I Went To The Woods

Some years ago I read these words by Henry David Thoreau:

"I went to the woods because I wanted to see if I could not learn what life had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

I love the woods. I guess growing up on the Gulf Coast made me appreciate the woods even more. We lived for a period of time in a rural area surrounded by woods. I could look out the study window and see the woods in the background. One day I was fortunate enough to have my camera. It turned out this picture would be a reminder of what once was; but no longer exists. Hurricane Rita cleared the trees shown in the picture.

I first discovered the words of Thoreau while looking at this scene - of course, the deer were not always there. Most of the time they were. My thoughts often go back to the woods that surrounded our home on the hill. Today it caused me to think of Thoreau's words. I have been trying to understand my life in terms of my relationship to God through Christ. In the past two years I have had to make a number of adjustments in my thinking and understanding about what this new life means and how it is to be lived. I never dreamed that this would be happening to me at my age; but I am thankful that God has allowed to take this journey of discovery. It is like I have been given a new framework for living. It is like the number of pixels of a camera have been increased. As a result, images of understanding have become sharper. The key that has opened yet another door in my life has been the result of a fresh understanding that new life in Christ is basically one of living out the gospel. This has been a major discovery for me. Before that, I just saw the gospel as the entry point for my salvation - not something that was meant to engulf my life - not something that was meant to continually be a point of reckoning.

I often wonder how many people have or will discover, too late, perhaps, that they have not lived. I am convinced that many Christians will find that this has been true in their life. For those who care, I hope it will not be too late for them to do something about it. Many Christians may not recognize that they are living, at this very moment, a life that is empty and without real meaning. Some may; but they don't know what to do about it. They may know something is wrong; but they may not be clear about the problem. Their life can be just too cluttered with other things - with substitutes. They are just going through the motions - doing church. For them new life in Christ is a matter of religious performance. It is only an outward reality. Their life is one of trying to be a good person - trying to live up to moral standards that may be self imposed or imposed by others. They "go to church." They study God's Word and may even teach His Word. Some may wonder from time to time whether there is more to this "new" life. They may wonder what happened following their "experience" with Christ. The gospel came into their lives and they trusted Christ. And yet one day a person like this may say, "I thought I was really living the Christian life; but I haven't lived at all." I know from experience - this can happen. Why is that? What happens to people (not all people; but many)? Why do Christians settle for substitutes that leave them without deep reverence, repentance, and worship or concern for God's glory?

Conditions like these may explain why there is a growing emphasis on helping Christians feel better about themselves. Many Christians can recite Paul's great affirmation found in Philippians 1:21, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Yet, these words, which express the reason for our being and the very essence of our new life in Christ, are just words. I am sad to say that for much of my life, those were words that I could recite and talk about; but they were not always words in my heart. I want to understand what happened and how I got off track. This has required, once again, that I go back to the summer of 1946 when I came to Christ in faith and retrace my steps from that point forward. What I have discovered so far has left me with both disappointment and gratitude. I am disappointed because I did not understand sooner the meaning and importance of gospel centered living. On the other hand, I am grateful that God, in His grace, is giving me the opportunity at this juncture in life, not only to understand what that kind of living means but also to allow me to start living that kind of life - experiencing the encouragement of Christ's presence and glory - beholding His glory and experiencing its transforming power by faith. I have already learned that my mind must be continually filled with thoughts of Christ. I must continually find delight in Him and pleasure in Him. I must identify the things that will hinder me in doing that and then seek, with His help, to deal with those hindrances. I realize that it sounds like I want to walk around with my head in the clouds; but that is far from the truth in terms of what God wants and what will happen when that is the characteristic of my life. I will be living out the gospel. At this point, I have no idea where all of this will lead in terms of my obedience to Him and that leaves me somewhat apprehensive. Yet that apprehensiveness is overshadowed by a greater concern for how I finish the journey.

For the next series of posts, I want to explore what happened to my life and why it happened. I believe, for me, it will prove to be a time of on-going discovery and understanding - sort of a re-constructing of my life in light of the gospel. What I write today may have to be revised tomorrow. That probability is part of the journey. Ultimately, I am expecting to experience a total re-arrangement of my life - a clarifying of understanding when it comes to real living - gospel centered living. It will be a quest to understand the gospel and grow deeper in that understanding. I want the results expressed in Colossians 1:5-6, to be true of my life. "...Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,..."

I know for certain that from "the day I first heard it (the gospel) and understood the grace of God in truth" that it has been bearing fruit and growing in my life. I was not always aware that this is what was happening. One reason that I know this has been true is because of what is happening in my life. Without the gospel having taken root in my life, I would not be here today. I would not be seeking to understand it more and more. I am not sure where I would be; but I would not be on this journey.

In the last few weeks God has given me a picture of what this part of the journey will be like. I recently got a pair of progressive type glasses. The bifocal lens has been replaced with a progressive type vision. It has required some adjustment because I am having to learn to look at things through lens that are quite different. It is working; although, I had my doubts. The new lens for me in this journey will be gospel lens. It has already resulted in a time of adjustment and in a different view of things. I like this idea of progressing - especially at this point of my life.

“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

The Trial of Faith (Part 2)

One of the most critical sources of evidence in our judicial system for determining identity or family relationships is obtained through DNA testing. DNA is the abbreviated name for a nucleic acid found in humans and most other organisms. The scientific name is deoxyribonucleic acid. The letters "DNA" are much simpler; but that is about as simplistic as it gets for non experts. It is a very complex aspect of biological science and even more complex is DNA testing. Over the years DNA testing has been recognized in our judicial system as a reliable and relevant source of evidence, that is, provided strict standards are met for testing.

In the trial of faith called for in 2 Corinthians 13:5 to determine the presence of Christ in our life or whether we are born of God, Scripture provides another source of evidence. It results from what could be called spiritual DNA testing. This testing will reveal certain clear cut, definite characteristics in one born of God.

If we are born of God, according to several key verses in 1 John, certain birth traits will be evident. We first need to identify the traits. Then comes the matter of comparison or a Holy Spirit aided introspection to determine the presence of these characteristics in one's life. In a sense this evidence is like scientific evidence - it has an objective nature. Even so, it can involve difficulties when we seek to apply it. That difficulty is caused by several factors. One major cause for the difficulty is abnormal spiritual growth.

There are several traits listed; but the first one that I want to note is found in 1 John 3:9. John says, "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. " John is talking about persisting in habitual and continual sin. From the very outset, there will be questions about this trait. Some may wonder how much of a Christian's life can be controlled by sin and that person still be born of God? That question actually raises a more serious question. Why would a person want to know that when the presence of sin, and certainly significant sin, is not in any way an acceptable characteristic of a Christian's life. Yet some walk very close to the edge in that respect. It will help to realize, too, that John is not describing a state of sinless perfection. He is describing the results of God's nature abiding in us - the presence of the divine life which, like a seed, grows and which will have a definite impact on one's life when it comes to the kind of life that is lived. This growth may be affected temporarily; but if there is no growth, then there is no divine life. The divine nature will cause a child of God to hate sin and love righteousness. It will give one born of God the desire and will to do God's will. The source of this desire, according to Philippians 2:13, is God.

As we look at our life and these traits in light of being born of God, we may see some serious issues concerning our sanctification. If so, that should be a wake up call. The seed is meant to grow. This aspect of identifying our spiritual roots, like all of the evidence will require a thorough understanding of and practice of progressive sanctification. There we will learn that while we are never free from sin, we never give up - we press on with the assurance that our identity with the One who lives in us will become more and more manifest. We strive. We pursue and continually go for more. We experience the tension that is within us. We stop playing games with the salvation God has granted to us. This will be true as to the remaining traits noted by John.

In 1 John 4:7-8, he says, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." There is a certain kind of love that can only originate from God. It reflects God's essential nature. It is produced by the Holy Spirit in the life of one born of God and one who is yielded to the Holy Spirit. It is the love reflected in 1 Corinthians 13. This characteristic of spiritual birth is expressed in the sense of continuous action. It is meant to be an on-going characteristic or trait.

A third trait is expressed in 1 John 5:4- 5. "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" A strong trait in one born of God is a continuous, unshakable faith that Jesus is the Son of God. This is more than mental assent. True faith works and involves transformation and repentance. The statement of John is both deep and broad. It means, for one thing, that Jesus is the focus of our life. It means that the gospel is more than the entry point for our conversion. Our life is gospel centered. We have a gospel centered view of life. It is the day-to-day controlling factor in our life because it is through the gospel that we see, by means of the inner witness of the Holy Spirit, "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus." Paul speaks of this in 2 Corinthians 4:4-6. He calls this the gospel of the glory of Christ which encompasses all that the gospel is. This steady focus is the bedrock foundation for an overcoming faith. If the evidence of that trait is weak then the problem can be found in how much dominance the gospel has in our day to day life. It also may be true that we are relying on the wrong testimony. Certain witnesses are not true or reliable witnesses. John says in 1 John 5:6-11 "...And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." This trait of overcoming faith is not the faith exercised at the point of conversion. It is faith that is present now. That means the gospel should be driving our life moment by moment.

There is another factor that can have impact on recognizing these birth traits. In order to recognize this evidence we have to know something. John gives us this clue in 1 John 2:29. "If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him." He is speaking here of Jesus. The first knowing opens the door to the second knowing which is by means of experience. The more we know the first, the more we can know in the latter sense. This was a driving force behind Paul's statements in Philippians. This takes discovery of a family likeness to a much deeper level. John speaks of this in 1 John 3:1. "...The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him." In fact the natural mind actively works to suppress that knowledge and in so doing deprives itself of what it desperately needs. But for the one born of God, the light of the gospel has shone and enlightened our darkened minds so we may behold His glory. We need to let that light shine brightly. We need that if we are going to discover the critical traits of family likeness. We need this is we want to experience the life given to us through faith in Jesus Christ. We need this if we are going to be able to look into His Word - our true source of discovery - and see Jesus. Only that seeing will let us see the traits of one born of God. Just as DNA testing is one of comparison - so is spiritual DNA. Paul describes this process of discovery in the awesome words of 2 Corinthians 3:18. "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." Only as we behold His glory will the traits of family likeness be manifested.

If we want to find the evidence to successful conclude the trial of faith we need to look to Jesus or as the writer of Hebrews 12:1-2, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Back up a chapter and take a good look at those witnesses and you will see how strong their spiritual birth traits were. The reason - they were strong in the faith and they were strong in the faith because of the One to whom they looked.

A trial should hopefully end with a verdict. Sometimes the fact finder, if it is a jury, cannot reach a decision and the judge must declare a mistrial. If the fact finder is a judge, inability to reach a verdict is not an option. A decision must be reached even though it may require more evidence. For the trial of faith, a decision has to be reached. It may involve seeking and developing stronger evidence. If you are of the faith, there is a way. Look to Jesus, pursue Him with the assurance expressed in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Pursue Jesus with all diligence or as Peter says in 2 Peter 1:10 "Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall."

For some the evidence may be lacking - not because of abnormal spiritual growth but because that person has never been born of God. Some may have given external signs of conversion but have eventually fallen away. For some Matthew 7:21-23 may be an ever present frightening thought. If you are experiencing a sense of worry or fear or if the verdict is not favorable, seek help. Maybe you are experiencing a season of darkness and cannot hear the Lord's voice or experience a sense of His love and presence. Continue to seek Him in prayer, weeping, reading and hearing His Word. In "The Glory of Christ," John Owen said, "Faith continually seeks him and thinks of him, for in this way Christ lives in us...But we experience the power of his life in us only as our thoughts are filled with him and we continually delight in him. If, therefore, we would behold the glory of Christ, we must be filled with thoughts of Christ and his glory on all occasions and at all times. This is the mark of a true Christian...Let that glory so fill our hearts with love, admiration, adoration and praise of him that our souls will be transformed into his image." Finally, I would encourage you as I encourage myself, read and re-read the high priestly prayer of Christ in John 17. Faith ebbs and flows. There are degrees; but the object of our faith, Jesus Christ, does not. We may struggle at times to know if we are born of God. Not so with the Lord. 2 Timothy 2:19 "But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his..." Over the course of my life I have, at times, walked in seasons of darkness to the point of despair. I pressed on, realizing later that the Lord was pulling me. At times I pushed the trial too far and too long. It became my effort unaided by the Holy Spirit. The verdict would not come and I fell deeper into despair. I finally came to realize that while we should pursue the trial of faith with all diligence, we must do so carefully. We can lose sight of the purpose and forget there is a life to be lived by faith. We can let our own mind and heart dominate us in that pursuit. Our eyes and heart can become closed to His Word. John Piper, in his book, "When Darkness Will Not Lift," says, in effect, that introspection can become self-absorption and small mindedness. It may start out as introspection aided by the Holy Spirit; but it can, instead, be introspection of our own making. He says we "need to embrace a vision of life that is far greater than our present concerns." Pursue the trial of faith. If we find our hearts faint and starving, we need to repent and never stop trusting in the gospel. Then get on with living the faith that we have been freely given with knowledge, as stated in Philippians 1:6, that the Lord will complete what He started.

“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

The Trial of Faith (Part 1)

In the field of law, evidence is essential in proving whether something is true. Rules of evidence exist to assure that fact finders base decisions on the most credible and reliable evidence. In a sense, the same is true when it comes to the higher call in 2 Corinthians 13:5 to test and examine to see if we are in the faith. We need reliable and credible evidence and an authoritative rule to know what evidence is admissible. That rule is the Bible.

In 2 Corinthians 13:5 Paul writes, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" In this trial, God's Word must be our standard. Any other standard or source is both faulty and foolish. Many, however, turn to themselves, others and traditions as the source of authority. They pursue human reasoning. The result of that pursuit will be dangerously flawed and can be eternally damning. Many people just avoid the process. It may seem too challenging. Maybe the question, "Will I be proven authentic?" is too unnerving and maybe there is a concern about being honest before God. The gravest risk, though, is not to "examine, test and realize." It is equally as risky to engage in this trial and not base the process on the Word of God.

Before examining the evidence recognized by the Bible as reliable and relevant, there are several questions we have to ask ourselves in light of 2 Corinthians 13:5. First, who is supposed to conduct the trial? There are always people who would love to do that with your life. But Paul is very emphatic at this point. He literally says, "You, yourself examine, test and realize." This trial is the primary responsibility of each individual for their own life.

Second, we need to know something about the procedures that are involved. We find guidance in this passage. The first step, Paul says, is to "examine." That word means to look for specific proof. It is a word that has the idea of optimism. You don't go at this in a negative way. Good things will come from this examination. Next he says "test yourselves." The word "test" speaks of an objective evaluation centered around a central issue. I have seen many trials where there is a lack of understanding of the issues. Without that understanding you will wander aimlessly and the discovery of truth will be an illusive endeavor. One critical part of legal training involves learning how to determine the issue or issues. Paul says that is important in this trial. Finally, Paul says there is something we need to realize about ourselves. That brings us to the real, central issue - realizing, based on what is true, whether you are in the faith, that is, whether Christ is in you. What Paul is describing is a picture of what takes place in our own judicial system. You determine who has jurisdiction to conduct the trial. You follow the correct procedure. You discover the evidence and determine what evidence is valid or admissible based on an authoritative rule. You present that evidence and a conclusion is reached based upon that evidence. In the trial of faith, the conclusion or realization that we seek is expressed in the question asked in verse 5, "Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you." The realization called for in this trial involves a growing awareness that Christ is in you. This ties us directly to the process of and importance of sanctification. For many there may be an arrested awareness. It is easy to have a lack of or a retarded growth of that awareness and there are many reasons for this. If this is part of our discovery, then we need to take steps to deal with it immediately.

Third, we must determine what evidence is valid when it comes to the trial of faith. What evidence is admissible in the trial to determine if we are in the faith and if Christ dwells in us? If you are in the faith and Christ dwells in you, you can start this process with the assurance that there will some evidence supporting that fact. If I am a Christian - that is, one in whom Christ dwells or one born of God then there will be evidence of that fact. You may have to reject alot of so-called evidence in the process of getting to the real evidence. Certain things may have to be ruled inadmissible. That will be good because of the result that can be achieved. You may find that the evidence has grown dim and become muddled. As you begin to place your life up against the Word of God and allow God's Spirit to reveal things in your life, you may also be confronted with the need to repent. We may have to deal with this need at every turn because of how muddled our lives have become or how neglectful we have been in the matter of progressive sanctification or growth to maturity. We may find it painful to ask, "Can I see Jesus in my life?" Can I see a transformation taking place? What ever it takes, though, know this - it will be worth the pain to ask serious questions and take stock of where we are in our spiritual journey.

Fourth, there will be witnesses that can be called in this trial. Again, we want reliable and credible witnesses. What are reliable witnesses according to Scripture? I will be brief in this; but I would challenge you, as I challenge myself, to keep looking in God's Word for these witnesses and sources of evidence.

There is the witness of the Spirit - an inner testimony. Romans 8:16 says "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God..." I have struggled at this point - that is as long as I have struggled with the source of my faith. Once it became clear to me that faith followed the new birth, it became easier to listen to the witness of the Spirit. My mind was freed of an unnecessary burden or battle about how I got saved. I have also struggled because I have not fully understood the scope and might of God's forgiveness. Paul speaks of this in 2 Corinthians 7:10. "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." You cannot think or function properly if your life is weighed down with regret. God's forgiveness is so deep and complete that there is no need to fret with forgiving ourselves. With the Spirit's help and the power of grace, we need to understand and accept the completeness of God's forgiveness. Unconfessed sin will affect the witness of the Spirit. According to Ephesians 4:30, He is grieved and this grief will weigh you down. However, when the witness of the Spirit has been released, we also find the inner witness of peace through our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says in Romans 5:1 "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." There comes a sense that the war has ended and God's justice has been satisfied. You start to see, in a clearer way, your righteousness in Christ. You begin to experience a deepening reality of the truth expressed in Philippians 3:12. "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." I realize, at this point, that I am doing more than mentioning evidence. It is really a two-fold point that I am trying to make - find the evidence and then make the evidence stronger. Paul says as much in this passage - "There is more, press on." There should also be evidence in terms of a desire and thirst to hear God speak. 1 Peter 2:2 says, "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—" There is also the matter of evidence seen in the driving force of one's life. What do we want the most? In Philippians 3:8, Paul says, "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ." I have to say again, that, within each of us, these witnesses, if present, may only be faintly heard. That will have a lot to do with the extent of our growth into Christlikeness or our sanctification.

In "The Trial of Faith (Part 2)" we will consider the evidence of birth traits in those born of God. We will be looking at something akin to DNA results that aid in determining family relationships. However, this will be DNA of a spiritual nature. There is a condition when it comes to considering evidence of spiritual birth traits. In order to recognize this evidence we have to know something. We will consider that condition in part 2 of "The Trial of Faith." The trial of faith is not an ordinary or simple endeavor. It is one that demands utmost seriousness and effort. But behind this trial is an awesome promise. It is found in Colossians 1:27 where Paul says, "To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of the mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Paul says that this is God's promise to the saints. Announce ready for trial. Gain a growing awareness of Christ in you - not just ideas or knowledge about Christ that you may have, but CHRIST IN YOU - for real through faith.

“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Are You Of The Faith?

Over the last few weeks, I have looked at my life in light of the question "Why Did I Come to Jesus Christ in Faith?" I have really struggled with the thought that I had, in someway, initiated salvation by my own will. That idea hung like a dark cloud over my life. It was a cloud that continued to grow darker. The more I considered the verses about the unsaved person's spiritual deadness the more concern I had with the idea that I could have initiated faith. I wanted assurance that the door that was unlocked actually led to salvation and not to some imagined version. The words "I never knew you" kept haunting me. It was only when I came to understand that it was God who initiated everything in my life leading up to and including my act of faith and repentance that I found meaning and peace in what happened in my life that summer of 1946. I have found no other door through which I could enter and find peace other than the door that was unlocked by the sovereign act of God.

Up until recently most of my effort toward understanding was like a search and destroy mission. Finally it became a search and discovery mission. I have been both aided and challenged in this effort by something Paul said in 2 Corinthians 13:5. "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" There is a lot in that verse that I would like to explore - and one day I hope I can. At this point, I just want to "examine" and "test" so that I can more fully realize this about myself - that Jesus Christ is in me and not only realize it but come to the point of consistently living in the reality of that great truth. Life is full of tests and much to my regret, I have not always met those tests. The test called for in this passage is one that I must not only pursue but actually meet. It is not that I haven't tried to test and examine my life over the years concerning my salvation, it is the fact that this effort has been more of a hit or miss endeavor - mostly miss. It was always from a wrong premise or framework. In the last few months, I decided to give it another go. I was concerned that I was just about to give up. I really don't think it was my decision other than to take the step God placed before me. Even then, I won't claim the credit. I know God was working in my life. He was doing that in a number of ways. One was through the prayers and encouragement of my wife. She knew how I was struggling. I also owe a great deal to those whom I have encountered at The Village Church. God has used their ministry and messages to help me escape from the murky waters that had engulfed my life. I believe that He is still using that ministry in ways that I have not fully realized.

The first stage of this examination dealt with the all important question of why I came to Jesus Christ in faith. I can't began to express what it has meant to be able to finally look at my salvation in the correct light of God's sovereignty and not through the lens of free will - that God had left some degree of will within me that, with proper stimulus, would enable me to receive His gift and that He chose me on the basis of knowing how I would respond. I believe in the important role of free will but, until recently, never fully understood that it first required God's work of regeneration. Until then, I was spiritually dead and could act only in keeping with that deadness.

When I found this long sought relief I almost stopped examining and testing - that is until I decided to look a little closer at Paul's statement in 2 Corinthians 13:5. It was then that realized I needed to go farther. I needed to take a specific course of action that involved several things. You not only have to look at how the journey started, you have to consider how the journey has progressed. For me that will involve digging through a lot of rubble. When I walked through the magnificent doorway of salvation into newness of life at age nine, I immediately became immersed in a sea of religion - of doing church - of trying to meet certain moral standards. I grew up in an environment that considered moral conformity and busyness "at church" as the essence of salvation. Going to church, being active in church and trying "to measure up" fairly well summed up my life for a long, long time. As a result I don't think that I have ever fully realized the awesome truth expressed by Paul - "Jesus Christ is in you." I don't think I will this side of heaven; but I know there is room for more understanding right now.

Regrettably my life became one of self effort. Only by God's grace am I here and able to write about this or even want to have more in my life when it comes to Christ. For many years, I knew very little about the role of the Holy Spirit or the critical importance of prayer. I just extended the idea that many have about how you get saved to how you live your life once that happens. That thinking became the basis for living the Christian life. It was all about me and my efforts - not Christ, what He had done and why He had done it. It was also all about repeatedly failing to measure up. The gospel became just an entry point rather than my life. I focused more on the life than the Giver of that life. I think I lived in an environment that got caught up in something described by John Piper in his book "God is the Gospel." He said "From the first sin in the Garden of Eden to the final judgment of the great white throne, human beings will continue to embrace the love of God as the gift of everything but himself." He points out that there are ten thousand gifts that flow from the love of God and then he says, "but none of these gifts will lead to final joy if they have not first led to God." Because of that, I know that part of the process of which Paul speaks will be not only be to examine and test but also to assure continued realization of the truth - "Jesus Christ is in you." That means my focus must be Christ-centered and not man-centered. That means I must pursue Christ and that I must live and breathe the gospel.

What I want in all of this is something Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 1:8. "Who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." The word "sustain" in some translations read "confirm." It seems like a two edged sword. It speaks of a confirmed destiny and being sustained to reach the destiny of standing guiltless before Him. I want to live each day in light of an absolute, rock solid, sovereign guarantee of my future. I want to experience His sustaining power. What hope do I have that this will be true? There are basically two reasons. The first is "Christ in me." The second is expressed in 1 Corinthians 1:9. "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." And why do I want to test, examine and realize? It is because of the thought expressed by Paul at the end of 2 Corinthians 13:5 - "...unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" But here is the beauty of the process called for by Paul. Even though that result is possible, you undertake this process not from the standpoint of failing; but with fearless assurance of proving you are in the faith.

“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

How Amazing is Grace

I have written quite a lot about faith; but without grace there would not be faith. It is well to remember words like these written by Charles Spurgeon. "Be careful that you don't fall into error by fixing your mind so much upon faith - which is the channel of salvation - that you forget God's grace, which is the fountain and source of even faith itself. Remember that. Faith is the work of God's grace within us...We are saved 'through faith' but salvation is 'by grace.' Grace is the fountain and the stream...Never make an idol of your faith...New life is found by looking to Jesus, not in looking to your faith." Grace kept us for salvation. It brought us to salvation. It brought us salvation. It envelopes our life, sustains our life, carries us forward and in the words of John Newton in the great hymn, "Amazing Grace," grace will lead us home. But grace is not just past, present and future. It is eternal. In Ephesians 2:6-7 Paul says "God...raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." By grace we are strengthened. Hebrews 13:9, "Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them." 2 Timothy 2:1, "You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus." It is all sufficient and all powerful. 2 Corinthians 12:9, "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." It flows from the God of all grace. 1 Peter 5:10, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." It is beyond description and comprehension. It is truly amazing. This is captured in the video that I want to share. It is one more song for the "Amen Journey."





“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”