God's Purpose, Platitudes & Silver Linings ♫ ♪ Que Sera Sera ♪ ♫ . . .

“Give yourself permission not to know and be satisfied knowing the One who does.”

~ by Joyce Meyer, I Dare You

Because ". . . we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) In context, the Apostle Paul wrote these words to Christians in Rome who had to have been beside themselves wondering whether God was really even hearing their prayers in the midst of some very real suffering and affliction.

Doesn’t every Christian sometimes wonder that same thing? Yet, Romans 8:28 is very clear: in everything God works for good. Paul wanted the believers to give themselves permission not to know -- not to understand their suffering -- and simply be satisfied knowing the One who does know and does understand?

Period. End of explanation. But I’d be quite a foolish teacher and writer to stop there.

So here we go: It would do us well to skip verse 28 entirely until we fully understand verse 29. When you start with Romans 8:28 -- or worse yet, use it as a solo verse -- you run the risk of turning profound Biblical truth into a trite piece of conventional wisdom.

I’ve heard many Christians mumble Romans 8:28 as a capsule of encouragement for life’s problems – sort of a theological version of the proverbial saying that “in every cloud there’s a silver lining.”

To reduce Romans 8:28 to conventional wisdom would be to do a terrible injustice to Paul’s teaching and to rob God’s Word of its truth. Open the door with me to a better understanding:

Romans 8:29: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…” See, God is at work among us -- He has been for centuries -- and He is in absolute control. He will bring about His intended purpose. The eternal plan will unfold. But make no mistake; this does not mean that God plays with our lives like puppets for His Divine amusement. Neither does it mean that God is “letting be what will be.” (♫ ♪ Que Sera Sera ♫)

Not at all. God has an eternal plan and He is working to bring about his saving purpose -- that is, to conform Christians to the image of his Son Jesus.

Think about the life of Jesus. He died a cruel death between two criminals for me. And for you. And THAT is the journey on which the sovereign God is taking us . . . a Death to Self.

Becoming in Christ’s image is by no means a glorious thing -- only light and love and good thoughts (good grief!). Rather becoming in Christ's image is something that happens in the everyday depths near which we always always find ourselves: stressed out, sick, facing tragedy, suffering, confused, brokenhearted, hopeless, helpless . . . .

True: There's really not a lot of optimism here. It’s not as if “all things work together for good” means that there is some small increment of good that is always being worked out in spite of appearances. (A silver lining behind every cloud . . . ) That would be false hope. God’s Word does not do that.

When we start with Romans 8:29 and know that it is the image of Christ to which we are being conformed, it keeps us from reducing 8:28 to the idea that there is a hidden good in our present suffering and the evil that surrounds us. It prevents that “every cloud has a silver lining” kind of thinking.

God’s eternal purpose is infinitely wider and deeper than silly platitudes that everything will be all right. God’s eternal purpose is not separate from but encompassing of our suffering and confusion. God’s eternal purpose uses even the worst that sin, death, and Satan have to give us in order to bring about His eternal purpose.

What sustains us in our present suffering and confusion is to know our prospect of a future glory and to know for certain that God is fulfilling His eternal purpose in our lives yet today. . . but in His time.

“Give yourself permission not to know and be satisfied knowing the One who does.”
~ by Joyce Meyer, I Dare You

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

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This installment of InOtherWords is hosted by Nina on her blog, Mama’s Little Treasures.

Whisperer, Gossip, Blabbermouth . . . Not So Pretty!

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of a life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men [and women], who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers [and sisters], this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

~ James 3:6-11 (NIV)

For a long as I can remember, I have avoided deep relationships with other women. Women can be the cruelest of creatures. Really I think it dates back to Genesis Chapter 3. There is something in us that broke that day. Something we continually have to struggle against. It seems to be in the very core of our being to pit one another against each other. And what is so very sad is that we see it in churches as readily as the secular workplace.

Women have always been the most deadly critics of other women. They know how to wound with precision. They know how to judge. They know how to look another woman over from head to toe, inside and out, and then make a diagnosis of all the ills they have found. Why do we do that? Is it so that we don’t have to look at ourselves? Is it because we are jealous creatures? Is it because we have not learned how to love one another? [Read More . . . ]

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Join me at the Cafe'
I am a Guest Contributor today at
Christian Women Online's Devotional Blog.

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Never Never EVER Judge a Book by its. . . . . . Well, you know

May I always see those around me through the eyes of God.
May I always hear them through the ears of God,
And love them with the heart of God!
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Susan Boyle Stuns Crowd with Epic Singing - Watch more Videos

It's Not About My Failures. In Fact . . . It's Not About My Performance At All!

"God’s promises are never affected by our failures.

He can use us at any age."

~ Michael Youssef
from Leading the Way.

It' s interesting. . . When I read a quote like this, my mind immediately begins functioning in the realm of performance. After all, the very definition of "failure" implies performance . . . .

I'm thinking of all the different "religious" activities that Believers can perform in the various stages of life using their gifts, talents, resources. . .

At age eighteen:

God's Word tells us,
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young. . . " (I Timothy 4:12)

. . . We use our youthful energy and excitement to engage in spiritual activities and programs that we know will advance His Kingdom. Regardless of our failures, God uses our performance. We are in His favor.

At age forty:

God's Word tell us,
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. . . " (Matthew 28:19)

. . . We use our education to instruct others and we tithe regularly, knowing that our money will help advance His Kingdom. Regardless of our failures, God uses our performance. We are in His favor.

At age seventy:

God' Word tells us that our
“age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.” (Job 32:7)

. . .We use our lifetime of education and wisdom to witness to everyone we meet and we pray hard, knowing that our works will help advance His Kingdom. Regardless of our failure, God uses our performance. We are in His favor.

However, from God's perspective (and what He tells us in His Word), our performance at any age is irrelevant. Probably laughable in His eyes -- if not pitied.

Why do we do this? Why does my own thinking go immediately towards the idea of performance?

An excerpt from The Journal of John Woolman (1720-1772) answers the question:

"But many others, having their religion chiefly by education and not being enough acquainted with that cross which crucifies to the world, do manifest a temper distinguishable from that of an entire trust in God."

Most of us are legalistic by nature, we innately think so much performance by us earns much favor and blessing from God. After all, this is how society works. Is the Christian life any different?

Peter had this attitude when he said to Jesus in Matthew 19:27, "We have left everything to follow you. Therefore what shall we have?" Peter had already added up his merit points, and he wanted to know how much reward they would buy. Jesus answer to him was, "many who are first will be last, and the last first."

Galatians 3:3 tells us this:

"Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal through human effort?"

Ephesians 2:8-10 teaches us this:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God. . . "

"God's promises are never affected by our failures." Absolutely! But if we base His promises on performance -- regardless of our success or failure rate -- His promises can never ring true in our lives. Ever!

"He can use us at any age." Absolutely! But God uses us based on our readiness to accept His Grace -- Not our readiness to perform.

Do you understand grace?

A professor at a Christian college in Missouri once gave his students a penetrating, unforgettable picture of grace. A student from his class wrote this in an e-mail:

In the spring of 2002, I left work early so I could have some uninterrupted study time before my final exam in the Youth Ministry class at Hannibal-LaGrange college in Missouri. When I got to class, everybody was doing their last-minute studying. The teacher came in and said he would review with us before the test. Most of his review came right from the study guide, but there were some things he was reviewing that I had never heard. When questioned about it, he said they were in the book and we were responsible for everything in the book. We couldn't argue with that.

Finally it was time to take the test.

"Leave them face down on the desk until everyone has one, and I'll tell you to start," our professor, Dr. Tom Hufty, instructed.

When we turned them over, to my astonishment every answer on the test was filled it. My name was even written on the exam in red ink. The bottom of the last page said: "This is the end of the exam. The reason you passed the test is because the creator of the test took it for you.All the work you did in preparation for this test did not help you get the A. You have just experienced . . . Grace."

Dr. Hufty then went around the room and asked each student individually, "What is your grade? Do you deserve the grade you are receiving? How much did all your studying for this exam help you achieve your final grade?"

Then he said, "Some things you learn from lectures, some things you learn from research, but some things you can only learn from experience. You've just experienced grace. One hundred years from now, if you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, your name will be written down in a book, and you will have had nothing to do with writing it there. That will be the ultimate grace experience."

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"God’s promises are never affected by our failures.

He can use us at any age."

~ Michael Youssef

"God uses us based on our readiness to accept His Grace
-- Not our readiness to perform."

~Esthermay Bentley-Goossen


© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

This installment of InOtherWords is hosted today by Karen on her blog, In Love W.I.T.H. Jesus.

Resurrection PowerI Can Only Imagine . . .

Jesus said,"I am the resurrection and the life:
he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."
~ John 11:25

O Glorious Easter morning,
Christ's work on earth complete.
He left us Blessed Hope,
That in Heaven we'll with Him meet
And side by side, our Loved Ones greet.
I Can Only Imagine!

~Esthermay

YOUR Ransom, MY RansomPaid in Royal Blood . . .

Christ in Me . . . In Other Words . . .

"Heaven must be in me, before I can be
in heaven."

~ Charles Stanford

. . . a truly astounding and beautiful claim. And at the same time, a rather profound sadness surrounds
Mr. Stanford's verse.

Scripturally speaking, the Bible does not talk about heaven being in us - rather, Christ being in us. . .

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
~ Galatians 2:20

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
~ Colossians 1:27

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?

~ I Corinthians 6:15

A growing number of Christians prefer to just leave Jesus Christ out of any discussion of heaven. We prefer to dwell on God's Love and Hope of Heaven . . . Street of Gold . . . . Why is it so hard to acknowledge JESUS CHRIST?

Remember the television series Touched by An Angel? Nice show. One of the cleaner story lines you'd find on television at the time. But for all the talk about God and God's Love and Heaven -- not once did any character on that show ever mention the name of Jesus Christ. I wonder why. . . . The power is in the name of Jesus!

. . . that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
~ Philippians 2:10

Too many Christians today simply overlooked Jesus and his disgustingly brutal murder on a cross -- the whole concept of sin and righteousness is sorely lacking. We appear to have little sense that Jesus is ALIVE and active and living in us here and now today as a prelude to heaven. (Then again, maybe He's not.)

(. . . and maybe this is why we're so weak: No power.)

In many churches, Jesus is treated in the same way the British treat their monarchs. -- They strip the monarch of all political power and they do not expect the sovereign to do anything except look good. They treat the monarchs with great respect and reverence. They pay plenty of lip service, but they really don't expect anything from the monarch. This is the way Christians all too often treat the Lord Jesus. We forget that He is in charge of the universe! We forget that

"Christ must be in me, before I can be in heaven."

Heaven is a free gift. Heaven is not something you work for or deserve. Heaven is not something we can dream about and internalized and thereby arrive when we stop breathing earth's air. The Bible says:

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
~ Romans 6:23

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in. . . .
~ Revelation 3:20

Is Christ is YOU?

"Christ must be in me, before I can be in heaven."

~ Paraphrase of the Entire New Testament Gospel

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

This Chapter of InOtherWords is hosted by Denise on her blog, ShortyBear's Place.

Is God's Word Relevant Today?

God's Word:

. . . All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

~ I Samuel 22:2

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Headline:

Glen Beck Rising
by David Knowles
AOL News

"Forget about Rush Limbaugh, Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann, Bill O'Reily, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter and all the other headline grabbers. They've got nothing on FOX News's latest populist superstar, Glenn Beck. Though Beck has not yet overtaken O'Reilly and Hannity in the ratings game, he's gaining fast, with an average audience of 2.3 million viewers on the network whose VP for programing recently described as the "voice of opposition" to the Obama administration. And if it's one thing that Beck has got down pat, it's voicing opposition. . . . "
(Read More. . . )

Comments?

Restoring the Heart of Worship . . . Whom Are You Following?

"Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."
~ 1 Corinthians 11:1

We all have someone -- or several people -- in our lives to whom we look to for guidance in one way or another. Whether it be guidance in our career, our parenting, our hobbies, or (most importantly) our spiritual growth - we all have someone we admire and learn from...

Besides my husband,
I happen to enjoy the ministry and teaching of John Piper.

And when the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he knew this. He knew that people imitate those whose guidance they seek. People do emulate their leaders and Paul knew that the people in Corinth were trying to be like him and heed his teachings. For this very reason, Paul wanted to make one thing clear: that he should not be followed in word or in deed unless he was in accordance with what Jesus Christ would do or say.

In the context of I Corinthians Chapter 11, Paul was witnessing and speaking about the worship of the church. It had become a chaotic and charismatic exhibition that did not edify the church body at all. So it is in this last part of the Book of I Corinthians, that Paul sought to restore the proper order to worship.

To very-much simplify his teaching: True worship has nothing to do with attending a church service and everything to do with a personal response to God’s work in our individual lives.

In today’s world, Paul’s teaching suggests that worship on a Sunday morning is an end result of our walking with God Monday through Saturday. It has absolutely nothing to do with what today’s church refers to as "Worship Style." Let me repeat that: Worship is not synonymous with music.

We don't have to look far to discover how sensitively God measures the worship of Himself. In Genesis, Cain was rejected by God and turned over to his degenerate and murderous heart all because his worship was wrong—in both motive and in method.

A bit further we find Nadab and Abihu severely judged with instant death for offering "strange fire" at the altar—an offense so serious to God that the brothers' father Aaron was not even allowed to mourn their death. Instead, God commanded Aaron to mourn his sons' great sin.

And then there is Uzzah, killed in an instant for touching the ark of God. And add Eli who, along with his entire descendency, was condemned for honoring his worship-despising sons rather than honoring God.

In all actuality the entire decline and subsequent captivity of Israel and Judah were primarily due to rampant false worship among these chosen nations.

Looking further, we see Jesus Himself never more visibly full of animated wrath than in His "cleansing" of the temple—the place of His Father's worship, now corrupted by those who valued other things more highly.

All of these examples, reveal to us that worship—including how, why, and whom we worship—very nearly tops the list of things God holds dreadfully important.

And yet, we live in an age and culture whose church is as confused and varied in its choices for worship as it is over carpeting its rooms and painting its walls!

For many churches, designing worship has become most closely associated with that which will best suit the attendees or best attract the hesitant church-goer or best reach the youth of society, rather than that which is most pleasing to God.

What are the motives and methods that govern what we do in worship today?

► Are they Scriptural or are they merely self-seeking?

► Does our worship emphasize the way in which we appear to men, or is it solely concerned with how we appear to God?

► Does our worship tend to secularize the sacred in an effort to bring God down to man's level?

► Is our worship intended to soften nonbelievers into "liking" Christians and Christianity?

► Is our worship based on a philosophy that follows "the tradition of men" and "the basic principles of the world"?

► Is our worship designed in such a way as to make the nonbeliever feel comfortable, accepted, pleased, even entertained?

► Does our worship seek the participation of those who neither know God nor love Him?

Remember: Worship is not for the unbeliever.
Worship is the believer's response to God.

► Is our worship exclusively led by, and does it exalt, those whom the world considers successful, attractive, "together," happy?

► Is our worship Christ-like?

► Whom are you following?

In posing these questions,
I hope each of us can search our own motives
and ideas about worship and respond honesty.

I like this about Paul: He humbly recognized his faults (Read Romans 7:14-25) but still took great care to do the right thing and he wanted to make sure that first and foremost people were following Jesus. That is the essence of what Paul wanted. He wanted people to follow Jesus.

I want to be like Paul. If what I say or do does not line up with what God says in His Word, than I don't want to be followed, read or looked to as a leader. Period. Always test for yourself what you read, hear, or see by the truth of God's Word.

And never apologize for standing against or even walking away
from what does not match up with Scripture.

Open your own Bible and read about the false worship in the Old Testament. Read Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians about the heart of true worship in I Corinthians.

Following Jesus takes work. Following Jesus is more than going to church and getting an emotional high with hands raised while singing a favorite praise song.

Sure, that may be part of worship -- a part that cannot take place fully without some relationship with God. However, the heart of worship is more than an emotional response to an inspirational message or song or a specific style of worship designed by a local church to evoke a reaction in its hearers.

True worship is defined by how we live our everyday lives. True worship is seeking God through the pages of the Bible even when we don't feel like it. True worship is reading a passage of Scripture and applying it to our lives even though we don't like how that particular passage of Scripture makes us feel. True worship is a life of surrender -- following the true Leader -- no matter the cost.

Put yourself in the Apostle Paul’s shoes: Would someone following you be following God as well? How many times per week do you examine your life in light of what the Bible says? How about your favorite Bible teachers/preachers? Does their teaching line up with God's Word? Or do you simply take them at their word?

"Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."
~ 1 Corinthians 11:1

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

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April . . .

"It is time to seek the Lord."
~ Hosea 10:12

This month of April is said to derive its name from the Latin verb aperio, which signifies to open, because all the buds and blossoms are now opening, and we have arrived at the gates of the flowery year.

Reader, if you are yet unsaved, may your heart, in accord with the universal awakening of nature, be opened to receive the Lord. Every blossoming flower warns you that it is time to seek the Lord; be not out of tune with nature, but let your heart bud and bloom with holy desires.

Do you tell me that the warm blood of youth leaps in your veins? then, I entreat you, give your vigour to the Lord. It was my unspeakable happiness to be called in early youth, and I could fain praise the Lord every day for it.

Salvation is priceless, let it come when it may, but oh! an early salvation has a double value in it. Young men and maidens, since you may perish ere you reach your prime, "It is time to seek the Lord."

Ye who feel the first signs of decay, quicken your pace: that hollow cough, that hectic flush, are warnings which you must not trifle with; with you it is indeed time to seek the Lord. Did I observe a little grey mingled with your once luxurious tresses? Years are stealing on apace, and death is drawing nearer by hasty marches, let each return of spring arouse you to set your house in order.

Dear reader, if you are now advanced in life, let me entreat and implore you to delay no longer. There is a day of grace for you now -- be thankful for that, but it is a limited season and grows shorter every time that clock ticks. Here in this silent chamber, on this first [day] of another month, I speak to you as best I can by paper and ink, and from my inmost soul, as God's servant, I lay before you this warning, "It is time to seek the Lord." Slight not that work, it may be your last call from destruction, the final syllable from the lip of grace.

~Charles H. Spurgeon
From the Devotional Classic "Morning and Evening"

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