Joy to the World!

Joy to the World (Isaac Watts, 1719)

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

This song oozes with joyful praise rooted in Psalm 98.  But what is “joy”?  It’s so much more than mere thrills or pleasure or momentary happiness:  joy a deep peace in God’s love and a confident wonder at his majesty.  Now this coming of God into his world to reign as King demands a response:  prepare him room; enthrone him, exalt him!

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

What’s all this about fields, floods, rocks, and hills?  Psalm 98:7-8, like Psalm 19:1 (“The heavens declare the glory of God”), tells us nature is programed to spotlight its brilliant, magnificent Maker.  And when we worship God, in a sense all creation echoes our praise.

No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found.

Here we harken back to Genesis 3 and God’s curse upon sinful humanity and on nature itself.  We sing with hope for the day when sin will be no more, and the curse resulting from it (e.g., sorrows, thorns) will be undone, and death itself will be abolished.

He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.

The certainty of God’s final victory exudes from this stanza:  every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:9-11).  God’s reign unites grace and truth, love and righteousness—the theological balance here is exquisite.  But in the end, Isaac Watts just can’t resist repeating the wonders, wonders, wonders, wonders, wonders, wonders of Christmas love!

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Sobering Reflections on De-Conversion

I appreciated Ed Stetzer's heart-felt, humble, and searching reflections on the de-conversion of Bart Campolo.
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Half-Truth and Happiness

I thank God for revealing his truth to humanity—for sending Jesus, who is the truth (John 14:6); for his written revelation:  “Your word is truth” (John 17:17).  The Scriptures give light to show the way in a dark world (Psalm 119:105).  How we need God’s truth!

But still, distorted or veiled or incomplete or diluted or slanted words of truth are dangerous:  half-truths hurt people.  Like teach­ing that “God is love” while ignoring the fact that “God is light.”  Or teach­ing that we’re not saved by good works without clari­fying that we are saved unto good works.  Or favoring the NT and ignoring the OT.  Or tell­ing people to love neighbors without helping them first love God.

A certain half-truth recently went viral online:  Victoria Osteen (co-pastor with Joel Osteen at Houston’s positive-thinking Lakewood Church) declared, “When we obey God, we’re not doing it for God … we’re doing it for ourselves, because God takes pleasure when we’re happy.  Just do good for your own self.  Do good because God wants you to be happy.  When you come to church, when you worship Him, you’re not doing it for God really.  You’re doing it for yourself, because that’s what makes God happy.”  Here's the video:

The Christian blog-o-sphere lit up like fireworks in response.  First it was everyone saying how outrageous Osteen’s remarks were.  Then, after a bit, it was how some of the criticisms revealed an opposite error.  One half-truth was being exchanged for another.

So, what’s the grain of truth from Osteen?  It’s that God doesn’t need our worship—he has no need.  We don’t do good “for” God in a way that makes up for any deficiency in God because, of course, he has no deficiency.  The Maker and Master of all things is not “served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:24). 

What’s more, everything that exists belongs to God (Psalm 24:1; 50:10-12).  We’re merely stewards of his property entrusted to our care (Luke 12:41-48; 1 Cor 4:7).  So we’re just not in a position to “give” God anything.  Even you yourself belong to God (“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price,” 1 Cor 6:19-20).

So Victoria Osteen touches on something true:  we don’t act for God in a way that makes up for any lack on his part (he lacks nothing).  Plus, all that we might give to God is really his already.

But still, there is a grievous distortion of God’s true word in Osteen’s remarks.  In response, Ligon Duncan points to the Westminster Catechism:  “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”  Duncan contends, “Our fullest joy cannot be realized or exper­ienced apart from the pursuit of God’s glory.”  “True worship is both God-glorifying and soul-satisfying.”  Psalm 73:25 comes to mind, Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.  And 16:11, You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

The whole truth is that God does want you to be happy—so much so that he insists you find your happiness in what’s truly, eternally satis­fying.  So don’t just worship or do good because “it’s the right thing to do.”  Saying the right words or doing the right thing without a heart of love for God is not Christian worship (Matt 15:8; Rev 3:16).

Here’s a good word from eighteenth century evangelist, George Whitefield:  “A life spent in communion with God, is the pleasantest life in the world” (from his sermon, “Walking with God”).

The Bible commands us, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).  So again, God wants you to be happy.  Now a reckless reading of this verse locks in on Part B:  Hey, here’s my ticket to getting what I desire—let’s see, I desire a big house, luxury cars, perfect health, high status, trouble-free rela­tionships…  But that interpretation is crazy—and wrong.  Any response to Psalm 37:4 that takes joy in God’s gifts more than in the All-Satisfying Giver himself (remember:  “Delight yourself in the Lord”) amounts to idolatry. 

It would have been so much better if Victoria Osteen had said, “God wants you to be happy in Jesus:  in his love and acceptance, in his forgiveness and comfort, in his purifying and refining work to make you holy and help you walk in his steps!  That’s what you were made for, and no pleasure in mere prosperity will ever satisfy your heart.”

(For a devastating critique of prosperity theology, see John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad, 3rd edn., pp. 15-32.  For other helpful resources, search on “prosperity” at Desiring God.  See also the Sept­em­ber 3 article from Al Mohler).
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Discontented Contentment

This summer has been a season of wrestling to find the wise and healthy “place” the Lord has for me—and for all his children—somewhere between chronic restlessness and sinful complacency.

On the one hand, Jesus offers us “rest”:  Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28).  He brings peace (John 20:19, 20).  So release your anxieties into his fatherly care (Matt 6:25-34)!  Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything—that’s how we receive God’s peace that passes understanding (Phil 4:4-7).  Christians under pressure (e.g., 1 Pet 4:12) are to cast their anxieties on God since he cares for them (5:7). 

The life Christ calls you to, here and now, is one of peace, rest, and humble trust.  Anxiety breaks out in our souls when we forget who we are—and who the Lord is!  But godly contentment takes root as we lift up our eyes to the One who loves and saves and sustains and cares for us eternally (Psalm 121:1-2; 123:1-2).  Are you walking with Jesus today in an attitude of contentment?  Or is your heart being lured by the Enemy into a fretful, anxious, contentious state? 

The thing about the restless, straining, driven, overly idealistic path is that, the further you take it, the harder it is to get back.  We know we ought to “be still” (Ps 46:10), but we feed off of the ego boost that comes with all our great work and in imagining our­selves so far ahead of others, and we want more.  And more!  Yes, God is able to deliver us from this swamp—but you may lose the desire to turn to him! 

So peace, rest, calm… that’s the one hand.  On the other hand, the Bible calls us to a life of striving:  Jesus goes on in Matthew 6 to teach his disciples to “seek first God’s kingdom.”  Seek.  Paul tells his story of relentless straining and striving, pressing on, pursuing the prize (Phil 3:12-14); he portrays the life of faith in terms of diligent labor (2 Tim 2:1-7).  God says, You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart (Jer 29:13).  Lukewarm, ho-hum, blasé spirituality in the church is revolting to the Lord (Rev 3:16).

So we’re called to a restless restfulness, a discontented contentment.  That’s our paradox.  And it’s a very delicate balance:  we fallen humans easily slide into one sad propensity or the other—that is, to relax our way beyond contentment into complacency and self-serving mediocrity, OR to strive our way beyond the quest for growth in godliness so we end up as proud, straining achievers who really long to feature our own success rather than the glory of Christ.

What’s more, in some seasons of life we lose balance in an ambitious, striving direction, while in others we tip toward sloth, stifled imagination, and lost vision of earlier dreams.  In light of the fact that we oscillate like that, how can we thrive together in Christ as a church community?  For example, as a family with loved ones at different “places” along the continuum living under the same roof—strivers and resters?  Or as a church family made up of members who are in every possible position along the striving-resting spectrum?

Here are a few words of encouragement when it comes to shaping a life of discerning, humble, hopeful spirituality.  First, remem­ber that we all still have a long way to go in terms of spiritual growth.  Which is to say:  you have not “arrived,” nor is your case hopeless, nor are you too old to make new strides, nor are you too young to have grand hopes.  Settling into a life of “settling” dishonors the Lord:  he is at work in you to will and to accomplish his good pleasure (Phil 2:12-13), and his good pleasure includes your development of a healthy, humble rhythm of spiritual life that truly rests in God’s love and that also truly presses on in pursuit of Christ.

Second, be on the lookout for your own “signature sins” (to borrow a phrase from Michael Mangis’s book by the same title).  Know thyself.  Are you prone to slip into the mire of self-pity or doubt or sloth—and are those actually expressions of unbelief?  Or are you inclined to plateau and lock in to a no-change life—and is that actually a way to try and exert control and insulate yourself from life’s harsh winds and waves?  Or, in the other direction, are you prone to push and pull and strive and strain, always seeking more, never at peace, ever chasing some magnificent ideal—yet is that actually a way your heart slides into self-promotion mode while sidelining Jesus Christ?

Third, have mercy on your brothers and sisters in Christ, even if they’re driving you crazy with raging ambition or torpid sluggish­ness.  Be patient (1 Thess 5:14).  Lovingly encourage one another (Heb 3:12-13).  And bear with one another, always ready to forgive:  you must forgive, just as Christ has forgiven you (Col 3:13).

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Ice Bucket Options

Since the ALS Association allocates some of its funds for research that uses stem cells from aborted children, those who wish to respect human life may want to choose other options for helping to fund ALS research.  See this article for some ideas.
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Some Insight about Ferguson

Pastor Bob Bixby's thoughts are shared by Justin Taylor--helpful insights for white Christians to probe and pray over.
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Obscene Indifference

This New York Times editorial about the world's response to ISIS is sobering and serious.
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On Singleness

A good word that gets to the heart of the matter when it comes to following Jesus as a single person.

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Swift Change

Kevin DeYoung points out how rapidly President Obama's and Vice President Biden's positions on gay marriage have changed:  just six years ago, the conversation was entirely different.
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About the "Nominal Christian"

Helpful thoughts from Mike McKinley:


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"Faith Is..."

I love this vivid word-picture of Christian faith given by nineteenth century pastor J. C. Ryle—it shows both the active nature of trust in Jesus, yet faith is rightly portrayed not as our work but dependence on the all-sufficient work of Christ: 

Saving faith is the hand of the soul.  The sinner is like a drowning man at the point of sinking.  He sees the Lord Jesus Christ holding out help to him.  He grasps it and is saved.  This is faith (Hebrews 6:18). 

Saving faith is the eye of the soul.  The sinner is like the Israelite bitten by the fiery serpent in the wilderness, and at the point of death.  The Lord Jesus Christ is offered to him as the brazen serpent, set up for his cure.  He looks and is healed.  This is faith (John 3:14-15). 

Saving faith is the mouth of the soul. The sinner is starving for want of food, and sick of a sore disease.  The Lord Jesus Christ is set before him as the bread of life, and the universal medicine. He receives it, and is made well and strong. This is faith (John 6:35). 

Saving faith is the foot of the soul. The sinner is pursued by a deadly enemy, and is in fear of being overtaken.  The Lord Jesus Christ is put be­fore him as a strong tower, a hiding place, and a refuge.  He runs into it and is safe. This is faith (Proverbs 18:10).

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Logic of the Resurrection

I am struck afresh at the relentless and hope-giving logic stemming from Jesus' resurrection from the dead and giving hope for future resurrection to all who trust in him.  See HERE on 1 Corinthians 15.
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Visits to Heaven?

David Platt compiles an array of recent publications featuring visits to and returns from heaven, and he also shows from Scripture why these fanciful accounts should be dismissed:


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Cosmos

I noticed today that the new FOX / National Geographic thirteen-week TV series, "Cosmos:  A Spacetime Odyssey," makes a bold philosophical statement in the first line of their primary promotional video in which they lay their worldview cards on the table.  The voice of Carl Sagan declares, "The cosmos is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be."  

So there.

Update March 9:  episode 1 of the rebooted "Cosmos" series began with that same line from Sagan:  "The cosmos is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be."  This "in your face" philosophical/ideological agenda is stunning.  One thing it isn't, however:  science.
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Winter of Discontent

As I write, pellets of sleet are tapping on the window in front of me.  And I wonder:  is ice accumulating on those oak branches hanging high above the power lines out back?  Is our house about to go dark—again? 

This has become the “winter of our discontent” (that may have been Shakespeare’s line, but it has found new meaning in 2014):  freezing rain, sticky snow, tree limbs crashing down, raging icicles, plus some nasty cold temperatures.  And yet, of the many ways to describe this winter’s weather (such as horrendous, unprecedented, relentless, stunning…), I’d like to suggest a different term:  meaningful.  Packed with significance.  The convulsions of nature are one way God speaks.  So just what is he saying through the wild winter weather?

God exhibits his raw power through Nor’easter and Polar Vortex systems that bring our routines grinding to a halt.  It’s a not-so-subtle reminder that he’s charge and we’re not.  Are you at peace with that?  Or do you get all bent out of shape when conditions don’t toe the line for your “well-laid plans”?

Remember, Psalm 19:1 is true all the time, not just with pretty sun­sets:  “The heavens declare the glory of God.”  The Lord’s creative power and sovereign majesty are on display this winter:  do you have eyes to see?  Praise the Lord, fire and hail and snow and frost! (Ps 148:8). 

God is always at work for the good of his people (Rom 8:28), so let’s be on the lookout for the good in having our agenda squashed.  May­be we need to be disrupted.  Disruption gives us a chance to live by faith—to trust the Lord with down time, loss, discomfort, even pain.  Don’t forget: the Father “disciplines those he loves” (Heb 12:6).

James 4:13-16 confronts our vain self-assurance:  “Of course we’ll go here and there and do this and that tomorrow and the next day!”  Winter Storm Pax reminds us that tomorrow is God’s domain.  The One who runs the universe also holds our future in his hand.  Are you content with that, even amidst the storm?

One more thought:  could it be that God gives us this mild misery to awaken us from our self-sovereignty stupor so we’d see a world in need—people facing affliction far worse than our blizzard?

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The Value of a Super Bowl Victory

I have to hand it to the folks at Mars Hill Church for connecting with various followers of Jesus who are part of the Seattle Seahawks organization and providing video interviews of them.  It helps put things in perspective--that is, that knowing the Lord and being eternally loved by him is FAR more precious than a Super Bowl ring.  Here is an interview with Mark Driscoll asking several of the Seahawks who they think Jesus is.  In this one Russell Wilson is featured and shares his story of faith.  Plus, a 20-minute halftime video is provided--no doubt a more enriching presentation than what will come from the stadium during halftime.
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Loving God's Word

I appreciated Steve Fuller's blog post about the treasure we have in the Word of God, the Bible.  He draws attention to a video of a group of Chinese believers receiving their first Bibles--take a look.

Some may call this kind of love for the Scriptures "bibliolatry," but the charge misses the point:  this is not worship of a book but the adoring and trusting devotion of believers for the Lord who speaks to them in his Good Book.  No need to try and drive a wedge between God and his revelation.
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Alone, Yet Not Alone

Here's the song and a glance at the recording of it by Joni Eareckson Tada, "Alone, Yet Not Alone," which has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song from the movie, "Alone, Yet Not Alone."

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Sobering Information about Abortion

Serious and sobering words about the ongoing tragedy of abortion in our world.

See also David Murray's list of resources on this topic.
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Paying Attention to God

Taking God seriously--wise words from a senior saint:
Taking God Seriously - J.I. Packer from Crossway on Vimeo.
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