May Quotes

In prayer, it is better to have a heart without words - than words without a heart.

-John Bunyan

What wings are to a bird, what fruit is to the tree, what the rose is to the thorn, that is praise to a child of God.

-Spurgeon

In true Christianity, there are no short-term commitments and no escape clauses. 

-John Blanchard

In order to receive grace, you must accept Jesus. Not the idea of Jesus, but the actual Jesus; the One who calls you to leave everything behind. The One who says that you must carry your cross, the One who spoke truth in the face of deceit. The Christ who clung unto a world that had let go long ago, Jesus who calls us beloved. If grace is an ocean, you must jump in! 

-T.B. LaBerge

A great white throne: Great, because of the causes that will be decided there ... white, because of its immaculate purity ... a throne, because a King will sit there. 

-F. B. Meyer

Take up the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit for help, lay the promises up in your heart, and fight the good fight — to live by faith in future grace. 

-John Piper

Circumstances don't create character; they reveal character. 

-David Jeremiah

Only men who ken their weakness, find their strength in Christ alone. 

-John Knox

God's plans reach from an eternity past to an eternity to come. Let Him take His own time.

-William S. Plumer

The burden God places on each of us is to become who we are meant to be. We are most fully ourselves when Christ most fully lives in us and through us. The mother shines brightest with her child in her arms, the father when he forgives his wandering son, and the artist when he or she is drawing attention to grace, by showing the pinprick of light overcoming the darkness in the painting, or the story, or the song. The world knows darkness. Christ came into the world to show us light. I have seen it, have been blinded by it, invaded by it. I will tell its story.

-Andrew Peterson

Ezekiel: You Shall Know....

...that I am the LORD when...

"the slain shall fall in your midst" (Ez.6:7)

"some among the nations...escape the sword, and when you are scattered through the countries" (Ez.6:8)

"all the evil abominations of the house of Israel...shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence" (Ez.6:11

"my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. I will punish you according to your ways, while your abominations are in your midst" (Ez.7:9)

"the inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a desolation" (Ez.12:20)

"my hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel" (Ez.13:9)

"I break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bar. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it" (Ez.13:14)

"I...deliver my people out of your [false prophets] hand" (Ez.13:23)

"I...establish my covenant with you...that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done" (Ez.16:63)

"I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish" (Ez.17:24)

"I...purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel" (Ez.20:38)

"I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers" (Ez.20:42)

"I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel" (Ez.20:44)

"your [Ezekiel's] mouth will be opened to the fugitive and you shall speak and be longer mute. So you will be a sign to them" (Ez.24:27)

"I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them...they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards...when I execute judgments upon all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt" (Ez.28:25-26)

"I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them" (Ez.34:27)

"like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be fillee with flocks of people" (Ez.36:38)

"I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land." (Ez.37:14)

"the name of the city from that time on shall be 'The LORD Is There'." (Ez.48:35)

I am the LORD. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the LORD GOD.

Ezekiel 24:14

I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

Ezekiel 34:16

God of War

 This week I began reading through Psalms again. The number of verses speaking of war caught my attention. While war is never something to desire, there are times when justice must be carried out, and in the Old Testament times the Lord did call His people to battle. To fight for their land, their homes, and their faith. And it was He who gave them the power, strength, and victory when the occasion arose.

He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze...For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me. You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed. (Psalm 18:34, 39-40, ESV)

The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation--the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me, who delivered me from my enemies... (Psalm 18:46-48a)

Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! (Psalm 24:8)

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! Take hold of shield and bucker and rise for my help! Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, "I am your salvation!" (Psalm 35:1-3)

...for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them....Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us. For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me. But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us. (Psalm 44:3-7)

There is no delight in war, but there is great joy in knowing that God gives victory. Wars and battles today are but a shadow of the spiritual battles that take place daily in the hearts and minds of believers. And when justice is pursued and meted out among the nations, we see a glimpse of the righteousness that will reign when King Jesus returns.

In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds! Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies, the peoples fall under you. 

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprighteness.

Psalm 45:4-6

Pondering Words

In beginning a six-month plan through the Bible, I once again read through Genesis. As we're
introduced to Joseph, his brothers, and his father, we begin to understand the family dynamics a bit more as the chapters progress. Brothers are jealous, father has favorites, and Joseph is considered "strange" by his family. Genesis 37 is the chapter in which Joseph is introduced and he reveals the dreams that he's been having to his family. Whether or not this was a good course of action is somewhat debated, though I tend to think it was rather unwise. However, we note the responses of his father and brothers. His brothers are indignant and angry that he would have dreams that demonstrate him ruling over them, and his father follows in a similar response in rebuking his son. But afterwards, one verse is given to us:

And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. (Genesis 37:11)

While Joseph's brothers were immediately angry and judgmental of their younger brother, Joseph's father initially rebukes him, and yet he seems to ponder the words of his son. We don't know whether or not Joseph knew his father was thinking about his dreams or not, but the Bible tells us that he was. Jacob himself had had many encounters with God; perhaps the most memorable being that he wrestled with God himself and the Lord put his hip out of joint in the end. With Jacob's past history of visions and meetings with God, perhaps he had more reverence for such things in his son.

This verse reminded me of another person who pondered things in her mind, as well. Mary, the mother of Jesus, also initially rebuked her Son when He remained behind at the temple in Jerusalem after the Passover. Searching for three days, His parents grew anxious, and finally found Him questioning and listening to the Jewish rulers. Jesus responds by questioning them as to why they were looking for Him, seeing as He was doing His Father's business in His Father's house. They did not understand His words at the time, but we're told that...

...his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. (Luke 2:51)

Again, another parent hears the words of their child and ponders the meaning. While Jacob and Mary may seem to have little in common, they both come to realize the profound impact of their children's words later on in life. Perhaps they both regretted rebuking them, or perhaps they simply came to a greater knowledge of God through their life story. But I am certain that later on, they understood the bigger picture of a boy with dreams and another boy who followed an unseen Father's commands. Perhaps it's meant as a lesson for us, too. Don't rebuke another hastily when you don't understand. A good lesson for us as humans are naturally quick to speak and slow to listen.

No Condemnation

An excerpt from a devotional series I wrote two years ago.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,

but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:1

Even though the law condemns us as guilty, the flesh serves the law of sin, and Satan attempts to throw our righteousness back in our faces—we have been redeemed from eternal damnation. The law has been fulfilled, and in Christ, we are free from the bondage of that law. Once in Christ we are no longer slaves to the flesh or to the Devil, but children of the Spirit. We are warring against principalities and powers of darkness, but the Spirit of freedom will guides us and teaches us as we abide in Christ. We are sinners, and we live in a sin-cursed world, but we are not of the world, but of Christ. And because our lives are hidden in Christ, there is no condemnation. Our sins have been as far removed as east is from west and buried in the depths of the sea. There is no remembering of them, for your name is in the Lamb’s book of life.

There is no judgment for wrong, for our lives were purchased and our sin was atoned for by the ultimate sacrifice. There are no arguments the devil can use against us. Condemnation is reserved for the unrighteous. The moment the Innocent Substitute died, the temple curtain was torn in two: no

longer was a priest needed to intercede for the people. As His redeemed, we come boldly to the throne of grace to find mercy. When the devil haunts you with your past, discourages you with the present, and threatens you with the unknown future, then you will face him and say “My condemnation has been removed. The One who paid the ultimate sacrifice will mete out justice fairly. I have nothing to fear. I am in Christ Jesus!”

September Quotes

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable. 

-CS Lewis

Christ clothes us with the cloak of His righteousness, covering our nakedness and shame, and says to us, “Neither do I condemn you.

-R.C. Sproul

What makes a warrior is not his ability to escape fear, but to look death in the face absolutely terrified and still move forward. 

-Unknown

We work for a glorious future which we are not destined to see. We are only morning-stars shining in the dark, but the glorious morn will break.

-David Livingstone

If we are not in Christ, we are born losers. If we are in Christ, we are reborn victors.

-R.J. Rushdoony

God wants to bring us to the end of ourselves so that we would see our need for a relationship with him as well as with others. Every painful thing we experience in relationships is meant to remind us of our need for him. And every good thing we experience is meant to be a metaphor of what we can only find in him.

-Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp

No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.

-J.R.R. Tolkien

There are endless treasures of grace waiting for those who will make even the most feeble attempts to pray. The weakest prayers yield grace.

-Paul Washer

Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he shall become as he can and should be.

-Johann von Goethe

By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Don’t ignore the Spirit’s attempts to engage you, my friend. The conviction, the stirring, is the call of your Father, drawing you back to Himself, inviting you to put an end to your running, to start what needs to happen for things to get turned back around. 

-Priscilla Shirer

The truth is that the more intimately you know someone, the more clearly you’ll see their flaws. That’s just the way it is. This is why marriages fail, why children are abandoned, why friendships don’t last. You might think you love someone until you see the way they act when they’re out of money or under pressure or hungry, for goodness’ sake. Love is something different. Love is choosing to serve someone and be with someone in spite of their filthy heart. Love is patient and kind, love is deliberate. Love is hard. Love is pain and sacrifice, it’s seeing the darkness in another person and defying the impulse to jump ship. 

-Unknown

The high noon of God’s glory will be the second coming of Christ. And that is where the sun will stay forever. 

-John Piper

Great men are forged in fire. It is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame.

-movie quote, unknown

If you know why you believe what you believe, then leadership is inevitable. 

 -Dr. Jeff Meyers

A Bigger Picture, Part Four

This is the 200th post here on Facing the Waves, peoples! :)

In 2 or more paragraphs, discuss the section titled, “The Old Testament as Christian Scripture,” at the end of chapter 1 in Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible. What does the author mean by the terms “continuity” and “discontinuity”? Do you agree? Explain your answer and provide biblical examples.

Thomas Schreiner uses the "already but not yet" phrase to help describe the biblical theology of the Old and New Testaments. Because the covenants, curses, warnings, and blessings of the OT cannot be separated from the NT, Schreiner uses this phrase to show how some of covenants were fulfilled, while others are still awaiting full completion even today. For instance, even though Christ came to earth and fulfilled the coming of the long awaited Messiah, the physical realities of some of the covenants have not yet been realized. The Davidic covenant promised a king who would rule on the earth and destroy the opposing kingdoms who had conquered and enslaved Israel. Jesus did indeed come, but He did not come to physical rule in Jerusalem. The Millennial reign and everything afterwards is still something that has not yet been realized and fulfilled here on earth. While Christ did indeed fulfill the prophecies regarding His birth, life, death, and resurrection, the Jews did not yet understand that Christ came to rule spiritually in their hearts and provide the Comforter who would be the abiding Spirit in them. The Jews expected a glorious entrance of a powerful King who would overthrow Roman tyranny and establish justice in Israel. The Kingdom of God did arrive, but it came in the form of a mustard seed (as Jesus would later describe) or of leaven in dough--imperceptible at first, but it would soon grow into something much mightier than a physical kingdom. 

The New Testament is important to view in this context, because just as the Israelites were waiting for covenants and promises to be fulfilled, so are we. While we already have the fulfilled birth, death, and resurrection of Christ, and while the spiritual kingdom of God is here alive and working in our hearts, we, too, await the physical coming of Christ at His Second Coming. We have the spiritual life already, but there is more to come. Like the universal blessing promised to Abraham, there was partial (spiritual) fulfillment of that, but we have yet to see peace reign here on earth or in Israel itself. The Kingdom was and is present in Jesus, but it is not yet consummated. We still wait for the day when Jesus does sit on an earthly throne and judges in righteousness, dividing the believers from the unbelievers, and issuing eternal peace to the world. The Old Testament points forward to Christ. The New Testament points back to Christ, but neither Testament include the covenant completely fulfilled, because that is yet to come. We live in a different age than the OT believers, but even still we can quickly identify with their longing and waiting for something better to come. We still await the resurrection and glorification of our physical bodies. We still wait for the Great White Throne Judgment, and we still await the freedom from the battle against sin. Not all has been subjected to

Christ fully, yet. Death and sin still have hold on this world. However, like those gone before us as recorded in Hebrews 11, we too look by faith towards that which isn't seen yet. We seek a better City whose Builder and Maker is God, and like the Israelites of old we recognize that we have not completely received what has been promised, but we look towards that one day at the consummation of the age, when all will be made right, and we will no longer pray "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done". His Kingdom will have come, and His will shall be done in that Last Day.