Renewed every morning

           One of our daily privileges is to look to the Lord for respite, rest, renewal and rejuvenation each day. And the result is rejoicing in Him because “although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” 2 Cor. 4:16 ESV It is fascinating how so often in the midst of a dilemma, a problem, or a trial, God gives us rest and renews. We can take a deep breath before going on.

Sometimes A Light surprises the Christian while he sings;

It is the Lord who rises with healing in His wings:

When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again

A season of clear shining, To cheer it after rain.

         God does this daily. I notice it often and remember so well how Minnie and I were refreshed on those last steep hills on her journey home. We often had to “come apart and rest awhile,” but God renewed us daily—and He still does. Where does that “Light” that “surprises” you come from? God meets with us in His Word! How often we read our Bible and see how glorious the old truths are and how they grip our hearts. It’s the Light of the illumination of the Holy Spirit exalting Jesus the Light of the world.

         But this wonderful hymn says the “surprise” reminder comes “while he sings.” Aye, and that’s so true as we sing to one another and to the Lord in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” That’s because we are singing scriptural truths and God has put a new song in our hearts, even praise unto the Lord our God. Why is it “new”? It’s always new because it’s fresh and illumined by the Presence of God Himself who is always “there” (or shall we say “here.”)

Think of the rain and how the “season of clear shining” follows that long rain. Or how the spring follows the winter. Or how the morning light follows the dark midnight. Or how joy comes in the morning after a long night.

In holy contemplation we sweetly then pursue The theme of God's salvation, And find it ever new;

Set free from present sorrow, We cheerfully can say, Let the unknown tomorrow Bring with it what it may.

It can bring with it nothing But He will bear us through: Who gives the lilies clothing Will clothe His people too:

Beneath the spreading heavens No creature but is fed; And He who feeds the ravens Will give His children bread.

Though vine nor fig tree neither Their wanted fruit should bear, Though all the fields should wither, Nor flocks nor herds be there:

Yet, God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice: For, while in Him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.

                                           --William Cowper, alt. From “A Quiet Heart,” Soundforth Singers

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7

Learning to Let Christ Carry your Burdens

         Do you ever wonder how you're going to “carry” all those burdens the Lord has allowed you to experience or sent your way? All those troubles and problems that the people you love face and you do what you can but you can't handle it all. It's impossible. There's just too much. And the world seems to fall apart around you sometimes. How do you handle all that? Well, you can't and you know it.

        Besides, you realize how weak you are. And you're not really courageous and you have no desire to be either a hero or a martyr. “When I am weak, then He is strong.” Weakness? Oh, I meet that criteria very well. Inadequate? My problem is not that I feel inadequate My problem is that in reality I am inadequate! More than inadequate. Totally helpless sometimes, unable to affect the outcome of so many problems.

         It helps a lot that God teaches us to be content regardless of our outward circumstances, but that doesn't mean being content with the status quo. Sometimes there are changes and modifications available to you. Contentment is not an easy achievement! But though we've learned to be content in whatever situation, how do we learn to avail ourselves of one of the most sweeping, helpful promises of scripture: Psalm 55:22 “Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” And the one we all love: 1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” We all know how to do that, don’t we? Well, maybe not “all your care”—but some of it anyway and after all, “every little bit helps!” Partial is not sufficient, is it?! “All” is all just like “all things” in Romans 8:28 it’s certainly not “partial.”! But what a reassurance to know He “cares” for us—in a double meaning! He cares in the sense that He loves us. And He takes care of us as well. The meaning of the Greek word is “the watchful care of interest and affection.” (Vincent, I, 669)

         “Casting” means throwing something on something or someone else—like throwing a blanket over a horse's back to get him ready to carry your load. What we can “cast” on the Lord for Him to carry for us is “all discontentment, discouragement, despair, questioning, pain suffering, and whatever other trials we encounter [because we] can trust His love, faithfulness, power, and wisdom.” (John MacArthur)

         How do we prepare for the future, for what is yet to come—when we don't even know what it is? By casting our burdens on the Lord and waiting on Him and His good time. In answer to a very important question, HOW do we cast our burdens on the Lord? I wrote this e-mail on November 4, 2008.

        “Here are some of the things I've learned in struggling with the same question. And they are important answers because I know the Lord has pulled me along and taught me a few things in my 75 years. [now 78]. . . . My heart is heavy when I see people in my family suffering or struggling or especially not walking with the Lord or not bringing their children up in the nurture of the Lord. And since I'm pastor of our little church I share in their problems, too--and rejoice when we see spiritual growth--which we certainly do. One of the ladies had tears as she came from the Morning Worship service yesterday overwhelmed with the reverence of communion and thinking of the passage I had read aloud from the Garden of Gethsemane. She wrote an e-mail today that "God's glory and the gift of salvation is so real that it is truly overwhelming."

So these are burdens I seek to roll off on the Lord. . . .

          What God is teaching us is to learn to walk with Him and trust Him when things are going well and when it seems like we're walking in the dark and uncertain what's next. "Walk in the Spirit" is something we have to learn and never learn perfectly this side of heaven. So it's certainly not a mechanical answer or a 4-step program or something. It's learning to know and walk with a Person, with our Lord, just as the disciples on the Emmaus Road did after the Resurrection.

       A basic presupposition is God's adequacy for whatever problem He sends (or allows) our way. The sufficiency of the Lord our Refuge. The longer you walk with Him, the more you realize how true that is.

      Part of this is patience and endurance because we are in an endurance race. They told the apostle Paul that he was going to be imprisoned and he replied, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus. . . ." "Finish my course" is an endurance race and "with joy" is vital because "The joy of the Lord is your strength." Joy in the Lord is one of the most important parts of our life and we can have joy (and peace) even in the midst of affliction.

        So that's part of it. But listen to this: a major part is where and how you focus your attention. And I think of that in two ways: on what you are presently concentrating, that which is in front of you. And what is kinda back behind what you're doing--sort of in the back of your mind. It's easy to have those problems loom large in the back of your mind even while you're concentrating on taking care of the children. That's where you need to cast or throw them to the Lord. It's not that you can't focus on them and ask the Lord for guidance and run through the possibilities again. But not in an anxious way.

          To do this you must take your focus off what's causing anxiety and worry and put your focus on the One who will either 1) bring a solution or 2) give you the grace to endure and go through the trial. This is exactly what Scripture says in Hebrews chapter 12:1-3

          1. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the [endurance] race that is set before us,

         2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

        3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

        This is vital. Instead of focusing on the problems, focus on the Lord and His word. You read the Word every day or several times in the day not only for food and knowledge and direction, but also to cleanse your mind.

        Those words about looking and considering are very strong. 12:2 is better translated "Fixing" our eyes on Jesus--instead of being preoccupied with the problems. The Holy Spirit focuses on Jesus to glorify Him; when we walk in the Spirit, we do the same. When we're focused on Jesus, then we can see our problems in the proper perspective. He is our example and when we don't know what to do, we search the scriptures to see if we can find out.

The joy that was at the end of the race was what Jesus focused on and that's part of our focus, too. Verse 3 "Consider Him" who endured so much.

          Here's a key quotation for you: "We do not live in our own power but in His." That includes physical strength that He gives us as a gift as well as spiritual. Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." "Christ in you, the hope of glory." So focus on Him, not on yourself because it all depends on Him and He will give you the strength to do your part. 2 Cor. 4:7 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

        The answer to your "how" is the same answer that the angel gave to Mary's "how": "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. . . ." The Holy Spirit indwells us and Christ lives within. So our response should be the same as Mary's, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

         There are other parts to the answer. Surely the one Jesus gave in talking about anxiety is also vital. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matt. 6:34 NKJ In other words focus your attention on today; tomorrow is not here yet. Living one day at a time helps a lot in an endurance race.

But never let go of the joy because that's what God uses to get you through a trial. "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. " John 15:11 How do you roll your burden on the Lord? Focus on Him and His work and His joy and what He will bring to pass in the future, not on your problems.

         “Let not your heart be troubled,” but let Him carry your burdens instead.

                                                                                   Love, Pastor

Psalm for Discouragement--42

Psalm for Discouragement

This is a wonderful Psalm for these difficult days in which we live–especially for those going through a hard trial of affliction. We don’t know who wrote this Psalm so we can think of it as a universal Psalm for all who know the Lord in the very difficult and low times of life. These things of trouble, trial, affliction are in everyone’s experiences. If you really understand what scripture says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?” And you see all the terrible things that human beings do to each other, the wonder is that in spite of all that there is so much good and beauty in the world. And we know why–because God restrains and prevents a lot of the evil that men would do to each other. In His Providence He preserves us–until His time for us–“the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” Psalm 139:16 NIV--but allows us to suffer. That’s what this Psalm is about: how do we go through suffering and hardship victoriously and joyfully? “As sorrowful and yet always rejoicing?” The answer is here.

Psalm 42

“As the deer pants after streams of water, so pants my soul after thee, O God.

Picture the terrible thirst of the wild deer in a dry and thirsty land where no water is!

The Hebrew word translated “pants” here is the “distressing cry of the doe making a mournful sound and eagerly seeking the cooling water. It seeks the streams of water with intense desire and plunges into the cooling streams probably seeking to escape from a lion seeking to kill it.

“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? Or “when shall I see the face of God”?! 43:4 The Psalmist wants to go into the very Presence of God Himself, “unto God my exceeding joy.”

Fellowship with God was far more important to him that anything in this life–all earthly enjoyments, riches, pleasures, honors. Do you have that intense desire for fellowship with God? Jesus said, “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.” Mt. 5:6 If you hunger and thirst after righteousness, you are thirsting after Christ for He alone is our righteousness.

Be glad with exceeding joy if you have intense desire for God–for that’s why God created us in the first place. Nothing in this world will satisfy the deep longings of your heart. Nothing. “Our souls are restless until they rest in Thee, O God,” St. Augustine wrote so many years ago. And C.S. Lewis put it this way, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”

And so we were. 2 Cor. 5:5 “God created us for this very purpose”–and you read the context the purpose was to share the glories of heaven and eternal life with us–in fellowship with Himself.

The Psalmist had this same intense desire for God–probably especially since he was being persecuted with the taunts of the wicked, in the midst of trouble, “Where is your God?!” surely said with a sneering tone. Satan’s goals have always been the same from the garden of Eden onward: first he wants you to doubt God’s sovereignty or God’s wisdom and then he wants you to doubt God’s goodness. He did so with Eve and he does so with all of us. He is a liar and the father of lies. But we have the demonstration of God’s power and goodness throughout history and throughout our lives in His daily providence, “God daily loadeth us with benefits” we’re told in another Psalm.

But he is discouraged in the midst of his troubles. And he doesn’t feel joyful or even thankful (and that may be a hint of his problems because those are the two things we need–spiritual joy given by God and a thankful heart so that we can say with Job, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Or with the writer to the Hebrews,

“be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Heb. 13:5-6

But in Psalm 42 the Psalmist is discouraged and THREE times he asks himself the same question, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?” WHY indeed?! There’s no reason to be! The future is still as bright as the promises of God.

“Why are you cast down” literally means “Why do you bow down” to temptation and taunts?! In the Hebrew it’s in the active voice–it’s something you do; it doesn’t just happen passively. (That’s why Jesus said, LET NOT your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.”)

But the Psalmist wisely starts talking to himself, “Hey, man! Cut it out!” God didn’t “cast you down” you did it to yourself increasing your own troubles unnecessarily. Quit feeling sorry for yourself. God is still on His throne. He’s still the same sovereign Lord who said not a sparrow could fall without the Father–and “be of good cheer, Little Flock, you are of more value than many sparrows.”

An important truth is not clear in the KJV which says “hope thou in God.” The Hebrew word yachal means to wait; by implication, to be patient, to hope. And hope is a perfectly good word, of course, but in scripture it always means to hope or wait or look forward expectantly–look to God for He is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Actually there are three different Hebrew words for wait that mean about the same thing but they all have expectation as part of the meaning. Two NT words mean “to expect” or “to expect fully.”

Ponder these other verses in the Old Testament about waiting on the Lord:

Psalm 37:7. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”

Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”

Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Jesus gives you the power to control those dismal feelings when he said, “LET not your heart be troubled, neither LET it be afraid.” He said that twice in John chapter 14:1. "Let not your heart be troubled;” and again in verse 27: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

The Psalmist realizes that God is “my exceeding joy” and He knows from experience God’s goodness and kindness to him. So he complains once again in verses 6-7 NKJ “O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, And from the heights of Hermon, From the Hill Mizar. Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. “

He’s talking about the marvelous waterfalls falling from snow-covered Mount Hermon, water roaring down the mountainside until it reaches the source of the Jordan River and eventually winds its way to Lake Galilee that marvelous source of fresh water for all of Israel even today.

He feels like the waterfall is crashing down on his head and pulling him under the rapids. But Isaiah 43:1-2 “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. . . .”

And the Psalmist knows that because the very next verse 8: “Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. [There you have it! Praise God in spite of your troubles.]

I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” [He knows God has NOT forgotten Him, but it does seem like it sometimes, so he will quit “mourning because of the oppression of the enemy.”

“I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”

Three times: v. 5, 11 & 43:5– God is the health of my countenance–He can put joy back into my face. The expression on our face–our countenance often reveals the thoughts and emotions of our heart. And He is “my God.” Well, if God is your God, then that means He has taken responsibility for you! So don’t worry about it. He is the Living God, the faithful God who does all things after the counsel of His own will. Trust God’s timing and God’s way.

“God my exceeding joy.” 43:4

Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22) Jesus said that He wants His disciples to have “His joy”–“fulness of joy.” Joy is a gift from God and rejoicing is something we can do! It’s an ATTITUDE of thanksgiving and trust in God.

You rejoice in the midst of trials. “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, [you’re being tested] being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” 1 Peter 1.6-8

There it is! That’s what we want: joy unspeakable and full of glory.

What blocks our joy that God gives? Sometimes it’s the sin of unbelief. Or the sin of bitterness! Or complaining! How can you complain against our God of grace? “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” Phil. 2:14 NIV.

Bitterness or an unforgiving spirit destroys joy and your whole relationships not only with God but with others. Heb. 12:15 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God [fail to accept and use the grace and strength God is giving you; reach out and take it–with your empty hands of faith just as you did when you received Jesus as Savior–] lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby MANY be defiled. . . .”

It’s is a serious sin to become resentful towards God or His providence in your life. Confess that sin to God. Don’t have an unaccepting attitude towards God’s Providence in your life. Be willing to accept whatever comes to you from the good hand of your God! For He has promised never to leave you nor forsake you and promised also that NO TESTING would come your way but that which He gives strength to endure. 1 Cor. 10:13

You say you don’t know WHY God allows certain things to happen to you? Well, Job had a LOT more trouble than you or I have ever had and he asked God the “why” and God answered him! Read Job chs. 38-42 and you’ll see God’s answer. “Then God answered Job out of the whirlwind. . . .”

And what did God say? (Paraphrase) Job, where were you when I created the world? Tell me about the depths of the sea and the heights of the stars and the way the planets stay in orbit. If you can’t explain the most basic of questions, how are you going to understand all my good and gracious purposes.

Actually God has given a precise reason for what He allows in our lives. It’s in Romans 8:29 He tells us we have been “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” so He is in the process of making us more like Jesus and 2 Cor. 3:18 “we are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory”–by the Holy Spirit who is gradually changing us to be more and more like Christ.

And the Psalmist Asaph put it in a beautifully poetic way in Psalm 77:19 “Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.”

You cannot see God’s footprints but you can see the results of His actions in your life. Like a tapestry when you only look at the back side and see a helter-skelter of loose threads, but on the right side, on God’s side, His work in your life is beautiful, just like a magnificent tapestry.

And in that same Psalm 77 he changes the figure of speech and shows you the point of verse 19 by verse 20. “ Thou leddest thy people like a flock. . . .” “God leads His dear children along. Some through the waters, some through the flood, some through the fire, but all through the blood; Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song, In the night season and all the day long.”

Come back to our passage: why did the Psalmist appear to have lost his joy?! The answer is clear: because he became discouraged. How do you avoid that? Very simple: do exactly what Jesus said, Let not your heart be troubled or afraid. “Be anxious for nothing but in everything let your requests be made known unto God–and then you’ll have not only joy–but the peace of Christ which passes understanding shall keep your hearts and minds on Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7

Where is your ‘MIND’? Is every thought brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ? Col. 3 tells us where our minds should be: “Set your affections and set your minds on things above, not on things of the earth.” For you died with Christ and you live in the heavenlies with Him right now. Eph.

Don’t forget how Psalm 43 fits with Psalm 42. 43:2 “Thou art the God of my strength”–it’s to His strength we must look and not our own. Remember in 2 Cor.1 Paul said these troubles happened” “that we might not trust in ourselves but in God.”

Where do you find joy? In the Presence of God Himself. And where do you find God? In His Word (and He indwells your heart also if you know Him)–but look in His word and find joy. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” Jer. 15:16 “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” Psalm 119:103

Remember: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Psalm 34:19

“Be of good cheer,” Jesus said, “it is I. Be not afraid.” Mt. 14:27

                                                                          --Pastor Burnside

“Home is where you are, Honey!”

“Home is where you are, Honey!”

          I'm really enjoying writing “Mimi's Journey,” the story of my wife. “. . . We spend our years as a tale that is told.” Ps.90:9 kjv And Minnie's story was a good one! When we fell in love and were married (in 1955), we adopted as our “life verse” for our marriage Ephesians 3:20-21, “He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. . . .” That was borne out in so many ways in the 54 years we were married, even in the tremendously difficult tests of her last three years, the Lord showed Himself sufficient to meet all trials He brought our way and gave her (and me) a deep peace, joy in the midst of sorrow, and a very deep love from God for each other.

          Presently I'm finishing writing the chapter on our three years at Christ's College in Taipei, from 1995-1998, and the memories flood back. And I think of the many, many places in the world that the Lord took us at different times in our lives: many places in the U.S. and Canada and Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Europe—3 times, Israel, Jordan, Istanbul, Dubuy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia 4 times, New Zealand. And I can remember that we got tired and wanted to go home and sometimes I would tell Minnie, “Home is where you are, Honey!” And she would smile and agree. I always felt such a warm sense of security just being with her and she felt the same way.

         But that teaches me something very important. We weren't created to live forever in this world. We were created for another world. “We wish to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal [or subject to death] may be swallowed up by life [real life, eternal life]. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose.” 2 Cor. 5:4-5 niv We think of the glories of heaven. I particularly am glad it is a Paradise, the most lovely garden imaginable. And it is also a Celestial City—though I prefer the garden! But the most important part of heaven is being with the Lord and having fellowship with Him. Minnie and I saw so-o-o many beautiful places in Switzerland, in Germany, in Canada, and in California and Washington State, and an important part of our enjoyment was sharing it with each other.

          It will be something like that in heaven when we do share with our loved ones, but more particularly with the Lord Himself and come to love Him truly with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. I pray that your relationship with your loved ones will reflect that closeness of sharing that we have with the Lord, ^“Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” 1 Peter 1:8 So the reality is that “Home is where the Lord is!”

           I'll let you know when I finish that very interesting chapter on Christ's College. So far it's 22,000 words and 78 pictures (downsized). I can send it .pdf by e-mail or mail you a CD or flash drive. The attachment is 9.1 MB.

                                                                        Love in our Lord,

                                                                         Pastor Burnside

New Year's 2012-- Are you Autonomous?

New Year's 2012-- Are you Autonomous?
           Are you Autonomous? Can you decide "for yourself" what is right and wrong and even what is "reality?"  Do you believe, "It's MY life; I'll do with it what I want?"
      Or to put it another way, Is Jesus "Lord" of your life--or are you? 
     The New Year is about to begin and that's when a lot of people take another look at "the basic questions of life": who am I? why am I here? where am I going? what should I be doing on this my journey through life? 
      We do well to do that because we are not self-created.  So we must take our place as a creature dependent on our Creator.  We are dependent for the very breath we breathe on God.  We know who we are.  We are creatures created in the image of God and thus of great worth, but finite creatures nevertheless. 
      That should teach us how to relate to God: accept as true and obey what He has given us in His Word because Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from God." Mt.4:4
      And it should teach us how to treat other people, as fellow-creatures created in God's image--and therefore of great worth.

      The Old Testament pinpointed our problem 700 years before the coming of Christ.  The prophet Isaiah wrote, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way. . . ." Isaiah 53:5  There you have it! we've gone our own way instead of God's way.     And most people are still doing it!  The good news is that there is a way out. That scripture continues, "and the Lord has laid on Him [Christ] the sin of us all." 53:6  Christ died for us to pay the penalty for our sins.

       But Christians, too, can "go their own way."  It's something that can plague us all our lives.  Do you pick and choose which scriptures you will obey and which you will ignore?  Then you're going your own way instead of following Jesus fully.  You must submit yourself to the righteousness and wisdom of God.

      It's true of course that not all scripture applies equally to us.  We no longer follow the ritual washings of the Old testament, for example, or their animal sacrifices.  Nevertheless we can learn lessons and principles from them because "all scripture is profitable. . . ." 2 Tim. 3:16

       But I'm thinking about principles and teachings which are obviously for all of us, such as loving one another, forgiving one another, serving one another, bearing one another's burdens and others like that.  Scripture teaches forgiveness and honesty and sincerity.  It also teaches the permanence of marriage:  "what God has joined together, let not man put asunder." It teaches the principle of the assemblying of ourselves together to worship God and tells us explicitly not to forsake that principle.  It teaches the principle of honesty and devotion to truth.  It teaches us that we must feed regularly on the Word of God as the Bread of Life. "Thy Words were found and I did eat them and they became the joy and rejoicing of my heart."  Are you regularly reading and studying the scriptures?  Do you "meditate" (think about) what God has said??

    You're not autonomous, but you are responsible for the decisions you make, the thoughts you think, the attitudes you have, and your own actions.  Don't blame it on someone else; you did it.  Facing up to our own responsibilities and at the same time realizing our absolute dependence on God is the way to begin the New Year.
    


     

Christmas and Popular Culture

Christmas and Popular Culture

      I love Christmas! It's my favorite time of the year and brings so many beautiful and lovely memories from the past—not only from the 78 Christmases God has given me to experience, but also from the more distant past of tradition and history reaching back in an unbroken time line to that glorious event in human history when God became a tiny little helpless baby in the arms of His virgin mother in a smelly, unpleasant stable in Bethlehem. No matter that we don't know the exact date on which He was born. Historically it was the Year One in the Year of Our Lord and we still measure time in the western world by Anno Domine despite the fallible calculation years later that was probably 4 years mistaken. As historians we love precision and accuracy, but here we are reminded of the reality of the actual historical event in time and space and history.

        And at the same time we are reminded of how fallible and finite we all are in trying to keep track of everything and understand the eternal significance of the most important event in human history up to that time, “Emmanuel: God with us!” Not only “with us”--as He always is in the sense of His omnipresence, but “with us” by taking on human flesh and becoming “one of us” as a tiny little helpless baby. In that great Messianic Psalm 22 the inspired Psalmist wrote, “Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.” Psalm 22:9-10 (ESV) And so the co-equal eternal Son of God became dependent in His humanity on the Father and Holy Spirit.

          But as marvelous as these theological truths are as God's marvelous plan of Redemption unfolded (“I am come to seek and to save that which was lost,” Jesus told His disciples.) in addition to the wonderful historical reality of the Incarnation, is God's providential use of the “Christmas Season” historically even to the Present.

        Even in the myths, the feasts of celebration, and the customs associated with the season. Our son-in-law Chris sent me something yesterday that helped direct my thinking in this manner once again. A peripheral matter perhaps, but what do we learn about living or God's common grace in the stories of St. Nicholas or Santa Claus?? or in the many other customs and associations with Christmas.

        Surely we prefer the clear message of the Gospel. And it's there, too, in much of the preaching and teaching of scripture and in the marvelous old Christmas carols like “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!” Glory to Christ the Newborn King. “God and sinners reconciled!” “Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the Everlasting Lord! Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of the Virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the Incarnate Deity, Pleased as Man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel!”

         But what about the many “Christmas stories” and myths and customs of giving and helping one another? Well, just stop to think about the many ethical and moral “values” that are communicated at Christmas time, only partially Biblical, but still with embedded truths there, too. What if we had a world without compassion and generosity, a world totally of selfishness and self-centeredness? Well, God knows that's characteristics of our fallen lives in this fallen world, but when we actually see and experience how much better goodness and love and sharing and kindness are, then we realize that those qualities really do exist! And it raises a person's desires for goodness and love and peace and kindness and a relationship of joy with God Himself. “ Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” How many people have experienced that at Christmas time?

          And remember the context of that verse, the demonstration in the lives of the apostles of a life of service and dedication to God and a willingness to give of themselves to minister to others. Paul was talking to the Ephesian elders—probably on the beach while he was preparing to embark on a ship that would eventually take him on his way to Jerusalem and eventually to Rome and imprisonment there. He reminded his brethren of the way of life he and his fellow missionaries had lived:          ”Remember that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.” Acts 20:31-38 ESV

         May Christmas be a reminder of how we must live a life of dedication to God and in service of our brethren and others in need. “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10 Compassion is a gift from God. Scripture tells us NOT to “close our hearts” as we see those in need. We can't help everyone—that's a truism—but it's also true that we can help many whom the Lord places in our paths by His providence. Follow His guidance; you know how kind and generous He is. ^“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:16-18 ESV

          Share the gospel whenever people are willing to listen, but also demonstrate these character qualities that are shown so prominently in the Christmas season: love, compassion, kindness, generosity, goodness, service, sharing, empathy and sympathy, joy, peace, self-discipline, helpfulness, a sense of wonder at God's goodness and grace and His wisdom and providential control of all of life, looking to the hope or certainty of what lies ahead in Jesus. Jesus in the days of His flesh became dependent upon the Father and Holy Spirit. We are totally dependent upon Him. Let's realize it and live like it! That's the way to joy and meaning in life. Think of the infant babe on Mary's breast and realize your own total dependence on our Lord even for the breath you breathe. It is He who gives you joy and peace and love in the midst of these difficult times.

                                                                                --Pastor Burnside

"Fear Not, I AM with Thee"

           "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid." Luke 2:8-9 kjv

          Those wonderfully familiar words from your childhood come back to you every Christmas, don't they? How wonderful to see the glory of the Lord in an out-of-the-way place revealed to a group of unknown shepherds going about their daily tasks.  And God took the time and effort to announce the most important event, thus far, in history:  God was to become "one of us," a human being, in the person of a little baby born in a stable to a young Jewish girl, unknown to the world except to her family and friends.

         But do you remember the first words of the angel to the shepherds?!  "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." 2:10-11

        "Fear not!"  How often God gives the reassurance to His people in scripture to "fear not!" neither be dismayed.  "Let not your heart be troubled . . . neither let it be afraid!" Jesus told His disciples the night before He died.  John 14:27

        “Fear Not, I AM with Thee”

“Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed,

For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.”

–How Firm a Foundation

Fear not----

1. Because of who God is. “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” Acts 17:28 We owe our very existence to God and that makes us totally dependent on our Creator. And we know His character and many of His attributes. He is the eternal, self-existing omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God with perfect and absolute power, glory, and holiness. He is the perfection of beauty, knowledge, and wisdom and is infinite in what He does. God is love. He is merciful and kind, patient with all His works.   He is the “Blessed God” with perfect fellowship within the Trinity. “As for God, his way is perfect.” Psalm 18:30

2. Because of what God has done–the works of God. “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.” Psalm 145:3-5 And of all God’s works, including Creation, is His greatest and most awesome work of Redemption in Christ–and at what a cost, the death of the Son of God on the cross! “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

         What indeed is there then to fear since God has so demonstrated His love for us and the fulness of His redemption? “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39

3. Because of what God does–His present providence. “God keeps all created things existing and maintaining the properties with which He created them.” (Grudem) Christ is “upholding the universe by His word of power.” Heb. 1:3 “upholding” means “to carry or bear.” It means more than simply “sustain,” but has the sense of active purposeful control over whatever is being carried. Christ, then, is actively involved in the work of providence. “In Him all things hold together.” “All things” means every created thing in the universe. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.”  Colossians 1:16-17

         Everything in His creation obeys His Word: “Fire, and hail; snow, and [frost]; stormy wind fulfilling his word:” [his word of command]. “He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth.” Psalm 104:14 God directs the stars in the heavens as the book of Job makes clear. And Jesus said the same thing, “Your Father which is in heaven maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45

          God feeds the animals throughout the world. “These all wait for You, that You may give them their food in due season. What You give them they gather in. You open Your hand, they are filled with good. You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.” Psalm 104:27-29 And Jesus called attention to the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Matthew 6:26 “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father–or “without your Father’s will” [permitting]. Matthew 10:29

         God controls the political destinies of nations and international relations. “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Psalm 75:6-7 “His kingdom rules over all.” Psalm 103:19

          We see God’s providence in our lives daily. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Psalm 37:23-25 “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Matthew 6:26 If Jesus our Good Shepherd is looking after us and leading us in the paths of righteousness, why should we fear?

4. Because Jesus said “fear not!” and since we are His sheep, we follow Him and obey Him. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27. One of the key ways we can know whether we are Jesus’ sheep or not is whether we listen to Him, heed what He says, and obey Him. So, do it! “Fear not!”

         When John, the Beloved Apostle who had always been so close to Jesus, saw the glorified Christ in heaven, what was His reaction and Jesus’ response? “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, ‘Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Rev. 1:17-18

5. Because of the promises of God and the promise of His sustaining, adequate grace. And those promises are, indeed, comforting and real with the entire trustworthiness of God behind them. “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3 ”For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. . . .” Isaiah 30:15 “. . . Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

         Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let Him be your fear. . . .” Isaiah 8:12-13 “Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come. . . ; he will come and save you.” Isa. 35:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. . . .” Psalm 23:4 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10

6. Because of the inner certitude the Holy Spirit brings as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” Romans 8:16 and He also gives us assurance in our hearts. He is the “Anointing” that is explained in 1 John, the “testimonium” of the Holy Spirit whereby God intensifies the evidence and other reasons for knowing that God is Real and the Bible is true. Faith is the “conviction of things not seen,” “the deep inner certainty in your soul that God is on His throne and working His plan for your life. He will bring to pass what He has promised into reality.”

Faith is the “present assurance of future reality.” God brings assurance to your heart–NOT anxiety. He gives us faith–NOT fear. We have the inner assurance in my soul that God will do all that He said He would. There’s never any panic in heaven, only God’s immutable purposes and plans that He is systematically bringing to pass.

7. Because of the glory that awaits us. “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.” Philippians 3:20–21 We are to set our affections and our minds on things above not on things below. “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 

8. Because of Jesus’ constant Presence with us and His promise, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” Though we have not seen Him, we love Him; and even though we do not see Him now, we believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. 1 Peter 1:8  “Fear not, I am with thee. I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.”

"The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 2 Tim. 4:18 esv

                                                    --Pastor Burnside (adapted from his book, Glory in Tribulations)