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You know it’s Monday when …

your valentine comes addressed to occupant.

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Yesterday I preached the second part of a message on Faith, Peace, Hope and Love, taken from Romans 5:1-5.

Romans 5:1-5 – “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

The main idea of the message was that these four qualities are connected. They are like links in a chain or building blocks one upon the other. Faith is the foundation of peace, hope and love. Peace is the result of faith and a necessary condition for hope and love. Hope grows out of peace and provides the environment where God’s love may flourish in our hearts. And love is the fulfillment of hope. Love is the ultimate goal, the greatest thing of all. Here is a brief summary of the message:

(Last week)
I. Faith is the foundation of peace, hope and love.

II. Peace is the result of faith and a necessary condition for hope and love.

(This week)
III. Hope grows out of peace and provides the environment where God’s love may flourish in our hearts.

Christian hope is different from worldly hope. Worldly hope may be no more than wishful thinking. But Christian hope is based on the firm foundation of peace with God. And so Paul says, “We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” As Christians in relationship with God, we are bound for glory.

One day Christ will present us perfect before the Father in our new glorified bodies. How do we know this? In one sense our hope is based on the past. We have placed our faith in Christ and have been justified by that faith. Therefore we have peace with God, a relationship with God which extends into the future. But in another sense, our hope also springs from the present work of God in our lives. This is a process that the Bible calls sanctification. God through his Holy Spirit is making us more like Jesus.

How does God change us in the present? God accomplishes this work of sanctification in the believer through the process of suffering. No one escapes suffering. However, you can choose whether to suffer as a Christian or as a non-Christian. As Christians we rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance.

The Christian can look back on the sufferings and trials in his life and see how God has used them in the past to develop perseverance in his life. Have you ever wondered why some Christians are able to remain steadfast in their faith even during the worst of trials? It is because they have already been brought through the fire before, and God has been faithful. So when you go through a severe trial as a Christian, it is not a sign that God has abandoned you, but rather that God is doing a good work in you, if you will only submit to the process.

Suffering produces perseverance. Not only that, but perseverance develops character. God is working the character of Christ in us through our trials. He is taking the common everyday sufferings that all persons experience, and he is turning them to good for us. He is, in fact, preparing us for heaven. Which is why Paul can say, “We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:2)

IV. Love is the fulfillment of hope; it is the ultimate goal, the greatest thing of all.

Our hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Christian hope is the environment in which love flourishes; love is the fulfillment of Christian hope which does not disappoint.

Paul says that God has poured out his love into our hearts. This is a picture of something being poured out in abundance, being spilled all over the place. This is no cautious filling of a vessel. It’s messy! God pours out his love into your heart with wild abandon. He floods your heart. Our cup runneth over.

God’s love has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit “whom he has given us.” The Greek verb here (aorist) speaks of a single decisive act, a one-time giving of the Holy Spirit. This may refer either to the Holy Spirit given to the church at Pentecost, or to the Holy Spirit given to the believer at the new birth.

Either way, the emphasis is on the gift of the Holy Spirit. Faith, peace, hope and love. These precious qualities are not proudly achieved by human effort. Rather they are humbly received as a gracious gift from God through his Holy Spirit.

CONCLUSION: Faith in Christ leads to peace with God which leads to hope in God which leads to a wondrous experience of God’s amazing love. Love is the greatest because love is the fulfillment of all the others. But faith is the foundation. It all begins with faith. And so I ask you, is your faith firmly grounded in Jesus Christ? Have you trusted him as Lord and Savior? If not, then you are not at peace with God, which means you have no basis for hope, and you are separated from God’s wonderful love for you in Christ.

I urge you, therefore, to turn from your sin which separates you from God, and to place your faith in Christ. When you do, God will justify you. He will declare you righteous in his sight. You will then have peace with God. You will have access to God the Father through Jesus Christ his Son. You will stand in God’s grace. That will give hope, meaning and purpose to your life. Even in the midst of trials you will know that God is working in your life to make you more like Christ. One day the process will be completed and you will stand glorified and perfected before your Heavenly Father. And then you will know the love beyond all loves — the abundant, extravagant, lavish love of God which he has poured out into our hearts by his Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Note: To read the complete message, go to the Sermons tab at the top of the blog.

Mark Roberts explains What is Ash Wednesday? and What is Lent? “I grew up with only a vague notion of Ash Wednesday. To me it was some Catholic holy day that I, as an evangelical Protestant, didn’t have to worry about, thanks be to God.”

African-American Snapshots & Portraits. Here are snapshots of African-Americans of all ages and from various walks of life. I really enjoyed scrolling through these photos. I don’t think there is anything more beautiful in the world than people. (HT: Presurfer)

10 Universities Offering Free Writing Courses Online. “Whether you are a current writer or looking to break into the craft, formal writing courses can help you hone your skills. If you don’t have the money or the time for a campus-based course, there are plenty of universities that offer free writing courses online.” (HT: Lifehacker)

Elizabeth Marquardt reports on the effects of divorce on aging parents. “Because of profound changes in how Americans organize and sustain — and often break up — our families, our nation will soon confront a never-before-seen shift in how we die and whom we’ll have around us when we do. And the likelihood is that on every level, we will be dying much more alone.”

Michael Mckinley speaks up in defense of “long, boring sermons.” “Information retention is really a secondary consideration … Something much greater and more important is happening in a sermon. We are holding up Christ from all the Scriptures, we are exploring the ways that he is beautiful, we are feeding on him by faith and celebrating his works together.”

Trevin Wax thanks his parents for shooting Mario. “Thank you for limiting my access to computer games and Nintendo when we were growing up. I realize it would have been much easier for you to let the Nintendo babysit us four kids. But you put our well-being ahead of your own comfort and taught us to read, write, make music, create radio shows, play in the backyard, and make movies. We’re the better for it today.”

Carl Trueman objects to the modern phrase “doing church.” “Church is not something we do; rather, it is something which God does; it is an act of God’s grace. Just as God acts in Christ to save, so he acts in his church to save. The church is not something which human beings construct in grateful response to God; rather, it is something which God himself creates by a sovereign act of his grace.” (I guess Carl wouldn’t like the title of my sermon series on 1 Timothy last year: “Doing Church Together!”)

Pulpit Magazine offers some thoughts on home, private or public schools. “It is a decision that must be made on a case-by-case basis, using biblical principles and prayerful wisdom to make a God-honoring choice. It involves knowing the Word, knowing the schools in your area, and knowing each of your children. Remember that the ultimate responsibility for the proper education of your children rests upon you—the parents—not the school or the church (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Ephesians 6:4). Those two institutions are vital to a child’s overall development, but standards, convictions, and moral strength should be implemented at home.”

The Guess the 150th Country Blog Contest is now officially over. We have a winner! At 11:22 this morning, I had my first visit from the country of El Salvador. Ego guessed El Salvador back on February 2, so Ego, you are the winner of the $25 Amazon gift certificate. (I will email you separately just in case you miss this post.) I have now had visitors from 151 countries — only 43 more to go! Thank you everyone for playing and for visiting the blog.

Update 1: It appears the generator at the link is no longer working. It’s a shame, because it was a fun little tool when it worked.

Update 2: Here is an alternate link that does something similar – and it works! https://alliteration.me/

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Like to alliterate? Try out the free Something of Something Alliteration Generator. One practical application could be for preachers putting together three-point alliterative outlines for their parishioners. (That’s six “p” sounds in a single sentence. How many can you do? Pick a letter, any letter.)

This week marks the 30 year anniversary of the Great Northeastern Blizzard of 1978. This powerful nor’easter formed on Sunday, February 5, 1978 and dumped up to 55 inches of snow on the northeast United States over the next three days. At times the snow was falling at a rate of 4 inches per hour. Many people were stranded in their cars and offices with snow drifts up to fifteen feet high. Some motorists stuck in the storm died when the accumulating snow blocked the exhaust of their idling vehicles on the roadways. Commuters on Route 128 were evacuated by cross country-skiers and snowmobilers. Over 3,500 cars were abandoned in the middle of the roads and buried in the snow.

I was a 15-year-old sophomore in high school living in Wenham, Massachusetts at the time. No cars were allowed on the roads for an entire week, which of course meant school was cancelled, too. After the blizzard was over and we got all shoveled out, I remember walking with friends for miles around the empty streets of our town. It was a little eery seeing the whole town brought to a standstill like that. The local IGA was still open, and people were cross-country skiing to the market bringing back their grocery supplies in backpacks.

Did you go through the Great Blizzard of 1978? What memories do you have?

Related posts:

• Severe Weather Events in My Life
• Remembering Hurricane Andrew
• 10 Worst Disasters of the Century

And you were wondering why it is so hard to build a squirrel-proof bird feeder?

(Video length: 1:53)

Related posts:

• Sneaky Sam the Seagull Steals Some Chips
• Jedi Squirrels

Today was the last day of the 2008 Desiring God Conference for Pastors, held at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minnesota. This year’s theme was: The Pastor as Father and Son. The speakers were D. A. Carson, Crawford Lorritts, Greg Livingstone and John Piper.

These are great conferences with great times of worship mixed with great speakers delivering great messages. Not to mention the great fellowship you enjoy with other pastors! I have attended in the past and followed the conference closely when I could not attend.

Desiring God has been blogging the conference, and you can find a roundup of all this year’s conference posts here, including summaries of the messages. They are also posting the audio to the sessions for free. The messages are all good, but I would especially recommend Carson’s. And don’t miss John Piper’s tribute to his recently deceased evangelist father.

Related post: 2008 Desiring God National Conference

Here is a great little hack that will allow you to gain all the benefits of Feedburner without ever losing control of your original feed and subscribers. (I don’t usually blog about blogging, but I have not seen this hack covered elsewhere, so I thought I would make it available here.)

Continue Reading »

There is still time to enter the Guess the 150th Country Blog Contest. The prize for the winner is a $25 Amazon gift certificate. Here is the math:

194 countries in the world
149 countries have visited the blog
  26 guesses already made on the next new country to visit
  19 countries left to guess

But if you want to participate, you better hurry. As soon as the 150th country visits, the contest is over.

As part of an interview at BeliefNet, Amy Grant shares the following about dealing with depression in life:

It’s so funny what age is doing. I never thought getting older would be so great. But when it comes to depression, I have experienced less the older I’ve gotten. And I think part of it is, there are things that I know to look for in myself. I know winter time hits me like a ton of bricks.

My great-uncle told us when were kids, “If you’re born into this family, you need to go take a brisk walk every day.” He didn’t know what endorphins were, but he knew that we battled that downward spiral. If I will make myself get some exercise, that always helps. And then, invest in somebody else. That’s not hard when you’re part of a family. Even if I’m feeling like a piece of wood, I’ll wake up in the morning and I just think, “Somebody’s got to put the bacon on. I will feel better about this moment if I do eggs on toast with a little melted cheese for the kids.” It takes about four minutes to make breakfast for your children in the morning. You start doing little acts of getting beyond yourself. Sometimes it takes days or weeks. But you just learn there is a process to getting out of a slump.

Tiny little things that you have to do, responsibility that you can’t slough off, is good when you battle depression—making lunch for your kids, or having to do laundry because nobody has clean underwear. Rather than grind your teeth over it, go, “Thank God I have got to do this little task that makes me move.” And the more that [I’m] used to the rhythms of [my] own life, the more I realize, as bleak as this feels right this minute, it’ll pass.

Have you ever struggled with depression, whether mild or serious? What has been helpful to you when you are feeling down?

HT: Semper Reformanda

Yesterday I preached the first part of a message on Faith, Peace, Hope and Love, taken from Romans 5:1-5.

Romans 5:1-5 – “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

The main idea of the message was that these four qualities are connected. They are like links in a chain or building blocks one upon the other. Faith is the foundation of peace, hope and love. Peace is the result of faith and a necessary condition for hope and love. Hope grows out of peace and provides the environment where God’s love may flourish in our hearts. And love is the fulfillment of hope. Love is the ultimate goal, the greatest thing of all. Here is a brief summary of the message:

I. Faith is the foundation of peace, hope and love.

To be “justified” means “to be declared innocent.” It is the opposite of the word “condemned,” which means “to be declared guilty.” Faith means trust, assurance or belief, a deep and abiding conviction. We are justified not by works, but through faith. We can never be justified or declared innocent in God’s sight by our works for one very simple reason. We are not innocent! We are guilty, guilty as charged. If we ask God to look at our works and declare us innocent, we are in effect asking God to lie. God cannot possibly declare us innocent on the basis of our own righteousness.

If you ever struggle with self-righteousness, just try the following experiment for a day. Pretend that a T.V. monitor is hooked up to your brain, and that every thought you have all day is broadcast live on the internet. That’s right. Your brain is on YouTube. Everyone can see exactly what you’re thinking, all day long. Would you like your thoughts broadcast on the internet for a day? I know I wouldn’t. How about every day?

We can never be justified by God according to our own righteousness, because we are not righteous. God sees the record of your deeds, the logbook of your words, the visual and soundtrack of your mind, all day, every day. That’s why justification must be through faith, not by works. Rather, it is by faith that we receive a righteousness from God that replaces our own unrighteousness.

And so faith comes first in the chain. Without faith, you cannot have peace. And without peace, you cannot have hope or love. Knowing God’s love in your life is the greatest thing, but along with peace and hope it rests first of all squarely on the firm foundation of faith.

II. Peace is the result of faith and a necessary condition for hope and love.

After faith, comes peace. Peace is the result of faith, and the necessary condition for hope and love. Notice that Paul says peace is a present condition. Since we have been justified, we have peace now. It is our present possession.

This “peace with God” is different from the “peace of God.” The “peace of God” is a subjective feeling that we experience when we obey the command to present our requests to God (Philippians 4:6-7). “Peace with God” is not a subjective feeling, but rather an objective fact based on our justification. We experience the “peace of God” intermittently depending on whether or not we are bringing our requests to the Lord. But once you have been justified by faith, your “peace with God” never changes.

Peace with God means relationship with God. The walls have been torn down, the obstacles cleared out of the way, and where once there was separation, there now is relationship. What is the obstacle that stands between us and God? There is basically one major obstacle, and that obstacle is sin. And so until the problem of sin is dealt with, we do not have peace with God.

And how do we deal with the problem of sin? There is only one way, and that is to be justified, to be declared innocent by God through faith in his son Jesus Christ. Faith leads to peace; justification leads to relationship with God.

Why is it that justification actually leads to relationship? It doesn’t have to be that way. Think about a human judge for a minute. A human judge feels no personal hostility towards you if he declares you guilty, and he feels no friendship towards you if he declares you innocent. He simply makes a legal declaration. It is wonderful to be declared innocent, but that doesn’t lead to automatic friendship with the judge.

In our case, God is not only your judge. He is also the offended party. And yet God still wants to restore you to relationship with himself. Why does justification lead to relationship? Because God wants it to. It is for the purpose of relationship that God justifies us and declares us righteous, so that the offense may be removed, our hostility disarmed, and we may find peace with God our Judge and our Savior. This is God’s whole purpose in justification. 1 Peter 3:18 puts it this way: “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

CONCLUSION: We will talk more about the next two words in the sequence, hope and love, next week. But for right now, let me just ask you the question. Do you have this peace with God that we have been talking about this morning? Are in relationship with God? You can only answer that question “yes” if you are trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Peace with God is the result of faith in Jesus Christ. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)

Note: To read the complete message, go to the Sermons tab at the top of the blog.