Be Ye Glad

BE YE GLAD

Words and Music by M.K.Blanchard
© Gotz Music/Benson

In these days of confused situations.

In these nights of a restless remorse,

When the heart and the soul of the nation,

lay wounded and cold as a corpse.

From the grave of the innocent Adam,

comes a song bringing joy to the sad.

Oh your cry has been heard and the ransom,

has been paid up in full, Be Ye Glad.

(Chorus)

Oh, Be Ye Glad, Be Ye Glad,

Every debt that you ever had

Has been paid up in full by the grace of the Lord,

Be Ye Glad, Be Ye Glad, Be Ye Glad.

From the dungeon a rumor is stirring.

You have heard it again and again.

But this time the cell keys are turning,

and outside there are faces of friends.

And though your body lay weary from wasting,

and your eyes show the sorrow they've had.

Oh the love that your heart is now tasting

has opened the gate, Be Ye Glad.

(Chorus)

So be like lights on the rim of the water,

giving hope in a storm sea of night.

Be a refuge amidst the slaughter,

for these fugitives in their flight.

For you are timeless and part of a puzzle.

You are winsome and young as a lad.

And there is no disease or no struggle,

that can pull you from God, Be Ye Glad.

(Chorus)

Phil. 4 vs 8 and 9 050813

Php 4:8-9  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  (9)  The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

When was the last time you really followed Paul's admonition in this passage?

Note, Paul admonishes us to "dwell" (think/reason) and to "do."  

The object of our thought and action is the same thing, the Gospel in all its glorious detail.  Now we will assume that the "Gospel" is simply the good news about Jesus and indeed that is true.  But as I consider the nature of the culture to who He wrote and especially the religious culture I am forced to consider that the "Gospel" Paul brought was much wider and deeper than we think.

Simply put, Paul's Gospel to the Gentiles had to begin with a One True God.  These pagans to whom he preached and whom he taught had family gods, city gods, gods of certain activities.  The good news to them had to include the One and Only God.  

It also had to include, well, thinking.  The culture prided itself on its wisdom.  Debates between differring schools of philosophy were common entertainment.  Wisdom (man's wisdom) was prized and celebrated and honored.  The Gospel Paul preached had to communicate to a thinking people.

The impact of this broad and deep Gospel was such that in the Roman empire believers were not only seen as fools but were often charged with atheism because they believed in the One true God.  

The "good news" had to start with One God, sovereign creator, sustainer, Lord and Judge.  If this didn't come up somewhere then the good news of Jesus would not have made a lot of sense.  From the worship of gods who promised sex, drugs and power the people had to be called to the God who promised eternal life while demanding holiness and humility.  It is no wonder believers where accused of turning the world upside down.

But my point is this.  We are admonished if not commanded to "dwell" on the truth in all its glorious depth and breadth.  To "dwell" means that we think, we reason, we consider - intentionally and consistently.  What we are called to "dwell" upon is the whole of our faith for it meets the criteria Paul lays out so far above anything else that is it a sad and sorry thing to "dwell" on anything else.

Paul is not calling us to "positive thinking."  He is calling us to biblical, sound theological and practical applied thinking.  From the Trinity to Tent-making, the whole content of the Word is to be our subject matter.  From the joyously simple to the head-smacking hard - we are to dwell on the whole counsel of God.

But we don't.  Do we?  When is the last time you (or I) really dug into the Word concerning the whole concept of worship?  When was the last time we gave any real thought to the roll of the members of the Trinity in the Covenant of Redemption.  Do we even know what the Covenant of Redemption is?  If I was a betting man, I'd bet most of us don't.

If I am any kind of theologian it would be a pastoral or practical one.  But I've had to realize that even though I know a lot and comprehend a lot it was not enough.  Oh I don't do damage (I hope) but I see how I have not done all the good I could have because I limited that which I "dwelt" on to the pastoral and practical.  I've learned that having a "boots on the ground" understanding of the faith is good and useful to Him but that not having a view from 30,000 feet limits me greatly in my calling.

I'm fortunate to have a pastor who challenges me to soar to heights of "dwelling" that I haven't considered.  In taking those flights I have made connections in my knowledge and understanding that are humbling and exciting.  Example: discovering that what most of us assume is worship isn't necessarily true worship; worship that honors and glorifies the father and hence has a direct influence in and on all of my life, was a real kick in the head - a good one - but a kick all the same.

Translate that word "dwell" as "think," or "reason" and the whole ball game changes.  In terms of worship, what does it really mean to worship in spirit and truth?  Come on, give me a clear functional definition.  Can you?  I kind of can but I've learned that my practical understanding falls short - not good - but grace covers me and allows me to "think" and grow.

In the second verse Paul tells us to "practice" what he taught.  And "practice" is a good way to put it.  We practice our faith until we are with Him.  Practice is intended to provide the opportunity for perfection and we are called to be perfect (complete) as well as holy.  Practice means we haven't arrived.  It means our strengths need honing and our weaknesses need strength and this all demands that we think and think more deeply and broadly about what we know and that we seek to discover what we do not know.

To make a clear statement on both verses I'll steal a quote from Dr. David Smith:

"The Lord is personally present with his servants providing them peace as they are intellectually engaged with and practically obedient to his spoken and written word of truth."

As I said, I'm blessed with a Pastor who challenges me and sometimes helps me painfully see where there are gaps in my Gospel, where I am ignorant and where I have not been thinking.  He bemoans the anti-intellectual (read this as anti-thinking) attitude the church has taken today - indeed the culture has taken today.  Me, I just bemoan stupid as a choice.  I bemoan my own and that of my fellow believers.

We've all heard the old saw, "they know just enough to be dangerous."  That's not a bad picture of the folks in the pews (and some pulpits).  We are all ignorant and unfortunately to some degree that ignorance is a choice.  It is indeed a blessing to read concerning our High priest:

Heb 5:2  he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness;

I am a well-educated and trained ingnoramous and will, to some degree, always be one.  But at least now I know and I know the cure - to dwell - think - reason concerning the things of God, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  To put more time and energy into that 30,000 foot flight than I have so that I may practice well and worthy of the captain of the team I am one and be more useful to Him as He works His game plan in time and eternity.

Bunny trail?

James teaches us that faith without word is dead.  But works without faith are dead as well.  "Faith" is both our trust in the Lord and the content of that trust.  When we fail to dwell upon His whole word and to develop or gain a increasingly better grasp of His whole counsel our works are not what they could be.  Certainly we all want to show ourselves to be workmen who need not be ashamed for we rightly divide the Word of God.

Think about and do something!

Finger Thinking through James 009 050313

Jas 1:2-3  Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  (3)  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

We need to look hard at these verses and grasp the significance of come finer points.  

"Consider," is an aorist imperative.  This means that we are to plainly and simply "consider"  It is a call to a definite preference in regards to trials.  We are to choose to do what James admonished us to do

Trials are blessings - period and we are to choose to see them as such.  We may not like them, we may struggle under them but they are always for our good and His glory.  Period.

"Joy" - this is not some weird sort of happiness.  Rather it is a confident sense of the valuable purpose and result of trials.  We express joy in giving thanks to God for His promise to provide and guide.  Usually, it is ONLY is trials that our focus is on our need for submission to His sovereignty and out desperate need for His providence and protection.  Sad fact but true.  However it IS a cause for joy to be lovingly found by the shepherd and cared for.

Gold or sivler ore has value but the value and beauty are diminished because of all the impurities in the ore.  It is only through refinements (the application of a catalyst and heat) that the true beauty and value of the gold or silver can be known and valued.  when we are in the refining trial we may and should rejoice in God's caring enough to provide for our refining.  Sure, it's usually not fun and we are not "happy" but we can rejoice in His love and desire for our sanctification.

"Various trails,"  there is not single method that God uses to purify us.  The purification needed in one life at any one moment way well be very different from any one moment in another's life.  So God brings only that trial that is appropriate for us at that time. 

Having said that let me add that God does not need our help in refining us.  I worked with a man who was in a financial time of trial.  One day he declared that he had decided to quit smoking.  I advised him not to.  That was not what God was focusing on in his life at that moment.  Also, as we talked, it became clear that he thought that if he quit smoking God would "fix" his financial issues -  In other words he thought that by doing a good work (quitting smoking) God would "re-pay" him or that he would "earn" God's relief of his financial issues.  This is simply "pagan" thinking and offensive to and in our relationship with God.

"Knowing."  Ginosko in Greek.  A knowing from experience.  In James the reference the readers would have thought of (since James is the most Jewish writing in the NT) would have been god's dealing with Israel and His discipline of them through trials in order to bring them back to Himself.  This frame of reference should move you and I to become as familiar as we can with God's dealing with His people in the OT.  It is here we will see clearly the lovingkindness of God even in the trials He brings to His people.  We will also see how they (and we) rebel against and soon forget the lessons the trials were intended to teach us.

"The testing of your faith."  Faith is used two ways in scripture.  It is used, of course, to refer to our trust in God as our good sovereign and it is used to refer to the content of what we believe the Bible teaches, the content of our faith.  Both need to be refined.

We sin, certainly, becasue the "principle of evil," as Paul says, still abides in us.  But we also sin because what we believe is, well, wrong.  God needs to refine both our trust and our knowledge and understanding.  Theology may seen like something only for the specialist but that is an arrogant error.  Theology is simply the rational and systematic study of what we may know of and from God.  Sure, it can be tough and even boring but it forms the content of our faith and that content needs to be refined just as much as the living out of that faith.  If our theology is off, our living can not be "on."

So we can view this testing as God inquiring whether we trust Him AND whether or not we trust Him appropriatly, according to His revelation.  Theology is an aid to our being able to plainly, "rightly divide" the Word and hence rightly live it out.

The result of these trials/tests of our belief and practice as essential and are great blessings.  The produce endurance, the ability to stand under a load.  The not only "clean us up," but they give us confidence and strength to stand.  And if ever we needed to know and practice right knowing and living so that we might stand, it is now.

Trails and tests are never pleasant but they are providentially productive in our seeking to glorify God and enjoy Him now and forever.

Finger Thinking through James 008 b

2Pe 1:3-4
(3)  His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
(4)  by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Wait, I thought we were doing James?????????

Well we are but we need to understand something at this point.

As Peter writes, we DO have everything we need for life and godliness -- PERIOD.

WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED.

I know, it doesn't always feel that way BUT if we are operating (living) Kingdom citizenship our true needs are often radically different than we think.  If living for Him is the first priority we can not be lacking anything.  Peter makes that clear.

As a well known author and speaker likes to say, we either live vertically (for and in Him), horizontally (for and of the world) or an insane combination of both.  Usually it's the latter - making us nutz.

But if God's work is indeed true and Peter was writing by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit we have to do whatever we must to live out that truth.  Trials are God's way of showing us we've made a wrong choice somewhere.  Trials are God's means of bringing us back to living vertically (for and in Him).  Trials are refining  - God's means of removing the dross that weakens us and hides His beauty in us.

A good samurai sword is not made in a moment.  It take months and months.  The steel is refined via a catalyst and heat.  Then it is forged and forged over and over, each blow of the hammer changing it's molecular structure to make it stronger and more beautiful.  It makes it able to do what it is intended to do.  It take lots of time, lots of banging and lots of heat.

God is forging each of us into an instrument for His use here and now for His glory - His glorious purposes.  

As I've said in other posts we live in between our calling and redemption and out ultimate perfection.  In this in between time we default to a fundamentally legalistic and horizontal life-style.  We seek to make ourselves godly by lists and programs and processes and we look to the world around us for validation - meaning - significance.  And so we live miserable lives in Christ or at best numb ones.

Without a whole and active faith in passages like 1 Peter we will continue to strive under our own efforts and seek the world's confirmation of our - well - identity.  We will always have trials but they do not have to be torture.  They are placed in  God's refining fire to strengthen us and allow His beauty to shine through.  A piece of gold ore is great but ugly and with less value by weight than we think.  The "dross" attached to the ore gives us a false value - it must be removed.

This is tough when we have "preachers" telling us we are OK just as we are, sin isn't so bad and holiness/godliness is for later.  Well, we're not OK, sin is a bad as anything gets and we have been made godly and been given everything we need for it

Are we going to live in faith in Him and yet seeking the world's standards and goals of are we going to live in faith in Him accepting the gracious gifts He has given us?  Are we going to live vertically of horizontally?  Are we going to live out what He has made us or are we going to live out what the world and the flesh whisper and sometimes shout in our ears?

We have the power of God backing our choice to live in and for Him.  To accept His gifts and standards and give them all we have.  We have nothing backing our choice of the horizontal except confusion, confounding and crisis.

We are free now to choose and choose we must.  We can endure and live our value and beauty in Him or we can be a lump of ore weak and of less value than we suppose.

And now we move to the conflict of indwelling sin and it's "wisdom" and the wisdom God alone gives.  Doubt and vacillation.  Crisis and chaos.  Or peace and true vertical prosperity - godliness - ever growing, ever shining.

What's the point?

(1Ti 1:5)  But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

"A sincere faith."  Ha!  

Sincere????  anupokritos = one without hypocrisy or pretense, unfeigned, genuine, real.

Sincere????  from Latin sincerus or "without wax."

Used when evaluating marble statues.  

When the marble had a crack of nick in it, less scrupulous dealers would fill the crack with a wax compound, put marble dust on it and then polish it so that the crack was hidden.  But, the right amount of heat would cause the wax to melt and expose the cracks and flaws that were being hidden.  that's why I teach and why I write - the way I do.  

I only hope the heat I bring to bear is just hot enough to melt the way we've used to cover our cracks - the flaws in our faith.  

These flaws are both what we believe and how we live out those beliefs.  If we hold to an error our living will demonstrate that.  We live what we believe, it shows.  We cover up these flaws as best we can but when the heat is on these beliefs are exposed.

They say doctrine divides - and so it does.  It divides the wolves from the sheep and the hypocrite from the non-hypocrite.  Heat, that is trials, are God's loving providence to show us these flaws - and to expose them to others.

By the way, sin is also treated with wax and dust to keep them hiddden.  but they will always be exposed.

This is the work of the Word and the Spirit - but it is also the work of the believer.  How can we say we love another and yet continue to allow them to hide their sin/flaws?  Though very common this too is a sin and perhaps a very cruel one.  It's not fun, it is not comfortable but it is, when done in humility and love, needful.

We are to admonish one another:

(Rom 15:14)  And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.

We are to admonish - WARN - one another when we see a sin or a flaw and we are to do it because we love God, honor Christ and love our brothers.  I is not comfortable and should not be engaged in lightly but it must be done.

OK, we all wax up and polish our sins and flaws.  But why?  Certainly not so God won't see them.  No, we do it so others won't see them.  I am stealing Paul Tripp's idea here - but we want our horizontal relationships to protect our pride and our illusions.  We can't hide from God but we can hide from one another.

What a waste of time and effort.  What a waste of grace and blessings.  Paul was "sincere" when he identified himself as the foremost of sinners.  He was probably recalling his heroic efforts to destroy the church.  How that must have weighed on his heart and yet he makes no attempt to hide it because the change God wrought in him was a witness to God's grace and power - as well as a witness to the awfulness of unbelief and it's results.

Note please that it is the common believers who are admonished to admonish one another.  Not a priest, not a pastor, not an elder although this is a very big part of their role.  Rather we need to find our way to admonishing, melting the wax, at the grass-roots level.  Common believer to common believer.

When scripture speaks of going to an offending (or offended) brother it is not speaking about sending in the Marines (pastors/elders/etc).  It is talking about YOU going to THEM.  Is there a condition?  Certainly.

(Gal 6:1)  Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

Note a few things:

"caught" = ensnared

"any trespass = really does mean "any"

"spiritual" = mature (already had lots of wax melted)

"restore" = not remodel but restore - put bad as it should be

"spirit of gentleness"= remember your experience and learn to tough lightly as  

                                possible

"looking to yourself'= we should all admonish another with a mirror in our 

                              hands so that we see ourselves as we admonish.  Like  

                               it is said, when you point a finger at someone you have      

                               three fingers pointing at you.

"so you too will not be tempted" = entering into the struggle of another has 
                                                 its dangers.  As a Discpler I am 
                                                 woefully ware of them.  We must pray 
                                                 diligently BEFORE - DURING AND AFTER- 
                                                 that we might not be trapped/caught in 
                                                 their sin and not be caught in a sin of our 
                                                 own such as pride.

Let's not kid ourselves.  We see sincerity as a feeling and not a fact when the very work itself proposes a fact about which we should have a feeling.  We all have cracks we seek to hide.  Some of us do it well, others don't but none of us can hide them from God - so why, if we are all under His grace, do we work soooo hard to hide them from others.

Is is a lack of a sense of insincerity (sin) that is killing the church and allowing hypocrites and even unbelievers to enter and feel a part of something they really despise.  If we were more concerned with sin, if we could but grasp how evil it is we would be repentant and repentance is always the necessary precursor to revival.

Although God certainly desires that my theology and doctrine be as correct as my little brain can take - He did not send His Son so I could "get it all right."  He sent His Son so that my sins might be forgiven and I might serve His purposes here as one of His children not just as one of His creatures.

Sincerity can be very deceptive to others and even ourselves.  But have courage, God will turn up the heat to melt the wax and He will restore those places where the flaws are.  Trust Him - ask Him - wait upon Him - He will do what only He can do.

(1Ti 1:5)  But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Tetelesthai!  

Business * Busy-ness and Fellowship

James is still in progress but first this message ;-}

The other day I posted a quote from Paul Tripp speaking to how we seem too "busy" for fellowship.

I won't answer it here but the first question is, "What do you mean by fellowship?'  Ask 10 people you'll get at least 6 answers.  One thing to remember is that our "fellowship" IS - whether we are together in space of time or not.  If you want to focus on the being together or connecting - we are blessed with all sorts of new technical means for connecting.  If you focus on "meaningful fellowship/connecting" now you have a bigger and deeper issue to address.  It's not just enough to say we need "fellowship."  

Now - business and busy-ness.  Two different things but the definition will vary some with each individual.  But there is a business of living - living to honor Him.  We have to work jobs, raise children, cook, clean, get our cars serviced etc.  This is what I call business; meeting, in a godly manner, those responsibilities we have.  We all have to do business!

Yes, we can get caught up in the business of living and it can distract and detract from our individual, familial and corporate "walks."  But I suspect that is the exception and not the rule.  The Puritans had it down pat - Doing what was necessary/needful to meet our responsibilities was certainly business but that business was seen as  just as much service to Him as anything we do that is "churchy."

Working a job is business.  Homeschooling is business.  But taking your kid out for and ice-cream and some one on one time is business too (fun but business).   We need to be very careful as to what we see as legitimate and illegitimate business.  Which, of course, is why we have the Word, the Spirit and godly bothers and sisters.

Busy-ness on the other hand is not often necessary.  For ME busy-ness is what I do in a self-serving manner - convincing myself that it is necessary - that it is business and not just busy-ness.  See Mary and Martha - both were doing good things one was doing the "better" thing.  It's a discernment that takes focus and openness and prayer.  Am I doing just to be doing - to fill time - to distract myself or am I really doing something necessary (or perhaps "needful" is a better word than necessary.)

We often do busy-ness to distract us from business.  We often do busy-ness to avoid something needful that we find we don't like or are uncomfortable with.  We do busy-ness all too often out of a warped view of our worth and place.  Busy-ness is not needful.

When a tradgedy happens we encourage people to "keep busy."  We do this out of good hearts and silliness.  They need to be doing business not busy-ness.  (Of course they may need to do nothing at all for a bit as well).

Too busy for fellowship?  What is fellowship?  Business isn't not busy-ness.  Business is needful.  Busy-ness may or may not be needful.

So the quote I posted was intended to get you thinking along these lines.  Business/busy-ness.  Needful/not needful.

But most important - what in the creation do you mean by fellowship?  We have it 24/7 - it is God-given.  So perhaps we are thinking we need to get together and "get spiritual."  OK - that's Sunday morning.  Wworship is "in" fellowship (common) but it is not the place or time to focus on us.  

Maybe you mean a cell group or Bible study - that's fine but you have to have clear boundaries and expectations.  Just showing up and hanging out is not going to get it.  That would be a picnic or other social gathering by the Body - which is good and fun and not wrong but it's not, I don't believe, what the bible means by fellowship.

If you need teaching - ask for it.  If you need a prayer group, ask for it.  If you desire an accountability group, ask for it.  But "fellowship" is not what you create at those things, it is the context in which you do those things.

To be honest, when a lot of people speak of wanting "fellowship" they're asking to get together with others to hang out and have a shallow conversation about scripture and to spill all their problems on others.  I've seen it time and time again.  This is a curious thing and a distressing thing and I think it may be just another form of busy-ness - with a coat of Jesus laid on.

A lot of people desire an intimate relationship of faith with others.  That's fine but God needs to produce that - we can't program it.  We can program things that seek openness and candor but that's not intimacy.

But in the end we come back to - What is fellowship?  And, does what you seek fulfill the purpose (God's glory) for the fellowship we have with one another in Christ?  Maybe the question isn't What do I need?  but What does Jesus need for me/of me?

OK ramble over.
Business should be God honoring needful things.
Busy-ness can be more an escape and/or an excuse to avoid business ;-}.
Fellowship IS - we need to ask His guidance for experiencing it in space and time, in manner and method or it's just hangin' out (which is ok but is it fellowship?)

Finger Thinking through James 008

Jas 1:3-4  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  (4)  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

The purpose of trials is endurance the purpose of endurance is - magnificent!

It is by enduring - standing up under a load - that its perfection brings our perfecting and completeness.  Huh?????

OK - the word translated perfect (same word both times) means (the first usage) "finished" result.

The second time it is used most read the moral usage of the word, that one has all the necessary qualities one should have.

perfect ("finished") result, so that you may be perfect ("morally equipped with the qualitied you need to have")

Endurance's end goal is that we have all the necessary qualities we need to be "complete" or whole in all our parts.

Remember the idea of refining our "orific-ness?"  Only through refining does gold have all the qualities it should have - and none that it shouldn't.

That's the picture we need to keep in our heads when we consider how God makes use of trials in our lives.  Endurance keeps us in the pot until the dross rises to the top and is wiped or spooned away.

We live between the cross that brought grace and the second coming which utterly fulfills grace and carries us into eternity.  This "in between time" is tough but it is not without purpose.  

No, it is not to prepare of for heaven, though it should.  Rather it is to prepare us for the work God has for us to do in this in between time.  It is also a witness to the unbelieving world that our faith is real and our God trustworthy.   

Oh, they may see and reinterpret what they see as a failure on God's part especially if our trials stay active unto death.  But their judgement is wrong judgement.  God is shown to be real in our endurance and the qualities it produces regardless of the world's verdict.  

Trials are opportunities to partake of the grace of God there-by being refined, removing the dross, so that you may have the unfettered strength and reflect the beauty of Christ in you.

Finger Thinking through James 007

Jas 1:3-4  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  (4)  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Trials - faith tested - produces endurance.  Endurance is the ability to stand under a load.  Consider these:


1Co 16:13  Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

Eph 6:11  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Eph 6:13  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

2Th 2:15  So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

Rom 5:1-2  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  (2)  through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

Forget you need the grace of God every moment and you will not stand.  Trials teach us that we are utterly dependent for the grace of God for everything we need - not just to serve Him and bring glory to Him but to simply live.

Peter writes:

2Pe 1:2-3  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  (3)  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

That is grace!  When exactly would we be ok without it?

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Finger Thinking through James 006

(Jas 1:2)  Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

(Jas 1:3)  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

We need to go slow here.  There is not way to rush through a look at the trials we face, the testing we endure.

Let's look at another passage that will help us appreciate - even learn to celebrate trials.

1Pe 1:3-9  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  (4)  to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,  (5)  who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  (6)  In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,  (7)  so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  (8)  and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,  (9)  obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

This is a very encouraging passage - at least until you get to verse 6.  There we go again - trials.  

Think on this - Peter sets a condition for the trials we face.  Did you see it?  It's in the words, "if necessary."  What would make a trial necessary?  The Greek word itself tells us that and perhaps a better translation would be, "if you need one (or two - or three)."

Why would we need trials?  Because God desires and His grace provides for our being conformed to the likeness of His Son.  Here and now we are to be being changed into His likeness and - well - we fight it tooth and nail.

Paul writes:

Rom 7:21  I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.

We still have the presence of sin and God desires to kill it.  He desires that we - well, read the following:

Rom 12:1-2  Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  (2)  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

We, as Paul Tripps says are "orific" believers.  That is we come into the Kingdom as raw ore - needing to be refined.  Trials are how God refines us.  It is, uncomfortably, part of grace.

In the Peter passage above we read:
(7)  so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Let me restate it as follows:

• so that the proof of your faith,
• even though tested by fire, 
• may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  
• being more precious than gold which is perishable,

Our faith is imperishable - as a gift from Him, how could it be otherwise.  But it is mixed with doubt, and the abiding principle of evil Paul speaks of in Romans.  It needs refining and refining requires a catalyst and heat - or, the Holy Spirit and trials.  This is how He changes us, how He make us lore like the Son.

I want you to also consider the following:

1Co 10:13  No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

The word translated "temptation" here is the same word translated "trials" in our James passage.  Split hairs if you will but I'll go with trials.  All men a tried and the unredeemed are found without hope or comfort.  The redeemed have the grace of God to rest on, the Word to turn to and the Holy spirit to cry for.  That's the difference.

A "trial-less" life is not the believer's life.  We cannot live in this world as aliens and strangers without experiencing trials.  A believer who is leading a trial-less life needs to ask, "Why?"  Maybe they aren't paying attention.

Ya think?

Finger Thinking through James a little bunny trail 005a

Need to take an anti-redundancy break.
Read slowly, reflect deeply ----


Heb 10:19-39  Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,  (20)  by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,  (21)  and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  

(22)  let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  
(23)  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;  
(24)  and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,  (25)  not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.  

(26)  For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,  (27)  but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.  

(28)  Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  (29)  How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?  (30)  For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE."  (31)  It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  

(32)  But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,  (33)  partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.  

(34)  For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.  

(35)  Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.  

(36)  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.  

(37)  FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.  (38)  BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.  

(39)  But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

Enough said!

Finger Thinking through James 005

James 1:3-4 NASB
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. [4] And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

ENDURANCE -  HYPOMENO

The Greek World. hypomeno has the senses a. 'to stay behind,' 'to stay alive,' b. 'to expect,' c. 'to stand firm,' and d. 'to endure,' 'to bear,' 'to suffer.' hypomone means a. 'standing fast' and b. 'expectation,' 'waiting.' While hypomeno is at first ethically neutral, hypomone becomes a prominent virtue in the sense of courageous endurance. As distinct from patience, it has the active significance of energetic if not necessarily successful resistance, e. g., the bearing of pain by the wounded, the calm acceptance of strokes of destiny, heroism in face of bodily chastisement, or the firm refusal of bribes. (TDNTA)

The NT. hypomone is naturally a basic attitude of NT believers in view of the eschatological orientation of their faith. Over against a hostile world, they wait confidently for the fulfilment of the kingdom and their own salvation. (TDNTA)

Here is the whole point - the testing and God's care and provision teach us - empower us - encourage us to wait confidently.  Oh, you mean we're not supposed to fight and scratch and struggle?  Not really.  We are to simply stand firm and wait for Him to take us home or for Him to come home.

We certainly are to be about the Great Commission and living to bring honor to Him but in the face of trials - we wait - upon Him.  Regardless of how painful, long, gruelling the trial we are to remain confident that, "to live is Christ, to die is gain!"

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Finger Thinking through James 004

James 1:3 NASB
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Knowing!!  Ginosko = to have intelligent comprehension.

Do you - know?

Or do you sit in wonder and worry whenever a trial comes your way?  Do they seem cruel and purposeless?  Do you cry out, "Why??" or "Why me??"

James take us to that which we should KNOW as well as appreciate and take comfort from.

"Testing?"  Yes but not how you think.  It is a test of the genuineness of your faith.  Ok - it's kind of weird.  The testing is to show you that God is indeed faithful and that your faith is not misplaces when placed in Him.  Of course it shows us the strength or fragility of our faith but however weak and fragile or strong and mighty it is faith and faith through it - no matter how fragile - we are saved and kept in Him.

Your faith is tested more than you think.  Do you drive?  Do you use your brakes?  Everytime you do you are having faith in God sustaining the coefficient of friction so that the brakes work as they should.  Ever had your brakes fail - yeah, scary but you get them repaired and after a while your back to trusting - having faith - in them without a conscious thought.  

God is greater than our brakes!  They could not work - when they work - without Him.  He wrote the science behind brakes in eternity - we just discovered it lately.  When they fail, God hasn't failed - the brakes have.  They are a secondary cause of your car stopping and secondary causes are not God.  

Don't you have any interest in discovering the faithfulness of God?  Good times may demonstrate it but we tend to take them for granted.  But let the compose hit the fan and it's a whole different matter.  Trails show us God's faithfulness - even trials that lead to death - ouch!  

I once watched as a man told my partner (old cop story) that he could not PROVE there was a God.  My partner (Boo by nickname) assured the man that he could prove it absolutely.  When the man demanded exactly how it could be proven my partner took out his Colt 1911, laid it on the counter and said, "You won't like it but I can prove it!"  Dead comes to us all and when it comes to believers it brings the ultimate proof of God's existence and gracious faithfulness.  As someone once said, "I'm not afraid of dead - but dieing is a little scary."  Dead means being with Him - getting there may be hard on us all but it is not the end - it's the passage to the absolute proof of what we believe.

The word here translated "testing" is a testing to demonstrate genuineness not quality or quantity.  Saying we have "a little" faith is as weird to me as saying that God gave us a "little blessing."  Whatever the faith - whatever the blessing since it comes form the creator and sustainer how could "little" even matter much less be applied?

We are given the faith that saves - how can that be small.  We grow in the faith that trusts.  It's funny that though we are given the faith that brings the greatest promise God ever made into our lives we struggle with our faith in Him to get through all the "stuff" we face here.  We are weak, struggling, silly people - but we are His people.

Trials teach us His faithfulness to the faith He has given us.  Can that really be a bad thing? hard?  Yep - but bad?  Nope!

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