God’s Glory

Easter Has Implications For Our Benefit

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Do you sometimes forget the glorious truth that Christ’s resurrection has implications on both our present life and eternity? I think most of us — myself included — tend to forget all about His resurrection shortly after we sit down to Easter dinner. Oh, it’s in the back of our minds and all that, but… well, it’s in the back of our minds.

But our Redeemer indeed does live, and therefore He plays an active role in our lives. Certainly, the ultimate purpose of His resurrection revolves around His glory. We must keep that in mind at all times. Yet His resurrection also results in benefits to us.

How generous the Lord is to take the event that most points to His exaltation and use it to extend grace and blessing to His people! Shouldn’t such kindness only cause us to adore Him all the more?

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Ancient Hymns Exalt God

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For the past few weeks I’ve been reading through Psalms. I started doing so in response to COVID-19, eager to find encouragement in these troubling times. Indeed, many of the psalms do offer wonderful comfort as they point to God’s protection of His people in all sorts of affliction.

Psalm 57 begins with David telling the Lord about some of his trials. The early verses depict his despair as circumstances close in on him. Yet almost immediately he intersperses his statements of fear with his confidence in the Lord. He knows that only God has the power to deliver him from his encroaching enemies.

David wants more than simply his own deliverance, however. He wants the world to see God’s power, and to exalt Him. Verses 9-11 close the psalm with a prayer that God would exalt Himself above the heavens and spread His glory over all the earth.

When I read this ancient hymn during my time with the Lord a few days ago, I fondly remembered singing a portion of it as a praise song in the early 1980s. How beautiful to sing such an ancient hymn that centers on the exaltation of God!

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Beyond Heavenly Wheelbarrows And Tennis Courts

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Heaven's Glory

Eschatology intimidates me. Although I have been a Christian for a little over 49 years, I can’t take iron clad positions on when our the Rapture will occur in relation to the Tribulation or which saved people will live in the Millennal Kingdom. Many of you will undoubtedly be disappointed that I don’t unquestioningly follow John MacArthur’s pronouncements on these points. But I just don’t think I understand the finer points of eschatology well enough to take a stand on these two matters.

I’m not sure it’s necessary that I be an expert in eschatology, frankly. It’s an important topic, yes. But minds far more brilliant than mine have debated the details for centuries.

That said, I do have firm convictions about our eternal state. And I find much of contemporary evangelical speculation about heaven to be man-centered and silly. Furthermore,  much of what evangelicals say regarding heaven bears almost no resemblance to the Bible’s depictions of heaven.

My disability provides an extra opportunity to hear some of the foolish ideas people have about the eternal kingdom. For instance, friends often talk about Continue reading →

Secure — By His Grace

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Isn’t it easy to make ourselves responsible for procuring and maintaining our salvation?  Something in us insists on taking at least a small portion of credit for our acceptance into heaven. Certainly, I spent years figuring out theological systems that allowed me to view myself as a contributor to my standing before God.

Thankfully, the Lord used His Word to convince me that He both initiated my salvation and will carry it to completion. He alone deserves all the glory.

This realization humbles us, which explains why so many of us fight against it. Surely, there must be some little way we cooperate with the Holy Spirit! Just a little? But no, Christ claims all the glory. His mercy takes us from start to finish.

Precisely because everything about our salvation emanates from His mercy and grace, we enjoy absolute security. Nothing can rob us of the security that He has bought us with His blood and therefore He will keep us for Himself. He will not permit anything — including ourselves — to interfere with His eternal purpose for us. We can rest secure in His grace.

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Who Determines What We Need?

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Spring Tree

Yesterday our pastor preached the second sermon in a three-part series on the Lord’s Prayer. As he expounded on the clause, “Give us this day our daily bread,” he made the distinction between needs and wants that most preachers make when preaching on this clause.  I expected no less from him.

I got more than I expected, however.

He commented that God, because He is sovereign, gets to Continue reading →

Jesus Shines Brighter

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I love the hymn that I have selected to post this week. I love the way it exalts Jesus as Son of God and Son of man. I love its bold declaration that He rules over all creation. And I love the way it describes how much fairer He is than even the most beautiful aspects of His creation.

But right now, it encourages me to remember that He also shines brighter than all the trouble that this current pandemic has caused. As easy as it is to be distracted by all the ramifications of the crisis, we need to turn our attention to Him, seeing that He outshines all the hardship, sorrow and frustration that threatens our peace. What a beautiful Savor!

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His Glories Now We Sing

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Happy Resurrection Day! All of us are joyfully celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, as well we should! Those of us blessed enough to watch livestreaming services from our own pastors will hear various implications of His resurrection, and those who don’t have a church with such capabilities can enjoy the service from my home church, First Baptist Church Weymouth. If you miss the livestream at 10:30 a.m. EST, you can still play the video at your convenience.

Rather than posting a hymn exclusively about Christ’s resurrection this year, I’ve decided to post one celebrating the totality of His ministry and focusing on how His ministry glorifies Him as our matchless King through all eternity.

So often we emphasize the benefits Christ’s resurrection brings to us. That emphasis is entirely appropriate! But if we limit our appreciation of His resurrection to its effects on us, we forget that ultimately it is about His glory. This Resurrection Day, let’s magnify Jesus Christ, Who died and rose on high.

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