by HARVEYOPP | Jun 5, 2014 | Tim Challies
Last night I sat with a group of men from our church and talked about prayer. And, as usually happens, our thoughts turned toward unanswered prayer or prayer that is answered very differently than we had asked or hoped. Why are there times when God seems not to answer? If a good Father would never give his children a stone in place of bread, why does it seem like God sometimes does this very thing?
The best way I know how to answer is to point to the cross. God’s people wanted deliverance from oppression. They wanted a Messiah. They wanted a Savior. Then that Messiah came. That Messiah told them that he was there to deliver them. That Messiah triumphantly entered Jerusalem as the prophecies had foretold. And then that Messiah was brutally murdered. What happened? What did it all mean? Was this the answer to their prayers?
I think of Jesus’ disciples in the aftermath of the crucifixion, as the sun rose on the Sabbath day and their conquering Messiah lay cold and dead in the grave. They must have been perplexed. They must have wondered. They must have been confused and overwhelmed. Or maybe underwhelmed. Was this the answer to their prayers? What had happened to the promise of victory? When would they receive the deliverance they had been promised.
The Sabbath day came and went. And then they came to the first day of the week and an angelic messenger telling them, “He is not here, but has risen.” The fog began to lift.
What Jesus would accomplish made little sense to them when he described it in advance; what he was accomplishing made little sense while he endured it; what he had accomplished became clear only when they could look back on it. They just needed to wait. It all became clear in time.
And we often find ourselves in the same place. When we pray, and pray earnestly, and praying desiring God’s glory and fame, we know that he will answer and will give what we desire most. But we need to be patient. Like the disciples, we need to look to past, present and future with eyes of faith, trusting that in time everything will become clear.
by HARVEYOPP | May 30, 2014 | Scott Henry
“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer…” (Rom. 12:12).
In Q&A 27 of the Heidelberg Catechism, we read the following words: “What do you understand by the providence of God? The almighty, everywhere-present power of God, whereby, as it were by His hand, He still upholds heaven and earth with all creatures, and so governs them that herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, indeed, all things come not by chance, but by His fatherly hand.”
This Biblical teaching gives us a God-centered and God-glorifying perspective on life. It teaches us that the world is not out of control or operating by fate, luck, or chance, but that God is directing and controlling every event in this world … the good events as well as the evil. Ecclesiastes 7:13-14: “Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what He has made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other…” The word translated “adversity” is the Hebrew word “Rah”, which can also be translated: bad, evil, affliction, calamity or distress. However, God doesn’t do evil and to suggest such is evil and blasphemous, but God certainly ordains evil for His glory and eternal purpose, and He is also absolutely sovereign over the evil acts of Satan, demons, and men.
Therefore, whatever we see happening in this world we have to say, “This is the work of the Lord.” As it is written, “Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and ill go forth?” (Lamentations 3:37-38). This is a truth we must understand, believe and apply every day. And according to our text, it’s only when we are patient in adversity that we can truly say we have understood and applied this truth in our life. It’s easy to say, “I believe in the providence of God,” but it’s quite another to live patiently when you’re experiencing adversity. And so our text admonishes believers to “be patient in tribulation.” The word translated “tribulation” means “pressure” and it refers to anguish, persecution, tribulation, affliction or trouble. In other words, tribulation is a pressure which comes against us. It’s like being under the weight of a heavy object … that’s why tribulation is so painful.
There are many forms of tribulation, but the ones we think about most often are sickness, disease, cancer and death because these things threaten our lives and the lives of our loved ones, and they exert great pressure upon us which brings us much pain! But there are many other types of tribulation: family problems, marriage problems, money problems, difficulties at school or at church or with a neighbor, and these troubles put lots of pressure upon us also … and none of us is free from trouble. Job 14:1: “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” Life is filled with tribulation. Job 5:7: “… man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” Just as sparks fly up from a bonfire so every man will have troubles in this fallen world … one right after another! Nevertheless, every believer is called to “be patient in tribulation.”
How are you doing with patience in the midst of your trials? Do you become anxious and angry at God, or do you rest assured that you’re in God’s hand and He is bringing you through this difficulty for His glory and your own good? Do you proclaim in the midst of your trials that “Our God Reigns”? Look to Jesus when you encounter the pressures of life for it is written, “…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Hebrews 12:2-3).
Take some time today to meditate upon our text and pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen you in order to endure tribulation with patience for God’s glory!
by HARVEYOPP | May 28, 2014 | Paul Tripp
The Psalmist continues: “Who shall dwell on your holy hill … [the person] who swears to his own hurt and does not change; who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent.” (Psalm 15:5)
The person being described in this Psalm is one who is absolutely faithful to their word. Their dealings are always upright, trustworthy, and honorable. They’re always on time and committed to following through with what they promised.
Even when their promises require sacrifice and personal pain, they won’t back out. I don’t know about you, but I’ve thrown the towel in when the going gets tough.
On top of their faithfulness, this person is uncompromising in integrity. Even when they stand to gain financial profit, they never cut corners, they never make back-room deals, and they never take advantage of the weak.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t match that standard. Sure, we might not have done anything “that bad” to land us in federal prison, but can we say with honesty that we’ve never taken advantage of another?
Can we say with certainty that we’ve never cut corners at work and that we give 100% of honest labor each day? Can we say with confidence that we’ve never made questionable decisions that result in our gain?
If you’re honest, you have to throw your hands up and say, “I quit! I can’t do it! This standard of righteousness is so far from the reality of my life.”
Think about what I’m going to write next – that despair is a good thing. Why? Because if you think that you can dwell on God’s holy hill by your own merit, you’re going to crush yourself. You need to give up all hope in your own righteousness and rely only on Christ.
This doesn’t give us a license to sin (Romans 6:1-2), but I’m going to cover our responsibility next Wednesday. For today, I want you to meditate on this question: are you trying to dwell on God’s holy hill by your own merit?
by HARVEYOPP | May 28, 2014 | Scott Henry
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3)
Whoever does not know God does not have everlasting life. Because Adam sinned, all earthly fathers bring forth children who have physical life, but spiritually they are dead in sin and rebels against God (Eph. 2; Titus 3:3). Everlasting life comes from the eternal God, and is freely given to those whom He eternally chose in Christ (Eph. 1). Our God sent Jesus to earn everlasting life for all those whom He chose, according to His good pleasure, from before the foundation of the world. This doesn’t mean simply knowing about God. In John 17:3, ‘knowing God’ means being in spiritual union with Him. Jesus expresses this spiritual unity when He says in John 15:5: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” What Jesus means is that everlasting life is enjoyed by all those and only those who by true faith are united to Him. This is everlasting life…this is truly knowing God!
Do you know God as the true God Who keeps every one of His promises, and gives His people an everlasting joy of living with Him in holiness and glory? Do you hear and believe His Word? If so, then praise God because this is evidence that He has worked in your heart and given you life everlasting. Jesus said in John 5:24: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”
Liberty from sin’s bondage is divinely revealed in Scripture, but the power to obey is God’s gracious gift through faith in Jesus Christ, who Himself received sin’s wages on every believer’s behalf. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Christ has broken the power and consequences of sin by conquering death itself. Therefore we are set free in Him alone! “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Have you praised your Savior today for setting you free from the wages of sin? “The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him” (Ex. 15:2).
by HARVEYOPP | May 23, 2014 | Scott Henry
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).
Hebrews 5:13-14: “For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Spiritual growth comes by way of exercising yourself in the Word of righteousness. But we must understand that spiritual growth is gradual. As a child grows into a youth and the youth grows into an adult, so also with the believer as he grows in grace.
And as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ you will find that your awareness of God’s gracious favor will become more pronounced in your life because as you grow spiritually you will become more conscious of your own sinfulness and unworthiness. You won’t say, “Boy, I’m a good person.” No! Rather, you’ll say, “What a wretch I am and how I am thankful for God’s grace in Jesus Christ!” Growing in grace humbles you and causes you to desire more and more to live not for yourself, but for Him who has loved you and gave Himself for you (Galatians 2:20).
And so Peter says in our text, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”, and we do this by exercising the means of grace God has given to us: The Word of God, the sacraments, prayer, fellowship and faithfully attending the worship services of the church to sit under the preaching of the Word of God. These are the means God has ordained for the spiritual growth of every believer. 1 Peter 2:2: “Desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.”
Are you growing spiritually? Would you say you’ve been humbled by God’s grace or do you walk in prideful arrogance? Do you desire more and more to be fed spiritually with the Word of God? Do you delight in partaking of the sacraments? Do you long for fellowship with other believers? If you’re truly a branch united to the vine then your desire must be like the Psalmist who wrote in Psalm 122: “I was glad when they said to me, let us go into the house of the LORD.” May this be the overwhelming desire and passion of your heart today and always!
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