does a nation deal with immigrant children separated from their parents? Can a nation pass pro-choice laws and yet also encourage programs that will have the effect of eliminating abortion? When same-sex marriage is legal in the nation, how is the church to repond to those couples? How can we affirm the uniqueness of individuals without giving in to the LBGTQ+ movement? How do we encourage true multiculturalism in the church without giving into the pitfalls of critical race theory?

The gospel is not a system to work. It is a change of the heart. And that change does not come immediately. It’s possible for one who is saved to not even believe some of the truths that we conservatives hold as “fundamental,” like the deity of Christ and the inerrancy of Scripture. It’s also possible that they don’t immediately change their perspective on issues such as racial justice, abortion, etc. Christians need to think deeply about such issues–that so many often find “easy” answers in Scripture regarding these issues testifies to the fact that their thinking is superficial.

Above all, we must remember that the gospel is not a political system. It is the means by which a holy God is reconciling sinful humanity to himself. The gospel has implications (see above), and believers would do well to think through those implications. But in the end we who follow Christ must place our hope–all of our hope–in Christ alone. Not in the fortunes of America or a political or economic system. Our citizenship in this world is transitory at best. We are aliens and strangers here. This world is not our home. It’s okay to do what we can to make the world a better place (Jer. 29:7), but don’t get too comfortable.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Christian or American?

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I had hoped to start the New Year off with a more encouraging post. In the light of recent events that continue to unfold, however, it became necessary to address these issues for the sake of the church, the Body and Bride of Christ.

Last week, many of us watched a sight we never thought we’d see in our lifetime: What can only be described as a riot at the Capitol. What was most disturbing on that day and in subsequent days was the number of professed Christians who condoned, supported, encouraged, and even participated in the event. If that wasn’t bad enough, there have been many calls for more violent action, including “civil war,” and some self-proclaimed Christians are seemingly in support of such a thing.

The week before those events, I wrote a post about the dangers of taking idols into our hearts. Specifically, the post addressed what was called Christian Americanism (“Idols in the Heart,” 12/29/20). This week’s post is not meant to duplicate that. And again, this is not a post about politics. It is about the role of the church.

Almost two years ago, I wrote the following. It was meant as an open letter to the church, and came from a deep burden. I posted it on the website in January of last year. Though it may not at first seem related, I believe we are seeing the beginnings of what is written in that letter:

My brothers and sisters,

I am so glad to have been born in America, where we can freely declare the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe God indeed raised up America for His own purposes according to Scripture.

Yet, in these last days, the church will soon have to make a choice. For far too long now, she has hitched her wagon to both the Gospel of Christ and the democratic individualism of America.

I tell you by the Word of the Lord that there will come a time, and I believe that time to be soon, that these two horses will diverge, and the wagon will be ripped apart. The horse of individualism and independence will attack the horse carrying the Gospel of Christ. Unable to defeat the Gospel, the first horse will then attack the followers of the Gospel.

There is a day coming in which America will turn upon those who claim the name of Christ. We are already seeing the stirrings of that, both from without and within the church. America will still continue to serve God's purpose, but that purpose will be to help usher in the end of the age. The Father will allow America--and the world at large--to persecute the church. Many will be put in prison and even executed for claiming the name of Christ. This persecution is not to punish but to purify, as a refiner draws the dross off the silver. The Father wants His church to be prepared for the return of Christ.

America's democratic foundation of independence and individualism is not compatible with the Gospel. We who are citizens of heaven do not live in a democracy. We live in a kingdom. A kingdom has a King. The subjects of the kingdom are under His authority. We live in dependence on the Father. Seeking independence from God is at the heart of all sin.

As the apostle John said, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world" (1 John 2:15-16). Are not these three things embedded in America?

What shall we do then? Pray for America. Pray that she have godly leadership, and that the nation as a whole turn to Christ, that the day of reckoning be postponed. Pray for the church, that she be ready and prepared when that day comes. Mark these words well, that day WILL come.

To return to the picture earlier, above all, get out of the wagon and get on the horse of the Gospel. Remember that you are a citizen of heaven first and foremost. Your citizenship here counts for nothing when compared to that. Resist the temptation to remain comfortable and instead choose to abandon yourself to Christ, no matter what may come.

Grace and peace to you, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
("The Church in America: An Open Letter")

In the wake of recent events, the church must take a step back and take a hard look at where her priorities are. There is something to be said for being salt and light. Jesus said we were that. There is something to be said for redeeming and restoring parts of culture. Yet, like the church of Laodicea, large parts of the American church (and the larger Western church) are in danger of losing their biblical identity. Why is that so? Because they have bought into the world’s system to the extent that these parts of the church are not much more than another political group. The church desires the wealth of America, and thus rides the coattails of any leader who promises to bring greatness back to America–whether that leader be Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, etc..

As written in the open letter, the American church has hitched itself so long to the horse of America that she is now dependent on America for her perceived greatness. As I wrote in my previous post, this is idolatry. The events of January 6th are the inevitable result of idolatry.

We need to be clear here: For those not in Christ, those who have not been born again, what happened Wednesday is no surprise. We can expect no different from the unregenerate. For the follower of Christ, however, such actions are unthinkable and inexcusable. How are we to redeem the culture if we act just like the culture? How are we to have our minds renewed if we think just like the culture?

I could identify specific issues (mask-wearing, civil disobedience, etc.). If you have followed and/or read much of The Shepherd’s Voice on Twitter, you’ve seen those subjects dealt with at length recently. While they are included, the events of last week and the underlying attitudes go far beyond those issues. They go to the heart of what it means to be a believer.

What does it mean to be a Christian? Can one be a “left-leaning liberal” and be a Christian? Must a Christian always vote for conservative politicians? (Or must a Christian vote at all?) Aer certain political, philosophical, or economic policies automatically off-limits to a Christian? Or are certain of those policies mandatory for a Christian? What does it mean to be a Christian in America? This is the question that the church really needs to answer: “Who are we?”

And that is the question we will delve into in the next blog post.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Idols in the Heart

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Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. And the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols” (Ezekiel 14:1-5).

As we reach the end of yet another year, it’s time to reflect on the past 12 months. At the beginning of the year, many were talking about “20/20 vision,” and developing a vision for the year. Being an election year in America, many found hope in both major candidates and proclaimed that they were the hope of America. Then COVID-19 hit. Masks. Lockdowns. Isolation. While the year started out with great promise to many, the year has seen America more divided than ever–and the church fares little better.

Don’t worry, though, this is not a post about politics–except to say this: Neither Donald Trump nor Joe Biden are the hope of America (or any other country). 

No, this is a post about what the church has learned (or rather still needs to learn) from this year. There have been some things exposed that need to be dealt with in the church, if she is to reclaim her biblical identity and mission.

Idolatry in the Heart

What is the root cause of such nasty division? How could the church, bought with the very blood of Christ turn in on itself in such dramatic fashion to make many believers ashamed? This goes beyond political stances or even disagreements on non-fundamental theological issues. The root cause of this is idolatry. “Idolatry? Here in America?” Certainly. We tend to think of idols in terms of tangible things. A statue. A crucifix. Something to take to a priest to be blessed. 

The truth is, however, that idolatry is firstly a condition of the heart. Notice what the Lord said to Ezekiel in this passage: “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces” (v. 3, emphasis added). The elders that came to the prophet had idols in their hearts. They were not openly worshipping false gods or images. They were outwardly following the rules. Yet, the Lord pinpointed the real truth, that their hearts were full of idolatry.

How does one have an idol in the heart? When one worships, serves, and/or gives primacy of place to the idol. What kind of idols are we talking about? Anything and anyone can become an idol. Money is an obvious one, so is power, fame, etc. There is, however, one big idol that the western church has not only overlooked but has embraced in large measures: the idol of Christian Americanism.

What is that? What does that mean? The idol of Christian Americanism says that to be an American Christian you must think, vote, and act a certain way. It holds aloft the ideals of democracy, freedom, and individualism, proclaiming them as gospel truths–and indeed almost synonymous with the gospel. At the base of this idol is the foundational idea of “my rights.” Americans have rights. Humans have rights. 

What’s wrong with those things? Aren’t they good? In a way, they are very good. All should be treated as equal and treated as image-bearers of God. Yet, the concepts of democratic individualism and “rights” have done more damage to the church than most of the heresies throughout her history.

While we are individuals and the gospel celebrates our uniqueness, we are joined to others in the Body of Christ. Democratic individualism undermines the corporate identity of the church.

While we are never to place another person above (or alongside) God, we are called to give up our rights in favor of the benefit of others.

The idol of Christian Americanism is not much different than the lie of the serpent to Eve: You can do it your own way. You can be your own god. That is admittedly a strong statement. Yet, what else are we to say when believers turn on each other as they have? What else are we to say when a believer judges another’s salvation based on political stances? What else are we to say when a believer flippantly regards proper directives from authority, simply because he or she disagrees with them–or worse yet because he or she refuses to recognize said authority?

Over the past weeks on social media I have witnessed:

  • believers calling for civil war in the wake of the election
  • believers refusing to recognize the President-elect, saying “he’s not and won’t be my President”
  • believers refusing to follow mask mandates in the midst of the COVID crisis because “it’s illogical and doesn’t make sense”
  • believers saying or implying that if one votes for a particular candidate, he or she must not be a Christian (both sides are guilty of this)
  • believers making fun of, mocking, or implying that those who wear masks are silly, babies, walking in fear, or worse yet, duped by the government (and perhaps traitors).

The Stumbling Block of Iniquity

Notice what verse 3 also says about the idols of the heart. The one who has an idol in his heart has set a stumbling block before himself. He will trip and fall because of his own idolatry. And he will fall into iniquity. One cannot avoid falling into sin when they are being led by idols. It’s impossible. In the passage, the Lord says, “Should I let myself be inquired at all by them?” The tone of the question is, “Why would they even think that I’d listen to them when they try to inquire of me while their heart is full of idolatry?” This happened in Israel and it is certainly happening today. Many who profess Christ have set up such idols in their heart. What does the Lord say about that one who does inquire of the Lord with those idols?

I the LORD will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols (vv. 4-5).

There are several things we need to understand and heed in this passage:

  • Idolatry in the heart estranges one from the Lord. Notice the Lord mentions “the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols.” Like Israel, a believer can become estranged from the Lord through idols of the heart. He has set his idols up in his heart as god.
  • The Lord will answer the idolatrous one “according to the multitude of his idols” (NKJV). He will give the idolatrous one over to his idols. This is similar to the language of Romans 1 where the Gentiles are said to be given over to their idols and the lies that they have believed. What does that mean? It means the idolatrous one will become more and more set in idolatry.
  • The Lord does this because He wants the whole heart. The Lord tells Ezekiel, “that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel.” The NET says “in order [that I may] capture the hearts.” How does this work? As with all sin, in order to truly repent of it, one must come to the end of self. The Lord gives over the idolater to the iniquity of his idols so that he may eventually see the emptiness of those idols. That is not a pleasant journey. Solomon took a similar journey, and he said, “Vanity! All is vanity!” 

A Call to Repent

What must the church do? The answer to idolatry is always repentance. We must be willing to ask the Holy Spirit to identify and expose the idols of the heart so that we may repent of and forsake them. We must distance ourselves from the idol of Christian Americanism.To do that we must remember:

  • we are first and foremost citizens of heaven and that we are aliens and strangers here
  • this world–let alone this country–is not our home
  • we are citizens of a kingdom–with a King; though he does not physically reign yet, his rules still apply to his subject
  • we are called to look out for others first; if wearing a mask is to the advantage of another then we should lay down any supposed rights and do so

Above all we must repent and repair the breaches within the church. We must go to brothers and sisters that we have hurt through our idolatry. And we must be willing for the Lord to show us those people. For those of us who have been hurt, we must find the grace to forgive.

Let 2020 pass away. Let 2021 mark a new beginning, where the Bride of Christ reclaims her identity.

Behold, I am doing a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.
The wild beasts will honor me,
    the jackals and the ostriches,
for I give water in the wilderness,
    rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
    the people whom I formed for myself
that they might declare my praise. Isaiah 43:19-21

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The Shepherd's Voice

Christmas: God Enters Our Battle

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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). 

Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will, but yours be done. And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:41-44). 

We know all about Christmas, right? The birth of Jesus. The light in the darkness. The light of the world. Giving gifts. Decorating. Family. The time when so many people feel so alone.

Wait, what?

Yes. There are multitudes of people who feel empty and alone during this time of the year. And it’s only getting worse. The year 2020 has been one of the hardest–if not the hardest–years on record for mental health issues. The feeling of isolation coupled with the changing of everything. People can’t even do Christmas as they used to. Those feelings of emptiness and loneliness are not “just” emptiness and loneliness, though.

They are indicators of a battle for the soul.

“A battle you say? At Christmas?” Yes, a battle. When Jesus was born that dark night in Bethlehem, it was not only God putting a candle into the darkened world. It was also God entering our battles with us. Look at the encounter Jesus had in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus was fighting two battles. First, the submission of his will to the Father. And for his humanity, it was a battle. Jesus knew what he would face. He would face the eternal wrath of the Father–when he had done nothing to deserve it. He would watch the Father’s face turn away from him. Though he was God-incarnate, the humanity of Jesus showed through in that battle.

The second battle was for us. It was the beginning of the end of the real battle for our souls. He had lived his life perfectly. He had endured temptation, rejection, loneliness, mocking, scorning, attempted murder, and more. And soon he would endure betrayal. Yet, he endured those things without flinching, without turning away from us. He endured those things so that he can tell the lonely and brokenhearted, 

Not only am I with you, not only will I never leave you, but I am fighting with you. In fact I’ve already fought the battle. And I won. Take my hand and walk with me.

Why would he go to such great lengths? Why would he not only die to forgive our sins but willingly enter our battles with us? Because we are worth it to him. It’s true we could never be “worthy” of his love. We could never earn it. But we are worth it.

You are worth it. No matter where you find yourself, no matter where you have come from. No matter how broken you are. There is no sorrow, no pain, no brokenness that he cannot heal. 

Sometimes we just want someone to sit with us in the midst of our brokenness. Jesus does that. But he does more. He takes our burdens unto himself. He enters the battle with us. This Christmas, when you feel alone. When you feel that ache of emptiness in your heart though people are all around you, remember the One who entered your battle so that he could fill the hole in your heart.

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The Shepherd's Voice

On Waiting

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Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! (Psalms 37:5-7) 

As of today, there are ten days until Christmas. Advent is half over. Soon our waiting will turn to reality. During this season, I was recently asked, “What’s the point of waiting?” It was a good, fair, and honest question. Let’s face it. Waiting is hard, especially when we believe we know what the will of the Lord for us is. But, waiting does some really practical things for us.  

First, waiting helps us prove where our heart is and what the Lord’s will for our lives is. When we think we know what the Lord’s will is, especially if we feel He spoke to us about the matter, there is a tendency to jump into it immediately. But, when we wait patiently and don’t try to push it, the truth of what we believe becomes evident. The key to seeing the reality is what I said: we don’t try to push it. We don’t try to take things in our own hands, we follow the Lord and continue moving forward, step by step as the Lord directs. Then, if what we have believed to be His will truly is, suddenly we will find ourselves where we felt the Lord taking us.

Let’s consider a few examples. When Mary was given the news that had been chosen to birth Christ, she waited. She asked some questions, but she didn’t come up with a plan herself. She simply responded step by step. And then there’s David. He gets anointed by Samuel to be King of Israel. Think about it. “I’m gonna be KING one day?!??” Did he run and seize the throne? No. He went back to work for his father and it took many years, even time spent in service to the very king he would replace (Saul), before that “knowing” became substance. There are so many other examples, such as Abraham, Moses, and Rahab

Second, waiting also helps us be prepared for the time or event for which we wait. When a woman becomes pregnant, that pregnancy can’t be rushed. Both she and the baby have to be prepared, so they will be healthy, and so she can learn to be the person she needs to be. When two people enter a relationship, they enter a period of not only learning about each other but also preparing to be the person the other needs. Even if the two people have a word from the Lord, they still need to be in that season of waiting. To rush ahead is to build, at best, an incomplete foundation for what lay ahead. In David’s case, his waiting period was used by God to develop the maturity and trust he would need in the Lord as King of Israel.  

Finally, waiting helps us prize and appreciate the fulfillment of that for which we have been waiting. When we rush into things with an unsure foundation and with a lack of maturity, we may have some joy and happiness. That, however, will not last because we don’t have the long-term maturity needed—which only comes from waiting. Waiting is like the refiner’s fire and the potter’s kiln. It is often unpleasant. But if what we are waiting for is of God, it will be more than worth the wait.  

Many choose not to wait, hoping to avoid the often-painful period of waiting. That is understandable. Pain, however, is a part of this thing we call life. That is unfortunately true, no matter what situation we find ourselves in. It’s not a cynical view, it’s just a realistic view. So, the question becomes how we will deal with that pain when it comes. Will we try to deal with it ourselves and push it down, seeking something else to fill the void, or will we turn to the Lord and allow Him to heal us and teach us and learn to walk in true joy–the kind of joy that is only found by going through such pain?  That’s the question, really. 

Do not fear the waiting. Rather, fear the consequences of not waiting. 

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The Shepherd's Voice

The Hope of the Nations

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For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope (Romans 15:8-13).

This Thanksgiving is different, if you haven’t noticed. America is different, from even a year ago. America is, in many ways, in a crisis. Like much of the world, we have been impacted by COVID-19. There is what some might call a standoff in the Presidential election. The nation is bitterly divided—shattered, one might even say—along political, racial, social, and religious lines (to name a few). 

So too is the church. Never in her history has the church been so splintered and fractured. And the sad thing is she is fractured in the same ways as America is. This is a sure sign that the world has greatly affected the church. The church needs healing. The church needs unity. The church needs Hope. That’s what this season, starting after Thanksgiving is all about. 

The season starting Sunday is often called Advent. Its focus is the coming of Christ. When God the Father sent His Son into the world, He was sending Hope. Jesus is not only God-incarnate but also Hope-Incarnate.

What is This Thing Called Hope?

What does it mean to hope? The Greek word for hope in the New Testament is elpizō. Its primary meaning is a confident expectation. It’s not mere wishful thinking. In the Bible the main sense of the word  is the firm conviction that because of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, we can have confidence as we face the future. Not confidence that an event will turn out as we may wish or “hope” it does, but rather a confidence in the goodness and purpose of the One who holds the future in His hand.

In Whom Do We Hope?

Today, we are seeing the removal of hope. The things that people place their hope and trust in are falling. One by one.

Politicians
Political Parties
Athletes
Pastors
The Stock Market
Education
Man

The list could go on and on. Mankind has always had a habit of placing hope in anything other than God. There’s a song by the group Styx that accurately captures this idea. Here are some of the lines. See if they resonate with you:

Every night I say a prayer
In the hopes that there’s a Heaven
And everyday I’m more confused
As the saints turn into sinners

All the heroes and legends
I knew as a child have fallen to idols of clay
And I feel this empty place inside
So afraid that I’ve lost my faith
. . . . 
And as I slowly drift to sleep
For a moment dreams are sacred
I close my eyes and know there’s peace
In a world so filled with hatred

That I wake up each morning and turn on the news
To find we’ve so far to go
And I keep on hoping for a sign
So afraid I just won’t know     — “Show Me the Way,” Styx (1990).

These lyrics sound a lot like they could describe many of us today, don’t they? They reveal a fundamental flaw, however, in the human character. Anytime we place hope or trust in someone or something other than God, we risk being let down. It’s a fact of life. 

Jesus: The Hope of Jews and Gentiles

Notice what Paul says about Jesus here: He became a servant (or minister) to the circumcised (the Jews) to show God’s truthfulness (faithfulness), and to confirm the promises given beforehand (v. 8). Then Paul says in effect “He did all this so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for His mercy” (vv. 9-12a). Now we have both Jews and Gentiles praising God for His faithfulness and mercy.

In Scripture, God is referred to as “the hope of Israel” (see Jer. 14:8; 17:13; Acts 28:20)  Here, Paul refers to Jesus as the hope of the Gentiles (v. 12b, “in him will the Gentiles hope”). So, Jesus is the only hope for Jews and Gentiles.

That’s everyone. That’s right. The Bible speaks of only two categories when it comes to people: the Jewish nation and everyone else. And Jesus is the hope–the only hope of both categories. You and I fall into one of those categories. Thus, He is our only hope. 

The Test of Hope

Our hope, like our faith, will be tested (the words are so interconnected, that hope is often used in the same sense as “faith” or trust). How do we know if our hope is in God, and not the things or people of this world? The answer is similar to the old analogy of the jar of honey and jar of vinegar that get knocked over. What was inside comes out.

In the same way, it’s the trials of life that will reveal where I hope lies. We will get knocked over. We will get hurt, rejected, and see hardship. 

When that relationship ends….
When we don’t get the promotion we wanted….
When we don’t get the house we wanted….
When “our” candidate doesn’t win….
When the test reveals dreadful news….
When the pastor lets us down….

Where is our hope? Notice these statements begin with “when,” and not “if.” It bears repeating: We will get knocked down by life. We will have hardship. Jesus promised that in this life we would have tribulation. But He was quick to point out, “Take heart, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). How do we know where our hope lies?

The one whose hope is in the world–things and/or people–will be crushed. He or she will be angry and hurt. Perhaps angry at himself, most certainly angry at others, and often even angry at God. The focus will be on righting the wrong, so that some sort of peace can be restored to the soul. Little or no thought is given to the purposes of God. Or if His purposes are considered, it’s automatically assumed that they must have been thwarted (which reveals an even bigger problem).

The one whose hope is firmly fixed on Christ, however, will still have the same hardships–and in many cases, even more hardships. (That’s what most people don’t realize about following Christ.) He or she will still be hurt, perhaps even shaken a little. Those things are normal and natural. Even Job cursed the day of his birth. Yet, the one whose eyes and heart is fixed on Christ will quickly return to Him. With doubt, fear, questions–but a deeper hope that the Lord is good and in control. Such a one realizes that the ways and thoughts of man could never compare to the Lord’s ways and thoughts. And he willingly embraces the trial and hardship as one of God’s tools for growth. 

This is the difference. This is how we know where our hope lies. And this is the only real way to know. It’s easy to say, “My hope is in the Lord” when times are good. But the hardships of life reveal our true heart.

Hope in the God of Hope

Paul closes this section with a blessing on the believers–and by extension that includes us. He first references the “God of Hope.” This means at least two things: 1) God is the source and embodiment of hope; and 2) God is the giver of hope. He prays that the believers would be filled by God with “all joy and peace in believing.” 

Why joy and peace and not hope? Because one must have peace and joy in life before that confident expectation arises. The peace that Paul speaks of is the peace that passes all understanding. The peace that exists regardless of circumstances. Joy likewise comes from a place of seeing the goodness of God in the midst of the darkest of seasons. 

Hope is the result of these, and Paul says it comes “by the power of the Spirit.” The only way to have true hope–the hope in Christ–is to have the Spirit of Christ (the Spirit of Hope). The one with this hope has experienced the peace and joy in the midst of hardships, and has found God to be faithful and trustworthy. And knowing that God is sovereign and good, the one with this hope can rest confidently in the Lord’s plan and look to the future with confidence.

As we prepare for the season of Hope, looking forward to the coming of Christ in Advent, let’s pray that the Father would turn our eyes to Him, away from the idols of clay we have built up. Let’s ask Him to fill us with His peace and joy, so that we too may experience the hope that lies in Christ.

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