Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

March 30, 2010

The Christian Faith Is Not a Leap in the Dark
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"...we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
2 Corinthians 4:18 NASB

There are two categories of reality in the universe: material and non-material; that which is seen and that which is not seen. In the unseen (non-material) realm we find fixed concepts which our world operates by constantly. Take, for example...

·        Moral absolutes (e.g. Child abuse is wrong.)



·        The uniformity of nature (e.g. We live on the assumption that planets and stars move in a predictable fashion. On this assumption we plan trips not only to grandma's house, but to the moon and beyond.)



·        Universal Laws of Thought* (e.g. The principle of contradiction: a maxim stated by Aristotle as: "contradictory propositions are not true simultaneously." [cf. Aristotle's Metaphysics, 1011b13-14]) Avicenna is said to have put it more colorfully, "Anyone who denies the law of non-contradiction should be beaten and burned until he admits that to be beaten is not the same as not to be beaten, and to be burned is not the same as not to be burned."

These are all things that are real. Laws of thought and moral absolutes may not be able to be weighed, measured or stored in a cupboard, but we count on them and live by them every day just the same.

From what I've observed, both children and adults in Christian circles struggle at times with the things they are called to believe in. God seems like a distant idea. Doctrine seems far removed from day-to-day life. At times, you or someone you love may be tempted with the thought, "I wonder if God, salvation, heaven and hell is all just a made up fairy tale."

At that point you should take a step back and remember that everyone has a faith in their particular view of the world. Worldviews need to be evaluated by whether or not they account for the unseen realities mentioned above. Fortunately, biblical Christianity (not to be confused with tainted, politicized, or hypocritical forms of Christianity that bear no resemblance to the life and message of Jesus Christ) is a worldview that is well able to account for these unseen realities. The biblical God (note well, not just general theism) capably undergirds all unseen moral absolutes, natural constants and universals. Other competing worldviews are weighed in the balance and found wanting.

When we are called on to believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:5), we should recognize that this is another unseen reality. The truths of Galatians 2:20 belong in the category of the unseen as well...

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Gal. 2:20)

Let's not gloss over the fact that we are called to believe in unseen things. But at the same time let's not jump to the wrong conclusion that Christ asks us to take an idiotic leap in the dark. We all believe in well-founded unseen things everyday.

This week in chapter four of Francis Schaeffer's True Spirituality, he calls our attention to this biblical view of truth by underscoring that there are "two streams, two strands of space-time reality—one in the seen, and one in the unseen..."

"[God] is not asking us merely to act on some psychological motivation, but on
what really is... there is a Holy Spirit who has been given to us to make service possible.

"The Christian dead, including my loved ones, are already with Christ now, and Christ really lives in the Christian. Christ lives in me.

"Here is true Christian mysticism—not based on content-less experience, but on historic, space-time reality—on propositional truth. Christian mysticism is communion with Christ. It is Christ bringing forth fruit through me, the Christian, with no loss of personality.

"He is the Christ who has died, whose work is finished, who is raised, who is ascended, who is glorified. It is this Christ. Not simply an idea. It is the Christ who was seen after the resurrection... by Stephen, by Paul, by John."

Let's walk on today, confidently believing in these unseen realities—Christ was not raised mythically; Jesus, the apostles and the Christian martyrs were not liars; and "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given unto us" (Romans 5:5).

Intersecting Faith & Life: 
Are you at a loss for words when asked why you believe in unseen things? Learn how to converse with others in terms of their own beliefs in unseen things (like moral absolutes, etc.), and help them discover the worldview that is charged with the majesty and grandeur of God.

For Further Study:
What Is a Worldview? Dr. James Sire
Introduction to Worldviews (series of lectures) Dr. Greg Bahnsen

[Judy Harder]

March 31, 2010

I Am Pilate
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"What is truth?" Pilate asked. -- John 19:38

This week I met one of the most understandable yet guilty figures in the Bible. This man desperately tried to convince himself that he could control his circumstances. He had a vague intuition for what was right, but he was constantly torn between catering to the crowd and bullying them to show his power. He was overwhelmed by material consequences and implications. And in three simple words, he revealed the heart of his stubborn weakness.

As I again read Pontius Pilate's interview Jesus, I wondered how a man could stare the Son of God in the face, find Him not guilty, and yet condemn Him to death. Each Gospel offers some perspective on why. In reading their accounts, I found that Pilate's deep flaws were eerily similar to those I see in myself.

You see, I think Pilate had a modern mind. As a Roman, he wasn't very "into" religion. Belief in the gods - and the emperor as a god - were vestiges of an older system by his time, now adopted as a form of patriotism. His real religion would have been in the glorious Roman Empire, the unconquerable empire-without-end. This thoroughly material belief would have dominated the thoughts of a Roman procurator such as Pilate. He had no room in his world for the supernatural.

All that was called into question when they brought in Jesus. At that point, Pilate's religion showed its consequences in his character.

Demand for Material Answers

From first to last, Pilate's questions to Jesus involve politics and facts. Jesus' answers were unintelligible, because Pilate was asking the wrong questions. Pilate couldn't understand supernatural answers because he was thoroughly material. He thought the world could be interpreted through distinct movements and verifiable facts. He couldn't accept any mystery in faith, and so he rejected the Messiah as another man.

False Sense of Power

Pilate's religion of materialism forced him to rely on position. He told Jesus, "Don't you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?" (John 19:10) I'm sure he fully believed that authority was his. Jesus corrected Pilate by telling him that his power was given "from above," which probably shook Pilate just a little. I think at that point Pilate realized that control was slipping away from him, and he did everything he could to regain it.

Blinded by Consequences

Pilate wanted to pretend that he wasn't really responsible for Jesus' death. He made a few feeble attempts to stick up for Jesus before the crowd, which probably counted as a good deed in Pilate's mind. But he ultimately backed down and washed his hands of Jesus' fate, because he "wished to satisfy the crowd." (Mark 15:22) He proclaimed the truth as "not dangerous" but chose not to intervene when it was attacked.

Refusal to See Truth

Pilate's most telling statement of all came right in the middle of the dialogue. Jesus says, "For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world - to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." (John 18:37) I can just see Pilate throwing up his hands in exasperation and asking a rhetorical question: "What is truth." Face to face with the reality of Jesus, the Son of God, Pilate chose to keep his relativism. The great empire with its power was enough for Pilate. And so he refused the Gospel.

I Am Pilate

How many times have I refused to believe a biblical promise because I don't see how it applies to my worldly situation? How often do I refuse to surrender my circumstances to God's plan for me, pretending I'm in control? How often have I made benign comments when the Gospel is attacked and then retreated? How many times have I refused to draw lines for what is right or to recognize sin for what it is in my life?

Ultimately, these "character flaws"—really, sins—tempt us to believe that Truth isn't Truth. We are tempted to deny that Christ had to die to free us from ourselves. I know that acknowledging the Gospel means my life has to change, and my human nature doesn't want that. But the glory of the cross is that we are changed, and thrown into a life far bigger than anything on this earth - Jesus' incredible love. That's what Pilate refused to see. That's what we can't afford to miss.

Intersection of Faith & Life: Christ went to the cross because of the sin of the world, including Pilate and you and me. How much pain do we bring Him when we refuse to believe, as Pilate did? Pray that God will show specific areas where you need to get rid of Pilate's character and apply the Gospel.

Further Reading:

John 18:28-19:16
Luke 23:1-25
Mark 15:1-15
Matthew 27:11-31

[Judy Harder]

April 1, 2010

Declare Worry Bankruptcy
by John UpChurch, Editor, Jesus.org

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."
Matthew 6:34, MSG

I take comfort in marking things as being read. Email, RSS feeds, they all seem so much tidier when they're no longer showing as unread on the computer screen. I can finally relax when I've worked my way through each of them (at least until the next batch comes in). Whether I actually have time to comprehend what I read is beside the point.

My streamlined system often falls apart, however. Insert a busy day here, toss in an Internet outage there, and all those unread items suddenly add up. My RSS reader jumps from a few dozen nuggets to over a thousand nagging headlines. Sometimes it even stops counting and just adds a big + beside the number as if taunting me with how far behind I've gotten.

Occasionally, I unsubscribe from a few of my feeds to help manage the load. But the temptation to add more becomes too great, and I'm back staring at the + again. Knowing I'll only fall farther and farther behind, I finally declare information bankruptcy. Instead of considering what I might be missing, I zap everything and start from zero.

Christ directs us to do something very similar to our worries.

In real life, there's no "worry reader" that pools our concerns about our job, our finances, or our family. We can't work through the list one by one and mark them off after we've examined them. In fact, worries seem to flood in together—a child gets sick, a spouse gets angry, a bill goes unpaid. Most of the time, our first thought isn't to look up to God, but to look ahead.

I'm convinced that one of the questions I ask myself the most is "Well, what will I do when ...?" But asking that question (in any of its iterations) goes against what Christ instructed me to do. He didn't say, "Worry about what will happen tomorrow," or, "Worry about everything happening right now." He said, "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now."

In other words, declare worry bankruptcy. Focusing our entire attention on God and His actions in our lives nullifies the churning and grinding in the gut.

So what is God doing right now? Well, you're alive and reading this. The offer of being with God forever still applies. You can whip out His love letters to us in book or electronic form (i.e., the Bible). And He's never asleep or taking a break from being in charge.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Declaring bankruptcy on our worries doesn't mean being irresponsible; in fact, Christ means the opposite. Focusing on the God-present (what God is doing right now) keeps our "worry reader" empty and our throat-constricting doubts to a minimum.

[Judy Harder]

April 2, 2010

Who Was the Guilty?
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

... But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 2:1-2

Last week, I did my duty as a citizen and served on a jury in a court of law.

But the criminal case was not as black-and-white as I would have liked, and the jury was faced with making a decision based on testimony that was full of holes and paltry evidence that was not very helpful at all.

Nine women and three men spent two days mulling over what we had heard and seen.  We struggled to keep our emotions at bay.  We thumped our heads each time we wandered off into speculation.  And those of us who knew the Lord (There were believers in our group—one being a former church friend I had not seen in twenty years and was selected for the very same jury!  A coincidence?  I think not.) sought divine guidance as we sorted through the facts.

"Beyond a reasonable doubt."  That was our charge as members of the jury as we made our decision.  And believe me, we all were very conflicted and had numerous doubts.  None of us knew for sure who was telling the truth:  the plaintiff or the defendant.  And since the defendant didn't testify and the plaintiff's story was one way in the police report and another way on the stand, that didn't help us either.

"God knows who is lying here," I thought.  "He knows the heart.  And he knows what we don't and maybe never will know."

How agonizing to try and render a verdict when we didn't know all of the facts!  Two persons' lives were in the balance.  One might be locked away in prison.  And the other might not see justice being served.  What were we supposed to do?

As some of the other believers on the jury did, I petitioned the Lord in the wee hours and asked him to help me make the right decision.  ("Give me wisdom and discernment, Lord.  I want to do the right thing.")  In the end, God gave me peace, and I knew that ultimately whoever was lying would stand before our Maker and answer.  And while none of us knew for sure, we made do with the information we had, agreed that the prosecution had not proven its case "beyond a reasonable doubt" and then rendered a verdict of "not guilty."

One week later, I am still mulling over this experience—especially in light of Holy Week.  I can only think of my own defense and of my life's testimony.  My guilt.  And the sin (past and present) that is at the fore in my mind.  As I've pondered my transgressions, I have imagined myself on the stand, testifying when asked about what I have done.  Am I truthful?  Am I exposing all of the sin in my heart?  Or am I trying to cover up what I have done?

I can't imagine having to testify like that in a court setting.  But Good Friday reminds me of the one who took on my sin, became the guilty and paid for my transgressions—for my actions that would have doomed me were it not for the blood of Christ which breaks the power of cancelled sin, covers me in righteousness and reconciles me to God (John 1:29, Romans 5:9-11).

As you reflect on what transpired at the Crucifixion of Jesus, as you remember what Christ has done for you, know that he is standing in your place.  He has taken on your guilt, so that the chains of death may be broken.  So that you who have believed might have eternal life (John 5:24-27).

Intersecting Faith & Life: What if you had to take the witness stand and give public testimony of every transgression you have ever committed?  Ever.  Every thought.  Every word.  Every action.  Overwhelming, right?  How emotional would you be?  How full of shame and grief and guilt?  Tap in to those feelings today and remember what Jesus did for you as you observe Good Friday.  It is a solemn day, yes, but it is good because he died on the cross for you.  Remember and rejoice.  Hallelujah!  What a Savior.

Further Reading

Romans 5:8

Ephesians 1:7


Ah, Holy Jesus
Herzliebster Jesu
Words:  Johann Heermann, 1630
Music:  Johann Cruger, 1899


Ah, holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended,
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by Thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon Thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone Thee.
'Twas I, Lord, Jesus, I it was denied Thee!
I crucified Thee.

Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
The slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered;
For man's atonement, while he nothing heedeth,
God intercedeth.

For me, kind Jesus, was Thy incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and Thy life's oblation;
Thy death of anguish and Thy bitter passion,
For my salvation.

Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay Thee,
I do adore Thee, and will ever pray Thee,
Think on Thy pity and Thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.

[Judy Harder]

April 5, 2010

Resurrected
Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
Psalms 118: 17, 22 - 23

Most of you celebrated the Lord's resurrection yesterday. For many, it was a glorious day of rejoicing in the miraculous. It was a day where you reflected not only on the event 2,000 years ago, but on the resurrections in your own life. The day you accepted Christ. The day a long-awaited prayer was answered. The day sickness was healed or sorrow wiped away.

For others, this day only served as a reminder of your cross. You felt like you got left at Good Friday, weeping, while the rest of the world moved on to Easter Sunday. You wish you could celebrate, but you don't know how. You may have even apologized to God for your somberness.

You're not alone, I assure you.

In the past few months I've watched several Good Friday's and Easters play out in the lives of those around me. Engagements and babies ushered in cries of rejoicing and praises to God. Yet, cancer, infidelity, and financial hardship occurred uncomfortably close to these joyful events.

Most of life is like this. Happiness, unmixed, is not easy to come by.

So how do we deal with this reality? How do we deal with Good Friday and Easter coexisting?

I think we start with recognizing that the first Easter, the real Easter, was not just one event in time that occurred long ago. Christ's resurrection spanned the ages and has eternal consequences. It applies to you and me today just as much as it did to Christ's followers on Easter morning. It also applies to the future. Our hope, no matter where we may be today, is in the transforming truth of Easter.

Secondly, I think we need to remember that true faith in God does not rely on our emotions. If you cried on Easter morning because life has been wearing you down, God still accepts you. In fact, he died and rose for you so that he could more closely walk with you through these hard times. He knows, more than anyone, the heaviness of the cross.

Third, I think we need to remember that as awe-struck as Christ's first followers felt after his resurrection, they still didn't know what it fully meant... for humanity or for their personal lives. While the resurrection brought their beloved Rabbi back to them, he was different now. The resurrection simultaneously healed some wounds while opening a new can of questions, insecurities, fears, and even pain - at least temporarily.

Ultimately, all Good Friday's will lead to joyful Easter mornings if we cling to Christ. Whether you are in a season of hardship, rejoicing, or a mix of both, the key is to keep walking in faith one step at a time. Only the risen Christ can guide us through the foggy path of life. And when our final Easter morning arrives, we'll finally see with clarity that the journey was worth it.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Reflect on the "little resurrections" in your life - the times God answered a prayer in a very tangible way, the blessings in your life, and the miracles you've witnessed. All these serve as reminders of the great work God will continue to do in your life.

Further Reading

Acts 2:14, 22-33
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11
Matthew 28:8-15

[Judy Harder]

April 6, 2010

The How of the Christian Life
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"...be it unto me according to Your word."
Luke 1:38

"How It's Made," the Science Channel's hit show regularly makes the most of people's curiosity about how household items like gummie candy, aluminum cans, and flavored bacon actually go from raw materials to finished product. It's easy to become mesmerized when cameras are leading you behind the scenes into the inner workings of factories making a few of your favorite things. By the end of each segment, the mists of your own vague ideas about process and production have been utterly dispersed.

This week's reading in chapter four of Francis Schaeffer's True Spirituality is a bit like "How It's Made" in that he delves into the secret of how the Christian life is effectively lived. While many of us know this secret in theory, the daily mist of our own residual fallen nature makes it necessary to review the blazing truth so that we might see ourselves (and God) accurately and live out our faith practically.

Moving forward from last week's teaching in chapter four about the normality of believing in unseen things, Schaeffer issues the biblical call this week to engage in what he terms "active passivity" when living the life of faith.

Schaeffer points out that belief in the Holy Spirit is one thing. Now what do we do with that belief? Second Corinthians 13:14 says that "the communion of the Holy Spirit" is to be with all true believers. We are to rely fully and constantly on Christ's promise to send us the Holy Spirit. He is the agent of the power and Person of the glorified Christ.

"There is not enough strength in ourselves, but placed before us is the power and work of the glorified Christ through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Surely this is exactly what Christ meant when he said, 'I will not leave you as orphans.'"
(John 14:18)

"As we look at the book of Acts, we find in the early church not a group of strong men laboring together, but the work of the Holy Spirit bringing to them the power of the crucified and glorified Christ. It must be so for us also."

"As with Mary in the virgin birth when she gave herself with her body to God in response to His promise, so we are in the same situation in [a certain sense] that we have these great and thrilling promises we have been considering, and we are neither to think of ourselves as totally passive, as though we had no part in this; nor are we to think we can do it ourselves."

"If we are to bring forth this fruit through us by the agency of the Holy Spirit, there must be a constant act of faith, of thinking: 'Upon the basis of Your promises I am looking for You to fulfill them... bring forth Your fruit through me into this poor world.'"

"We do not have to beat ourselves or be dejected, [but simply say]"Be it unto me according to Thy Word." This is what I mean by active passivity. This is the how, and there is no other."

Finally, as if to say "this is really how it's done!" Schaeffer reemphasizes that this is not just theoretical access to the power of the crucified, risen, glorified Christ. This is access that we have in reality—in the here and now.

Intersecting Faith & Life: 
Are you depending on your own energy, cleverness, persistence, charisma and talents to present the Christian life as attractive to your lost friends and family members? By faith (Hebrews 11:6), gaze upon Christ—His atonement, perfections and promises. Respond with active passivity: "Be it unto me according to Thy Word." 

For Further Study:
Romans 6-8
The Wind of the Holy Ghost Blowing upon the Dry Bones in the Valley of Vision, by Ebenezer Erskine
John Owen on the Spirit in the Life of Christ, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson

[Judy Harder]

April 8, 2010

Tangled Up in Hearts and Pretty Pink Bows
by John UpChurch, Editor, Jesus.org

Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will."
(Matthew 26:39, HCSB)


Some people say the underlying beliefs and aspirations of a society show in the art it produces—the movies, plays, and books. I prefer to look to the clothes.

Having two fast-growing girls has meant continual trips to the store to buy clothing items, clothing items that I have no idea how to put on. We collect bows for the hair, stockings for the legs, and some items that I just stare blankly at and finally surrender to my wife. I grew up with boys and around boys; our most difficult clothing decision involved Batman or Superman.

While I shiver when I glance toward the juniors' section of the store and what battles may await me there, even the children's section gives me pause. It's not because of anything indecent exactly, but because of what the messages on the clothes say about us.

Aside from the snide sayings ("We can't all be as cute as me"), the ones I comment on the most—and the ones my wife hears the most about—involve messages that run counter to the biblical values we try to instill in our girls. The blunt ones are easy to deal with. We use self-absorbed messages ("It's all about me") as teachable moments, and we redirect ones suggesting ways to circumvent a parent's guidance ("When Mom says no, just ask Nana") to what the Bible says.

But some equally questionable messages have sugary coverings that make the impact a bit more subtle. Recently, for instance, we came across a shirt for an animated film from a rather large movie studio with two related theme parks—not to give anything away. The images on the shirt shimmered in pinks and greens, shiny enough to catch my eye anyway. But the message floating above the cartoon princess struck me: "Follow your heart."

Sure, that's a common message in movies and TV shows: the heart/emotions/gut lead the character to make the right choice (and, rarely, the wrong one). Trusting our hearts will lead us to fight for the right cause, save a relationship, win the tournament, find the bad guy, solve the mystery, and so on. But that's not a philosophy I want my daughters to depend on. (Plus, the shirt cost too much.)

The Bible goes so far as to call the human heart deceitful and sick (Jeremiah 17:9). Our "hearts" sometimes tell us that God would want us to do something to be happy, even if against His Word; our "hearts" drag us from whim to whim. The passion can be overwhelming, the fervor deep—but the results are mixed. David's heart led him to both heroism and adultery, Peter's to both grandiose declarations of constancy and grim denials.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Jesus teaches us the far better way. When faced with the pain of the crucifixion, His heart would have urged Him to ask that the "cup" pass from Him. But He chose something much less inconstant than the heart, something much more solid: God's will. The heart's great for wrapping up movies with tidy pink bows (just don't ask me to put them in), but it's not so good for leading in real life.

Further Reading

Jeremiah 17:5-13
Matthew 26

[Judy Harder]

April 9, 2010

Broken to Be Made Whole
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Psalm 51:17 (NIV)

I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered.  Heart-shattered lives ready for love don't for a moment escape God's notice.
Psalm 51:17 (The Message)

"Aw, nuts!" I mumbled to myself.

I had just heard glass shattering as I stood at the kitchen sink with my hands deep in soap suds.  Something had fallen from the dish-drying rack beside me and onto the tiled floor.

This was the scene earlier this week as I was cleaning up after dinner.  And so I knelt down and quickly picked up the largest shards from a drinking glass that was no more.  Then, I sequestered the pets in another room so that no one would get too nosy or hurt.

Next, I got the hand-held vacuum cleaner and cleaned up the tiny slivers that were hiding here and there.  And after all of that, I got down almost prostrate on the floor and looked for any last piece of glass evidence that I could find.  I didn't want tiny paws or bare human feet encountering something sharp in the days or nights to come.

Talk about an ordeal!  It was not something I wish upon myself every day, but it caused me to stop and reconsider my actions and be more careful the next time soap suds and breakable objects are involved.

That's a great example of what happens when anything is broken to pieces, right?  It halts us in our tracks.  It disrupts.  It can cause discomfort.  And it always changes things whether we like it or not.  I thought about that glass incident later this week, as I was reflecting on the recent Holy Week services and festivities.

In each service, congregants were reminded that Christ's body was broken for us ...

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body" (Mark 14:22).

This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers (1 John 3:16).

A shattering event.  Resulting in change.  And hope for eternity.  For us all.

Because Christ's body was broken for us, when we submit our lives to him we also must undergo a "breaking" of ourselves—so that there is less of us and the sinfulness that battles for our hearts and minds and more of him.  So that he may form and shape us into who he wants us to be in him ...

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3).

"He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30).

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

Yes, a "broken spirit" and a "contrite heart" is a sacrifice.  But it is required in giving ourselves to the Lord.  Today, ask yourself:  Am I seeking to be broken so that I made be whole?  And then remember:  Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us.  Hallelujah!

Intersecting Faith & Life:  Have you ever studied a tile mosaic before?  It's a work of art that requires multiple broken shards of glass, pottery or pieces of ceramic.  In order to make a mosaic, the old forms of glass, pottery and ceramic must be broken, and then grout is used to adhere all of these pieces together to make a new masterpiece.  The next time you see a mosaic, think of how Christ was broken for you and now how he is asking that your life be broken so that you may be formed into a "new creation" to glorify him.

Further Reading

Romans 6:5-7

Romans 6:11-14

[Judy Harder]

April 12, 2010

Merciful Redeemer
by Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.  1 Timothy 1:16 NIV

Paul is one of the most beloved Saints of all time. His love for the Lord, preserved in the canon of Scripture, inspires many to this day. Yet, even this extraordinary man was a sinner -- according to his own words "the worst of sinners." How can this be? Surely he is just exaggerating for effect? Or taking humility a little too far?

But I like to take Paul at his word here. After all, this man had persecuted Christians before his conversion. He had done horrible things in the name of righteousness. Surely, he knew his shortcomings. So, let's say Paul truly was the worst of sinners -- and yet we see God did not withhold His mercy even in his case.

One of the most moving stories in the Bible is that of another terrible sinner - the woman with the alabaster jar. Interrupting a dinner party at a Pharisee's house, this woman (in what I think would be a very socially awkward moment) wept over Jesus' feet, wiped them dry with her hair, and applied perfume from the jar.

Simon, the host, was disgusted at this public display of humility, especially by a woman known to be a sinner. Jesus replied to his indignation with this story:

"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."

"You have judged correctly," Jesus said. (Luke 7: 41 - 43)

Jesus went on to say, "I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven -- for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." (v. 47)

So often, when we think of our sins and shortcomings we feel ashamed. We want to hide from God like Adam and Eve hid after eating the forbidden fruit. We think God, in His divine perfection, could never want us back or look on us again with the same love as before. Perhaps you've even experienced this kind of rejection in a tangible way - through the abandonment of a family member or loved one.

But this isn't the way God works.

The amazing thing about God's mercy is its accessibility. The bigger the sin, the more anxious God is to pour out His mercy at the first hint of repentance. The Bible tells us that when one sinner repents, heaven rejoices (Luke 15:10). And through Paul's testimony, we can know without a doubt of Christ's unlimited patience and unfailing love. God seeks the love of sinners -- no matter how many times you've sinned or how dark the sin, He desires to shower you with His mercy if you are willing to receive it.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Matthew 5: 7 says Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. We are called to show mercy just as Christ shows us mercy. Is there someone in your life in need of your mercy and forgiveness? Give it.

Further Reading

Hebrews 4: 16
Proverbs 28: 13

[Judy Harder]

April 13, 2010

The Duty of Living in the Reality of the Supernatural
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"...without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him."
Hebrews 11:6 ESV

"Doctrine is important," writes Francis Schaeffer in chapter five of his book True Spirituality, "but it is not an end in itself. There is to be an experiential reality, moment by moment... in the power of the crucified and risen Christ, through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit, by faith."

Yes, yes, yes... we nod our heads, agreeing with such a fine statement of what ought to be the daily experience of one who follows Christ. But is that our experience? Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that little by little, the reality of the supernatural is all too easily lost in our generation?

What seems to elude most Christians today is daily experience of living in the reality of the supernatural. We can polish and refine our doctrinal statements and discuss the finer points of what's going on in the world and what to do in our institutions and churches until the cows come home. But what often gets crowded out of the picture is the simple reality of God.  When that happens, the world successfully squeezes us into its way of thinking.

"Our generation is overwhelmingly naturalistic [i.e. everything is the result of natural causes in a closed system]. If we are not careful, even though we say we are Biblical Christians and supernaturalists, nevertheless the naturalism of our generation tends to come in upon us."

Schaeffer compares this creeping in of the world's naturalistic mindset to barnacles that grow on the bottom of ships, creating drag on vessels that were meant to efficiently cut through the water. As an antidote, he points us to classic Bible texts that teach the nearness of the supernatural all around us.

For example, Luke's passage on the post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:31) says that their eyes were opened and they realized it was Jesus, then He ceased to be seen by them. Paraphrasing Schaeffer: "It wasn't that Christ was no longer there, but that they simply did not see Him any longer. John 20:19 and 26 gives the same emphasis."

Another classic text that Schaeffer takes us to is 2 Kings 6:16-17 where Elisha is surrounded by an enemy, and the young man standing with him is overcome with fear. "Elisha prayed and said, 'O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.' So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."

"The supernatural was not something far off; it was there. All the young man needed was to have his eyes opened to see it. As soon as we remove the supernaturalness of the universe, all we have left is Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, in which religion is to be simply a sociological tool for the future... a mere psychological mechanism."

Schaeffer rightly notes that this is precisely where the battle rages today. The naturalists are determined to get rid of the supernatural, to argue against it, that it is not there. Therefore...

"...we have thrust upon us the necessity, the high calling and the duty to live in light of the existence of the two parts of the universe, the seen and the unseen parts, in the realization that the "heavenlies" are not far off. They are about us here."

Losing the reality of the supernatural is not a small matter. It is not an optional feature of true spirituality. When that is absent from our experience, all we are left with is a dead sociological tool; a mere psychological mechanism for manipulating ourselves and other people. As the Apostle Paul said, "If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied." (1 Corinthians 15:19)

Intersecting Faith & Life: 
Are there barnacles built up on the hull of your "ship" lately? Get them cleaned off by praying for renewed eyes of faith as you dig deeper into these Scriptures...   

For Further Study:
Luke 24
2 Kings 6:16-17
1 Corinthians 15