Pure Grace

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Be a grace detective

This post comes to you courtesy of THE BLAZING CENTER blog by Stephen Altrogge (14.08.12). I dare you not to be encouraged by the way he invites us to see God’s grace in the lives of Christians around us.

I’m not Catholic, so I don’t believe in confessing sins to a priest, but for the sake of an interesting blog post, let’s pretend that this is a confessional, and I’m confessing to you.
ME: Father, forgive me for I have sinned.
YOU: What is your sin my son?
ME: I’m a critical jerk. I’m always far more aware of people’s failings than I am of God working in their lives. This turns me into an irritated, curmudgeonly person, who isn’t very gracious. I don’t radiate grace like Jesus did. I radiate the fact that I’m irritated. I’m a self-righteous punk.
YOU: Remind me not invite you over to my house.
ME: Yeah, tell me about it. Now, what should I do?

Aaaaaannnnnnddddd, CUT SCENE. Okay, now you swap out of the confessional and let’s put the Apostle Paul in your place.

PAUL: What you should do is simple. First, repent of your sins and receive the free forgiveness that comes through the blood of Christ. Second, you must become a grace detective.
ME: I’m sorry, a what? It sounded like you said, “Grace detective.”
PAUL: I did. What I mean is that you must be looking for God’s grace at work in people’s lives. God’s grace is at work all over the place in people’s lives. We just need eyes to see it. For example, when I wrote to the Corinthian church, I was writing to a church that was in absolute chaos. There were people getting drunk during communion, a guy sleeping with his stepmother, and people were abusing spiritual gifts like crazy. But, before I brought correction to them, I wanted them to see how God was working in their lives. So I wrote:

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:4-9 ESV)

Yeah, that church was a wild house. But, I could see God working in their lives. They were eager for the spiritual gifts. I also knew that God would be faithful to finish the work he began. So I could genuinely thank God for them and genuinely encourage them by pointing out God’s work in their lives. And when I remembered that, it changed my perspective on them from being irritated with them to actually caring for them.

ME: So what should I be looking for in people’s lives? Where do I start?
PAUL: Simply start by looking for the fruit of the Spirit in people’s lives. Do you see a person sacrificially loving someone else? That’s God’s work. Thank God for that work and encourage them about that work. Do you see a person enduring a trial with joy and peace. God’s work. Do you see a person extending kindness to an unkind person? God’s work. Be a grace detective. Help people see where God’s grace is at work in their lives. That practice will transform you from an irritated critic in a grateful, loving person.

grace-detectives-on-the-case.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheBlazingCenter+%28The+Blazing+Center%29

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God’s light at the end of the tunnel

Really love this photo. The light at the end just beckons you to follow. Throughout history God has always provided a light at the end of the tunnel: the promised Son of Adam would finally crush the enemy in the Garden; the promise of land and blessings given to Abraham was the light at the end of Israel’s captivity in Egypt; the return to the promised land was the light for the exiles in captivity; and Isaiah’s promised Suffering Servant was a light to all who looked forward from the other side of the Cross. He would make a final and full payment for the sin of the people, allowing them to experience the certainty of forgiveness.

Today we live in the glorious light of the Cross and the future hope it has secured for us. The hope of heaven illuminates our minds, even in the darkest circumstances. The ‘light of Christ’ shows us how momentary these troubles are by comparison with the glory that is to come. Thanks be to God for always providing the light of hope at the end of the tunnel. Let’s keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Light of the World. He is the author and perfector of our faith!

This photo comes courtesy of a blog I follow (The Phoblography by David Bignell).
Click here to see more.

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Saved by a violent grace

“So ruthless, He loves us,
So reckless His embrace
To show relentless kindness,
To a hardened human race
The joy that was before Him
On the Man of Sorrows face,
And by His blood He bought a violent grace”

Many years ago some great ministry friends introduced me to a writer of very “deep” and challenging Christian songs, Michael Card. And I had almost forgotten him until the other day! Now why did I remember him, you ask? At the moment I am studying for an exam, a “big picture” Bible overview subject and I really need to get some memory verses and concepts stuck in my head, about how Christ fulfills all the OT law and prophets. So then I thought, Hebrews! Great book for explaining that. This was quickly followed by my recollection that Michael Card’s “Soul Anchor” album is the book of Hebrews in song (just about).

“A Violent Grace” (quoted above and below) is Track 1. So passionately does it remind us that God’s grace was no stroll in the park! Jesus was the high priest who sacrificed Himself. His love was (and is) ruthless! He showed the ultimate kindness and grace to the hardened human race that despised Him. Yet the joy set before Him held the Man of Sorrows to the Cross. And what was this joy? (Hebrews 12:2)
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (NIV)
“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (NLT)

What was this joy? I suppose there was the joy of sitting on the Throne. But moreso, we are His joy! We are His reward. His death saved a people. All those the Father gave Him can never be snatched from His hand by the power of His death and resurrection. (John 10:28-29) We are God’s chosen people, recipients of immense and violent grace.
No wonder the message of the Cross is so offensive to so many.
But for us being saved it is the power of God!

A Violent Grace (Michael Card, 2001)

A mural of memories moves by in a blur
His prayers all seem unanswered and unheard
His pleading petitions, his loud cries and tears
A last reprieve will simply not appear
So ruthless, He loves us, So reckless His embrace
To show relentless kindness, To a hardened human race
The joy that was before Him
On the Man of Sorrows face
And by His blood He bought a violent grace
Most willing of victims, And with His final breath
Destroyed the one who holds the power of death
The hate heaped upon Him, scorning all the shame
But all for love He died and overcame

In all of time no one had ever heard
And to the world the thought seemed so absurd
Beyond their wildest dreams no one could ever tell
Of a high priest who would sacrifice Himself

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Blessed with extravagant grace to bless others

Do you ever shake your head in bewilderment at God’s people in Old Testament days? Despite many blessings, God’s faithfulness and the repeated demonstration of His power and redeeming love, they refused to share the glory and knowledge of their merciful God with the peoples about them. Instead they chose to turn away from the true & living God to pursue the gods and lifestyle of the culture around them. How could they do this? (we ask!) I know I have thought this way in the past, but perhaps we need to examine ourselves here in 2012, as God’s blessed people.

Consider these words from David Platt: “God blesses His people with extravagant grace, so they might extend His extravagant glory to all peoples on the earth. This basic, fundamental truth permeates Scripture from beginning to end. . . (yet) we live in a church culture that has a dangerous tendency to disconnect the grace of God from the glory of God. Our hearts resonate with the idea of enjoying God’s grace. We bask in sermons, conferences and books that exalt a grace centering on us. And while the wonder of grace is worthy of our attention, if that grace is disconnected from its purpose, the sad result is a self-centred Christianity that bypasses the heart of God.”
(“Radical” by David Platt (2010), p69-70).

Ouch! Basking in conferences, sermons and books! (That’s me.)
So have we also been keeping God’s blessings to ourselves? In our modern (western) world we have freedoms and luxuries unimaginable in past eras. Consider our education, our health, our homes, our families, our incomes. Are we using them to make ourselves comfortable or to spread the extravagant glory and grace of God to all peoples? Do we use our technology, our maturity in Christ, our education and knowledge of the Bible to bless others? Our blessings are given that we might bless others – this was the essence of God’s promises to Abraham (that all the world would be blessed through Father Abraham’s great nation).
Let’s not be content to sit on our blessings – particularly the blessing of salvation.
Unlike those OT people, we have the gracious gift of the Holy Spirit at work in us, moulding and shaping us to be more like Christ and giving us the desire to serve Him. Pray that we would not be content with self-centred Christianity. . . let’s not keep the blessings to ourselves.

Jeremiah 31:33 –  “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (NLT)

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“The Same Love” is calling

From the very beginning, the Creator has been calling to us, drawing us into relationship with Him. He has shown us His love, again and again through human history. The Cross is the pinnacle of the call. He still calls today. We must repond to the loving call of God.
This is a great song by Paul Baloche, with a really creative video to go with it.
Enjoy. (It is the title track of his 2012 album by the same name).

 

THE SAME LOVE
You choose the humble and raise them high
You choose the weak and make them strong
You heal our brokenness inside
And give us life

The same love that set the captives free
The same love that opened eyes to see
Is calling us all by name
You are calling us all by name
The same God that spread the heavens wide
The same God that was crucified
Is calling us all by name
You are calling us all by name

You take the faithless one aside
And speak the words “You are mine”
You call the cynic and the proud
Come to me now
The same love that set the captives free
The same love that opened eyes to see
Is calling us all by name
You are calling us all by name
The same God that spread the heavens wide
The same God that was crucified
Is calling us all by name
You are calling us all by name

Oh oh…

You’re calling You’re calling
You’re calling us to the cross

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Romans 3:16 – Pursued by mercy not misery

“Destruction and misery always follow them.” Romans 3:16

We seem to be a little let down by Paul’s letter to the Romans in our great run of significant “Three Sixteen” verses. I have thought long and hard about what to write. I can’t really see this verse appearing on a pretty motivational poster, or embroidered on a wall hanging in your toilet! But the verse is significant none the less.

In context this verse is speaking about the fact that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are born sinners. We are under the power of sin, slaves to sin. The Jews are no better off. All humans are born into sin. We don’t understand, we are not righteous and we don’t seek God. In this section Paul has tied together several Old Testament verses (from Psalms and Isaiah 59) to make his case. In verse 15 Paul is speaking of the unrighteous who are swift to shed others’ blood; they rush into murder. And what follows this? Destruction and misery! They have no peace and no fear of the Lord.

What a wretched position to be in, and what a contrast to those of us who now do know the Lord and are resting in His righteousness. This grace is open to all in Christ, Jew or Greek, slave or free.

Psalm 23 paints a picture of the goodness and mercy that always follow and protect His sheep – we are not hounded destruction and misery. So if we know Christ, and know that we are IN Christ, this “miserable” 3:16 verse must give rise to celebration and thankfulness. It reminds us that this is what we have been rescued from, from being followed by destruction and misery. What terrible companions. What horrific pursuers! For me this evokes the mental image of a nightmare where you are relentlessly pursued by some unknown yet horrible creature. (I can vividly remember the first one of those I had about age five.)

Anyway, back to Romans. The destruction and misery that pursues unsaved sinners is exactly what Christ delivers us from. And this is not down to us. It is not by our desire or effort that we know the Lord. It is only by His immense grace. Praise be to Him for sending his goodness and mercy after us.
“Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6) NLT

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Why I love ‘grace’ in the NLT

Since 1997 I have been a great enthusiast of the NLT (New Living Translation). While I still love my faithful black leather NIV study bible with the cracked edges and torn spine, the NLT has helped refresh and deepen my understanding of God’s loving Word to us. The NLT avoids terms that could be considered Christian jargon, and replaces them with more ordinary words that clearly explain the concept. The translation is not simpler, but it is often clearer.

Let’s take for example ‘grace‘ – God’s grace. For some people ‘grace’ means a prayer before a meal, the way you move, forgiveness, or even a girl’s name. I love the way NLT translators have expressed it: as God’s ‘special favour‘. Check out how fully God’s grace is described by the turn of phrase in these verses:

“God saved you by His special favour when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)

“But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.” (1 Corinthians 15:10)

“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” (Romans 5:2)

When using the NLT in Bible study over the years, it has caused many moments of “a ha!” It helps clarify the way other translations have expressed the glorious gospel of grace! I find it really good to use alongside the NIV or ESV, and is helpful when trying to develop song lyrics! If you have never tried it, have a go.
You can go to the official newlivingtranslation.com site here.
Or look it up in biblegateway. Enjoy!

(Note: My verses are taken from the 1996 version of NLT, which has been revised since the first printing. There may be some differences from the most recent printing.)

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The Grace that breaks in and saves

“The Bible’s purpose is not so much to show you how to live a good life. The Bible’s purpose is to show you how God’s grace breaks into your life against your will and saves you from the sin and brokenness that otherwise you would never be able to overcome….Religion is ‘if you obey then you will be accepted.’ But the Gospel is ‘if you are absolutely accepted, and sure that you are accepted, only then will you ever begin to obey’. Those are two utterly different things. Every page of the Bible shows the difference.”
Tim Keller.

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Music – a fountain of joy

“Music… will help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow, will keep a fountain of joy alive in you.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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You are our Song from Age to Age

“. . . Though tears now veil our eyes
Your steadfast love, our perfect hope
Our eyes are fixed on grace
We have no doubt You’ll lead us home
To finally see Your face”

These words are found in verse 3 of a new song by Sovereign Grace music, “Our Song from Age to Age”. I first heard it last Thursday night in Brisbane at an event hosted by Qld Theological College, where Don Carson shared an amazing vision of the “Future of Christianity” (from Revelation 21-22) with around 1500 people.

For me this song highlights GRACE, the thing we fix our eyes on as Christians, the GRACE by which we are saved. (See Ephesians 2:8-10). This is the only thing worth singing about and has been since . . . forever!

The first grace-filled song recorded in the Bible (though most probably not the first song uttered on this topic!) comes from Moses and Miriam in Exodus 15. Here are a few choice lines:

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has hurled both horse and rider into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. . .
Who is like you among the gods, O Lord—  glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders?
You raised your right hand, and the earth swallowed our enemies.
With your unfailing love you lead the people you have redeemed.
In your might, you guide them to your sacred home.”

This great rescue is pure grace. Yet so is music! So is praising God! It is a healing balm for the soul.
God has created us with the desire to praise Him and strangely, we feel most satisfied in ourselves when we are doing just that. Though sin deceives us into thinking we will feel our best when proudly singing our own praises, that will make us feel worse. Really, how long could we praise ourselves before we ran into something we would rather not sing about?
We must praise Him, not just with our mouths but with all our heart, our attitudes, our actions, our thoughts. Even if we could praise Him fully or perfectly, there would still be more to praise Him for, with the grace of each new day and into eternity! As creative image bearers of our Father, we should never run out of fresh ways to “declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10)
If you have found great grace in praising God, whether by yourself, or when gathered with his people, I would love to hear your comments.

Here is the link to listen to the song “Our Song from Age to Age” written by Joel Sczebel 2012.

And if you are someone who enjoys discovering great praise and worship songs for today’s church, then spend a bit of time exploring the Sovereign Grace site:  www.sovereigngracemusic.org . They graciously allow you to download their lyrics and sheet music for free! (Click on the STORE tab). These are inspiring and singable songs, full of bible/gospel truth. Enjoy!

Oh and if you want to know more about Don Carson, I’m sure you can figure out how to google him. Also check out a great website of his resources: thegospelcoalition.org