"When you see that you are dependent, not self-determined, then--and then alone--can you appreciate Who God is and who you are. God is the Creator of all things Who made you for His pleasure; He does not exist to please you. He is not some cosmic vending machine that will give you whatever you want when you insert the proper prayer coins. You were made to glorify Him either as a vessel of mercy or as a vessel of wrath. It is not incumbent upon God to glorify you. That He has chosen to save you, Christian, should not merely please you; it should astonish you."
- Jay Adams, The Grand Demonstration, p. 49-50.
Showing posts with label Grace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grace. Show all posts
Friday, September 19, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Fast Food and the Gospel
Last night I tagged along with my friend Corey to the men's TCC men's Bible study downtown. The usual guy was out of town so I volunteered to go. It was a great time of fellowship and study, even though there was just one guy and we were in the McDonald's on Wilmington Street! Anthony, our sole attendee, Corey, and myself studied the first chapter of Ephesians. We sought to understand the main theme of the chapter and to identify the three things Paul lists in verses 18 and 19: what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe. We had a great time and I can honestly say that I got just as much out of it as Anthony did. I must thank Corey for his thoughtful direction that he gave to our study. He asked some great questions like, "Since we see here that Jesus is the one in whom all things are united, how can we love those people who don't believe in Jesus, or who believe in other religions?" At the end of our time I found myself praising God for His grace in calling me to Himself, I'm no better than anyone else and certainly no more deserving of His salvation. But thanks be to God that He saw fit to choose me for Himself! What a great love our Father has for us, His adopted children.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Heatstroke and the Grace of God
Two somewhat interrelated topics are on my mind this evening. The first is the amenities we enjoy in this era. Today, for a few hours, the AC in our house was broken. At one point the temperature reached 94 degrees inside. It was truly miserable. However, due to the Lord's grace, a repair man was able to come only 3 hours after I called and it was fixed within 30 minutes of his arrival! So I am truly thankful to the Lord for His grace in causing this repair to happen speedily.
The second is God's sovereign grace in my salvation. Today, as I lay on the bed, under the fan, listening to an Indelible Grace album, I thought about how some people I know would never fathom listening to music like that which I was presently enjoying. I began to think of how the lyrics would seem so foreign and how some might even mock them. I then thought about some people and some friends from days past who are not believers and who do not love Jesus or the things of God. At that moment I was simply rocked by the Lord's favor toward me in His gracious electing and subsequent saving work in my life. It is only because of grace that I am at all concerned with God and His Word. I was truly amazed by the fact that for some reason the Lord saw fit to save me. It is only because of His free, unconstrained good-pleasure that I read the Bible or care about holiness. It is only because of His marvelous grace that I do not pursue sin with a reckless abandonment. Like my brother Blake said this evening, I don't want to ever get to a place where I forget the true gospel and the grace of God in my life. Sometimes it's hard to imagine how that could ever happen, knowing what I've experienced in my relationship with the Father. However, then I remember folks who have fallen away, a college professor I had, a man and woman from a church I was a part of, pastors, etc. etc. and I realize that I am, in and of myself no different than they. I possess in me all the wretchedness that drove them to turn their backs on the faith and pursue sin instead. I just hope and trust that I am a part of those mentioned in Hebrews 6:9 and not those mentioned in the previous portion of the same chapter.
The second is God's sovereign grace in my salvation. Today, as I lay on the bed, under the fan, listening to an Indelible Grace album, I thought about how some people I know would never fathom listening to music like that which I was presently enjoying. I began to think of how the lyrics would seem so foreign and how some might even mock them. I then thought about some people and some friends from days past who are not believers and who do not love Jesus or the things of God. At that moment I was simply rocked by the Lord's favor toward me in His gracious electing and subsequent saving work in my life. It is only because of grace that I am at all concerned with God and His Word. I was truly amazed by the fact that for some reason the Lord saw fit to save me. It is only because of His free, unconstrained good-pleasure that I read the Bible or care about holiness. It is only because of His marvelous grace that I do not pursue sin with a reckless abandonment. Like my brother Blake said this evening, I don't want to ever get to a place where I forget the true gospel and the grace of God in my life. Sometimes it's hard to imagine how that could ever happen, knowing what I've experienced in my relationship with the Father. However, then I remember folks who have fallen away, a college professor I had, a man and woman from a church I was a part of, pastors, etc. etc. and I realize that I am, in and of myself no different than they. I possess in me all the wretchedness that drove them to turn their backs on the faith and pursue sin instead. I just hope and trust that I am a part of those mentioned in Hebrews 6:9 and not those mentioned in the previous portion of the same chapter.
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