The Pastor’s Pen

Lincoln writes to encourage and build up God’s people with God’s Word.

God who is awesome – Part 1

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

Many people have favourite Bible verses, and I am no different. Yet within my favourites there is one verse that I return to repeatedly. This single verse puts the universe in perspective for me. It reminds me of the incalculable difference between mankind and God, that He is nothing like humanity, and that He is merciful in His justice.  Deuteronomy 10:17, for the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. Here, Yahweh gives testimony of Himself. So there can be no misunderstanding or misrepresentation, Yahweh tells us plainly. Amongst all the spiritual beings, the Lord is the greatest, the highest, the one supreme God who is over all in every possible way.

It’s easy to read over this verse quickly as we pass through the chapter, missing the enormity of its content. With approximately 29 words, depending on your translation, we read a summary of Jehovah. If we had no other Old Testament declaration of God, this would be more than sufficient to communicate all that is needed. The truths of this one revelation should cause us to quiver with exhilarating fear, realising that we, who are so puny, have had revealed to us Him who is so enormous in presence and holiness of character.

Of course, reading this entire section from chapter 5:1 to 28:68 of Deuteronomy reveals a lot more. Moses is delivering the laws of God to the nation of Israel on the morning of their westward crossing of the Jordan river into the promised land (Deu 9:1), after wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. Knowing that he himself would not go with them (Deu 32:51–52), Moses faithfully alerts Israel to Yahweh’s covenant law (Deu 5:2). Once again, Israel is confronted by Moses with an expanded revelation of who Yahweh is, what He has done, and what He is like.

God has always revealed Himself as the absolute Sovereign who is beyond compare or challenge. David states this in Psalm 40:5, You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. God always reveals Himself as the perfection of holiness (Jos 24:19). Just as in Deuteronomy, David declares that God has not been in hiding. While human language fails to express the fulness of Yahweh, we are still able to worship what we do know of Him accurately.

David, who was far from perfect, knew that God was dependable in His character, unlike David. So, when David sinned and came under the Lord’s discipline, he knew he could depend upon God’s mercy. In 2 Samuel 24:14, he confessed, I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man. Moses reminded Israel that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders (Deuteronomy 26:8).

Moses was right in instructing Israel to rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you (Deuteronomy 26:11). Not only did God reveal Himself but He acted. We, like Israel, have seen the revelation and actions of God, therefore, we are to worship. God is just as awe inspiring today as He ever was. Therefore, let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29).

To be continued…

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Friendship with others

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

Rewarding Christian friendships are those permeated with God. While there is great diversity in how these friendships operate, the values should always be Christ centered and reflect our relationship with God. However, we live in an age of compromise where believers are often encouraged to look and sound like the world in hope of being accepted. James spoke to this; whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4). While some think these are harsh words, it remains true that out of fear of loosing friends and positions of earthly benefit, believers are tempted to sacrifice friendship with God in favour of friendships with worldly values.
Job, who understood the loss of friendships better than most (Job 1-2), connects the quality of earthly friendship with the character of a person’s friendship with God. Job 6:14 says, he who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. Here, it’s the absence of kindness that displays the absence of fear/respect of God. This makes sense because loving mercy are intrinsic to the nature of God. Therefore, a child of God, born again by the Holy Spirit, should increasingly grow in loving kindness (Gal 5:22-23). And the friends of that believer should experience those growing qualities.

When Jesus delivered the demon possessed man who lived among the tombs, Jesus sent him on the most amazing yet simple mission. Obviously, this man was grateful, and I’m sure we can understand why the delivered man begged him (Jesus) that he might be with him. But Jesus had a much greater and more personable plan for him. So, Jesus did not permit him but said to him, go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you. (Mark 5:19). Apart from anything else, Jesus knew this man would have wanted his friends to experience the Lord’s mercy as he had. Plus, this man had what it took to unashamedly declare the deity of Jesus who is Lord over demons. As this freed man gave his best when speaking of Jesus, so our friends should receive the best of Jesus when with us.

The fact is, this delivered man did such a good job that when Jesus visited the region of the Decapolis… they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him (Mark 7:31-32). Despite Jesus having never visited this Gentile area before, people knew how to recognise and respond to Jesus when He arrived. The delivered man had done a brilliant job of telling his friends about Jesus.

When the apostle Paul wrote from his first Roman imprisonment to the church at Philippi, it was a passionate expression of an uncommon friendship. Despite great distance, and the lack of fast communication, the believers at Philippi were effective at showing their love for Paul. They expressed partnership with Paul which produced joy (Php 1:4-5). Paul replied with encouraging words, and words of assurance (Php 1:6), words of affection (Php 1:8), and words of exhortation (Php 1:9-11).

These are all key elements in a healthy Christian friendship. Rather than sit disgruntled while chained to a Roman soldier, Paul wrote uplifting words for the benefit of his recipients. Paul’s words communicated an uncommon love which inspired the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Php 1:11). May the grace of God increasingly manufacture these qualities in our friendships also?

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Friendship from God – Part 1

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

Most of us desire quality, pleasurable friendships. Whether with just one person, or with a group, friendship is integral to being created in the image of God. As we all know, there are different qualities of friendship, ranging from damaging to enriching. However, there is one friendship that ranks above all others, and that is friendship with God Almighty. I’m not referring to knowing about God, and I’m not referring to experiencing some sense of closeness with Him when praying or singing. No, I speak of a genuine, life-long intimacy that happily yields our will to His sovereign will. Friendship that seeks after Him first, for His glory and His pleasure, which in turn gives us pleasure (Psa 1:1-2; 112:1; 1Pe 1:2). As Christians, our human friendships are influenced by the quality of our friendship with Jesus Christ. Does our character reflect Christ’s character to a degree that enables others to experience Christ?

Often, our desire in earthly friendships is to get what we want, in some way or another. We may be more interested in how the other person makes us feel and not in the actual person themselves. For the Christian, this grows out of having the same wrong expectation of our friendship with God. Often our attitudes, our prayers, and our activities, show that we judge God’s friendship by the extent to which He fulfils our expectations. Therefore, we may make life-changing decisions with ourselves at the centre of our reasoning instead of God.

Oswald Chambers asked, think of the last thing you prayed about – were you devoted to your desire or to God? Was your determination to get some gift of the Spirit for yourself or to get to God? 

King David rightly tells us of the priority of friendship with God. The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. My eyes are ever toward the LORD… (Psalm 25:14-15). Yahweh is the initiator, reaching out to us, offering friendship through His son Jesus Christ (Heb 1:2). We then respond with repentant fear of the Lord. As our relationship grows, Yahweh increasingly makes known to us the nature of his covenant on which our relationship stands. The non-negotiable truths and promises of the covenant Christ instigated through the cross of Calvary is the foundation of our intimate friendship with God.

Communion reminds us of the cost and the certainty of friendship with God through Christ. The cup is the new covenant in my blood Jesus said. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me (1 Corinthians 11:25). The friendship which God gifted us came at the cost of Jesus’ life on the cross. There, God exchanged our sin for Christ’s righteousness, making the closest association with God possible (Rom 3:22-25). Christ made intimate friendship with Yahweh accessible by faith, and our faith is expressed through righteous fear of Yahweh. A fear that not only shudders at His coming judgement of sin, but a fear that also breaths the highest respect we are capable of. It’s no wonder David said, my eyes are ever toward the LORD.

Friendship from God is expensive because Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2). As we grow in our understanding of God’s mercy in friendship, we should equally grow in our worship. Because of His great mercy, Paul instructs us to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1).

To be continued…



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Christ – the greatest treasure – Part 3

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

As Christians reading God’s Word, we are in awe of the many and varied expressions of the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel accounts expose us to the incredible ways in which Christ manifested His divinity through His restricted humanity. The apostle John concluded that there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written (John 21:25). However, these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31).
While Jesus’ earthly ministry was astounding, so His ongoing heavenly ministry continues to be astounding with significant earthly impact. Christ is the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest… (Hebrews 5:9-10). Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25). Jesus never takes time off. There are no holidays or rests from His ministry of intercession on our behalf. What’s more, He never does a half-hearted job. He completely saves sinners, He completely secures those saved sinners, He sanctifies those He justifies, and He shall completely glorify redeemed sinners to heaven (Romans 8:29-30).

With this in mind, let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:15-16). Christ does not save us to then abandon us. He does not justify us then leave us to our own resources to struggle through life. No, He saves us only to continue His priestly ministry on our behalf at the throne of God, ensuring our every need is meet, and that our future arrival in heaven is fulfilled. Noting is left to chance. Nothing is left depending upon us.

Hebrews 10:14 sums up in 1 line the absolute sufficiency of what Christ has done, what Christ is doing, and what Christ shall do for believers. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. While we may struggle with living through the process of daily sanctification, we are assured that Christ will perfect our sanctification for eternity without being dependent upon our abilities to get things right.

Since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith (Hebrews 10:21-22). Realising our unimaginable security in Christ, we are able to push to one side any fears or challenges knowing that Christ has, is, and shall continue to save and secure us. Our great priest never faulters or fails at the task before Him. Unlike us, who are plagued with inconsistencies and struggles, the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one (2 Thessalonians 3:3). Even during those dark times in life, if we are faithless, he remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13).

Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonian Christians sums this up perfectly. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). Because he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).



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Christ – the greatest treasure – Part 2

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

When Christ resurrected and then ascended, the Father seated Him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church (Ephesians 1:20-22). This answers the question; why do Christian’s emphasis Jesus so much? Because He is supreme over all others and beyond compare in every way. Therefore, it is the Christian’s pleasure to explore Christ’s being, His character, His position, His purposes, His works, and His reign.
Making much of Christ is as natural to a believer as breathing. We seek to glorify Christ not because we must, not because we have been instructed to, and certainly not because we have been coerced, but because we desire to. This desire compels the Christian to employ all they have; their intellects, their abilities, skills, energies, gifts, and their possessions, in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 4:11). A believer should never need to be instructed to consider Jesus (Heb 3:1), they can’t help but think of Jesus because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus (Php 3:8).

Just as Christ is superior to angels (Heb 1:4), so He is also superior to mankind, even though He came to this world in the form of a humble human servant (Php 2:6-8). God temporarily placed Jesus in a position lower than the angels (Heb 2:7) for the purpose of going to the cross. There, Jesus willingly suffered execution so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone, making propitiation for the sins of the people (Hebrews 2:9, 17). It is through Christ’s death in our place that He was able to appease God’s wrath for our sin, making peace with God possible (Romans 5:1). By believing this, sinners are justified and declared innocent by God. Therefore, God has elevated Christ to the highest place, having crowned him with glory and honour, putting everything in subjection under his feet (Hebrews 2:7-8).

Even though Christ is exalted above everything and everyone in heaven and on earth, He is still able to sympathize with our weaknesses, as one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Christ lives as our high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens, interceding for those He sacrificed His life for (Hebrews 7:25-26). It’s no wonder then, that though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:8-9).

So, when considering Christian living, it goes without saying that the obvious evidence of faith is the happy pursuit of Christlike character expressed through actions. Christians are not those who profess to know God but deny him by their works (Titus 1:16). Believers welcome the world’s observation as an opportunity to give testimony to Jesus through their lives. Conduct that communicates Christ should never be considered a burden, rather, it is the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s fruit that the Lord Jesus Christ lives within (Galatians 5:22-23).

With these brief thoughts in our minds, we can agree with Paul in his closing benediction of Romans 16:27, to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

To be continued…

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