THOUGHTS ON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD ON A BAD DAY

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” Ephesians 1:11-12
“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Genesis 50:20

“What dost thou mean by the providence of God? The almighty and everywhere present power of God; (a) whereby, as it were by his hand, he upholds and governs (b) heaven, earth, and all creatures; so that herbs and grass, rain and drought, (c) fruitful and barren years, meat and drink, health and sickness, (d) riches and poverty, (e) yea, and all things come, not by chance, but by his fatherly hand.” The Heidelberg Catechism Question 27

Today I lay on my bed with a sore throat and fever that caused me to miss my first Sunday service in over thirty one years of ministry. To top it off I have had someone utterly break my heart with a phone call this morning; the implications yet to be seen in regards to the effect on my life.

It is in moments like these where my faith in the absolute sovereignty of God is put to the test. What do you do when problems come your way? When people make decisions that could impact your life? Is my life under control of my illness? Am I a victim of people's decisions? Is God really in control when everything seems to be falling apart? Paul says in Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." ESV The NASB translates it, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God".

In reading this passage I am reminded that today matters and must be embraced because the sovereign Lord has seen fit that I must endure it. I must bear today's sickness and sorrow with the eyes of faith. E. Stanley Jones, the great American missionary to India in the 19th century said, "Don't bear trouble, use it.Take whatever happens-justice and injustice, pleasure and pain, compliment and criticism-take it up into the purpose of your life and make something out of it. Turn it into a testimony."

Oh this is what can free us from bitterness, fear, depression, despair, and anxiety when troubles come our way. At this moment when I feel weak, sore throat, uncertain about my future, overwhelmed with pressure, exceedingly sorrowful, heartbroken, and angry I can proclaim to all of these feelings and thoughts that God is working at this moment and it will all be for the good or God is not God.

My theology has been verified over and over again by my past experiences. Looking back in my life I can truly say God has worked all things for the good (Romans 8:28) and that what man intended for evil, God intended for the good (Genesis50:20). I have made many mistakes along the way. I have failed God, my wife, my family, my church, and my friends. Also, there have been plenty of those who have hurt me as well either intentionally or unintentionally. That is why I can say with such passion that there is no truth that has meant more to my life than the truth that God is sovereign.

During some of the most trying, difficult and darkest seasons of my Christian journey; I have held on for dear life to this most precious truth and by His grace this truth has brought me through to the other side.
I had been a Christian for only a few months when I experienced in the most supernatural way a calling to the ministry. I was lying on a hammock on a hot Mexican day at a beautiful point called Punta de Mita when God came to me and called me at the age of twenty-two to the ministry. I heard this voice in my head that told me to turn in my Bible to Jeremiah chapter one. I had never read Jeremiah, by the way. So I read the account of God’s call to Jeremiah and when I was finished reading, a voice said to me in my mind, “Bill, you will be my Jeremiah, and I will make you a Pastor.” At that point all I could do is argue with God about how this wasn’t possible and laugh inside at the absurdity of it all. I had barely graduated from high school, I had never held a job for more than a few months, and my only goal in life had been to travel and surf all over the world. Not to mention the fact that since I had become a Christian I had not even been to a church! Yet here I write thirty four years later having been a Pastor now for thirty one years. Praise be to God!

It would take a book to describe the wild journey of how God put this plan together. My journey has been fraught with plenty of mountaintops and plenty of valleys. Sometimes I can only chuckle and wonder at God’s ability to get me through some of the most difficult, frightening, low, and lonely times when it seems as if being a Pastor was more of a wish that I had than a sovereign call of God. During those times I have experienced much brokenness, setbacks, divine chastening, constant weaknesses, character flaws, foolish pride, selfish ambition, and gross incompetence. Yet during these times I also have seen miraculous providence's, last minute deliverance's, amazing provisions, deep and profound moments of renewal and revival in my soul, and much sovereign love and sustaining grace. The only way I can describe it is that no matter what I have done, no matter what man has done, no matter what circumstances have taken place, God has been in control and working to fulfill His purposes for my life.

The Westminster Confession says in its opening lines of Chapter III:
“God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass.”

The most fundamental thing we can say about God is that He is sovereign. God’s sovereignty is, as John Piper puts it, “The strong wood of the tree that keeps our lives from being blown over by the winds of adversity. It is the rock that rises for us out of the flood of uncertainty and confusion. It is the eye of the hurricane where we stand with God and look up into the blue sky of his mastery when everything is being destroyed. ‘When all around gives my soul gives sway, this is all my hope and my stay’.”

This word I use to describe this attribute of God, sovereignty, is not a word that can be found in Scriptures, yet is constantly implied by scripture. To speak of God’s sovereignty is to speak of His authority and power. As sovereign, God is the supreme authority of heaven and earth. All other authority is lesser authority. Any other authority that exists in the universe is derived and dependent upon God’s authority. All other forms of authority exist either by God’s command or by God’s permission.

The word “authority” has in its root the word “author”. This further helps us to understand God’s sovereignty. God is sovereign because He is the author of all things over which He has authority. He is the Creator of the universe. He is the owner of the universe. As owner, He therefore has certain rights over His universe. He has the right to do with His universe whatever is pleasing to His perfect and holy will. “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases” (Psalm 115:3-4).

God’s sovereignty is the ultimate sovereignty, the supreme sovereignty. As the one in ultimate power, the ultimate authority, and the author and the owner of all things; God is in ultimate control over the universe. He reigns and rules from the farthest, most distant galaxy to the tiniest ant in my backyard. He reigns over my present illness and reigns over others decisions that have been made than affect me. Listen to what the Scriptures have to say about this peculiar sovereignty:

“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, "My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure” (Isaiah 46:9-10)
“The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on
whomever He wishes” (Daniel 4:32)
"But He is unique and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does. "For He performs what is appointed for me, and many such decrees are with Him” (Job 23:13-14)
“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the
plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of
His will” (Ephesians 1:11-12)

I will never forget a sermon by R.C. Sproul discussing the sovereignty of God. It was called “Joseph’s Technicolored Coat”. At the conclusion of his sermon he went through from Joseph to Christ the implications of God’s governing every event that led to Christ. He took us all the way back to Jacob’s giving Joseph the tech­nicolored coat. If there had been no coat, perhaps there would not have been so much envy and jealousy among his brothers. No jeal­ousy, no selling to the Midianite traders. And if the Midianite traders had been headed in the opposite direction, Joseph would never have gone to Egypt. No Egypt, no selling to Potiphar. Had someone else purchased him, there would have been no encounter with Potiphar's wife. No Potiphar's wife, no prison. No prison, no meeting with the baker and the butler. No meeting with the butler, no meeting with Pharaoh to interpret his dream. No meeting with Pharaoh and Joseph never would have become prime minister.

It goes on. If Joseph had never become prime minister then the Jews would never have settled in the land of Goshen. Had that not occurred, there would never have been an enslavement of the Jewish people in Egypt. No slavery, no need for the rescue of a crying baby named Moses. No Moses, no Exodus. No Exodus, no Law. No law no prophets. . . And so it continues all the way to Jesus and His redemption on the cross.

If we telescope this collection of "what ifs?" we conclude that if it were not for Joseph's technicolored coat there would be no Christianity, and every chapter of human history would have a dif­ferent ending. But no matter how many “what if’s” you play in your own mind, there are absolutely no “what if’s” in God. Never forget and anchor your life on this great promise: "My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.”

God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, The clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace; Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have a better taste, But sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain. William Cowper

Today on my back and with troubles around me I will take all of my unbelieving fear, anxiety, discouragement, perplexity, confusion,and I will rejoice that there is more than meets the eye.
I will Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace; knowing by faith that behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face. There is my God working His purposes for my good and His glory.
Pastor Bill

THE LIFE GIVING POWER OF GOD'S WORD

"Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." James 1:21

The first moment of my life when the doctor slapped baby Billy was the moment I took my first breath of oxygen. For the past 54 years I have continued this breathing. My life depends upon the gift of oxygen. Every moment I am alive my lungs are breathing in oxygen, not nitrogen, not carbon dioxide, nor hydrogen. As long as I breath into my lungs this precious oxygen I will live. If I cease to be able to breath in this oxygen I will die.

The Bible is our soul's oxygen. James says, “Receive the implanted word.” Just like a baby who has already received his first breadth of life, James says the word of God is already in you. And you should receive it. It is rooted and planted in you. It brought you life. It is there sustaining that life by feeding faith in Christ. John Piper says,

It is there like oxygen. It gives life and in giving life, it makes you breathe, and in breathing you receive oxygen. No one says: “I have oxygen; look how well it is working in me; it makes me alive; I don’t need to receive oxygen.”


James adds at the end of verse 21 “which is able to save your souls.” What saves our souls? The implanted word which we receive. The Bible like oxygen is necessary in order for our souls to survive. Piper says,

If you decide that you don’t need to receive the external word, you are like a person who decides he doesn’t need to breathe. If you are spiritually dead, you can carry through that decision. You can choose not to breathe. But if you are spiritually alive, you can’t. The implanted word is powerful; it produces life and breathing. It takes over the spiritual diaphragm and demands oxygen. It demands the life-giving external word. If the word is implanted in you, you can’t hold your breath forever. The implanted word will sooner or later conquer and be replenished. You will receive the word again. And you will love it.

Just as you can tell a person is alive or dead by whether they are breathing, so you can tell if a person is spiritually dead or alive by whether they are reading the word. Oh how many people are looking like they are alive because they are breathing yet spiritually dead because they have not been reading the Bible. David Roper used to say, "Just because you are breathing doesn't mean you are living."

A classic illustration of this we find in the book of Haggai. In 586 BC the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and took most of the Jews into exile. About 50 years later Cyrus, the Persian, took Babylon, and brought the Babylonian Empire to an end. The next year (538 BC) he allowed 50,000 Jews to return to their homeland under the leadership of a man named Zerubbabel and rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. All of this was owing to the sovereign hand of God fulfilling the prophecies of Jeremiah (Ezra 1:1). There they found shocking devastation. Nothing had changed since the defeat some 50 years earlier. Immediately the returnees set about to rebuild the temple in about 536 B.C. They re-laid the foundation amid a great celebration (see Ezra 3 for details). Then suddenly the Samaritans (who hated the Jews) began to oppose them. After all, the Samaritans had no reason to want the temple rebuilt or for the Jews to return to prosperity. Because of their constant opposition, the Jews stopped the rebuilding the process and never got started again. After all there was plenty of other work to do—they were trying to restart a nation from scratch. As the years passed slowly but surely Jerusalem came to life again. Homes were built, stores opened, commerce established, fields planted, crops harvested, and life began to resemble something of a normal pattern. There was only one problem. The temple foundation still lay in ruins—overgrown with weeds. Every time the Jews passed it, it stood as a mute reminder of their failure to take care of God’s house. So after 16 years, God sends the prophet Haggai to proclaim the Word of God to the Jews.


“Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” Haggai 1:3

God hits the jugular! He gives a reality check on how He has seen the past 16 years of indifference and misplaced priorities. God was accusing His people of having plenty of time for themselves while pleading a lack of time for Him. It was an accusation of having plenty of time and money to spend on their comfort and pleasures while claiming to not have enough for God and His work and service. The people were prospering. How could it be that they were unable to get involved with God and the work He had given them to do? The prophet goes on...

"Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes… You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors."” Haggai 1:5-6,9-11

Here we come to a sobering reminder that what happens in your heart effects every other part of your life. Because the people had pushed God out of the center of life, they were now suffering in every other area. They had fields without produce, action without satisfaction, labor without profit. Fruitless toil, fleeting riches, unsatisfied hunger.

Then God issues the call ,"Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD.” This was a time to act. God says very simply GO and BUILD. It was time to get on with what God had given them to do. So what happened after 16 years of disobedience and spiritual death?

“Then Zerubbabel the son of She-altiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD…And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.” Haggai 1:12,14

It is one of the discouragements of preaching when a pastor preaches with passion and power and then be greeted with yawns and indifference as they go back to being and living as they always do. Still, from time to time there is something quite different. The word strikes home and a life is changed. When it happens to a whole church or large numbers of people, you have a revival! That is what happened after Haggai’s preaching. Through the prophet, God was lovingly but sternly giving his people a state of the union massage and a call to put first things first and the people heard it, received it, and acted on it. This is amazing! 16 years have gone by and now the people desire what God desires and are doing what God has called them to do. Haggai reports that Zerubbabel and Joshua and the people obey and begin to work on the temple, on the 24th day of the sixth month. If we compare that with the first verse of the chapter where Haggai began to preach this message on the first day of the month, we find that the change came in just 23 days! Haggai spoke on August 30, 520 B.C.The work began on the 21ST OF September.

Don’t underestimate the power and the importance of the word of God to your life. Breath it and you will live.Ignore it and you will die. It's as simple as that. Look at it's power to change a nation after 16 years! We cannot easily overstate how profoundly powerful and important the word of God is for our lives. If the word of God does not rank with your most cherished possessions, you need to do a reality check on your life. Nothing apart from God himself is more important and powerful than his word.

Breathing in the precious Word of God in order for my soul to live,
Pastor Bill

ASK AND YOUR JOY WILL BE FULL!

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
John 16:24 ESV

Do you want to be happy? Do you want to be really happy? How do you get really happy? Jesus says we get really happy when we pray. In His wonderful world, prayer is what He has designed to bring you not just joy, but the fullness of joy!

Have you not asked God for anything? Are you trying to satisfy your needs without Him? Are you depending upon people, your job, your family, the government, the church, or yourself to meet your needs. Jesus understands that there are those of us who never depend upon God nor ask Him for anything. "Until now you have asked nothing in my name..." By implication, that attitude and prayerless posture will never bring real joy to our lives.

To those who have never asked God for anything. To those who come to Him only as a last resort. Jesus says: ASK, ASK! What will happen when we ask? Jesus says, "And you will receive" Why? Because Jesus says that in coming to Him as a needy person and depending upon Him for everything you need your joy will be fuller than if you tried to get that need met another way! If someone or something else or if I myself meet my need I may have joy; but if Jesus provides that need I will have the fullness of joy! Think about this, our needs are met and our joy is increased when we are needy and totally without resources in ourselves and the world. He wants us happy in Him. The way we get it is to ASK.

John Piper calls this the classic Christian Hedonist text. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” That your joy may be full. He says,

"God did not create prayer to make us unhappy. He created it so that when we convey our hearts to God the Father in the name of God the Son, God the Spirit moves with a fullness of joy that we would not otherwise know. If your joy in God is small, this may be part of the reason."

Pray . . . that your joy may be full.

Pursue the fullness of your joy! PRAY! From Jesus Christ's word we can draw out a simple rule: Prayerlessness always produces joylessness. Prayerfulness always produces extreme and full joyfulness. Pray . . . that your joy may be full.

Going hard on my knees for supreme joy,
Pastor Bill

A PRAYER FOR MY CHURCH IN 2008

My favorite pastor and teacher, John Piper once wrote a prayer for his church. Ever since I read it, I have made it my own. Each year I make a similar prayer for my church. I pray that you will make this your prayer for your church and your life this coming year

O Lord, by the truth of your Word, and the power of your Spirit and the ministry of your body, please build all of the men and women and boys and girls at the Lighthouse into a people . . .

who don’t love the world or the things of this world more than they love God,
who don’t ever want to sin again,
who don’t desire the fleeting pleasures of sin more than the pleasures of God
who don’t allow the world to desensitize their consciences or shape their decisions
who don’t try to find happiness in people, in this world, or the things of this world
who don’t care if they make much money,
who don’t quite when times get tough
who don’t care if they have many possessions,
who don’t care if they get famous,
who don’t care what people think about them,
who don’t live for the esteem of self or others
who don’t expect that life should be safe, secure, comfortable, and easy,
who don’t make decisions based upon what is convenient or expedient,
who don’t feel like they know it all or have learned all there is to learn,
who don’t feed their minds on primarily on TV or movies or talk radio or magazines each day,
who don’t allow the world, culture, or popular opinion to influence their thinking, morals, attitudes, perspectives, passions, and values,
who don’t get paralyzed by others’ disapproval,
who don’t return evil for evil,
who don’t hold grudges,
who don’t hate,
who don’t gossip,
who expect little from God,
who are negative, pessimistic, critical, or cynical,
who don’t hoard or hold back,
who don’t twist the truth,
who don’t brag or boast,
who don’t whine and complain,
who don’t criticize more than praise,
who don’t hang out with anyone who would cause them to love Christ less,
who don’t waste their lives

But instead please build them into a people …

who will not compromise for anything or anyone,
who are ablaze with passion for God,
who are utterly God-intoxicated,
who always ask “What would Jesus do?” in every decision,
who are filled with the Holy Spirit,
who strive to know the height and depth of Christ’s love and to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength,
who are crucified to the world and dead to sin,
who are compelled by God’s love to tell others about Jesus,
who are purified by the Word and addicted to righteousness,
who run the race, fight the good fight, and keep the faith
who keep the Lord’s Day (Sunday)holy and refreshing by honoring it,
who pray whenever they are in trouble, which is always,
who worship God in Spirit and in truth,
who are broken by the consciousness of sin,
who are thrilled by the wonder of God’s free and amazing grace,
who are stunned into humble silence by the riches of God’s glory,
who are persevering constantly in prayer,
who are ruthless in self-denial,
who are fearless in public witness to Christ’s Lordship,
who are able to unmask error and blow away doctrinal fog,
who are tough in standing for the truth,
who are tender in touching hurting people,
who are merciful in forgiving others and extending grace to all,
who are humble and patient with others shortcomings
who are passionate about reaching the peoples who have no church,
who are keepers of all their promises, including marriage vows,
who are content with what they have and trusting the promises of God,
who are patient and kind and meek when life is hard,
who love those who God loves,
who are full of faith in God
who have optimistic hope in God for their future
who worry less and trust more
who expect great things from God
who attempt great things for God
who suffer with joy
who treasure Christ above all
who persevere through thick and thin daily,
who give love to give generously and cheerfully,
who are committed to growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord,
who are happy and satisfied in Christ alone.
who find their greatest joy in bringing God glory and others joy

PRAYING and PRESSING ON for all there is in Christ in 2008,

Pastor Bill

A PASSION FOR JESUS IN 2008

“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”
Romans 12:11 ESV

Nobody wants heartburn. Drug companies make millions on heartburn prevention medications. You have got Alka-Seltzer, Bromo-Seltzer, Tums, Maalox, Mylanta, Tagament, Pepto bismal, Pepcid AC, Prilosec and probably a dozen more I am not familiar with. They all claim to help with heartburn because nobody wants it. But as we enter the year 2008 I am praying that every one of you would desire to get heartburn! No, not the kind that nobody wants, but the kind of heartburn that could be described as “burning hearts”. I long for each one of us to have the “hearts burning within us” experience of Cleopas and his companion on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-32.

These two were dejectedly trudging toward Emmaus talking with each other about all the things that had happened to Jesus. The risen Jesus joins them, but they do not recognize him. He opens the scriptures to them and explains how it was necessary that the Messiah should suffer and then enter into his glory. They invite him in for supper and when he blesses and breaks the bread their eyes were opened and they recognized him. He vanished from their sight and they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”

I don’t want your hearts to be lukewarm in our relationship with God. I want your hearts to burn with passion for the Lord. I hate heartburn, but I long for a burning heart. Passion is another word for “burning hearts”. A passion is a strong feeling, an emotion that is packed with intensity. At times it carries a sense of urgency. Passion is the driving force within us that motivates us to action and focuses our life's attentions in such a way that we have an impact on those around us. “One person with passion is greater than ninety-nine who have only an interest.”

I love reading the journals of David Brainerd who was an obscure missionary to the Indians in New England. He lived a short life: twenty-nine years, five months and nineteen days. Only eight of those years as a believer, and only four of those as a missionary. He was not well known. He was extremely vulnerable to depression and was perpetually ill. But his life has inspired the modern missionary movement perhaps m more than any other life since the apostles. Why? One reason that stands out is that he was utterly aflame for God. He says, "Oh, that I might be a flaming fire in the service of the Lord. Here I am I Lord, send me; send me to the ends of the earth ... send me from all that ­is called earthly comfort; send me even to death itself if it be but in Your service and to promote Your Kingdom…When I really enjoy God, I feel my desires of him the more insatiable, and my thirsting after holiness the more unquenchable; ... Oh, for holiness! Oh, for more of God in my soul! Oh, this pleasing pain! It makes my soul press after God ... Oh, that I might not loiter on my heavenly journey”.

David Brainerd's life is a vivid, powerful testimony to the truth that God can and does use weak, sick, discouraged, beat-down, lonely, struggling saints, who cry to him day and night, to accomplish amazing things for his glory. It is amazing what God can do though a life; albeit short, ablaze for His glory. The key to making a difference for God is a flaming zeal, a burning heart for God.

The apostle Paul was burnt-up with the passion of God. He burned up the pages of the Bible with his burning heart for Christ. He said in Acts 20:24: "I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may accomplish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Or in Philippians 3:7-8: "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ."

His zeal and sense of purpose eminent qualified him to write this exhortation in Romans 12;11. He gives us three commands: “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”

I. THE FIRST COMMAND- “Do not be slothful in zeal” The NIV says, "Never be lacking in zeal." The word for zeal in Greek is spoude (from which we get the word "speed") and denotes "diligence, haste, intensity" The idea is that we should be passionately diligent in all that we do. Diligent zeal is very important to God. We are called to give diligence to our growth in Christ (2 Pet. 1:5-8); we are to abound in diligence (2 Cor. 8:7); and to be diligent and not become sluggish (Heb. 6:9-12). Paul gives an admonition to Timothy “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress” (1 Tim.4:15). And it is nowhere plainer than in our passage: In diligence, not idleness! You must show due diligence over your own spiritual state, over your own soul. You must monitor your zeal, checking the fire regularly.

Has the fire burned down? Are the coals in danger of being extinguished? Is it time to add more fuel, to stoke the fire? Again, Paul speaks in these very terms to Timothy, laying the responsibility directly on Timothy’s shoulders: 2 Timothy 1:6 “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

So he speaks this word directly to us as we enter into this New Year as followers of Jesus Christ: don't cruise, don’t lag, don't float, don't drift, don't sit mindless in front of TV, don’t have only little dreams of playing on the weekend. As John Piper says, DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE!

Jesus speaks terrible words of warning to those who settle in with lukewarm affections for him. Revelation 3:15-16, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, will I spit you out of my mouth.” So, God's will for us is that we not be bored or apathetic, but zealous and fervent and strong in the service of Christ and his kingdom. The culture of apathy is contrary to the Christian mind and heart. Stir up zeal for God and for the cause of God. There are great things worth living for; and giving in to apathy is a sacrilege against the greatness of God and his glorious purposes in the world. “Only one life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last!”

II. THE SECOND COMMAND- “be fervent in spirit” The Greek word behind "fervent" (zeontes) means "boiling." That's where we get the English word "fervent," because it comes from the Latin word "to boil." Metaphorically, it means “to boil with emotion, to burn white hot with zeal, to be fervent or to be zealous.” In short, get on fire for God! John Wesley said, “Get on fire for God and people will come and watch you burn!”

The great commandment is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27). And God promises to be found by us when we see him with earnestness rather than half-heartedness. Jeremiah 29:13-14, “You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you declares the Lord”

Over and over the Bible says: intensity matters. Zeal matters. So combining the two commandments we see that passion causes us to do lots and to feel lots. That is what Romans 12:11 means: “Do not be slothful in zeal.” So when you put the first two parts of verse 11 together they say something like: Do lot’s of work for Christ passionately. Work for Christ with feeling. Feel lots in doing. Wholeheartedness matters. Don’t settle for anything less.

Oh reader, we exist to spread a passion for the glory of God. You can’t spread what you don’t have. If you do not burn with zeal are you willing to do whatever it takes to stoke the fire? The tendency of fire is to go out.” Fire automatically goes out. Have you heard of the hot poker principle? You get the poker near the fire. If it stays close to the fire you get it hot. If you get it away from the fire it cools down. The poker doesn’t produce the fire it has to stay near the fire. Are you willing to reorder your life and do some things differently to get near the fire? Are you willing to make some effort to have some high dosage, extended time, prayer driven Bible study? There is a direct correspondence between the time and amount of prayer and bible reading, and the depth and strength and warmth of my zeal for God. Without large doses of God and his word, I am very vulnerable to worldly mindsets.

What about your relationships? Do you associate with passionate people? Passion is definitely more caught than taught. Are you willing, as often as you can to be with people who have energy in their souls that is consuming and compelling. The question is: If you want the flame of Emmaus road, the flame of Brainerd and the flame of Paul, are you willing to make serious changes? Oh I pray that you would ask God for it in constant prayer and ransack the Word of God for wonders that make you boil for Christ.

III. THE THIRD COMMAND- “serving the Lord” All this passion has a focus. Focus is everything. People can be busy and people can have passion and yet have the wrong focus. All our working and all our boiling is in order to serve Christ. This is what a boiling burning heart is for. This is the motivation behind enthusiastic labor. Serving Him. Period. Serving His agenda.

As Christians we have work to do. We were created in Christ for good works (Eph. 2:10) and to be zealous for them (Titus 2:14). We are to “redeem the time for the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:16) We are to "not grow weary in well doing, for in due time we shall reap if we do not faint." (Gal. 6:9) We are to be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58)."

Serving Christ is the highest privilege in the universe for human beings. We are to serve the Lord with zeal and intensity and passion in the service of Christ, but remember that we do not serve the Lord in our own power any more than we came to Him in our own power. Our supreme purpose is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and our power to fulfill that service is from Him. “For this purpose also I labor,” Paul testified, “striving according to His power, which mightily works within me” (Col. 1:29). “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed” (Romans 15:18). “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10)

When you understand this extraordinary God and the extraordinary work that He desires to do through your working you can begin praying a prayer like this: Lord, let me make a difference for you that is utterly disproportionate to who I am". The impact can be all out of proportion to who a person is. David Brainerd made a difference for God utterly disproportionate to who he was. This is a prayer that any one of you can pray without fear of presumption. The wording of the prayer contains a disclaimer: "I am not great. But you, Lord, are very great. And in your astonishing sovereignty you can let my little life make a difference far beyond all my little powers." This is the prayer of one who expects great things from God, therefore is willing to attempt great things for God disproportionately to who he is. This is the greatest life. Therefore do not be slothful in zeal, but boil in the spirit as you serve the Lord.

So my simple pastoral plea to you is that you let the Lord of glory speak life and energy and hope and zeal and passion and earnestness into your spirit. That is his will for you this year. If Remember David Brainerd, remember Paul! It is amazing what God can do through a life ablaze for his glory. God will give more significance to your life than you could get from anything this world can offer you. God fights fire with fire. In the midst of a world ablaze in sin and suffering, God sends forth people on fire. Those who have been touched from on high by the fires of the Almighty ought to be fired-up. Are you? Will you open your heart this morning to join the fellowship of burning hearts?

Open your eyes and let him inspire in you afresh a passion for His glory in every aspect of life. May your passion be a building block to the Lighthouse being a new, strong, God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated, missions-mobilizing, soul-winning church. Pray with me. "Incline my heart, O God, to your glory. Waken my slumbering affections and give me life. Open my eyes to your perfections. Set my heart on fire for you. Unite my divided soul with one holy passion.

“Give me one pure and holy passion Give me one magnificent obsession. Give me one glorious ambition for my life to know and follow hard after you. To know and follow hard after you to grow as your disciple in the truth. This world is empty, pale and poor Compared to knowing You my Lord Lead me on, and I will run after You, Lead me on, and I will run after You.” Chris Tomlin

PRECIOUS WISDOM FROM AN OLD SAGE

There is a wonderful pamphlet titled, “Honey Out of the Rock,” by Puritan Thomas Wilcox that I read today. Read it and allow yourself the pleasures of rich and sweet ancient wisdom!
Pastor Bill
Honey Out of the Rock by Thomas Wilcox (1621-1687)

“But I would feed you with the best of foods.
I would satisfy you with honey from the rock."
Psalm 81:16


A word of advice to my own heart and yours. You are a religious person and partake of all the ordinances. You do well: they are glorious privileges: but if you have not the blood of Christ at the root of your religion, it will wither, and prove but painted pageantry to go to hell in.

If you retain guilt and self-righteousness under it, those vipers will eat out all the vitals of it at length. Try and examine with greatest strictness every day, what ground your religion and hope of glory is built upon, whether it was laid by the hand of Christ. If not, it will never be able to endure the storm that must come against it; Satan will throw it all down, and great will be the fall thereof (Matt 7:27).

You that glory in being a Christian, you shall be winnowed. Every vein of your profession will be tried to purpose. It is terrible to have it all come tumbling down, and to find nothing but itself to stand upon.

You who pride yourself on being a Christian, see to your waxen wings, which now will melt with the heat of temptation. What a misery is it to trade much, and be bankrupt at length, and have no stock, no foundation laid for eternity in your soul!

You who pride yourself on the gifts you have, look to see there is not a worm at the root that will spoil all your fine gourd, and make it die about you in a day of scorching. Look over your soul daily, and ask: Where is the blood of Christ to be seen upon my soul? What righteousness is it that I stand upon to be saved? Have I got away from all my self-righteousness? Many eminent religious people have come at length to cry out, in the sight of the ruin of all their duties, “Undone, undone, to all eternity!”

Consider, the greatest sins may be hid under the greatest duties, and the greatest terrors. See that the wound that sin has made in your soul be perfectly cured by the blood of Christ! not skinned over with duties, humblings and enlargements. Apply what you will besides the blood of Christ, it will poison the sore. You will find that sin was never mortified truly, if you have not seen Christ bleeding for you upon the cross. Nothing can kill it, but beholding Christ’s righteousness.

Nature can afford no balsam fit for soul cure. Healing from duty, and not from Christ, is the most desperate disease. Poor, ragged nature, with all its highest improvements, can never spin a garment fine enough (without spot) to cover the soul’s nakedness. Nothing can fit the soul for that use but Christ’s perfect righteousness.

Whatsoever is of nature’s spinning must be all unraveled before the righteousness of Christ can be put on. Whatever is of nature’s putting on, Satan will come and plunder every rag away, and leave the soul naked and open to the wrath of God. All that nature can do, will never make up the least gram of grace, that can mortify sin, or look Christ in the face one day.

You are known as a Christian person, and go on hearing, praying and receiving, yet miserable you may be. Look about you: did you ever yet see Christ to this day, in distinction from all other excellencies and righteousness in the world, and all of them falling before the majesty of His love and grace (Isa 2:17)?

If you have seen Christ truly, you have seen pure grace, pure righteousness in Him in every way infinite, far exceeding all sin and misery. If you have seen Christ, you can trample upon all the righteousness of men and angels, so as to bring you into acceptance with God. If you have seen Christ, you would not do a duty without Him for ten thousand worlds (I Cor 2:2). If ever you saw Christ, you saw him as a Rock, higher than self-righteousness, Satan, and sin (Psalm 61:2), and this Rock follows you (I Cor 10:4); and there will be continual dropping of honey and grace out of that Rock to satisfy you (Psalm 81:16). Examine if ever you have beheld Christ as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Be sure you have come to Christ, that you stand upon the Rock of Ages, and have answered to His call to your soul, and have closed with Him for justification.

Men talk bravely of believing, while whole and sound; but few know it. Christ is the mystery of the Scripture; grace the mystery of Christ. Believing is the most wonderful thing in the world. Put any thing of your own to it, and you spoil it. Christ will not so much as look at it for believing. When you believe and come to Christ, you must leave behind you your own righteousness, and bring nothing but your sin: (Oh, that is hard!) leave behind all your holiness, sanctification, duties, humblings, and so on; and bring nothing but your needs and miseries, or else Christ is not fit for you, nor you for Christ. Christ will be a pure Redeemer and Mediator, and you must be an undone sinner, or Christ and you will never agree. It is the hardest thing in the world to take Christ alone for righteousness: that is to acknowledge Him Christ. Join any thing to Him of your own, and you un-Christ Him.

Whatever comes in when you go to God for acceptance, besides Christ, call it anti-Christ; bid it be gone; make only Christ’s righteousness triumphant. All besides that is Babylon, which must fall if Christ stand, and you shall rejoice in the day of the fall thereof (Isa 14:4). Christ alone did tread the winepress, and there was none with Him (Isa 63:3). If you join anything to Christ, Christ will trample upon it in fury and anger, and stain His garments with the blood of it. You think it easy to believe. Was ever your faith tried with an hour of temptation, and a thorough sight of sin? Was it ever put to grapple with Satan, and the wrath of God lying upon the conscience, when you were in the mouth of hell and the grave? Then did God show you Christ a ransom and a righteousness; then you could say, “Oh! I see grace enough in Christ.” You may say that which is the greatest word in the world, believe. Untried faith is uncertain faith.

To truly believe, there must be a clear conviction of sin, and the merits of the blood of Christ, and of Christ’s willingness to save upon this consideration, merely, that you are a sinner. These things are harder than to make a world. All the power in nature cannot get up so high in a storm of sin and guilt as really to believe there is any grace, any willingness in Christ to save. When Satan charges sin upon the conscience, then for the soul to charge it upon Christ, that is gospel-like; that is to make Him Christ. He serves for that use, to accept Christ’s righteousness alone, His blood alone for salvation, that is the sum of the gospel. When the soul, in all duties and distress, can say, “Nothing but Christ, Christ alone, for righteousness, justification, sanctification, redemption” (I Cor 1:30); not my humblings, not my duties, not my graces; then that soul has got above the reach of the billows.

All temptations, Satan’s advantages, and our complaining, are laid in self-righteousness, and self-excellency. God pursues these, by setting Satan upon you, as Laban did Jacob for his images. These must be torn from you, be as unwilling as you will. These hinder Christ from coming in; and until Christ comes in, guilt will not go out; and where guilt is, there is hardness of heart; and therefore much guilt argues very little if anything of Christ.

When guilt is raised up, take heed of getting it quieted in any way but by Christ’s blood: that will tend to hardening. Make Christ your peace; “for he is our peace” (Eph 2:14); not your duties and your tears, Christ your righteousness, not your graces. You may destroy Christ by duties, as well as by sins. Look at Christ, and do as much as you will. Stand with all your weight upon Christ’s righteousness. Take heed of having one foot on your righteousness, another on Christ’s. Until Christ come and sit on high upon a throne of grace in the conscience, there is nothing but guilt, terrors, secret suspicions; the soul hanging between hope and fear, which is an ungospel-like state.

He that fears to see sin’s utmost vileness, the utmost hell of his own heart, he suspects the merits of Christ. Be you ever such a great sinner (I John 2:1); try Christ to make Him your Advocate, and you shall find Him Jesus Christ the righteous. In all doubting, fears, storms of conscience, look at Christ continually, do not argue with Satan, he desires nothing good for you; bid him go to Christ, and He will answer him. It is His office to be our Advocate (I John 2:1), His office to answer law as our Surety (Heb 7:22), His office to answer justice as our Mediator (Gal 3:20; I Tim 2:5); and He is sworn to that office (Heb 7:20,21). Put Christ upon it. If you will do anything yourself, as to satisfaction for sin, you renounce Christ the righteous, who was made sin for you (II Cor 5:21).

Satan may bring forward and corrupt Scripture, but he cannot answer Scripture. It is Christ’s word of mighty authority. Christ foiled Satan with it (Matt 4:7). In all the Scripture there is not an ill word against a poor sinner stripped of self-righteousness. No! it plainly points out this man to be the subject of the grace of the gospel, and none else. Believe but Christ’s willingness, and that will make you willing. If you find you cannot believe, remember it is Christ’s work to make you believe. Put Him upon it; He works to will and to do of His good pleasure (Phil 2:13). Mourn for your unbelief, for unbelief is but a setting up of guilt in the conscience above Christ, and undervaluing the merits of Christ, accounting His blood an unholy, a common, and un-satisfying thing.

You complain much of yourself. Does your sin make you look more at Christ, less at yourself? That is right, or else complaining is but hypocrisy. To be looking at duties, graces, enlargements, when you should be looking at Christ, that is pitiful. Looking at them will make you proud; looking at Christ’s grace will only make you humble. By grace you are saved (Eph 2:5). In all your temptations be not discouraged (James 1:2). Those scourges may be not to break you, but to heave you off yourself upon the Rock, Christ.

You may be brought low, even to the brink of hell, ready to tumble in; you cannot be brought lower than the belly of hell. Many saints have been there, even doused in hell; yet even then you may cry, even there you may look toward the holy temple (Jonah 2:4). Into that temple none might enter but purified ones, and with an offering too (Acts 21:26). But now Christ is our temple, sacrifice, altar, high priest, to whom none must come but sinners, and that without any offering, but His own blood once offered (Heb 7:27).

Remember all the patterns of grace that are in heaven. You think, oh, what a monument of grace you would like to be! There are many thousands as rich monuments as you can be. The greatest sinner did never pass the grace of Christ. Do not despair. Hope still. When the clouds are blackest, even then look towards Christ, the standing pillar of the Father’s love and grace, set up in heaven for all sinners to gaze upon continually. Whatever Satan or conscience say, do not conclude against yourself, Christ shall have the last word. He is Judge of quick and dead, and must pronounce the final sentence. His blood speaks reconciliation (Col 1:20); cleansing (I John 1:7); purchase (Acts 20:28); redemption (I Peter 1:19); purging (Heb 9:13,14); remission (Heb 9:22); liberty (Heb 10:19); justification (Rom 5:9); nearness to God (Eph 2:13). Not a drop of this blood shall be lost. Stand and hear what God will say, for He will speak peace to His people, that they return no more to folly (Psalm 85:8). He speaks grace, mercy and peace (II Tim 1:2). That is the language of the Father and of Christ. Wait for Christ’s appearing, as the morning star (Rev 22:16). He shall come as certainly as the morning, as refreshing as the rain (Hosea 6:3).

The sun may as well be hindered from rising as Christ the Sun of Righteousness (Mal 4:2). Look not a moment off from Christ. Look not upon sin, but look upon Christ first. When you mourn for sin, if you see Christ then, away with it (Zech 12:10). In every duty look at Christ; before duty to pardon; in duty to assist; after duty to accept. Without this it is but carnal, careless duty. Do not legalize the gospel, as if part remained for you to do and suffer, and Christ were but half a Mediator and you must bear part of your own sin, and make part satisfaction. Let sin break your heart, but not your hope in the gospel.

Look more at justification than sanctification. In the highest commands consider Christ, not as an exacter to require, but a debtor, committed to work according to His promise. If you have looked at word, duties and qualifications, more than at the merits of Christ, it will cost you dear. No wonder you go about complaining; graces may be evidences, the merits of Christ alone must be the foundation of your hope to stand on. Christ only can be the hope of glory (Col 1:27).

When we come to God, we must bring nothing but Christ with us. Any ingredients, or any previous qualifications of our own, will poison and corrupt faith. He that builds upon duties, graces, etc., knows not the merits of Christ. This makes believing so hard, so far above nature. If you believe, you must every day renounce, as dung and dross (Phil 3:7,8), your privileges, your obedience, your baptism, your sanctification, your duties, your graces, your tears, your meltings, your humblings, and nothing but Christ must be held up. Every day your workings and your self-sufficiency must be destroyed. You must take all out of God’s hand. Christ is the gift of God (John 4:10). Faith is the gift of God (Eph 2:8). Pardon is a free gift (Isa 45:22). Ah, how nature storms, frets, rages at this, that all is of gift and it can purchase nothing with its acting and tears and duties, that all workings are excluded, and of no value in heaven.

If human nature had been left to contrive the way of salvation, it would have rather put it into the hands of saints or angels to sell it, than of Christ who gives it freely, whom therefore it suspects. It would have set up a way to purchase by doing; therefore it abominates the merits of Christ, as the most destructive thing to it. Nature would do anything to be saved rather than go to Christ, or close with Christ. Christ will have nothing, the soul would force something of its own upon Christ. Here is that great controversy. Consider, did you ever yet see the merits of Christ, and the infinite satisfaction made by His death? Did you see this when the burden of sin and the wrath of God lay heavy on your conscience? That is grace. The greatness of Christ’s merit is not known but to a poor soul in the greatest distress. Slight convictions will but have slight low prizing of Christ’s blood and merits.

Despairing sinner! You look on your right hand and on your left, saying, “Who will show us any good?” You are tumbling over all your duties and professions to patch up a self-righteousness to save you. Look at Christ now; look to Him and be saved all the ends of the earth (Isa 45:22). There is none else. He is a Savior, and there is none beside Him (v 21). Look anywhere else and you are undone. God will look at nothing but Christ and you must look at nothing else. Christ is lifted up on high, as the brazen serpent in the wilderness, that sinners at the ends of the earth, at the greatest distance, may see Him and look towards Him. The least sight of Him will be saving; the least touch healing to you.

And God intends that you should look on Him, for He has set Him on a high throne of glory, in the open view of all poor sinners who desire Him. You have infinite reason to look on Him, no reason at all to look away from Him: for He is meek and lowly of heart (Matt 11:29). He will do that Himself which He requires of His creature, namely bear with infirmities (Rom 15:1), not pleasing Himself, not standing upon points of law (v 2). He will restore with the spirit of meekness (Gal 6:1), and bear your burdens (v 2). He will forgive, not only until seven times, but seventy times seven (Matt 18:21,22). It hard put the faith of the apostle to it to believe this (Luke 17:4,5). Because we are hard to forgive, we think Christ is hard.

We see sin great; we think Christ does so, and measure infinite love by our own line, infinite merits with our sins, which is the greatest pride and blasphemy (Psalm 103:11,12; Isa 40:15). Hear what He says, “I have found a ransom” (Job 33:24). “In him I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17). God will have nothing else. Nothing else will do you good, or satisfy conscience, but Christ who satisfied the Father. God does all on account of Christ. You deserve hell, wrath, rejection: Christ’s deserving are life, pardon and acceptance. He will not only show you the one, but He will give the other. It is Christ’s own glory and happiness to pardon.

Consider, while Christ was upon the earth, He was more among Scribes and Pharisees, His professed adversaries; for they were self-righteous ones. It is not as you imagine, that His state in glory makes Him neglectful, scornful to poor sinners: no; He has the same heart now in heaven. He is God, and changes not. He is “the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He went through all your temptations, dejections, sorrows, desertions, rejections (Matt 4:3-12; Mark 15:24; Luke 22:44; Matt 26:38), and has drunk the bitterest of the cup and left the sweet; the condemnation is out. Christ drank up all the Father’s wrath at one draught; and nothing but salvation is left for you.

You say you cannot believe, you cannot repent. Fitter for Christ if you have nothing but sin and misery. Go to Christ with all your impenitence and unbelief, to get faith and repentance from Him; that is glorious. Tell Christ, “Lord, I have brought no righteousness, no grace to be accepted in, or justified by: I am come for Yours, and must have it.” By nature, we would like to be bringing something to Christ, but that must not be. Not a penny of nature’s highest improvements will pass in heaven. Grace will not stand with works (Titus 3:5; Rom 11:6). That is a terrible point to human nature, which cannot think of being stripped of all, not having a rag of duty or righteousness left to look at.

Self-righteousness and self-sufficiency are the darlings of sinful human nature, which she preserves as her life. That makes Christ seem ugly to sinful human nature. Sinful human nature cannot desire Him. He is just directly opposite to all nature’s glorious interests. Let sinful human nature but make a gospel, and it would make it quite contrary to Christ; it would be to the just, the innocent and the holy. But Christ made the gospel for you: that is, for needy sinners, the ungodly, the unrighteous, the accursed. Human nature cannot endure to think the gospel is only for sinners: it will rather choose to despair than to go to Christ upon such terrible terms. When nature is but put to it by guilt or wrath, it will go to its old haunts of self-righteousness and self-goodness. An infinite power must cast down those strongholds; Christ will look at the most abominable sinner before Him. None but the self-justified stands excluded from the gospel, because to such an one Christ cannot be made justification: he is no sinner.

To say in compliment, “I am a sinner,” is easy; but to pray with the publican indeed, “Lord, be merciful to me the sinner,” is the hardest prayer in the world. It is easy to say, “I believe in Christ”; but to see Christ full of grace and truth, of whose fullness you may receive grace for grace; that is faith indeed. It is easy to profess Christ with the mouth; but to confess Him with the heart, as Peter, to be the Christ, the Son of the living God, the alone Mediator, that is above flesh and blood. Many call Christ, Savior; a few know Him so. To see grace and salvation in Christ, is the greatest sight in the world! None can do that, but at the same time they shall see that glory and salvation to be theirs. Sights will cause applications. I may be ashamed to think in the midst of so much profession, that I have known so little of the blood of Christ, which is the main thing of the gospel. A Christless, formal religion, will be the blackest sight next to hell that can be. You may have many good things, and yet one thing may be lacking, that may make you go away sorrowful from Christ. You have never sold all; you have never parted with all your own righteousness, and so on. You may be high in duty and yet a perfect enemy and adversary to Christ, in every prayer, in every ordinance. Labor after sanctification to your utmost; but make not a Christ of it to save yourself; if so, it must come down one way or other. Christ’s infinite satisfaction, not your sanctification, must be your justification before God. When the Lord shall appear terrible from out of His holy place, fire shall consume that as hay and stubble.

This will be sound religion: To rest all upon the everlasting mountains of God’s love and grace in Christ, to live continually in the sight of Christ’s infinite righteousness and merits- these things are sanctifying. Without them the heart is carnal, and in those sights to see the full vileness, yet littleness of sin (in comparison to Christ’s righteousness), and to see all pardoned: in those sights to pray, hear, and so forth, seeing your polluted self, and all your weak performances, accepted continually; in those sights to trample upon all your self-glories, righteousness, privileges, as abominable, and be found continually in the righteousness of Christ only, rejoicing in the ruins of your own righteousness, the spoiling of all your own excellencies, that Christ alone, as Mediator, may be exalted in His throne. Mourn over all your duties however glorious, that you have not performed in the sight and sense of Christ’s love. Without the blood of Christ on your conscience, all is dead service (Heb 9:14).

That opinion of free-will (so cried up), will be easily confuted, as it is by Scripture, in the heart, which has had any spiritual dealing with Jesus Christ as to the application of His merits, and subjection to His righteousness. Christ is every way too magnificent a person for poor nature to close with or to apprehend of his own unaided free-will. Christ is so infinitely holy, nature never dare look at Him; so infinitely good, nature can never believe Him to be such, when it lies under a full sight of sin. Christ is too high and glorious for nature so much as to touch. There must be a divine nature first put into the soul, to make it lay hold on Him, He lies so infinitely beyond the sight or reach of sinful human nature.

That Christ which natural free-will can apprehend, is but a natural Christ of a man’s own making, not the Father’s Christ, nor Jesus the Son of the living God, to whom none can come without the Father’s drawing (John 6:44).

Finally, search the Scriptures daily as mines of gold in which the heart of Christ is laid open. Watch against sins to which you are prone, see them in their vileness, and they shall never break out into act. Keep always a humble, empty, broken frame of heart, sensitive to any spiritual misconduct, observing all inward workings, fit for the highest communications. Keep not guilt in the conscience, but apply the blood of Christ immediately. God charges sin and guilt upon you to make you look to Christ, the brazen serpent.

Judge not Christ’s love by providence, but by promises. Bless God for shaking off false foundations, for any way whereby He keeps the soul awakened and looking after Christ; better sickness and temptations, than security and superficiality.

A slighting spirit will turn a profane spirit, and will sin and pray too. Slightness is the bane of real religion, if it be not rooted out of the heart, by constant and serious dealings with, and beholding of Christ in duties. It will grow more strong, and more deadly, by being under church-ordinances. Measure not your graces by others’ attainments, but by Scripture trials. Be serious, exact in duty, having the weight of it upon your heart; but be as much afraid of taking comfort from the performance of religious duties, as from sins. Comfort from any hand but Christ is deadly. Be much in prayer, or you will never keep up much communion with God. As you are in private prayer, so you will be in all other ordinances.

Reckon not duties by high expressions, but by low humble frames of heart, and the beholding of Christ. Tremble at religious duties and spiritual gifts. It was the saying of a great saint, “He was more afraid of his duties than of his sins”; they often made him proud, the other always made him humble. Treasure up manifestations of Christ’s love, they make the heart low for Christ, too high for sin. Despise not the lowest, smallest evidence of grace; God may put you to make use of the lowest as you think; even that may be worth a thousand worlds to you (I John 3:14).

Be true to truth, but not turbulent and scornful. Restore such as are fallen; help them up again with all the affections of Christ. Set the broken disjointed bones with the grace of the gospel. Confident Christian! despise not weak saints; you may come to wish to be in the condition of the most despised of them. Be faithful to others’ infirmities, but realizing especially your own. Visit sick beds and deserted souls much; they are excellent scholars in the school of experience.

Abide in your secular calling. Be dutiful to all relations as to the Lord. Be content with little of the world; little will serve. Think little of the earth, not much, because it is unworthy of the least. Think much of heaven, not little, because Christ is so rich and free. Think every one better than yourself, and always carry self-loathing about you, as one fit to be trampled upon by all saints. See the vanity of the world, and the doom of all earthly things; and love nothing but Christ. Mourn that you see so little of Christ in the world; so few wanting Him; trifles please them better. To a self-secure soul Christ is but a fable, the Scriptures but a story. Mourn to think how many are under baptism and church-order, who are not under grace, looking much after duty, obedience, little after Christ, little versed in grace. Prepare for the cross; welcome it; bear it triumphantly like Christ’s cross, whether scoffs, mocking, jeers, contempt, imprisonments, and so on, but see it be Christ’s cross not your own.

Sin will hinder from glorying in the cross of Christ. Omitting little truths against light may breed hell in the conscience, as well as committing the greatest sins against light. If you have been taken out of the belly of hell into Christ’s bosom, and made to sit among princes in the household of God, oh, how you should live as a pattern of mercy!

Redeemed, restored soul! what infinite sums you owe Christ! With what singular feelings should you walk and do every duty! On sabbaths, what praising days, singing of hallelujahs, should they be to you. Church-fellowship, what a heaven, a being with Christ, and angels’ and saints’ communion! What a drowning the soul in eternal love as a burial with Christ, dying to all things beside Him. Every time you think of Christ, be astonished and wonder; and when you see your sin, look at Christ’s grace that did pardon it; and when you are proud, look at Christ’s grace, that shall humble and strike you down in the dust.

Remember Christ’s time of love when you were naked (Ezek 16:8,9), and then He chose you. Can you ever have a proud thought? Remember whose arms supported you from sinking and delivered you from the lowest hell (Psalm 86:13), and shout in the ears of angels and men (Psalm 148), and for ever sing praise, praise; grace, grace. Daily repent and pray, and walk in the sight of grace, as one that has the anointing of grace upon you. Remember your sins, Christ’s pardoning; your deserving, Christ’s merits; your weakness, Christ’s strength; your pride, Christ’s humility; your many infirmities, Christ’s restoring; your guilts, Christ’s new applications of His blood; your failings, Christ’s raising up; your needs, Christ’s fullness; your temptations, Christ’s tenderness; your vileness, Christ’s righteousness. Blessed soul! whom Christ shall find not having on his own righteousness (Phil 3:9), but having his robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev 7:14).

Trifle not with ordinances. Be much in meditation and prayer. Wait diligently upon all hearing opportunities. We have need of doctrine, reproof, exhortation, consolation, as the tender herbs and the grass have of the rain, the dew, the small rain, and the showers (Deut 32:2). Do all you do as soul-work, as unto Christ (Zech 7:5,6), as immediately dealing with Christ Jesus, as if He were looking on you and you on Him, and fetch all your strength from Him.

Observe what holy motions you find in your souls to duties. Prize the least good thought you have of Christ, the least good word you speak of Him sincerely from the heart. Rich mercy! Oh, bless God for it! Observe, if every day you have the dayspring from on high, with His morning dew of mourning for sin constantly visiting you (Luke 1:77). Have you the bright morning star, with fresh influences of grace and peace constantly arising (Rev 22:16), and Christ sweetly greeting the soul in all duties! What duty makes not more spiritual, will make more carnal; what does not quicken and humble, will deaden and harden.

Judas may have the sop, the outward privilege of baptism, supper, church-fellowship, etc., but John leaned on Christ’s bosom (John 13:23), that is the gospel-ordinance posture in which we should pray, and hear, and perform all duties. Nothing but lying on that bosom will dissolve hardness of heart, and make you mourn for sin, and cure superficiality and ordinariness of spirit, that gangrene of religious profession. That will humble indeed, and make the soul cordial to Christ, and sin vile to the soul; yes, transform the ugliest piece of hell into the glory of Christ. Never think you are right, as you should be, a Christian of any attainment, until you come to this, always to see and feel yourself living in the bosom of Christ, who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18). Come and move the Father for sights of Christ, and you will be sure of speed! You can come with no request that pleases Him better. He gave Him out of His own bosom for that very end, to be held up before the eyes of all sinners as the everlasting monument of His Father’s love.

Looking at the natural sun weakens the eye. The more you look at Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, the stronger and clearer will the eye of faith be. Look but at Christ, you will love Him and live on Him. Think on Him continually. Keep the eye constantly upon Christ’s blood, or every blast of temptation will shake you. If you will see sin’s sinfulness, to loathe it and mourn, do not stand looking upon sin, but look upon Christ first, as suffering and satisfying. If you would see your graces, your sanctification, do not stand gazing upon them; but look at Christ’s righteousness in the first place (see the Son and you see all), look at your graces in the second place.

When you exercise faith, what you first look at, that you expect settlement from, and make it the ground of your hope. Go to Christ in sight of your sin and misery, not of your grace and holiness. Have nothing to do with your graces and sanctification, they will but veil Christ, until you have seen Christ first. He that looks upon Christ through his graces, is like one that sees the sun in water, which wavers and moves like the water does. Look upon Christ only as shining in the firmament of the Father’s love and grace; you will not see Him but in His own glory, which is unspeakable. Pride and unbelief will put you upon seeing somewhat in yourself first; but faith will have to do with none but Christ, who is inexpressibly glorious, and must swallow up your sanctification as well as your sin; for God made Him both for us, and we must make Him both (I Cor 1:30; II Cor 5:21). He that sets up his sanctification to look at, to comfort him, he sets up the greatest idol which will strengthen his doubts and fears. Do only look away from Christ, and straightaway, like Peter, you sink in doubts.

A Christian never lacks comfort, but by breaking the order and method of the gospel, looking on his own righteousness, and looking off Christ’s perfect righteousness, which is to choose rather to live by candlelight, than by the light of the sun. The honey that you suck from your own righteousness will turn into perfect gall, and the light that you take from it to walk in, will turn into black night upon the soul. Satan is tempting you by putting you to plod on in your own grace, to get comfort from that; then the Father comes and points you to Christ’s grace, as rich, glorious, infinitely pleasing Him, and bids you study Christ’s righteousness. And His biddings are enablings; that is a blessed motion, a sweet whispering, checking your unbelief. Follow the least hint close with much prayer; prize it as an invaluable jewel, it is an earnest of more to come.

Again, if you would pray, and cannot, and so are discouraged, see Christ praying for you; using His interest with the Father for you; what can you lack (John 14:16)? If you are troubled, see Christ your peace (Eph 2:14), leaving you peace when He went up to heaven, again and again, charging you not to be troubled, no, not in the least sinfully troubled, so as to obstruct your comfort or your believing (John 14:1-27). He is now upon the throne, having spoiled upon His cross in the lowest state of humiliation, all whatever that can hurt or annoy you. He has borne all your sins, sorrows, troubles, temptations, and is gone to prepare mansions for you. You who have seen Christ as all, and yourself absolutely nothing, who make Christ all your life, and are dead to all righteousness besides; you are a true Christian, one highly beloved, and who has found favor with God, a favorite of heaven. Do Christ this one favor for all His love to you—love all His poor saints and churches, the most despised, the smallest, the weakest, notwithstanding any difference of judgment, they are engraved on His heart as the names of the children of Israel on Aaron’s breastplate (Exo 28:29). Let them be so on yours. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love you” (Psalm 122:6).

THE GIFT THAT IS INDESCRIBABLE

"Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!"
(2 Corinthians 9:15 ESV)

One of the most common traditions at Christmas is the giving of gifts. At our house we start out with the opening of our stocking gifts. These are usually things like candy, surfboard wax, sunscreen, makeup, and gift cards for Starbucks, funny trinkets, and various small items. After this we begin unwrapping the gifts under the tree and always save the best gift for last as the grand finale. After Christmas, we will undoubtedly be asked by someone what we received for Christmas and will be proceed to describe each gift that we received.

But when the Apostle Paul thought about gifts there was one gift that he had received that he could not describe, he calls this gift inexpressible. In our text in 2 Corinthians 9, the apostle Paul at first is writing about human gifts. The church in Corinth is taking up offerings to give to the poor Christians in Jerusalem. He commends them for their eagerness to help, and reminds them that those who sow sparingly will also reap sparingly, but that those who sow generously will reap generously.

But the subject of giving turns his mind to God and the gift of Christ to His people, which is the greatest of all possible gifts, and he ended his comments by referr­ing to this divine bounty. He said, "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift"

This text contains only eight words, yet it points us beyond words. It points us to a gift which, if we have it, makes us richer and happier than any earthly gift could possible do. When Paul speaks of Jesus as God's "inexpressible gift" it is evi­dent that he is not merely toying with words or exaggerating by an undisciplined use of superlatives. He is only saying what is patently true and is as true for us as it was for him.

His gift was so above and beyond the norm that Bible translators have had difficulty choosing adjectives to describe the gift. Their dilemma is obvious when reviewing how they struggled to translate the last sentences of 2 Corinthians 9:15. Translators of The Living Bible, the New Century Version and the Contemporary English Version refer to God’s gift of Jesus as one “too wonderful for words.” The Message translates the same verse this way: “Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough!” The King James Version describes it as “his unspeakable gift.” The New King James Version, The New International Version, and New American Standard Version have it as “his indescribable gift.” And the Amplified Version combines these and says: “His gift precious beyond telling His indescribable, inexpressible, free gift!”

What is an inexpressible gift or indescribable gift? Indescribable simply means: that cannot be described; surpassing description. It is a gift of such magnitude and worth that it goes beyond our understanding and ability to describe it. Some things are beyond description, definition and explanation. What then does Paul mean when he says the gift of Jesus Christ is 'inexpressible'?

I. IT IS INEXPRESSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE INFINITE GENEROSITY OF GOD’S GIFT
The prophet Isaiah spoke of this inexpressible gift. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Then in the New Testament John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son.”

God is a most generous and giving God. Every moment of our life God is giving us something. James tells us that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”(James 1:17). He gave the most astounding gift imaginable when the Lord Jesus Christ. God loves as no other being can love. That is why Paul says that His love surpasses all knowledge (Ephesians 3:19). He has given us undeserving sinners the greatest gift of love that He could possibly give us; He gave us His only Son.

God has loved us by providing the ultimate gift and bringing to us the highest good possible. This is the most loving thing imaginable and beyond imagination that God could do for us. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). He has given a gift more valuable, more worthy, and more important than anything we could possibly give to anyone or any gift we could desire on this earth. In short, it is inexpressible, indescribable, inconceivable, and incomprehensible.

God is the giver, par excellence; God gives a gift, not because He feels obligated to give a gift but because His love is so overwhelming. It’s a gift of grace. And when you stop at the manger at Bethlehem & look at the Christ child, you must realize that He is a gift of grace. And there are no words adequate enough to describe God’s grace towards us in Jesus

II. IT IS INEXPRESSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE GIFT ITSELF-JESUS CHRIST
The embodiment of God's greatest gift is Jesus. Who can begin to describe God's tiny present, lovingly wrapped in swaddling clothes on that first Christmas morning? Within Jesus' fragile frame, undiminished deity and true humanity existed together as God's supreme gift of grace to us-a gift too wonderful for words!' How can I begin to describe such an indescribable Person? If the heavens could open and we could all get a glimpse of Christ in His glory, we would be struck speechless and would fall at His feet as if we were dead (Revelation 1:12-17). We cannot begin to imagine the splendor, the glory, and the riches that Jesus Christ has and gave up to come to this earth. We can rightly say,

A. None was richer than Christ was.
He was rich in supremacy and power: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:15-16).

He was rich in glory: “And He is the radiance of His glory, and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). He is one with the Father, having shared His glory before the creation of the earth (John 10:30; 17:5). He receives the worship of myriads upon myriads of angels, who bow before His throne proclaiming, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah. 6:3). Of Isaiah’s vision John wrote, “These things Isaiah said, because he saw His [Christ’s] glory, and he spoke of Him” (John 12:41). We cannot begin to imagine the riches of Jesus Christ before He came to this earth. Yet,

B. None became poorer than Christ became. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) Jesus became poor in that He voluntarily gave up the use of certain divine attributes during His earthly life. He did not cease to have these attributes; He simply gave up His use of them. He could have struck His persecutors dead on the spot. He could have done many other things as God, but He chose not to. Instead, He took on human flesh and became a servant, obedient to death on the cross. Paul profoundly speaks of this in Philippians 2:5-11, “Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

He could have been born in a palace; He was born in a stable. He could have been born with a superhuman body, not subject to pain, hunger, and tiredness; He was born with a body like ours, except for sin. He could have come to earth as an adult, strong and ready to assume power; He was born as a weak infant, who had to be rescued from Herod’s murderous threats. He could have been born into wealth, where His hands would never be rough from calluses; He worked as a carpenter. He could have begun His ministry as a miracle-working child or young adult; He waited until He was about thirty. He could have been waited on by a contingent of servants; He became a servant. Good men rightly should have died for Him; He died for sinners.

Who can describe the chasm between the glory of heaven and the humiliation of the cross? If billionaire Bill Gates were to give up his wealth and possessions and go to Calcutta, clothe himself in rags, eat meager food and serve the poor, it would not compare to what Jesus Christ did in giving up the riches of heaven to take on the poverty of our sinful humanity through His birth and death on the cross! From highest heaven He descended to the shame and agony of Golgotha. From the glory of perfect holiness, He was made sin on our behalf. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). None was richer than Christ was! None became poorer than He did for our sakes so that we might become rich through Him! He is God’s indescribable gift to us!

III. IT IS INEXPRESSIBLE BECAUSE JESUS SATISFIES OUR DEEPEST NEEDS
God’s gift is also in­expressible for the effects it produces. This is unmeasurable by human beings. The gift of God accomplishes everything in those who believe. At Christmas many are thinking about their felt needs as they think about gifts and advertising and the media and a therapeutic society don’t exactly help. Marketers, salesmen, therapists, self-help gurus, and popular religion all pander to our felt needs (which our corrupt nature is deceived to think are our actual needs); but God’s determines and therefore knows our deepest needs and His gift of Jesus Christ meets and satisfies our deepest and real needs:

1. The need for salvation: The Bible says, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "It is appointed to man once to die and after that comes judgment." (Hebrews 9:27). We will give an account to God for our lives. Jesus Christ came and suffered and died and rose again from the dead to pay the price for our sins. The angel told Joseph “Jesus… will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21) and the shepherds “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”(Luke 2:10-11) .When we trust him as Lord and Savior of our lives we have peace with God, our sins are forgiven, and there is no more condemnation (Romans 5:1; 8:1; Ephesians 2:13-16).Jesus is God's inexpressible gift to meet this need

2. The need for eternity with God: The Bible is clear on this: there is a heaven and there is a hell. Both last forever. And where we spend eternity is chosen in this life. And Jesus is the way to heaven, the only way. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes on him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Jesus is God's inexpressible gift to meet this need.

3. The need to satisfy our empty hearts: Jesus said, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).Everybody is thirsty. Everybody is searching for a fountain of everlasting joy. When you find Jesus the search is over. Jesus is God's inexpressible gift to meet this need.

4. The need to know God: We can know God — just as personally and intimately as you know anyone in this world. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father" (John 1:1-4,14). God in the person of His Son has become flesh - human. And Jesus said to Philip, "If you have seen me you have seen the Father" (John 14:9). Jesus is God reaching out to us. God wants to be known. He wants to be loved. He wants to be a Father and a Friend. And though he is great beyond all imagination, he came near in Jesus so that we could know him. "If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him" (John 14:7). Jesus is God's inexpressible gift to meet this need

5. The need to change: Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). And the life Paul lived by faith in the Son of God was an incredible life of love and sacrifice and joy for the good of people and the glory of God. Paul had no doubt at all that there is a power that really changes people. Namely, the power of Jesus Christ when we trust in him. Jesus is God's inexpressible gift to meet this need.

IV. OUR EXPRESSIVE RESPONSE TO GOD’S INEXPRESSIBLE GIFT A four-year-old boy asked his father, “Daddy, what does ‘ignore’ mean?” His father explained that it meant not to pay attention to someone. The boy responded, “I don’t think we should ignore Jesus.” Puzzled, the dad replied, “I don’t either.” Then the boy explained, “But that’s what the Christmas carol says, ‘O come let us ignore Him.’” Many people really sing it that way, don’t they? Could you be ignoring Jesus this Christmas? Would you slow down to take the time to reflect and respond to God the Father in the only appropriate way to respond to such an indescribable gift of His Son Jesus? I close with this thought. Even though the gift of God in Christ is "inexpressible", it is nevertheless to be spoken of. And the primary reason is because it is so wonderfully, profoundly, amazingly, inexpressible.

To whom shall we speak of it? Well, to God first of all! This is the other half of the text, for 2 Corinthians 9:15 does not speak merely of God's gift. It says, "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift." Have you thanked God for his great gift of salvation through Jesus Christ? Have you thanked God for anything? At Christmas you and I thank will thank all kinds of people for gifts. But what of God? If that gift is as great as the Bible says it is, then we should literally cry out with Paul in worship, praise, and thanksgiving, "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!" Thanks be to God for Jesus!

And when we are crying out thanks, let us not forget that the best thanks are not in word alone. Thanks are expressed in deeds too that express our love and gratitude towards Him. What deeds? If you have never received the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, your first deed should be to receive him and wor­ship him, as the shepherds, wise men and others of the Christmas story did. That is, you should receive and take the gift God gives you. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God”( John 1:12). Do not think of it in terms of your worthiness. You are not worthy and never will be worthy. Just take it. Let it be yours. Receive it as that treasure in the field or that pearl of great price for which the wise men and women of this world sell all that they have.

Secondly, you can also express your thanks by service. You have much, but there are others who have little. Reach out to them in Christ's name. Let God's generous gift be the pattern for your giving of your money, possessions, time, self, and your very life and his service be the pattern for your service.

Finally, know that you are not merely under obligation to speak to God about his indescribable gift. You have an obligation to speak to others also. I notice that in the Christmas story nearly everyone spoke to others about God's gift. The wise men said, "We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him" (Matt. 2:2). The shepherds "spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child" (Luke 2:17). Simeon "praised God" (Luke 2:28). Anna, the prophetess, "gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38).

That last is the perfect combination: thanks to God and testimony to other people. May we together with Paul say to God and others with joy, awe, gratitude, and praise: Thanks be to God for his inexplicable gift!