Peace with God--A Flashback

I heard a song at lunch today that gave me a flashback of listening to that same song for the first time while driving down a road in North Dallas.  It took place not long after I had become a Christian, and even though the song was a secular song its theme resonated with what I was feeling in my spirit at the time.  The theme of the song is peacefulness, the peacefulness that you get from sailing, with just you and the wind and the waves.

The reason that song resonated with me so strongly at the time was that at 29 years old I was experiencing real peace for the first time in my life.  I had an inner peace, a peace in my spirit, in the deepest part of me; and this was a peace that I had never experienced before; and it was so different, so unexpected, and so glorious, that I found myself basking in it as I traveled down the road that day....and then the song came on, and I knew I had a peace that was bigger and deeper than what the song could convey; and that this peace took me to a place the song could not; but listening to the song, then and now, reminds me of the reality of the peace I have in Christ.

This is a peace the world cannot know, but a peace for which the world continually searches.  My wife and I occasionally watch International House Hunters on HGTV.  What has struck us so many times while watching the program, is the common theme of the house hunters searching for peaceful surroundings and  peaceful vistas, and looking at temporal peaceful settings to give them peace; and we know that the peace they are looking for will elude them until they look to Him who has made peace with them through the blood of His cross, for the peace which only He can give.

Secular man is without peace within himself because he is alienated from God, and is the very enemy of God. There is an old saying that the heart of man is restless until it finds its rest in God, and how true that is.  Christ  tells us in John that He has left us (believers) His peace.  What was this peace He left to us?  It was/is His peace with God.  He had peace with God because He always did the will of he Father, and, therefore, because He always did what pleased the Father,  He was in total harmony with God and had unity with God.  This harmony and unity with the Father is now ours because we have been placed into Christ, the One who was in harmony with God.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ says, "Blessed are the peacemakers."  And if we really think about it, we are to follow the example of the greatest peacemaker, the Lord Himself, as He made peace with us, His very enemies, and put to death the enmity between Him and us by nailing the indictments against us to the cross of Christ.  You see, man can never be at spiritual peace until he experiences the forgiveness of his sins; and He cannot have forgiveness of his sins until He turns to the One to whom he has sinned against, and trusts in what He has done at the cross to provide for the forgiveness of the sins that stand between Him and man.

What about you today, my friend?  Do you have peace...a real, abiding, peace of the soul...a peace that transcends circumstances...a peace that defies the logic of the world...a peace that is sure and steadfast...a peace that is marvelous and glorious?  If not, look to the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ; and ask Him to give you His peace, the peace of salvation that comes to those who place their faith in Him to be all that He has promised to be.

Milestone VI

Well, it seems hard to believe, but another year has passed in the life of our church. We began Grace Covenant Church in our living room the third Sunday of June, 2007, and here we are six years later continuing to grow in the Lord as a church, and as individuals.  What a blessing it is each week to be part of the body of Christ here in our niche in West Texas.

Of course, each year is eventful, and unique and special in its own way.  This past year has certainly been no exception.  We went through a time of pruning that covered most of 2012, but John 15 tells us that times of pruning are preparation for times of increased fruitfulness, and that is what we have seen the last several months.  Yes, some of the fruitfulness has been increased numbers, but again we are seeing spiritual fruitfulness and growth in Christ in our people, which is the important fruit.  There is a visible love and concern for each other that has grown over the last year, especially the last several months, along with an obvious desire for the Lord to be glorified in our lives.  In thinking about this last year, I am reminded of the story of Gideon and the 10,000 men that had come to fight with him against the enemy. Before the battle the Lord pruned the 10,000 down to 300 so they would not think it was their numbers that gave them the victory, but would know it was the Lord who gave the victory, and therefore it was the Lord who would receive the glory.  That principle holds true for churches and individuals, as well.

Another thing the Lord has done for us this last year is bless us with a worship leader.  We have put  feelers out on a couple of occasions for someone to lead worship, but to no avail.  In December, we felt impressed by the Lord to be very intentional about finding someone, which is no small task since they would have to be bi-vocational.  But sure enough at that same time the Lord was moving in the heart of a young man who was teaching at a Bible College over 800 miles away that it was time to move from ministering at the college to ministering in a church.  Through a series of events only the Lord could orchestrate, the Lord moved him and his family to Midland at the first of April.  From the middle of nowhere Wyoming to the middle of nowhere Texas...the Lord has done a marvelous thing.

We had another baptism this year, recently in fact.  We have two brothers who play the sax in our worship.  I call them the Blues Brothers, and both of them have come to faith in Christ and been baptized since coming to our church.  The second was baptized just a few weeks ago, and I was blessed by his testimony, but both are active and committed to the Lord and their families are a blessing to our church.  In fact, the other Blues Brother and his wife adopted a child in January, and praying for them and rejoicing with them during the process was another blessing for us as a church.

In looking forward to this upcoming year, we are at a point where we need a youth pastor.  Again, he will have to be bi-vocational, but we know that the Lord will provide in His time, and in His way.

Apart from my own family, there is no where I would rather be than with our people each week. Being a pastor has its challenges and its joys, but I consider myself blessed to be the pastor of this flock of God known as Grace Covenant Church of Midland, Texas.  Thank You, Lord!

Another milestone is that this is the 500th post since this blog started.  I never thought I would have this much to say.

Beautiful to the Lord

...for God sees not as man sees, 

for man looks at the outward

appearance, but the Lord

looks at the heart.

I Samuel 16:7b

The Lord is not concerned with the beauty

of our outward appearance, but His concern

is for the beauty of our heart.

Grace in Christ

...the grace we need to live the Christian

life is "in Christ Jesus."

Jerry Bridges

The Bookends of the Christian Life

Page 99

Indeed, all things are from Him,

through Him, and to Him!

Pride and Weak Character

Pride is nothing more than the manifestation of a

weakness in our character.  It shows that we are

so insecure in ourselves that we must seek out

opportunities to boast, or look for reasons to

be arrogant.  

The Greatest Injustice

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin

on our behalf, so that we might become

the righteousness of God in Him.

II Corinthians 5:21

The greatest injustice ever wrought would be Christ   

being punished for the sins of all those who would 

never come to Him.  Indeed, this would be the 

 most cruel and unusual punishment imaginable; 

 as it would be punishment in vain.  

Our Great Salvation

The author of Hebrews calls our salvation

a great salvation; and it is great, indeed, because

of the greatness of our sins.  For all of our sins 

past, present, and future, yes, the totality of

our sins was laid upon Christ; and He paid

the penalty due for each and every one.

The Freedom of God

Only God is completely free.  He is the only one 

who can be completely free, as He is the only

one who is completely holy.

A Prayer for Spiritual Growth

Father, make us sensitive to the sins in our life.

Do not let us gloss over them, ignore them,

or put them out of sight or mind.  Do not let 

the habit patterns of our daily life keep us blind 

and insensitive to the sin that is entrenched in us.

Our Standing with God

Based on our own merits we have no standing with God.

Therefore, we must always base our standing with God

on what He has done for us in Christ.  Indeed,

what God has accomplished in Christ, on our

behalf, is the foundation of our relationship with Him.

Therefore, our relationship with Him is always secure, 

not because of us, but because of Him.

The Word of God can Heal the Soul

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.

Psalm 19:7a

The Word of God is able to do soul surgery

(Hebrews 4:12), and like surgery performed

correctly, its wound brings healing.  There is 

nothing else that can both touch the soul

and heal its deepest and most profound wound.
See also Jeremiah 17:14.

The Word of God is Sure

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

Psalm 19:7b

The Word of God is faithful and trustworthy, and knowing

it gives even the simplest person the knowledge of  God's will.

Knowing the will of God enables even the simplest person 

to become skilled in the art of godly living.

The Word of God is Right

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

Psalm 19:8

The Word of God is right, therefore it gives us

the right knowledge of God, which enables us

to make right choices about right things at the 

right time.  When we know the Word of God,

it gives us discernment as to what is right, and

obeying it keeps us right with God.  It is being

right with God that causes the heart to rejoice.

Relating to God

For by grace you have been saved

through faith; and that not of yourselves,

it is the gift of God; not as a result

 of works, that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9 

I have been crucified with Christ; 

and it is no longer I who live, 

but Christ lives in me; and the 

live which I now live in the flesh

I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave Himself 

up for me.

Galatians 2:20

We relate to God on the basis of faith, not on the basis of works--

not only in our salvation, but also in our sanctification.

The Mystery of God's Sovereignty and Our Vision

...It is not so much that we as ministers need to understand and accomplish God's purpose, will, or vision for the church; what we need to understand is that God will accomplish his purpose for the church and in the mysteries of his grace he may use us in the process.

It may be valuable at time to determine the direction of the church, but the danger of "vision casting" is that we as church leaders can become anthropocentric in our approaches, focusing on what we do rather than on what God is doing. Our participation is not necessary for God to accomplish his plan any more than our resistance can thwart his purposes (Job 42:2, Isa. 46:11, Acts 17:25). Thus, the most important requirement for participating in God's purpose for the church is not a clear vision, but a submissive will. When we become willing vessels for God to use in whatever capacity he chooses, when we obey his Word and submit to him, God accomplishes his work through us whether we understand or comprehend his purpose or not. Likewise, Christ is not a cosmic cheerleader, rooting us on and hoping we will "win" in building the church. No, he is sovereignly active, taking personal responsibility for the health of the church. In the  process, he may use us, remove us, or work around us, but he will build his church (Matt. 16:18, Eph 5:11-16).

We give ourselves far too much credit for the success and growth of the church. The church is ultimately the work of God's sovereignty, not our best efforts and strategies. Sometimes, God accomplishes his purposes by revealing his will in very dramatic and comprehensible ways. At other times. he accomplishes his purpose when we are confused and unclear about what he is doing...

...For all the research, studies, and statistics, the bottom line is no one knows why some churches grow and some do not. We cannot even adequately define success in ministry. This is the mystery of God. In our ministries, we forget that God cannot be reduced to programs, strategies, and methodologies. He often uses them, but he is not controlled by them. As pastors of small churches, we often get discouraged because our visions do not materialize and our people do not embrace them. We become discouraged when one outreach program after another fails to attract new people. We forget the mystery of God. Perhaps God's purpose is not found in the fulfillment or our visions but in the failure of them. Perhaps God's purposes are accomplished when we think we have been the least successful (Isa. 6:9-13, Ezek. 2:5-8). Perhaps God's purposes are not being accomplished through us but in us. This is the mystery of God that we often forget. God is good, but he is not to be trifled with or manipulated. He is not a God of our creation; nor is he a God that we can manage. As Creator of all things and sovereign God of the universe, he doesn't have to conform to our expectations of what he should or should not do.

Glenn Daman
Leading the Small Church
Pages 44-46

A Mark of Christian Maturity

One of the marks of maturity as a Christian

is when you start praying to be a 

blessing to others.

Being Great in the Eyes of God

Being great in the eyes of men is much

different than being great in the eyes

of God, for the requirement is humility.

He has told you, O Man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justice, to love kindness,

And to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

"For My hand made all these things,

Thus, all these things came into being,"

declares, the Lord.

But to this one I will look, to him who

is humble and contrite of spirit,

and who trembles at My word.

Isaiah 66:2

Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them,

"If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all

and servant of all."

Mark 9:35

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says,

                                "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

James 4:6

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand

of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.

I Peter 5:6

The Blood of the Atonement

The blood of atonement is required from all.

Romans 1:20-21a For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks...
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Hebrews 9:22b...and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.
Genesis 3:21 The Lord God made garment of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed.  (The first blood atonement for sin, performed by God, Himself)
Genesis 4:3-4 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground.  Abel, on his part brought of the firstlings of his flock and their fat portions.  And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering.  (Abel offered a blood sacrifice)

The blood of the atonement is available to all.

Ezekiel 18:23 "Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord God, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live."
Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord God, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.  Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel.
Isaiah 45:22 "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.


The blood of the atonement is applied only to the elect.

Romans 8:28-29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the  image of His Son...and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
I Peter 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood:  May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure.
Hebrews 12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
 Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

The Faith of the Gospel

...standing firm in one spirit, with one mind

striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Philippians 1:27b

The faith of the gospel is:

The body of doctrine we believe.

Jude 1:3, II Peter 3:2, Hebrews 1:1-2, I Corinthians 15:1-8

The salvation that it brings.

I Peter 1:1, Titus 1:1, II Timothy 1:5, Hebrews 2:3, Romans 10:17

The way of life that it produces. 

Acts 6:7, Romans 16:25-26, Philippians 1:27a, Colossians 1:5b-6, I Timothy 6:12

Conduct Yourselves in a Manner Worthy of the Gospel

Only conduct yourselves in a manner

worthy of the gospel of Christ...

Philippians 1:27a

In order for us to conduct ourselves

in a manner worthy of the gospel, it 

is required of us to live up to the

demands of the gospel; and to live 

up to the demands of the gospel, we  

must live out the gospel in our lives.