gospel

No Place But Christ

~ godisnotlikeyou ~ Leave a comment

“How shall I look up to God? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I have any communion with a holy God in this world? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I find acceptance with God? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I die? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I stand before the judgment seat? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. photo (26)

“Your sure and only way under all temptations, fears, conflicts, doubts, and disputes, is by faith to remember Christ, and the sufferings of Christ, as your mediator and surety, and say, ‘O Christ! you are my sin—in being made sin for me; and you are my curse—in being made a curse for me. Or rather, I am your sin—and you are my righteousness; I am your curse—and you are my blessing; I am your death—and you are my life; I am the wrath of God to you—and you are the love of God to me; I am your hell—and you are my heaven.’”

– Thomas Brooks

Are You Singing?

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A friend of mine has been asking lately what the difference is between a true Christian and a false one.

My answer is simple. A true Christian is someone who believes in Christ alone, through faith alone, by grace alone.

But my friend continues to ask, “But what about the evidence in his life?”

What of it? grape vine

James says, “Faith without works is dead.” And God says the greatest work is to believe in His Son whom He has sent into the world so all men may be saved.

Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” – John 6:28, 29 ESV

So if you believe that Jesus Christ is your Savior who died on the cross to pay the price for your sins, then this is counted as a good work in God’s eyes. In fact it’s the greatest work because without faith it is impossible to please God.

John 15 says, if you are a branch that is united to the vine, then you will show forth good fruit. Have you ever seen a branch huffing and puffing and sweating to produce grapes?

The same is true of you. As a Christian you are doing good works all the time, but most of the time you won’t see them because you’d be tempted to pride. But God sees them and He is pleased with you because you are in Christ. See Romans 6. Ephesians 1 & 2.

And remember, all your works are tainted with sin, even good things like prayer, witnessing, giving to the poor. They all must be mediated by Christ in order for God to accept them.

So I told my friend to stop worrying and start singing.

You do the same.

Are You a Practicing Christian?

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In his book, God in the Dock, C.S. Lewis is asked the following question:

Will you please say how you would define a practicing Christian? Are there any other varieties?

Lewis’ answer is brilliant. He said,  Lithia

“Certainly there are a great many other varieties. It depends, of course, on what you mean by ‘practicing Christian’. If you mean one who has practiced Christianity in every respect at every moment of his life, then there is only One on record – Christ Himself. In that sense there are no practicing Christians, but only Christians who, in varying degrees, try to practice it and fail in varying degrees and then start again. A perfect practice of Christianity would, of course, consist in a perfect imitation of the life of Christ – I mean, in so far as it was applicable to one’s own particular circumstances.”

We love his answer. That describes us and every Christian we know.

Thank God he has given us his Son’s perfect record at the moment we believed.

If it wasn’t for his immense grace, we, of all people, would be most miserable. But, as Christians, we share in the likeness of our Savior, and his life is now ours by virtue of our union with him for an eternity.

Soak your soul in that!

Is Your Life Worth Saving?

~ godisnotlikeyou ~ Leave a comment

There’s a new advertising campaign grabbing my eyeballs in the subway station these days.

Everywhere I look the walls are covered with large posters asking, “Is your digital life worth saving?”

Clearly for this tech company the answer is yes.

Tech companies have been designing our digital lives for quite a while. And now they want to save them.

But tech companies aren’t the only ones that believe your life is important, digital or otherwise.

ER doctors believe your life is worth saving.

Paramedics and rescue workers believe it, too.

So how come you don’t believe it?

“What do you mean? I’m always saving my life.

I’m up on the latest cure, the most up-to-date therapy, and the most exciting lifestyle I can buy.

What’s wrong with that?”

Nothing, except it’s only skin deep. photo(11)

What if you’re missing what’s really important?

What about your soul?

“I’ve got that covered,” you say.

“I go to church on Easter and Christmas, I recycle, I rescue orphaned animals, and I don’t cheat on my taxes. Doesn’t that count for something?”

Sure. You get kudos with the relatives, and you’re not arrested by the IRS. But will doing good things save your soul?

“Well, if that won’t, what will?”

We will never be good enough to save our own soul. Sin has marred our lives and keeps us from a relationship with God. That’s why God has made a way for your sins to be forgiven.  And you don’t have to cross oceans or change your lifestyle to get it.

He offers it to you right now in the Person of his Son, Jesus.

Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” – John 6:28-29 ESV

By receiving God’s gift, he draws you into relationship with himself.

Jesus is God’s plan for saving your life.

Now and forever, without a contract or fees.

Want to find out more about saving your life?

Send me a message.

How To Have a Winning Resume

~ godisnotlikeyou ~ Leave a comment

Have you read some online resumes lately?

The candidates sound like they walk on water.

By the time they’re 25, they have a Master’s degree and a PhD, with work experience since kindergarten.  photo(66)

And let’s not overlook the myriad of tech certificates that make them eligible for the most exciting jobs out there.

Have you ever read a resume that included a person’s failures? Of course not. That would be suicide.

Everybody wants to be perfect.

Some people want it so badly they’re willing to lie and cheat to appear that way.

In today’s competitive job market, unless you dazzle and out-perform your competitors, you could end up on the street before you even get a chance to start.

In case you’re thinking this is only true for recent college graduates seeking employment, the truth is all of us are crafting our resumes internally so we look our best.

The fact is we’re addicted to perfection.

You and I know we can’t be perfect, but we try anyway. We labor for a verdict of approval from all who matter in life.

Except there’s a huge problem with that.

Our mothers might give us high marks because they love us no matter what, but if we look to God, who is the ultimate approval giver, his verdict is not so good.

In fact the verdict stinks.

“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” – Romans 3:10-12 ESV

We’re in deep weeds and no amount of charitable deeds is going to convince God otherwise.

The truth is we were made to live with God’s acceptance.

“Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God…” – Psalm 146:5 NKJV

Who you are in Jesus defines you.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…” – Ephesians 1:3 NKJV

By accepting God’s provision for sin in Jesus,

God smiles on you.

God welcomes you.

And Jesus’ perfect record becomes yours.

I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a winning deal to me.

How To Ditch the Pitch for New Year’s Resolutions

~ godisnotlikeyou ~ Leave a comment

It’s that time of year again.

I’m talking about those pesky New Year’s resolutions.

This year I’m staying clear of them.

I’ll let you make them.  IMG_0704

I’m not going on a diet, buying a gym membership, eating healthier, or being nicer to my brother.

I am staying just the way I am. Plump, self-indulgent, and cranky.

I don’t like failure. Who does? I don’t want to start the New Year in the negative. I want a few weeks of blissful self-illusion.

Have you noticed as the year begins how your inbox expands with tips for improved living? How to speak Italian in six weeks. How to find the mate of your dreams online. How to improve your relationship with your therapist. How to write a memoir.

All it takes is money. And sweat.

No thanks.

You’d think everyone would see the hype, but every year there are enough desperate people who believe the gimmicks.

The truth is we all want hope. Every one of us wants to be thinner, healthier, younger, and wealthier.

But have you noticed how these things promise results but deliver disappointment?

The gym banks on you dropping out.

The recipe you’re making only works on TV.

Last year’s fashions are this year’s thrift store deals.

Nothing changes, and everything changes.

If we put our hope in things, we’ll soon discover we’re bankrupt.

There’s only one place to put our hope and it’s in a person— Jesus. When he makes a promise, he delivers it. And he promised that if anyone puts their trust in him as Savior, he will forgive their sins and give them eternal life.

And this is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. – John 6:40 NKJV

Now that’s my idea of success. The sure kind.

Why bother with lesser promises that don’t deliver when you can have God guaranteed-ones?  Instead of self-improvement propaganda, find the lasting improvements only God can offer.

I’d rather be chunky and happy in Jesus than nasty and model-thin without him.

How about you? Are you ready to put your hope in Jesus?

Leave me a fat comment.

 

How To Deal with Christmas Letdown

~ godisnotlikeyou ~ 1 Comment

The day after Christmas.

That’s when Letdown slips in.

Usually around 7 a.m.

It slithers under the door wearing grey.

“You dashed expectations for another year,” Letdown whispers in my ear.

I slice through the wrapping paper, limp bows, and empty boxes on the living room floor on my way to the kitchen for coffee.

Come to think of it, gifts and food and twinkling Christmas lights are appealing but there’s no magic in them.  palm tree

The magic comes in the shape of people, with one person in particular, and he was poor and marginalized from birth.

“I’m in good company. Jesus dashed all expectations, too,” I tell Letdown.

He has no response and slinks away.

Even Though You Fail, But God

~ godisnotlikeyou ~ 3 Comments

The gospel shows us that we fail to obey God.

Not sure that’s true?

Try this on for size: How well have you loved God and your neighbor today? Yesterday? How about last week?

If you’re like me, you must admit your failure. photo(43)

But not only do we fail to obey God, we dupe ourselves into believing that our imperfect obedience somehow is sufficient for God to fully accept us.

That’s because we’re trusting in our own performance.

We insist on being our own Messiahs.

Even people without faith in Christ are believers – in themselves, their performance, or the idols of their own making.

Christians struggle with the same issues.

Failure to believe the gospel results in our problems in church, in our relationships, and in our work.

We all agree that belief in the gospel is the way into the kingdom of God, but then we forget it’s also the way of life in the kingdom.

We never graduate from the gospel.

It’s essential for kindergarteners as well as PhDs.

It’s the only way to grow and be transformed by Christ.

So what is the gospel again?

To quote Question 60 of the Heidelberg Catechism:

Only by a true faith in Jesus Christ; so that, though my conscience accuse me, that I have grossly transgressed all the commandments of God, and kept none of them, and am still inclined to all evil; notwithstanding, God, without any merit of mine, but only of mere grace, grants and imputes to me, the perfect satisfaction, righteousness and holiness of Christ; even so, as if I never had had, nor committed any sin: yea, as if I had fully accomplished all that obedience which Christ has accomplished for me; inasmuch as I embrace such benefit with a believing heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How To Sleep Like a Baby

~ godisnotlikeyou ~ Leave a comment

When I look inside myself, all I find is corruption, pride, selfishness, and sin.

I could list a whole host of other horrible sins, and fill you with stories, but then I’d be focusing on myself, and that’s not the point.

My conscience skewers me when I look inside. If I were to stand in God’s courtroom, I’d have no defense and He would be perfectly right to consign me to hell.

However, knowing this, I still sleep well at night.

How can that be true?

The only reason I can sleep well at night is that even though my heart is depraved, and I’m not doing my best to please my Lord, I have in heaven at the Father’s right hand my beloved Jesus, who not only has done His best for the Father, and for Himself, but has fulfilled all righteousness for me in my place.

So no matter how much I fail, or how much I succeed (both are shot through with sin), I stand in the perfect record of my Lord Jesus.

Now that is something to shout for joy about!