Inexpressible

INEXPRESSIBLE (adj): not capable of being expressed; incommunicable; indefinable; indescribable

It's hard to talk about something inexpressible because it's...well...inexpressible. It's something so incredible that words just can't describe it. The bible uses this term only twice, emphasizing the importance of it.

II Corinthians 9:15 says, "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!"

Of the 250,000+ English words, none of them can aptly describe the wonderfulness of God's gift. The gift of the earth, the gift of his son, the gift of heaven, and each tiny gift he gives us every minute is so grand that ten thousand tongues for ten thousand years could never give it the praise it deserves. Even if someone gives  you a decked out mansion with a complimentary BMW in the driveway with live-in maids and cooks, it will get old. You can't spend the rest of your life praising the glory of your house, car, or luxury. So, what makes God's gift so inexpressible?

I Peter 1:8 says, "Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory..."

God's gift gives us eternal and indescribable joy. This joy is incomparable, it does not fade, it does not grow old. It is forever perfect!

So, what is his gift? Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The gift of God's grace and love is eternal. You don't let the socks your grandma gave you for Christmas go unwrapped. Why not open something a little more worthwhile?

Any Last Words?

"I can't sleep." -James M. Barrie, author

"Josephine..." -Napolean Bonaparte, French Emperor

"Et tu, Brute?" -Gaius Julius Caesar, Roman Emperor

"I'm bored with it all." -Winston Churchill, statesman

"That was a great game of golf, fellers." -Bing Crosby, musician

"I love you, Sarah. For all eternity, I love you." -James K. Polk, US President

"Either the wallpaper goes, or I do." -Oscar Wilde, author

"Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something." -Pancho Villa, Mexican Revolutionary

Last words. We record them and we quote them. Why? Last words reflect priorities, needs, and what the dying person truly felt was most important. If you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that tomorrow you would be killed, what would you say? What would be the most important thing that you would want to make sure was said before you died?

In John 17, some of Christ's final words are recorded. No, these are not his last words, not even his last prayer, but they're recorded to remind us of what Jesus was thinking about only hours before he would be sentenced to the cross. First (v.1-5) he prays that he can glorify God with his death. He doesn't pray that it will come easy, he prays that he can glorify God with the most degrading moments of his life. Secondly (v.6-19) he prays for his disciples. He prays that they may continue in their understanding so that they may spread the love of God throughout the world. He thanks God for lending them to him while he was on earth and he offers them back to the service of God. He asks that they be sanctified in truth and protected from the evil one.

Finally (v.20-16) he prays for Christians. Hours before Christ was betrayed by one of his best friends and carted off like an animal to be slaughtered, he was thinking about me. He gave Christians his glory so that they may be ONE. Christ stresses his desire for unity. He doesn't pray that everyone in the world will become a Christian. He doesn't pray for world peace. He prays that Christians of the future will be united. He doesn't want them being held back by denominations or petty conflicts. He wants them to unite for a cause worthy of living for and worthy of dying for. He wants Christians to unite so that they may go to heaven to see Christ in all of his glory.

Let us not pass by these words. As sweat drops of blood dripped from him and guards were closing in on him and his earthly life was quickly slipping from his hands, he asked that Christians be united. Let us no longer be divided over the things that we think are true. Let us be united by the things we know to be true because God has said them.

What do you say to that?



Freedom

 



Following a revolution, Tunisian people are experiencing freedom for the first time. Tara Bahrampour depicts this interesting journey in First Steps Toward Democracy. What many don't realize is that these people don't know what it means to have liberty. With a decaying authoritarian power and an emerging democracy, many questions still need answers. What is a president? What is parliament? How does voting work? What does it mean to be free?

The questions are not so different for Christians. The bible says that we are slaves to sin and free in Christ, but what does that mean? There are 12 verses that specifically mention the freedom that Christians have in Christ. II Corinthians 3:16-18 says,

"But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

When we're free, the veil of the Lord is removed. He is no longer a mystery to us. We can see him in all of his glory with clarity. We have his spirit within us, which frees us to do all things in the name of our Lord and Savior. We are no longer slaves to the burdens of sin, living hopeless lives of confusion and ignorance, but we are free to understand and act boldly in the name of our living God.

The "Walking on Water" Experience

The Jesus Lizard (yes, that's its real name)

Matthew 14 tells the story of Jesus walking on water. We say this and pass it off, but if you really think about it, it's miraculous. It's incredible. It's supernatural.

But there's more.

Peter decided that he too wanted to walk on water. Jesus invited him out there on the stormy waters. Peter was walking on water! To those of you who say that like it's no big deal, I ask you to go take a step off a nearby diving board and see how long you stay above water. Peter was locked in on Jesus. He was focused and concentrating. But then...he got distracted. The waves were roaring, lightning was flashing, it was dark outside...all very distracting. He took his eyes off Jesus. He took his eyes off what was important. Then he sunk.

Aren't we just the same? We have "walking on water" experiences where we feel like nothing can stop us. Then we get in situations where the storms are raging all around us and we know that we could fall any second. We start focusing on ourselves more than we focus on Christ. Then we start sinking. Sometimes it's quick and sometimes it happens gradually. Sometimes we don't realize that we're drowning until we're sitting at the bottom of the ocean. But that's not the end.

When Peter was sinking, he called out for Christ, and Jesus immediately extended his hand and pulled him to safety. We can worship a God of second chances who will never let us sink if we rely upon him.

So, if you're amid the storms of life, remember to keep your eyes on Christ, the ultimate lifesaver.

Just Do It

This week's Verse of the Week is Micah 6:8, which says,

"He has told you, O man, what is good;

and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?"

So, God requires 3 things from us:

1) Do Justice

2) Love Kindness

3) Walk Humbly with God

Do we?

Is this picture of a child soldier justice? Is the neglect of widows justice? The bible tells us to specifically take care of these groups (James 1:27), but these groups, among innumerable others, are the focus of genocide, torture, exploitation, and various manipulations. Despite this, we don't give these people a second thought. We don't even pray for them. When is the last time you heard someone pray for an end to injustice. When is the last time you did something to alleviate injustice where you are?

Do you love kindness? Would you do anything to show kindness? When you pass a homeless person do you offer them what you have an abundance of or do you assume that they are psychotic or addicted and pass them by like they are diseased? Isn't that the same story as the "Good Samaritan" ? What makes them different from you? They are just as lost as you were before you found Christ and have the same chances of making it to heaven as you do. Each person on this earth was fearfully and wonderfully made by an almighty God with a specific purpose.

Is the picture above an image of a church walking humbly with God? Our "American Dream" has transformed our churches. What used to rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit can simply not function without the biggest, brightest, newest, most comfortable luxuries in their buildings. Does this image generate glory to God or glory to man?

I challenge you to pray for an end to injustice and to boldly act in the name of what is just. I dare you to fall in love with kindness to the point that you can't function without it. I urge you to focus on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than the power in numbers, presentations, or "feel good" messages.

God has called us to do these things. Let's do them.

Fear Factor

Have you ever been afraid?

Afraid of the dark? Afraid of heights? Personally, I have an ever increasing fear of crickets, which I can attribute to some unfortunate childhood experiences.

But what about the bigger things? The real things. Your life, your future, and your next paycheck are all uncertain, which is absolutely terrifying. When you are no longer in control of something, you begin to fear it. But, thankfully, Christians don't have to worry about losing control, because someone much more capable is in control.

"For I, the Lord your God,

hold your hand;

it is I who say to you, 'Fear not,

I am the one who helps you.'"

Isaiah 41:13

Whether it's your world (John 15:19), your future (Jeremiah 29:11), your material needs (Matthew 6:25-34), physical harm (Luke 12:4), or any anxiety whatsoever (I Peter 5:7) that causes you to fear, know that the Almighty Lord of all Creation is there to hold your hand and lead you through your trials.

Ignorance and Bliss

In Thornton Wilder's play, Our Town, the final scene depicts a graveyard where several characters reflect on their time alive. Simon Stimson, the church organist and town drunk, says that all people live in blind ignorance. He claims that people live each day without purpose in complete misunderstanding. They don't live, they just survive. They are ignorant of what is important, of what is true, of what is eternal. However, Christians do not have to live in ignorance. Because of our hope, we have the opportunity to live deliberately with a higher purpose. Not only that, but it is the will of God that we help others escape their ignorance so that they too may have hope. I Peter 2 says,

^"For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God."

Because of what we have in Christ we can be free and use our freedom to serve God and others by leading them to salvation. We do not have to be blind and ignorant, like organisms just waiting to die. We are living servants that can silence the ignorance.

Realistic

"An idealist is a person who helps other people to be prosperous." -Henry Ford

Today I was reading Chris Guillebeau's blog post "Not Realistic" and it made me think a lot about evangelism. Yes, I realize it's asking a lot of you to read two articles at one time, but I'm confident it will be worth it. If you can't handle both, I'll give you a short synopsis. He claims that the word "realistic" is an adjective for cynics. If something's "not realistic" it's not worth doing.

I'd venture to say that most people would say trying to save the world is "not realistic." Going into all the world and preaching the gospel to every creature is "not realistic." Loving the Lord with all your soul, all your heart, and all your mind is "not realistic." Even the fact that nothing is impossible with God is "not realistic."

Unfortunately, cynics are everywhere, even in the church. No matter what you set out to do, someone will be there to bring you down, particularly if your goal is unconventional or dangerous. But isn't that what God calls us to be? He calls us to be different from the world. He has filled us not with a spirit of fear, but one of power. So, when you're in the face of a cynic, keep this verse in mind:

"...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..."

Hebrews 12:1

Take a Hike

"How beautiful upon the mountains

   are the feet of him who brings good news,

who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,

   who publishes salvation,

   who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'"

Isaiah 52:7

In biblical times, prophets would travel mile after mile through the desert and dirt road to share the word of God. Their sandals were destroyed by the rocky terrain. Their feet were covered in dirt, sand, scratches, and blisters. They smelled like the waste and debris through which they walked. Their feet were absolutely unattractive and unpresentable. Needless to say, they weren't exactly going to be doing any Jimmy Choo ads any time soon. But God said they were beautiful. Not dirty or gross, not even good. Beautiful. Why? Because they brought the Gospel to the world! They didn't sit around waiting for an opportunity to share the gospel. They didn't hope that someone would ask them how to know Jesus. They put on some shoddy sandals and hiked up mountains to share the word, to make Christ known, to "publish salvation" to those who seemed unreachable.

So, let's take a hike. Let's proclaim from the mountaintops, "Our God reigns!" It'll be great for our feet.