Needed or Need?

A few phrases from Jesus have been on my mind recently.

• Those who are well do not need a physician. (Mark 2)
  
• Joy in heaven doesn't occur over those who are so righteous that they don't have anything to repent of. (Luke 15)
  
• Christ didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners. (Mark 2)
  

Often, I have thought that these things really speak to those who are in need of the experience of conversion. In that light, they are of great value to those who have never been rescue, those who have never been saved, those who never have been converted. However in recent days, I have come to realize they have something profound to say to those who already have been rescued, to those who have already been converted, to those who have already tasted of the life-changing work of the gospel.

These words help me realize that as a believer, I am in need of the gospel more than ever. I need a Savior, a rescuer, a healer, a substitute, a deliverer, a physician, a Father, a friend who will lay down their life for me. All of those things I need today!

What strikes me here is that if we look a little bit below the surface, we should realize something profound.

• We are all sick spiritually. Not just in the past, but we are being made whole even today. Therefore, we are in need of a physician. So, Christ is here for the spiritually sick. I didn't just need His healing when I came to Him in faith, I need it today as I come to Him in faith.
  
• We have much to repent of. Not just in the past, but even today we are growing in our joyful, obedience. We have much room to grow. However, as we repent of our sin, there is joy in heaven. So, the angels in heaven throw parties over the conversion of outsiders, but I think there is celebration over Christians who 'get it,' who come to Christ in repentance over post-conversion sin.
  
• We are not righteous on our own. Therefore, we are in the category of people that Christ is calling. If I am righteous in and of myself (or think I am), Christ really has no purpose for me. I am my own Savior (what a scary thought). But, I would much rather join the person who cried out to Jesus, "Lord! Have mercy on me."

The point is that Jesus' message of good news isn't just something we needed (past tense), but something we need. Believers need the gospel!

Instructive verses on the fear of the Lord

Although probably no list could be complete concerning the fear of the Lord, these verse have been especially helpful to me in preparing for speaking about the subject.

• Psalm 36:1
• Romans 3:8
• Romans 1:18-32
• Proverbs 1:7
• Prov 9:10
• 1 Peter 2:17
• Prov 10:27
• Prov 19:23
• Prov 14:26-27
• Prov 22:4
• Prov 31:30
• Psalm 33:6-9, 13, 18-22
• Rev 1:17
• Isaiah 6
• Job 40:3-4
• Psalm 34:9-10, 16
• Luke 12:5-7
• 1 Peter 1:17
• Hebrews 10:31
• 2 Corinthians 5:11
• Matthew 25
• Matthew 5:22
• Romans 8:1, 15-17
• 2 Timothy 1:7
• Luke 1:74-75
• 1 John 4:18
• Proverbs 8:13
• Proverbs 16:6
• Deuteronomy 4:10
• Deuteronomy 17:18-20
• Luke 1:30
• Luke 2:10
• Matthew 28:5

Unreached

I received an email update from the Joshua Project concerning a people group in Morocco of nearly 500,000 people. These were the words...

There may be no followers of Christ among this people group, but we expect many to soon be born into the faith. Pray for them. Pray they will be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

A group with the population of New Castle County and NO followers of Christ is so sobering. And yet the email continued with a verse that I needed to be reminded of. It is Isaiah 52:10 which says, "The Lord has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, That all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God."

As I pray for those who do not YET know Christ...

Lord, would you make the good news be GREAT NEWS to people in our area today! Give us boldness to share with others our hope. Help us make Your Word fully known. Open doors for us to show Christ's love and share Christ's work to a world that needs it desperately. Give us clarity. Help our lives (even with our sin) not to detract from the good news. Guard our mouths and the danger we face of using it to harm instead of to build up. Let us make the best use of our time, especially as it relates to people.

Lord, put people in our path who need You, and then allow us to obey your command to make disciples!

From Colossians 4:2-6

As I pray for OBC...

Lord, may you continue Your good work among us, and make our church a people who...

• are filled with the knowledge of Your will. May we not just know it, but also obey it.
  
• walk in a manner that is pleasing to You May we obey, not to earn your favor, but as a result of it.
  
• are bearing fruit in good works. May others see our good works and glorify You!
  
• are increasing in knowledge of You. May we know your ways and your heart better than we did a year ago.
  
• are strengthened for joyful endurance and patience. May we continue faithfully and filled with hope despite pain and disappointment.
  

"Shamelessly plagiarized from Apostle Paul in Colossians 1"

Preparing for Sunday

I am (Lord-willing) going to share from Isaiah 55 on Sunday. Here are the notes so far. Maybe my thoughts will be more organized by Sunday!

Article I cannot help but sharing

I read this article from the Wall Street Journal on Manute Bol, a former NBA player. I am appreciative of the writer's efforts in articulating the impact Christ should have on a life. It is rare to read this kind of stuff.

Road to nowhere

For the Christian, the pathway to sin is the road to nowhere, or at least nowhere good.

I was reading in a Baptist Confession of faith the effects of sin on the life of the believer.

• Sin incurs God's displeasure
• It grieves God's Holy Spirit
• It diminishes our comfort
• It makes us experience hardness of heart
• It makes our conscience accuse us
• It hurts others and brings a scandal to them
• It brings God's chastisements on us

Having recognized all of that, it is still good to know that if we are true believers, sin will not have the last word, but Christ will give victory over sin! Repentance can be renewed, and faith in God can be pursued.

Hidden in your heart

Growing up in a Christian home, I remember learning "Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you." (Ps 119:11)

I remembered that verse when I read another verse from the Psalms today (40:10), "I have NOT hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation."

So, putting the 2 together, I should store up God's word in my heart, learning to treasure it. However, I should be ready to speak of deliverance, and God's steadfast love in public. So, while my faith should be and is very personal, it was never meant to be private.

Glad songs of salvation

I was reading in Psalm 118:14-15, which says that

"The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous."

I was reminded of yesterday's singing in our services where we sang things like...

• In Christ alone my hope is found.
• Lead me to the cross, where your love poured out.
  
• You alone can rescue, you alone can save.
• Come ye sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore. Jesus ready stands to save you, full of pity, love and power.
• Down at the cross where my Savior, down where for cleansing from sin I cried, there to my heart was the blood applied. Glory to His name.
  
• Have you been to Jesus for his cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Surely God is pleased and Christ is honored by glad songs of salvation, sung by those who are His!